We always enjoy cruising. There was nothing Aw-mazing about this cruise. The ship was still new and beautiful. Our Cloud 9 booking allowed us enjoy the thermal spa through the duration of the cruise. The cabin location was tucked away in low traffic areas for peace and solitude. We loved the proximity to the Lido deck. We never got bored because there was always plenty to do. We did miss a few shows because the venues were too small to accommodate all who wanted to attend. But all in all, we had a great time.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
There were many food choices, so we only ate at the main dining room once during the 7 night cruise. We spent more money on food this time than any other cruise.
Emeril 1327, Rudi’s Sea Grill, Fahrenheit 555, Seafood Shack, and All Things Wings is where we spent our money. Since we’ve already done Bonsai Teppanyaki, which is always great, we decided to try Rudi’s Sea Grill for the first time. It is now a new favorite. The main dining room meal was mediocre, but not bad. The buffet did not offer any variety from day to day, but there were plenty of other options throughout the Marketplace. I loved the hotdog options and the Gelato. The fruit wasn’t very good at all (perhaps not the right season). Shaq’s Big Chicken was a hit for me. We only visited Miami Slice, Deco Deli and Guys Burger Joint once during the cruise. We have never been satisfied with Pig & Anchor, so we skipped it this trip.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We visited the ultimate sports playground daily to walk and play mini golf. We did not do the Bolt Rollercoaster. If you ask me, it is too small to earn the title of Ultimate Playground. 🤷🏽♀️
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The amount of entertainment offered is the reason Carnival is The Funship. However, on the Excel Class Ships, the venues for popular productions are way too small. More showings should be offered to allow more of the 4-6K passengers to enjoy them.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cloud 9 balcony cabin was clean and comfortable. However, whatever was over 17248 was very noisy. We were startled awake several nights around 2:30-4:00AM. I believe it may have been the crew area and the small kitchen on the Serenity Deck. 😖😩
Ship tip
Don’t hog the loungers if you plan on leaving to go do anything other than slash in the nearby pool or hot tub.
They have a system, but the system wasn’t working on this disembarkation. The wrap around lines had no order and people were able to get in wherever they liked.
Totally agree that it’s a good “playground” but definitely not the Ultimate. Especially if the rollercoaster is out of service for most of the trip like it was for ours.
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