Carnival Miracle

Theater and Shows on Carnival Miracle

Occupying the forward portion of decks 2, 3 and 4, the Phantom Main Show Lounge is the main show lounge aboard Carnival Miracle, and it was put to good use during our cruise, with a variety of events taking place here during the day while at sea, and headliner shows each evening. The venue is fashioned after the Paris Opera House, with a "Phantom of the Opera" theme provided by enamel masks and candelabras lining the maroon walls. Seating on the ground floor is almost flat, so views can be impeded from the rear sections, but upper-deck seating offers clear sightlines.

Shows on Carnival Miracle are part of the line's Playlist Productions program. Each 30-minute show plays twice on one night of a seven-day cruise. For now, Carnival Miracle is not equipped with some of the high-tech screens utilized on some ships, so the shows for the most part rely on traditional sets, props and staging, with a crew of eight singer/dancers performing to music tracks. There's also a Welcome Aboard show on the first night of the cruise, plus a Hasbro Game Show and a Lip Sync Battle involving passengers on other nights.

Other events taking place here on sea days included bingo sessions, a 50s dance class, Dr. Seuss story time, plus the requisite shore excursion and shopping lectures (central theme: buy, buy, buy!).

Daily Things to Do on Carnival Miracle

Carnival keeps people busy throughout the cruise, especially on sea days. In addition to bingo and lectures in the Phantom Main Show Lounge mentioned above, other daytime diversions can be found at the Mad Hatter's Ball, a theater located under the main show lounge on Deck 1, with art auctions, lectures, meet-and-greet sessions with the crew and Build-a-Bear workshops.

The Atrium lobby, on Deck 2, was called into service for ballroom and square dance classes, bocce ball tournaments and a beanbag toss, along with hosting live entertainment from ports of call. At the Fountainhead Cafe on Deck 2, we found charades, trivia contests and Scattergories. At the RedFrog Pub next door was shuffleboard and afternoon karaoke. The Ariadne Room, Deck 2, was home to seminars on acupuncture, posture and metabolism, and a ladies pamper party (the goal of all these was to sell passengers spa services). The Lido Stage, next to the midship pool on Deck 9, was the place for family games, the hairy chest contest and the ship's sail-away parties. When a major sports game was played, the TVs at SkyBox Sports Bar would be tuned in.

Wizards Video Arcade is located on Deck 4, hidden behind the Phantom Theater, while board games and crafts are available in the Joker Card Room, on Deck 2. Tucked away on Deck 3 is The Raven Library, which is a shadow of its former self. The computers for internet surfing have been removed, so all that's left is empty desks and a bookcase with a few dozen odds and ends for borrowing. Next door is a small chapel that can be used for weddings and unscheduled religious services.

Nightlife on Carnival Miracle

Standup comedy is a popular night activity, offered at the Mad Hatter's Ball on Deck 1. The venue is a garish tribute to Alice in Wonderland, entered (from the Phantom Lounge on Deck 2) via a circling staircase that feels like a tumble down the rabbit hole. On nights when standup was offered, there were two comedians, each performing twice. The first two shows were family oriented, the last two were adult humor.

Live music could be found at several spots on the ship each evening: A contemporary string duo performed in the Atrium lobby; a solo guitarist played here and at the Serenity Pool; a jazzy duo took the small stage at the Alchemy Bar each night; and the Liverpool Band played 80s pop and "trop rock" at the RedFrog Pub.

Operating only while sailing, Mr. Lucky's Casino, located on Deck 2, is inspired by the Cary Grant movie "Mr. Lucky," about a shady gambler who owns a ship on a casino in WWII days. The casino offers plenty of table games -- blackjack, roulette, craps and Texas Hold'em -- along with slot machines offering a progressive payout. Slot, Blackjack and especially Texas Hold'em tournaments were held at various points during our cruise.

Carnival Miracle Bars and Lounges

**RedFrog Pub (Deck 2): **One of the more popular hangouts on Carnival Miracle, RedFrog Pub was a dependable spot for live music, with the Liverpool Band taking the stage with its 80s rock, reggae and pop tunes. A small dance floor invited guests to cut a rug, while the bartenders filled pints with Carnival's own brew, Thirsty Frog Red, a heavily malted beer with a sweet finish. Karaoke sessions sprung up some afternoons, as well.

