This was not a showcase cruise for Carnival. There were so many deficiencies in logistics and service. The boat and the crew seemed really tired and worn.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
A bit disorganized, but no major issues.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
We ate at the Imagination dining room every night. The food was the exact same at all three locations. Achmed was an excellent server.
We had the alcohol package. Unfortunately, the bars seemed ridiculously understaffed. It could easily take 20-30 minutes waiting three deep at barside to get a drink. At times there was only 1 bartender trying to make drinks for 50+ people.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
The main activity we used was the gym/fitness classes. The equipment seemed poorly maintained- difficult to adjust machines due to rust/corrosion. The space was clean. The classes were an absolute joke. One class ("Boot camp") the instructor was a no show. The "yoga instructor" was a complete farce: some guy with almost no knowledge making it up as he went. The same guy was the "spinning" instructor- he seemed the most winded, and really had no particular plan for the class.
Gymnasium
3 out of 5
The space was clean. A lot of the weight equipment was difficult to adjust. The adjustment mechanisms appeared rusty and/or corroded.
Aerobics Room
1 out of 5
Clean. The "fitness instructor" was a complete joke. No instructor showed up for the "Boot camp" class. The same guy led the spinning and yoga classes; he doesn't know anything about either of these types of fitness.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
The hairy chest contest was infantile.
Service and Staff
2 out of 5
Generally the staff seemed tired and unenthused. Achmed from Indonesia in dining services and Lisbeth from Columbia from guest services were exceptions- both were engaging and delightful.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Generally clean. At times difficult to find a dining table that was cleaned. Several times cleared others mess just to be able to sit down.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We were in M2. Kept clean, everything worked. Only downside was being next to a service door that could be quite busy and noisy.
We went into "town", which is a small touristy shopping area. Really, there is not much here. The disembarkation for this stop was incredibly inefficient. There was one person scanning ship IDs. We waited on the staircase over an hour. Why would there only be one person scanning the IDs when it is completely predictable that 2000+ people are going to be getting off the boat for a brief visit?
Nice beach. The ship had mechanical problems, which caused a delay in arrival from noon to 1:30 pm. We were off-loaded at almost 2 pm, and at 2:30 the lunch buffet closed! There was no attempt to delay closing the hospitality services. The "all inclusive bar services" we paid for does not apply to the Carnival bar service on Princess Cay- not at all clear when you purchase the package.
Through no fault of the cruise, there was heavy fog getting into Jacksonville. However, the disembarkation was a picture of inefficiency and bedlam. Again, there was a grossly deficient number of Carnival employees to efficiently process departing guests.
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