Spirit vs Luminosa

[mitsugirly]

I've been looking at the Alaska cruises and Carnival has Spirit and Luminosa cruising there. 

 

Can I have your thoughts on either ship? 

 

I think I had read that Carnival's Luminosa is a previous Costa ship of theirs, so does it even have things that Carnival usually has on it like Guys and so on? Or can I expect a totally different experience than what I've had on Carnival in the past?

 

I assume that cruising to Alaska, it won't make a difference if it has pools or slides (we are going in August hopefully). But, I did see that the Spirit has a retracting roof over one of the pools. Would it still be too cold to swim?

 

Any information you could give me on either ship and which would be best for an Alaskan cruise would be awesome as I'm just now starting my research.

[MardiGras10022021]

Can let you know about Spirit after Feb. 12th. We will be there till then.   Enjoy

 

 

[silvercrikhix]

We’ve been on both in Alaska. Luminosa being last August. We would personally take the Spirit, if it was that choice. Luminosa is a pretty ship but there is no Guys, Blue Iguana, etc…. We were unimpressed by the Luminosa. It’s a ‘sister’ in the Spirit class of ships. The aft wrap deck 4 suite was huge as usual but a bit different. Pool use?  It’ll depend on the weather and personal choices.  For us, Alaska is the reason to cruise with the ship being not really that important. The staff was fine. 

[LatinaInTexas]

I love reading your reviews and know you cruise NCL often so I'm wondering why considering Carnival over NCL?

[audcc77]

1 hour ago, silvercrikhix said:

Luminosa is a pretty ship but there is no Guys, Blue Iguana, etc…. We were unimpressed by the Luminosa.

We were unimpressed with Luminosa as well. 
 

I think this ship’s putt -putt is nonexistent.  The shops had nice things I’ve not seen elsewhere though. 

[Jamman54]

4 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

I've been looking at the Alaska cruises and Carnival has Spirit and Luminosa cruising there. 

 

Can I have your thoughts on either ship? 

 

I think I had read that Carnival's Luminosa is a previous Costa ship of theirs, so does it even have things that Carnival usually has on it like Guys and so on? Or can I expect a totally different experience than what I've had on Carnival in the past?

 

I assume that cruising to Alaska, it won't make a difference if it has pools or slides (we are going in August hopefully). But, I did see that the Spirit has a retracting roof over one of the pools. Would it still be too cold to swim?

 

Any information you could give me on either ship and which would be best for an Alaskan cruise would be awesome as I'm just now starting my research.

Hey there! Haven't been on the Luminosa yet, but I know you have been on the Pride since we were on the same cruise together. The Spirit is almost identical to the Pride. We've been on the Spirit and would choose her over the Luminosa. 😎

[mikayla73]

We've been on the Spirit to Alaska. They had the roof closed and there was some swimming in that pool. We didn't swim, but it was warm and humid in the area when we walked through. I think we were the 2nd cruise of the season when we went.

[csm5986142]

I posted this in a similar topic (link below if you'd like to take a look at other responses):

 

We were on Luminosa in August and Spirit in September (both departing from Seattle) but different itineraries.  We really enjoyed both ships and I think it comes down to personal preferences. Both are a nice size and layout, never really felt crowded.  No long lines for anything.  They are older ships but both were clean and well maintained.

On Luminosa we enjoyed the on-demand movies in our room, but that was not an option on Spirit.

Spirit seems to have a lot more for kids (water slides/water park, etc.).  Luminosa doesn't have the slides/water park or even a mini golf course (well I guess they have a putting green or something but much smaller than Carnival's typical mini golf).  Aside from the kids club and the pools, it didn't seem like there was much for kids to do on Luminosa.

We liked the food a little better on Spirit, but that might have just been due to timing and that specific cruise.  

I've heard the spas are different on each, but I'm not a spa person, so I don't know for sure.  According to the website Luminosa has Cloud 9 and Spirit has Spa Carnival (from what I've read Luminosa has Thermal Suite and Hydrotherapy pool but I did not see those listed on Spirit (but again, not personal experience, so I could be wrong).

I liked the walking/running track better on Luminosa.  I thought it was bigger/better located.

Luminosa offered a Steakhouse Brunch for $25 per person, so we expected the same on Spirit but never saw it on the schedule (though I've heard others have experienced it so maybe just not on our itenerary).

