Waste of Money

Carnival Pride Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 43

Overall rating:

1 out of 5
Carnival Pride

7 Night Bahamas & Grand Turk (Baltimore Roundtrip)

Sail date: April 06, 2014

Ship: Carnival Pride

Cabin type: Oceanview

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 10 years ago

Review summary

This trip was doomed from the day I booked it.  When my daughter asked me to take this cruise with her and her family I wasn’t anxious to go.  I love boats and take little scenic cruises on them every time one is available in my area.  When I first looked at the Cruise Cost, it said $469.00 per person, ocean view room. I figured for two of us it would be around $1,000.  Hmm, joke.  Somehow after adding tax, after getting the room I wanted booked, after taking the insurance, I was charged over $1500.00. A lot of things occurred before the trip and I could have cancelled due to the change in plans by Carnival getting all my money back, but I didn’t because my daughter would have been disappointed.  If she would have cancelled I would have also.  Nevertheless, I went although I had been stricken with Bronchitis before boarding.  With my lungs being compromised, having some disabilities, and my senior age, it was difficult for me to even board the boat as one had to walk quite a ways up ramp type tubing to get to your deck.  My stateroom was very small, my walker wouldn’t fit through the door, and it’s quite heavy, and I asked if I could park it nearby my room, out of everyone’s way, and was told no it had to be kept in my already small state room.  My daughter’s travel agent booked my daughter and her family at one end of the boat and I at another.  The food was located at the other end of the ship.  Three or four times a day I had to struggle to walk from one end to the other.  To summarize this is what I encountered on my boat trip.

If you are handicapped in any way make sure your equipment will fit through stateroom door. We had two c-paps and one oxygen/concentrator and only one 120 plug in the stateroom.  Make sure you take extension cords.  I was told to do that but didn’t realize I had to have one with a 3 prong adapter on the extension cord. If you have mobility problems take an electric riding wheelchair…but make sure it will fit through the stateroom door because everything must be kept inside the small room. My daughter had a stateroom balcony suite and I had a stateroom ocean view- both were small. In my opinion, this is not a family-oriented ship.  I was appalled by the art work which was walls of figurines and nudity everywhere.  I was appalled.  Not something I wanted my grandchildren to see or myself. Most the help don’t speak English and don’t understand you when you speak to them. Our steward, our dining room helpers, were excellent.  The food overall wasn’t bad.  You could find something to appease your appetite between the Grill and the Dining Room.  I loved the fresh fruit. The Casino area is an allowed smoking place, not good as I had to walk through it to the dining room.  Don’t think it’s just a small area, it’s quite large. I didn’t enjoy the burlesque type shows. The weather was bad and I would have thought on board activities would be planned to accommodate that, it didn’t happen.  I would also have thought on a better day when the sun was shining beautiful and the evenings warmer, they would have kept the Adult lounge open longer, it didn’t occur. I really looked forward to playing Bingo….what a joke.  I thought it would be bingo like all day or several hours.  We played one maybe two games a day but it was very expensive to buy one card ($20.00).

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
All in all I liked most of the food, the variety, the 24/7 eating. One could find something they liked, and if you didn't like it, they would replace it upon request.

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5
What were they? Casino, full of cigarette smoke, not interested. The top deck was closed most of the time, which impacted the water slide, the golf, and other activities up there. I couldn't sit and enjoy the deck it was too windy, too cold. The only things available cost more money. I would think more fun time could be addressed. Like card games for groups, other than the casino. Main thrust for this trip is Eat, drink, spend, and be merry.

Entertainment

1 out of 5
Wasn't impressed. Didn't like the burlesque type shows, not suitable for children. Didn't appreciate the Bingo at $20.00 plus a game.

Children's Programs

3 out of 5
I don't know for sure. Two of my grandchildren age 8, only went about 1 1/2 days to day camp. They didn't seem to enjoy it. They spent a lot of time in the pool area, and the older one the 14 yr old played basketball.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
My only complaint, most could not speak English and couldn't answer or direct you if you needed help.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5
The artwork on the ships wall was abhorring to me, I don't appreciate artwork especially not in nudity form on a supposedly family oriented ship.

Cabin / Stateroom

1 out of 5
Rooms are very small. No room for and type handicapped equipment to be stored, only one 120 volt plug, for c-paps, oxygen concentrators. etc.

Ship tip

Not "handicapped", senior, or family friendly.

Ports of call

Baltimore, Maryland

5 out of 5
Very difficult to board ship though if handicapped.

Port Canaveral, Florida

5 out of 5

Nassau, Bahamas

5 out of 5
Easy boarding on and off. Very pretty view.

Freeport, Grand Bahama Island Did not visit port

? didn't get there. Went to Charleston, South Carolina. Run down, roof torn off building was what I saw out my boat window. Not impressed. Was ugly day didn't leave boat here.
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