It was my second cruise on Carnival, and I look forward to the next time! The service, food, and itineraries made for a great vacation!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very smooth. Even without Faster to the Fun we were on the ship in about 10 minutes, and sipping that first drink!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
I kept my expectations realistic, knowing at any time the food could be either okay, good, or great. Thankfully, I didn't experience any meal (overall, not singular items...more on that later) that was below average.
The best meals I had were in the main dining room, and Guy's burgers. The veal parmigiana in the main dining room was excellent...among the best I've ever had, and so was the Mahi Mahi.
The tacos, and burritos from Blue Iguana Cantina were really good, and the salsa/toppings bar had a lot of choices.
The buffets were okay, there were a few pretty good items, but mostly it was fine for a simple, or quick bite.
The four cheese pizza from Pizza Pirate was good, though I only ate there once.
I tried the crab cake sliders from The Seafood Shack on my last night, and they were okay...probably would have been better if they were crispy, but still decent.
There was a single item from the main dining room that I just couldn't finish...the chocolate melting cake. I love chocolate, but it was just TOO sweet, and rich...even adding the vanilla ice cream didn't help much. If they knocked the sweetness down a few notches it would have been much better.
Overall, I was quite satisfied with the food aboard the Victory.
As far as drinks were concerned, I liked all of the different cocktails I tried, especially at the Alchemy Bar...the Cucumber Sunrise was excellent!!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I enjoyed the show called "Vroom!", and the game show called "Love and Marriage"...both were very entertaining. The hot tubs, and Serenity deck were nice, as was the whirlpool in the aft pool area.
Went to Bingo twice, and had a good time.
The Punchliner Comedy club was good too, but my previous experience on Carnival Liberty was much funnier.
I spent maybe twenty minutes in the casino, and only at the cheap slot machines. I'm not really a gambler, and mainly bought drinks at the bar while passing through.
We spent time on deck 3 in the lobby for trivia, drinks, and found a quiet, outside spot located off of the atrium, and away from the crowds on the Lido deck.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff was very friendly, and helpful. Our cruise director, Felipe, was excellent...he had a great personality. Our room steward, Rudika, promptly called for assistance to take care of a minor issue we had with the bathroom sink, and always said hi every time we saw him. He took great care of our room.
The bartenders at Alchemy Bar were top notch, and I'd highly recommend trying that place out if you haven't already.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The layout of the ship was pretty similar to the Liberty, so I found my way around rather easily. The common areas were clean, and well maintained.
I'm not sure why other reviews I've read mentioned cleanliness being a problem because I saw crew members cleaning at all times of the day. From mopping, and wet vacuuming the floors, to wiping down glass, and rails, and keeping the eating areas pretty clear of empty plates/trays, they were at it morning, noon, and night. I appreciated them keeping the ship as clean as possible.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had an inside cabin, so I already knew it would have limited space with two of us, but the beds were comfortable, and the room was clean. We were only in there to change clothes, shower, and sleep, so it wasn't a big deal.
Ship tip
It's an older ship, but it was well maintained, had plenty of charm, and the staff was great. You will have a wonderful time on the Victory, and she'll only get better after going into dry dock, and coming out as the Radiance 😎👍
Key West was fun, even though we were only there for a few hours. Went to the Southernmost Point, and had breakfast at a local restaurant. I'd love to see other things in the future.
Had a fun time in Cozumel! We went to Mr. Sanchos beach club, and enjoyed the laid back atmosphere, and plenty of great food, and drinks. I definitely would go back again.
Disembarking was a little slow, but our cruise director kept us well informed at what was causing the delays, and once it all smoothed out it went prett well.
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