I had received a "free interior room" offer from Carnival. An unusually cold and snowy winter was taking it's toll, so I booked this cruise last minute - about two weeks before sailing. The price couldn't be beat, I just paid for taxes, port fees, and gratuities for the room. This was my second sailing on the Pride, the first was over four years ago in the fall of 2009 with a family group of 12. This time I traveled solo.
Yes, the ship is a little on the dark side with lots of Master's artwork reproductions. After you see the same pudgy naked lady painting a couple times, you stop noticing them. I went to Catholic elementary school and remember seeing the same artwork in the school art history books. I can see where some parents would want to shield their children form the naked ladies and the David statue, but most kids won't care after a the first day. It's classic art - get used to it. At a Q & A with the cruise director, he said he didn't know if the naked ladies would be part of the Fun2.0 remake of the ship scheduled for this winter.
Check in took one hour from when I got out of the car, to when I walked into my cabin. Carnival offers a F2TF program where you can pay $50.00 per cabin for priority check in. I didn't do it, but if you had a family with 2-3 antsy kids, it may be worth the $50.00 extra to no have to wait in line to board.
The cabin was plenty big enough for one person, and would have been fine for two travelers. Lots of storage and closet space. OK bed, with great pillows. I woke up refreshed, without any stiffness that I often get from a hotel bed. The "obstructed view" was 99% obstructed. All that would be seen when standing at the door was the deck below. To see the water I would have to get down on the floor to look under the back of the life boat. I never opened the door, and only keep the curtains open a few times. I'm a tall guy and the room cabin shower is a little cramped for me. I only used the cabin shower once. I opted for the showers in the gym/spa. It's much bigger, with a high ceiling and a rain shower with great water flow.