Overall the experience was positive. This was our first cruise and we learned a lot. What I thought may be a once in a lifetime experience certainly will not be, we are looking to book again! I will strategize for a better dining experience but certainly will not go hungry. No more Bubbles package for the kids, we will just carry on a couple cases of soda. The butterflies of how this works and what to do are no gone, the next voyage will be even better.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was smooth and efficient. There is a system in place and it woorks well
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Our food experience was a 5/10. The dinning room and buffet serve powdered eggs unless cooked to order are requested. Plan to wait in line (sometimes long) for Guys Burger Bar, The Taco Bar, Sandwich station or the pizzeria. Make sure to check your events and plan your meal times carefully, there are periods, especially late evening that only one or to stations are available and the lines amass quickly. The bars were busy but the bar staff did well. My 2 boys, 12 and 16, had the Bubbles package. Be warned, they have to go to the bars and wait in lines to get sodas. My boys were not comfortable with this so if they wanted a drink, I had to take them. The buffets were well maintained by staff and kept full and clean. The waitstaff in the main dining room were overworked and it affected the dining experience greatly. Long wait times for drinks and between courses. Orders not arriving correctly or completely and once delivered, never seeing a waitstaff member again to check in. Overall the dining experience was underwhelming, but we never went hungry and it wouldn't detour us from taking another Carnival Cruise.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Activities abound! There was always something happening. Zach our cruise director was full of energy and made a good time great. He worked really hard to get everyone involved. If you didn't have a good time - it was because you didn't want to.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The entertainment was fantastic and plentiful. There was something for everyone and a constant rotation of genre and styles. Stage shows were well produced, energetic and entertaining. The Comedians Tony and Lance were good, we had laughs. Tony's bit focused around being a spiritual healer, it worked ok and gave him a theme to work from. Lance was a bit more fluid and jumped around. In one performance he spoke a lot about taking care of his ailing parents with Alzheimer. It really brought down the vibe in the room and I think on a vacation cruise ship people are trying to escape their realities, maybe a different topic would have been better.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
My 16 year old liked meeting friends and the director was good at facilitating activities and getting them interested. My 12 year old is more of an introvert and never really got involved.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our room steward Lufi was fantastic. Our room was always spotless and every detail was attended too. Most staff on the ship was friendly and helpful. As I stated earlier the waitstaff in the dinning room was stretched thin and I felt bad for them. They all seemed to want to do a really good job but could only handle so much. Maybe need to reassess the workload in the dining room. The pizzeria and taco bar were often overwhelmed and service by only one attendant whom was making and serving food. at bust times, this caused long waits and lines.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was always clean and attended too. I found it odd that there were no trash receptacles throughout the ship and no where to leave empty barware. Might make the job easier if there are designated places to deposit soiled items.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We loved our cabin. Plenty of space for the four of us. The balcony was fantastic, a great space for morning coffee and an evening cocktail. Our beds were comfortable, the room was well appointed and our steward Lufi was fantastic. Everything was always clean and tidy.
Ship tip
Step outside your comfort zone and experience something new. Keep an open mind and enjoy your vacation to the fullest. Most important remeber, other than you travel companions, the chances of seeing any of these people again are slim, so get wild and crazy and have a great time!
Freeport is an industrial port for the most part. There is a small marketplace and Senior Frogs there. It was clean and friendly. We did not have an excursion here.
The market place was clean and well kept. It was very pretty here. We enjoyed interacting with the locals. Bickering at the market for deals was fun. Bought a cool painting from a street artist named Jeff. The beach was beautiful and within walking distance to the ship.
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