Carnival did a great job with the staff and the food, but guest services dropped the ball on the travel authorization. We took the "Aquariums, Caves and Attractions" excursion, and it was excellent for an overview. Of course, one never gets enough time at the stops.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Got off the Carnival Legend yesterday. Very smooth embarkation at Baltimore - 30 minutes from arrival to lunch in front of me! Much more organized than RCCL several weeks ago.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Ate only at Lido to save time, and get exactly what we wanted. Excellent selection of food.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Used the gym. Nice, but hot tub in same area, so too hot and humid. Running deck was on the top, as the norm, exposed to the sun. So Jerry used the bike in the gym and I ran outside on the Atlantic deck, number 3. Counting me, there was only one person out there for exercise. The rest were smokers. There are no lounge chairs out there like on other cruise lines. Pool area crowded and loud. Serenity area quiet, but crowded. Did trivia a few times - it's good to meet others and learn something. We do not gamble or drink.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
All the musicals were top notch. Costumes, choreography and talent outstanding. Comedy shows good - must get there early, as lounge is small. Doors closed about 3o minutes prior to show due to being filled, and we were sailing at 75% capacity. We only missed the female comedian, who we were told was so bad that people were walking out!
Children's Programs
No kids.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Room steward, those in Lido were all excellent. Sadly, getting info on the final TA (travel authorization) was a real cluster. While the govt policies are not CCL's fault, there was no communication about if we got the final TA and we just had to keep bugging them at Guest Services. Many were very upset on the ship, and it really ruined the first few days. False info from the staff to meet with the officials on board, but that was only if we received notice to do so, which we did not. We were "lucky" we found the officials at the start of a meeting that very few knew about and we were already approved. We asked for a hard copy of the Green TA, and were told "don't worry about it". Really!!??? The day after (second sea day) many stood in line for over two hours to find out that was superfluous, as they were already approved and not informed. Many upset passengers!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Everything was clean and well maintained. One must accept it is an older ship and adjust expectations accordingly.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Carnival's room's are a bit larger than others. Fridge worked great. We bring a thermometer from home, and it got fairly cold. Shower worked well - no hot water issues like we had on RCCL last month.
This was our third try to get to Bermuda, as the first two cruises were cancelled by the pandemic. The first one was to be two overnights, then we were to leave 1:00 PM the next day. Carnival changed it to 10:30 AM back on board, so the next day was a waste. We did get $600 OBC for sticking with them, so that paid for a nice excursion, gratuities, and goodies.
This was our first time in Bermuda, and it was very nice, but maybe my expectations were too high for it to live up to the hype. Locals were very cordial and helpful. Sadly, Hamilton had beggars and a few street people. Traffic was awful in town and it was very congested. Food was insanely expensive. They are supposed begging for tourist money, but everything closes at 5:00. Many commented the the shop owners didn't really seem to care if the tourists were buying. Pink sands are slowly disappearing due to the coral dying. The popular beaches were crowded. Jerry and I are not big beach people, and thought HMC and Coco Cay were just as nice. Barbados and some other islands are nearly as pretty and not nearly as pricey. Many historical areas of interest that would benefit from a closer look.
I calculated I spent as much time chasing down the TA (travel authorization) before and during the cruise, posting on forums about it, etc. as I spent actually off the ship in Bermuda.
The Bermuda TA is a pain to say the least. Thanks for sharing your detailed recap of your cruise. Sorry to hear about Hamilton. We are supposed to go there on our upcoming cruise but now rethinking that.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
