Carnival Glory cruise ship assessment: What to anticipate on board

I embarked on a 14-night transatlantic cruise on Carnival Glory after securing a balcony cabin at an exceptional rate through a Carnival Players Club Fun Match deal. Although your cruise on Carnival Glory is likely to be much shorter, my extended cruise gave me plenty of time to get to know the ship and its amenities.

Carnival Glory had just come out of a 21-day dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, during which public areas were updated, a nonsmoking casino area was added, the sports bar was rebranded as the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, Camp Ocean (the kids club) was redesigned with a new video wall for its Space Cruisers program and the video arcade was refreshed.

Although my cruise was a long Carnival Journeys voyage from Barcelona to Florida, Carnival Glory is now based in Port Canaveral and will be sailing three- and four-night Bahamas cruises through at least April 2026.

Here’s what you need to know about cruising on this older yet recently refreshed ship.

Carnival Glory is a 110,000-ton Conquest Class cruise ship that entered service in 2003. It can accommodate 2,980 passengers at double occupancy and 1,150 crew members.

Self-proclaimed as a “fun ship,” Carnival Glory is best suited for travelers who want to have a good time without spending too much cash and who prefer a modestly sized ship. Carnival Glory is best known for its two multistory waterslides, comedy club and large Amber Palace theater for shows.

Related: Carnival cruise ships by size: Here are the largest Carnival cruise ships, biggest to smallest, by tonnage

What I loved about Carnival Glory

Carnival is known as a budget-friendly cruise line, so I came into my cruise on Carnival Glory with modest expectations. Even still, I found a lot to love about the cruise ship.

Modest-size ship with helpful signage

Within 24 hours, I was acquainted with the ship and felt confident navigating its 14 decks. The signage on Carnival Glory is straightforward and helpful. The ship diagrams in the elevator lobbies and the clear signs designating the side of the ship with odd- and even-numbered cabins help a lot.

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You’ll find most self-serve and counter-service foods on decks 9 and 10 and most shopping on Deck 5. I loved that I rarely needed to take an elevator, as it was easy to walk up a few floors from my Deck 7 cabin to the Lido Deck (Deck 9) and down a few floors to the casino on Deck 5 and the main dining room on decks 3 and 4.

Related: Best Carnival cruise ships: Here’s which ship you should sail, based on your travel style

Appealing counter-service restaurants

Two restaurants I found myself repeatedly visiting on Carnival Glory were Guy’s Burgers and BlueIguana Cantina. BlueIguana serves decent-quality burritos and tacos for breakfast and lunch, while Guy’s is open for lunch into early dinner with freshly made burgers and delicious fries.

I mostly avoided the buffet during my cruise. Instead, I went to BlueIguana for breakfast, Guy’s for a late lunch and the main dining room for dinner most days. I skipped the main dining room a few nights to save time — as dinner often took longer than an hour in the dining room — and had my last meal of the day just before 6 p.m. at Guy’s Burgers or later in the day at the Carnival Deli.

Related: 7 secret Carnival cruise breakfast spots that let you skip the buffet crowds

Fast Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi could be essential or irrelevant to you, depending on how you plan to spend your time aboard Carnival Glory. As a remote worker who wanted to continue working throughout my cruise, having good Wi-Fi, even at sea, was a huge positive. The speed and quality were much better than expected; all Carnival ships now have faster Wi-Fi through Starlink.

Related: Wi-Fi on cruise ships: 5 things to know about internet use on board

Casual vibe

Some people like dressing up on vacation, especially for dinner. I’m not one of them. I appreciated that I could wear dress shorts and a blouse to dinner most nights. Even on the more formal nights and at the steakhouse, a black dress and ballet flats fit well within the stated dress code.

Carnival clearly states the minimum dress code requirements for dinner and the steakhouse. Overall, passengers met or exceeded the dress code requirements. I did notice a few passengers at dinner who clearly violated the dining room dress code, including a man in gym shorts one night, but weren’t turned away.

