This was a great first cruise. I enjoyed the Carnival people and the ship. There was so much to do and eat, both on and off ship. I would definitely recommend this for first timers and kiddos.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
For someone that had no idea what was going on, getting onto the ship was easier than going through an airport. And the ship staff was excellent in helping us get situated and understanding how things work.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Though there were times when I wanted something and there wasn't much available (between 3 and 5 p.m.), all the food was awesome. The Dining experience is totally worth it; I got to try a lot of things that I don't normally get to have.
Drinks on the other hand...you may want to buy into their drink packages. Their Tea, Lemonade, and coffee like substances weren't the best.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Sadly, on no part of the Cruise line or the ship, and lot of the areas that I wanted to enjoy were off limits due to weather conditions--the Serenity Area mostly. That said, hanging out on ship was nice and relaxing. I loved the shows and those hosting the shows. I will say that a lot of their Seminars are geared towards selling you things, but you do get a little bit of warning on that.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The shows were great. I mostly did the Piano bar, the Karaoke, and saw the comedy show. There is always someone singing or playing music though.
Children's Programs
I didn't travel with Kiddos.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff were all awesome and really nice. They were informative and on top of everything.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
It is impressive to keep the ship clean and cool when you have 2000 people on board.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The beds were hard. And I think my group are a bunch of homebodies, so I will most likely get a room with a window or balcony the next time. We spent a lot of time in our room. The TV service and room service was great and there was TONS of storage. The remote controller for the TV didn't work very well though.
Ship tip
Look up the Gratuity policy and update your costs early to avoid getting surprised by fees.
Galveston was our leaving point and we stayed there the night before we left for the Cruise. It has enough on it's own without being a passthrough for the cruise.
This place, you may be better off doing a shore excursion/ historical or beach trip. They are used to American tourists, so the nearby shopping is jewelry and designer hand bags, but not at Mexico prices.
We did a beach resort and it was awesome. There is a bit of shopping at the port, but other than that not much. It is great from historical tours and beach though.
Long lines to get though customs. My understanding is that the cruise ship disembarks and then re-embarks and sails out on a new cruise the same day, and this seems to cause all the traffic at customs.
*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.
