The Sensation remains a great ship with a wonderful crew. This was the second time my wife and I had sailed aboard the Sensation and we had a great time. We drove to the port and dropped our bags around 11:00 am and proceeded to park the car in the large outdoor lot. Port Canaveral charges $60 for parking for the 4 day cruise. In the past we have taken advantage of the local hotels' offers for parking and shuttle service, but this time we knew we needed to get home quickly after the cruise so we paid to park at the pier. Check in was a breeze and we were on the ship before noon. As always, we were told that our cabin would not be ready until later. We discovered that our cabin was actually ready immediately so we dropped our things off at our cabin (U 81). This was the first time my wife had cruised without a balcony and I was curious about how she would like it. She liked the cabin but it will probably be the last time we sail without a balcony. An aside concerning balcony cabins: So many times people say that paying extra for a balcony is pointless because you spend very little time in your stateroom. I disagree. If you have only an inside cabin you will not spend much time there because it is isolated and dull—just a place to sleep really. With a balcony you will actually enjoy the cabin because you can see the ocean, and feel the breeze, even get some sun, right there on your balcony. I love to stand on the balcony and watch as we sail away from or into port and I like to relax with a fine cigar on the balcony while my wife gets dressed. In fact, the first time I sailed on the Sensation we were in cabin U 98, a suite with a balcony large enough for a small hammock. I actually slept in the hammock most nights. On our way to lunch we did some exploring of the ship and were pleased with the improvements that had been made since our last trip on the vessel 6 years ago. The colors seem to have been toned down a little and the coffee shop and internet areas were well arranged. Unfortunately not all of the changes were improvements. We did not like the fact that the hot and cool Jacuzzi baths have been removed from the fitness area (replaced by an aerobics room). The spa Jacuzzi area was one of the few places where unruly and poorly supervised children would not invade (because you had to go through either the men's or ladies' locker areas to get there). The lunch on the Lido deck was good, as was most of the food up there. Each day on the buffet they have a "Taste of Nations" theme. Do not miss the French food! It was the best buffet food I have had on a cruise ship. The sushi served near the casino on several evenings was much better than expected. The freshly baked cookies we ordered as an embarkation gift arrived to our cabin as ordered and were great! The food and service in the main dining room was excellent, as I have come to expect from Carnival. We have cruised many lines for many years and trust me Carnival has the best food, it's not even close. It's funny that such great food is served on the line with the low fares. Most of Carnival's patrons are very casual and may not fully appreciate the food and service in the main dining room, it's their loss. The ship went to Freeport and Nassau. We did not really care where it went; we just wanted to enjoy the life aboard ship for a few blessed days. We didn't even get off the ship at Freeport. At Nassau we walked to and up the Queen's staircase and later took a taxi to Atlantis. If you put some effort in and if you are adventurous, you can save about 75% of what the ship charges for most excursions. The entertainment was good. The production shows were fun and the comedian was funny. I like to play craps in the casino and the table was open often and usually lively. The stakes were low, $3-$5 minimums. My wife likes relaxing on deck and watching the games and events, which were well run and looked like fun. The cruise director was a British sounding guy who was less annoying than most of the CD's I have encountered. Make sure to go to the Captain's reception if you like good big band dance music and delicious hor'dourves. At the end of the cruise we put our one big bag in the hall the night before and were off the ship, through customs, and in our car by 9:00 am. Overall it was a great trip. I expect that I will cruise on the Sensation again soon.