Overall enjoyable but would still have preferred our original cruise booked on the Fascination. Carnival does not do enough to make suite and repeat guests feel special. Service and quality not what we are used to on cruises on other lines. Not the staff on the ship's fault. Fault lies with corporate policies. Gave Carnival a try for a while, but definitely trying another cruise line next time.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Traffic was horrible and poorly managed getting to the port. Have been to other ports where the separation between passengers getting off the ship and those getting on were far better. Otherwise, embarkation was very smooth. Definitely the worst departure port we have been to.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was not always on point. More than once something had to be sent back. We experienced communication issues with special orders due to food allergies and the order was lost by the hostess. Waitstaff was great. Chef's Table was awesome but was not pleased I was not seated next to my husband. Not a fan of the Sea Day brunch. The timing (8:00-1:00) is not helpful for individuals with food allergies. Would much prefer separate times for breakfast and lunch (and better menus!). Given the very sensitive food allergies we need to contend with, the buffet style set up in the other areas for lunch are prohibitive because of cross contamination.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Entertainment
Did not attend any shows
Children's Programs
No kids with us.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
For the most part, staff was great. Only had an issue with the hostess losing my husband's pre-ordered food twice.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was kept very clean. Layout was great except for the location of the casino and the subsequent exposure to the smoking.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Only problem was the usual horrible hair dryer. Cord was far too short and the hairdryers on Carnival are very dangerous with hair longer than a few inches.
Ship tip
If you want a quieter deck to relax in a deck chair, go to deck five. Most people are at the main pools or serenity. This area is quieter and still very close to Red Frog Pub, Alchemy and the casino bar if a drink is needed.
Line at customs was too long. Have been through far better at other ports. It was incredibly confusing trying to find a porter and other passengers were very pushy and rude. Had a porter stolen from me twice after being told I had to wait in a line. Carnival needs to figure out a better way to organize this. And again, the lack of a separation between departing and arriving passengers made the experience frustrating. Have experienced much better in other ports.
I love carnival and have all good cruises so far, but that would be a little weird not to be seated with my husband at dinner. I’m curious why they did that.
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