I'd never cruised before, the Carnival Firenze ship changed my mind

A cultural combo is as delightful as pizza supreme, this first-timer discovered on a US-based, Italian-themed cruise ship bound for Mexico. 

A few years ago, I encountered a cruise-obsessed millennial in her early 30s. Forget island paradise; she would ditch land at every chance, justifying life at sea as an easy and cost-effective getaway with mates.

I hadn’t met a diehard cruiser my age before and was intrigued by her passion for cruise life at an age that I foolishly assumed was a few decades too early.

It’s not, as I discover on my first cruise. Carnival Firenze, branded as a “Carnival Fun Italian Style” ship, is in its inaugural season sailing from California’s Long Beach, south of the border along Mexico’s Pacific coast. The seven-day itinerary includes shore trips along the Mexican Riviera: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas.

Is an Italian-themed boat departing the US bound for Mexico too much of a culture clash? Perhaps, but the novel approach works like pizza supreme – it’s loaded with delicious ingredients.

For those into numbers, the 135,156-tonnage ship has 15 decks, stretches 323m, and can accommodate 4126 guests. Carnival Firenze departs from Long Beach year-round and offers three- to seven-day itineraries. There are 2063 staterooms, 13 dining options, 15 places to grab a drink, two pools, four jacuzzis, and, what excites me most, two adult-friendly water slides. There’s also a basketball court, jogging track, minigolf, Ninja warrior-style climbing course, gym, wellness centre, kids’ water playground, and casino – but I don’t go anywhere near those as I’m too preoccupied with burgers, pizzas and tacos.

Carnival Firenze sails from Long Beach, California.

Checking in

After waiting in a massive conga line for an hour to be checked in, I am finally on board, in what feels like an Italian theme park. The ship is named after Florence, and its atrium takes its name and style cues from the city’s Piazza Duomo, though in reality it’s more Vegas than Tuscany or, to be blunt, more cheesy than classy.

Two patterned black-and-white round columns soar three storeys, reaching the roof’s painted blue sky with fluffy clouds fit for the gods. Opposing staircases wrap the Duomo’s oval bar, with a gilded heraldic lion – a copy of Donatello’s Marzocco – holding Florence’s coat of arms as a towering centrepiece. The bar is surrounded by regal-red and gold lounge chairs that match the carpet and are occupied by early on-board cruisers clutching drinks. I’m not sure what my nonna would think of this opulent floating tribute to her motherland.

The Piazza della Signoria atrium on Carnival Firenze is inspired by Florence's main square.

I head upstairs to Deck 10, the party deck, to see what fun cruising life entails. The ship hasn’t even sailed, but holiday mode has kicked in. Oversized cocktails and vacation attire complement the festive atmosphere. The unofficial cruising anthem “Cupid Shuffle” – a Macarena-esque 2007 dance number that never quite shuffled its way Down Under – is getting cruisers moving on the dancefloor anda Dr Seuss Cat in the Hat mascot joins employees dancing on stage.

“We sprinkle some Italian over each event,” cruise director Tyler Meehan says, sidestepping alongside the colossal cat. What part constitutes Italian is debatable. Maybe, in this case, it’s the non-stop waving of the hands by enthusiastic revellers.

This kind of high energy continues throughout the week, from silent discos to Italian fiestas under the stars. Entertainment is readily available, and I quickly get used to the conviviality.

A balcony stateroom on Carnival Firenze.

The cabins

The ship is like a torta cake with hints of my heritage spread across all levels – even in my cabin, a Balcony stateroom on Deck 2, closest to the water. Twin beds sit under a huge picture of Florence’s bright city lights. The cosy cabin’s blue and silver-grey floors and curtains are ornate with Florentine designs. There’s plenty of storage space on the couch for my mammoth suitcase.

Our room attendant gives us more towels than a Hungarian bathhouse and they come in all shapes and sizes, with fluffy safari animals appearing on our beds daily. (I spot a towel animal-making class in the daily Fun Times newsletter.)

I make the most of our balcony, waking early to watch an ocean sunrise from a bouncy pool chair. I will never tire of this view.

Ristorante de Medici is the main dining room on board Carnival Firenze.

Wining, dining and entertainment

Restaurants, theatres, lounges, and common spaces take inspiration from Italy in decor and name. Most evenings, I’m at the main dining room, Medici, sitting under a Roman statue surrounded by columns. Its sister restaurant, Michelangelo, is even more elaborate. Large chandeliers sparkle over the Italian courtyard-themed space which is dominated by a giant copy of Michelangelo’s David sculpture. A close examination reveals there’s been a slight adjustment to his figure – a leaf covers his modesty to keep things PG.

The upmarket specialty restaurant Il Viaggio is more in tune with Italian cuisine and worth the additional charge. Between plates of enormous meatballs, butterflied grilled prawns and a small bouquet of cannolis, I’m wowed by roving table artist Suresh, who hides coins only to make them reappear seconds later.

Post supper, I make a beeline for Deck 5’s Tuscan Lounge. It’s the spot for live music and I can’t resist taking to the vacant dance floor. A nightcap comes in the form of belly laughs at Teatro Rosso. The cruise ship’s premier entertainment destination showcases musicals and talk shows, such as the live Q&A crowd-pleaser Love & Marriage and the late-night Punchliner Comedy Club, featuring a roster of HBO and Netflix comedians.

The Tuscan Lounge is the go-to live music destination on Carnival Firenze.

Day trips to Mexico

Our first port of call is Puerto Vallarta where I take a DIY taco tour, licking my hands at Tacos de Birria Chanfay and seafood street cart Garlapago, both roadside local institutions . This low-key outing is a stark contrast to passing the Sierra Madre mountain range to arrive at tropical rainforest Las Caletas via boat. The night-time show Alma by Rhythms of the Night is Mexico’s answer to Cirque du Soleil, featuring jungle-clad and tribal dancers performing gravity-defying stunts and stirring musical performances on a pyramid. Just incredible.

A local guide leads me on a Top 10 Best of Mazatlán tour. We breeze by city highlights, watching local cliff divers take the leap of faith into ocean swells at El Clavadista while doing what the locals do – munching on a packet of Tostitos tortilla chips topped with chunks of fresh prawns, tomato, cucumber and hot sauce.

Cabo San Lucas calls for beach time – but not without adventure. We take a local water taxi to see the tip of the Baja California Peninsula and postcard-famous El Arco, the magnificent granite rock gateway to the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. The journey around the coast is followed by a snorkel at Pelican Rock, where excellent visibility allows us to enjoy the abundant marine life.

The coastal Mexican city of Mazatlan is one of the three ports of call.

The last song

It’s the last night of the cruise, and we are back at Tuscan Lounge for a final two-hour round of karaoke. There’s no need to ask the crowd who wants to test their vocal range; there’s already a long list. A woman takes to the stage to celebrate her 40th birthday, dragging her friends to be back-up singers and dancers. They are all out of sync as they belt out “I Will Survive” but their gusto is infectious. As the song nears the end, the birthday lady ad-libs, “I’ve got so many more cruises to go on.”

Girl, same. I get it now.

The writer was a guest of Carnival Cruises. Carnival Firenze sails from Long Beach to Mexico year-round and offers three- to seven-day itineraries. Cruises start from $429 per person twin share. 

Originally published as I'd never cruised before, the Carnival Firenze ship changed my mind