MIAMI (01/09/04) – The 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle – set to be the first new cruise ship inaugurated at Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 27, 2004 – offers an array of dining options that is sure to meet the expectations of even the most discriminating vacationer.

From traditional sit-down meals in the main restaurant to the elegance of a classic steakhouse to a casual poolside meal, Carnival Miracle offers a dining venue and menu for every taste and mood.

For those who prefer to take their meals in a more formal atmosphere, the décor of the main restaurant could be interpreted as an invitation to excess. The main dining room is named for Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, while the restaurant annex is named after his wife, Ariadne. Breakfast, lunch and dinner — early and late seating — are served daily in the Bacchus Restaurant. 

The bacchanalian theme is carried throughout the décor, with giant silver goblets adorning the walls, grape lights with antiqued copper-finish leaves hanging in garlands on the walls and ceiling, and artwork of various depictions of Bacchus and Ariadne from classical paintings throughout the two-tiered room.

Each evening, the Bacchus’ menu features eight different soups, salads and appetizers, seven entrees and four desserts. In addition to the regular menu items, a SpaCarnival menu of healthful selections also is offered at each meal. These dishes feature reduced calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol. Special children’s menus and vegetarian selections also are offered nightly.

For guests seeking a more upscale dining experience aboard the Carnival Miracle, the reservations-only Nick and Nora’s Supper Club, located at the top of the Miracle’s 11-deck-high atrium and housed under a red tinted glass dome that forms the front portion of the ship's funnel, provides a classy ambiance. Named after detectives Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by novelist Dashiell Hammett, the room has a sophisticated look with ebony paneling and black-and-white photos of New York from the 1930s.

Modeled after New York’s upscale steakhouses, Nick and Nora’s serves the finest aged prime beef, along with double-cut lamb chops, lobster tail, Chilean sea bass and Alaska king crab claws. The menu includes a selection of 17 appetizers, salads, soups and side dishes, and is complemented by a wine list hand-selected by Carnival’s chefs to accompany the entrees.

Desserts include warm flourless cake, a symphony of mousses, trio of crème brulée or fresh fruits and cheeses. A full menu of dessert wines and after-dinner drinks provide an apt close to a special dining experience.

Completing the atmosphere of the great supper clubs of the past, Nick and Nora’s features a dance floor and live entertainment. The restaurant carries a $25 per person reservation fee.

Guests who prefer a more casual style of dining will enjoy the diverse choices available at the Miracle’s poolside restaurant on Lido Deck. Named Horatio’s Restaurant, after the C.S. Forester stories about the Napoleon-era British naval captain Horatio Hornblower, the room has a decided nautical feel. Large three-dimensional Horatio figureheads that look like carved ivory sculptures are scattered around the restaurant. Between the banquettes large models of 18th- and 19th-century sailing ships are on display. Wooden beams, arches trimmed in brass and anchor motifs complete the nautical ambiance.

Horatio’s self-service offerings include full breakfast and lunch buffets, Asian and American specialty areas, pasta and meat-carving stations, extensive salad and dessert bars, and 24-hour pizzeria and ice cream/frozen yogurt.

The eatery also is home to Carnival’s casual Seaview Bistro dinnertime service, offering a variety of delectable menu items served in a relaxed, café-style atmosphere.

For those with a late-night sweet tooth, Horatio’s also will serve as the venue for Carnival’s Chocolate Extravaganza, served at 11:30 p.m. Cakes, mousses, puddings, toppings, cookies and every conceivable delectation in chocolate are served in a seemingly never-ending display of decadent desserts.

Guests who prefer to dine in the comfort of their stateroom can order complimentary 24-hour room service featuring a selection of freshly made sandwiches, desserts, fruits and other items. The Carnival Miracle also houses a patisserie serving specialty coffees, sweets and confections.

These options, which compose Carnival’s Total Choice Dining (SM), cruising’s most comprehensive dining program offering the widest variety of culinary choices at sea, complement Carnival Miracle’s wide range of entertainment and activity choices, all of which add up to a truly unique “Fun Ship” vacation experience.

Carnival Miracle is slated to debut from Jacksonville Feb. 27, 2004, with a series of 12 three- to six-day voyages through April 17, 2004, marking the first time that Carnival has ever operated from that port. 

The ship will also operate seven-day departures from Baltimore and New York before repositioning to Tampa for year-round seven-day western Caribbean cruises from that port beginning Nov. 7, 2004.

For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, or visit carnival.com.