What I didn’t love about Carnival Glory

Carnival Glory is an older ship, so it won’t be the best choice if you expect a modern design and amenities. I did face a few annoyances on board that weren’t related to the ship’s older design.

Morning announcements

Most mornings, I woke up to the cruise director making announcements over the speaker in the hallway outside our cabin. These announcements, which occurred between 7 and 9:30 a.m. each morning, usually didn’t provide any information that wasn’t already in the daily cruise bulletin and sometimes acted as a sales pitch for excursions or onboard shopping.

I can understand having these announcements on days in port, although I wish they would wait to start them in cabin areas until about 30 minutes before passengers can disembark. But on days at sea, it would be nice to let travelers who had been up late enjoying deck parties and the casino sleep in.

Long waits for sit-down dining

If you want a sit-down breakfast or lunch in the main dining room — or opted for Your Time dinner seating — you’ll quickly learn you’ll need to check in to dine in the Carnival Hub app. You can see estimated wait times before you check in and then your estimated remaining wait time once you check in. Be sure to turn on notifications or keep an eye on the dining screen of your app to ensure you don’t miss your opportunity to be seated once you’re assigned a table.

We learned to watch the estimated wait times — which ranged from less than 10 minutes to 120 minutes during our cruise — and check in well before when we wanted to eat if the wait times were already long. Especially at the cruise’s start, some guests were shocked and frustrated by the long wait times for sit-down dining.

Uncomfortable bed

It might have just been my cabin, but I found the bed uncomfortable and the pillows lumpy.

I expected the awkwardness of combining two twin beds into one king bed, but the foot of our bed was noticeably higher than the head. Additionally, the head and foot of the topper between the mattress and sheets rose in a banana shape each time I got into bed.

I figured this was just how cruise ship bedding is, especially after several fellow passengers noted they bring their own mattress toppers and pillows on extended cruises. In hindsight, I should have inquired with our room attendant to see if he could make any adjustments to our bedding.

Related: 43 Carnival Cruise Line tips, tricks and hacks to enhance your vacation at sea

Carnival Glory cabins and suites

Like most cruise ships, Carnival Glory offers inside rooms, ocean-view rooms, balcony cabins and suites. If you want an inside cabin, know that while most are windowless, some offer small porthole windows or a walkway view. Some smaller inside rooms have one twin bed with an upper Pullman or sofa bed — perfect for a single traveler or a parent and child.

Ocean-view rooms have three primary types: obstructed view rooms, rooms with a picture window and rooms with a floor-to-ceiling window. You’ll also find several types of balcony rooms, including those with standard or aft views, slightly larger rooms with premium balcony views and premium vista balconies for corner rooms where the balcony wraps around two sides of the ship.

Carnival Glory also offers four types of suites with extra perks like priority check-in and boarding, Main Dining Room time assignment and debarkation. Junior suites have more floor space, a bathtub and a standard-size balcony, while ocean and grand suites are even larger with bigger balconies. Finally, the captain’s suite has a separate living room, multiple bathrooms and a large balcony.

Carnival Glory has 50 accessible cabins for guests with mobility limitations. Most are ambulatory-accessible cabins, designed for passengers who use a cane or similar device when walking long distances but who don’t need a wheelchair or scooter. Carnival Glory only has four fully accessible cabins designed for passengers who use a wheelchair or scooter.

Balcony room on Carnival Glory

For my transatlantic cruise, I booked a 185-square-foot balcony room. I was impressed with how well designed the room was and how spacious it felt once I put all my belongings away.

On the left side of the cabin’s entryway, you’ll find three doors. Two are closets with 12 hangers each and shelves at the top and bottom. Meanwhile, the third closet offers four large shelves.

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Across from the closets is the bathroom. The shower is large enough for one person. The water was contained between the curtain and the high-lipped shower pan even when I took a shower in rough seas. An extendable clothesline could be connected across the shower to provide drying space. Shampoo and body wash are provided, but not conditioner.

