Carnival Spirit Cruise Reviews - Reviews

I thoroughly enjoyed the dining experience...we were well cared for, and the food was great. The ship was kept clean and ready at all times. My room was very comfortable...including the beds...the best beds on a cruise (even this one Christmas 06) that I've experienced. The entertainment was very good; especially the night before the "Legends" show...was on par with a stage production in Vegas or San Francisco. My only complaint would be with the karaoke hostess...she was the most scattered hostess and was not organized or controlled in her duties....consequently, there were a lot of people who could/would not sit thru all the bad performances. So, I think we missed a lot of good opportunities.

Just returned from Mexico and loved the ports. Acapulco was so-so but Zhewatienieo (SP) and Manzinello (SP) were great. They are still sleepy little fishing villages where security for yourself and family were not a problem. Great Excursion in Manzenillo (Turtle Experience) were we saw wildlife in natural settings... beautiful land and the people care about the animals as well as each other. The ship was good, especially the upgraded cabin. The Carnival line is known for partying and there were those on board who enjoyed themselve a little much. Nothing to annoying but some fun people. The food was abundant but mediocure at best... watered down and cafeteria style. Overall good cruise though since no one else go's to these ports.

This was our 18th cruise and 9th with Carnival. The ship was clean and easy access to everything. The over-all design seemed to have no rhyme or reason to it. Piano Bar was tucked away in a dark empty corner where no one know it was even there. Our waiter and assistant waiter although pleasant seemed slow on service due to the assistant waiter engaging in long conversations with every table and not helping the waiter. Cabin steward keep room clean but when given a dress shirt for pressing and being told it was needed by 5:00 for an engagement party, we had to jump thought hoops to find her and the shirt. Finally got the shirt delivered by a supervisor about 5:30 making us late to the engagement party. Also the debarkation was unorganized with lots of folks not knowing where to go or when to debark. Would have helped to have crew members out and about to answer questions.

beautiful, clean, and freindly ship

I have been on a number of Cruises...on Norwegian a couple of times, Royal Carribean once, and this is about the 6th time on Carnival. Didn't think the service or the food was quite as good as on previous Carnival ships (mostly carribean) that we have been on. Talked with several other previous cruisers and they said the samething. Think if it had been our first cruise we would have been totally satisfied but the fact that we had been on others where the service was top notch we were slightly dissappointed. We usually take our two daughters and their husbands, and now two granddaughters with us, and sometimes extended family and friends. There were 13 of us on this particular cruise. Thought the port listings were a little misleading in that it said we ended up in Anchorage, with (whittier) in parenthisis, only the small print said something about Whittier being 90 minutes from Anchorage, so they kind of hold you hostage for $75. each for transfers) ,So we rented cars instead.

With some hard work maybe they can compete.

The ship was really clean, all of the crew did their best to greet you and make you feel welcome.

We sailed from Vancover,B.C. to Ancourage, Alaska known as The Northbound Cruise with the Carnival Spirit. This is our 2nd time cruising with Carnival because of this, they rewarded us with a suprise party and a hat pin. This was lovely because they truly care about their customers. My husband and I were on a 7-day adventure of a lifetime. W e both felt like we were gone for a whole month!! The naturaliest on our ship, Michelle, really knew her stuff, and she pointed out all the incredible glaciers and wildlife along the way!! We highly recommend this cruise for those of you looking for wilderness with all the comforts of a fine hotel inside of The Fun Ship Carnival Spirit!!

Excellent Ship

Carnival Spirit....a good ship but did not exceed expectations. Carnival's mantra is "we want to exceed your expectations".Unfortunately, not on this cruise to Alaska.In order to exceed expectations, one must focus on the big picture and the significant little details. Carnival meets the "letter of the law" in being a fun ship but not the spirit. it'sevident that they are more hype than delivery. evidence of corner cutting and ultimate cost savings abound, primarily in staffing ratios and response to requests. It started with a non-functioning toilet and await of over 10 minutes to get someone to answer the phone to take my service need. The 10 minutes here was followed by over 4 hours to get an engineering response to correcting the problem which recurred sporatically. This wait was further topped by an over 75 minute wait to get coffee and tea delivered for an afternoon room service request. Other smaller details were things like no signage on port days as to where the gangway was located (which changed frequently due to alaska tides). serving ground radish for horseradish at dinner with prime rib and acting like it was the same.....what's the chef thinking????? No Mojitos at any bar except one day as aspecial????? (mint is not that expensive). Overall, the Alaska scenery trumped the lack of attention to detail by the ship. Carnival please try harder!!!!!!!!!!!

