10 Days on the Carnival Adventure – Was It Worth It?

When we booked a 10-day cruise on Carnival Adventure for just $800 per person, I’ll admit, I was sceptical. That’s less than the cost of a Sydney brunch habit. Could a floating hotel with food, entertainment, and daily travel really be that good?

Let’s set the scene… $800. That’s what I paid. Not for a tent on a beach. Not for a long weekend in a hotel with suspicious stains and a bed that squeaks every time you blink.

No, no. Ten days on the Carnival Adventure, aka, a giant floating adult day care with unlimited food, endless entertainment, daily tropical destinations, and towel animals more emotionally supportive than your ex. Bargain…? More daylight robbery (and I’m the thief).

Welcome Aboard the SS Value-for-Money

What do you get for $800? Oh, just your own cabin, all-you-can-stuff-in-your-face food, entertainment that didn’t make me cringe (much), and a different beach town every few days. That’s right, no airports, no unpacking more than once, and no need to pretend you’re outdoorsy.

Every morning I woke up like “Where the hell are we now?” and flicked on the TV to check. It was like teleportation, if teleportation came with a buffet and a mandatory captain's safety talk.

The caveat is, for $800 you don’t get a window… Seems ok to me - you don’t spend much time in the room anyway!

5 Meals a Day Keeps the Diet Away

Look, I didn’t cruise for the kale. I cruised for buffet breakfasts, mid-morning snacks, three-course dinners, pool side ice-cream, and the dangerously seductive all-day complementary pizza.

I started with good intentions. “Just fruit today,” I said. Then I saw the soft serve. And the burgers. And the pasta. And the cake that whispered my name like a carb-filled siren.

RIP to the elastic in my shorts.

The Entertainment: Surprisingly Not Awful

Every night was something different: live music, trivia, comedy, burlesque, and one guy who used to be the lead singer of INXS (still got it, btw). There was also Deal or No Deal: Cruise Edition, where the stakes were low but the drama was high.

We played trivia daily and consistently lost by one point. Which is more painful than it sounds. Like, “I studied general knowledge for this?” levels of betrayal.

But hey, at least I laughed, clapped, and occasionally spilled my cocktail in excitement. That counts as cardio, right?

The Cabins: Small But Mighty (Like Danny DeVito)

Was the room huge? No. Was it clean, comfy, and did it come with a towel folded into the shape of an elephant? Hell yes.

It had everything we needed: beds, shower, air con, and just enough space to do the awkward “two people trying to get ready at the same time” shuffle. I’ve stayed in Airbnbs smaller than this room.

Bonus points for the daily room service and not having to clean anything for 10 days. My inner goblin rejoiced.

Daily Destinations, Zero Effort

We got to visit Port Douglas, Cairns, Airlie Beach, and the Daintree Rainforest without dragging a suitcase around or battling airport security. Every time we docked, it felt like the ship dropped me into a travel brochure, with less Photoshop and more sweat.

Car ferries! Jungle hikes! Jellyfish paranoia! Lagoon swims! I lived the dream and didn’t even need a return flight.

Would Cruise Again, 13/10

This cruise was value on steroids. For $800, I got a beach-hopping, trivia-losing, buffet-stuffing, sun-drenched, no-cooking-for-a-week miracle.

If you’ve ever wanted to feel fancy on a budget, this is it. You don’t need to be a cruise-loving retiree to enjoy it. Just bring stretchy pants, an open mind, and an unhealthy attachment to ice cream machines.

Verdict: The Carnival Adventure is less “Titanic,” more “floating RSL with sea views and cocktails.”

Book it. Thank me later.