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Due to the many shelves on both sides of the mirror, I had plenty of space in the bathroom for my belongings. Hand soap is provided, but nothing else (like lotion or a shower cap) is offered. Two hooks on the back of the bathroom door offer a good place to hang towels you plan to reuse.

Next to the closets is the desk area. Four drawers on one side of the desk offered more storage space, while the lap drawer was a good place to put old cruise bulletins and documents that would otherwise clutter the desk. You’ll find a hair dryer in one of the desk drawers.

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On the other side of the desk are a minifridge, a safe and a 21-inch TV. The TV offered rotating movies and TV channels, but my favorite channel was a rotating display of live camera views from the front of the ship and a map showing the ship’s location.

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Opposite the desk is a large couch. Ours was ripping at the seam on the top, but it was still comfortable to sit on. Next to the couch is a table you could adjust to different heights. This table was a good work desk, but I suspect many other cruisers would use it as a card table or for in-room dining. Under the couch were two large drawers.

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The bed is close to the window and balcony, consisting of two 35-inch-wide twin beds pushed together. Nightstands with a light, power outlet, USB-A outlet and USB-C outlet were on both sides of the bed. I was glad I ordered magnetic hooks after reading TPG’s list of must-have cruise items, as these were essential for keeping our curtain flush against the wall in the mornings and preventing the sun from shining in on both sides.

I loved sitting out on the balcony and spent a lot of time relaxing and working there. The two chairs were comfortable, and one even adjusted to different reclining levels. However, we got wet one evening when someone above us rudely decided to empty their ice chest over their railing.

Related: Everything you want to know about cabins and suites on Carnival Cruise Line ships

Carnival Glory restaurants and bars

Carnival Glory offers various restaurants ranging from the included buffet in the Red Sail Restaurant to the $49-per-person steakhouse. I only ate at the buffet a few times during my extended cruise, as the included counter-service restaurants and dining room options were significantly better and offered enough variety.

As for bars, you’ll find an assortment of options on decks 3, 4, 5 and 9 that range from a poolside tequila bar to a piano bar.

Restaurants

During my 14-night cruise, I tried most of Carnival Glory’s dining options. My three favorite included options were the main dining room on decks 3 and 4, the BlueIguana Cantina on Deck 9 and Guy’s Burger Joint on Deck 9. If you’re willing to pay extra, Sushi at Sea offers some surprisingly good, fresh sushi, and the Emerald Room steakhouse serves tender filet mignon.

The main dining room on decks 3 and 4 is open at specific meal times. On port days, you can opt for a quick 25-minute breakfast, while sea days often feature a brunch with seating until noon. The main dining room may also offer a sea-day lunch or tea service.

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I tried dining room breakfast during a sea day but found the service slow. I was disappointed that my scrambled eggs were made from powder instead of freshly scrambled. My husband’s breakfast of chicken and waffles wasn’t better, as dozens of tiny bones made the chicken difficult to eat. Meanwhile, the skillet cake was delicious but likely contained about half the calories I should eat daily.

You’ll be assigned a dining room for dinner based on whether you select set dining (where you have a specific dinner time, the same servers and the same tablemates each night) or Your Time open seating dining (where you check in via the app each evening, are given a wait time estimate and then are eventually assigned a table).

Although service quality and speed varied depending on the server and the busyness of the dining room, we were impressed by the food quality we got in the main dining room. You can try as many appetizers and desserts as you want and order up to two main dishes per night without an extra charge. (Starting with the third, you’ll need to pay $5 each.)

I enjoyed the appetizers each night and appreciated that you could often order smaller portions of main dishes as appetizers. My favorite appetizer was the lettuce wraps filled with meat, but I never got an appetizer I didn’t like.

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Of the 11 nights we ate dinner in the main dining room, only a few dishes were disappointing. One night, I got an undercooked and tough roasted beef sirloin. That same night, my husband tried the Southern fried chicken but found it difficult to eat due to the many tiny bones it contained. My favorite main dishes were the salmon and salad offerings.

