The very first cruise I ever took was on the Pride. It was in 2010 and my wife and I and her parents went on board to celebrate our 25th and their 50th wedding anniversaries (just a bit late). Four years and many cruises later, we returned to the Pride, this time with my parents, to celebrate our 30th and their 65th wedding anniversaries.

My parents are experienced cruisers, having taken their first cruise in 1973 on a ship that was an old converted military ship. They have been all over the world and know cruising well. My wife and I have also been to Europe and all over the Caribbean, so we would consider ourselves experienced cruisers.

Our staterooms were exactly as we have come to expect. Same layout, same design, same wonderful storage, same bathrooms, same balconies. There isn't much to say about them other than that Carnival does a better job than perhaps any other cruise line in terms of the design of the space. You may not care for the décor, but their is ample storage and plenty of room for two people in the cabin to be very comfortable, especially with the balcony. The A/C worked perfectly, and our room steward was truly extraordinary. My mother became ill on the ship and made a bit of mess in her room--the steward, I Made, cleaned it up with a smile on his face, doing all he could in his power to help my mom get over her embarrassment. Read more