There is a reason Carnival is called "the world's most popular cruise line" -- it is a favorite among those who are looking for a laid back experience, a safe and fun place for their families, and the best vacation bang for their buck. The 47,262-ton, 1,486-passenger Celebration, which launched in 1987, fulfills all of the above. However, cruisers should keep this in mind: cruising has come a long way since 1987, and because Carnival's ships vary so widely in age, so do the amenities onboard.

Celebration is the second oldest ship in the fleet, outlived only by Holiday, which launched in 1985 (Jubilee, which entered the fleet in 1986, exited service this year). And although it underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in 2003, the ship is still more of a tribute to the old days of cruising. Even with all of its upgrades and updates, this may not be the best ship for passengers who have grown accustomed to modern-ship amenities that aren't found here, such as a high ratio of balcony cabins, supper-club style alternative dining, high-tech fitness facilities and swank spas.

The most noticeable change is the practically all-new purser's lobby though which cruisers board the ship -- redone with new carpeting, furniture, wall coverings and artwork for a more contemporary atmosphere. The dining rooms were also redesigned for a more spacious atmosphere. Also, each of the Celebration's staterooms received new curtains, carpeting and wallpaper, as well as upgraded bedding, linens, pillows and bedspreads. New leather-bound directories were placed in each cabin, and bathrooms were updated and retiled where necessary. Elevator lobbies, stair landings, pool decks and lounges underwent minor cosmetic enhancements, and all corridors were re-carpeted.

Celebration is a great value for those that are looking to have a no-frills, lay-by-the-pool "Fun Ship" vacation. The food is surprisingly good, cabins are contemporary and comfortable, and service is friendly and fast.

Celebration kicked off the first-ever year-round cruise program from Jacksonville in October 2004, sailing four- and five-day cruises from the port to the Bahamas.

The Wheelhouse Bar & Grill buffet is Celebration's casual dining option. There was nearly always a line -- and tables were hard to come by, especially in the heat of the lunch rush -- but there is outside seating, and the eats were generally worth the wait. Each side of the buffet offers the same items, so it doesn't matter which line you are on. Table clearing is prompt, but drink service is lacking unless it is the friendly bar waiters trying to sell the drink of the day or your particular poison (they will make it a point to remember).

Celebration has only 10 balcony cabins, which may be a large drawback for cruisers who have grown accustomed to the growing rate of verandah cabins on today's ships. More than half of the staterooms onboard are oceanview -- 445 out of 743; 10 of these are considered "suites," and include said verandah, a separate sitting area, a whirlpool tub, a refrigerator, a VCR, a large vanity and a walk-in closet. There are 17 modified cabins for disabled guests.

All cabins (with the exception of those that include lower and upper berths -- only 24 in total) contain twin beds that convert into a king. Decor is simple, with wood furniture and natural colored wall coverings. As in the ship's public areas, the carpeting is clearly new. There is a TV mounted on a shelf in the corner, which is nice as it doesn't take up any desk space; however, it's not as easy to view when the beds are in the twin configuration. Also space-saving: The phone is mounted to the wall. Closet space is ample, with one section of shelving and two sections for hanging garments.

The main cabin lights are controlled by a light switch near the door and one near the bed (if the beds are configured as twins, only one passenger will have access to this switch). There is, however, one reading lamp by the twin bed with no main switch, and two above the area for queen configuration. A corner light does not give off much illumination but is more for show, depicting a mythological or cartoon-ish looking creature to match the design scheme in the hallways.

Cabins do not include a hair dryer, but pack your own: One 220-volt outlet and one 110-volt outlet are convenient to the desk, which has a large backless chair for grooming in front of the mirror. There is also a table with one chair, but it's too low to the ground for snacking or relaxing. Passengers can control the a/c in the cabin, but be forewarned: The knob is on the ceiling (at least in my standard oceanview), so short folks (like me) must stand on a chair. Safes are available; use of terry robes is an extra perk for passengers in oceanview cabins and suites.

Bathrooms are finished in pastel tile, not ultra-modern, but impeccably clean and functional. There were two pumps in my shower; both were labeled shower gel but I suspect one was a shampoo/conditioner combo (or at least I assumed). It did not matter, because there was a basket on the sink containing Physique shampoo, conditioner and hair gel, as well as a few other brand-name goodies: Reach Access flosser, Suave hand cream, Listerine pocket pack strips, Crest Cinnamon Rush toothpaste, and a Lever 2000 bar of soap. I was, however, a little perturbed by the lack of control I had over water temperature in the shower, which could go from lukewarm to icy cold to Jacuzzi-hot with the blink of an eye.

