Just a nice, simple 5-day cruise that doesn't cost a lot if you know how to shop. The staff is there when you need them. Food was fine. My opinion is cruises should provide drinking water in the cabins instead of charging $3.75 a bottle. Being gold level customers, they gave us enough for our trip, but water in the cabin should be a basic.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Carnival's part was fine. Once we arrived at the dock it moved reasonably well. The Charleston port is a little feeble. Their material says they have indoor parking. They didn't for us. They said they were saving it for a later cruise. We were required to wait with the herd for the shuttle to the ship even though we said we could walk. It was only a mile and they had already collected our luggage, so a walk would have been no problem. They said "security" required us to wait for the shuttle. Once we arrived we saw people walking across the dock to the ship. The shuttle was a hassle.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was fine. Carnival gave us two coupons for free drinks because we were gold level. We're not big drinkers but would have enjoyed a glass of house wine. The coupons were for drinks up to $9 each but the bar tender couldn't find a glass of wine that cheap. Oh well.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Loved the gym. Excellent equipment and it wasn't crowded.
Entertainment
We never got around to going to any shows. I'm sure they were fine.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Friendly and helpful, except for the one bartender.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship is 25 years old but in great condition. We usually book a balcony. This ship doesn't have many but we were able to find one after a few weeks of shopping. Most of the balconies were added during a refurbishing a few years back. There are very few balconies mid-ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin could have used a few more electrical outlets. We charge a lot more gadgets than they did when the ship was built, I guess. Quiet. TV service is limited. Sports channels are on some of the TVs in the public rooms, but not in the cabin.
Ship tip
Deck 7 makes it easy to walk off with your luggage on the departure day.
The old buildings downtown are interesting. I guess one should see the city market but the stuff sold was about like everywhere else. Everybody should visit places like Patriot's Point to see the Vietnam camp and the WWII ships.
Our kind of stop. Nice beach, plenty of room. Easy to find a place in the sun or in the shade. Tip: Keep walking past the buffet areas and you'll get to the least-crowded area of the beach.
Very well organized and on schedule. We walked off with our luggage. They'll try to put you in a line for the shuttle to the parking lot, but walking will save you a lot of time if you're able. It's about a mile from the ship to the parking lots. Just let them know you want to walk and they'll show you the exit.
*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.