SkyBox Sports Bar (Deck 2): Located next door to RedFrog Pub, the SkyBox Sports Bar serves the live game crowd, and it really comes alive when a major event is scheduled. But otherwise, without football, baseball or basketball to watch, SkyBox Sports can be a pretty quiet scene, as most passengers head for livelier settings. The bar menu features a slightly longer list of beers than most other venues on the ship.

**Metropolis Lobby Bar (Deck 2): **The soaring Atrium of Carnival Miracle starts here, with elevators vaulting eight decks skyward. So, it's only natural that the lobby bar is dedicated to Superman's hometown, and the space is decked out with Art Deco styling and blue Murano glass lighting. A number of activities are scheduled here during the day, and the bar offers the ship's full selection of libations. A string duo played here nightly.

**Alchemy Bar (Deck 2): **Though not ideally located, along a busy thoroughfare between the Atrium and Bacchus Restaurant, we enjoyed calling on the pharmacists at the Alchemy Bar -- bartenders who prescribed upmarket potions to cure anything that ailed. There was a Revved Up Mojito Martini, made with gin, dry vermouth, simple syrup, fresh lime juice and mint; or the Restorative Basil Drop, an elixir of vodka, fresh basil, simple syrup and fresh citrus juices. The cocktails are made with top shelf brands, and are priced accordingly - and an appealing jazz duo played alongside most evenings. The bar opened at 4 p.m. daily and was one of the last to close each night

**Dr. Frankenstein's Lab Nightclub (Deck 2): **This two-story disco, entered from its upper level, is a modern take on the lab from Frankenstein mythology, with neon electricity bolts ricocheting across stone slabs and gargoyles holding up the bar stools. A giant Frankenstein's monster lords over the dance floor on the lower level. On our cruise, the crowd was pretty thin, peaking before midnight, but we imagine this is different on sailings with a younger crowd. Dr. Frankenstein's generally opened at 10 p.m., and usually the first hour was devoted to a theme -- like Groovy 60s music, Caribbean beats, country music, etc. In contrast to most land-based nightclubs, the minimum age to enter Dr. Frankenstein's is 18, though the drinking age is still 21.

**Sam's Piano Bar (Deck 3): **Carnival Miracle's requisite piano bar is a cozy space serving live music nightly, along with a large binder of songs for people to make requests from. Everyone is invited to sing along, though the piano man does a pretty good job on his own. The ivory started tinkling each night at 9 p.m., but most seats around the piano were taken well before.

Pools and Hot Tubs on Carnival Miracle

There are three pools aboard Carnival Miracle, each with a whirlpool and located on Deck 9, plus a kiddie pool on Deck 11 next to the slide. The forward and midship pools, Sirens and Ulysses, are virtually identical, adjoined by party-sized whirlpools and shower stalls. The Ulysses Pool has a retractable roof, which is great when sailing in inclement weather. This is also the liveliest pool, with a stage for sail-away parties, as well as the grill and Odyssey Bar.

There's also an indoor whirlpool lodged between the gym and Spa Carnival, but it can get busy in late afternoon.

Waterslides and Outdoor Things to Do on Carnival Miracle

Outdoor activities include a jogging track (15.2 laps equal a mile), the mini-golf course and a basketball court located on Deck 11, forward and available 24 hours, and the Ping-Pong tables found of Deck 10, forward. There is one water slide that rises above the Serenity Deck. It is accessed from Deck 11.

Sun Decks on Carnival Miracle

Loungers near the pool areas are usually busy, so better luck may be found on Decks 10 and 11.

The aft portion of Deck 9 is devoted to the kid-free Serenity Deck, with a smaller pool and whirlpool, comfy loungers and sun beds, and a chill vibe. The endless view of the wake unfurling below is tranquility defined.

Carnival Miracle Services, Stores and WiFi

Guest services is located at the base of the Atrium lobby on Deck 2. This desk was quite busy the first 24 hours of the cruise, and at its quietest when we were docked in port. Next door is the Shore Excursions desk, where bookings for activities off the ship are handled. A single small conference room is located on Deck 3, next to the Gotham Lounge. For most of our cruise, it was occupied by paintings sold at the ship's auctions.

