Truth be told, we chose this cruise because Carnival gave us a ridiculously good deal on it (probably due to it originating in New York in the winter, which turned out to have some mild weather issues). But the Venezia proved to be a charming ship with some sophisticated design features that we really enjoyed. Some features, like the luxurious Italian decoration and theming (including a Venetian gondola boat in the dining room), and unique dining and drink options, are welcome. Others, such as the small pool decks and pools, the limited sunbathing areas, and the practically nonexistent "sports bar" spaces, may make this ship a "pass" for cruisers looking for the classic Carnival "party 'til you drop" experience. But if you're after a relaxing cruise on a stylish, upscale ship, you'll find a lot to like here.

As background: the Venezia is a Vista class ship that was formerly operated by Costa, a Carnival subsidiary, for the

Asian market, but was transferred to the North American market due to low cruising demand in China. The orientation towards the Chinese market goes a long way to explaining why the ship has such limited pool and sunbathing space - in Asian cultures, sunbathing is not "a thing" as it is in the U.S. Therefore, the Venezia's main pool is small, and you don't get the huge surrounding decks of sun lounges as you'll find on other Carnival ships, and the sail-away party is a lot more subdued. On the other hand, the Venezia's Lido pool is covered, so you can swim in inclement or cold conditions (such as the ones we encountered on our cruise), and the pool area looks more like a center court at an upscale mall than a Lido swimming deck. Some might not appreciate it; as we don't usually spend much time at the Lido pool, it didn't bother us. If you're looking for something to do, check out the second floor of the Lido surrounding the pool, which is enclosed for weather and includes a small library, a Bocce ball court, and some handy areas to snooze. Read more