This cruise is best for families with small children looking for a value-vacation. For us, we expected more in the way of food and service. The ship is too large and the passengers too many and cannot be supported by the infrastructure of the ship. Not enough restaurants, not enough space. The food was sub-standard at best and inedible most of the time. The Alchemy Bar is a must, check it out if you go.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
Major disappointment in the quality of food.
Lobby and Atrium Bar
5 out of 5
Glynda at the 3rd Floor Lobby Bar was excellent.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Fitness center was good. Everything else was crowded. Pools and hot tubs seemed dirty.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Spotlight Lounge
3 out of 5
The comedians were good.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Our dinner servers and cabin steward were excellent. Many of the staff were rude, however, and did not understand customer service at all. One photographer in particular was obnoxious to our whole family because we wanted to arrange our own pose. The barista at the coffee bar was rude and inflexible (I wanted a coffee and a bottled water and she denied me because that's "not how the drink package works"). The towel-keepers acted like they were giving you a luxury car rental when you asked for a towel and threatened fines if the towel was not returned. Not exactly a service-driven experience.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
The layout was confusing, we never got our bearings. Having to walk through the cafeteria to get to the other pool didn't make sense. The crew did a good job keeping things clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We liked the cabin, it was functional and clean.
Ship tip
This ship is not for relaxation, foodies, or those whom expect customer service.
Great port. We did the "Daniel Johnson Sloth & Monkey Adventure" and snorkeling and it was an exceptional experience. Davies was our guide and he was informative and friendly.
Definitely take the shuttle, rent a golf cart, or cab to the 'Downtown' and beach area. While locals can be a bit aggressive, the beaches are beautiful and there is good food and shopping. Don't stay in the "Port" area.
We were the last to disembark and that was good, fairly easy to get off the ship and through customs. We were disappointed that we had to give over our bags the night before.
That is a fair assessment of Carnival and hopefully this didn’t turn you off cruising. I would recommend Princess, Holland America, or Celebrity for your next cruise. They have great food, service and entertainment and although there are some young children, their focus is not on young families. They also have better crew to passenger ratios which is a good parameter to look at when you are choosing a cruise. 🍸
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