4 Night Catalina & Baja Mexico (Los Angeles Roundtrip)
Sail date: October 29, 2018
Ship:
Carnival Inspiration
Cabin type: Oceanview
Cabin number: E207
Traveled as: Large Group
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
In a lot of ways, this was a very enjoyable cruise. I think we relaxed morevon this tripntgan in any other. And despite eating and drinking to my heart’s delight, I actually list weight, due in part to the fact that I walked nearly 5 miles each day aboard the ship! It was simply a wonderful time.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
The smoothest, fastest embarkation we’ve ever had.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The buffet offerings are exceptional. The specialty restaurants are a huge hit, and the main dining rooms are wonderful, with the wait staff literally making the dining experience memorable.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There is literally something for everyone! I love the informational seminars. The spa offerings are excellent, as is the on-board gym. We never have enough time to do it all—five cruises ancwe have never played shuffle board! One can do as much or as little as he or she chooses—there is never a dull moment aboard the Inspiration and never a lack of something to do if one chooses. Carnival lives up to her reputation as the Fun Ship!
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Good overall. The “adult” comedy shows are anything but classy, however, due to language and content, lowering the rating in this category. The art seminars (the Kincaide seminar in particular on this cruise) are very interesting and I would like to see more of these kinds of informational seminars offered during the duration of the cruise.
Children's Programs
4 out of 5
The kids’ program is great! It would receive a five-star rating from me if the kids’ activities schedule were printed in the HUB app.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Overall service by crew and staff of the Inspiration was above top-notch. Individuals that stood out and are to be applauded highly were State room steward Nyoman, dining room wait staff Suhairi and Igede, and buffet waitstaff member Jane. Each spent extra time and effort to make sure that every part of our cruise experience was perfect. Jane, especially, was so friendly and completely genuine in her personality—what a delightful, charming young woman! Carnival can be very proud of all these crew/staff members—they set the bar high for others to see!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Inspiration is our “Mother Ship,” so to speak. She is the first ship on which we have sailed and we have been onboard 4 times now. We love her, though she is showing a little wear and tear—nothing major. Coming aboard is like coming home. She is clean and tidy and completely reliable. My only “criticism” is the smoke from the casino that permeates the entire promenade deck. We are non-smokers and, while not at all having Ill-will toward those who do smoke, the second-hand smoke for us is bothersome, especially since we have four young grandchildren aboard with us who have breathing problems. The activities along the promenade deck lose a little luster due to the smoke, which is the only reason I cannot give a higher mark to the ship in this category.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
There was nothing “wrong” with our cabin. It was roomy enough and comfortable. Doors and drawers need some adjusting, and one of the cabin lights didn’t work quite right (not really a factor because we never needed to use it). Other than these very minor issues, everything else was spot on clean and comfortable.
Ship tip
Always pack a strong magnet or two along with paper and pen to post notes to fellow companions about times and whereabouts and event reminders.
The new terminal is simply awesome! And the staff are incredibly friendly, reassuring and professional! Travelers are made to feel at home the moment they step to the entrance of the terminal—and then to be greeted by the decor is such a bonus!
The locals are to be applauded for being gracious to all the tourists “invading” their home turf. I love these people. The excursions are not that appealing to me personally, but I do enjoy going into town to do a little shopping and to visit a littlecwithbthe folks there.
Very smooth and efficient. One thing that was a little disappointing was not being able to “walk the ship” one last time on disembarkation morning. This may have been due to necessary construction and preparation for dry dock scheduled the following week.
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