Overall, the cruise was fine. As our first cruise, we don't know what is normal and what isn't. The food was alright. The service was alright. The excursions were alright.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
This was our first cruise, so we don't know what's normal. There seemed to be a lot of walking uphill to get into the ship, but it was fine. They broke the handles off one of my bags but reimbursed me for the entire bag.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
In general, the food in the ship was really mediocre. The exceptions were the sushi and the Chef's Table. The Chef's Table was a wonderful experience that I would recommend for anyone. The steakhouse was not good and definitely not worth the extra money. It even left me and another cruise guest we met on the boat have gastrointestinal issues that night.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
Our steward was extremely nice and helpful.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cabin was totally adequate. It was larger than we expected as first time cruisers. The balcony was lovely.
Ship tip
If you want to do karaoke, sign up early because they get all booked out quickly. The "social media" wifi did not work at all. The premium wifi worked fine but was slow (not surprisingly for satellite on a ship). I'd skip social media wifi. The carnival hub app was great, but to use the chat, you have to frequently log onto wifi. Download the app before you get there.
The Cozumel we saw is basically fake Mexico. We obviously didn't venture far. The actual port is a bunch of shops like a theme park - tourist haven. Everyone speaks English. We went on a dolphin encounter excursion. It was also very touristy but fine. It was very enclosed and controlled. The snorkeling there was enclosed and controlled - great for my 14-yr-old first-time snorkeler but probably boring for an experienced snorkeler. The water all around Cozumel is so beautiful and clear blue.
Progreso is much more authentic than Cozumel. We took a shuttle to the town where we arrive to natives who were selling their wares in a market. They're obviously poor, and it felt sad to think about the differences in our lives. The beach there was fine - not very different from Galveston, though full of seaweed that looked like pine needles.
Wow just alright? My first cruise was on the Carnival Liberty in 2014 and it was awesome. Just took my 4th cruise in May on Carnival Magic. I am addicted ðð
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