Overall a very nice cruise. We had not gone with Carnival (Royal Caribbean was out last two) so we did not know what to expect. The balcony room was good and the food in the dinning rooms was very good. Buffets were too crowded with long lines. The food was very similar day after day at the breakfast buffet. Wish there was more variety and more tropical fruit choices (Royal often had fresh Papaya, Mango, Pineapple and Guava for instance). Here it was honeydew and cantaloupe most days. The shows were nice and the on ship Effy jewelry stores were well priced and nicely staffed. My 12 year had a great time on the water slides and arcade. The ports were very nice and the 5 days was a perfect amount to get away form the stress of work without feeling you were away too long.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Easy entry onto boat. Fast and organized.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Buffets were average, the largest issue being long lines due to just two stations. There was always something to eat, but necessarily a buffet. The sit down dinners were very good with many options.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pool was always crowded. My family enjoyed the rear water slides more. Always something to do with events throughout the day.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Went to the Rock show and it was excellent. The game show night was fun too. Chris, the Cruise Director kept things fun.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Most staff was good, some were not that nice. It varied by day and area. Overall a step down from Royal Caribbean.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Fairly easy to navigate. You did have to go up or down to get across some decks. Cleanliness was good.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Size of the balcony cabin was good. Wish we had another inside chair which would easily have fit in the room. We had to sit on the bed most of the time.
Ship tip
Try the dinner appetizers of "food you would never think of trying". Many were very good.
Loved the ports. Plenty of stores, mostly jewelry that were all duty free. Many places to pick up gifts and such. Did the glass bottom boat in Grand Turks, excellent. Stayed on their beach and had no need to travel. Amber Cove in DR was nice too, but in order to go to a beach, you had to take a cab. Most wanted $80 round trip to a distant beach. There was a smaller one in viewing distance of the port and was there in 5 minutes for $6, but you had to know to ask or they would drive you further for more $$.
Loved the ports. Plenty of stores, mostly jewelry that were all duty free. Many places to pick up gifts and such. Did the glass bottom boat in Grand Turks, excellent. Stayed on their beach and had no need to travel.
Our prepaid excursion to the Serenity VIP excursion was cancelled due not enough people so we just stayed more local. Amber Cove in DR was nice, but in order to go to a beach, you had to take a cab. Most cabs wanted $80 round trip to a distant beach. There was a smaller one within viewing distance of the port and that was 5 minutes away for $6, but you had to know to ask or they would drive you further for more $$.
Overall good. It went smoothly but due to not knowing where to pick up the checked luggage tags located in one location on the ship, we ended up with one of the last zones. Overall it went by fast, but we had to be out of the room by 8:30 and did not get off the ship until after 10AM. We waited in the buffet area.
Glad you enjoyed your cruise! You chose one of the older ships and still had a lot to do, glad to hear that. Maybe next time you sail Carnival, you will be able to try a newer and bigger ship.
*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.