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I appreciated that Carnival offered a no-sugar-added dessert each night in the main dining room. I opted for this option most evenings, as it was usually still plenty sweet.

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If you enjoy getting food quickly from a buffet, you’ll appreciate the included Red Sail Restaurant on decks 9 and 10. Within the Red Sail Restaurant, you’ll find multiple buffet areas. While most of the food and seating is on Deck 9, Ol’ Fashioned BBQ and more seating are available on Deck 10. Ol’ Fashioned BBQ is an included buffet-style counter serving barbecue and standard fixings.

I tried a few things from the buffet during my 14-night cruise but mostly avoided it because the items I tried weren’t flavorful or fresh. I did appreciate the whole fruit usually available on the buffet.

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As mentioned above, I regularly returned to the included counter-service BlueIguana Cantina near the primary pool on Deck 9 for delicious, freshly made tacos, burritos and other Mexican-style dishes. I recommend the breakfast burritos (get hash browns added, and ask for guacamole sauce), chicken burritos and chicken tacos with toppings from the salsa bar. I quickly learned the opening hours of this counter-service restaurant, as it only serves breakfast and lunch.

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Another included counter-service dining option I enjoyed on Deck 9 by the primary pool was Guy’s Burger Joint. Burgers were prepared fresh to order, and fries were served with excellent seasoning. My go-to was the Pig Patty, a cheeseburger with a bacon patty on top. However, beware: Guy’s Burger Joint is only open from noon to 6 p.m. most days. If you want burgers for dinner, plan on eating early.

An appealing late-night counter-service option (open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) is the included Carnival Deli on Deck 9 within the seating area for the buffet-style Red Sail Restaurant. My husband liked the Reuben sandwich, while I preferred the hot dogs. The fries at Guy’s Burger Joint are superior, but the condiments and hours at the Carnival Deli are better. Unfortunately, the lines can grow long (think: a 10-minute wait) when the Carnival Deli is the only included counter-service option besides Pizza Pirate still open.

Pizza Pirate is the included dining option with the longest hours. From 9 to 4 a.m. daily, you can get freshly baked pizza near the secondary pool on Deck 9 within five minutes of placing your order. I tried the Quattro Formaggi (the four-cheese pizza), which tasted good but was too oily.

One evening, I went to the a la carte Sushi at Sea counter within the Red Sail Restaurant on Deck 9. The cost per roll is reasonable, and I was pleased to see the fish cut and the rolls made in front of me while I waited. Plus, the rolls were more substantial and filling than I expected. I’d recommend visiting Sushi at Sea for a roll or two if you’re craving sushi during your cruise or want something fresher than many other options on the Lido Deck.

Seafood Shack is an a la carte counter-service restaurant near the aft pool across from Pizza Pirate on Deck 9. I stopped by one evening to order a seafood basket but was informed only a few items were available that night. I ended up trying the shrimp bucket, which came with fries. The shrimp were breaded heavily but tasted like what you might get at a standard seafood restaurant. In short, I don’t recommend spending your money at this a la carte restaurant unless you are craving its mostly fried seafood offerings.

You can have dinner at the Emerald Room Steakhouse on Deck 10 for a flat $49 per person cover charge. Keep an eye out for promotions that include wine if you book ahead of time or dine at the steakhouse on embarkation day.

I tried the steakhouse when a same-day reservation appeared on the second-to-last night of my cruise and was pleased with the quality of the tuna tartare and the filet mignon — which almost melted in my mouth, as expected.

The steakhouse offers a wine-pairing package with a half-glass of wine per course. However, when we tried to order this pairing package, the server advised us that ordering a bottle of wine would be more economical. We ordered one of the least expensive wines on the menu, a Sangre de Toro tempranillo, and found it paired well with our meals.

You’ll find several self-serve ice cream stations on Deck 9. Grab a cone or cup and serve yourself chocolate, vanilla or a swirl of the two. I enjoyed a few bowls of vanilla ice cream on my cruise, as they were a nice treat after being in the heat.

