Boarding the Carnival Celebration you will feel as though you are stepping onto an older ship. But not in the smelly dirty way you’re thinking. The age is seen through the simplistic nature of the ship. It doesn’t feel state of the art.

The positive points of this ship are:

This is a very friendly ship. Kind of like being at your local bar… except everyone is from somewhere else. The cabin stewards (people who clean your rooms) are very friendly and hardworking. They make your feel at home and not like you are bothering them. The food is decent. Not fancy by any means, but it is decent in this budget range. The biggest plus about Carnival is the entertainment. The Celebration surprisingly does not fail in this area. My wife and I really enjoyed watching the comedians and also the cruise Director Lenny.  The Vegas style productions were kind of dated… however the singers Jason Cammorata and Skye Lamoureux were very entertaining and surprisingly took the shows to another level. My favorite vocal duo that I have heard on any cruise I have taken. The rooms are of a good size although there are some age spots… but that is to be expected. The ports are ok. In Nassau I’d recommend beautiful Cabbage Beach. There are a couple of fish markets in Nassau that are fun to go to. If you are adventurous try Conch Fritters or Conch Salad with a local beer Kalik… it’s local and very fresh. Key West is a great place to explore. There is a lot of art. I’d recommend eating a good lunch and maybe visiting Margaritaville for a quick drink. Key West is not a beach place. There is diving, snorkeling, jet ski rentals, fishing and parasailing…. These can be booked ahead on land via phone/internet or through the ship. But as far as sand… don’t count on it. Just go there to wander, chill and enjoy some drinks somewhere unique and interesting.

The Celebration does have some negatives:

If you are looking for an upscale or classy environment go elsewhere (they have hairy chest competitions). If you are looking for a clientele that doesn’t seem care about anything but filling their faces go elsewhere. It can be a bit busy on sea days. Because the ship is smaller, it seems to be a little tight when looking for alone time in the sun. However, if you go on the sides on the sea day it is much quieter. The buffet staff seems a bit overworked and blank at times.

All in all for the price you can’t beat it. You have food, travel, entertainment and hotel accommodations for five days… It’s worth it. Just come with the right attitude and it will be a good time. Know what to expect on the Celebration and you will not be disappointed.