Embarkation - We rented a Jeep Liberty for $80/day from Budget at Orlando International Airport. It was quite convenient. We arrived at Port Canaveral at about 2pm. The embarkation peak was over so our embarkation was quite painless and not as crowded. We also carried most of our luggage on board by ourselves to avoid delay or loss. We were able to grab some food to eat at Red Sail Restaurant right before the 3:30pm cut off time.

Cabin - We had 2 cabins in the middle of the ship on the main deck (2nd deck, stateroom 2312 and 2378), an ocean view cabin for 3 and an inside cabin for 2. We were pleasantly surprised with the size of the ocean view cabin. There is plenty of storage space including two big drawers underneath one bed. The inside cabin is much smaller. All the beds were very comfortable. The main deck location was perfect for us as our dining room was on the 3rd deck, so it was very convenient for us to walk up a floor to dinner. Amber Palace, the main venue for all the shows, was also on the 3rd deck.

Food - We were assigned to the Japanese-themed Golden Restaurant for 6:15 pm dinner seating. Since we had 5 people in the family, we always ordered different appetizers, main dishes and desserts. I have tried probably >90% dishes on the Carnival menu. Since all ships use the SAME menu, I have a pretty good understanding of their food. I would rate Carnival food to be 8 of 10. Beef tends to be overdone. Considering that they have to serve 1000 passengers within 30 minutes, I can't blame them for such a minor imperfection. The best dishes I had were: lamb chops, duck breast and free range chicken. There were many choices for desserts and they were wonderful. The evening Sushi bar only makes Americanized Sushi including Sushi roll with cream cheese. No Sashimi was offered. The oriental deli makes Chinese food but only available during lunch hours. Do not try to ask the chef to fix something special for you as they had to stick to the headquarter approved menu which caters to the mass diners. The lido buffet is convenient and had many choices. We had most of our breakfast there. Go over there early to beat the crowd. I ate at the Platinum for breakfast twice. The menu was identical to the lido buffet except for a few items that were not available in the latter such as smoked salmon and tomato juice. You have to share tables with other passengers but it was a great way to mingle with fellow passengers and hear their story. It does, however, take longer time to dine there. Room service is another good choice. You can order whatever is offered. The food was delivered to our room promptly. Two friends went to the Supper Club for extra US$ 30 plus tip. Their impression was that the service was impeccable but the food was not significantly better. Read more