We are veteran RCCL cruisers; a married couple in our fifties. This was our first cruise with Carnival. First, the high points...
Embarkation was quite simple, one of the quickest I've experienced. Since this trip is short, my husband and I had only one bag each, so we were urged to "self-assist" instead of checking our bags with Carnival. This turned out to be a great idea at embarkation, but no help at all at disembarkation. More on disembarkation later.
The ship itself was good-sized without being overwhelming. The rooms were spacious, but the walls seemed thin - I could hear the TV clearly in the next cabin. Providing useful little amenities (toothpaste, razors) was a nice touch.