MIAMI (03/14/03) - Dining has always been closely associated with cruising and the new 110,000-ton Carnival Glory epitomizes this concept, offering the widest variety of culinary choices at sea. While traditional multi-course full-service meals remain a staple of cruise ship dining, the quality and variety of casual alternatives are what set the 2,974-passenger SuperLiner apart. These include a New York-style deli, a rotisserie, a specialty seafood venue, Asian and American stations, a sushi bar, extensive salad and dessert bars, complimentary 24-hour ice cream, pizza and stateroom service, and, of course, full breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. There's also a reservations-only supper club offering the finest U.S.D.A. prime steaks, seafood and other gourmet cuisine.

Meals are enjoyed amidst spectacular surroundings, with striking interiors that offer dramatic interpretations of different colors. For example, the Carnival Glory's casual eatery, the Red Sail Restaurant, like the name implies, offers a distinctive nautical interior with red canvas sails, chrome hardware, faux portholes, teak flooring and sailboat models located throughout the sprawling, two-deck-high 1,250-seat room. Here, guests enjoy a wide range of palate-pleasing alternatives. In addition to breakfast buffets and made-to-order omelette stations (both available until noon), the Red Sail Restaurant houses a 24-hour pizzeria serving seven different pies and calzone; a New York-style deli with corned beef, pastrami and turkey sandwiches and traditional side dishes; "Taste of the Nation" featuring a different international cuisine each day; a rotisserie with broiled meats and chicken; Sur Mer, a specialty seafood area with items such as bouillabaisse, calamari fritters and ceviche; a grille serving hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilled chicken and steak sandwiches; an elaborate buffet with various hot and cold items, and a plentiful 35-item salad bar. A dessert bar and complimentary 24-hour ice cream are offered, as well.

For those seeking a more intimate setting, there's the Emerald Room, Carnival Glory's reservations-only "steakhouse-style" supper club. At this cozy, 108-seat restaurant, guests can enjoy top quality dry-aged prime beef, including a nine-ounce filet mignon, 24-ounce porterhouse, and a 14-ounce New York strip, along with a Carnival exclusive: crab claws from Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant, the signature item from Florida's oldest restaurant. A décor of cobalt-blue walls and light fixtures resembling oversized emeralds creates an atmosphere of understated elegance. The Emerald Room carries a $25 per person reservations fee.

Of course, traditional full-service meals are available in the two-level Golden and Platinum main dining rooms whose interiors are inspired by Japan's famed Silver and Golden Temples, with bonsai- and peony tree-themed wall coverings and distinctive decagon-shaped windows creating a memorable dining environment. The cuisine is just as inviting, with a choice of eight soups salads, and appetizers, and seven entrees nightly, including the ever-popular Broiled Caribbean Lobster Tail served once each voyage. A full dessert menu and extensive wine list are available, as well, along with vegetarian and children's selections and health-conscious Spa Carnival Fare, delicious "guilt-free" items lower in fat, cholesterol, sodium and calories.

Other dining venues aboard Carnival Glory include Sushi Salmon, a sushi bar serving California rolls, tuna rolls and other Asian delicacies with traditional accompaniments; and Creams, a patisserie serving specialty coffees - lattes, cappuccinos, espressos and the like - along with decadent confections such as Black Forest cake, apple strudel and banana splits. Complimentary 24-hour room service offering various continental breakfast items and a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, chips and desserts any time of the day or night.

Beginning July 19, 2003, Carnival Glory will operate year-round seven-day sailings from Port Canaveral, Fla., with alternating eastern and western Caribbean voyages departing every Saturday. Eastern Caribbean cruises will call at Nassau, St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Maarten, while western Caribbean voyages will include Key West, Fla.; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel and Progreso/Merida, Mexico. For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

Dateline: March 14, 2003