This was my 1st cruise with Carinval, although we have cruised 41 times with other lines. Although we did have a good time, I'm not sure I would rush back to Carnival. We prefer more luxury when we cruise. Having said that, we only paid £263pp for a Cove Balcony room, which really was exceptional value. I can certainly see why many people like Carnival.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Super-quick embarkation, let down only by a small issue with the VeriFly app.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Very disappointed with the food overall. I felt so unhealthy by the end of the week and the food in the Palm restaurant was shocking. I did really enjoy the Big Chicken and Guy's Burger venues.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The Mardi Gras offers a large selection of activities. The gym was very well equipped and we really enjoyed the Bolt SeaCoaster!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
I really didn't like the Centre Stage venue. Every time I walked through, they were practicing for other shows. It wasn't a very relaxing place to sit and enjoy the see views, through those massive windows. The entertainment staff were very good, lots of energy. If you like game-shows, you will like this ship. Also the Casino is probably the biggest I've seen at sea.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff were a big surprise to me, which I wasn't expecting. Everyone was so engaging and happy. I have cruised many, many times and the crew attitudes really stood out, in a really good way.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is brand new and was spotless. The crew were very visible, cleaning from top to toe! I didn't love the ship design. It was a bit garish for me and I don't think it flowed very well.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Absolutely loved this Cove Balcony room. I really loved being lower to the water than other balconies. It offered such a good connection with the ocean and you could really hear the waves! I would choose this 7C cabin grade again. I will just mention, there was noise from above on several occasions. On the plan, it shows a restaurant, however we were disturbed by loud music on a few occasions.
Ship tip
If you are interested in the Bolt SeaCoaster, book it sooner rather than later. It gets stopped if it's too windy. We nearly missed out, but just managed to ride it on the second to last day.
Not my favourite port, however we booked our own excursion to the nearby Margaritaville Beach Resort, it's a brand new resort. Only a 10 minute walk from the port and cost $59 per person. They have a good waterpark with pools, lazy river, infinity pool, tube slides, beautiful private beach etc I would certainly go there again. It's a cheaper option over the Atlantis.
I loved this port. The crystal clear azure water is breathtaking. We did a ship tour here. 'Home Sweet Home' - It was a 10 minute bus ride to a private beach house. Open bar, plenty of beach loungers, shades and a nice authentic Caribbean lunch included. We were there about 4-5hrs and I would go there again.
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