BACKGROUND -- This is my 5th cruise with Carnival (3rd for hubby) and once again we were not disappointed. I have never cruised on this ship, but have done trips on sister ships Fantasy, Sensation and Fascination so I am pretty familiar with the layout and like the short itinerary -- as busy parents of 4 kids, getting a long weekend off is hard enough! We arrived in Tampa the night before the ship sailed and stayed at the Embassy Suites Hilton downtown thanks to HHonors points my hubby accumulates through his work travel. We took a cab from the airport for a preset fee of $22. which was very easy and relatively quick considering we got to the airport right at rush hour. The hotel was a "typical" Embassy suites and very busy with a few conventions going on. I will say that the deli-style restaurant is something I have never experienced at an Embassy, but the food was FABULOUS!! In the morning before we left for the port we could see the ship from the elevator!!

EMBARKATION: We took a taxi for $10 to the port (about 2 minutes away but much easier than walking!) at 10:30 and were seated in the waiting area in about 5 minutes. Check-in was a breeze and we were called to board the ship at exactly 11:30!! By 11:45 we were seated on the lido deck with a drink in hand and food on our plates!! Our room was ready right at 1:30 when we were told it would be done.

ROOM: We booked an oceanview room on Empress deck near the back of the ship. Normally we have always tried to be midship and my hubby was worried about being right underneath the Carnivale dining room, but it was the BEST spot. One floor up to dinner and 3 floors up went straight in to the Brasserie restaurant. Couldn't have been easier. We never experienced any noise or problem being right under the dining room. Our room steward wasn't great but wasn't awful either I guess. He never introduced himself and he was either in our room when we returned or knocked on the door while we were there several times. We didn't have a towel animal the first night and on the last we had the same dog we had on night number 2. Oh well. The room was cleaned up ok too, but nothing like I have experienced in the past-- several times half empty glasses stayed where they were instead of at least being dumped.... Oh well. NOt really complaining -- I still didn't have to CLEAN or make beds. Just an observation based on past experience. Read more