This was our first cruise since 2018. We had this booked for 2020, but had to reschedule twice because of covid. Was so glad to cruise again, and maybe that's why we didn't notice a lot of little things that people have been complaining about, but we are really easy going and can have a good time anywhere. Carnival treated us well on this cruise and we can't wait to sail with them next summer.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Easy. Used Verifly and was on pretty quick.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
My husband and I LOVED the MDR food. In fact we went to the teppanyaki restaurant and we're sad we missed the dining room. Every dinner had a lot of options and nothing was disappointing. If you have the option for the coffee cake, I highly recommend!
Bonsai Teppanyaki was terrible. Everything was a salt bomb and tasted soley of soy sauce, but one mediocre meal did not ruin my cruise.
I have seen a lot of bad reviews on the food, and I guess I haven't been cruising long enough or not a foodie because I loved everything. Guys burgers, the Blue Iguana and pizza was all the same which I love.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We did do some trivia which is always a good time. A lot of different topics this cruise.
Karaoke was also a riot as always. We don't sing but love to watch.
The bikes you can ride at the top of the ship are a blast. We did them in multiple ports and when the ship was moving. Highly recommend those.
We played foosball up in the sports area and saw a lot of people playing basketball and soccer. They seemed to have a good time, just not for us.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We are from Vegas, so we don't hit the regular shows, just the comedy club. We really enjoyed the comedians this time. All but one were hilarious. You do have to get there about 1/2 hour before show time because people are lining up, but we saw plenty of seats up until like 10 min to when the show started. We just had particular seats we wanted. I guess we don't mind waiting in line a bit because what else are we doing. We cruise to relax. Chilling in line, having a drink, talking, and people watching is fun for us.
The only disappointment was the music in the Ocean Plaza. They had one band there and they didn't play enough and their set list got old, but they were talented.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our steward Webster was great. We don't require a lot of attention, but every staff member was amazing. The lady working the coffee place was rocking it every afternoon we went to get our cold brew.
We don't drink a lot, but never had an issue getting a drink.
Service in the MDR was not slow, but it is a sit down restaurant, so I don't expect to be in and out that quickly. Again, what else are we doing lol.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Constantly saw cleaning, never felt like things were dirty.
First time in this type of ship, but loved the layout. Plenty of seating on all decks if you just want to hang out. Pool areas were busy and crowded, but we booked the Havana area which I HIGHLY recommend! The pool was never crowded and never any kids in the area. It was so nice. I know the serenity area is all adults, but they don't have a pool.
Elevators are easy if you follow the directions. We stayed at a hotel in Hawaii that had similar elevators, so we were used to them, but those elevators always asked how many was in your party, so they worked more efficiently than on the ship. People didn't always put in for the amount of people they had and just hopped on elevators that had space, so that made it a bit annoying.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I got a call a couple of weeks before our cruise to upgrade to the suite, and it was fantastic. The bathroom was so nice. Dual sinks and a real shower with the rain shower and separate shower nozzle. It was nice to have the extra space. The porch was nice to just sit and have coffee in the morning too. Our neighbors were doing that as well, so it was nice to talk to them every morning.
I was actually looking forward to this port the most. Went to Eagle Beach because it is rated top 10 in the world. It is an amazing beach. Super clean and clear. Quiet, not a party beach, which is what we wanted. Easy to get chairs and an umbrella. The only issue is how windy it is there, and I guess it's like that all the time.
We still loved our day at the beach a nd would go back, but now I know I will get a bit sand blasted.
Had been here before and loved it. Went to the coconut cove beach break and had another great day at the beach. It was partially cloudy this day, but I had already been in the sun a lot, so I was ok with it. This excursion comes with drinks and food and chairs and an umbrella. I also like traveling through the country. Fun time!
With facial recognition, the whole process is so smooth. Found out luggage in the zone we were assigned and just walked right out. Loved how easy this was.
great honest review, thanks for taking the time to write about positive things amongst all the other people that only write negative reviews. Cruise on !
I am glad you enjoyed your cruise. I know how you feel about rescheduling due to Covid. We waited 3 years to cruise again due to rescheduling, but it was absolutely great when we returned to cruise in May. Thank you for taking the time to share your very detailed and informative review.
😎🚢☀️🩴🏝🪸🐠🌺
Thank you for a nice review...My fiance and I are doing this cruise Nov/Dec... We also put this off 2x before due to covid... We are looking forward to getting back on a ship for a great vacation... We have an extended aft balcony in the Havana Area and cant wait to see how this area is...
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