We have traveled extensively but this was our first cruise. We had a blast! Our group consisted of my husband and I, our 27 and 16-year-old sons and our 13-year-old daughter. Hubby and I had a balcony stateroom and the children had an interior across the hall.

Embarkation & Disembarkation - We arrived at the port at 10:30A. We were escorted to the check in and by 11A had our sign and sail cards. We waited till noon to board. Everything went smoothly and the Carnival personnel were pleasant and knowledgeable. Overall, embarkation was easy and the wait wasn't unpleasant. Upon return to Miami, we followed disembarkation instructions, were off the ship, luggage in hand and cleared Customs within a half an hour of our group being called. (Note: We "gift wrapped" our suitcase with bright orange and yellow survey tape so they were easy to locate upon disembarking.)

Dining - Per our request, we had the late seating in the London DR. In the London DR, food was average to excellent depending on the item. On a few occasions, I would have preferred an item hotter but overall I was impressed with the quality. Our waiter wasn't as crisp with the French service as some but our bar waiter was spectacular as was the DR Manager. Room service food was average to good and delivered prompter than expected. The South Beach Club buffet was not crowded and we found seats easily. Buffet offered the usual buffet fare with varying themes. The food was piping hot and fresh. Daughter loved the pizza and the boys enjoyed the Coney Island Grill minute steaks and chicken breast sandwiches. The NY Deli sandwiches were good but the line was long and moved slowly. Breakfast and lunch in the Paris DR offered a nice selection of old standbys like hamburgers and some most unusual items like a Mongolian Beef Salad. At breakfast the lox and bagels were my favorite and the quality was excellent. One note about portions, Carnival has recently cut the size of their portions due to waste issues. For example if you order pancakes or Eggs Benedict, you will get one unless you request more. I found this wonderful especially when dining on multiple courses. It kept us from over eating hence; we didn't gain weight on the cruise. Amen! Read more