When booking our trips, I was a bit concerned about Luminosa because the reviews I had read were not good.  Several mentioned plumbing issues, but we had none (aside form a slow draining shower).

 

Fairly recent discussion on Spirit vs Luminosa link below:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2969967-luminosa-or-spirit

 

[csm5986142]

5 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

I think I had read that Carnival's Luminosa is a previous Costa ship of theirs, so does it even have things that Carnival usually has on it like Guys and so on? Or can I expect a totally different experience than what I've had on Carnival in the past?

 

I assume that cruising to Alaska, it won't make a difference if it has pools or slides (we are going in August hopefully). But, I did see that the Spirit has a retracting roof over one of the pools. Would it still be too cold to swim?

 

Luminosa does not have Guys Burgers, but they have something similar (I think it's maybe just called "The Grill") and we thought it tasted just like Guys.

Both Spirit and Luminosa have a retractable roof over the pool. The covered pool on Luminosa was popular (and definitely warm enough when we were in Alaska last August).

[mitsugirly]

14 hours ago, silvercrikhix said:

We’ve been on both in Alaska. Luminosa being last August. We would personally take the Spirit, if it was that choice. Luminosa is a pretty ship but there is no Guys, Blue Iguana, etc…. We were unimpressed by the Luminosa. It’s a ‘sister’ in the Spirit class of ships. The aft wrap deck 4 suite was huge as usual but a bit different. Pool use?  It’ll depend on the weather and personal choices.  For us, Alaska is the reason to cruise with the ship being not really that important. The staff was fine. 

 

I figured the amenities on board wouldn't really matter (after all, we are going for Alaska itself) but then noticed that the Spirit had the retractable roof over the pool and started thinking just maybe it was warm enough to actually swim...which would give us something else to do while on board. 

 

14 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

I love reading your reviews and know you cruise NCL often so I'm wondering why considering Carnival over NCL?

 

I cruise with Carnival (7 times) and Royal as well. When cruising resumed, I have only cruised with NCL so far because I got suckered into purchasing a bunch of their Cruise Next certificates that I need to use up. However, cruising to Alaska is VERY expensive with them (to get a balcony) and Carnival seems to have a better deal and I have a few offers (like casino and VIFP offers). We've loved every cruise we've been on. So, it comes down to price. 🙂 

 

12 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Hey there! Haven't been on the Luminosa yet, but I know you have been on the Pride since we were on the same cruise together. The Spirit is almost identical to the Pride. We've been on the Spirit and would choose her over the Luminosa. 😎

 

Hi there Jamman! Good to hear from you again. Yes, we loved the Pride so this is good to hear!

 

11 hours ago, mikayla73 said:

We've been on the Spirit to Alaska. They had the roof closed and there was some swimming in that pool. We didn't swim, but it was warm and humid in the area when we walked through. I think we were the 2nd cruise of the season when we went.

 

Good to know. I don't know if we would swim, but with a teen daughter, it might be an option for her if she wanted to and something extra for us to do while on board. Thanks!

 

11 hours ago, csm5986142 said:

I posted this in a similar topic (link below if you'd like to take a look at other responses):

 

We were on Luminosa in August and Spirit in September (both departing from Seattle) but different itineraries.  We really enjoyed both ships and I think it comes down to personal preferences. Both are a nice size and layout, never really felt crowded.  No long lines for anything.  They are older ships but both were clean and well maintained.

On Luminosa we enjoyed the on-demand movies in our room, but that was not an option on Spirit.

Spirit seems to have a lot more for kids (water slides/water park, etc.).  Luminosa doesn't have the slides/water park or even a mini golf course (well I guess they have a putting green or something but much smaller than Carnival's typical mini golf).  Aside from the kids club and the pools, it didn't seem like there was much for kids to do on Luminosa.

We liked the food a little better on Spirit, but that might have just been due to timing and that specific cruise.  

I've heard the spas are different on each, but I'm not a spa person, so I don't know for sure.  According to the website Luminosa has Cloud 9 and Spirit has Spa Carnival (from what I've read Luminosa has Thermal Suite and Hydrotherapy pool but I did not see those listed on Spirit (but again, not personal experience, so I could be wrong).

I liked the walking/running track better on Luminosa.  I thought it was bigger/better located.

