If you’ve ever thought about booking a cruise on a smaller or older ship but thought it would be too outdated or wouldn’t provide enough activities to keep you busy, my advice would be to take a leap of faith and book the smaller ship for your next cruise. Sure, I love the amenities of today’s mega ships – but these smaller ships don’t disappoint either! Keep reading for 5 compelling reasons why you should sail on the Carnival Pride or any of the older ships.

Reason Number 5 – It’s a smaller ship!

It goes without saying, older ships are typically a lot smaller than ships built today. Cruise ships are being made larger and larger each year…but that doesn’t always mean it’s necessarily better for your cruise experience. Booking the wrong cruise ship could make or break your vacation if it’s not the cruising style that fits your needs. Sometimes less really is more, especially if you’re looking for a relaxing vacation or a more intimate experience!

The Carnival Pride is a charming Spirit-class ship and was launched on March 29, 2001. She was designed with an Italian theme and holds 2124 passengers along with her 930 crew. That’s a huge difference from Royal Caribbean’s mega ship The Wonder of the Seas (the largest cruise ship in the world at the time this post was written) which holds 5,734 passengers at double occupancy; 6,988 passengers maximum! That doesn’t even include the crew members!!! If you’re looking for something a little more intimate or personal for a cruise vacation, the smaller sized ships might be the best way to go. The Carnival Pride may be on the smaller end, but don’t let her size fool you – she still offers plenty to keep you indulged.

Reason Number 4 – Perfect for special occasions!

We chose the Carnival Pride to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary and couldn’t be more happy with our choice. It was easy to navigate our way around the ship which made us feel like we got to really experience what the ship had to offer. We chose to have our anniversary dinner in David’s Steakhouse, which is the specialty dining restaurant aboard with a Renaissance decor.

This was an experience in itself and something you should for sure treat yourself to…even if you’re not celebrating! The lobster was so tender and cooked to perfection. Not pictured is the filet mignon, which I swear just melted in my mouth. The herbed butter for your bread is also delicious, so I thought it worth mentioning. If you’re looking to upscale your dining experience a bit, don’t miss out on a visit to the steakhouse! It’s well worth the extra money spent.

Tip – I recommend the cheesecake for dessert – it was divine!

If you don’t want to splurge on specialty dining, your main dining room staff will make sure to do something extra special for your celebration dinner.

In the evenings, you have the option to take in a nightly show at the comedy club while enjoying your drink of choice, or take in a theatre performance…or fit them both in. Go dancing at the nightclub or relax on the lido with a movie under the stars. With all of these choices, I think it kicks that special occasion up a notch.

Reason Number 3 – Relax on the Serenity Deck!

Really this is almost reason alone to cruise on the Pride! I fell in love with the Pride’s Adult Only Serenity Lounge. I don’t know why all Carnival ships don’t have an adult’s only pool in the Serenity Lounge, but they should!! I doubt I would have spent as much time here if it wouldn’t have been for the pool and deck space itself. I loved the layout, the fact that we on the aft of the ship, the bar was in the perfect location, loungers faced both the water and the pool. I just can’t say enough about the use of this deck space! It was my favorite part on the whole ship. Carnival did a great job on this one! I even found myself wishing I had more sea days so I could spend more time tucked away with a book and just take a dip in the pool when I got too hot. And since this Serenity Lounge is on the aft of the ship, let’s just say the views were amazing!!!

Reason Number 2 – Cruising Can Save You Cash!

Just by doing a random Google search on the day of writing this post, you can book a 7-day cruise out of Tampa aboard the Carnival Pride starting at $519 per person. That’s only $74.14 per person per day! Sure there are extras like drink packages, spa treatments and shore excursions…but those are just that – extras. This is pretty much and all inclusive vacation! Imagine booking a hotel stay where your lodging, food and entertainment were all included…and then imagine the price tag that would go along with that. When you start cruising, you can get even better deals just for being a past cruiser.

So many people think you have to buy everything that’s offered in order to have a great time, and that is so not true! We learned on our first cruise that buying the drink package isn’t a good upgrade for us. I’ll have a few cocktails, sure, but I’m more of a specialty coffee drinker – frozen mocha anyone? Also, I find I drink more than I wanted to when I get the drink package just because I want my moneys worth. I’d rather save that money and splurge on a balcony cabin or add specialty dining instead. You may prefer to get the drink package and book an inside cabin, so it’s all about finding out your cruise style. There’s plenty of ways you can “tune” your cruise to fit your needs and expectations.

Reason Number 1 – The Amazing Crew and Ship!

Have you ever had really bad customer service? You know when the person waiting on you doesn’t want to be there. How many times have you been greeted by a service attendant and thought maybe this isn’t the job for them? When you have someone taking care of you that enjoys what they’re doing, you can “feel” that level of care. That’s the person you recommend to your friends and family. Now imagine every crew member being “that” person…that’s what you get on the Carnival Pride!

The people who are really going to make your cruise special are the crew on the ship. You will find the crew on most cruise ships are willing to go above and beyond…but then there’s the crew on The Carnival Pride. They truly set the bar exceedingly high for amazing service! From the dining staff to the room stewards and bartenders and everything in between, prepare to be greeted by everyone! The Pride crew just have a special energy about them. You feel as if their smiles are genuine and that they really want to make sure your cruise experience is a good one.

Added Bonus – “Secret” Ship Feature

There is an absolutely gorgeous area on the ship that was rarely used – which just amazes me! If you turn off to the side by the theatre, you can find a very quiet and private spot. It’s the perfect area for taking in the views, sipping a coffee/cocktail or even just to take a book to read. I was stunned this area didn’t get much attention from passengers.

Please share your own experiences with the Carnival Pride or with cruising in general in the comments below!