The Red Sail Restaurant on Deck 9 offers complimentary self-serve coffee (including cream, milk and sugar). However, for specialty coffee, you must visit the JavaBlue Cafe on Deck 5, the Colors Bar on Deck 3 or the Coffee Bar on Deck 9 to buy a la carte coffee drinks. If you plan to purchase specialty coffee during your cruise, check whether a buy-six, get-one-free offer is available.

Finally, you can also order room service over the phone. Continental breakfast items are included from 6 to 10 a.m., but all other items are priced a la carte with an 18% service charge (although there’s no additional delivery fee). I didn’t try room service on my cruise, as I didn’t want to wait around for it to be delivered and was always willing to walk a few decks up and get fresh food on the Lido Deck.

Related: Carnival cruise food: The ultimate guide to restaurants and dining on board

Bars

Cruisers gather around the Colors Bar in the lobby area on Deck 3 throughout the day, especially in the evenings. This bar is near the Your Time dining room and the Amber Palace theater, but it also hosts activities like trivia during the day and live music in the evenings. It’s a good place to hang out inside, but it can be difficult to snag a spot at the bar in the evenings.

If you want to watch sports, head to the SkyBox Sports Bar in the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge. However, this bar isn’t always staffed late at night, and the game you want to watch might not be available. You’ll find military-themed cocktails here, including the Hero’s Tribute cocktail with five different types of alcohol. The bar also offers many standard cocktails and martinis with military-themed names.

The Alchemy Bar is a sophisticated cocktail bar on Deck 5 near the nightclub and a favorite among Carnival regulars. The bar was usually popular in the evenings, but groups used it as a meetup spot during the day. The light-up menu books are a neat touch, but I never stopped to order a drink here.

The RedFrog Rum Bar and the BlueIguana Tequila Bar are located near each other on Deck 9 by the primary pool. These bars can get busy in the early afternoon on sea days when most cruisers are lounging around the pool. Both bars offer a collection of themed drinks and a shaded sitting area. I ordered the signature drink from each bar — Red’s Rum Treasure and Blue’s Patron Margarita — and split them with my husband. I liked the tangy taste of the margarita but preferred the spicy fruitiness of Red’s Rum Treasure.

The Azure Bar serves the secondary pool near the back of the ship. This bar has a calmer vibe than the bars near the primary pool; some cruisers might even call the Azure Bar boring. One evening, I tried a Sangria Swirl from this bar, finding it an interesting twist to a standard frozen margarita.

You’ll find a special drink menu for comedy shows within the Punchliner Comedy Club in the Ebony Cabaret Lounge on Deck 5. There’s a bar at the back of the club, but servers come around to take drink orders at the start of each show. During an evening show, I tried the signature cocktail — The Punchliner — and appreciated its significant strength, blue color and fruity yet not-too-sweet taste. I could have ordered my cocktail as a pitcher, but frankly, that would have been too much of a good thing. The bar also offers an assortment of martinis and shooters.

You’ll also find a bar within the casino on Deck 5. Guests rarely sit at this bar, as it is mostly there to serve people playing in the casino. Staff occasionally come around to see if players want to order drinks. If you are playing and have Drinks on Us in the casino, show the staff member your player number on the machine you are playing to get up to one complimentary drink per five minutes (up to 15 drinks per day).

If piano music is more of your jam, head to the Cinn-A-Bar piano bar on Deck 5. Here, you can sit at the circular piano-themed bar around the piano or lounge away from the action in comfy seating. When I stopped by one evening after a comedy show, I was pleased to find a close-knit group of patrons sitting around a friendly pianist with an informal style.

Across from the piano bar is Bar Blue. This bar never seemed too lively, but its blue theming was attractive.

The Ivory Club bar on Deck 4 has a neat ambience and an attractive long bar. It’s not the right vibe for everyone — it felt too dark and old-school for my tastes — so check out this bar early on to see if it’s a space you’ll want to frequent.

