Background - My husband and I are in our late 20s. This is our 2nd cruise (our 1st cruise was with the Carnival Glory in Feb 07). We picked this cruise for its itinerary and the pricing.

Embarkation - There were quite a few ships in port that day. I don't think we used the normal terminal. This terminal was pretty crappy and felt like a 'warehouse'. The line was quite long and it was raining. one of the metal detectors malfunctioned, slowing down the line even more. Some people had their luggage sitting out in their rain since there wasn't enough sheltered space and they couldn't get it all loaded quickly enough.

Food - The food was decent and got better throughout the cruise. There was always a variety of choices on the menu. We did anytime dining but booked a fix table for two. Service was alright, but I wish we got more personal attention. I like to have hot tea with my meal, and I had to keep asking for it. I don't think the junior waiter smartened up to bring me tea automatically until at least the 4th or 5th night. Had to wait a while to be served since everyone was at different stages of their meal and the waiter had to attend to everyone in turn. I can only compare with our previous cruise on the Carnival Glory, and we much preferred the food and service on that ship. The buffet food was quite greasy and I wasn't a fan. Breakfast at the buffet was the SAME stuff every day, and got boring quite quickly. I much preferred the dining room. Read more