Nancy D

Age: 34
Occupation: Professional
Number of Cruises: 1
Cruise Line: Carnival
Name of Ship: Jubilee
Sailing Date: April 9th, 2003
Itinerary: Western Caribbean

As this was our first cruise, I had done all the online research and read all the reviews. Most of the reviews were not positive so I tried to maintain an open mind. We boarded in Galveston around 1pm and were directed to the Lido deck for lunch. There was a wide variety of choices, from hamburgers to roasted turkey and dressing. All 4 of us enjoyed the meal with no complaints. After the emergency practice drill we were on our way. Our cabin was on the Riviera deck and I was surprised at how calm it was. No swaying or vibrations in our room. I would remember next time not to book a room so close to the elevator. The elevators are used all hours of the night and if you are a light sleeper you will be up a lot.

Our first full day at sea was fabulous. There were more activities planned than we could attend. My kids attended Camp Carnival and loved it. My 9 year met new friends and had a blast. My 2 year old colored and played with the others. On Monday we arrived at Calica. Not too impressive from the port. We went on the Beach Break excursion. After a short drive we arrived at a private beach with crystal clear water and white sand. There was snorkeling, kayak, and fishing available. We did get a 10 minute rain shower but afterward it was back to enjoying the beach. After 4 hours we returned to the ship, showered, and then headed out to shop. Shopping was ok, pretty easy to negotiate here. The next day we arrived in Cozumel. What a gorgeous site. It totally blew away Calica. The kids and I went to Passion Island while my husband went deep sea fishing. I think we got the better end of the deal since he didn't catch anything and the water was pretty rough. Passion Island is a white sand beach with an open bar and lunch included. It was great, they had organized games for the adults and kids. The water was beautiful and the kids loved it. Of course the ship photographer and videographer took all kinds of pictures. On our return to Galveston on Tuesday is when I started feeling a bit queasy. I had already been wearing a patch but it was time to apply a new one. Word to the wise....don't apply the second patch in the same place as the first one. It will give you blurry vision. By Wednesday afternoon I was better.

As for the food on the ship, it was great. We had a wonderful waiter, Gregory. He made our dining experience fun and pleasurable. My daughter befriended all the waiters and had them playing peek a boo by the second night. As for our room steward, he made the best towel animals. The kids wanted to bring them home. All in all, I can say that this was a great trip and I am glad that I was not persuaded by the bad reviews I had read prior to our trip. I would gladly board the Jubilee again!