Overall this was a great cruise, we were happy to be cruising again. The ship is beautiful and we look forward to its sister ships however Carnival has cut back on a lot of things.
Pros:
- Beautiful ship
- Plenty of food venues to try from street food to restaurants
Cons:
- Platinum/Diamond party limited to 1 glass of wine (no food or other drinks)
- Platinum Pin is a nondescript plain pin without the year or ship name, rather disappointing to those that collect them from each ship.
- Very limited Mardi Gras inaugural merchandise (surprising as I would expect them to sell a lot of that).
- Popcorn is no longer free during Dive-in Movies ($3)
- Bolt an additional $15/per ride
Pro/Con depending on point of view.
- Portion sizes have been reduced considerably.
- Cake slices are about a 1/3 of previous size.
- You can purchase soda by the ounce (21 cents/oz), expensive but does give you an option.
Definitely a lot less food waste.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation was quick and efficient even with the additional checks for COVID paperwork. However the waiting room for Diamond and Platinum travelers has been eliminated. There was an area Suite guests but per the local staff it is rarely ever used.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was good but rather lacking in variety. The buffet had the same items nearly every day. Fahrenheit was great as usual with outstanding service. The dining room had great service most nights and the staff was great, we requested servers when we could. Price of wine did jump up considerably. I have not been surprised in the past with a markup but a $10 bottle on shore which used to sell on the ship for $30 is now being sold for $50. There was also $5 bottle on shore being sold for $30 (not sure why we even bought that one). There are many dining options on this ship and we were not able to try them all though. I never even made it to Guy's Burgers which I usually hit up multiple times. Shaq's Chicken place was a hit as well.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Onboard activities were really curtailed (we were told to limit interaction as a result of COVID) but the activities that did take place were fun. The Fun Squad did a great job, bingo was popular. The Bolt roller coaster was great although I was not expecting an additional $15 to ride each time.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
A lot of things to choose from on this ship, from the main theater to the center stage in the middle to the various smaller venues. The music and performers were great.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The wait staff was GREAT! The room stewards, although limited to 1 cleaning per day, did a great job and were rarely seen.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This ship has a completely different layout for a Carnival ship (as I understand it is similar to some Royal Caribbean ships). Not surprising the ship operating for only a few months is in great shape but there were plenty of working making sure it stayed that way as well.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The cleanliness of the cabin was excellent! However the cabin is unusual and was somewhat disappointing as a balcony cabin. The extended balcony out over the bow is great EXCEPT that the railing is solid steel and and not glass. I understand why it is that way but the room should be labeled as an obstructed view balcony. I would have liked to sit out there and watch the water but you are limited to watching the sky while sitting. The cabin itself is rather narrow, there was about 2 feet from the foot of the bed to the wall. The nightstands have been removed and replaced with shelves which were useful since they had USB ports. A plus for the bathroom is that there is a shower door so no longer having a shower curtain sticking to you. However the downside for the bathroom was that it was the smallest I have ever had on a Carnival ship making it very difficult to dry off in the bathroom (if it were only my wife and I it probably wouldn't have mattered as I could have used the room).
Ship tip
Take your time checking out all the various areas and offerings on the ship!
Did an all-inclusive beach excursion which was nice. We were not overly crowded and it was private. Had plenty of chairs and umbrellas although the drinks were watered down. The food was advertised as authentic Dominican food although there was spaghetti and cucumber salad. The grilled chicken was good though.
We mostly walked around Old San Juan. I was surprised at what little damage was evident in that area, I have to assume it is worse as you get outside the the cities.
We usually take advantage of the self-carry off with Platinum to avoid the congestion. We decided to still carry-off but took our time so we did get caught up in the 'all elevators full' issue. I ultimately just carried the luggage from 14 to 6 but we do travel rather lite. Once on 6 thoughI have never gotten off and through customs so quickly, even when getting off first.
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