First time cruising; Carnival as expected

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 36

Review summary

This was my first time cruising ever, so I really didn't know what to expect coming in. Carnival Spirit was interesting - mostly families and older folks, who seemed to be really into cruising. The consumerism seemed a bit abundant - many people consuming copious amounts of alcohol, buying an extreme amount of staged photos, and dropping lots of cash through booking excursions, gambling, etc. A bit not my scene by maybe can be appealing to some. The food on the ship was decent, though the steakhouse was incredible - we went twice and it was worth the $30 (I think) upgrade fee. The service was great, and sommelier was knowledgeable and gave us great wine. We went to a few activities which were fine, not outstanding but a nice way to pass time at sea. Didn't really check out any shows - however, there was an incredible musician on board who we ended up spending time with, and watching every night he was on board. It was wonderful to have some after dinner drinks and enjoy the live music until it was time to retire. The ports of call were pretty good - this was my first foray into Alaska so I didn't know what to expect. We didn't participate in any cruise-sanctioned excursions, but once we got through the consumerism of the ports, we were able to find ample things to do and explore (Skagway national park tour, a hike, Alaskan brewing company in Juneau, Mendenhall glacier, Ketchikan totem pole museum, and a few independent shops for real souvenirs). All in all, the cruise was fun but I'd definitely prefer something a bit more sophisticated next time. But was a good bang for your buck. May want to price compare with other ships.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

Entertainment

Service and Staff

Ship Quality

Cabin / Stateroom

Ports of call

Skagway, Alaska

Juneau, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

Victoria, British Columbia