I recently had the chance to board the Carnival Sensation in Miami. While I was touring the vessel, I took the opportunity to photograph the ship for a comprehensive tour. This review will cover the public areas and staterooms.
Bow of Carnival Sensation
All Carnival ships have a theme and some are more subtle than others. The Sensation theme is the senses. It’s also predominantly royal purple all over.
The ship is a Fantasy-class vessel. It was delivered from Kvaerner Masa-Yards (now Hietalahti shipyard or Helsinki New Shipyard) in 1993. Her latest refurb was just last year when she had the latest FunShip 2.0 ammenities added to her.
Let’s start the tour with our noted obligatory photos:
Obligatory hallway photo
Hallway on Carnival Sensation
Obligatory random carpet photo
Carpet on Carnival Sensation
The bottom-most deck normally accessed by the public contains only cabins. There’s both inside and outside cabins with windows and portholes on this deck.
This deck also contains only cabins. Both inside, outside and balconies are on this deck. During her FunShip 1.0 drydock, cabins amidships and aft all received balconies.
This deck also contains only cabins. Inside, outside, balconies and suites are on this deck. This is another deck that got the additional balconies. The 8 Grand Suite Extended Balconies are on this deck, the largest on the ship.
Deck 7, Empress deck, is where the public areas start. The deck is mostly cabins, and it’s the last of the cabins, except for a few tucked away on deck 11. A little bit forward of the center of Empress deck is the bottom of the Grand Atrium and atrium bar.
Atrium on Carnival Sensation
On the starboard section is the internet café.
Just past the atrium is the art gallery.
Art gallery on Carnival Sensation
At the very front of the deck, on the forcastle, is the crew sun deck and hot tubs. Just past that is the bottom level of the Fantasia Main Lounge.
Fantasia Main Lounge on Carnival Sensation
Fantasia Main Lounge on Carnival Sensation
Exiting the lounge there are shops on either side.
Shops on Carnival Sensation
Duty Free on Carnival Sensation
Past the shops is the Circle “C” teen lounge for 12-14 year olds.
Circle C on Carnival Sensation
Walking around the atrium there’s the Touch of Class piano bar on the port side.
Entrance to Piano Bar on Carnival Sensation
Piano Bar on Carnival Sensation
And on Starboard side there’s the Oak Room Library.
Library on Carnival Sensation
Walking through there you pass the second floor of the atrium.
Carnival Sensation’s Atrium
At the end of that you enter the first of the main dining rooms. The one midships is called the Fantasy Dining room. Named after the sister Carnival Fantasy.
Fantasy Dining Room
Fantasy Dining Room
This is one of those split decks where on most carnival ships, you cannot walk the full length of the deck as the galley sits in between the two dining rooms. To reach the aft dining room you need to either, go a deck down and walk through the cabin hallways, or go one deck above and stroll down the Sensation Boulevard promenade.
When you reach the end there’s the Ecstasy dining room. Also named for another sister, Carnival Ecstasy.
Ecstasy dining Room on Carnival Sensation
Ecstasy dining Room on Carnival Sensation
Ecstasy dining Room on Carnival Sensation
Ecstasy dining Room on Carnival Sensation
Ecstasy dining Room on Carnival Sensation
At the very front there is the second floor of the Fantasia main lounge.
Fantasia Main Lounge on Carnival Sensation
Lounge on Carnival Sensation
Exiting that you are at the atrium.
On the port side is the video arcade which leads into the Club O2 teen lounge.
Arcade on Carnival Sensation
On the starboard side is the photo gallery.
Photo gallery on Carnival Sensation
Walking past the atrium, you are at the start of the Sensation Boulevard promenade.
Sensation Boulevard promenade
Tucked in the corner as you enter is the Taste bar.
Sensation Boulevard promenade
There’s also a large seating area here. On the port side is the Club Vegas casino.
Casino
This part of the ship sticks out over the side by about a meter, maybe a meter-and-a-half.
Sensation Boulevard promenade
Also in this area is the Cherry on Top candy store.
Cherry on Top
Past that is the casino/promenade bar, the Mirage.
Sensation Boulevard promenade
Past that down the promenade a bit is another large seating area.
Sensation Boulevard promenade
On the port side is the Michelangelo Lounge and next to it is the Kaleidoscope Dance Club.
Michelangelo Lounge
Kaleidoscope Dance Club
In between them is Joe’s Café coffee bar.
Joe’s Café coffee bar on Carnival Sensation
Towards the end is a small shop.
Shops on Carnival Sensation
At the end of the promenade is a large open area.
Sensation Boulevard promenade
At the opposite side of the end of the promenade is the conference room. It was down this hall but was closed. I didn’t want to go barging through a closed conference room door.
Conference room hallway on Carnival Sensation
Conference room hallway on Carnival Sensation
Past that is my favorite lounge on the ship, the Alchemy Bar. The stairs here go down into the Ecstasy dining room.
Alchemy bar on Carnival Sensation
Alchemy bar on Carnival Sensation
Alchemy bar on Carnival Sensation
Past the bar is the Plaza aft lounge.
Plaza lounge on Carnival Sensation
Plaza lounge on Carnival Sensation
At the very back of the deck is the adults only area, the Serenity.
Carnival Sensation’s Serenity deck