We took this trip to get away and adventure for a few days without our kids. That being said, kids are everywhere on this cruise! We didn't mind. After all, we have kids ourselves and the kids onboard weren't ours to parent. However, it is something to be aware of if you are seeking a more adult like setting. I would be most likely to recommend this cruise to families with little kids who've never cruised before or at least never cruised with their children. The water slides and mini golf looked to be excellent entertainment for families. Also, the parents I spoke to said their kids loved the kids club. I wouldn't want to take teenagers as that part seemed a lot like unsupervised summer camp. As a couple, we were able to find plenty of quiet when needed.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Unloading checked luggage with the porters took forever because the people at the front of our row of cars took forever. I don't think they had any idea what they were supposed to be doing and nobody helped them. After that it was smooth sailing! Everyone was friendly during embarkation and it took approx 20 min (parking, ticketing, security) to get through to the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We had my time dining in the Celebration dining room. There was only one night that we waited to be seated (40 min) but we just went to watch the 7:00 show and saw the majority of it before our buzzer went off. The food was good. Nothing spectacular but enjoyable. The crab cake appetizer was the most delicious thing I ate from there. We didn't really eat in the buffet area except for embarkation day. Otherwise, we only stepped in briefly for coffee and something sweet. We highly recommend the brunch in the celebration dining room (steak and eggs), the iguana grill, and guys burger place. Those were our favorites.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We used the gym three times (very crowded on day one), the spa (couples massage), the serenity deck hot tubs at night, went down the big slide once, and mini golf. We highly recommend the serenity deck for people over 21 who want a quieter place to lounge. The lounge chairs have cushions and there is a bar back there with specialty drinks not available other places. We enjoyed our massage in the spa but hated the sales pitch at the end. They try to sell you extra oils and such and it's kind of annoying.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We only attended one show but it was great. The evening entertainment (singers) in the main lobby were great. There seemed to always be something going on at the main pool (hairy chest or drink mixing competition). Plenty of entertainment all around.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Main dining was slower than I've experienced on other cruises but this was also our first time to choose my time dining so maybe that's why. We hardly saw our room steward but that was fine. We had a number we could call if we needed him.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
It's a smaller and older ship (I think the oldest in the carnival fleet). However, the overall appearance seems to be in good shape. They were working hard (even during the cruise) to maintain deck rails, hinges, and doorknobs. I think many cabins are showing their age. Our closet cabinets looked like they needed to be wiped down. The bathroom smelled like mildew even though it was spotless. We had a balcony which helped air out the main room but there was nothing to be done about the bathroom. We spoke to a man with an interior rooms who said his room smelled badly of smoke.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
We were very comfortable and thankful to have a balcony even though it was partially obstructed. We sat out there with coffee in the mornings and wine in the evenings. A nice place to retreat when we needed a break from the noise/ppl. I gave it 3 stars because we had dust bunnies in the corners, obvious drips that had run down cabinets, and a mildew smell in the bathroom.
Ship tip
Food: Do not miss out on Guys burgers! Also, try the iguana grill for breakfast at least once. Drinks: Bring your yeti cups so you can pour them in and keep cool. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas and divided it between the two of us. It's the only drink order we had to make all day! Chairs: Snag them early on the first day or be prepared to hunt around.
We took a bus to Mérida to explore for the day. We don't recommend it! The city was great but there just simply wasn't enough time. Also, traffic was bad coming back. It took us an hour. We would've been better off taking an excursion to some ruins or hanging at a resort/beach. Learn from our mistake!
We did a resort for a day. Occidental Grand Resort. It was ok. The drinks were definitely watered down. The beach and water was beautiful. Very limited shade available so we were almost fried! The buffet was just ok. The burgers they were grilling fresh outside were great. The civeche was inedible. For a day trip, it was ok but I wouldn't want to take my family to the resort for a week.
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