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Carnival Miracle - Preview of Venues and Restaurants.
MIAMI (01/09/04) - The
2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle - set to be the first new cruise ship
inaugurated at Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 27, 2004.
 The new ship offers an array of dining
options that is sure to meet the expectations of even the most
discriminating vacationer. From traditional sit-down meals in the main
restaurant to the elegance of a classic steakhouse to a casual poolside
meal, Carnival Miracle offers a dining venue and menu for every taste and
mood.
For those who prefer to
take their meals in a more formal atmosphere, the décor of the main
restaurant could be interpreted as an invitation to excess.,
named for Bacchus, the Greek god of wine,
while the restaurant annex is named after his wife,
Ariadne.
Breakfast, lunch and
dinner - early and late seating - are served daily in the Bacchus
Restaurant. The bacchanalian theme is carried throughout the décor, with
giant silver goblets adorning the walls, grape lights with antiqued
copper-finish leaves hanging in garlands on the walls and ceiling, and
artwork of various depictions of Bacchus and Ariadne from classical
paintings throughout the two-tiered room.
Each evening, the
Bacchus' menu features eight different soups, salads and appetizers, seven
entrees and four desserts. In addition to the regular menu items, a
SpaCarnival menu of healthful selections also is offered at each meal.
These dishes feature reduced calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol.
Special children's menus and vegetarian selections also are offered
nightly.
For guests seeking a more upscale dining
experience aboard the Carnival Miracle, the reservations-only
Nick and Nora's Supper Club, located at the
top of the Miracle's 11-deck-high atrium and housed under a red tinted
glass dome that forms the front portion of the ship's funnel, provides a
classy ambiance. Named after detectives Nick and Nora Charles, characters
created by novelist Dashiell Hammett, the room has a sophisticated look
with ebony paneling and black-and-white photos of New York from the 1930s.
Modeled after New York's
upscale steakhouses, Nick and Nora's serves the finest aged prime beef,
along with double-cut lamb chops, lobster tail, Chilean sea bass and
Alaska king crab claws. The menu includes a selection of 17 appetizers,
salads, soups and side dishes, and is complemented by a wine list
hand-selected by Carnival's chefs to accompany the entrees. Desserts
include warm flourless cake, a symphony of mousses, trio of crème brulée
or fresh fruits and cheeses. A full menu of dessert wines and after-dinner
drinks provide an apt close to a special dining experience.
Completing the atmosphere
of the great supper clubs of the past, Nick and Nora's features a dance
floor and live entertainment. The restaurant carries a $25 per person
reservation fee.
Guests who prefer a more
casual style of dining will enjoy the diverse choices available at the
Miracle's poolside restaurant on Lido Deck. Named
Horatio's Restaurant, after the C.S. Forester stories about the
Napoleon-era British naval captain Horatio Hornblower, the room has a
decided nautical feel.
Large three-dimensional
Horatio figureheads that look like carved ivory sculptures are scattered
around the restaurant. Between the banquettes large models of 18th- and
19th-century sailing ships are on display. Wooden beams, arches trimmed in
brass and anchor motifs complete the nautical ambiance.
Horatio's self-service
offerings include full breakfast and lunch buffets, Asian and American
specialty areas, pasta and meat-carving stations, extensive salad and
dessert bars, and 24-hour pizzeria and ice cream/frozen yogurt.
The eatery also is home
to Carnival's casual Seaview Bistro
dinnertime service, offering a variety of delectable menu items served in
a relaxed, café-style atmosphere. For those with a late-night sweet tooth,
Horatio's also will serve as the venue for Carnival's Chocolate
Extravaganza, served at 11:30 p.m. Cakes, mousses, puddings, toppings,
cookies and every conceivable delectation in chocolate are served in a
seemingly never-ending display of decadent desserts.
Guests who prefer to dine
in the comfort of their stateroom can order complimentary
24-hour room service featuring a selection of
freshly made sandwiches, desserts, fruits and other items. The Carnival
Miracle also houses a patisserie serving specialty coffees, sweets and
confections.
These options, which
compose Carnival's Total Choice Dining ©, cruising's most comprehensive
dining program offering the widest variety of culinary choices at sea,
complement Carnival Miracle's wide range of entertainment and activity
choices, all of which add up to a truly unique "Fun Ship" vacation
experience.
Carnival Miracle is
slated to debut from Jacksonville Feb. 27, 2004, with a series of 12
three- to six-day voyages through April 17, 2004, marking the first time
that Carnival has ever operated from that port.
The ship will also
operate seven-day departures from Baltimore and New York before
repositioning to Tampa for year-round seven-day western Caribbean cruises
from that port beginning Nov. 7, 2004.
Look for Jim Huff's
report on this new ship which we should be posting early in March 2004. |
