Carnival Firenze photos reveal a ship with a surprisingly strong Italian identity. Formerly Costa Firenze, the ship was redesigned as Carnival’s second “Fun Italian Style” vessel, blending Carnival’s signature atmosphere with a Florence-inspired atrium, Riviera-style Lido deck, and even a yellow Costa funnel that remains visible against the Carnival-blue hull.
Below, you’ll see what Carnival Firenze actually looks like deck by deck and room by room, including the spaces recent guests have experienced onboard. From public areas to cabins and outdoor decks, these photos give you a clearer picture of what to expect before you sail.
Why Carnival Firenze’s Photos Look Different From Other Carnival Ships
Most Carnival ships photograph like, well, Carnival ships. Bright primary colors, a WaterWorks slide tower, a central atrium built for the “Fun Ship” crowd. Firenze breaks that pattern because it wasn’t built as a Carnival ship at all.
It started life as Costa Firenze, built in 2020 for a Chinese market launch that never happened because of the pandemic. Carnival Corporation transferred it over in 2024 and had Navantia shipyard in Cadiz retrofit it with Carnival dining venues and entertainment spaces, but the bones of the ship, the atrium shape, the Lido layout, the smaller pool footprint, are still Costa. That’s the single biggest thing competitor galleries gloss over: you’re not looking at a Carnival-designed ship wearing Italian decor. You’re looking at an Italian-designed ship wearing Carnival decor.
Expert note: if you’ve sailed Carnival Venezia, you’ll recognize a lot of the same photo backdrops on Firenze. They’re structural sister ships, so venues like La Strada Grill and Tomodoro appear in nearly identical settings on both. Don’t assume every photo you see online is guaranteed for your exact sailing though. Menus, decor accents, and even bar names get tweaked between refurbishments.
Atrium and Piazza-Style Public Spaces
The centerpiece photo op on Firenze is the atrium, modeled after a Florentine piazza rather than the towering glass atriums you’d see on Carnival’s Excel-class ships. It’s warmer, lower, and more intimate, with stone-look flooring and iron balcony railings meant to echo a real Italian square.
A few things you’ll notice in atrium photos that guests keep pointing out:
- The scale is smaller than Mardi Gras or Celebration’s atrium, so it photographs cozy rather than grand
- Live music and evening gatherings happen right in this space, so daytime shots look calmer than nighttime ones
- Florentine pattern details show up in the carpet and wall panels throughout the ship, not just here
Lido Deck and Pool Photos
This is where the Italian Riviera concept comes through the strongest. Instead of a wide-open, sun-blasted pool deck, Firenze’s Lido is styled like a shaded Italian courtyard, with more coverage and a noticeably smaller main pool footprint than you’d expect on a ship this size.
If you’re comparing photos to decide whether you’ll get a good lounger, know this upfront: the shaded design means fewer flat, open sun spots. Photos taken early morning look emptier than the deck actually gets by 10 a.m. on a sea day. Guests who want maximum sun report better luck on the Versilia Sunshine Deck, the open-air upper pool area, rather than the main Lido pool.
WaterWorks, Carnival’s signature water play structure, was added during the 2024 retrofit, so newer photos will show it even though it wasn’t part of the original Costa design.
Dining Venue Photos
Firenze’s dining photos mix genuine Italian-Costa holdovers with familiar Carnival names, and that combination is unique to this ship and its sister, Venezia.
- Tomodoro blends Mexican and Italian flavors, a nod to the ship’s Long Beach-to-Mexico itinerary
- La Strada Grill serves Italian street food in a casual, walk-up format
- Il Viaggio is the specialty Italian sit-down restaurant
- Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and Bonsai Teppanyaki bring in Carnival’s usual specialty dining crowd-pleasers
If the specialty restaurant photos have you tempted, it’s worth checking actual per-person pricing before you assume it’s included. Our breakdown of cruise specialty dining cost walks through what each type of venue typically runs so you’re not guessing at the booth.
Bar and Lounge Photos
Amari and Frizzante are the two bars carried over from the Italian concept, pouring Italian-style cocktails, espresso, and prosecco rather than the standard Carnival bar menu. Piano Bar 88 and the Moda Bar (exclusive to Terrazza guests until 7 p.m.) round out the evening scene.
One thing photos won’t tell you: most of the nightlife energy sits on Deck 5, and sound does travel up. If a lively bar photo looks appealing from a distance but you’re a light sleeper, that’s worth factoring into your cabin choice, not just your itinerary planning.
Since drink prices vary a lot by venue and cruise line, it’s worth running the numbers before you sail. This guide on whether a cruise drink package is worth it breaks down the math so you can decide before you’re standing at Amari with a menu in hand.
Stateroom and Balcony Photos
Carnival Firenze cabins use Carnival’s standard two-letter category system: the first letter signals cabin type (1 and 4 for interior, 6 for oceanview, 7 for cove balcony, 8 for balcony, 9 for premium balcony), and the second signals location quality, with A being the least desirable placement.
| Cabin Type | What Photos Typically Show | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | Woodgrain tones, Florentine carpet pattern, no window | Budget cruisers, light sleepers who want a dark room |
| Oceanview | Same layout as interior plus a picture window | Guests who want natural light without balcony cost |
| Balcony | Bed positioned near the window, private outdoor space | Most guests wanting the classic cruise photo view |
| Terrazza Balcony | Extended porch-style balcony, private sundeck access | Adults 12+ wanting quiet, exclusive outdoor space |
Which room is considered the best?