There are two main dining rooms onboard Celebration, Vista and Horizon, and both operate as traditional set-time, set-seating facilities for dinner. Dining times for dinner are staggered; early sittings include 5:45 p.m. in Horizon and 6:15 in Vista, while late sittings include 8 p.m. in Horizon and 8:30 p.m. in Vista. A smart move on Carnival's part, this enables early-seating diners to be able to enjoy their meal without having to rush. This also nips possible bottlenecks on stairwells and in public areas in the bud, as passengers are not all rushing to dinner at the same time. Lunch and breakfast are served in open-seating fashion (on our sailing, always in Horizon). However, because there are few if any two-person tables, this isn't a great option for those who aren't in the mood to chitchat.

The Horizon Dining Room is decorated in warm brown walls off set by pastel yellow linens, with rectangular and round tables, and an assortment of semi-private booths partitioned by clear panels. Golden wall sconce lighting fixtures are a nice touch. The Vista Dining Room is similar in style, but with a lighter, more pastel feel. The food surpassed my expectations (save for the usually boring salads), and I enjoyed all of my meals, particularly dessert (though, oddly, on Baked Alaska night, the Alaska wasn't actually baked). Entrees range from chateaubriand to lobster tail to roasted turkey with all the trimmings. I particularly liked the pasta dishes, as they were also available in a smaller portion as a starter dish -- perfect if you are deliberating between two different meals.

Hint: In another smart dining-related move, Carnival has placed the salad bar and the dessert buffet away from the regular selections, so that you can grab a few extra tomatoes or another slice of cake without having to stand in line.

The "regular" buffet for lunch includes a selection of non-green salads, such as potato, navy bean and baby shrimp, and couscous, as well as hamburgers and hotdogs, a variety of hot dishes and a carving station. One day featured turkey with all the fixings, another day roast beef. The separate green salad bar has the veggie and dressing fixings. The dessert stand features cookies and cakes which are decent, but no match to the creamy, self-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt. This station is always loaded with cones and small dishes, and is open 24 hours. The breakfast buffet offered made-to-order omelets that seemed popular though I was too impatient to wait for one. The scrambled eggs were blah, but the pancakes were incredibly hot and tasty. There was also sausage and crisp bacon, and lots of pastries and breads to choose from, plus fruit, milk, yogurt, cream of wheat, oatmeal and cereals.

The 24-hour pizzeria is located in the Wheelhouse Bar & Grill, and is an excellent bet for a snack or light lunch, especially when the lines are practically out the door at the buffet. The pizza comes in several varieties, from the standard cheese and pepperoni to a gourmet mushroom and goat cheese, and is always hot (so hot I burned the roof of my mouth two days in a row!). There are always fresh pies in or ready to go in the oven, so don't settle for a slice that has been sitting under the heat lamp. There is also fresh Caesar salad available here around the clock.

Room service is available 24 hours a day. The menu includes juices, breads and pastries, sandwiches like turkey, ham and cheese, and BLT on your choice of bread or specialty items like grilled zucchini, mozzarella and Portobello with basil aioli on focaccia (delicious) or shrimp salad on a French roll. There are also salads, veggie platters, cookies and brownies, cakes, yogurt, fruit salad, beverages (including bar service at regular bar prices). Service was very prompt; I called in an order at lunchtime and it arrived in just over 10 minutes. Full stateroom bar service is available 9 a.m. until 3 a.m.

In-stateroom continental breakfast is available by hanging a checked-off menu on your doorknob before a generous deadline of 5 a.m. You can indicate between which times you would like delivery. Service was prompt once more, perhaps too prompt: it came 15 minutes before my start time and I was still in bed (the staffer didn't seem to mind that I was in my pajamas, though). There are no hot dishes on the list, just fruit, cereals, yogurt, breads and pastries, juice, milk, and coffee. Our order automatically came with milk for our cereal.

One last dining option: Bourbon Street, the ship's "promenade" area, actually has a real trolley car that becomes a sushi bar each night from 5:30 until 8:30, which is an elegant touch for an older, less luxurious ship. The selection of freshly prepared rolls (my favorite was the spicy mackerel) varies each evening.

Passengers enter the ship not via a fancy atrium or promenade, but through the lobby, past the Purser's Desk. The lobby has been redone with new wall coverings, furniture, and artwork in an effort to create a more contemporary atmosphere.

The core of this Fun Ship is the Promenade Deck's Bourbon Street, embellished with "brick" streets, a real trolley car, and splashes of purple, gold and green for a real New Orleans feel. This is a likely place to relax in the day, as it is not quite as busy as, say, a main drag at Mardi Gras (at night, however, these areas pick up). There are cozy chairs by windows where many passengers played cards or read books during daylight hours. There is also a player piano for live evening entertainment and the Trolley Bar, where cruisers gathered to watch sports, particularly the World Series playoffs that took place during our sailing.

