Another first timer

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 8

Review summary

This was a first time experience for both my wife and I. Some information for other first timers: All your food (except David's Steakhouse) is included, all your drinks (except lemonade, ice tea and water) are not. Soft serv ice cream and pizza are available 24 hours a day. Some kind of food is pretty much available from 0600 to 2200 hours. Soft drinks are $2 or $2.50 for a 12 oz. can. If you are a coke-aholic like me, you can get a sticker for $6/day (must buy the whole week) and get as many as you want. Alcohol is expensive, but there is also a similar deal for it. If you want beer, you can buy 4 at a time in an ice bucket for a lower price than buying them individually. Beach towels are provided and can be taken ashore in the ports of call, so you don't need to bring beach towels. Soap and shampoo are in the showers so you don't need to bring them. There is only one electrical outlet in the room, so if you want to charge you Smart phone, IPod, Kindle, etc. over night bring a mutiple outlet extension cord. Shower shoes/flip-flops are nice but on any exposed decks these shoes with no treads are very slippery. Deck shoes/sneakers are the idea footwear. EMBARKATION: Carnival says arrive 1:30 to 3:30. We were advised by friends to show up at 12:30. We just wasted more time sitting in the terminal! Once we began embarking it went smoothly and pretty fast. We watched people arriving at 3:00/3:30 who seemed to just get right onboard. The rampway to the ship seemed to just wind on forever. Much better than steps but my wife, who has asthma, had to stop about halfway and use her inhaler. HEADED SOUTH: What did I expect off the EastCoast in February. 40MPH winds and cold from Sunday afternoon until late Tuesday. STATEROOM: Larger than I expected. Comfortable bed and lots of closet and drawer space. Even our large suitcase fit easily under the bed for storage. Balcony was wonderful once it was warm enough to sit outside. STAFF: Our steward, Samuel, was very effecient and knew our names the first day. Room made up as soon as we left in the morning and then our bed was turned down and a towel creature suddenly showed up while we were at dinner every night. Our servers at dinner, Francesco and Jan, were friendly, effecient and danced wonderfully. FOOD: Breakfast-what else could you ask for? Omelets to order. Scrambled eggs, Fench Toast, Waffles, etc. Lunch-from deli to salad to Chinese to hamburgers. Dinner-we took the late setting and never did the buffet, so can't comment. Dinners were selected from a menu with 6 or 7 entrees, as well as starters and desert. We were seated with two other couples and could not have asked for better dinner companions. ON BOARD: Plenty to do. Trivia at least twice a day: find out just how much you don't know. Bingo at least twice a day: fairly expensive but if you're lucky at Bingo it pays at least $100.00 for a winner. Casino open while at sea and plenty of slots, blackjack, roulette as well as tournaments (Texas-Hold-'em, Blackjack). Shows: Every night different. It's not Broadway, but entertaining. Pools/Hot tubs: I was expecting more of a pool. Ankle deep with a 4 Ft. section in the middle. One outside, one under a retractable roof and one in the Adult Only area. The Hot Tubs (also 3) seemed to be monopolized even though the "rules" advise not staying in for more than 15 minutes. And of couse you can start drinking at 6AM and keep it up until 1 or 2 the next morning. And various other things from sports to dancing to partying. PORT CANAVERAL: We took a shuttle to Coco Beach and had a great day just laying on the beach. There were many excursions, but nothing that really appealed to us. Warmth has finally arrived. NASSAU: The main industry is tourism,'Nuff said. The people were friendly and accepted "no" as long as you kept moving. Excursions were numerous and Junkaroo Beach was less than a mile away, an easy walk. Cash, M.C. and Visa, had a hard time finding anyone that accepted Discover. FREEPORT: Chilly, drizzly and a short day. A few excursions, but not much time. Shops right at the dock and a live band performing all day. THE TRIP NORTH: See the trip south. Pretty much the same trip, but going in the opposite direction. DEBARKATION: Had to vacate room by 8;30 AM and with assisted debarkation did not get off the ship until 11:30. Limited places to wait and the largest area had the Cartoon Network on the large screen.

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