We embarked on the Carnival Sensation this month (January 2014) for a short weekend getaway. There were six in our party. This included two 10 year old cousins. The adults ranged in age from early 40s to early 50s. All of us are experienced cruisers. We have all been on the Sensation before, so had a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Based on our experience, I found many of the more negative reviews unfounded. First of all, this cruise should be a bargain if you book correctly. We generally take this ship when we can keep the cruise fare under $75 per person, per day. We don’t, as a rule, cruise during the “season”. We all live within 70 miles of the port, so access to Canaveral is fast and convenient. This was probably our sixth or seventh weekend cruise on a Fantasy class ship out of this port.

Embarkation was painless. We arrived later than usual, and within fifteen minutes of entering the terminal, we were in our cabin. We have cruised so many times that we had the “Preferred” embarkation experience, which is now sold as a precruise excursion. I booked the minimum accommodations, which were adequate. The shower was sufficiently large to accommodate my plus sized girth. The arrangement was simple. We had two beds joined as a king. There is a small desk, ample clothes storage and a chair in what we jokingly referred to as the sitting area. I commented to my wife upon entering, “Wow, honey, remember when we were poor and we thought this was swell?” This is the first time we have enjoyed an interior cabin without benefit of a free upgrade in some time. The stateroom was fine and the cabin attendant was exceptional. I did tip him $40 in advance. He was on the spot to deal with all of our needs. Read more