Overall, I would not have traded my experience on this ship or in any of the ports for anything in the world. Not one person I met had anything negative to say whatsoever. Already looking for my next trip.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation was smooth for the most part. It was a bit hard to understand where to go when entering the terminal. This was more Port Canaveral's fault than anything. But for the most part, it was quick and easy.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Not one bad thing to say. The food in the dining room was better than I remember on previous cruises. The buffet was clean, well organized, and the food there was great as well. Also, my first time trying Blue Iguana. And that was awesome! They know how to throw some good burritos together! The bar staff was all so attentive and never left me waiting long at all. The drinks were awesome as well. Especially the "Tropical Mule." That is a must try!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Carnival is definitely the Fun Ships!! The Fun Squad was always ready to make every day fun and get you smiling. The Cruise Director, Chris, was awesome and a true showman. The outdoor activities were nice as well. The pool did get a bit crowded on sea days (you really have to expect that though). But on port days, was great to go for a dip. Also, Waterworks never seemed to get too busy and was always a good time! The comedy shows were hysterical and had me on the floor at every show.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The shows in the main show lounge were terrific. The lighting, sound, performers, and content were really something to see. Had everyone in the audience singing along.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone from the cabin stewards to the cruise director were just pronominal!Better than I remember in the past. We met a couple people on the first night and had dinner in with them in the dining room. Every night after that, the hostess would ask if we'd be sitting with them. Also on the first night, the door handle to our cabin broke while trying to leave and we were stuck in the room. I called our steward and he sent an engineer in minutes to fix it while we ate. Never gave us a problem again!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Yes, this is an older ship. But it was very recently refurbished and it wears its years very well. Everything was always spotless, there were no weird smells, and the crew were constantly cleaning and making sure everything looked great. There will always be spots that have more wear and tear than others (in little crevices, by the doorways, etc.) but nothing that made me say "that looks horrible."
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin felt pretty good in size. The layout was great and didn't cause congestion when trying to move through it. It was very clean and no weird smells there either. I think the climate control system was broken because it never got super cold and when adjusting the thermostat, it did nothing. But I didn't make it an issue because the temperature was fine for us. However, I did let our cabin steward know and he was very apologetic and offered to have someone fix it right away. I have no doubt that it would have been addressed if need be.
Ship tip
When boarding the ship, Don't use the elevator and stairs right by the atrium. These are always super crowded. Head back one or two sections and you will be in the clear!
It was very nice water and easy to get on and off the ship. I will say that if you don't have an excursion here, then you will have nothing to do. Pushy shops all selling basically the same thing. However, I am pretty understanding as to why they are pushy. This is their livelihood and they need to sell, sell, sell to make ends meet. Simply say "no, thank you" and walk away.
One word, Fantastic. The water, the beaches, the tour guides on our power snorkel excursion, the way the port looked, all of it was amazing. I did not do any shopping here, so cannot comment on that, but everything else was perfect.
The water here is simply the best I have ever seen. Words cannot describe how beautiful it is. The beach that is right off the pier and offers the close up views of the ship did start to get a little crowded. However, if you head right after leaving the pier instead of left to that beach, there is another, equally beautiful beach that is a LOT less crowded.
This part was a total breeze. Woke up, had breakfast at the Lido Buffet (this can be quite busy), then waited a little bit and was able to begin getting off the ship about half an hour earlier than they previously thought. I also did the self carry luggage, so I cannot comment on their luggage service. Customs was done in about 10 minutes, and I was on my airport shuttle shortly after that.
*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.
