I have never had such a bad experience on carnival. I will chalk this one up to the staff and an older ship.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Chaotic. even with faster to the fun and a suite.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Main dining room food was mostly mediocre. Some of the items were really good though. Buffet is a buffet.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Lots of fun to be had.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Billy Bonnell was the best performer on the boat. Djs were good. Shows were lackluster.
Children's Programs
2 out of 5
Camp Ocean needs to do a better job of separating the activities for the age groups. 9-11 year olds don't want to have a sing along with baby instruments.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Lines were disorganized. Staff was disorganized and frustrated.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
My suite was not entirely clean upon arrival. My friend traveling on the same cruise said she found other peoples' clothing in her room and there was an odor.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
This cabin didn't look like I expected. The layout was not at all what I was expecting. There were bits of paper on the floor. There was also a thick layer of dust on the mantle behind the bed. The room steward was nice. But not thorough.
Ship tip
Choose another ship. This one is small and dated. The staff seem like they are completely over it.
Paid for faster to the fun. And had a suite. Was not allowed on the boat any faster which has never been my experience in the past. Also, I did not get my luggage until the boat was leaving the port.
The security were so complacent that they allowed 2 of my children to get off the boat on this island without me. I don't mind my kids walking around the boat but letting them off is an entirely different thing. Anything could have happened and I wouldn't have known where they were. Thankfully they texted to let me know that they were waiting for me outside of the ship.
NO organization. They say there are perks to having a suite and faster to the fun but I did not see them at all. They don't honor the times that they distribute.
You should have talked with your children prior to the cruise so that they would have known your expectations. I know its easy to blame someone else but parenting starts at home. Sorry you had that experience. Hopefully the next time it will be much better.
No sure how the same ship, sometimes the same cruise, can have such polar opposite reviews. Responsibility for children falls on parents first. Except for disembarkation, our Freedom cruise was outstanding.
If your kids are 9-11 as you mention in the review, the ship is beyond being careless letting them off the ship without you. This is dark irony considering the name of the ship. Sorry you had that bad experience.
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