Just a disclaimer, we had never gone on a cruise before and were on a budget. We booked 2 rooms, 1 with a balcony for the wife and I, and one interior across the hall for my mother and my daughter. Also of note, there was nothing for our under 2 year old child to do. We knew this going in.

The boarding process was very fast for us. We had a child under 2 in a stroller and a person from carnival told us we were allowed to board early. Otherwise we would have probably waited at least another hour to board the ship.

The staff we encountered were very friendly, expect for one person who is trying to get people up the elevator before our rooms were ready. This person was yelling at the cruisers to squeeze into the elevators as fast as possible. He was a little over the top with it. Not a good start for a first impression. Read more