Beautiful ship with amazing artwork. Overworked staff who do their best but are just too overwhelmed to provide outstanding service. The main dining room meals were terribly slow and we walked out without dessert a few times because it was taking too long. The Cruise Director, Kindell, went on the intercom system nightly around 9pm, which is very loud in the cabin hallways, for her announcement which woke up the toddler in the cabin next to ours and sent it into loud crying fits for a minimum of 30 minutes each night. There were even a few random announcements after 10pm on the in cabin speaker system about a medical emergency in the casino and such. There was no reason for this to be in the cabins and waking people up. I felt horrible for the toddler next to our room (and us because we had to listen to her whaling!)
The new sea day brunch menu is outstanding and still has our favorite go to items. The buffet staff was very patient and nice and went above and beyond to get drink refills and the like for passengers. And of course, Guy's Burgers and the Seafood Shack are both highlights of the Carnival food scene!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Easy peasy ... but we are Platinum so we skip all the usual lines and hassles
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food all over the ship was outstanding. However the service was incredibly slow in most venues. Carnival has assigned too many tables to each section in the Main Dining Room and most brunch and dinners took at least an hour and a half while we used to be able to get in and out in 45 minutes or less easy. The food quality and taste was great. But we ended up skipping out on dessert most nights because it was just so slow and we didn't want to be in the dining room that long. The dancing and singing by the waiters at dinner is a ridiculous waste of time as well.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
So many choices
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The three ladies who played violins at night in the atrium were our favorite. Such a nice and relaxing experience for winding down the day.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The staff was very friendly and accommodating, but they are severely overworked and it shows in their level of service. Our room steward had way too many rooms to be able to manage adequately even with service reduced to once per day. We chose evening service and asked for it to be done early because we like to sit on our balcony and read in the evenings. Our steward was not always able to get to our room before we returned even with the ridiculously long meal service in the MDR.
The MC in the MDR is a bit creepy with his repeatedly whispered "showtime" announcements and when he made everyone give a standing ovation the last evening I was especially frustrated. A standing ovation doesn't count if you have to ask for it!
We had anytime dining and the check in process was always smooth and the staff in the rest of the ship did a spectacular job. Especially in Cucina. Other than their forced karaoke performances during dinner, it is a nice experience. Please Carnival, if you are going to make your wait staff sing, don't force them to use microphones! They are not there for their singing abilities and neither are your guests.
One thing our family noticed was the staff did a substantial amount of overt flirting among themselves. Even at highly inappropriate times like in the Muster Drill and at the coffee bar while guests were waiting. This was surprising to us. It wasn't offensive, just not as professional as we have always experienced from Carnival staff.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
There were always staff cleaning up messes and trash left behind by inconsiderate guests. They always seemed to be doing their job with a good attitude though.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The mattress was firm but comfortable enough, but the sheets were a terrible quality and on the itchy side. They reminded me of my Mom's cheap Walmart sheets. The duvet on the other hand, was plush and fluffy and just the right amount of warmth and breathability.
The room was laid out fairly well, but I wish they would update their standard bathroom design. Why can they not put rounded door on the showers instead of those clingy fabric curtains? Other cruise lines do it. And the vanities are just so bland and unappealing. I wish Carnival would get a real designer to come in and do the staterooms instead of doing the same old thing they have done for the past 20 years.
Ship tip
Eat in the Cucina! The Food is phenomenal and the service cheery and expedient.
Love Cozumel! We usually get off and take a taxi or rental car to the East side where the prettiest beaches are, but only in the winter as the summer weather is just overwhelming to me. We got off the ship and did a bit of shopping in the immediate port area, went to our favorite place, Pancho's Backyard, for drinks and food while laying in a hammock in the shade, but they no longer have the hammocks in the trees so we left without making a purchase. If you go though, get the frozen Sangria...amazing!
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