My party (consisting of an 85 year old, a 57 year old, and a 28 year old couple) arrived at the port about 12:30, and we were in our staterooms in less than half an hour. We had purchased a pre-cruise one night hotel stay from Carnival and the package included check in at the hotel in the morning, and a transfer to the port by bus. Of course, there were lots of people checking in (its a huge ship, which I knew when I booked) but I thought the whole process was reasonably painless and efficient, and made much quicker by getting the formalities out of the way at the hotel. We had all of our luggage by 3:00 pm.

Staterooms

We had 2 balcony cabins on the Verandah deck (8), and they were very nice, decorated in a soft peach color, exceptionally clean, and quiet. Our room steward was omnipresent, and I think he serviced our rooms at least twice, and sometimes three times, a day. There were plenty of towels, full ice buckets, and big soft terry bathrobes that work very well as pool cover-ups and save room in the luggage. We had cute towel animals and chocolates at night. The plumbing worked fine. While we spent a lot of time on our balconies, we were not bothered by smoke, noise or debris from others. Compared to RCCL, the announcements were fewer, and were not loud enough to disturb us in our cabins.

Dining

After our first visit to the Mediterranean buffet restaurant on the Lido, we avoided it unless we absolutely could find no other alternative. It was crowded with confusing lines, lots of children, and was very noisy. The food (except the Chinese and pizza) was not worth the wait. However, the food in the dining room, and the snacks available from room service, more than made up for it. For both lunch and dinner, the dining room food was superb...lobster tails, beef tenderloin, coquilles St. Jacques, wonderful soups, and luscious desserts. Not to mention rich, fresh coffee and cappuccino. The wait staff was efficient and pleasant, and not overly familiar(which we preferred.) On two evenings they were happy to serve bottles of champagne that we had received as gifts. Room service never took longer than 15 minutes to arrive, and the sandwiches and desserts were a great treat in the late afternoon after a shore excursion.

Public areas

The decor of this ship creates a lot of discussion among the passengers. I loved the Atlantic Dining Room, with its peach and beige, the copper mermaids and mermen(?) The atrium, with its fluorescent lights was a place I preferred to avoid. Beautiful mosaics are hidden unless you are in one of the glass elevators, which is a shame. Deck four around the atrium is taken over by the photographers and all the thousands of pictures they are hawking. I don't understand why Carnival allows this (I guess it must make a ton of money) but the crowds searching for their pictures clog the passageways and make getting into the dining room almost impossible at times. Elevator service is good, there are lots of them, and they were all working all the time, so you rarely had more than a minutes wait. There are not enough pool lounges for the number of people on the ship, and those available are taken and held very early in the day. We preferred the shaded deck area on the 3rd level anyway, where you could read and doze on a comfortable padded chaise, away from the music and noise of the pool areas. Restrooms and passageways were always clean or being cleaned, and I saw little evidence of wear or neglect anywhere.

Entertainment

This cruise was over Christmas, and there was an afternoon program of seasonal music and participation by the children in Camp Carnival. The crew also participated with candles and singing. It was festive and tasteful. The 2 Las Vegas evenings were appropriate adult entertainment, not memorable, but I don't expect Broadway casts on a cruise ship. On and off during the "Days at Sea" there were typical cruise ship amusements like bingo and Newlywed Games, all handled rather well by the cruise director and his staff. I thought the casino was great fun, with helpful staff, and many people mentioned having won at least a little during the week. A lot of the musical activities , like Karaoke, are taken over by teenagers but there was some music for adults... the classical combo in the atrium or a Nat King Cole tribute, and some jazz as well. I thought the performers were very good.

Shore Excursions

We selected this particular cruise so we could see the ruins at Tulum, and we weren't disappointed. The ship put in early in the morning at Playa Del Carmen for those of us starting off for that excursion. The ship went on to Cozumel, while we went by tender and then bus to the ruins with a knowledgeable guide. If you are a history buff, it is a great experience. The ruins have not been overly restored, and you must walk about 15 minutes from the bus in heat and humidity to reach them. The grounds about the temples are uneven and rock-strewn. I saw two different people fall and injure themselves. It isn't a tour for those with any physical limitations at all. However, the views of the Caribbean and the structures themselves are fantastic, and well worth the trip if you are able to do it. We also enjoyed feeding the sting rays in Grand Cayman, and climbing the falls in Jamaica, but the ruins were the highlight of the trip. Avoid the wasted taxi ride to Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Once there, you find out that almost all of the beach is private and restricted and off limits to cruise passengers. Signing up for the excursions on the ship is a real hassle. You have to attend an "informational meeting" the day before, and then sit through a sales pitch for stores that you have no intention of visiting. At the end, you have to get in line and jockey to get signed up for the excursion you want. RCCL has a much better system, where you sign up using the interactive TV in you stateroom. Carnival should get the technology.

Crew and service

The dining room staff was very good, and our room steward was perfect. Most crew smiled and greeted you, and tried to be helpful. The purser's office (as I have found on other ships) was somewhat surly and did not go out of their way to inform or answer questions. The cruise director and his staff did seem to genuinely want everyone to have a good time, and that came through in their presentation and efforts.

Debarkation

We had been told that we would be off the ship early because we were on an upper deck. Not true!! In a process that made no sense at all, decks were called randomly, and we were one of the last off the ship. Walking into a confusing warehouse of luggage, 5 different staff people directed us to 5 different areas where we would find luggage from our deck. Only the expertise of a burly and knowledgeable porter located our bags and got us to a taxi in time to make our flight.

Summary

Despite the crowds, and some frustrations, we all enjoyed the ship, which seemed to have its own sense of camaraderie and spirit. I had resisted a Carnival cruise, thinking I would be trapped on a ship with marauding children and drunks fighting in the halls. That was just not the case on this cruise. We met many lovely people and had a great time. I would give this cruise 4.5 stars (or check marks) out of 5.