This was our first Carnival cruise and while I talked to many on the ship who were avid sailors on other Carnival Cruise Lines, I would not sail the Venezia again (and they would not either). I was told on many occasions not to judge Carnival based on that cruise so I hope that if I ever sail again with them I have a much better experience. Two of the things I enjoyed most about this ship was the activities and the Captain's Table.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
No problem with embarkation - busy, but to be expected.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Very few restaurants are included with the price to sail, which was very disappointing. You mostly eat at the buffet which always has a line and is not the most aesthetically pleasing. If you want top notch food and service you opt for the Chef's table = best experience, hands down.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There was no shortage of shows and activities which is wonderful for a family that likes to do everything. We got involved in many trivia contest, hula hoop contest, high ropes, miniature golf, dodge ball tournament, corn hole tournament, every show, comedy show, casino (although if you're a non-smoker, brace yourself for a very smoky experience), water slides, Chinese checkers, and more.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
I would say the shows were good, but Norwegian and Disney shows are steps above. Seating with full visibility to the stage is limited so you have to get there early. Be prepared to wait in lines if you want to "try" and keep your party sitting together.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The only reason I would give this 4 stars is for my stateroom attendant -Hari; and the customer service supervisor - Kay were very prompt and kind when trying to alleviate some of the problems we experienced the first half of the cruise. Mar Q was a great activities director and the fun crew...most were very friendly but not all.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
It has the potential to be so much more but it's a small ship and does not hold up to the typical standard of Carnival Cruise Lines. Much to crowded for the size.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
We has NO A/C for the first 4 days of the cruise. I made several complaints to customer service and maintenance with no resolution and no offer to compensate us for the heat overload we slept in every night (room temp was on average 82 degrees). The only reason my stateroom was tolerable was because the attendant provided us with a small fan on the very first day. By the evening of the third day the Customer Service Supervisor finally came to our stateroom and stayed until maintenance showed up to look at it. Not sure what they did, but it didn't begin to work until mid day on the fourth day of the cruise and only after I called customer service every 10 minutes to complain. After the price I paid for this cruise no AC was absolutely not acceptable. If it wasn't for the Customer Service Supervisor; Kay, and the stateroom attendant- Hari, I'm 98% positive I would have had zero AC for the entire cruise and no one would have cared to even offer anything in exchange for our misery.
Ship tip
Be sure you like crowds of people and have the patience of a saint or this ship is not for you.
We did the Zip and Dip excursion and it was well worth it. The staff was super friendly, helpful, and very kind if you needed to stop for a breather during the hike. They took lots of pics, knew our names immediately, and became like family as we wrapped up. Sammy, Steven, Miguel, and Ivan were awesome!!! Highly recommend this tour with this group of people.
@terricb1. Thanks for sharing your experience with our members! Carnival has several free/included restaurants. The Carnival Venezia cruise ship has 13 restaurants, including some that are free and others that cost extra:
Free restaurants
These include two main dining rooms, a buffet, Lido Marketplace, Tomodoro, Guys Burger Joint, La Strada, Carnival Deli, and Pizzeria del Capitano. Java Blue also has limited free snacks, but specialty coffee costs extra.
and some Fee/Specaililty restaurants
These include Il Viaggio, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and Seafood Shack https://cruiseline.com/ship/carnival-venezia/features/dining
You said you had to eat at the buffet all the time because everything else cost extra. This is not true, there are many free options besides the buffet.
Thank you for a factually relevant review. Yes, the Venezia is quite different than other ships of the line hence the Fun Italian Style tag line. This and her sister ship the Firenze were originally built for the Asian market that prefers conversation coves to sunbathing beds, pools that are for dipping feet in not for swimming, and value an intimate feel to dining making the MDR feel cut-up by half walls, obstructions and features that tend to slow service down. Other Carnival ships have larger pools, more loungers, and a more banquet hall layout to their dining areas.
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy. The AC problem sounds horrible, but you seem to insinuate that you need to go to a pay restaurant or the buffet. What about the MDR? Free, and awesome.
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