Now that Carnival Firenze is sailing from Long Beach, towards all the south-of-the-border goodness along Mexico's Pacific coast, does that mean this homeport is on its way towards fame as a hotspot of Italian culture? Probabilmente!

So, Long Beach, you're wondering what to expect from Fun Italian Style™? Grab your movie star sunglasses and throw on a scarf — just for style — as you make your entrance at Piazza Duomo, named for Florence's iconic domed cathedral. To get a taste for onboard flavor and flair, check out spots like the elegant three-course Michelangelo and Medici Restaurants, traditional Italian foods, cocktails and more at Il Viaggio, plus Italian street food spot La Strada Grill™. You're even going to find an Italian market, Il Mercato, featuring faves like sauced-up meatballs, sandwiches with inspiration from Italy and beyond, plus sausages and salads. And since we're always authentic… most of the time, you can enjoy the fusion-y goodness of Mexican-Italian Tomodoro™ plus Guy's Burger Joint, which now features classics and burgers with Italian twists.

For refreshment served up in a glass, look to cocktail bar Amari™, frozen drinks with a bit of attitude at Rococó™, Frizzante™ with its three specialties (bubbly drinks, snacks and coffee!), plus classic Italian cocktails and martinis with surprising and fashionable twists (and live music too!) at Moda Bar and Lounge™. Even more spots for entertainment include the classic-theater vibe of Teatro Rosso featuring Playlist Productions shows, and Tuscan Lounge paying tribute to Florence's iconic home region. Let's not forget Terrazza staterooms — we could never! — which give you a stylish, comfy place to unwind from all the fun… near a private deck featuring exclusive amenities like all-day lounging at Terrazza Moda home to great views, drinks, entertainment, whirlpools and more.

While we're excited about the Italian side of this ship, it's not the whole story. Carnival has some true fan-favorites we knew folks would be asking for. That's why Carnival Firenze also includes familiar flavors like Bonsai Teppanyaki™ and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse™. Places to celebrate absolutely anything (or just nothing!) include Piano Bar 88 and Serenity Bar, while you can seriously kick back at Cloud 9 Spa™ and Serenity Adult-Only Retreat™. Kids are going to love Camp Ocean™, Circle “C”® and Club O2® — each one is perfectly designed for a different age group. And if active/splashy fun is your thing, that's honestly a great thing and we can tell you're going to be spending time at WaterWorks™ and SportSquare™, home to a ropes course, jogging track, mini golf course and outdoor fitness center.

Long Beach! Carnival Firenze is sailing now from your sweet shores. Andiamo!

It is customary for our guests to extend gratuities to the shipboard staff in appreciation for their hard work and exceptional service. 100% of your gratuities are distributed to the crew who you interact with, such as your stateroom attendants, dining and culinary services staff, as well as other members of the onboard team who work behind the scenes to enhance your overall cruise experience. Applying this charge automatically streamlines the recognition process and ensures our crew will share in your generosity.

To help you plan, we have provided the recommended onboard gratuities guidelines.

• Standard Staterooms: $16.00 USD per person, per day
• Suite Staterooms: $18.00 USD per person, per day

You may pay this daily gratuity in two different ways:

Pre-Pay

Gratuities can be added at the time of booking or anytime up to the sail date. Guests who booked directly with Carnival may add their pre-paid gratuities on Carnival.com. If a guest booked with a travel agent, they may contact their travel professional to add pre-paid gratuities to their booking. Prepaid gratuities are reflected in the 'Miscellaneous Charge' field on the confirmation and in the guest's E-Documents.

Sail & Sign®

If guests have not pre-paid their gratuities, the recommended, per person, amount will be posted to their Sail & Sign account on the second to last day of the cruise. Should a guest not be satisfied with the service they receive, they can contact the Guest Services desk while on board. This will allow us to address their concerns in a timely and appropriate fashion. At the discretion of the guest, gratuities may be adjusted after they have been posted on the guest's account, while on board. Gratuities, as posted on a guest's Sail & Sign account, will be considered final after a guest disembarks and no changes will be made after the cruise.

Additional Information

• Gratuities are assessed on all guests, with the exception of children under the age of 2.
• Gratuities apply regardless of the dining options selected, such as eating at the casual dining restaurant or open seating dining.
• For beverage purchases, an 18% service charge will be added to the bill.
• An 18% service charge will be added to the reservation fee the Chef’s Table and Bonsai Teppanyaki as well as the nominal à la carte fee at Bonsai Sushi, Emeril’s Bistro, Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse and Seafood Shack; additional gratuities can be added at the guest's discretion.
• A gratuity may be extended to room service staff as service is rendered.

Thank you for your generous recognition of our onboard team. Our crew works hard to provide you with a great vacation and takes pride in being part of the best team in the cruise industry.