We finally have run out of grandchildren to take on cruises so we can say goodbye to Carnival Cruises for a while. It's not that we have anything against Carnival Cruises except that they have at times too many unsupervised children running around loose. And it's not we have anything against children except that they act like children. Now, we can pick and choose those cruises that go while school is in session.
Our cruise started with the short drive from Tampa to Miami in our one day rental minivan. With parking at the Miami port running $20 per day, I found it easier and cheaper to rent a van on www.priceline.com than to drive and park. I let the wife and girls out at the port and returned the van to the rental car agency with no problems. If you decide to rent a car to drive to the port be sure to get one that offers a free shuttle to the cruise port. Alamo does just that.
Embarkation was a breeze. Less than fifteen minutes after I rejoined the family, we were aboard the Victory and looking for the buffet line. Carnival always has good food and this cruise was no exception. During the entire cruise, we had excellent food and great service. The pizza and ice cream that was always available added to our enjoyment and weight. While I usually have no problem with overeating on a cruise, I returned from this one about four pounds heavier.