Carnival Cruises

From: European Cruise Guide

ABOVE: A Carnival ship cruises down Venice's Giudecca Canal.

Carnival Cruises is the Coca-Cola of  American cruising: Its family-friendly brand is a household name, it has nearly two dozen ships, and it attracts new and experienced cruisers of all ages from all walks of life.

In the last few years, Carnival pared back its European schedule, but 2013 promises to be a banner year for Carnival in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The line claims to be offering "its widest array of European itineraries ever," with a Norwegian fjord cruise, a program of cruises from the UK, and Mediterranean cruises from Venice and Barcelona.

Two Carnival ships are operating in Europe during 2013: the 2,124-passenger Carnival Legend and the 3,006-passenger Carnival Sunshine, which is emerging from a 49-day, US $155 million overhaul.

Cruise line's Web site:

Carnival Cruises