Carnival needs to stop nickel and diming passengers. For instance, we were charged $111 per person for "service and gratuities". That fee should be per cabin, not per person. And, that's on top of being charged a gratuity for every drink purchased. Drinks are already expensive enough. A Bloody Mary was $12. Beer/wine was $6 and up (depending on brand). Carnival should offer truly all-inclusive packages/pricing. I expect to pay extras at destinations/ports, but on the boat your fair should cover pretty much everything. Overall it was a good trip... At least we missed the hurricanes.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Parked the car at the pier... $40/day - pretty pricey, but a safe place to park. Very efficient boarding process. Two of four suitcases didn't make it to our room. Tags fell off. But we did recover them in the lobby.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The quality of the food was great. However, having to pay for soda is crazy. Soda should be part of your fair. Also, the pricing for their drink packages is messed up. If two people are in a room then you need to buy two packages, even if one person does not drink. And, you are limited to the # of drinks (15). If your are going to put a limit, then you shouldn't be required to buy a package you won't use.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There was plenty to do. No one should have been bored. Not all activities are free though.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Shows and entertainment were top-notch.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service was excellent and staff were friendly.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was clean (staff always wiping down railings, vacuuming, etc.). This was recently refurbished ship but still seemed somewhat "used"... It was clear it was definitely not a new boat. But, layout was good and ship was clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Bed was very comfortable. Space was a little tight between the bed and the rest of the room. Bathroom was tiny... But this is expected on a boat.
Ship tip
Read the fine print... There are a lot of hidden fees. Do the math with how much to expect to drink to determine if a soda or drink package is worth purchasing.
Next time pre pay your gratuities and you won't have to worry about it. Carnival does offer pre paid drink packages as well. Do more research next time. It's all there in the website.
Were you aware that you could have went to the guest services desk and adjusted your gratuities? I do this every cruise and don't feel guilty at all. You can even give a certain person extra if you want. They'll adjust it however you tell them to.
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