Luminosa offered a Steakhouse Brunch for $25 per person, so we expected the same on Spirit but never saw it on the schedule (though I've heard others have experienced it so maybe just not on our itenerary).

When booking our trips, I was a bit concerned about Luminosa because the reviews I had read were not good.  Several mentioned plumbing issues, but we had none (aside form a slow draining shower).

 

Fairly recent discussion on Spirit vs Luminosa link below:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2969967-luminosa-or-spirit

 

 

Love that they never felt crowded. I've been on a lot of the bigger, newer ships and I have to say, I love the smaller ones that don't feel crowded for sure. 

 

Our daughter will be 16 at the time we cruise, so she's not into the kids club activities anymore. 😞 But does love activities like putt putt or ping pong and swimming/water slides. Do they even have water slides open on an Alaskan cruise? I'm trying to picture it in my head how that would even be possible. I'm a cold natured person so I would personally probably freeze. 😄 

 

Most of the things you mentioned really aren't things we would use (spas, upcharge for meals, running track) but I have read some of the reviews as well on Luminosa and they didn't seem good (with plumbing issues and pictures of things broken and worn). 

 

I will check out the link. Thank you!

 

11 hours ago, csm5986142 said:

 

Luminosa does not have Guys Burgers, but they have something similar (I think it's maybe just called "The Grill") and we thought it tasted just like Guys.

Both Spirit and Luminosa have a retractable roof over the pool. The covered pool on Luminosa was popular (and definitely warm enough when we were in Alaska last August).

 

Oh, I didn't realize Luminosa also had a retractable roof over the pool. We are thinking about going in August so good to know that it was definitely warm enough during that time. 

[LatinaInTexas]

32 minutes ago, mitsugirly said:

 

I figured the amenities on board wouldn't really matter (after all, we are going for Alaska itself) but then noticed that the Spirit had the retractable roof over the pool and started thinking just maybe it was warm enough to actually swim...which would give us something else to do while on board. 

 

 

I cruise with Carnival (7 times) and Royal as well. When cruising resumed, I have only cruised with NCL so far because I got suckered into purchasing a bunch of their Cruise Next certificates that I need to use up. However, cruising to Alaska is VERY expensive with them (to get a balcony) and Carnival seems to have a better deal and I have a few offers (like casino and VIFP offers). We've loved every cruise we've been on. So, it comes down to price. 🙂 

 

 

Hi there Jamman! Good to hear from you again. Yes, we loved the Pride so this is good to hear!

 

 

Good to know. I don't know if we would swim, but with a teen daughter, it might be an option for her if she wanted to and something extra for us to do while on board. Thanks!

 

 

Love that they never felt crowded. I've been on a lot of the bigger, newer ships and I have to say, I love the smaller ones that don't feel crowded for sure. 

 

Our daughter will be 16 at the time we cruise, so she's not into the kids club activities anymore. 😞 But does love activities like putt putt or ping pong and swimming/water slides. Do they even have water slides open on an Alaskan cruise? I'm trying to picture it in my head how that would even be possible. I'm a cold natured person so I would personally probably freeze. 😄 

 

Most of the things you mentioned really aren't things we would use (spas, upcharge for meals, running track) but I have read some of the reviews as well on Luminosa and they didn't seem good (with plumbing issues and pictures of things broken and worn). 

 

I will check out the link. Thank you!

 

 

Oh, I didn't realize Luminosa also had a retractable roof over the pool. We are thinking about going in August so good to know that it was definitely warm enough during that time. 

Oh yes I can certainly relate to price lol. I really wanted my first Alaska cruise to be in August and was waiting to see if my local casino would offer me a free cruise like last year while researching and comparing all prices on all lines.

Then My Vegas came out with some $$$ off rewards for NCL cruises but you had to sail by May. So changed my mind quick about August and booked May, $1500 off a cruise is nothing to sneeze about🙂

[MistyRo76]

On 1/8/2024 at 7:11 AM, mitsugirly said:

 

I figured the amenities on board wouldn't really matter (after all, we are going for Alaska itself) but then noticed that the Spirit had the retractable roof over the pool and started thinking just maybe it was warm enough to actually swim...which would give us something else to do while on board. 