You can also buy beer by the ounce at the pour-your-own-beer station in the Red Sail Restaurant on Deck 9.

Carnival offers a Cheers drink package (you’ll find discounts if you purchase ahead of time) that includes sodas, spirits (including cocktails), beer and wines by the glass that carry a $20 or lower menu price. Considering the length of my cruise and the fact that you can only purchase a package for both passengers in a cabin for the entire cruise, I figured we’d be better off buying drinks a la carte. You can also purchase a soda package for your entire cruise.

Carnival Glory activities

Carnival Glory has two pools, both on Deck 9. The primary pool midship is where activities happen, DJs play and movies are shown. Most guests relax around the primary pool on sea days.

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Meanwhile, the secondary pool at the back of the ship has a quieter vibe and can be covered in poor weather. You’ll find two hot tubs and dining options at each pool.

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Above the primary pool are two waterslides that drop from Deck 14 to Deck 10. The slides are fun, but I found picking up much speed on either slide difficult. You’ll also find some kid-friendly smaller slides on Deck 10. You do not have to pay to use the waterslides.

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The included Serenity adults-only retreat is near the front of the ship on decks 12 and 14. This area has a small bar, two hot tubs, plenty of padded chairs and cabanas available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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On decks 11 and 12, you’ll find a sports deck with a basketball hoop, a pickleball court and a nine-hole miniature golf course. The sports court and its activities don’t cost extra. However, the pickleball court was almost always in use, and the miniature golf course was difficult to enjoy at sea since the light foam balls would often move on their own due to the wind or the ship’s movement. The area closes daily at 5:30 p.m., even when the sun sets hours later.

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Surrounding the sports deck is a walking track on Deck 11. I was surprised by how many people walked or jogged on this track on calm days during my cruise. A free-to-use cornhole game and shuffleboard court are often set up next to the track during the day.

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Many people on my cruise seemed to spend time in the casino on Deck 5. The casino offers slots, table games, poker and blackjack.

Nonsmokers will be happy to know that a decent part of the casino is now designated as nonsmoking. So, while some parts of the casino allow you to smoke when seated and actively playing, nonsmokers can avoid sitting directly next to smokers while they play. Although I could faintly smell smoke from the nonsmoking slots area, I wouldn’t say the area was smoky, and my clothing didn’t smell of cigarette smoke after I spent a few hours playing slots.

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Groups could often be found chatting and playing card games along the Deck 5 indoor promenade that extends from the nightclub to the casino. I enjoyed looking at the large map of our cruising route in this area.

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You can borrow books from the Deck 4 library during your sailing. Groups frequently use the room for informal meetups, so don’t expect to use it as a quiet space.

Families and gamers might enjoy the pay-to-play video arcade on Deck 5. This area was refreshed recently, so the games are mostly modern and new.

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You’ll often find special activities such as dancing, karaoke and even a silent disco in the evenings. I loved going to the silent disco one evening in the nightclub as two DJs battled to see who could maintain the most listeners.

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At the spa and salon on Deck 11, you can purchase a variety of massages, hair services and fitness classes. The spa sometimes offers promotions on port days and a progressive discount when you purchase multiple treatments.

Guests can use the fitness center, found within the spa area, free of charge. The fitness center offers a workout area and gender-segregated locker rooms with showers, saunas and steam rooms.

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Related: Cloud 9 Spa, Carnival Cruise Line’s spa and fitness facility: What you need to know

If you have children between 2 and 17, you’ll likely be interested in the kids and teen activities on board. Kids 11 and under can use the Camp Ocean facilities, where they might be split into three groups based on age: Penguins for ages 2 to 5, Stingrays for ages 6 to 8 and Sharks for ages 9 to 11. The Camp Ocean area was recently refreshed with a new video wall for the Space Cruisers program. Most activities are included, but some carry costs, such as Night Owls late-night group babysitting from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Kids ages 12 to 14 can chill in Circle C, while 15- to 17-year-olds can hang out in Club O2. A staff member offers activities in these spaces, but they’re mostly areas for teenagers to gather.

