Good rating if you stay out of the Lido Buffet

     First lets discuss the great qualities:  The main dining room was excellent in everyway, Pablo the head of the operation in the dining room was very visible and continually asked how the food and service was as well as out waiters Eric, Wayan and Gusto.  Service and quality of the meals for dinner, lunch and breakfast was excellent.  The ports of call Nassau, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk were also great stops, we walked the quaint streets of the first three stops and swam at the pier beach at Grand Turk.  Two ships at Grand Turk yet plenty of room on the beach.  My room steward was outstanding and a credit to the company.  I had an inside, room 8218 and it was a great deal for the money.  Bed was comfortable, room was laid out well and Carnival providing Miami TV and other channels all through the trip was outstanding.  I have been on other lines that do not have TV and it stinks.   

     Now the poor qualities:  1.  I have travelled on three Carnival Ships this year and was shocked to see the number of dirty tables and lack of caring by the busing personnel each day on this ship when I went to the Lido Buffet area to eat.  Twice there were not only dirty tables but dirty dishes piled up too.  Once and only once an officer came out and directed the tables be cleaned up and they were quickly but as soon as the officer left so did the bus staff and it was back to the usual "who cares".  There did not seem to be areas of responsibility for people.  Carnival needs to not only look at the bus staff but the supervisors as well.  Carnival and its customers do not need this type of attitude, behavior or conditions.  2.  I heard too many people state that there was not enough entertainment but I found it to be OK as I go to relax and do not need to be entertained.  3.  There weren't enough lounge chairs on the decks and at times I still saw some still stacked and tied down, WHY?  Part of the problem was lounge chair hogs.  4.  Getting back on the ship in Ports was poor.  I never saw this on any other Carnival ship but on the Splendor someone likes lines even when it wasn't necessary!  To get back on the ship there was only one gang way open so there was a LONG line to get back on while three other gang ways were not being used, not good.  Once people started grumbling, loudly, another line opened up.  One would think this would not happen again, oh no, it happened at every stop.  The said thing was that at two stops another Carnival ship tied up near us and guess what, they had no lines as they used two gang ways.