 

 

I cruise with Carnival (7 times) and Royal as well. When cruising resumed, I have only cruised with NCL so far because I got suckered into purchasing a bunch of their Cruise Next certificates that I need to use up. However, cruising to Alaska is VERY expensive with them (to get a balcony) and Carnival seems to have a better deal and I have a few offers (like casino and VIFP offers). We've loved every cruise we've been on. So, it comes down to price. 🙂 

 

 

Hi there Jamman! Good to hear from you again. Yes, we loved the Pride so this is good to hear!

 

 

Good to know. I don't know if we would swim, but with a teen daughter, it might be an option for her if she wanted to and something extra for us to do while on board. Thanks!

 

 

Love that they never felt crowded. I've been on a lot of the bigger, newer ships and I have to say, I love the smaller ones that don't feel crowded for sure. 

 

On 1/8/2024 at 7:11 AM, mitsugirly said:

Our daughter will be 16 at the time we cruise, so she's not into the kids club activities anymore. 😞 But does love activities like putt putt or ping pong and swimming/water slides. Do they even have water slides open on an Alaskan cruise? I'm trying to picture it in my head how that would even be possible. I'm a cold natured person so I would personally probably freeze. 😄 

 

Most of the things you mentioned really aren't things we would use (spas, upcharge for meals, running track) but I have read some of the reviews as well on Luminosa and they didn't seem good (with plumbing issues and pictures of things broken and worn). 

 

I will check out the link. Thank you!

 

 

Oh, I didn't realize Luminosa also had a retractable roof over the pool. We are thinking about going in August so good to know that it was definitely warm enough during that time. 

I am also currently researching our first Alaska cruise as well! We are planning to also sail in August (2025) and will have our then almost-11-year-old daughter with us. I have poured over the deck plans on multiple sites (Carnival's site is woefully lacking in pics of both ships), watched videos, priced out multiple dates/cabins, etc. Just when I think I have made a decision between the two ships, something steers me back the other direction! LOL I'm your typical overthinker anyway....and this is out of my normal wheelhouse! 

 

Luminosa is 9 years newer than Spirit and just underwent a dry dock back in 2022 to make the change over to Carnival. BUT Spirit is scheduled for a 6-week dry dock from January, 2025-March 2025. Not sure if you're looking to go this year or later, so the dry dock may not matter. Also, not sure what they are doing in the dry dock yet. 

 

I've seen videos where people have said that Luminosa is kind of a hybrid between the Spirit Class and Vista Class ships. But what I've seen it feels more similar to Spirit than Vista. 

 

Luminosa does NOT have Guy's Burgers or Blue Iguana Cantina. There is a generic burger grill and taco/burrito stand. Spirit has a sit-down Bonsai Sushi whereas Luminosa has a Bonsai Express stand. Luminosa has one larger pool on Lido with the retractable roof. Spirit has two pools on Lido with one of those able to be covered. Spirit also has Waterworks and Luminosa doesn't. But I don't really know how much use that area would get on an Alsakan itinerary. I'm hoping going early August they may be at least open that first sea day out of Seattle. But hard to tell! As others have mentioned, Luminosa does not have the mini golf course, but there are 3-4 small putting greens. Both ships have a large Serenity area with a full pool and hot tub(s). The pool isn't covered, but there is ample covered seating. 

 

There are some good cabin options for both ships. We are also typically balcony people. Although with the colder weather, I'm not sure how much I'll use it. And I've read that most people head to open decks when there is something to see so they can have vantage points of both sides of the ship. Given that and knowing that we will probably spend a lot more on excursions on this trip than we normally would on a Caribbean cruise, we may end up booking one of the 4k cabins - Interior with an Obstructed View Window. These are on Deck 4 - so good location for getting to the action (dining, casino, entertainment). These let in alot of good light and if you get one that sits between two lifeboats, you still have a decent view. My hubby is a also a pipe smoker and on our last cruise he enjoyed the quieter smoking area on Deck 3 outside promenade. On Spirit, this area is also a smoking area and Luminosa it is not. So, these cabin would be good proxmity for him to go relax with a pipe. And they are a really good savings compared to the balcony that we may not use a ton. I'm cold natured, like you, so if it's chilly, I'm staying in the cabin! LOL 

 

Right now, I find myself leaning toward the Spirit. Hoping to commit to a decision soon so we can get booked! Maybe we'll cross paths on this Alaska cruise! 

