Carnival Miracle to South & Central America

Carnival is trying to upgrade its image these days, and the Carnival Miracle straddled the line somewhere between old and new. Some of the old, flashier décor survives aboard her, but new touches such as the Alchemy Bar, in particular, point towards a product acquiring more finesse as it evolves. There is also a dedicated steakhouse- Nick and Nora's-located in a stunning atrium at the base of the funnel that serves up some of the best prime cuts I have ever tasted.

Brash and splashy as she is, Carnival Miracle has a much appreciated adults' only Serenity Zone at the back of the ship. Gazing up from a hot tub at midnight at a sky full of Pacific stars- now that takes some beating.

Then again, there is so much entertainment at the other end of the scale, from live acoustic guitarists in the three story lobby before dinner, to a two level disco complete with over height, flashing Frankenstein model. With a casino that hummed all night, the Carnival Miracle was a kind of floating Las Vegas, bound for the best of Pacific Mexico.

Cabo San Lucas remains as stunning as ever, with jagged rock formations looming up offshore, and para gliders sailing across the early morning sky. Shunned for many years, Mazatlan has really cleaned up its act again, and is a pleasant day's diversion. Stone Island beach in particular proved a great day out. Puerto Vallarta, with its seafront promenade, is worth taking the entire cruise for alone.

With over two thousand passengers aboard, Carnival Miracle has pools, pizza, and places to relax aplenty. It's not for everyone, of course. The ship is very 'Americanized', and set up to cater to a predominantly American clientele.

Don't take that as implying that peace and quiet are hard to come by. I booked a nice, expansive cabin with a small private balcony overlooking the ocean. And a real highlight of this was taking a glass of Zinfandel early each evening, and just enjoying some truly stunning Pacific sunsets at sea. Lovely stuff.