This is the first and the last cruise that I will do. Cruising is not for me. I would rather just go to one place and stay there and get to know it better. The cruise ship was confusing to a first time cruiser. We were too tired after a day of excursions and then a too-heavy (our fault) meal to do most of the on-board entertainment. The ship was confusing and overwhelming. I felt too hemmed in and like it was too crowded. However everything was very neat and clean and my cabin and balcony was beautiful.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Very confusing. When we boarded the ship we did not know where to go or what to do
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food was not as good as I expected it to be. It was very confusing as to what restaurants were open when, which were included, and we did not realize that we had a reserved table at a specific restaurant until about halfway through the cruise. However I did get to try some Indian food which was very good and I loved the white chocolate cake at the Coffee Shop
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We did a lot of excursions so we did not really have time to do a lot of on board activities. I did enjoy the track and since it is rubber it didn't hurt my bad knee to walk on it like pavement does. The pools and hot tubs were nice although it was hard to find a hot tub that was not crowded. I enjoyed the facial although I did not like it when they kept trying to sell me products
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We did go to one show which was a lot of fun. It was sort of a comedy let by Matey the cruise director
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The service from Gerald the room steward was fast and efficient the 2 times I had to call him. All the staff was very nice although some of them spoke very poor English and it was hard to understand them.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was very clean and there were always people cleaning everywhere yet they never got in their way. However, I do not think there are enough bathrooms for the public to use, and they are sort of hidden away where it is hard to find them.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
Give us more maps, more instructions and more details. Not all of us are experienced, seasoned cruisers. Also the Carnival Hub texting connection which my husband and I both paid $5 for usually didn't work.
We did the kayak tour through the mangrove forest and took the boat ride to stingray city. Our drivers and guides were excellent and we had a blast. The equipment was in excellent working order and everything was very exciting.
We did a zip line tour although at the last minute I chickened out and the bus took me to the place where the rest of my family would be coming in at. They were very nice about doing this for me although they did have to go anyway to take everyone's bags. My family enjoyed the zip line tour very much and I enjoyed the very nice jungle area I waited for them. There was a little cafe with tables and chairs and it was very comfortable. Then we were taken to a beach area which was very beautiful and clean.
This was the best. At first I thought that the hour and a half bus ride would be boring, but Alvaro, our guide, made it seem like 5 minutes with his narrative during our drive. He gave us very interesting history and information about the area, with his charm, wit and humor he was very entertaining, not to mention handsome!
In Cozumel we toured some Mayan ruins which were very interesting. Our guide was so knowledgeable and made the ancient ways come to life for us. The ruins are just incredible. Since we still had about half the day left, we took a taxi to a nearby beach. It was only a 10-minute drive. We arranged for the taxi to come back 1 hour before time to be back on the ship. We did not know the traffic would be backed up and I was so scared that we would not make it in time. If you are on an excursion that you booked through Carnival, and you get back late they will wait for you. But if you go out on your own they will not so I was really scared. I considered getting out of the taxi and running. But we made it back in time and even with an extra few minutes so I could shop. Although all the excursions were lots of fun and everyone associated with them was so kind, so helpful, so reassuring, so nice and attentive to every single one of our needs, the poverty in these countries is heartbreaking. I just wanted to get off the bus and help these people. I have heard that tourism is the major source of their income but I just hope that some of it trickles down to the poorest of these people.
Seems like you were very confused the entire cruise. They aren’t that difficult to learn to enjoy. Maybe you overdid your excursions so you couldn’t figure out the ship. I’m confused
I agree with TNTGreen, good advice. But most of all I like that you expressed that cruising may not be for you. I have flown to all inclusive resorts and love it. I do both but don't try comparing the two.
Maybe you need to try a smaller ship and before you set sail review your ships deck plans so you familiarize yourself with the ship PRIOR to sailing. The restaurants times are all listed in the daily Fun Times. You can also download the HUB to your device which gives you the Fun Times on your mobile device. Whether you cruise or fly to a resort always research in advance so you know what they have to offer.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
