We were about to have the best vacation of our lives. That, at least, is what the cruise director of the Carnival Destiny, the world's largest cruise ship, was announcing throughout the ship. That's a pretty big promise. But this is a pretty big ship. A big Fun Ship, no less.
Carnival has a right to boast.
The line has built the first cruise ship to top 100,000 tons, making it more than 20,000 tons larger than anything else that has sailed the Caribbean waters. And in the world of ships, increased tonnage means more space. Carnival is also the No. 1 cruise line in the world, operating 11 ships that consistently sail at or very close to capacity, own or control three other cruise lines and more than possibly a fourth shortly. The first time I spotted this ship was last November while lunching in the elegant Globe cafeteria. Across the South Boston skyline I could see a familiar red smokestack towering above everything and moving into place at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal, more than a mile, as the sea gulls fly, from my vantage point.