We had saved for this cruise for a long time. It wa our 3rd cruise but the first with our young children. We purchased the Faster to the Fun pass which supposedly sent us to a shorter embarkation line and our room and luggage were supposed to be ready and delivered when we boarded. The check in line was long but not 2hrs so I think we probably made out ok there. Our room was ready but it took a little more time to get our luggage, but still within reason.
Because it had been 8 years since our last cruise I was VERY excited to be there and did not think anything could kill my high but I was wrong. On our first day at sea we grabbed our blue towels from the room and hit the (ice cold) pool. While in the pool with our children, someone walked off with our towels. Not thinking much of it, I went to report it to the pool towel guy, David. I was dumbfounded by his arrogant response. He told me that the towels were my responsibility and that since we lost them I would have to be charged $22/pc for them. I assured him that we did not throw them overboard, that someone had probably just grabbed and used them but he insisted that we should have kept our eyes on the towels. At one point I thought to myself, "this guys is joking with me right?" He wasn't. As a parent, all I heard was "Carnival towels are more important than the safety of your children in the pool."
After that, my euphoric "cruise goggles" came off and every flaw was annoyingly apparent.
We had a cabin with a great view on deck 1. It was spacious and comfortable for the most part excluding the bottom bunk which was the sitting couch with a sheet thrown over it (expected but uncomfortable none the less). Our room steward Michael was very friendly, thorough and great with the kids.
I stayed at the terminal and back on the ship with our youngest while my husband and oldest son adventured into town on foot. They had fun and looking at the photos, its good to see it doesn't all look like the area the ship was docked.
We did a glass bottom boat just off the tender dock. We bargained and got it for half price but later learned that if we had walked down further we could have gotten a better deal. Not a bad time in Cabo though.