You’ll find the schedule of daily activities — some paid and some included — in the Carnival Hub app or a printed newsletter. Standard activities include bingo games, trivia and art auctions.

Shopping opportunities on Deck 5 include stores selling candy, liquor, cigarettes, jewelry, sundries and Carnival logowear.

Carnival Glory shows

Carnival Glory offers a variety of live music, theater productions, stand-up comedy and poolside, big-screen movies. Most days, you’ll have the opportunity to watch at least one movie from the primary pool or the nearby seating areas. On my cruise, movies like “Barbie,” “The Hunger Games” and “Wonka” played on the big screen.

The Amber Palace Theater hosts most evening performances, a mix of theater productions and live music. I attended one stand-up comedy show in the theater and was happy I could hear and see perfectly fine from some of the farthest seats. I stuck my head into the theater a few times, but although the evening performances seemed popular with other guests, I opted to spend my evenings in other venues.

A version of “Deal or No Deal,” which you can watch for free but carries an extra cost to play, is also held in the Amber Palace on most Carnival Glory cruises.

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You can also watch short 30-minute stand-up comedy skits at the Punchliner Comedy Club in the Ebony Cabaret Lounge on Deck 5. The first show I watched flopped hard, with enough cruisers leaving partway through the show that the comedian started to joke about how she counted the few laughs she got. The subsequent shows I watched by other comedians were much better.

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Finally, live music is available throughout the ship. DJs play in the nightclub and poolside, while musicians often play or sing in the Colors Lobby in the evenings.

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Related: Carnival cruise packing list: What to pack for a cruise, Fun Ship style

The three-night cruises include one port of call, usually in a Bahamian destination like Nassau, Bimini or Celebration Key, Carnival’s new private beach destination. Fares start at $338 per person for an inside cabin and $498 per person for a balcony room, based on double occupancy.

The four-night cruises usually stop in two ports and might visit Bimini, Nassau, Freeport, Princess Cays and Celebration Key, all in the Bahamas. Fares start at $355 per person for an inside cabin and $545 per person for a balcony room, based on double occupancy.

What to know before you go

Here’s what you need to know before going on a Carnival Glory cruise.

Required documents

If you are a U.S. citizen, you’ll need one of the following types of documentation to board your round-trip Carnival Glory cruise from Port Canaveral:

• U.S. passport (book or card; valid for at least six months beyond the completion of travel)
• State-issued enhanced driver’s license
• Certificate of U.S. Naturalization
• Native American Indian Card
• Birth certificate (issued by a government agency) accompanied by a physical government-issued photo ID (only acceptable for U.S.-born citizens)

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Although many types of documentation are acceptable, having a passport book is best. If you aren’t a U.S. citizen or are unsure whether your documentation is eligible, check out Carnival’s full list of travel documents.

Your cruise ticket’s first and last name should match those on your travel identification. If you change your name shortly before your cruise, you might want to book using the name on your ID instead of the name you’re currently using.

Related: What documents do you need for a cruise? From passports to printouts, here’s what to take

Gratuities

You can prepay gratuities of $16 per person, per day ($18 per person, per day if you book a suite) when you book or anytime before sailing.

If you don’t prepay your gratuities, they’ll be added to your account on the second-to-last day of the cruise. If you want to change nonprepaid gratuities, visit the Guest Services desk while on board. Children under age 2 don’t need to pay gratuities.

You’ll also see an automatic service charge of 18% on beverage purchases, spa services, a la carte dining and restaurants that charge a cover charge.

Related: Tipping on a cruise: What to know about cruise ship gratuities

Wi-Fi

You can choose from three Wi-Fi packages on Carnival Glory, with pricing as follows if you book before your sailing:

• Social: $15.30 per person, per day; only provides access to select social media sites
• Value: $19.55 per person, per day; doesn’t support Wi-Fi calling, music streaming or video streaming
• Premium: $21.25 per person, per day; supports video calling and is up to three times faster than the Value plan

These prices are for one device at a time. You’ll pay up to 15% more than the listed prices if you buy a Wi-Fi package on board.

