Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	429
Accommodation	200	154
Food	400	234
Service	400	264
Entertainment	100	83
Cruise	400	293

How this score is created

Carnival Legend (sister ship to Carnival Miracle, Carnival Pride and Carnival Spirit) is the 18th new ship for this very successful cruise line. Its launch made headlines in 2002 when actress Dame Judi Dench, the celebrity chosen to break the traditional bottle of champagne on its hull, had difficulty doing so; a final hefty heave smashed the bottle, drenching Dame Judi with champagne. The ship, whose bows are extremely short, has the distinctive, large, swept-back wing-tipped funnel that is the Carnival’s trademark, in the company colors of red, white and blue.

This ship is longer than the company’s larger quintet (Carnival Conquest, Carnival Destiny, Carnival Glory, Carnival Triumph, and Carnival Victory), and slightly shorter than Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth 2 (which the Carnival Corporation, Carnival Cruise Lines’ parent company, owns). The colourful atrium lobby spans eight decks, and presents a stunning wall decoration best seen from any of the multiple viewing balconies on any deck above the main lobby floor level. Take a drink from the lobby bar and look upwards – the surroundings are stunning, with a mural of the Colossus of Rhodes the focal point.

The interior decor is dedicated to the world’s great legends, from wonders of the ancient world and heroes of antiquity to 20th-century jazz masters and great athletes – an eclectic mix that somehow works well. There are two entertainment/public room decks, the upper with an exterior promenade deck – something new for this fun cruise line.

Without doubt, the most dramatic room aboard this ship is the Follies Showlounge. Spanning three decks in the forward section of the ship, it recalls the movie palaces of the 1920s. Spiral stairways at the back of the lounge connect all three levels. Stage shows are best seen from the upper three levels, from where the sight lines are reasonably good. Directly underneath is the Firebird Lounge, which has a bar in its starboard aft section.

A small wedding chapel is forward of the uppermost level of the two main entertainment decks, adjacent to the library and internet center. Other facilities include a winding shopping street with several boutique stores, photo gallery, video games room, an observation balcony in the center of the vessel (at the top of the multi-deck atrium), and the large Club Merlin Casino, with its castle-like atmosphere (damsels, knights and wizards are painted on the walls).

In the medical department, Tele-Radiology is installed. This system enables shipboard physicians to digitally transmit X-rays and other patient information to shore-side facilities – useful for peace of mind for passengers and crew.

The information desk in the lobby is quite small, and can become congested. It is hard to escape from noise and loud music (it’s even played in cabin hallways and lifts), not to mention smokers, and masses of people walking around in unsuitable clothing, clutching plastic sport drinks bottles, at any time of the day or night. Many private balconies are not so private, and can be overlooked from public locations.

Many pillars obstruct passenger flow (those in the dining room, for example, make it difficult for proper food service by the waiters). Books and computers are cohabitants in the ship’s library/internet center, but anyone wanting a book has to lean over others who may be using a computer – an awkward arrangement.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008