Most of the ship's nightclubs and lounges are accessible from Bourbon Street, including Galax-Z, a disco-esque club in dark blue and steel with a small dance floor lit from below by neon a la "Saturday Night Fever." While there is no traditional game room, there is a small grouping of arcade games in the back of Galax-Z; these range from 25 cents to a dollar to play, and are open 24 hours.

Also off Bourbon Street is the ship's casino, Rainbow Club. The room is surrounded by chunks of colorful plastic, adorned with neon lights and a flashy art deco font from the eighties. Cruisers can try their luck on over 180 slot machines including the usual suspects like Wheel of Fortune, and Red White & Blue. There are also several electronic poker machines that delighted in eating my money, and roulette, poker and blackjack tables. Slot tournaments take place throughout the week. The main bar at the end of this particular rainbow is aptly called Pot of Gold.

The Red Hot Piano Bar is hard to miss with its striking, bright decor. Ebony and ivory keys are set around the bar for decoration, and fire-engine-red walls and booths surround accent tables and chairs. In the back there is a narrow, spiral staircase that leads to the Rainbow Club casino.

Warning: this lounge is smoky as it is one area where cigarette smoking is allowed.

Directly across from the piano bar is Admiral's Library, lovely with teakwood-paneled walls, nautical memorabilia including a bell from Caronia, metal napkin rings from ships of yesteryear (including one from P&O), a model of a typical sailing ship's wheel circa 1920, and oil paintings of ships at sea. There are cabinets with a small selection of books and board games that can be borrowed throughout the week.

The library also doubles as Celebration's Internet "cafe." Six computer stations are available for Web surfers, as well as a very reliable and easy to use wireless program for laptop owners. Even if some parts of this ship are stuck in the eighties, the wireless Internet certainly isn't -- it is the fastest, most reliable Internet access I've used at sea (but that could also be due in part to the ship's proximity to the equator on my particular sailing). The library is the only place onboard where wireless access is offered, but the signal is strong enough for use in the Red Hot Piano Bar, so you can have a cocktail and listen to music while checking your e-mail if you've brought your laptop. Very relaxing.

Connection can be pricey, and is available through packages, or a la carte (at an insane $0.75 per minute). Packages are the way to go -- the more minutes you buy, the more you save, and the more free minutes you earn. Pricing for using either their computers or the wireless network works out to be about the same in the end (you can buy 250 minutes at $0.40 per minute for either method), though wireless can be a better bargain because you avoid the $3.95 activation fee (ouch) required to connect to the Internet via one of Carnival's computers.

Shoppers will want to head to Holiday Square, where they can browse a handful of modest shops offering logo wear, Carnival souvenirs (such as mugs, spoons and pens), sunscreen, perfume, duty-free liquors and cigarettes, t-shirts, and jewelry (including the requisite gold-by-the-inch). Actual space within the shops is limited, though, so tables are set up in the "square" sidewalk-sale style during the day.

As expected on Carnival ships, which are known for their entertainment, stage productions are as excellent as cast members are talented. A country music show played to a nearly packed house, but I fell in love with Standing Room Only, a great medley of Broadway tunes. You can clearly see how much work goes into this, with uncountable costume and set changes, and toe-tapping tunes. There were also numerous daily activities to keep cruisers happy, including art auctions, bingo games, slot tournaments, fun contests and game shows like "Newlywed, Not-So-Newlywed," comedians, and more.

Most of the action happens in the ship's two-deck-high main theater, Astoria Lounge--one of my favorite spaces on this ship. The decor is tasteful, and the layout is more comedy club than arena with tiered rows of rounded couches and swiveling love seats in a muted blue. Arriving early guarantees good seating; drink service is friendly and fast.

A caveat for short folks: you may want avoid the upper tiers; a glass panel borders every tier, and the edge of that glass panel was directly in my line of vision.

Additional entertainment can be found in the Endless Summer lounge, lined with boat hulls and sunrise/sunset shades (rather amusing Karaoke takes place here every single day, and draws a huge crowd at night), Islands in the Sky in ethereal pinks, purples and blues, a lounge for comedians, and daytime activities such as art auctions.

