A nice 5-day getaway. Quick on and off boarding with parking across the street. Fun comedy shows and even conversations with the comic if you want. Grand Cayman is a real treat
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Main dining room, only went 2 nights as we left disappointed and hungry. Shrimp cocktail was 4 small shrimp...4. All portions were significantly smaller than normal. That can be a good thing to reduce waste I guess, and we would have ordered seconds if the food was worthy. The Calamari was really good, the prime rib was tasteless, and med rare was the right color, but too raw and cold. Would have reordered, but could tell from the edges I ate, that there was zero seasoning involved (poor steer gave it's life in vane.) Chicken was dry, veggies underdone, just not up to par. I have honestly gotten better meals at Golden Corral, and I quit them 10 years ago. Ended up getting same food on the Lido, but at least we could see all the options and taste which might be acceptable. Opted for the deli, pizza , or burgers some nights. Hint, have them put two patties on the bun at Guy's burger bar, and ask for extra sauce and extra cheese at Pizza Pirate. For breakfast, find the omelette bar (deli) on day 2. Made to order omelettes were always great, but only one cook made for long lines.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pool looked nice enough. Serenity deck was a nice retreat with good bar wait staff in attendance.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Not into song and dance, but the comedy was very good to excellent. Will C really headlined it for us. Ron Josel likely would have seemed better if he was not back to back with Will. Josel had some great laughs and I don't want to dis him at all, it was great to not have either comedian be a dud. Stand-up is the only reason I select Carnival...and that is from a shareholder.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Overall I'll give them a B-. The shopping expert, Kim, was great, Comedian Will C was equally great, other staff was decent, just not exceptional. Face masks likely influence that as the staff was still compelled to wear them on this trip
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Older, smaller boat, but overall it was very nice and appeared clean. Plenty of rust, but I think Carnival is less fanatical about painting constantly vs other lines I sail with.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Smaller than other ships we have taken. No sitting area other than outside. Oddly configured with the nightstand out of reach. Not able to sit and read comfortably as the convertible bunk bed box was right over king bed. Balcony was smaller than other ships as well. There is no thermostat, but you can adjust the AC fans over the bed by twisting a dial, similar to an airplane overhead control.
Ship tip
Set expectations at a pretty modest level and you will be pleased. The prices seem low, but are about right. Limited activity choices vs more modern and larger ships.
Somewhat unusual port in that it is more European than most I have visited. There is a real downtown, cars drive on the left hand side, and some things are a touch less junkie. We chose to bypass the excursions, but caught a van taxi to the world famous 7-mile Beach. It did not disappoint! We snorkeled from the beach and saw some nice fish. You can rent chairs under umbrellas and buy some jerk chicken on the beach. FYI, there is a walkway mat to accommodate wheelchairs which is unique in the Caribbean. We saw a young girl with her family whose chair would never have been able to navigate the soft sand without this mat. The sand was incredible! Soft, and your feet sink 5-10" into the dry sand in areas! The beach was relatively narrow in places and the pitch of the sand could be challenging for less stable folks. The water is 100% clear, making snorkeling ideal. This island is a bucket list destination for SCUBA divers worldwide.
A little less organized than embarkation but quick enough. They had us pick baggage tags based on preferred time to leave, but didn't say much about that in the morning. Didn't matter as all the luggage appeared to be off and ready early.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
