I think sometimes “experienced” cruisers can be more critical because we know how things “should” be. We enjoyed this cruise but probably will not sail for NYE again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We showed up on time and walked through check in then onto the ship. Maybe 10 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We were disappointed in the MDR service. This leg of the cruise we had early dining because of the friends we were with. We were never late but our appetizers didn’t arrive until 45 minutes after we were seated. We were almost always the last table served and/or last to leave. The other late table was served by the same team. Also missed the salmon from the “everyday” option. However, we never had a bad meal during the whole trip.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
This cruise was primarily for recovering from major surgery. We played mini golf (poorly) and trivia. Ended up with a trophy. Not a bad way to start 2024.
Mini Golf
4 out of 5
A fun but challenging course. The bean bag toss game made it hard for both them and the golfers as it was right in the middle
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Enjoyed the violinists. Saw several of the comedians with mixed reviews. Found the “big” shows too loud, chose not to stay for them.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
No children. Walked past several of the youth areas on deck 4. Was pleased to see security there moving older folks along, keeping the children safe from predators. Also reminding the children not to run.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Every crew member we met was a delight. Met an assistant waiter on the Lido deck from Jamaica. This was her second contract and she is enjoying her work. She was excited about the voyage to Jamaica in February because she will be able to bring her family on board. This will give them an opportunity to see where she works. It was nice to see Carnival doing this for their employees.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was clean but lots of wear and tear. Liked the non smoking casino. Nice to have two decks (4 & 5) that were open forward to aft. We are used to the deck 4 and 3 aft dining, but often found the crowds off putting when going to dinner.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Very frustrated with our cabin. The TV worked intermittently. We had to have the room steward (Kris) fix it daily. We like the keep an eye on the weather back home, the on board cameras and the required safety briefings. We booked a deck on the port side hoping to avoid the smoking areas. The smoking areas on the upper outside decks are on the starboard (right) side of the ship BUT on the port (left) side on deck 5. So we were 2 decks above the smoking area. Fortunately, the winds were in our favor and it was never overwhelming. Lesson learned.
Ship tip
Sailing on NYE will still have several children. So if you don’t want to sail with 1000+ children, pick a different date.
One of our favorite ports of call. We didn’t book any shore tours because we were uncertain of our stamina (recent surgery). We used the area at the port to walk around for exercise.
One of our favorite ports of call. Again used this port to walk a couple of miles for exercise. We were docked next to some beautiful yachts. Someone checked the names on them and found the closest one belongs to Michael Jordan.
We love the history of Old San Juan. Usually we walk to the forts, but this visit we just walked into town and had a soft drink then returned to ship for lunch. We were happy that there are still several blue bricks.
Yes, I miss the salmon every day as well however I did enquirer with our sever and received it the remainder of the cruise.
As always, thank you for your detailed review.
Pinkie,always enjoy your reviews,I know you're an experienced cruiser and will always look at your 2 cents on things. No fake news from you, my dear,thank you !
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