Carnival Cruise Line

The everyman cruise, Carnival's got the most recognized name in the biz and serves up a very casual, down-to-earth, middle-American Caribbean vacation. Food and service are pretty decent considering the huge numbers served, and Carnival gets points for trying to offer a higher-quality vacation than in years past. Enhancements include partnering with Michelin three-star chef Georges Blanc to create a series of signature dishes for the dining rooms, switching from plastic to china in the buffet restaurants, and stocking cabins with thicker towels, duvet blankets, and more TV channels. The fleet has even gone wireless, offering Wi-Fi Internet access throughout each ship.

On many ships in the fleet you'll find a sushi bar, supper club, wine bar, coffee bar, and great amenities for children. Like the frat boy who graduated to a button-down shirt and an office job, Carnival has definitely moved up and on to some extent. But like that reformed frat boy who stills like to meet his old pals for happy hour every week, Carnival hasn't lost touch with its past. Sure, the line's decor, like its clientele, has mellowed to some degree since its riotous, party-hearty beginnings, but each ship is still an exciting, bordering-on-nutty collage of textures, shapes, and images. Where else but on these floating play lands would you find a giant octopus-like chandelier with lights that change color, bar stools designed to look like baseball bats, or real oyster-shell wallpaper? The outrageousness of the decor is part of the fun. Evolved yes, dull no.

"We are who we are; we're still the fun ships," Dickinson reminds us.

Handy Hot Line -- Carnival offers a 24-hour hot line for help with unexpected snafus or emergencies. Call tel. 877/885-4856 toll-free, or 305/406-4779.

Pros

Fun, theme-park ambience: The fanciful decor on these vessels is unmatched.

Large standard cabins: At 185 square feet or larger, Carnival's standard inside and outside cabins are among the roomiest in the mainstream category.

Melting pot at sea: You name 'em, they'll be on a Carnival cruise, from rowdy tattooed 20-something singles and honeymooners to Leave It to Beaver families with young kids to grandparents along for the show.

An insomniac's delight: When passengers on most ships are calling it a night, Carnival's guests are just getting busy with diversions such as midnight adult comedy shows, raging discos, and 24-hour pizza parlors.

Cons

You're never alone: Not in the hot tubs, on shore excursions, in the pool, while sunbathing, at the gym, at the frozen-yogurt machine . . .

No enrichment stuff: Activities are pretty much confined to fun and games on the pool deck; no guest speakers and classes like most other mainstream lines offer.