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DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT:

The Victory has two main dining rooms on the Promenade level and a buffet-style restaurant on the Lido deck for more casual dining. In addition to those three venues, there is a New York-style deli for sandwiches, a take-out window for Chinese food, a burger-hot dog- and steak sandwich bar, a poolside grill, a 24-hour pizzeria that also serves Caesar salads, a juice and fruit bar, and 24-hour room service. The Coral Sea Café offers a variety of coffees and pastries for an additional charge; all of the other dining options are included with your fare, but soft drinks, wine and liquor are not.

Meal times in the main dining rooms are staggered so that there are four seatings. Most families with young children take the earlier dining times. Evening entertainment is often presented twice to accommodate both the early and late diners; there is usually a midnight show as well that is less suitable for younger people.

Entertainment options are almost non-ending and run the gamut from the ultra-tacky "Men's Hairy Chest Contest" at poolside to a delicate and sweet classical music concert with tea. Magic shows, full-scale musical productions, jugglers and comedians are the main staple of the evening shows but throughout the day there are musical performances, karaoke, games, and contests that are scattered throughout the 18 bars and lounges on the ship. In addition to all of that, in-cabin movies are offered on a rotating basis at no charge.

ACTIVITIES:

The Carnival Victory is like a small floating city with a population of 3,000. Age-appropriate activities are available all day and night. She boasts one of the largest casinos on the seas, at 9,000 square feet. The Nautica Spa is one of the best equipped sea-going gyms in the world and offers a full range of massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and hair care.

For children there is Camp Carnival, fully staffed with trained professional child-care providers, with its own play area and wading pool. There are three large swimming pools and several "hot tubs," and there is the 214-foot-long curly slide which delights both grownups and kids. "Virtual Sea" is a high-tech gaming arcade which includes air-hockey, race-car simulators and other reality-based games.

Contests, games, Camp Carnival, pool activities, spa treatments, bingo, art auctions, music, the casino, dancing, dance lessons, the arcade, the fitness classes and workout equipment in the gym plus sunning and eating whenever one chooses makes for an active sea-day itinerary. For those who prefer more tranquil pursuits there is a quietly elegant library, a card room, an Internet café, and several areas in which one can just sit and read or engage in conversation. On port days there are excursions that can be purchased from the Carnival specialists, but the ship remains your "home" while in port.

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