niki1972

Carnival Cruise Vacation 6/20-28/2015.
If you have time please read the entire review it will be and eye opener. My husband and I were skeptical when friends told us to come along on a Carnival cruise with them. We have heard many negative reviews about this company but we decided to go thinking it will be fun for our daughter. Our group total: 46. Fun onboard (water slides, sports area, karaoke, bingo): very good. Food: Average (decent on the buffet, good hamburgers, burritos, Indian and sushi, but mostly bad on the restaurant at night). Staff was friendly and I do hope that the gratuity they charge to each person ($92.00) is truly given to them, this is extra. The app (carnival Hub) worked most of the time and was helpful. I do recommend having it before sailing away since is difficult to download later (especially for iPhone). For $5.00 per person for the length of the cruise, it gives you the activities schedule, your daily balance, and more. You can chat with your family without having to spend money on internet connection. Excursions: we decided to do them ourselves and the difference in price is substantial. In St. Kitts, a tour to an old sugar factory was about $60.00 per person, we paid to a local $15.00 per person, children under 5 free, and under 12 half price. He took us to the factory, to a garden, to a beach we did not like, and to another beach that was decent and back to the port. Very important that you pay at the end, and if you plan to eat lunch, it takes very long time; in our case, 50 min. for two tuna sandwiches. Our room was big (deluxe ocean view) it had two bathrooms (love it). Overall we were actually surprise that this cruise was better than we thought it would be. On the other hand shopping experience was awful, DO NOT BUY JEWELS or Watches if you do not know all the details. Their return policy is restricted to none or only to exchange for something else with the same or higher value. The prices are inflated so you think you are getting a better deal. The islands have internet connection so check online first for the true value in the USA. We had an awful experience and $4200.00 less in the bank account. DO NOT TRUST, I repeat DO NOT TRUST in anyone (especially the Carnival Cruise shop director or whatever his title is) charming, categorize himself as experienced and having your interest first, but at the end we felt that all he did was sugarcoating, never gave us true answers nor what to do. he did not disclosed crucial information in his workshops, such as return policy, materials use, or quality if the jewels; just check first, ask tons of questions and make sure you know everything there is to know about what you are buying. Make sure you get a certificate of authenticity form a reputable geologist, do not accept a written one. they sell sterling silver with white gold prices. I spend 5 days trying to correct the mistake. hope this helps.