I've been on other cruise ships with 1000 times better service and food and had no problem tipping for the service. I do have a problem being told I have no choice but paying gratuities on service that was lacking. I won't take a Carnival cruise in the future or recommend the cruise line to anyone else.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
food was a step above fast food in the buffet. The main dining hall is dark, the food was okay but entrees like ox tongue and frogs legs wasn't the cuisine I expected. I expected a more Caribbean feel like swordfish, mahi, mahi, and the service was very, very slow, drinks way to expensive but when you add gratuities for slow and poor service and again as a lump sum at the end of the cruise your staff has nothing to work for. They clearly don't care. The customer can't even argue about the gratuities. I believe in paying someone for their service if it's good. With Carnival I have to pay for service even if it isn't.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
the only activities around the pool was at the stage on days at sea. Other than that they had no activities and no music at the other pools. The evening music shows were nice but the comedians were poor.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The stage performers at the musicals were good as was the DJ and cruise director, They should receive a 4 out of 5 but your comedians weren't funny and the musicians in other bars were less than good
Children's Programs
Don't have children
Service and Staff
2 out of 5
We had to ask for ice daily, the waiters in the dining area were slow. We waited at the bar outside the dining area while a bartender walked by us numerous times asking others around us what they wanted to order but not waiting on us. The buffet area had employees who never smiled and were slow to clear tables. We've been on other cruise lines and the employees are congenial and happy BUT they work for their money. They don't receive gratuities automatically.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
Very confusing, had to use the maps all the time. Even with the maps we couldn't find the arcade
Cabin / Stateroom
1 out of 5
The rust on the balcony, the door that was so out of square the air leek was so bad it sounded like a wind storm in the cabin. Then we had heavy seas and winds that changed the square of the door and the door was stuck shut. Maintenance did come and unstick the door but the door was so rusted it was horrible. The vent in the bathroom and our friends bathroom didn't work. I don't think it worked in any cabins because the deck had such an odor, I think it was mold and mildew. There was so much dust in the cabin I wrote my name on the shelf that the tv sat on and it was there for 4 days. The couch has 3 rips in the material.
Ship tip
Don't, find another cruise line, there's no attention to detail or customer service
You can adjust gratuity. And I would have spoke up immediately when there was issues. Have never had a single one of the issues you had on a carnival ship.
On our Carnival cruise we had ox tongue and other dishes like that as exotic offerings, not a regular menu line. You don't like it go for something familiar.
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