Amazing cruise!
Carnival Luminosa Cruise Review
11 Night South Pacific (Brisbane Roundtrip)
Sail date: February 19, 2023
Ship: Carnival Luminosa
Cabin type: Suite
Cabin number: 6312
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 1 year ago
Review summary
Amazing cruise! Staff were welcoming and friendly. Excellent service. Fantastic itinerary. Beautiful ship. Thoroughly enjoyed this cruise!Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Vela Restaurant
Service was excellent. Menu catered to Australian passengers. We tried some items that we liked and some that were not our favorites. But not because of quality, just because it wasn’t always something we liked. Also, there was no complimentary lobster or steak on elegant nights. You could order a very small selection of steakhouse options for an extra charge. It was not bad, just more used to the American style menus.
Lido Marketplace
Rarely ate at the buffet. All meals catered to Australians. Food was okay but not great. This was formerly a Costa ship. The buffett layout is not the beat and needs much more seating. However was always clean and well kept.
Limelight Lounge
This was formerly a Costa ship. The lounge was even smaller then on other Carnival ships. You had to arrive very early to wait in line and hope there would be seating. Most of the comedians were okay, only one was great. The bar service and staff were excellent.
The Grill
No Guys burgers. The burgers were okay. Chicken sandwiches good. Hopefully this ship will change to Guys burgers in the future.
Swirls
There were only two ice cream stations on board. One near serenity adult area by the bbq (but it was out of service the entire cruise) and one by the burgers. So there were long waits at times. Needs more ice cream, lol.
Ol' Fashioned BBQ
The bbq was not Guys. It looked similar but tasted awful. Disappointing but we did not starve, lol. Many other enjoyable options.
Serenity Bar
Bar staff were amazing.
Sunset Bar
Bar staff were friendly and polite. Great service.
The Carnival Deli
Delicious sandwiches. This was always a busy area. The staff did a great job keeping the line moving and getting you taken care of as quickly as possible.
JavaBlue Cafe
Great coffee, milkshakes and desserts.
Pizzeria del Capitano
Pizza was great and rarely a long wait.
Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
Food and service was impeccable.
Onboard Activities
Serenity Pool & Spas
Pool, hot tub and lounge area was nice. The chairs filled up quickly but most people didn’t stay all day so chairs would periodically come available. There was a covered area with tables and chairs. The bar service was excellent.
Entertainment
Galleria Shops
Several shops but low in merchandise. Staff said the ship had not been restocked because the Australian cruises were soon ending and different merchandise for U.S. cruises would be added when ship returns for Alaskan cruises. We met a nice young man working in jewelry. He was knowledgeable about watches. My husband collects watches and appreciated chatting with someone who knew the products so well. We enjoyed speaking to him throughout the cruise. He was one of the many staff we looked forward to running into.
Luminosa Casino
Casino was small and non smoking. We were pleased with the non smoking. (This ship has a separate bar area, indoor and outdoor seating available for smoking.) Overall the casino was good. The bar staff was lacking in this area. They were short staffed so it was almost impossible to get bar service while playing in the casino. This was the only issue we had on the ship. Bar service in all other areas was fantastic.
The Carnival Store
Again, the shops had limited merchandise. Told ship was to restock when Alaska cruises start.
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
A positive attitude and a smile goes a long way. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Make the best of a bad situation. You are traveling, exploring and relaxing. Have fun!
Ports of call
Champagne Bay, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
Port Denaru, Fiji
Disembarkation
Traveler Photos
