I was VERY worried after booking our cruise. I read many scathing reviews of Carnival Miracle. Prior to departing my mother-in-law (a seasoned cruiser) told me "you will only have as much fun as you want to have." Truer words were never spoken. I saw people on the ship complaining about ridiculous things. The truth is that it wasn't 100% perfect, but it was absolutely amazing. It was worth every penny and we are already planning our next Carnival vacation. We had ages ranging from 2-35 and a group of 8 people. We all had a great time. There was truly something for everyone. The food was great. There were a couple of dishes in the whole 7 days that I didn't like. If you starve on this trip (as some have claimed) you are too picky! My 2 year old is THE pickiest eater on the planet, and he never went hungry. They really cater to every taste. If you don't like what's for dinner in the formal dining room than check out one of the many buffets! The buffet and main dining room were outstanding. The service was incredible. Our room steward, Gusti, did a fantastic job. I also would highly recommend checking out the shows in the Phantom Theater. They were the highlights of most of our evenings. We also enjoyed the trivia, deck dance party, fun shops, pools/hot tubs, and mini golf. If you can afford it, a room with a private balcony is really worth the money you'll spend.
If you can afford a room with a balcony, I would highly recommend it. It was worth the extra money. Also we were on Deck 5 I think. It was helpful to be lower in the ship on days/nights when it was rocky.