Ready for Carnival fun this Summer?

We've been conditioned since we were school children to anticipate summer as vacation time.

With warm weather, we naturally think of pools and beaches where we can cool down.

And what better way to continue the tradition as adults, possibly with children of our own, than a fun summer cruise with Carnival, the brand that dominates cruises from close to home?



A couple of weeks back, I wrote to you about the fourth largest cruise brand in the world, which you were probably surprised to learn was MSC.

I subsequently wrote about the second and third largest cruise brand families, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.

Just in case there was any doubt, the largest cruise line in the world is Carnival.

Carnival itself has a market share of over 20%, and then there are the other members of the Carnival Family: Princess, Holland America, Costa, Cunard, top-echelon Seabourn, Germany's Aida, the UK and Australia's P&O, and social-impact Fathom.



While other lines take most of their ships to other parts of the world for the longest school break of the year, Carnival for the most part continues cruising the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera, because that's exactly where cruisers looking for fun in the sun want them to be.

In Southern California, Carnival remains the only game in town again this year, but they'll have two ships alternating 3 and 4 night Baja cruises and the sleek, modern Miracle doing the poplular traditional Mexican Riviera.

And there are still lots of great deals for summer, including "last call" for some Early Saver deals, which are guaranteed to be their lowest prices.

If cruises depart from close to your home, most likely Carnival has a ship there.

Over the years, some people have sniffed at Carnival as inferior, but just as the entire industry has evolved, Carnival has continued to upgrade their product offerings.

Carnival's entertainment continues to be fantastic, especially if you're young or young at heart, as the singles and families who make Carnival the most popular happen to be.

Their casual dining has always been appreciated by fast food afficionados, but their sitdown dining rooms also deliver delicious meals.



Mostly, Carnival is know for fun in the sun, whether on deck around the pool or the ports visited along the way.  It's really a straightforward approach.

While Carnival remains primarily the kings of the Caribbean and Mexico, Carnival also dabbles in a few other markets.

On some of these alternative itineraries, such as the occasional longer roundtrip to Hawaii or soon to depart roundtrip Alaska from Long Beach, Ca, demographics will skew older and more upscale, because they're the ones who have the time and money to make a trip of this sort.

Maybe it's time to try Carnival for yourself, especially if CCL happens to be the only one doing the trip you want that fits into your budget.  You'll be pleasantly surprised!