Last year this time we went on the Carnival Victory for the Eastern Caribbean itinerary. So, I know the layout of this ship very well. They are both pretty much the same. Four of us were traveling. Flew from Philadelphia to Miami the day before sailing. Stayed at the Embassy Suites near Miami airport. They have a free shuttle to the port, but you have to wait till at least 11:00 to use it.

Took a taxi at around 10:40 AM. Arrived at the port by 11:00 AM. Take the taxi! It’s so much better than waiting for a bus or a shuttle. Cost $28 one way split 4 ways. Once we made it to the Port, they took our luggage and we were on our way to embarkation. Kept a backpack with a change of clothes and some sunscreen.

Embarkation:

At the pier by 11:00, the porters look our bags and we preceded to the entrance. We pre-registered online and was able to use the FunPass. But we didn’t need it because we got there early enough. Went through metal detectors with no crowd and were first in line. The lady had the 4 of us booked within 10 - 15 minutes. Next, we picked up our sign and sail cards upstairs. We were asked to be seated in a waiting area. Sat for about 50 minutes. Nice comfortable chairs. Once they started boarding, we were called section by section, row by row. We had to walk about ten minutes. Then got our pictures taken with no line. Then it was off to the ship. We got on the ship around 12:15. We weren’t allowed to access our rooms until 1:30. So we went on the Lido desk where lunch was served. And sat around the pool area till about 1:30.

Cabin:

We had 2 balcony rooms right next to each other on the Lido deck. We asked our cabin steward if he could open the divider between the 2 balconies. He has a key that opens the divider and it latches to a hook. It made for a nice long balcony. We each had 2 plastic chairs and a little table.

The room had the usual twin beds and a small sofa. There was plenty of closet space. The bathroom was normal like the others cabins, CAT 8 or lower. Noticed that our showers now have a shampoo and body gel dispenser. Our cabin steward was a nice guy, Francesco. Did a good job. Made a different animal out of towels each night.

Dining:

We had late seating at 8:30 in the London dining room. We were seated in a booth on the second level of the dining room. Our head waiter was, Agus. And our team waiter was Joel. Joel was in training to be a head waiter. Both waiters switched on and off as the headwaiter. Real nice guys. Very good service.

The food was great. Save room for the desserts. Yummy. You’re on vacation. EAT!!!
Breakfast for us was out on the Lido deck or in the Paris Dining room. Only 2 times did I eat breakfast in the dining room. I really like those eggs benedict.

The pizza was good. For either lunch or late night snack. I really liked their grilled chicken sandwiches and burgers. We had lunch from the Hong Kong Noodle Co. a couple of times and the NY Deli as well. Both are good. And the buffet lunch was good, too.

The Deck:

The pool area is enormous. There are 3 levels to lounge and a huge water slide. Do the slide!
There is also a pool area in back of the Lido deck. Get your chairs early. We threw Carnival-logo towels from our room on the lounge chairs before eating breakfast. Most people do this every day. So forget about sleeping in if you want to catch some sun. (Carnival doesn=t give out those blue pool towels anymore.) The action is here most of the afternoon while at sea. Contests and music all afternoon. After being on a couple of cruises, I try to drown out the noise of the contests. The survivor one is annoying. The band is cool, though.

Entertainment:

Went into the Casino after we set sail. I put 3 dollars in the Wheel of Fortune machine and won
$50 on the first try. It’s not much but I cashed out and never gambled another cent. There were 2 cocktail parties that we attended. The first one was on the first formal night. The second cocktail party was for past guests only and was during the second formal night. They showed a short movie in the Rome lounge about their Carnival Fleet.

We watched the Mexican dance festival during the evening at Cozumel. Also watched the guest talent show one night. That show is hilarious, but definitely rehearsed. Some of us went to the disco 2 or 3 nights. We met some really nice people whom we hung out with from time to time. Had some drinks and just chilled out the rest of the time.

Ports of Call:

Cozumel:

We took the passion island tour. This place is really nice. A bus will pick you up in the AM. It takes you to a dock where you will be transferred to the island by a ferry. Ferry ride is about 10 minutes. Got to the island around 10 AM. We had an open bar and a free lunch buffet. The only problem is that the last bus leaves at 1:15 PM. Went shopping in Cozumel and ate an early dinner at this place called Ponchos Backyard. They have really good Mexican food there.
After a little more shopping, we headed back to the ship. That’s where they had the Mexican Dance show in the Rome Lounge. After the show there was a party on the Lido deck. The also were serving Mexican food buffet style in the Casual dining room.
Music and dancing till late.

Grand Cayman:

We took the Island and Rum factory tour. I think it was around $30. A little waste of my time and money, but it was something different. They first take you to the town called Hell and then through their gift shop. Then they drop you off at a rum outlet. It’s just a little gift shop that sells rum and rum cakes. Across the street they take you to a turtle farm. That was fun. I guess.
And of course another gift shop. We had a little time to shop and see the beach and that was it.
The last tender leaves at 3:45. By the way, they have to tender you from the ship to the dock.
I don’t think their port can handle large ships. This is a beautiful. Spend as much time there as possible.

Ocho Rios:

My 3 friends went to swim with the dolphins and climb Dunn’s River Falls. That’s not for me.
I went to the Island Village that was right near the pier. Did a little shopping and then went to Margaritaville. This place is really cool. They have a small pool with a swim-up bar. Drinks and food are expensive. Hung out with a group of people from the ship. We took a quick dip in the ocean. Don’t be afraid of the people trying to sell you anything and everything. Be nice to them and they will be nice to you. It’s all about respect on this island. This is another short stop.
Watch your time closely.

At Sea:
There were 3 days at sea. This is when they get you to spend money in the casinos and shopping. The first one was going from Miami to Cozumel. The second one was between Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Then the last one was between Jamaica and Miami. I like the way these days at sea were spread out. The captain’s dinner was during the first day at sea. I missed the cocktail party. Stayed in the hot tub too long. From what I remember of last’s years cruise, they have some really good hors d=oeuvre.

Debarkation:

Carnival has a color system for debarkation. Depending on where you are on the ship determines the color tags they give you for your luggage. Since we had an early flight going home, we were allowed to take our luggage off the ship straight from our rooms. I think it’s called self-assisted debarkation. We had an 11:55 AM flight out of Miami. We were off the ship around 09:00 AM. Took a taxi van. It was around $8.00 per person. He filled the van with about 10 people. And then it we were on our way to the airport and on our way home.

Overall:

Pros:

I really enjoyed this trip. Well worth the money. We met some nice people and had an awesome time. I like the fact that one of the pools were open until 10PM. I highly recommend this ship and its sister ship the Carnival Victory. Will I do Carnival again? Yes!

Cons:

Wasn’t too crazy about our cruise director. In the middle of a fun contest on the Lido deck, the cruise director would interrupt the show on the PA. He did this throughout the whole cruise. The band would be playing and he would interrupt them while they were playing out on the Lido desk, just to announce stuff like bingo and jewelry sales. That’s pretty lame. The guy just didn’t have the right attitude. Just

On the last day at sea, they close the pools and hot tubs at 6PM. That wasn’t cool.

They spend too much time at sea compared to other cruise lines. As far as booking excursions, book them as soon as possible. And don=t be afraid to do something different. Also, you can book excursions off the ship for less the price. Do a little research online before you go.