Based on layout and guest feedback, Terrazza balcony cabins tend to get the strongest reviews. You get an extended, porch-style balcony similar to Carnival’s Havana Cabanas on other ships, plus access to a private sundeck with two hot tubs and the outdoor side of the Moda Bar until early evening. It’s not a private pool like Havana offers, but the space feels noticeably calmer on busy sea days.
Carnival Firenze rooms to avoid, based on layout and repeat guest complaints:
- Cabins directly above Deck 5’s main venues (noise bleeds up into Deck 6 hallways)
- Interior Terrazza cabins near the Moda Bar (late-night noise carries indoors)
- Cabins across from Club O2 or Circle C on Deck 3 if you don’t have kids in those age groups
- Rooms near stairwells if you go to bed early
Expert note: aft-facing balconies photograph beautifully and tend to be quieter than forward ones, but forward balconies catch more wind and vibration on sea days. If a photo gallery only shows you the view and not the deck position, check the actual deck plan before booking based on looks alone.
Deck Plan and Ship Layout Photos
Firenze has 14 publicly accessible decks, 12 of which hold cabins, spread across 2,116 staterooms. Photos of the deck plan itself are worth studying alongside the venue photos, because they show you what sits directly above or below a cabin you’re eyeing, something a single stateroom photo will never reveal.
Key venues to locate on the plan before booking:
- Deck 5: most bars, lounges, and nightlife
- Deck 3: casino, Club O2, Circle C
- Upper decks (14-15): Serenity Adult-Only Retreat, Spritz Bar, WaterWorks
Casino, Shops, and Entertainment Photos
The casino sits centrally located and stays busy, and smoke can drift into nearby corridors depending on ventilation, something worth knowing if you’re smoke-sensitive and comparing cabin photos near that deck. Teatro Rosso, the main show lounge, and the Fashion Lounge round out the entertainment and retail spaces.
If the casino and shopping photos have you picturing a splurge-heavy trip, it helps to set a number before you board rather than after. This onboard spending budget guide for first-time cruisers is a useful gut-check.
A Detail Most Galleries Miss: Sensory-Inclusive Signage
Here’s something you won’t find in most photo roundups. Carnival partnered with the nonprofit KultureCity to make Firenze one of its sensory-inclusive ships. You’ll spot signage near the theater warning about flashing lights and loud sound, and guests can borrow sensory bags on a first-come basis, stocked with noise-canceling headphones and fidget tools. If you’re traveling with someone sensitive to noise or overstimulation, this is genuinely useful planning information that a standard photo gallery just won’t show you.
Itinerary and Port Photos
Firenze currently sails year-round from Long Beach, California, with 3- to 4-day trips to Ensenada and Catalina Island and longer 5- to 7-day Mexican Riviera runs to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. Carnival has announced a shift east for 2027, with the ship repositioning through Miami before a New York season, so double-check your sailing’s homeport before booking based on an older itinerary map.
Once you’ve got the itinerary picked, it’s worth pricing out the whole trip, not just the cruise fare. Our guide on how much to budget for a 7-night cruise and this rundown of hidden costs of cruising nobody tells you both cover the extras that don’t show up in a brochure photo.
FAQs About Carnival Firenze Photos
What is special about Carnival Firenze?
It’s a former Costa Cruises ship converted into Carnival’s second Italian-themed vessel, so it combines a Florence-inspired atrium and Riviera-style Lido deck with familiar Carnival dining and entertainment brands.
What is Carnival’s worst ship?
There’s no single agreed-upon answer since rankings shift year to year and depend on the review source, but older Fantasy-class ships like Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise tend to rank lowest most consistently due to fewer modern amenities. Firenze is not typically included in “worst ship” lists.
Which room on the Carnival Firenze is considered the best?
Terrazza balcony cabins get the most consistent praise for their extended porch-style balcony and access to a private, quieter sundeck.
What happened to Carnival Firenze?
Nothing happened to it in the sense of an incident. It was originally Costa Firenze, built for a Chinese launch that the pandemic canceled, then transferred to Carnival in 2024 and refitted at a Cadiz shipyard before starting Carnival sailings from Long Beach.
Where can I see a Carnival Firenze photo gallery?
Cruise line and review sites publish galleries covering the atrium, pool deck, dining rooms, and cabins, but layout-specific detail (like what’s above or below a given cabin) usually requires cross-checking the deck plan separately.
What do the inside cabins on Carnival Firenze look like?
Interior cabins carry the same woodgrain furniture and Florentine carpet pattern as the rest of the ship, just without a window, and they photograph noticeably darker than balcony rooms as a result.
Is the Carnival Firenze deck plan easy to find?
Yes, Carnival publishes an official PDF deck plan, and third-party deck plan sites let you hover over individual cabins for photos and layout details deck by deck.
Does Carnival Firenze sail different itineraries each year?
Yes. It has run Mexican Riviera and Baja itineraries from Long Beach since 2024, with a confirmed move to Miami and then New York homeports planned for 2027, so always check the current season before comparing old itinerary photos.