We arrived at the dock at 2:30pm. Everything went smoothly with check-in and we boarded the boat approx. 20 min. after we had arrived. My Mom was attending a conference on the ship and I was sailing with her to burn my vacation days & because I can't let another family member cruise without me!!

First, upon boarding the ship, we went to check out our home away from home, our stateroom!! It was located on the Upper Deck toward the back of the ship. The room was typical size and set up with 2 twin sized beds. I have sailed with Carnival 1 time in the past and noticed their upgrade on the bedding and TV. That was a nice surprise!! My only complaint about our room was that the window was dirty. Do they not wash the windows - ever? Extremely cloudy with large rust stains.

We then proceeded to the Lido deck for lunch. The Panoramic Cafe is where they serve all of their buffet-style meals. The food was definitely nothing to write home about. Out of all the food that was provided during that lunch serving, I thought the bread stick was the best. No, it wasn't a homemade breadstick, just a breadstick that you could find at your local Kroger. I ended up pushing my food away and went to get a small plate of breadsticks. This was not a good sign! Food in this cafe was sub-par during the entire trip. My Mom & I just stuck w/ the burgers & hotdogs that were served near the pool every day. However, no one wants to go on a cruise and eat burgers all day! You paid hard-earned money for your vacation and you want the fine-dining that is advertised. Read more