Second Chances: Giving Carnival Venezia Another Try (On Crutches!)

I never thought I'd be sailing with a giant knee brace, a pair of crutches, and a wheelchair waiting for me at the cruise terminal. Yet, here I am, getting ready for my second sailing aboard Carnival Venezia—a five-day cruise from New York to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick.

This trip feels different for a lot of reasons.

First, there's the knee.

A recent injury has turned me into a first-time mobility-challenged cruiser. I have arranged wheelchair assistance for embarkation and debarkation, something I've never done before. I'll admit, I'm a little skeptical. I like to be independent, and the thought of being wheeled onto a ship feels strange. But so many people have told me that Carnival's accessibility assistance is excellent, so I'm trying to trust the process.

My goal is to get down to using just one crutch by sailing day instead of two. Either way, I'll likely be hobbling around the ship with at least one crutch under my arm and a very large knee brace attached to my leg. This cruise may require a little more patience and a lot more elevator rides than I'm used to.

Then there's the ship itself.

This will be my second voyage aboard Carnival Venezia. The first was a four-day sailing to Saint John with two sea days and only one port stop. And if I'm being completely honest? I wasn't a huge fan.

As someone who has sailed on Carnival Legend, Carnival Pride, and Carnival Celebration, the Venezia just didn't click with me. The flow of the ship felt off. Things didn't seem to connect the way they do on other Carnival ships, and I often found myself wandering around wondering, "How did I end up here?"

I still liked it better than Carnival Glory, which felt even more chopped up and difficult to navigate, but Venezia certainly didn't win me over.

Apparently, though, I am in the minority.

Since that sailing, I've had countless friends tell me I'm absolutely crazy. Many of them consider Venezia their favorite ship. One friend recently completed a twelve-day sailing and absolutely raved about it. They loved the atmosphere, the décor, and the overall experience so much that I started wondering if maybe I had missed something the first time around.

Eventually, I was persuaded.

So, I'm giving Carnival Venezia a second chance.

This itinerary is also a little more appealing to me. Instead of just one port, we'll have two stops in Canada.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, our plan is simple and easygoing: visit the Maritime Museum and then grab lunch along the waterfront. The area around the wharf has several great restaurants, and with my knee, a leisurely day by the harbor sounds absolutely perfect.

In Saint John, New Brunswick, we're taking advantage of something I wish I had known about sooner—the Pedway system. From everything I've read, it's fantastic for seniors and people with mobility issues because it provides easier access to parts of the uptown area while helping avoid some of Saint John's infamous hills.

This is especially good news because I'll be traveling with my senior parents, and frankly, it will probably help me just as much as it helps them.

Our plans there include visiting the City Market and stopping by the Police Museum, which is something my travel companion has been wanting to see.

This cruise feels like a little experiment.

Can I enjoy cruising while navigating an injury?

Will the wheelchair assistance and crutches make things easier than I expect?

Can my senior parents and I enjoy these ports at a slower pace?

And perhaps the biggest question of all…

Will Carnival Venezia finally win me over?

I honestly don't know.

But that's one of the things I love most about travel. Sometimes it's worth revisiting places, ships, and experiences that didn't quite click the first time. Our circumstances change. Our expectations change. And sometimes our perspective changes too.

Maybe I'll step off this ship feeling exactly the same as I did after my first sailing.

Or maybe I'll become one of those people telling everyone that Carnival Venezia is actually my favorite ship.

Either way, I'll be traveling with my parents, exploring two beautiful Canadian ports, learning how to cruise with a mobility challenge, and hopefully—hopefully—bringing home another Ship on a Stick from trivia.

Because some cruise traditions are simply non-negotiable.

#Carnival #CarnivalVenezia