We had such an amazing and memorable experience that the day after we got home we started looking at options for our next Carnival Cruise! I totally recommend this to anyone and have already done so. Even with the research I did before we went, we learned so much to take and make our next cruise even better!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
The embarkation was very fast and everyone was friendly and helpful. I had done some research but we didn't know exactly what we were doing. The staff was incredibly helpful and the process was really fast.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We had amazing service from our three waiters in the dining room and the food was excellent! We went to the Steakhouse on one night of our cruise and it was very fancy and the food as well as the service was impeccable. My husband and I aren't very fancy people but we never felt like we didn't belong. The whole experience at the Steakhouse was worth every penny. The only negative experience was at Pasta Bella. The staff was very friendly and helpful however, it took about 20 minutes for my food and when I did get served, it was wrong. The lady next to me stated that hers was wrong as well and I overheard a few other people that said the same thing happened to them. I went ahead and took it because I didn't want to wait another 20 minutes but the flavor was not the best either. I didn't even finish it. The buffet was really good and the variety was good as well. Guy's Burgers were amazing and my husband loved the burritos at BlueIguana. The pizzas were also great! We ate them several times. My husband loves pizza and these did not disappoint!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
My husband swam in the pools, rode the slides and utilized the hot tubs. His only complaint was that the hot tubs weren't very hot. I enjoyed just laying out on the sundeck and reading.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The stage shows by playlist productions in the Encore lounge were amazing! We went to 3 of them and they were so creative and well performed!! The musical all over the ship was great. The group we loved the most was called Allure Stings. They are 3 females who play different violins. They are very talented and a wonderful group to listen to. We enjoyed their shows on several occasions.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service we received from everyone was amazing. By the first full day, the dedicated staff from the dining room and our room steward, called us by name and greeted us everyday. Most of the other staff greeted us with a smile, even whenever we simply passed by them in the hall.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
There is some slightly noticeable age to the ship but they do a great job of keeping everything clean and maintained. The staff was constantly cleaning areas of the ship and maintenance workers were making repairs, as needed.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The room was a reasonable size, very comfortable and always clean. The balcony was great, and worth the extra expense. Our balcony was over the seating area for Guy's Pig and Anchor so it even smelled delicious whenever they were open or preparing to open!
Ship tip
1. The Mudslide drink has no Chocolate. If you are wanting a more traditional Mudslide order the Chocolate Getaway (i believe that's what it's called). They are amazing, we had several! 2. The aft pool tends to get soot from the whale tail on it. They are constantly cleaning it however you might watch while laying out on the chairs. It's not a ton of soot but some may land on you. It never really bothered us but some might be bothered by it. You might watch the wind and which side the smoke is coming out of because one side may be better than another.
This was our first time to New Orleans and had an amazing time. We only had the one night before embarkation but visited Bourbon Street and had an amazing time. We ate dining out on the balcony at Cornet's restaurant. The staff was great and the good was amazing! We stayed at the Country Inn & suites in Metarie and had a great experience. The lady who drives the shuttle was amazing and super helpful. We had so much fun with her!
We simply stayed in port to shop, swim and relax. Everyone was helpful and nice. The food was really good at the restaurant by the beach. The ski lift was a lot of fun. It was $14 for the whole day and we rode it a few times, with a few extra laps just for fun. It was a great view from above the trees and the breeze was amazing!
We took the Lamanai Ruin excursion and had an amazing time. Our main guide they called Dr. Phil and he was very informative and fun. The tour included a bus ride to the main building (about an hour, in an air conditioned and comfortable bus), a 30 minute boat ride, a complete tour of the ruins (with the ability to climb one if you were interested, which I totally recommend) and lunch. The food was amazing including locally seasoned Chicken (not spicy), beans and rice, plantains and a drink. There was a bar to purchase alcohol if you wanted. I totally recommend this excursion!
We went on a Catamaran, Sail and Snorkel excursion that was done through Carnival but the company was called Fury. It was 4 hours in the afternoon and was a breathtaking experience. We sailed about 15 or 20 minutes to the snorkeling spot, got to snorkel for about an hour and then went to a private beach with inflatable toys to enjoy the remaining time. The staff was amazing and incredibly helpful. There were free drinks including Margaritas, beer, juice and water when on the boat. They even took pictures of us while snorkeling under water as well as when we boarded.
*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.
