Not What We'd Hoped For

Embarkation was long, but fairly smooth, other than throngs of people waiting for cabins to become available.

Dining room gets 4 stars for its dinner and dessert selections (other than the chicken and steak on the "Everyday" menu, which were tough and not edible). The Carnival Melting Chocolate Cake was our favorite dessert. However, the Dining Room gets 0 stars for Afternoon Tea, which was abominable. No one upfront to seat you--we stood there for 10 minutes before someone said we have to walk to the back of the restaurant. Hot water came immediately after we were seated, but it took another 15 minutes for a server to come by and ask if we needed tea bags. Another server brought a tasteless, paper-thin cucumber finger sandwich at about the same time, while another came by with some sort of cake a few minutes later. That's it.--we were ignored the rest of the time We asked if there were other sandwiches and were told "no." However, when we later asked other diners, they said they also got salmon sandwiches. Truly awful fare and service. If the Dining Room can't do better, they shouldn't bother. The pizzas from the pizzeria were very tasty and enjoyable, so other than the long waits, 4 stars there. The burgers from Guy's Burger Joint were also tasty--4 stars. The Lido Marketplace buffet had adequate selections for meals throughout the day, and there always seemed to be seating available after a moderate search, so 3 stars for them. I realize it's difficult to monitor cleanliness in a buffet atmosphere, but I believe more caution should have been taken. People coughing and sneezing in line onto others and the food, using the same thongs; tables cleared, but not necessarily wiped--no doubt one of the factors that contributed to three out of four in our group contracting COVID (the fourth seemingly only escaping because she'd recently recovered and still had some immunity). The Pasta Bar was recommended by one of the Lido servers as a "hidden gem," allowing diners to choose their pasta and individual toppings. It was "hidden," but anything but a "gem"--1 star. Service was disorganized, meals took forever--one arriving 15 minutes after the other three when the others were done--having to request items numerous times, and flavors were lacking. None of us finished our meals.

3 stars only because the ship offered extensive activities geared toward kids and partyers. Pools were much too crowded for adults to enjoy (suggest an "adults-only" pool) and sports courts were disorganized, particularly the pickleball tournament. Rating by demographic, 4 stars for young kids and those under 35; 2 stars for those older.

Having cruised on several different cruiselines in previous years, the caliber of entertainment is one of the amenities to which we look forward the most, anticipating quality, Broadway-type shows, productions and entertainers, along with higher-end variety acts. Panorama's meager selection or lounge comics and singers left much to be desired. While we enjoyed the comic in the Punchliner Club the first night, we couldn't return for more, as audiences are forced to line up into the smoke-filled casino prior to the performances, eliminating those of us with allergies and respiratory issues. While Ron Mitchell had a nice voice and his Motown association was appreciated, his was a perfect lounge act--not a headliner for the main Liquid Lounge Show Room. Very sub-par entertainment compared to other cruiselines.

Didn't sale with kids, but many activities seemed to be geared toward them and plentiful.

Here's where we've always given 5 stars across the board on all previous cruiselines. Breaking it down for Carnival Panorama: Room Steward: 5 stars Lido Marketplace Staff: 5 stars Dining Room Staff - Dinner: 5 stars Dining Room Staff - Tea: 1 star Pasta Bar Staff: 1 star

Public areas seemed well-maintained. More cleanliness precautions should have been taken at Lido Marketplace (see above comments).

Cabin and balcony layout were excellent, with plenty of storage space. Beds were comfortable.