I am an experienced traveler with over 20 cruises under my belt with 6 different cruise companies. I chose this Carnival cruise because my son, his wife, and granddaughters live in Jacksonville, Florida and it was the easiest cruise to take.
The ship is a good size, which means not too big and not too small. Even though there were about 2000 passengers (about 800 kids since it was during summer vacation) it only felt crowded around the swimming pool. It is an older ship (1994) but refurbished and very clean. The crew was constantly cleaning throughout the cruise.
The food was excellent, my favorites were the brunch and afternoon tea during sea days. The service was outstanding. We had the 'anytime dining' option and only waited a few minutes once. The wait staff was very adept at having dinner flow smoothly, even though we would order several different appetizers, salads, and soups before the main course.
Small cabin but with a regular sized sofa, so ideal for 3 persons. The balcony was very small but we still enjoyed it.