BACKGROUND: 50 yr old male traveling with my 11 yr old son and 9 yr old daughter. I have cruised Princess 4 times, Disney 2. Kids have taken Disney 3. Embarkation: Suite renters are told to report to the VIP desk for immediate service.....NO SUCH DESK. We stood in line with hundreds of others for 45 minute to 1 hr being herded here and there like cattle. SHIP: Done in very dark tones, Only bright spott on the shipp was the casnio. FOOD: First timers will say fair to good. Having traveled other lines I would say it lack a great deal. Do you like scrambled eggs that should be served in a cup? Carnival is attempting to save money by having everything portioned out to you. Not at the buffets of the other lines. CAMP CARNIVAL: Is definately and after thought by Carnival. There attempt to "compete" with Disney. The room is shoved under the front of the ship. HOT and STUFFY. The hours of operation are worked around the crew staffs availability and luch hours. I spent most my time retreving my daughter so that they could go eat. ROOMS: We booked room 7298 at the back of the ship. I guess the deck is was made it a suite. It was in fact twice as big as most. The lay out could have been better. A changing room should actually be removed. It is unusable with three doors entering into it. Entertainment was "acceptable" More for the kids would have been nice. In room TV is 1/2 commercials for Carnival owned lines, 1/4 weather and direction charts and 1/4 stations pulled in from Colorado GLACIER VIEWING: On previous cruises the captian took the ship within 2 miles of the Glaciers. You could see and here them fall apart. On the Spirt the captian parked the ship 6 miles away( they said so) from the Harvard Glacier.You could not hear them or see them fall. We then waited 1 hr while they lowered a tender to allow crew members to sail in to with in 1/4 to 1/2 mile from a glacier to take pictures. WHAT'S WITH THAT? This devastated my son who was looking forward to seeing what I had been telling him about for years.EMARKATION: went quickly and smoothly as they already got what they wanted out of us. In fact that is one of the jikes the cruise director uses. "Got any more money? No? Then you got to get off the boat! Debarkation when off quickly......they already had your money!

The ship was beautiful and well appointed. There was so much to do and the food was abundant and delicious. We have already started planning our next trip with Carnival!!

The ship is very spacious and well laid out. There were over 2000 guests and 900 crew on board but you had no idea because you never felt crowded or overwhelmed by people. It was always clean and well cared for. The crew was wonderful, very caring, polite, fun and entertaining. I had an absolute fabulous time!

Great staff, gaudy design, bland food, organized embarcation and departure

This is a fun ship.......huge casino.....silly games etc.

We had agreat time on this ship. It was large enough to accomodate a full crowd without feeling too crowded. Except for morning of debarkation. The staff were very friendly and accomodating and the ship was very clean. The Supper Club was amazing and worth the extra money. The overall dining eaxperience was good.

We had looked forward to this cruise for months, and were certain that it would be a"fun time." (Fun ships should provide "fun times." When we boarded the Carnival Spirit in Vancouver, we were "awe struck", not only be the immensity of the ship but the entire interior decoratons, etc. From bow to aft it was gorgeous, inside and out. We had plently of time after embarking in Vancouver to investigate the entire ship. The lounges, all the "food stations", the Empire Dining Restaurant (absolutely First Class), Pharoah's Palace, etc, etc. But the fun really started when we left the docks at Canada Place. I twas hard to believe how smooth the sailng was, even in some pretty good swells. All the shore excursions were enjoyable. I realize that those were not the responsibility of Carnival, but the got us off the ship and back on in timely manners. I must not forget the gym. What a neat place to work out in the morning. That was essential in order to prepare for the day's meals!

Outstanding ship and crew. I would not take this particular cruise again, because of the port selection, but my husband and I are going to use Carnival to go to Mexico next year to Cabo San Lucas, and Puerta Vallerta.

It was a very clean ship with great people working on it. We especially liked the staff at our evening meals. There was plenty to do on the sea days and a big variety so nobody should have been bored or forced to do anything they didn't want to do. We will most likely be going on another cruise.

The ship is beautiful, for being built in 1991 it really has been kept up well. I don't want to seem picky but it could have been cleaner. By evening the bathrooms in the common areas really smelled bad. And, I noticed that the people who served the food on the buffet lines were not real observant. Adult and Children alike often used there hands where they should use tongs.