 

 

[pnwredhead]

Personal Opinion:

 

I would not suggest the Luminosa. 

We had so many issues on that ship, from sewage backing up into the rooms/common areas, no ice (and the buckets they did put out - kids were putting their hands in), they closed the main pool for 4 of the 7-day cruise (to Alaska) and let all the kids come into Serenity and use that pool, food options were not great, and MDR was the worst I have had on a cruise. That is just to name a few things.

 

Could all of this have been fixed since my cruise a few months ago? Sure. But my family and I will not chance it. 

 

I have not been on Spirit yet, but I have heard some great reviews! (Our personal favorite ship to go to Alaska is Miracle.)

 

Despite all the negatives of the ship, the views were stunning, the ports were fun, and Alaska is one of the best cruises you will probably ever experience if you are a nature person.

If you go in September, you can watch the Salmon run, and there is a very, very slight possibility you may see the northern lights. 🙂 

[grantbob]

We sailed the Spirit last Halloween to the Caribbean and loved the ship. Really had a great vibe and feel as you moved around the ship. Not only does it have the Guys/Blue Iguana, but it also has a larger Red Frog Pub that has live music at night that we really enjoyed.

 

One thing it has that your daughter may like is the Soul Play free art classes. Just make sure you sign up thru the HUB app on the first day.

 

[MistyRo76]

1 hour ago, grantbob said:

We sailed the Spirit last Halloween to the Caribbean and loved the ship. Really had a great vibe and feel as you moved around the ship. Not only does it have the Guys/Blue Iguana, but it also has a larger Red Frog Pub that has live music at night that we really enjoyed.

 

One thing it has that your daughter may like is the Soul Play free art classes. Just make sure you sign up thru the HUB app on the first day.

 

I saw that Soul Play space listed on the deck plans and wondered what it was. Saw some pics from Saint Greg's live review and found a description of it on the GoCCL page. That sounds right up my daughter's alley! And that's a great option to have on a ship where the weather may not always make it viable to be outside! Would love to see this expanded to other ships as well! 

[mitsugirly]

20 hours ago, MistyRo76 said:

 

I am also currently researching our first Alaska cruise as well! We are planning to also sail in August (2025) and will have our then almost-11-year-old daughter with us. I have poured over the deck plans on multiple sites (Carnival's site is woefully lacking in pics of both ships), watched videos, priced out multiple dates/cabins, etc. Just when I think I have made a decision between the two ships, something steers me back the other direction! LOL I'm your typical overthinker anyway....and this is out of my normal wheelhouse! 

 

Luminosa is 9 years newer than Spirit and just underwent a dry dock back in 2022 to make the change over to Carnival. BUT Spirit is scheduled for a 6-week dry dock from January, 2025-March 2025. Not sure if you're looking to go this year or later, so the dry dock may not matter. Also, not sure what they are doing in the dry dock yet. 

 

I've seen videos where people have said that Luminosa is kind of a hybrid between the Spirit Class and Vista Class ships. But what I've seen it feels more similar to Spirit than Vista. 

 

Luminosa does NOT have Guy's Burgers or Blue Iguana Cantina. There is a generic burger grill and taco/burrito stand. Spirit has a sit-down Bonsai Sushi whereas Luminosa has a Bonsai Express stand. Luminosa has one larger pool on Lido with the retractable roof. Spirit has two pools on Lido with one of those able to be covered. Spirit also has Waterworks and Luminosa doesn't. But I don't really know how much use that area would get on an Alsakan itinerary. I'm hoping going early August they may be at least open that first sea day out of Seattle. But hard to tell! As others have mentioned, Luminosa does not have the mini golf course, but there are 3-4 small putting greens. Both ships have a large Serenity area with a full pool and hot tub(s). The pool isn't covered, but there is ample covered seating. 

