Carnival Sensation Review
Rating by category
Additional details
This was our second cruise as a couple. The point of it was to break up our winter. We wanted to get somewhere it was sunny and warm. We didn't much care where the cruise was going so long as it was warm. We got a good deal on the price for an inside cabin.
The ship itself seemed to be in good condition. Nothing looked shabby though some of the decor seemed a little dated. I'm not completely sure about that, though, I'm not really one for design. We spent one late morning at the pool (when the ship was in port), and a lot of time in the adults-only Serenity area. Everything was well-maintained and clean. The staff were universally friendly, though some were warmer than others.
We used carry-on luggage, and arrived about two hours prior to the ship leaving. Getting through security and onto the ship was a breeze. No significant lines at all. Maybe twenty minutes total from leaving our cab to being in our cabin. Likewise, we did the self-assist disembarkation and it was also a breeze (though a longer line, but it moved pretty smoothly).
Cabin Review
Interior
The was on the small side (two twin beds pushed together, that was fine), but that didn't stop us from napping there midday every day. It was plenty comfortable for our needs.
The plumbing was superb and the water pressure was excellent. The temperature control on the shower bugged me a little but only because I prefer my showers just a tiny bit hotter. Still, having had the sink on full hot I can understand why they had the control on the shower. We had enough room for all our clothes for a four night cruise. We pack light on purpose, but we didn't come close to using up all the room in the wardrobes.
The steward was friendly and made a point of learning our names. We didn't make many demands on his attention, though. We're pretty self-sufficient. The one thing we asked for (more towels) was promptly provided.
Port Reviews
Port Canaveral (Orlando)
There was some difficulty with the taxi finding the right way to go in, and it cost us $2.50 we didn't expect, but the port itself was fine. If we go out of here again, we'll definitely be booking the shuttle through Carnival. We did that on the way back out and it was perfectly easy and less expensive.
Freeport
We just walked around the shopping area a bit. There was a band in the gazebo, then a DJ. Not a lot of folks shopping. There wasn't much of anything we were interested in buying. Seemed like most of the shops had the same sorts of mass-produced stuff. I didn't really see much that looked actually local. The shop keepers were pleasant and not pushy, which I appreciated a lot. Several tried to be helpful but often their sizes didn't run large enough.