We recently sailed on Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship out of Galveston, Texas. During this Western Caribbean cruise on Carnival Jubilee, we stayed in a balcony stateroom, our usual cruise cabin preference. How do these accommodations compare to other cruise lines? Well, we break down all the details with our Carnival Jubilee balcony room review.
Our Carnival Jubilee Balcony Room Review
Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship offers a variety of room categories. When it comes to selecting your ideal cabin, you’ll need to consider several factors, like price and location.
After 80+ cruises, we have become accustomed to the standard features of balcony staterooms. Surprisingly though, a standard balcony room on Carnival Jubilee is considerably less expensive than the competition, Icon of the Seas for instance.
For our sailing, we were assigned a Deck 12 forward-located cabin, cabin 12235. This category 8D balcony is located on the starboard side of the ship forward of the forward bank of elevators. Still, it wasn’t too far of a walk to access the elevators and stairs.
The cabin location is only a few decks away from the Deck 16 Lido and a short walk or ride down to the hub of the ship on Decks 6-8.
Inside a Carnival Jubilee Balcony Room
Layout
According to the Carnival Cruise Line website, this Carnival Jubilee balcony room is 249 square feet– 205 square feet of interior space with a 44 square foot balcony.
Immediately upon entering the room, the bathroom was to the right and the closet was to the left. Continuing past the bathroom and closet, the desk was to the left and the loveseat was to the right.
The bed in our Carnival Jubilee balcony room was on the midship wall facing forward. The bed was positioned next to the balcony door, which is our preferred layout. The television was also located on the wall opposite from the bed, and there was a very small nightstand of sorts on each side of the bed.
Finally, there is the balcony, which felt roomier than balconies on some competitor cruise lines. The balcony had two upright chairs and a small table.
Overall, the cabin was on par with our expectations and very similar to Carnival Celebration which we sailed in 2022. While the finishes and décor of cabins on Carnival’s Excel Class ships are rather simplistic, they do feature more storage than similar mega-ships.
Bathroom
The bathroom in this Carnival Jubilee balcony room was pretty average sized for a cruise ship bathroom. Yet again, it is rather simplistic in terms of style and décor.
Opening the door, the stand-up shower was to our left and the toilet to the right, with the sink directly in front. There are a few shelves for storage off to one side; although, not much counter space. It always helps that we bring an over-the-door shoe organizer to store toiletries and other small items.
The square shower set-up offers a bit more space than the traditional cylinder-style shower. The innovative glass door makes it easier to get in and out as well. Further, the shower contains a shampoo and shower gel dispenser.
Closet
Across from the bathroom are the closets. The closet sizes seemed on par with other cruise lines, just more efficiently designed for extra storage. We liked the setup with a series of configurable shelves and clothes hangers in each closet. The safe is also located here, along with a few metal drawers for additional storage.
Main Cabin
Both the desk and loveseat are generously-sized. The desk had enough counter space to double as a work/charging area and a vanity area for getting ready. Above the desk off to one side are two shelves for storing electronics, bottles of water, or other accessories.
The desk also has three drawers for additional storage, along with the mini-fridge. Further, the desk is where you will find the majority of outlets in this cabin. There are 4 USB outlets and 3 power outlets.
The vanity area features a mirror and cushioned stool.
In terms of the sofa, it is plenty big for two adults to sit comfortably. It served a duel purpose as a makeshift office and a storage space for souvenirs, beach towels, and the like during our sailing on Carnival Jubilee. Although, the one drawback was that it doesn’t have any toss pillows.
The bed in this Carnival Jubilee balcony cabin is closer to the veranda with small shelves that serve as nightstands on each side of the bed. Luckily though, there are USB outlets near the bed, one on each side, which came in handy for charging phones overnight.
The bed provided adequate comfort during our trip. We had no issues falling asleep after our long days and nights on Carnival Jubilee.
Balcony
Lastly, there is the balcony which always provides a great spot for watching the ocean views. It also usually becomes our place to do some work in the afternoon.
Perhaps slightly deeper than some cruise ship balconies, this one on Carnival Jubilee is pretty typical. It features two upright chairs and a small table. Unlike some cruise lines though, the chairs do not have ottomans to go along with them.
Recap of Our Carnival Jubilee Balcony Room Review
Our Carnival Jubilee balcony room offered plenty of storage and all of the amenities you expect in a standard stateroom on a megaship. The room is outfitted with all the necessities even if it isn’t as elegantly appointed as cabins on other cruise lines.
These balcony cabins are an ideal mix of size and value when sailing on Carnival’s Excel Class ships. And compared to other newer megaships, the pricing makes them a great deal.
However, while this balcony room was functional during our week-long cruise, we think the staterooms on Carnival cruise ships lack personality overall. With light beechwood tones and nautical blue hues, there are minimal additional accents or thoughtfulness in the decor beyond that.
For cruisers looking for balcony rooms with more character and charm, the Havana Staterooms on Carnival Jubilee might be a good option to consider.
Comments
Have you stayed in a Carnival Jubilee balcony room? What is your preferred cabin category when you cruise? Drop us an anchor below with your Carnival cruise stateroom reviews.