 

There are some good cabin options for both ships. We are also typically balcony people. Although with the colder weather, I'm not sure how much I'll use it. And I've read that most people head to open decks when there is something to see so they can have vantage points of both sides of the ship. Given that and knowing that we will probably spend a lot more on excursions on this trip than we normally would on a Caribbean cruise, we may end up booking one of the 4k cabins - Interior with an Obstructed View Window. These are on Deck 4 - so good location for getting to the action (dining, casino, entertainment). These let in alot of good light and if you get one that sits between two lifeboats, you still have a decent view. My hubby is a also a pipe smoker and on our last cruise he enjoyed the quieter smoking area on Deck 3 outside promenade. On Spirit, this area is also a smoking area and Luminosa it is not. So, these cabin would be good proxmity for him to go relax with a pipe. And they are a really good savings compared to the balcony that we may not use a ton. I'm cold natured, like you, so if it's chilly, I'm staying in the cabin! LOL 

 

Right now, I find myself leaning toward the Spirit. Hoping to commit to a decision soon so we can get booked! Maybe we'll cross paths on this Alaska cruise! 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this detailed information. We were thinking about booking for this summer. It really sounds like the Spirit is the way to go the more I read comments on it. 

 

I don't like the cold AT ALL however for an Alaskan cruise, if we had a balcony, I'm bringing blankets to sit out on the deck to watch as we go by places (although of course we would head out to any decks that we could run back and forth when needed). I just thought it would be nice to be able to look out and see something and know to run up on deck and look. I don't know...maybe wishful thinking. LOL

 

Wait $4k for an interior? It must be the date you are going. I'm seeing a balcony for less than that. I guess one thing I have been reading is...if you're going to go to Alaska, you at least have to do Hubbard Glacier and both of these cruises don't go there?

 

 

[mitsugirly]

1 hour ago, grantbob said:

 

 

One thing it has that your daughter may like is the Soul Play free art classes. Just make sure you sign up thru the HUB app on the first day.

 

 

Do they have this on other Carnival ships?

[MistyRo76]

Just now, mitsugirly said:

 

Thank you so much for this detailed information. We were thinking about booking for this summer. It really sounds like the Spirit is the way to go the more I read comments on it. 

 

I don't like the cold AT ALL however for an Alaskan cruise, if we had a balcony, I'm bringing blankets to sit out on the deck to watch as we go by places (although of course we would head out to any decks that we could run back and forth when needed). I just thought it would be nice to be able to look out and see something and know to run up on deck and look. I don't know...maybe wishful thinking. LOL

 

Wait $4k for an interior? It must be the date you are going. I'm seeing a balcony for less than that. I guess one thing I have been reading is...if you're going to go to Alaska, you at least have to do Hubbard Glacier and both of these cruises don't go there?

 

 

Haha...Sorry - I meant the cabin category 4k (the interior w/ picutre window), not $4k as the cost. $4k was the price of balconies on our sailing. But it's a substantial savings going with that Obstructed view interior. It's going to be different for us as we've haven't had anything other than a balcony since my hubby and I took our first cruise together when we were still dating (13 years ago). 

 

Also - I've read a couple of different places that you can ask your room steward for blankets to sit outside. I've read they are blue blankets and are soft and plush. So shouldn't be a need to pack your own. But maybe double check on that when you're closer to your sailing to make sure nothing has changed! 

 

I don't think Carnival sails to Hubbard - unless it's on a longer Journey's cruise. We are using this cruise to just get our feet wet with Alaska and maybe go back later without the kiddo and do Princess or HAL that go to more of those kind of stops. 

[mitsugirly]

27 minutes ago, MistyRo76 said:

Haha...Sorry - I meant the cabin category 4k (the interior w/ picutre window), not $4k as the cost. $4k was the price of balconies on our sailing. But it's a substantial savings going with that Obstructed view interior. It's going to be different for us as we've haven't had anything other than a balcony since my hubby and I took our first cruise together when we were still dating (13 years ago). 

 

Also - I've read a couple of different places that you can ask your room steward for blankets to sit outside. I've read they are blue blankets and are soft and plush. So shouldn't be a need to pack your own. But maybe double check on that when you're closer to your sailing to make sure nothing has changed! 

 

I don't think Carnival sails to Hubbard - unless it's on a longer Journey's cruise. We are using this cruise to just get our feet wet with Alaska and maybe go back later without the kiddo and do Princess or HAL that go to more of those kind of stops. 

 

 

Ohhhh! Category 4k. Got it. 🤣

[grantbob]

34 minutes ago, mitsugirly said:

 

Do they have this on other Carnival ships?

 

No, it's just on the Spirit. Also, if a class shows as full on the app, you can wait at the door at the start time and get in if there are no-shows.