The ship's shopping complex is called the Yellow Brick Road, and is located on Deck 3. You'll find the usual array of ship-branded merchandize, along with watches, cologne, booze and other duty-free items. Cherry on Top, Carnival's candy store, is located here as well.

Also on Deck 3 is the Photo Gallery, wrapping around the Atrium lobby, where photos taken by the ship's photo crew are hung out for sale. The desk here also sells a few camera-related goodies, like spare batteries and disposable cameras.<

Self-serve laundry facilities are located on decks 1, and 4 through 7, and are open till midnight for a fee. All can be purchased using your room keycard. Valet service was also available, with a two-day turnaround.

Carnival Miracle's internet cafe is located on Deck 2, in the hallway between Lucky's Casino and the lobby Atrium. For printing our airline boarding passes we found these stations to be egregiously slow -- much slower than using our own devices to surf the web using the ship's Wi-Fi system. Various plans are available, including Value; Premium and Social.

Carnival Miracle restaurants include a solid range of free options and a number of excellent for-fee venues that serve an array of international cuisines, from sushi to American steakhouse classics. You may wonder what restaurants are on Carnival Miracle – the answer is all the standard free eateries available on other Carnival ships, such as a main dining room, a buffet, and a pizza joint, plus a few specialty options, including Guy Fieri’s burgers and BlueIguana Cantina. Carnival Miracle specialty restaurants not included in the cruise fare include Nick and Nora’s Steakhouse, Chef’s Table, Bonsai Sushi Express, and RedFrog Pub.

Free Dining on Carnival Miracle

Carnival Miracle dining options were mostly enjoyable; we liked most of our meals in the ship's main dining room, Bacchus, and we found decent variety, and sometimes tasty food, at Lido Marketplace, the Miracle buffet option.

For those wanting to dodge a slightly more formal setting offered by the Carnival Miracle dining room, the Lido's buffet delivered good variety, especially at lunch, with a station designated for the cuisine of the day, a deli counter, and Carnival's ever-reliable pizza option.

Carnival Miracle's chefs can accommodate for special needs -- vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar -- with advanced notice. During the cruise booking process, passengers are given an option of choosing set meals times for dinner or "Your Time" open seating.

Bacchus Dining Room (Decks 2 and 3): Named for the Roman god of agriculture, wine and -- oh, yeah -- fertility, Carnival Miracle's main dining room spreads onto two floors on aft lower decks. It's classic Joe Farcus style -- so, naturally, there are plenty of grape and vineyard motifs to hammer the theme home, including bulbous grape wall sconces casting a purple hue. The Carnival Miracle dining room is large, seating 1,300 -- but it feels tight, even when not all tables were occupied. Still, even though we chose "Your Time" open seating as we preferred not to share a table every night, we never waited more than two minutes for a two-top table option. Meals were efficiently served, and our occasional requests were easily accommodated by the friendly staff. Toward the end of dinner, every night, waiters perform an upbeat dance routine that gets the crowd clapping.

For appetizers, we found such fare as stuffed mushrooms or butternut squash soup ranging to more exotic items such as spicy alligator fritters and braised ox tongue (identified as "rare finds"). Available daily on the Carnival Miracle dinner menu: a decent shrimp cocktail or the Caesar salad, made with romaine lettuce or kale (nice touch!).

Main courses ranged in quality, but when they were good they really hit the spot. A few items we enjoyed: a pan-seared basa fillet with a cherry tomato vinaigrette, the roast chicken with herb sausage stuffing, and a filet mignon and short rib combo. There was always at least one vegetarian entree available each night (vegetable lasagna, portobello mushrooms filled with spinach and squash), along with an Indian vegetarian entree -- a Carnival specialty (watch out for the heat). Also available nightly: a salmon fillet, pork chop, chicken breast and a flat iron steak, each served with a choice of sauces. A section of the menu called Steakhouse Selections offered New York strip loin, filet mignon or Maine lobster tail, with an upcharge of $20.

Meals finish with a short menu of desserts, including Carnival's famous melting chocolate cake, a choice of ice creams and a cheese or fruit plate; a low-calorie, sugar-free option is also on the dessert menu nightly.

