Carnival Venezia
Ship Specifications
Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line
Ship Class
Vista Class (Venice Class / Costa by Carnival)
Year Built
2019
Gross Tonnage
135,225 GT
Passengers
4,090
Cabins
2,045
Decks
14
Crew
1,424
Choosing a cabin on Carnival Venezia
Drawn from 7 traveler threads about cabins on Carnival Venezia (2023–2025); only two carry cabin-specific advice, one on the Terrazza cabanas and one on balcony value for the Canada route.
Cabin talk about Venezia in the archive is sparse and centers on one category: the Terrazza cabanas, Venezia's version of Carnival's Havana cabins, aft on deck 5 with access to a private outdoor area. A 2024 poster booked one, the third cabin in from the midship line, and then worried about motion at the back of the ship on a Bermuda run. The one reply from someone who had stayed in a Terrazza cabin said motion was a non-issue except in a real storm, when the rest of the ship is no better, that the Terrazza area gives some of the best views on the ship, and to keep the booking; another reply noted that a cabin that close to the midship boundary on a low deck is not a true aft cabin anyway, and that the far-forward rooms feel motion more than the far-aft ones. Beyond that, a 2023 thread asked whether a balcony is worth the higher Venezia price on the Canada and New England route, and every reply said no: unlike Alaska, the itinerary has long port days and little scenic cruising, so an interior or ocean view with the savings banked for another trip was the consensus, and the poster booked an interior. A 2023 question about four adults in a Venezia interior drew the fleet-wide answer, two fold-down uppers, one small bathroom, workable only for close friends on different schedules.
Worth booking
Terrazza cabanas, deck 5 aft
The one first-hand report (2024) said motion was minor except in rough seas, the views from the Terrazza area were among the best on the ship, and the private outdoor space was worth keeping over a midship downgrade.
Think twice
Paying the balcony premium on Canada and New England sailings
Every reply in a 2023 thread said the route has long port days and little scenic cruising, so the balcony rarely earns its price; the poster booked an interior and put the difference toward an Alaska balcony instead.
Cabin questions
Do the Terrazza cabins on Carnival Venezia feel a lot of motion?
Not according to the one guest who had stayed in one (2024): motion was minor outside of a storm, and in rough weather the rest of the ship is no better. The Terrazza cabanas sit aft on deck 5, and a cabin near the midship end of that block is low and close to the middle, so it is not a true stern cabin. The far-forward rooms were named as the ones that feel motion most.
Is a balcony worth it on Carnival Venezia's Canada and New England cruises?
Posters in a 2023 thread said no. Unlike Alaska, the route has long port days and little scenic cruising, so the balcony gets used far less than the price premium suggests; the suggestion was an ocean view or interior, with the savings put toward a trip where a balcony matters. The poster booked an interior.
What Travelers Say
Distilled from 92 traveler threads, Cruise Critic member reviews and travel blogs.
Carnival Venezia is the line's Venice-themed New York flagship - a ship built for Costa's China market and re-flagged for Carnival in 2023, and travelers agree the inheritance worked in its favor aesthetically. The Canal Grande atrium with its gondola-seat bar, marble finishes and frescoed ceilings make it the consensus pick for prettiest ship in the fleet. The vibe blends classic Carnival fun with a slightly dressier, more European feel, though weekend sailings out of Manhattan bring a rowdier crowd than the decor suggests.
The practical experience splits along predictable lines. Food highlights are the specialty venues - Il Viaggio's Italian tasting menu and the fusion Tomodoro get standout reviews - while the main dining room and the notably undersized lido buffet draw complaints about lines and inconsistency when the ship sails full, which is often. Pools are small for 4,000-plus guests, making Serenity and the Cloud 9 thermal suite valuable upgrades. Cabins are comfortable but show their Costa DNA in smaller showers and sparse outlets; the Terrazza cabins with lounge access are a favorite value pick.
Venezia is best for Northeast families and couples who want a no-fly cruise to Bermuda, Canada or the Caribbean, and for cruisers curious about Carnival but put off by the fleet's neon aesthetic. It prices below NCL's and Royal Caribbean's New York ships on comparable dates, and against sister Carnival Firenze it offers the same 'Carnival Fun Italian Style' formula with a grander atrium and the East Coast's better port variety - the trade-off is sharing it with bigger crowds.
What People Love
- Widely called the most beautiful ship in the Carnival fleet - the Venetian theming, Canal Grande atrium and gondola-seat bar draw constant praise
- Sailing from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal means millions of Northeasterners can cruise without flying, with a Statue of Liberty sail-away as a bonus
- Il Viaggio is rated by many travelers as one of the best specialty restaurants on any Carnival ship
- Tomodoro's Mexican-Italian fusion breakfast and lunch is a fleet-unique venue people genuinely miss on other ships
Common Complaints
- At 4,090+ passengers the ship feels crowded, with regular complaints about lido buffet lines and packed pool decks on sea days
- The Costa-designed layout confuses even veteran Carnival cruisers - choke points, dead-end corridors and a small lido buffet
- Main pools are undersized for the passenger count, a common gripe on warm-weather sailings
- It lacks several Carnival staples travelers expect, like BlueIguana Cantina, so included food variety trails other Vista-class ships
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources: cruisecritic.com, cruiseline.com, thepointsguy.com, cruiseradio.net, boards.cruisecritic.com