[Tripmode33]

I have to say a positive word for Luminosa. We sail both carnival and princess, but have only done Alaska on Princess.

We have done three cruises on Luminosa and really loved the ship. We are not ones to get involved in many activities onboard, instead love cruising to take time to relax and 'connect' with the ocean. The ship suited this, with great sea views from within public areas and many quiet areas to sit and enjoy the views. Never felt crowded. We enjoyed the food and theatre shows but these change over time. But yes, plumbing issues did arise on one of our cruises.

If this is your first cruise to Alaska and plan to have future ones with other itineraries, you will love your cruise on either ship. Alaska is stunning and truly blessed with natural beauty. And agree, those interiors with full length glass, are excellent value, even if obstructed.

We loved all three of our Luminosa cruises. (Spirit was too far back to recall.)

[bdeluca03]

I've done both & if pricing, etc. was equal I'd choose the Spirit over the Luminosa as the Luminosa does not have Blue Iguana, Guy's Burgers, Red Frog Indoor Rum Bar, Sports Bar, etc. vs the Luminosa, which is a Costa Ship and left with many of the original features. Secondly, the Alchemy Bar & Piano Bar are in the middle of a walkway.

For example on the Luminosa, there is a bar that's covered inside the smoking room - they easily could have opened, rehabbed, etc. but it seemed like they just rushed the Luminosa into service.

 

However, if the pricing difference was dramatic (different value to each person) let's say $2000 for Spirit vs. $1000 for the Luminosa, I'd probably go with the Luminosa as I'm not sure those extra features are worth $1000.

[ABQrobin]

AWESOME news that you are finally looking at a cruise to Alaska!!  It is amazing! 

We have not done it on those ships, but on the Carnival Legend and Carnival Splendor.  

Just be aware the dry season is early summer, wet season is late summer.... expect more rain in August.  BUT the good thing is that there is more wildlife around in late summer due to the summer salmon runs.  

Also... as soon as you book, start booking your excursions.  The best ones sell out long before your cruise.  There are some available at the ports, but not necessarily the best ones.

Have fun.  

I would pick the Spirit (sister of Legend) as we loved it.  

[Crusin Karen]

Hey Kim- love ALL your reviews (shakira grew up!) surprised you’re looking at AK. Even more surprised that I am too lol. A tiny bit of background: I cruise almost exclusively with CCL. I live within shouting distance of port of Manhattan so that’s where cruises have been from about the past 15 years. I am now a solo cruiser and the thought of doing a cruise to AK honestly scares me. But-I don’t want to look back and wish I had someday. I’m with jamman and LOVE spirit class so looking at my old friend Spirit for 2025. Now to my question: I really don’t want to do any

lengthy excursions. I’d really like to just SAIL Alaska-just see the mountains and glaciers etc. maybe just stay on or near the ship. I wonder if this itinerary is for me or I should jump ship and go with another line. I’ve heard glacier bay is must see? This just lists Tracy arm. Anyone have any advice? Sorry for the highjack Kim! (Thinking I should have started another thread but I’m too tired to do this over lol-apologies!) 

[bdeluca03]

14 hours ago, Crusin Karen said:

Hey Kim- love ALL your reviews (shakira grew up!) surprised you’re looking at AK. Even more surprised that I am too lol. A tiny bit of background: I cruise almost exclusively with CCL. I live within shouting distance of port of Manhattan so that’s where cruises have been from about the past 15 years. I am now a solo cruiser and the thought of doing a cruise to AK honestly scares me. But-I don’t want to look back and wish I had someday. I’m with jamman and LOVE spirit class so looking at my old friend Spirit for 2025. Now to my question: I really don’t want to do any

lengthy excursions. I’d really like to just SAIL Alaska-just see the mountains and glaciers etc. maybe just stay on or near the ship. I wonder if this itinerary is for me or I should jump ship and go with another line. I’ve heard glacier bay is must see? This just lists Tracy arm. Anyone have any advice? Sorry for the highjack Kim! (Thinking I should have started another thread but I’m too tired to do this over lol-apologies!) 

Carnival is not approved for Glacier Bay, while Holland America is approved for Glacier Bay.

Therefore Carnival will do the Endicott Tracy Arm Fjord instead.