We liked this cruise very much. We booked online - it was $100 less pp because we lived of residency. We flew in from FLL at 11:30 am. Our flight was a little late but we were still fine. We did ground transportation with Easy Express. We had to wait awhile for them to pick us up. When we arrived, we ate lunch on floor 9. Our cabin was on floor 1 forward. It was overall quiet without too much rock. The interior was an adequate way to cruise. People told us we HAD to get a balcony - we were fine without. There is a TV station to look at the ocean - we muted it and made it our "alarm clock" to wake up at dawn. The dining room had the best food and it was exceptional. We really enjoyed our dinner companions. Carnival did a good job pairing us up with people our age. (Speaking of ages, there was a very good mix of ages on board, but not so many children our week) We enjoyed eggs benedict, lobster, pumpkin soup, and all the fish entrees. If you waiter says it is spicy, don't listen. All the food is mild to appeal to the masses. (except for some on the food at the Oriental counter) Some people didn't like the ceaser salads with anchovies. We took snacks on our excursions and are glad because most tours didn't feed us. We enjoyed this trip without charging anything to our sign and sail account except tips and 2 of our excursions. We had to be disciplined to drink lemonade, tea, and coffee but it really wasn't that hard. We brought a little soda on board in case we had some cravings. We took our own pictures and did the free activities. If you need to cut costs, don't cut tips. The staff is amazing and works very hard and are on call 24 hours a day for months at a time. The evening shows in the Ivanhoe theater were good. We liked them all, but the magician was a little hokey. We had late dinner seating and so our shows were 10:30-11:30. The gym was small for the number of guests. Go to the gym before 9 am or during the opposite dinner time. It was particularly crowded on days at sea. Skip the weight loss talks in the gym - a real waste of time. The ship didn't provide conditioner nor lotion, so bring your own. Bring a nalgene bottle for excursions and fill it up at Rosies buffet (bottled water is $4 on board). Bring a clock for your room and a power strip because there is only one outlet. Bring ziplock baggies if you want to take snacks on land. Comfortable backpacks are a must if walking around a city. We knew many people to bring snorkel gear and make their own tour for free. Febreze is a must if you plan on getting wet. Ocean water such stinks! You don't need beach towels, hair dryer, shampoo, or body wash. Carnival provides those things.