Carnival Spirit Review
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I traveled on the Spirit to Alaska on my Honeymoon last year with my husband. It was our first cruise experience. We chose Carnival because they offer a wedding registry program, where your wedding guests can make purchases toward your trip. We found this to be a great way to supplement our costs and it cut down on cumbersome gifts to transport home after our destination wedding. We found the redemption of the honeymoon gift credits a bit clunky as they wanted to send us a check for the total value to reimburse us after we returned from our cruise. We complained via email, as we wanted the value actually applied (as advertised) toward our cruise excursion, rather than to pay up front and be reimbursed weeks later. Carnival was quick to correct the issue and our funds did end up being applied correctly to our cruise balance during the trip.
Being as this was our first cruise, we arrived extra early to the terminal as we didn't know what to expect. We found the embarkation process easy and efficient. The line was quick moving and we were checked-in before we knew it. We were pushed through another line for a quick cheesy photo and then we waited to be called for boarding. Since we arrived early, we had a while to wait but with limited seats as the terminal was already filled so we had to sit on the floor. The lack of seating in the terminal waiting area is my only real criticism for the embarkation process, and I'm not sure that is really Carnival's fault.
Once we were called, we boarded with ease. It was all very smooth and quick. Upon entering the atrium of the Spirit, I was struck by the overwhelming tackiness of the lobby. I don't mean that in a bad way, it was kind of cool... like a throwback to the glitzy gold Vegas casinos. The atrium had soaring ceilings, with gold framed glass elevators, draped with rows of lights that caught that your eye as they travel slowly up and down. On the other side of the atrium, a bar was nestled between a grand staircase that descended down around each side of it. Whether you like the gaudiness or hated it, it was quite eye catching nonetheless.
Cabin Review
Our cabin was roomier then I expected. This was our first cruise, so I don't have much to compare it to, but I had really prepared myself for a closet sized cabin and was pleasantly surprised. There was enough space for our things in the closets, although we did have to request extra hangers from our cabin steward. The bathroom was small but with good space provided via several small shelves flanking each side of the vanity. The shower was small and with a curtain only, and it was equipped with some mystery soap that I elected not to use. The balcony was small but nice. Two chairs and a small table, nothing fancy but excellent for seeing the beautiful Alaskan views.