A glorious cruise ship with plenty to do. Take in as much as you can. Try new things on the cruise cause you'll find something you like. Make friends with your bartenders cause they will always make sure your glass is full with what you want.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Not knowing what to expect, I tried to keep an open mind. When it comes to the Port of Miami, you don't want to get to the Port too late...you'll be waiting outside in the hot Florida sun. Took some time because we were a large group(mostly family). Recommend trying to get to the Port as early as you can.
(Note: this cruise was at max capacity. Also, there were two wedding parties on this ship which delayed us getting on)
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Guy's Burger Joint
5 out of 5
I'm not big on Guy Fieri but, this quick service restaurant is really good. The guys behind the counter always had fresh hot beef patties for your burgers. So many different options too. Great for the kids when they don't know what to eat.
Emerald Room Steakhouse
5 out of 5
We booked this speciality dining last minute and was not let down. The meal from what I was told from another couple is never the same(same entrees unless you wanna try the chef's options). There wasn't a lot of people when we were there. This made the meal and experience very romantic. I recommend trying this out if you can.
BlueIguana Cantina
5 out of 5
My wife and I fell in love with this place. Expect waiting in line for this awesome cantina style food. I recommend the tacos. My wife found out how good they were when she ended up waiting in line with me lol.
Pizza Pirate
5 out of 5
My wife kept telling me about being able to get pizza on a cruise ship late night. Psh who cares? Wow this was a pizzeria that I needed in my life. I couldn't believe how I needed pizza in my life after doing all that dancing or drinking or excursions. Give it a try, you'll like it.
Alchemy Bar
5 out of 5
Mixology at its finest! I had a couple of drinks from here but my favorite has to be the Basil Restoration Drop. I highly recommend it.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Keep in mind this cruise was at full capacity and have two wedding parties on it.
Pools were crowded but it didn't bother me at all. Liked that they had a skylight that closed if it began to rain.
Serenity
4 out of 5
I really didn't take full advantage of the Serenity deck. I already live in Florida and getting some sun isn't hard in my life of work(USPS). I did like how quiet it was on this deck. Similar to RCL with the Solarium deck, no kids are allowed on this deck.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Loved the comedy club! I recommend getting there early enough to get good seats. Especially if you're in a large group.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
This was my first cruise and I was freaked out how quick these people know your name. I can't complain about these people cause they do the job that a lot of us aren't willing to do for what they get paid.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
First cruise for me. The room was decently sized. I didn't know what to expect. I was surprised on how small the bathroom was though. What am I? Child size?
Ship tip
Take advantage of the comedy club. Especially if you are looking to start the night out on the right foot.
Wasn't too impressed with this port. Was highly dissatisfied with the cabbie we had. We wanted to be taken to some points of interest. Our cabbie took us to a fort and a church. We were happy with these two locations. But, in between them he took us to a cigar factory and a jewelry store. To be honest, I wanted to be taken to some of the shooting locations of Jurassic Park.
Carnival does a tendering to the island. If you're not doing a tender and you're gonna take your time getting on the island, don't rush to line up. If you are doing an excursion or looking at getting a good spot on the beach I recommend paying attention to all announcements.
I have no real problems with this island other than the fact that they ran out snorkel kits. Mostly my fault(long story). I do recommend bringing your own snorkeling gear.
This was my first time back to Puerto Rico since I was 5 years old. My wife and I ended up going to the Bacardi factory on the other side of the bay. I recommend doing this if you're looking to learn more about Bacardi and it's history in Puerto Rico. Racines in San Juan is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Caribbean. I had the Chuleta Kan Kan, I recommend it if you like pork.
Hands down my favorite Caribbean island. Hopefully in the future I'll visit more islands and have a different view.
Small island packed with so much life. If your ship docks by the skylift(sp?) There's a lot of shops. You can walk toward downtown or take a cab. Either way, the trip downtown isn't too far.
Best restaurant for lunch in St Thomas, Greengos. I can't recommend any other because when I come to St. Thomas, this is the only place my wife and I will come to.
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