Unlike the drink packages, you can purchase Wi-Fi for just one passenger in your cabin. You can also log out of your Wi-Fi package on one device and log in on another.

I bought a Premium Wi-Fi package for my cruise and found the speeds were fast enough to do Zoom video calls for work without lag and upload photos. However, I recommend downloading videos and music before your cruise so you don’t need Wi-Fi for entertainment.

Related: Do cruise ships have Wi-Fi? A line-by-line guide to internet access at sea

Carry-on drinks policy

On embarkation day and while in port, each passenger can bring up to 12 cans or cartons of nonalcoholic beverages of 12 ounces each or less on board with them in their carry-on luggage. Bottles are not permitted. Each passenger can also bring one 750-milliliter bottle of wine or Champagne in their carry-on luggage during embarkation day.

However, if you want to drink the wine or Champagne you brought on board in the main dining room, a specialty restaurant or a bar, you’ll need to pay a $15 corkage fee per bottle.

Related: Can I bring alcohol on a cruise ship? A line-by-line guide

Smoking policy

You can only smoke in designated areas on Carnival Glory. These areas include parts of the casino when seated and actively playing and designated areas on the starboard sides of decks 3 and 10. You can smoke cigarettes, including electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers, in all these areas, but cigar and tobacco pipes are only allowed in designated outdoor areas.

Smoking in other areas, including your cabin or balcony, isn’t allowed.

Related: Is smoking allowed on cruise ships? A line-by-line guide

Laundry

On Carnival Glory, you can do self-service laundry in laundromats located on cabin decks. Wash and dry cycles are about 30 minutes each and cost $3.50 each when charged to your Sail & Sign card. Interestingly, the laundromat closest to my cabin offered three washers and six dryers. So, while there was occasionally a wait for a washer, finding a dryer was never an issue.

Bring your own detergent and dryer sheets, or you can purchase packets of detergent and fabric softener from a vending machine in the laundromat for $2 per packet.

You can also use the cruise line’s laundry service and pay per item. The price list is in your cabin. You might also be able to get an entire bag of laundry done for $15. Ask your cabin attendant to see if you’re eligible.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

We found a variety of three-prong 110-volt North American grounded outlets and 220-volt European outlets throughout the ship. In our cabin, both of these outlets were available at the desk. The nightstands on each side of the bed were also powered, offering a three-prong North American outlet, a USB-A outlet and a USB-C outlet.

Carnival allows passengers to bring and use power strips, multiplug box outlets and extension cords, although surge protectors aren’t allowed.

Related: Packing for a cruise? These items aren’t allowed on board

Currency

The currency on board Carnival Glory is the dollar. The cruise ship mostly operates on a cashless basis, and you will use your cruise card to pay for purchases on board. Your final onboard bill will be charged to the credit card (or against the cash deposit) you gave when you checked in for your sailing.

Drinking age

The minimum drinking age on Carnival ships departing the U.S. is 21.

Dress code

The ship does not have a daytime dress code, although you’ll need to meet minimum dress code guidelines for some evening dining options. In particular, you’ll usually need to follow one of these two dress codes to dine at the steakhouse or the main dining room:

• Cruise causal: On cruise casual evenings, you should wear longer dress shorts, pants (including jeans), collared polo shirts, sundresses, skirts, blouses and capri pants. You should avoid sleeveless shirts (women can wear sleeveless blouses and dresses), cutoff jeans, T-shirts and gym shorts.
• Cruise elegant: On cruise elegant evenings, you should wear suits, dress slacks, sports coats, dress shirts, cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses.

Consider bringing comfortable clothing for the rest of the day, a swimsuit for the pool and a cover-up to wear indoors.

Related: What to wear on a cruise: Cruise attire and cruise line dress codes