SunWors32048979

I had reservations about doing a Carnival cruise... several bad reviews and what's been in the news lately made me a bit "sketchy". Our party of seven decided to take the chance anyway. I have done many cruises but this one was the BEST - hands down. Boarding was quick and easy even though we didn't find out about the "Fast Track" passes (which always put you in front of the line) until they were already sold out. We bought the drink pass (up to 15 mixed drinks a day for only $42) and saved a ton of money considering each frozen concoction costs between 8 or 9 dollars. Oh yeah - you cand get a soda pass for around $6 a day. Our stateroom was balcony - cost more but so worth it! If you smoke, there's no other way to go... didn't want to wake up groggy and have to stumble up on deck to face other peeps in the morning just to have a smoke. Room was clean and comfortable. Hallways were stale smelling at times but not enough to write complaints about. Beware - rooms can be freezing cold. Once we figured out how to turn the AC down we were much more comfortable. Food on board was good. Not excellent and not bad. Fine dining offered many choices and the wait staff was so attentive. Loved it when they sang and danced for us !!! Ship was so relaxed that they didn't "force" you to dress up. Even on the elegant night there were nicely dressed... all the way to formal elegance. This is your chance to wear some of your most beautiful gowns - so bring one or two and don't feel shy about wearing them! How often do you get to do that? The Lido buffet lines always offered an abundance of different choices. All you can eat too !!! Breakfast was my favorite - omelettes made to order, fresh fruit, yogurt, fried potatoes, bacon and sausage, coffee and a variety of juices. BTW -eggs are not real unless you specifically ask for them... Overall, no complaints about the food. Entertainment on board was fun. The "Brits" was my favorite. "Motown" took the show and all the audience out into the main atrium after the show for the most interactive event ever. Gary (the main singer) was awesome! There were a couple of rude drunk passengers who tried to ruin the comedy show. Probably the only bad experience of the trip. Discos were crowded some nights, and empty other nights. No way to gauge that. Karaoke had some talented passengers tearing it up in there. Excursions were expensive. We all paid for a half day pass to play in the water park at Atlantis. Free time in Nassau was from 12 noon to 8 pm. Once we got our wrist bands we jumped out of the shuttle lines and ran for a taxi to get us there quickly enough to get a locker (btw - cards only - no cash for lockers). We did the "not-so-lazy river" and all the slides, visited the Digs (aquarium) and were ready to head back by 4;30. Got gazillions of pictures - the place is beautiful. We had time to visit the straw market before going back to the ship. You need serious bargaining skills to succeed there. Half Moon Cay was beautiful. We brought our own snorkel gear - good thing too because none was left by the time we got there. No beach chairs were left either. We managed to grab random empty chairs and dragged them to a clear spot of sand. We took hand fulls of dog food out to the reef - it worked like magic to attract hundreds and hundreds of colorful fish. They'll take it right from your hand!!! Lunch on the cay was everyone's favorite...jerked chicken, burgers, hot dogs, tons of sides, and deserts. Waiters are all over the beach to take your drink orders. Overall, this was the best cruise I've been on. If you are a young partier - this boat is for you! Families with very young children and retirees may have not enjoyed it as much as we did.