There are three pools onboard Celebration. The main Lido pool is surrounded by two tiers of deck chairs, and topped off with a snaking slide that seemed more popular with adults than kids. There is one whirlpool next to this pool. A smaller pool, Aft, provides a quieter atmosphere and a great view of the ship's wake. It is also steps away from the ice cream machine in the Wheelhouse Bar & Grill -- a huge plus in this sweet tooth's book. The third pool is a children's wading pool, located next to the staircase leading down to Camp Carnival's children's center. I didn't realize right away that it was a kids' pool due to the large number of adult sunbathers who choose to relax there; youngsters were often whisked to other areas of the ship for activities, and so this spot was surprisingly peaceful. Only the animal-shaped slide gave it away.

There was no warm reception area when I stepped off the elevator by Spa Carnival -- just a dim, institutional hallway with treatment rooms. The staffer I flagged down didn't seem too interested in answering my questions, or showing me about, and quite frankly treatments were on the high side price-wise -- a simple facial was $109. The salon was almost as disappointing upon first glance: a small space cramped with haphazardly placed nail tables, ominous about-to-tip-over stacks of towels on shelves and sitting areas, and extension cords snaking visibly across the floor. It is also in a noisey corridor just off the shopping area, and screams 1980's with big bright bulbs surrounding mirrors, reminiscent of those in Miss Piggy's dressing room in "The Muppets Take Manhattan." However, Ceri who did my treatments was a complete doll, and my salon experience ended up being quite pleasant.

Note: Port-day "discounts" are deceiving -- you may be paying less for a treatment, but be sure to ask whether your treatment time is the same length. A chunk of time is shaved off of certain "sale" treatments, so at that point are you really getting a good deal? I was psyched to save $25 on my exotic hand and foot treatment ... until I found out I was receiving a 90-minute procedure while sea-day customers were spending a full two hours being pampered.

There is a small but functional gym with six treadmills, four cycles and two steppers. Despite its size, it never seemed exceptionally busy -- but was never empty during my trips up there, either. Activity-minded folks can also get their fix on the Sun Deck, complete with a volleyball net, shuffleboard, and a jogging/walking track. (Thirteen laps equals one mile. The track is easily walk-able; one woman claimed she circled 20 times in just 30 minutes.) Cruisers can also play chess with jumbo pieces off the Lido deck pool, or tee off on the small putting green near the Aft pool.

Families are a major market for Carnival, and Carnival's kids' program, Camp Carnival, is excellent in that it is tailored for many age groups. Children are broken up into four categories: Toddlers (ages 2 - 5), Juniors (ages 6 - 8), Intermediates (ages 9 - 11) and Teens (ages 12 - 15).

The children on our sailing were always well occupied and well behaved, especially when with their counselors. I saw them marching through the promenade one day, and having an ice cream sundae party in the Wheelhouse another. There's even a kids-only turndown service featuring fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Other activities kids may participate in include arts and crafts, sing-alongs (for the younger crowd), puppet shows, t-shirt painting (for juniors), talent shows, scavenger hunts, and pool parties (for older kids). Teens can participate in disco parties in Galax-Z early in the evening, and watch late-night movies.

An additional perk: babysitting services, basically a slumber party in the play room, are available for a very reasonable cost -- $6 for the first child and $4 for each additional child in the same family -- from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

The only downfall is the actual Camp Carnival facility, which is smaller and less innovative than those on newly launched ships. However, because there are so many things going elsewhere, families should definitely consider Celebration for a family vacation -- parents can be out and about having their own fun while Carnival staffers entertain the tykes.

On our cruise, passengers were mostly middle-aged couples and groups. There was a sprinkling of younger and senior travelers as well, plus many families with children. This ship seems to attract the majority of its passengers from southern U.S. locales (Florida, Georgia, Texas, etc.) near its homeport of Jacksonville.

Gratuities are automatically added to shipboard accounts (though amounts can be adjusted at passengers' discretion), broken down as follows: $3.50 per person, per day, for the cabin steward; $3.50 per person, per day, for the waiter; $2 per person, per day, for the busboy. Carnival adds an automatic 15 percent gratuity to all bar and wine bills.

Casual dress prevails during the day, with most passengers sporting swimsuits, shorts and t-shirts. (Swimsuits are not allowed in the dining rooms). There is one formal night on four- and five-night sailings; most men opt for a suit and tie while women tend toward cocktail dresses. Sensible, smart, casual attire works well for dinner on other evenings.

• Cruise line - Carnival
• Ship name - Celebration
• Type of cruise - Fun/Casual
• Total cabins - 743
• Private balcony cabins - 10
• Decks - 10
• Passenger capacity - 1486
• Total crew - 670
• Officers nationality - Italian
• Ship size - Large
• Year entered service - 1987
• Tonnage - 48000
• Ship length - 733
• Registry - Panama

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