We had a great time, loved the ship, loved the crew. Fellow passengers could get annoying, but on such a huge ship you can always find a quiet spot.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very smooth! We arrived within our alloted time frame and got on board within 45 minutes. Much better than the old days of sitting in the terminal for hours.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Enjoyed the MDR as usual. Pig & Anchor was decent. LOVED Chibang! Will not go back to Cucina del Capitano. Service was slow, food was mediocre, and they sat us next to a "wrought-iron" door that everyone and their mother tried to open to get into the restaurant.
Chibang!
5 out of 5
Appetizers were awesome! I had the Pollo con Mole, and returned a second time because it was so good! Definitely my fave of the specialty restaurants.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Great, as always. We tend to stick to less popular parts of the ship (i.e., in the shade), amd participate in things like trivia games, so we never felt crowded more than a couple of times at Center Stage.
Atrium
4 out of 5
Every new Carnival ship needs an atrium with a center stage like this! The only complaint we had was that it got quite hot when the room filled up, and more so at the later shows in the evening.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We really enjoyed the Center Stage musicians, singers, amd aerialists. The shows at Cente Stage remind me of what the old Playlist shows used to be like. Playlist has several issues, and in recent cruises I've walked out of at least one show of theirs per sailing. The shows are over the top, but not in a good way. The singers over-act, and they tend to rely on the whole "everything is magical and mysterious" vibe that seems to have emerged in Playlist in recent years. These shows take themselves too seriously (as Peter Griffin would say, "They insist upon themselves") IMHO, Playlist is where Barney kids or the kids from the SNL high school theatre sketch go when they realize they'll never make it on Broadway. The Vegas and Voodoo Moon shows at Center Stage are much more satisfying to watch, and they don't look down on their viewers, but invite us in for a journey.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We love Carnivals attention to detail and the extra steps crew go in making everything special for guests. Wait staff and bar staff are superb, attentive, and know their jobs really well. Room stewards deserve way more recognition (and pay and tips) than they get. Fun Squad was awesome this cruise! Especially JJ who stepped up when Chris got sick. He and Kristina both deserve to become cruise directors some day. We also loved Chacho, Jose, and Godie, who hosted various events and were all hilarious. Even on such a big ship, we still felt the various personal touches that we've come to find endearing from Carnivals teams!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a cove balcony, as usual for us. Seemed the same as others we've had-maybe a tiny bit smaller. Love having a place to go to get away from the crowds and see the ocean up close. Loved the new shower doors! It was nice to take a shower and not have the whole bathroom floor be wet for hours afterwards. Lots of storage!
Ship tip
Remember, it's a big ship, so if you feel crowded, especially on sea days, explore around for quiet out of the way spots. We found the Lenai on deck 8 usually had some deck chairs available that weren't filled with loud drunkards.
These beaches could always use more chairs and more shade. Try to avoid being right near Margaritaville if you'd like it a bit quieter. Next time in Grand Turk, I may try to take a tour to see more of the island.
I don't usually like hanging out in pools all day, but this one is very nice! Try to find a spot under one of the bridges if you're melanin-deficient like me! The water's also deeper there, so you don't have to crouch so much.
Not sure what happened here, but I suspect it was various little things that piled up. We ended up paying to change our afternoon flight because it took so long to get off the ship, even with self-debark. Carnival has no control over how guests behave, but it's always disappointing to see people go down to the gangway too early and crowd up the halls. You'd think that some people hadn't just had a wonderful cruise by the anger and bitterness they spew on debarkatiin day! Carnival crew did a great job and were very kind, but there was much they weren't able to control. Also, people--please get a passport! It makes everything much easier for everyone!
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