Bacchus was open for breakfast and dinner nightly, and on sea days for lunch. The breakfast menu touched on all the expected bases, with fresh fruits, cold packaged cereals and hot oatmeal, yogurt, bagels with salmon and cream cheese, eggs Benedict, pancakes and Belgian waffles. The lunch menu was short, but changed each sea day: fried calamari, cream of spinach soup, and garden and field greens salad were typical appetizers, with a Philly steak sandwich, chicken parmigiana and salade nicoise for entrees.

Typically, on one sea day of each cruise a brunch is offered, with an extended menu running into the lunch hour. We took advantage of this on our cruise and found a greatly expanded menu that included some of the usual breakfast items but also huevos rancheros, Caesar salads with fried chicken or jerk bacon, grilled salmon fillet and a pappardelle pasta smothered in marinara and mozzarella. We ordered the steak and eggs and enjoyed one of the best meals of our cruise, starring a filet mignon perfectly cooked to order.

Teatime was offered daily in Bacchus, with various pastries, finger sandwiches and Lipton tea.

Lido Marketplace (Deck 9): The Carnival Miracle buffet offers dozens of food counters and ample seating spread across the back half of the Lido Deck. It's one of the most popular free restaurants on Carnival Miracle -- so popular that finding a table can be a chore. Part of the problem we observed is families arriving together, then splitting up to fill their trays, and then wandering the aisles looking for the rest of their party. We resorted to outdoor dining on the aft Serenity Pool Deck when the weather cooperated, but there aren't really tables here.

Food at Lido Marketplace was plentiful, but we oftentimes found it to be too much like something you'd get at a cafeteria. There were a few good dishes, but most of it was mediocre. Nothing was ever bad, but much of it was heavy, sometimes overcooked and variety was often lacking.

While not a huge selection, overall there was something to please everyone for breakfast. There was an array of packaged cereals, hot oatmeal, yogurt, eggs Benedict, omelets cooked to order, sausages and bacon, French toast and pancakes. The buffet had a fresh fruit station, but the choices were limited, and often under-ripe.

During lunch, several stations opened up to provide various options, including The Carnival Deli, with hot and cold sandwiches. In addition, there was a carving station with a different hunk of meat daily, an Asian station, a salad bar, a grill with burgers, dogs, grilled chicken breast and a garden burger, and a themed station that changed each day -- Caribbean, French, Italian, etc.

At dinner, some of the menu items offered in the main dining room were replicated here, but the atmosphere was much quieter, with subdued lighting. While the main section closed up around 9 p.m., late-night snacks were rolled out until past midnight.

Guy’s Burger Joint (deck 9): The Carnival Magic outpost of Guy’s burgers is located between the family pools on the Lido deck. These renowned burgers are tasty and filling. The toppings counter ensures no-one goes hungry, and the suggestions board includes items like patties made entirely of bacon and seasoned fries, both of which are passenger favorites.

BlueIguana Cantina (deck 9): This casual joint is strategically located between the family pools and the buffet. It serves traditional Mexican bites such as tacos, guacamole and chips and salsa, plus a few Tex-Mex options, including burritos. There are also breakfast options for those who want to skip the main restaurant and the buffet.

Pizza Pirate (deck 9): Located near the pools, Pizza Pirate was open 24 hours and served slices and a small range of salads.

Room service: The Carnival Miracle room service menu offers some free items throughout the day. This proved most useful in the morning on port days, when the Lido Marketplace filled to the gills just as the ship was pulling in to dock.

Free continental breakfast options were outlined in a tag we could leave outside our door the night before. Among the items we could choose from: packaged cereals, bread and pastries, yogurt, fruit (bananas or melon), juices, tea and coffee. The lunch choices, ordered by phone, included seven different hot and cold sandwiches (served with potato salad or potato chips), two salads, a veggie platter and three desserts -- all of them complimentary.

Fee Dining on Carnival Miracle

Nick & Nora's Steakhouse (Deck 10); prix fixe; discounted prices for kids: The Carnival Miracle steakhouse is located under Carnival Miracle's see-through red funnel dome, at the top of the Atrium. Just walking up the airy Plexiglas staircase to the two-story restaurant set us in the mood for a special experience. Despite costing extra, we found the price reasonable for the quality and quantity of food, the elegant place settings and the doting service by (usually) Eastern European wait staff. There's also a dress code: No shorts, no ripped jeans.

