The cruise was most unimpressive and inspired casting a greater net for a different cruise line. Perhaps it was a one-off with the Freedom, but it was Carnival’s first and lasting impression with a first time Carnival cruiser.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Well executed.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Underwhelming uninspired cafeteria food
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
There weren’t any interesting outdoor activities. The ship I was on was the “Freedom.” It pulled into ports with the “Mardi Gras.” The Mardi Gras was cleaner and had far more interesting outdoor activities to include larger water slides, zip lining, and a rollercoaster. The Freedom had putt putt and a quarter basketball court.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Performances where college theater at best. The first comedian for the two(2) comedy shows was lack luster, but the second was hilarious. All-in-all entertainment was subpar.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
My 17 and 13 year old completely disliked the children’s clubs. They were holding spaces with computer games. There wasn’t any crew member interaction to stir up social interaction.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The room stewards were excellent. The waiters and waitresses were alright. They would bring your food in the beginning, but be perturbed when you requested additional entrées and simply didn’t bring them to you. The male bartenders were very attentive to the female cruisers and smiled happily, but were short with the male cruise members. The exception was the entire bar staff in the Havana lounge. They were all stellar.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Ship was clean, but dated. The quintessential Carnival wings were missing from the ship and the interior was drab.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
As stated earlier the cabin stewards were excellent. The room was always clean and the size was spacious. However, the window was cloudy and unclean from the outside. The view was diminished because of this.
Ship tip
It’s a decent first time cruiser ship, but those with experience from multiple cruise lines will find the ship lacking in amenities, amazing food, and entertainment. An updated ship would better serve experienced cruisers.
The 27 waterfalls and zip line combo was quite enjoyable. While the hike was a little taxing, the waterfall slides and views made it worth it. The zip lines were decent, no awe-inspiring views. The food provided for the excursion lunch was simple, but flavorful. It was better than the ship’s food.
It was evident the port was exclusively for Carnival ships to port. All outside of the initial buildings built for Carnival was desolate with no shopping or eateries, or entertainment. The port would have been better labeled a private island for Carnival Cruises lowering expectations.
I’m sorry your first cruise didn’t meet your expectations. If the price of the cruises on the newer larger ships fits your budget then that could be a better option. I hope your next cruise is more enjoyable for you. We have only been on a mix of 3 Royal Caribbean and 5 Carnival cruises but we have thoroughly enjoyed them all.
Thank you for sharing your review.
😎🚢☀️🩴🏝🪸🐠🌺
Thanks for sharing your cruise experience. I do an extensive amount of research of ships, ports, excursions, etc. before deciding to book a cruise. This insures that we have a great cruise. We always go with an open mind and know that there may be things that we don’t like or may go wrong, but we don’t let it spoil our whole cruise and experience. Hopefully your next cruise will meet your expectations.
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