5 Things to Love About Carnival Radiance
Carnival Victory will receive a makeover so big that it will be hardly recognizable when it emerges from a 38-day dry dock in late April 2020. To honor that transformation, Carnival will rename the ship Carnival Radiance. The new-to-you ship will sport lots of new amenities and attractions; here are five things you are bound to love about Carnival Radiance.
On This Page
1. Big Chicken Restaurant
Carnival Radiance will be the first in the fleet to offer Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken restaurant. NBA Hall of Famer Shaq, who also holds the title of Carnival's Chief Fun Officer, has created an at-sea version of his land-based restaurant. Radiance's version will serve a complimentary menu of fried chicken sandwiches at lunch and dinner, as well as items like chicken and egg biscuits for breakfast.
2. Top Deck Fun for Kids and Adults
Carnival Victory's top deck is getting a massive makeover as the ship turns into Radiance, with attractions for fun seekers of all ages. Active additions include a SportSquare complex with a ropes course, a basketball court, mini-golf and outdoor tables for Ping-Pong, foosball and pool, and a WaterWorks water park with a tunnel slide, twister slide, PowerDrencher dump bucket and splash area for little kids.
For those seeking more relaxing fun, a new Serenity Retreat provides a kid-free respite with padded lounge chairs, bar service and hot tubs.
3. New Bars and Lounges
Nighttime is fun time on Carnival, and the line's ships have always been known for their multiple bars and entertainment venues. When Carnival Radiance debuts, it will have some new and improved bars and lounge spaces, including fan favorites the RedFrog Pub, specializing in rum drinks and Carnival's own beers (including ThirstyFrog Red), and Piano Bar 88, updated with new decor and themed nights.
Other additions include the Limelight Lounge, which will host the Punchliner Comedy Club in the early evening and a night club into the early morning hours.
4. Increased Dining Options
Beyond Big Chicken, Carnival is expanding the restaurant options on Radiance, offering passengers more choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Complimentary dining additions include celebrity chef Guy Fieri's open-air Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse and lunch at new Italian venue Cucina del Capitano.
Cucina offers dinner for an extra fee; diners can also pay extra to eat at new sit-down Japanese venue Bonsai Sushi (replacing the grab-and-go express version) and steakhouse Fahrenheit 555. Foodies will also love the new glass-enclosed dining space for the Chef's Table gourmet dining experience.
5. Faster Wi-Fi
Older cruise ships get knocked for their ultra-slow Internet connections, so Carnival is bringing its ships into this century by introducing its Next Gen connectivity system to offer more reliable Wi-Fi, with faster load times. That way, you can share your favorite new Carnival Radiance attractions with your friends and family at home by easily posting photos to your social media accounts while the ship sails toward your next vacation destination.