Regional context for Mardi Gras — this is destination photography, not a photo of the ship. Photo: Cruise ships in Charlotte Amalie Harbor, Saint Thomas by OldPine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Carnival Cruise Line · Excel-class
Mardi Gras
Mega-ship — 5,400 guests — one of the larger ships at sea.
Mardi Gras tends to work well for travelers seeking family time and entertainment, while travelers prioritizing a luxury feel or relaxation may prefer alternatives.
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Guide-ready (sourced). This page is backed by a sourced evidence file: dining, dress code, kids programming and more, each with a source and a last-verified date. Expand "Sources & verification" below. Jump to sources ↓
Ship DNA
Entertainment onboard tends to include a comedy club, live music lounges, a nightclub with DJ sets, family game shows, a casino (derived, low confidence).
Good to know
- Dress code
- "Elegant Evening" (renamed from Formal Night), always optional/never required; 1 night on cruises of 5 nights or fewer, 2 nights on 6+.
- Dining
- Main dining room and buffet included; specialty venues run roughly $40-60/person.
- Onboard vibe
- Generally family-friendly, mainstream energy and lively nightlife and a party atmosphere.
- Crowd character
- Typically very busy, high-energy crowd levels.
- Typical itinerary
- Caribbean and Bahamas
Line-level details sourced from Carnival Cruise Line, last verified 2026-08-19 (confidence: medium).
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Who it's for
Likely a good fit for
- Families seeking energetic fun
- Groups of friends
- Travelers wanting many casual dining options
May prefer another ship if
- You want quiet luxury
- You dislike crowded pool decks
Strengths
- High-energy family entertainment and extensive dining variety
- Signature roller coaster and large activity zones
- Strong value relative to comparable mega-ships
Known trade-offs
- Very busy during holidays and peak periods
- Service and dining can feel mass-market at full capacity
Dining
Sourced ship-specific detail. Each point is backed by a citation in Sources & verification below.
What's included at dinner (derived)
Mardi Gras is an Excel-class ship. Complimentary: the Main Dining Room, the Lido Marketplace buffet, Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina (Mexican), Street Eats stalls, the pizzeria and deli, plus a free first visit each to Chibang! and Cucina del Capitano (Chibang lunch is always free; both are $8 per person after the first dinner). Emeril's Bistro 1396 is a la carte with no cover.
What costs extra to eat (derived)
Extra-cost: the steakhouse (Fahrenheit 555, cover around $48pp), Rudi's Seafood (or a seafood-focused Emeril's), Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki, and repeat visits to Chibang!/Cucina del Capitano at $8. A 20% gratuity applies to bar purchases and the CHEERS! package.
Reservations (derived)
Reservations are recommended for the steakhouse and the sit-down specialty venues, bookable pre-cruise via the Carnival Hub app or onboard. The main dining room offers a fixed early/late seating or Your Time Dining. Chibang and Cucina del Capitano take walk-ins for lunch.
Late-night food (experiential)
Better than most mainstream ships: the pizzeria and deli run late or 24 hours, Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana keep long hours, and the buffet has late-night snack service on many nights.
Family & adults-only
Sourced ship-specific detail. Each point is backed by a citation in Sources & verification below.
Kids' programming (derived)
Camp Ocean is complimentary for ages 2-11: Penguins (2-5), Stingrays (6-8), Sharks (9-11). Circle C is for 12-14 and Club O2 for 15-17. Night Owls provides late-night group care (6 months-11 years) for an hourly fee.
Adults-only spaces (derived)
Serenity is an adults-only (21+) outdoor sun deck with premium loungers, hammocks and a bar - complimentary, on every Carnival ship. On the Excel-class ships, Loft 19 is a separate adults-only sun-deck area with private cabanas that costs extra.
Costs & practical
Sourced ship-specific detail. Each point is backed by a citation in Sources & verification below.
Gratuities (derived)
From 2 April 2026, the automatic daily gratuity is $17.00 per guest in staterooms and $19.00 in suites, charged to the Sail & Sign account and adjustable at Guest Services. A 20% service charge is auto-added to bar purchases and the CHEERS! drink package.
Wi-Fi (derived)
Paid, in three tiers (Social, Value, Premium). The Premium plan - the only one that reliably streams - is about $25.50 per day bought in advance, $30 onboard. Not included in the base fare; sometimes bundled in a 'Value Package'.
Onboard life
Sourced ship-specific detail. Each point is backed by a citation in Sources & verification below.
Nightlife (experiential)
Mardi Gras is built for fun: a big casino, the Punchliner comedy club, Carnival's Playlist Productions shows, a piano bar, the RedFrog/BlueIguana bars, and a large pool deck with the Lido stage. Lively, mainstream, all-ages by day and boisterous at night, but not an adults-only club scene.
The main trade-off (experiential)
Mardi Gras carries ~5,300-6,500 guests and sails mostly Caribbean from Port Canaveral. It is loud, busy and unapologetically mainstream - the pool deck and elevators are crowded on sea days, the entertainment is broad rather than polished, and drinks (CHEERS! ~$83/day + 20%) and Wi-Fi add up. Great value for a family that wants energy; wrong ship for calm or refinement.