The Carnival Miracle steakhouse menu includes a range of delicious options. Appetizers are tuna tartare with avocado, French onion soup, shrimp cocktail and a terrific Caesar salad prepared tableside, as well as smoked and ice fresh oysters served with apple mignonette, beef tartare with shallot salad on country toast, Berkshire pork belly with apple and walnut preserves, and a crab and mushroom risotto.

The entree list runs the gamut of steakhouse favorites -- 14-ounce broiled New York strip, 18-ounce grilled prime cowboy steak, 18-ounce spice-rubbed ribeye, 9-ounce filet mignon, plus broiled lobster tail, grilled lamb chops and roast chicken. New to the menu is a 10-ounce wagyu flat iron beef and pan-seared Dover sole. Side dishes include baked potato with trimmings, Yukon gold mashed potatoes with wasabi horseradish, sauteed mushrooms, onion rings, garlic rapini, and various sauces such as bearnaise and chimichurri can also be ordered on the side. The dessert list is rich and the complimentary espresso and cappuccino were perfectly prepared and a nice finishing touch.

All in all, Nick & Nora's steakhouse on Carnival Miracle is a memorable experience, beautifully presented, with steaks cooked precisely, and certainly a good choice considering the limited options on Carnival Miracle. Reservations are advised, but the venue is pretty large, so last-minute is usually OK. It's also worth checking out the special embarkation deal -- typically an inexpensive bottle of wine is thrown in for cruisers dining at Nick & Nora's the first night of the sailing.

Chef's Table (location varies); prix fixe: Offered once or more (depending on demand) each sailing, the Chef's Table is an imaginatively presented meal aimed at foodies, and limited to just 12 or 14 people each time. It carries a steep add-on fee, which includes wine with the seven-course meal -- so expectations are fairly high. For the most part, they were met.

The evening lasts about three hours and starts with a tour of the Bacchus Dining Room galley, along with hors d'oeuvres and sparkling wine, as well as a peek at how Carnival's famous chocolate melting cake is prepared (it's a surprisingly simple recipe). The group then moves to an adjacent space for the meal -- for us it was the dance floor of Dr. Frankenstein's Lab, the ship's disco. But immediately on arrival here we noticed an air-conditioned scent permeating the room, leading to our biggest complaint: The smell of stale cigarette smoke, which colored the meticulously prepared cuisine.

Menus vary from sailing to sailing; we were served such delicacies as a crab stack with corn custard, a sea bass crusted in chorizo, and wagyu beef served with a bone marrow souffle. The plates arrived looking like a million bucks, with contrasts in color and texture, delicate garnishments and precarious towers. For the most part, the food was good, but there was definitely more emphasis placed on presentation and service. Wineglasses were refilled on request, a choice of a merlot or pinot grigio. There were card tricks between courses, and the evening finished with a photo of our table-mates to take home, autographed by the executive chef.

Reservations are required for the Chef's Table, and seats for the first table usually fill by embarkation day. If the kitchen sees demand, they might add a second or third Chef's Table evening, so it's worth putting your name on the waitlist, if one is offered.

RedFrog Pub (deck 2); a la carte: Tucked away between the Phantom Main Show Lounge and the sports bar, RedFrog offers Caribbean-inspired bites and drinks in a spacious venue with a curved bar and TV screens.

Bonsai Sushi Express (Deck 9); a la carte: Carnival Miracle features a sushi and sashimi stand next to the buffet and the adult-only Serenity Retreat. The small selection is priced a la carte and the venue opens for lunch and dinner.

JavaBlue Cafe (Deck 2); a la carte: The java joint aboard Carnival Miracle sold a variety of espresso-fueled drinks, including spiked coffee options, plus fee-added milkshakes, cookies and monstrous cakes served by the slice.

Room Service: Items that incur a charge include personal-sized pizza, chicken quesadillas, chicken wings, spicy fried shrimp, French fries and a banana. All items incur an extra charge charge between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.