This was my mom's first cruise and she absolutely was impressed with everything! I was managing her trip and I had some stressful moments but she was all good and that's all I cared about! Make your trip easier and have a passport! Lines are shorter for those who do! Manage your expectations as there are 4,000 people on board and sometimes it feels like all of them want a burger at the same time! LOL! Enjoy and do a balcony if you can! When you want to get away from people you have your own sanctuary to enjoy the beautiful water!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was delayed about 30 minutes but the process was amazingly smooth!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Dining room wasn't the best. Wait was long and food sub par--buffet was pretty good although it would be nice to change up salad bar so it isn't exactly the same every day. Guy Fieri's burger joint and BBQ place were the best!!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Sun decks were great! Pools on the smaller side. Casino was fun and we loved the walking track on top! Shows were great for the most part. Fun Squad does an outstanding job.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Fun Squad and Cruise Director were excellent! Their energy is contagious! I don't know how they do it! DJs were too! Stage shows were par for the cruise line course.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our room steward was great--he knew our names on Day 2 and we didn't even ask for anything! Love the towel animals each day! Bartenders were not good. Carnival loses thousands and thousands of dollars at the bars--they are unorganized and chaotic from the minute you step on the ship. I don't understand it.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Layout of the ship is easy to understand especially with maps at every elevator! Very impressed with staff sweeping and cleaning all the time--especially the bussers! Wow there are a lot of them--everywhere! From sun decks to dining rooms they are on top of it.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The beds are very, very comfortable! Size was just right--we never even set on the couch as we were on our balcony the entire time! Overlooking some dust under the TV, room was clean.
Ship tip
Manage your expectations on Day 1 when EVERYONE is trying to do the same thing! It gets better!
I thought the parking garage across the street was the way to go rather than deal with a shuttle but it is a long rough path to get to the terminal! If you have a small lightweight carryon you will be ok but big suitcase is difficult on that path.
I really enjoyed Costa Maya--the shopping was just right and we loved the aviary--it was only $14 per person and we had a great time. Elevated views were awesome! Loved watching people swim with the dolphins.
There was some kind of issue with our disembarkation...only 2 classes were called A3 then A4 and no others. A Carnival cruise person came to the Red Frog Pub we were waiting in and said everyone in the pub follow me and we were up and moving--FAST! I know they have to get ready for next set of passengers so I can't imagine how it all works! We moved very quickly after that--boom, boom, boom!
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
