For the same amount of money I would get on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Sea. much better cruise experience and out of the same port. We have done Brilliance twice...really nice old boat!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Tampa is our favorite port to sail out of, easy parking, always quick, very friendly
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was okay, Carnival has seemed to cut back on everything, at breakfast we ordered toast and English muffins, they arrived with breakfast but no butter or jam. They used to offer pastry's at breakfast...no more! unless you ask then they ask "what kind"! Even the wait staff seemed frustrated by the new rules!
Had dinner at the steakhouse, party of 7, it was just okay, not spectacular! The waiter presented the bill and I quietly said "the gratuity is included in the up-charge, right?" He said "no sir, it's not" so I added 20% to our bill. When I got back to the states I checked...the gratuity IS part of the up-charge !
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Just okay here too, went to the ping pong tournament, people showed up...but no staff! several of the hot tubs were drained the entire cruise and others did not work. Pool was fine, the put-put now uses a foam golf ball instead of a real one, so if there is any wind (how could there not be at 17 knots) the ball just blows around. Steam room and hot tub in the fitness center were broken and closed.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The shows were good, entertainers did a great job! Piano bar was fun but the guy talked too much instead of playing? The violinists in the atrium were fantastic!
Children's Programs
Youngest kid we had on board was 23
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Just okay, we had a large suite and two balcony rooms, didn't see the room steward until day 2, he asked if I wanted morning or evining service. I said both! He said Carnival does not do that anymore pick one. So I asked for morning service, and asked for a bucket of ice please. Never saw him again, never got the room clean in the morning, never say a bucket of ice! The room did get a fluff while we were at dinner every night. The staff in the main dinning room did a great job.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
I liked the layout of the ship, easy to navigate, the inside was dated but tidy, the outside was rusty, railings peeling, paint all over the deck chairs on the balcony, pretty "crusty"
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