Overall, this cruise was absolutely amazing and I’m going to plan another Carnival cruise fir next June!!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We arrived about an hour earlier than we were scheduled, so we figured we’d have to wait a while in the terminal. However, this was not the case. We were through security, got our photos taken, and on the ship is approximately 10 minutes!! It was unbelievably fast and the staff was informative and friendly.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
If anyone has a problem finding something they like or want to eat, then they definitely were not looking in the right places. 24 hour pizza and ice cream, free liunches from the upcharge restaurants (Guy’s Pig & Anchor is a must, Pasta Bar at the Italian Restaurant, Jiji’s Asian Kitchen, etc.) the Lido buffet kept things interesting by changing up the options every day. What we found to be the best were the lobster rolls from the Seafood Shack. Unbelievably delicious and only $13.80 (tax included) for 2 lobster rolls and some great fries! Blue Iguana bowls were also very good and you can use the tortilla bowl as a big chip. As for dinner, if you want to request a table don’t use the app. They will assign you randomly and sit you close to other cruises (if you’re into that then the app is SUPER quick and convenient). We never waited for a table for 2 in our favorite section with waitor Andres, Roberto, and J. Only night we waited was because our buzzer was broken but the table was ready. Definitely have to try the Smores Parfait if its on the menu, so good!! If you want quick, private service, request a table on the 4th floor Meridian restaurant, we were sat and ate outselves full in only 40 minutes!!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The first day was quite cloudy and rainy but that didn’t stop us from having fun. We played I don’t know how many trivia games, saw a ton of entertaining shows, laughed at the comedy club, gambled in the casino, etc. there is an activity almost every 15 minutes-an hour fun for all ranges in age. Fitness and spa centers were great and very clean. Pools were a bit small and crowded, but that is expected when it feels like 100 degrees and everyone is looking for a cool down. You just have to be patient and enjoy yourself, even if you don’t have the best lounge chair on deck. If you’re over 21, the Serenity Deck is where its at. Quiet and peaceful because no kids allowed and has 2 jacuzzi/whirlpools. Full bar and salad bar open for lunch (free). The best seats are the clamshells, but be prepared to wake up at 5 am just to go reserve one. Dod see the staff going around with timer stickers for guests who selfishly held chairs.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff was very friendly and helpful in every way they could be. Our servers around table 467 were amazing, quick, and even remembered our names and orders after just 1 day of sitting in their section! Our room steward Johnny was so so friendly and eager to give us information and tips on the cruise. He made adorable towel animals and made sure we were comfortable and happy at all times! He works so hard, we saw him from 8:30am well into the evening cleaning rooms, etc.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
What a beauty this ship is!! Very well kept and clean. Definitely felt like a brand new ship. The common areas had a bunch of seating, cool design and colors, and were easy to walk around and access. The staff were quick to go around and clean up after guests. Details were definitely paid attention to when creating and designing the ship and it shows. Was not hard to navigate the ship at all and didn’t find it overwhelming.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
Go on the ship expecting to have a good time and have fun. Otherwise, you only ruin it for yourself. Take advantage of the unlimited activities and try new foods and things. Don’t stress the small stuff, just go with the flow. People tend to get caught up in one minor inconvenience and let it ruin their trip. Hey, out AC was broken the first 4 days and we had NO idea, just thought it was a bit hot in the room bjut we adjusted and slept with less covers on us. Make it work!!
Port was beautiful! Enjoyed some time on the beach and then headed to Margaritaville for some fun in the pool. The water on the beach was a pretty blue just had some seaweed but that is expected in an ocean. Don’t get caught up in having the first row of chairs unless you want to be scammed $40 for 2 chairs and an umbrella. The blue lounge chairs and green umbrellas are free and right there atthe beach as well. Got lucky and found 2 lounge chairs right in front of the pool at Margaritaville and enjoyed the sun and some nachos. Be careful, there is a 12% tax on items purchased from Margaritaville, so our nachos were $30. Still enjoyed them but a little pricey. Unfortunately, someone pooped in the pool and it was closed for about 2 hours, however the dj kept everyone entertained and hosted a bunch of fun contests. Enter the raffle at Diamonds International and you could get lucky like me, I won a diamond necklace!!
This was a beautiful port! We headed left to El Morro (the fort) and had fun climing around and seeing some gorgeous views!! It was quite hot so we stopped in a delicious gelato place, right next to the Stuffed Avocado place. Staf was friendly and let us try any flavors before we made a decision. The locals were very kind in giving us information and some tips on where to see the best views, get the best pictures, and eat the best food.
Amber Cove was by far our favorite. We decided to do the Waterfalls of Damajagua excursion and were thrilled that we did! The port is beautiful and the pool looked very nice. Would not reccommend leaving the port on your own, it is very different than what you see once you step off the ship. The excursion was unreal. The guides were funny and friendly and the views were gorgeous! We hiked up about 40 minutes with breaks and water in between, then made it to the first jump. I was very scared but the guides were nice and calm and assured me that I’d be just fine. Got great pictures and videos and bought the whole USB port for $55 so I had every shot and video taken. The food by the port smelt great but we wanted to get Guy’s burgers when we got back on the ship so we waited.
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