MyrnaJ1

Our arrival at the Tampa Port was smooth and efficient. We drove from Orlando and parked in the secure garage across the street after dropping our luggage with a porter. Check in and embacation was a breeze and the Carnival and port authority employees were both helpful and cheerful. A big surprise was how long it took to cruise out of Tampa Bay-2 hours! It's worth watching the scenery go by as the ship passes right next to a small airport and you can see the planes land as the ship passes by. The view as you pass under the bridge as you leave Tampa Bay is spectacular (make sure you have all your cameras ready). The ship itself is immaculate and there is always someone cleaning. The furniture in the common areas and the Baccus Dining Room was looking worn as were the elevators and trim in the doorways. It's time for a little sprucing up as the ship is beginning to look a little worn and tired. Our room was perfect. The steward was very nice and efficient. He made sure our room was clean and comfortable and was happy to help us in any way The activities provided at Camp Carnival for my eight year old daughter were great. She enjoyed going and had tons of fun. My 11 year old son was in the next age group and (9-11) and he felt to old for the group and the activities. My oldest son (13) was in the teen group and many times an activity was scheduled but when he showed up no one was there. The adult activities were fun, but there seemed to be a lot of repeats and not a lot to choose from.