This was our first cruise with Carnival and our third cruise total. We found ourselves making a lot of comparisons to our previous cruises, both of which were with Royal Caribbean. Although we had a nice time overall, there were some things that we didn't care for and those things will definitely affect how (and if) we plan future cruises with Carnival.
PORT/PARKING/EMBARKATION
About two days before we were due to set sail, Carnival sent out emails asking passengers not to arrive before 1:30 p.m. If Carnival wants to dictate boarding times, they should probably try to do so before people have made their travel arrangements. We got to the port at about 10:30 a.m. and parked in the lot. Parking was $50 for the whole week. This was cheaper than we expected, having been quoted on CC and on the Boston Port website at around $16 per day. There was a shuttle waiting for us, so we were on our way to the terminal within a few minutes of parking.
Nice and roomy. Little threadbare but always clean. Excellent view. Terrible bed.