I'll be the first one to admit that when I booked this cruise with Carnival, I wasn't too sure what to expect. I'd read critiques on these very message boards and now have to say that I think one should probably disregard the very bad reviews (I'm thinking those folks probably wouldn't have a good time anywhere) and take the very best reviews with a grain of salt. Let's face it, barring a disaster, a cruise is pretty much what you make of it!

I have cruised before (QE2 Great Pacific 1978 & World Cruise 1984, Eurodam Baltic Cruise 2009, Noordam Western Med 2011) but always with a friend or family; this was my first solo trip and all I was really looking for was some R & R over Christmas. I'm very pleased to say that I had a great experience. Would I say this is a "luxury cruise", no. It would be nice to have a fridge, thermostat, a less dated television and larger balcony, but I'm a great believer in getting what you pay for. I had a verandah cabin on Deck 10 and it was the perfect size for one ... two people might be a bit cramped but for just myself, there was ample storage space and not the least bit claustrophobic.

I was also pleased to find very few young (re: noisy) children nor many young adults acting like it was Spring Break time! By and large, the overall vibe of the passengers was a cross section of Middle America with no obviously huge swings to the extremes. What I will say right off the bat is that I don't believe I ever saw a Carnival employee without a smile and a kind word. My cabin steward was wonderful .... extremely polite and friendly, more than efficient and never intrusive. I would like to point out that while the cruise director's disembarkation spiel via the tv saying that all gratuities had been included on your sign and sail account, I felt as if he should have said "if someone went above and beyond, feel free to leave a personal tip". I know I always try to reward good service although I'm sure some passengers will feel that their $11.50/day is quite enough to go around. Read more