Spirit to Alaska ~ Carnival Spirit

Sailing away on Carnival Spirit!

After months of planning, we finally boarded the Carnival Spirit for our 7-day cruise through Alaska. We were fortunate to sail the Spirit since she was just upgraded for her relocation to Australia and this would be her last season cruising Alaska.

Built in 2001, the Carnival Spirit was the first Carnival cruise ship to sail the Alaska run. At 963 feet in length and just under 86,000 tons, the Carnival Spirit isn’t the smallest ship in the fleet, nor is she the largest. Her mid-range size, however, makes her (and the other three Spirit Class ships) a popular choice among Carnival cruisers, offering the best of both worlds … the quaintness of a smaller ship with the amenities of a larger one.

What we liked about her was our choice of cabin. Cabin #8232 is one of the few cabins boasting an extra large, elongated balcony without charging Suite prices … sweet, right?! We scored this great cabin more than a year in advance when we booked the cruise just as the 2012 Alaska dates were released. And while we had to wait awhile for this cruise (an entire Alaska season to be exact) the wait was definitely worth its while!

The Carnival Spirit is designed around the central theme – Famous Artistic Styles – which explains the eclectic mix of art deco, worldly charm found in all the public areas around the ship. I especially loved the dark wood and tiffany-styled glass throughout the common areas.

The Carnival Spirit is docked and ready for embarkation in Vancouver, Canada’s beautiful home port Canada Place.

I love the first photos taken of us onboard the ship … we look so happy as we anticipate the adventure ahead.

I’m so happy and excited about sail away I am giving you jazz hands!

Sail away! The Carnival Spirit leaves Canada Place as we head to our Alaska adventure!

Our balcony cabin #8232 was a great cabin … and the balcony was huge!

Look how happy Rod is decked out on our enormous balcony … I think this was his favorite spot on the ship!

Exploring the sip is was fun … here is one of the many secluded seating arrangements found along the way.

There are different lounges offering a variety of music and entertainment. Carefree passengers can sing along with everyone at The Shanghai Piano Bar.

The Champions’ Sports Bar offered a more casual setting and showcased sports memorabilia.

Adjacent to the Louis XIV Casino we found these pool tables … never did get a chance to see how that worked at sea!

The Fun Shops … need I say more?

I loved the decor of this ship, with its dark wood surfaces and tiffany-styled glass. We were entertained by this small group ensemble while waiting for dinner.

We were greeted at dinner every night in the Empire Restaurant by this guy.

Dinner in the main dining room was eventful and tasty. Here, Rod’s offering up his Miami Vice for a tropical treat!

The Nouveau Steakhouse is bathed in a rose-colored hue from the famous Carnival Funnel it sits under. We ate dinner in this specialty restaurant our first evening and were given a bottle of wine to mark the beginning of our trip.

The entrance to Pharoah’s Palace Main Lounge to see the production shows was an adventure in itself.

It was time for sail away and just as planned, the ship pulled away from Canada Place sailing past the city of Vancouver … past the beautiful Stanley Park … and under the Lions’ Gate Bridge before heading out to sea. Our Alaska adventure has begun!

Trip Journal: This is Part 2 of 8 posts on our Spirit to Alaska cruise May 2012.

Next up: Hello, Inside Passage!