Gwen's Birthday Cruise
Mardi Gras Cruise Review
7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)
Sail date: October 28, 2023
Ship: Mardi Gras
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 17291
Traveled as: Large Group
Reviewed: 6 months ago
Review summary
It was really a good unwinding cruise for my wife and I. We got plenty of rest. It was just us traveling, so we did not have to worry about anyone else. First time in a long time that we had traveled alone.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Lido Marketplace
It was a little different for some reason. I could not quite put my finger in it. I can't ever remember going to the Lido and not being able to get something to eat. We went up a few times and there was nothing open.
Emeril’s Bistro 1396
Ate here twice. Once for breakfast and once for dinner. It was pretty good. The portions were good for the price. Had shrimp and grits, which was very good. My wife and I shared it. For dinner, I had red beans and rice and an andoulle sausage po boy, which I did not really care for. Wasn't a fan of the sauce and lettuce they used. The red beans and rice was on point. My wife had jambalaya rice, which was really good. She also had some kind of sausage balls that was pretty good too. The service from the staff was kind of salty.
Guy's Burger Joint
They were better here than they were on the Magin in April. That's all.
Swirls
Ice cream is always good.
La Piazza
Pizza is always good.
Chibang!
They were ok. Did the Chinese side. Were going to go back and do the Mexican side, but did jot make it back.
JavaBlue Cafe
Love JavaBlue.
Big Chicken by Shaq
Ate here once for lunch time snack. It was pretty good and spicy. Would do it again.
Onboard Activities
The Fun Shops
I love the way they have the fun shops set up. It not just in that circle on deck 5. The new design has them on several floors, which get rid of the congestion. Good job Carnival.
Cloud 9 Spa & Thermal Suites
We did a spa cabin on the 17th deck. Private elevator access to the spa and we used it a lot. It was AWESOME.
Cherry on Top
Was very disappointed here. They had no Jelly Beans. I love Jelly Beans. Maybe I should give them more than a one star. They did have candy. I wanted Jelly Beans though.
Entertainment
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
If you're going to eat at Emeril's Bistro, please be patience with the staff. They can be a little rude.