What else can I possibly say? It was a great cruise. We came home and booked the same cruise again- this time on the new Carnival Panorama. ❤️ Also- Fast To The Fun was worth every dime!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was so easy! Our one issue was a lack of understanding, despite our best efforts. We purchased FTTF, and our appointment was at 12:30pm. We thought we might be able to get on early, and arrived at about 10:45am. Finding a parking spot in the terminal was a small challenge, but we found a spot on the roof. Bybthe time we lugged our luggage downstairs (we should have dropped it at the curb) and had our boarding pass checked at the entrance to the FTTF priority line, we were told they were already boarding! We literally walked from security, straight to our embarkation photo, and right onto the ship. Once there, we were prompted to head up to the Lido deck. We told everyone we were headed to our room. Every staff member said our room wasn’t ready. There were large signs on the fire doors instructing us our rooms were not ready until 1:30pm. We went right through them (having learned from last time.) The room stewards were hard at work while we looked for our room. We were asked a few times if we were priority, then then they directed us to our rooms. The keys were in a sealed envelope, and were punched and ready to go on our lanyards. Inside, our rooms were ready and waiting for us, as expected. 😊 We changed into swimsuits, set up our room with the few things we brought in our embarkation bag, and headed to lunch. 😊
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The Pinnacle Stakehouse was AMAZING. Fantastic in every way. The buffet food was decent, but I was super disappointed in the Mongolian Wok. The lack of sauces and choices ensured we didn’t eat more than a couple bites, and didn’t return that week. We ate in the Gold Pearl, though I wish we didn’t. There was vibration from the engine that really bothered my son, and extra motion, being all the way aft. The decor was a little hokey, but our servers were great. We were also seated on kind of a wing outside the main part of the dining room. This meant that the main source of the server entertainment wasn’t really visible to us. So that was a bummer. Worse, our party was split up at two tables. While we were next to each other, the tables didn’t touch, and with the volume in the room, if I wanted to speak to my 14 year old son (who was seated diagonally across from me at another table) he or I would have to get up and walk to his table. Our party of 8 should have been seated at a single table. So, that was very disappointing. I contacted Carnival, and was directed to raise my condemns to the maître d’ Duringnour druise and request changes next time. I did ask for changes at the start of the cruise, which were brushed off- but now I know to be more firm. The food overall- not on the same level as previous Carnival cruises. So, kinda a bummer.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We had such an amazing time. There was so much to do, but there were also a few times where there was literally nothing that intrested is- which was nice because I felt it encouraged exploring, relaxing, reading, and pool time.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Awesome. Hands down.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship was wonderful. Always clean and well maintained. Decor has a real rocking 80s vibe. We seriously dug it. 😊
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Ship tip
Find out where you’re seated in the dining room. If you’re on a wing, move. You need to be seated on the interior, or you’lll be left out. 😞 Show up early for the buffet, or you will be waiting in very long lines.
If you’re looking for a day at the beach, get a glass-bottom boat tour (NOT through Carnival). It cost us $15 a person to get a water tour of Cabo, and get dropped off at Medano Beach for a few house, AND brought back. :) They will all be on the dock vying for your business.
To be fair, we never left the “fake village, and didn’t book any excursions. There really wasn’t much that my young kiddos would enjoy. They stayed on the ship, and we went shopping.
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