We would probably give Carnival another chance, maybe with a different ship. Overall it was a nice experience. The biggest complaint is the other passengers and their actions towards employees. There are improvements that can be made on the ship, but for what we were looking to get out of it, it was 3-4 stars.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Long lines, but with Verifly (detailed in pre cruise emails) it went quickly once we got to an attendant.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food and drink quality were good. The service to get said items was delayed many times. Guys Burger Joint was our favorite-- always good! We understand the staff shortages/ high demand, so we weren't in a rush for much. Overall the staff was friendly and accommodating, so it helped with the wait or lines.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
There seems like there is a ton to do, but with the ships at 100%+ capacity, there's just not enough to do without causing lines, being packed into shows, etc. Family Feud live was awesome and funny- we caught it twice. The setup of options to see live shows is odd as part of it is in the middle of the ship, near the Casino, so the smell of smoke and loudness from the passers-by was a little off-putting. We caught a few different shows in this area, and enjoyed them, even though the band had a tough time during one of the singing shows. Pools were over crowded and no where near large enough for the amount of guests. The dance parties on the Lido with DJ Cue and Lee were fun!
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Same feedback as above on 'Onboard activities'.
Children's Programs
Our son is 15, but was not interested in the O2 club since he's not a social butterfly and had no friends with him. Many children on the ship were unsupervised and running around, which can be a security concern in my mind. To each their own for sure, but we had many minor cutting in front of us for food, elevators, etc and leaving food/ dishes all over the ship (stairwells, elevators, etc).
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff was awesome. Everyone wants so bad to be great. Sadly we saw far too often the guests being rude, impatient, entitled, and apathetic to the staff. We met so many people on staff who shared their experiences and were so pleased that someone was talking to them as a human and not demanding anything from them. Christopher and Christopher in the Palm resturant were awesome. The lead Christopher also was in the Lido Marketplace during breakfast and always had a smile on his face. Tina in the Palm restaurant was left to work 10 tables by herself but she busted her butt and really ensured everyone was taken care of. Wait times for food and drinks varied by the day and time. Again, we were in no rush and were understanding, so although there was a long time, some nights, to get dinner, if it was right, hot and tasty, we were happy.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The design is very closed off and not open or welcoming. We navigated it fine, but it seemed very restrictive. We would see the staff trying to keep up with the demand and wear and tear of having 6000+ guests onboard, but it was hard. The ship is brand new but the carpets, upholsteries, and furniture all had marks of damage. The elevators were always over crowded and you could rarely catch one without people jumping in front of you, but the keys were dirty, the windows were dirty, everything was dirty. The rooms were kept up by the stewards and they stayed clean overall, but there was visible gunk the whole cruise, meaning they never cleaned that specific part (i.e. random hair/ dirt on the ceiling of the shower; mildew around the doors) We returned from the cruise with Covid (positive 2 days after returning- negative before departing). This could have come from the flight, the transfers, or the cruise, but this is the first trip we've taken in the past 2 years where we've returned sick and we've flown/ taken public transit before. We did not wear masks on the ship, and took that risk into our own hands.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Standard cabin size for a cruise ship. The room from bed to wall was quite small and we often hit our knees on the bed. The balcony was large but only had 2 chairs. We asked for an additional one since we had an extended balcony and 3 guests, to which we were told no. That's okay- and understandable, but sharing for the sake of the review. Bathroom was small, and for a larger family (height/ weight) it was more cramped than other sailings we've done.
Ship tip
Get to shows early- they fill up and become standing room only, which can cause traffic to build up. Also, bring your patient pants-- waits for elevators and lack of caring from other guests is frustrating.
Only at this port for embarking and disembarking. Staff got everyone through quickly and the transfer staff was quick to get everyone on the bus to go.
Beautiful sights. Still recovering from hurricane Maria. We did a walking tour and our guide Ms. Ada aka "Speedy Gonzales" (she called herself that) was great. Colorful buildings, interesting art, and the US National Site were memorable.
Amber Cove is a cruise port-specific location-- no (safe) access to beaches without having an excusrion. The shops were nice, but not a ton to "do". We did an excursion for Monkeyland. It was AMAZING. Our guides, Carlos, was very knowledgable, personable, and funny. The monkeys were my favorite part of the whole trip. Very interactive. We also sampled the coffee, hot chocolate, and mamajuana provided during this excursion. We enjoyed this excursion a lot.
Immediate beach access was a PLUS. The waters are so blue, and pictures don't do it justice. We did a snorkeling and stingray excurison. This was okay, but the length of time, with the amount of people, wasn't super fun. 60 people, 30 minutes to snorkel (15 minutes of which to get everyone off the boat) then reboard, anchor at an island, and 25 minutes to look for stingrays. It took some time for them to find one to pet/ take pictures with. I didn't partake in that part, but rather we swam around in the crystal clear water. Overall this port is gorgeous.
I really appreciate the review. I am looking forward to the cruise aboard the mardi gras. I expect to run into some issues with long lines, etc. due to the ships capacity.
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