Carnival Paradise was scheduled to depart Monday afternoon on a five-day Caribbean cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman, part of the ship’s year-round sailings from Tampa that also include four-day cruises to Cozumel and five-day cruises to Cozumel and Mahogany Bay (Roatán), Key West or Grand Cayman. The ship also offers four- to eight-day cruises to Cuba with day-long and overnight calls in Havana, and other Caribbean ports.

During the month-long docking at Grand Bahama Shipyard, the added cabins included two Grand Vista suites offering floor-to-ceiling windows, 22 junior suites, two ocean-view cabins and 12 interior accommodations. Additionally, balconies were installed on 98 existing staterooms, creating new 230-square-foot balcony rooms. All accommodations now have an island-inspired decor of bright colors and soothing pastels.

New food offerings include Guy’s Burger Joint, developed in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri, and BlueIguana Cantina for freshly made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, as well as an elaborate toppings and salsa bar. Both spots are poolside and free of charge.

Also new poolside are a RedFrog Rum Bar, offering Caribbean rum-based frozen drinks and beers, including Carnival’s own private label draught brew, ThirstyFrog Red, and BlueIguana Tequila Bar, with a Mexican-themed atmosphere and tequila-based frozen drinks and beers.

Plus, Carnival Paradise added Camp Ocean, a colorful, marine-inspired play area for kids ages 2-11 that showcases the wonders of the sea through more than 200 ocean-themed activities and science-oriented programming.

Circle ‘C,’ for the 12- to 14-year-old set, provides a colorful space to chill and connect with dance parties, video games and more.

The new WaterWorks Aqua Park features an enclosed 300-foot-long Twister water slide, two 82-foot-long racing slides and a splash zone for kids.

A nine-hole miniature golf course was relocated to Deck 14, providing a relaxing family pastime in the fresh sea air.

The ship’s retail shops were reimagined with a new design and enhanced product offerings with multiple brand boutiques, including Pandora and Guess. The Cherry on Top sweets shop was added, while the print photo gallery was replaced with a digital Pixels-branded platform that allows passengers to identify and purchase images via their smartphones or at a nearby kiosk.

In addition to Carnival Paradise’s short cruise program, Carnival’s Tampa-based offerings include Carnival Miracle’s year-round six- and seven-day cruises to the western Caribbean, and eight-day voyages featuring a partial Panama Canal transit.