Before you sail
Sourced ship-specific detail. Each point is backed by a citation in Sources & verification below.
Formal / dress nights (derived)
1-2 optional 'Cruise Elegant' nights per sailing (one on shorter cruises). For Cruise Elegant, Carnival suggests dress trousers and a dress shirt (sports jacket optional) for men and a cocktail dress, pantsuit or elegant skirt for women. Not enforced; the buffet stays open for anyone who skips it.
What to pack for evenings (derived)
'Cruise Casual' every other evening: no cut-off jeans, men's sleeveless shirts, gym shorts or swimwear in the main dining room at dinner; otherwise relaxed. No dress code at the Lido buffet or quick-service spots.
Sources & verification — 12 sourced details, verified 2026-09-04 or later
Each detail below carries a source, a nature (fact, derived, editorial or experiential), a confidence rating, and a last-verified date. Experiential attributes reflect what guests commonly report, not a hard fact. See how My Cruise Intel sources and reviews information.
formalNights: 1-2 optional 'Cruise Elegant' nights per sailing (one on shorter cruises). For Cruise Elegant, Carnival suggests dress trousers and a dress shirt (sports jacket optional) for men and a cocktail dress, pantsuit or elegant skirt for women. Not enforced; the buffet stays open for anyone who skips it.
Cruise Mummy — Carnival Cruise Formal Night: 11 Must-Know Tips ↗
dressCodeEvening: 'Cruise Casual' every other evening: no cut-off jeans, men's sleeveless shirts, gym shorts or swimwear in the main dining room at dinner; otherwise relaxed. No dress code at the Lido buffet or quick-service spots.
kidsClubAges: Camp Ocean is complimentary for ages 2-11: Penguins (2-5), Stingrays (6-8), Sharks (9-11). Circle C is for 12-14 and Club O2 for 15-17. Night Owls provides late-night group care (6 months-11 years) for an hourly fee.
adultsOnlySpaces: Serenity is an adults-only (21+) outdoor sun deck with premium loungers, hammocks and a bar - complimentary, on every Carnival ship. On the Excel-class ships, Loft 19 is a separate adults-only sun-deck area with private cabanas that costs extra.
CruiseBooking — Carnival Serenity Deck: Adults-Only Retreat at Sea ↗
wifiModel: Paid, in three tiers (Social, Value, Premium). The Premium plan - the only one that reliably streams - is about $25.50 per day bought in advance, $30 onboard. Not included in the base fare; sometimes bundled in a 'Value Package'.
gratuitiesPolicy: From 2 April 2026, the automatic daily gratuity is $17.00 per guest in staterooms and $19.00 in suites, charged to the Sail & Sign account and adjustable at Guest Services. A 20% service charge is auto-added to bar purchases and the CHEERS! drink package.
Cruise Critic — Carnival Increases Gratuities and Drink Package Rates ↗; Travel Weekly — Carnival increases daily gratuity ↗
specialtyDiningReservations: Reservations are recommended for the steakhouse and the sit-down specialty venues, bookable pre-cruise via the Carnival Hub app or onboard. The main dining room offers a fixed early/late seating or Your Time Dining. Chibang and Cucina del Capitano take walk-ins for lunch.
All In Vacay — Free Specialty Dining on Carnival Excel Class Ships ↗
diningVenuesIncluded: Mardi Gras is an Excel-class ship. Complimentary: the Main Dining Room, the Lido Marketplace buffet, Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina (Mexican), Street Eats stalls, the pizzeria and deli, plus a free first visit each to Chibang! and Cucina del Capitano (Chibang lunch is always free; both are $8 per person after the first dinner). Emeril's Bistro 1396 is a la carte with no cover.
All In Vacay — Free Specialty Dining on Carnival Excel Class Ships ↗
diningVenuesPaid: Extra-cost: the steakhouse (Fahrenheit 555, cover around $48pp), Rudi's Seafood (or a seafood-focused Emeril's), Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki, and repeat visits to Chibang!/Cucina del Capitano at $8. A 20% gratuity applies to bar purchases and the CHEERS! package.
All In Vacay — Free Specialty Dining on Carnival Excel Class Ships ↗
nightlifeCharacter: Mardi Gras is built for fun: a big casino, the Punchliner comedy club, Carnival's Playlist Productions shows, a piano bar, the RedFrog/BlueIguana bars, and a large pool deck with the Lido stage. Lively, mainstream, all-ages by day and boisterous at night, but not an adults-only club scene.
lateNightFood: Better than most mainstream ships: the pizzeria and deli run late or 24 hours, Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana keep long hours, and the buffet has late-night snack service on many nights.
topTradeoff: Mardi Gras carries ~5,300-6,500 guests and sails mostly Caribbean from Port Canaveral. It is loud, busy and unapologetically mainstream - the pool deck and elevators are crowded on sea days, the entertainment is broad rather than polished, and drinks (CHEERS! ~$83/day + 20%) and Wi-Fi add up. Great value for a family that wants energy; wrong ship for calm or refinement.
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