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I now know why there are bad reviews for this ship on this and other sites , it's the passengers not the carnival spirit !!
Our embarkation in Melbourne was problem free and we were able to access our stateroom after a drink and walk around.
The stateroom was a reasonable size for 2 adults and 2 children and had good storage. The bathroom was adequate with good water pressure and plenty of hot water.
Our steward satya was a kind and happy person who took care of our needs very well.
The ships decor which many whine about was a hoot!! Just like Vegas , we had a real laugh at the the quasi art deco which segued to Egyptian in the theatre. It was a bit of fun and we enjoyed it.
The food in the la playa grill buffet was good for the most part , with some very interesting daily additions at lunch time. Honestly , if you couldn't find something tasty to eat here you have a serious problem.
The empire dining room was lovely. The food and service of a high standard. On several occasions I had meals that were five star and could be served in any good restaurant.
FYI , the warm chocolate melting cake IS to die for.
Drinks service was good but we aren't big drinkers so this wasn't something important to us.
Purell hand sanitisers were everywhere , but as a previous reviewer stated you can lead a horse to water.............we used them anyway.
There were moments that warmed our hearts with some of the staff aboard this ship. Our 2 little boys 3 and 5 always got smiles and attention from staff all over the ship and nan ketut who worked in the buffet area made them paper animals which they loved. She greeted them by name every day.
The camp carnival crew are fantastic and my 5 year old would have happily stayed there for the whole cruise.
We saw about 8 of the shows on offer in the theatre and really enjoyed most of them.
The ships big band is excellent and the shows with the dancers and singers were as good as I've seen anywhere. We loved mullet man from Christchurch and Patrick McMahon who got us all singing.
The captains daily musings were always welcome, telling us weather and conditions and the ships position. The officers we saw around the ship were also friendly.
Now the bad stuff.
Some of the passengers , namely elderly passengers were rude , intolerant , nasty to staff and other passengers. There were times when we felt sad for staff onboard who were spoken to by some passengers in a most disgraceful manner. Common courtesy people ! Another passenger , an older lady herself commented to me that she was sick and tired of the old grumps!! . We realized that the itinerary to new Zealand attracts an older audience so we wouldn't cruise there again. This is because of the grumps not the ship.
We loved all the ports we visited and felt welcome everywhere we went.
We will definitely sail with carnival spirit again but on an itinerary up to Fiji or Vanuatu that attracts a more family friendly crowd. This is a fun family friendly ship with warm and generous staff.
Thanks carnival spirit , we will be back. :))
Caio caio !!
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