So after reading many negative reviews about this ship, I was of course hesitant, but was going to go in with an open mind anyway. I will try and make this review as simple to follow...

1. Embarkation - was the easiest and fastest embarkation I have been on. This is my 7th cruise (5 with Carnival, 1 Princess and 1 Royal Caribbean). We arrived at the Miami port around 10:45am, was on the ship by 11:30-11:45am. When you arrive at check-in you receive a zone boarding number, corresponding to when you will be able to enter the ship. We were zone 10. Maybe 15 minutes passed from when they started boarding passengers to when our zone number was called. FYI - it's done on a first come first serve basis, so the earlier you arrive at the port, the earlier you'll be allowed on the ship.

2. Ship Decor - I thought the decor on the ship was very nice. I thought it looked much better than the gaudy/vegas look of the past Carnival ships I've been on. It has a very warm, tropical feel from the moment you walk in, to the Lido deck pool area and lido deck dining room. Personally, the decor doesn't matter a huge deal to me, as I'm not spending my cruise admiring the ship. Read more