All Decked Out New Destiny Is World’s Largest Cruise Ship
My first impression of Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest $400 million luxury liner was summed up in three words: What a mess!
Barely six months ago, on a tour of the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, I saw something the passengers of the newest supersize Fun Ship, Destiny, will never see:
Giant spools of heavy cable were scattered strategically across the vast decks. Coils of wire dangled like pythons from wooden scaffolding and bare bulbs cast moving shadows onto an assortment of chutes and ladders.
Said Carnival Chairman Micky Arison: “We ask you to suspend belief for the time being. Try to imagine the way things are going to look.”
Indeed, amid the tangled wires, cables, carpentry and sparks from welders’ torches, the sleek beautiful lines of Destiny were starting to show.
And Destiny was not only going to be beautiful, she is going to be big. At 14 decks tall, she is the world’s first cruise ship to top 100,000 tons.
“For many people, bigness in a ship can be a negative,” said ship architect Joe Farcus. “However, we took that bigness and created something only a big ship enables you to create - more public rooms and larger public spaces.”
From deck to deck, the entire length of the 892-foot vessel, we followed Farcus as he nimbly crossed planks and clambered up on platforms and down staircases. He stopped frequently to point out things, in great detail, that admittedly were not visible to us - at least at first.
At Lobby Level the Side Deck would be made up of open promenades, port and starboard. The outdoor recreational areas, said Farcus, were designed to include a total of four pools, including the children’s pool and seven whirlpools.
And, for welcoming nearly 3,000 guests, the three-deck Captain’s Hall atrium would make a fine setting for the captain’s cocktail party.
Catering to Carnival’s fitness-conscious passengers (50 percent of them take advantage of the line’s fleetwide health-and-fitness program) will be Nautica Spas, providing high-tech workout equipment, as well as aerobics classes, weights, walks and, ultimately, relief in the form of saunas and steam rooms and body and facial treatments.
Aft on Lido Deck, Farcus led us to the Sun & Sea pool area, where, stretching his arms skyward, he indicated what was to be the Sky Dome. Its retractable cover would enclose the area, enabling deck activities and entertainment to continue even in inclement weather. “And there,” he pointed to a round shape, “is a swim-up bar and two whirlpools.”
Our imaginations really kicked in when Farcus described the Slide Pool on Spa Deck, which will feature a winding, twisting three-deck-high slide with “a heart-stopping 200-foot-long plummet” into the water below.
But guests have to sleep sometime. And in their cabins, they’ll find a new level of comfort and spaciousness - along with lots of closet space, large vanities, built-in hair dryers, leather-upholstered sofas and shelving for extra storage.
To help passengers navigate Destiny’s vast interior, there will be four “scenic” elevators in the nine-deck atrium called the Rotunda.
The showroom for Carnival’s trademark Vegas-style productions is going to be three decks high (“the first of this magnitude on any cruise ship”). After the show or anytime, the All Star Bar will be a draw for sports fans, the romantic Cafe on the Way for lovers and the Lobby Bar for anyone who wants to listen to a soothing combo.
Also, Destiny will house a 9,000-square-foot casino featuring 324 slot machines and 23 table games.
Destiny departs from Miami on its maiden voyage to the eastern Caribbean on Nov. 24. For more information, call 1-800-CARNIVAL.