We switched kinda last minute to this cruise after being cancelled from the RC Empress of the Seas which we were originally booked on. We were unable to change our travel dates so this worked out and we didn't have to change our plane tickets. This is the first Carnival cruise we have ever been on, been on quite a few RC cruises before.

We were offered a Junior Suite about a week before leaving for just $300 for the 3 of us (myself, wife, and 3 year old daughter) so we opted to go for it. This also allowed us to bypass the boarding lines and enter priority boarding which was very nice and well organized. We were on the ship well before the big crowds got on but our room was not ready for a couple hours which was ok.

The cabin was ok, a little smaller than I expected for being called a "suite" but the bed and pillows were very comfortable and the couch converted into a bed for our daughter. The room was clean, the bathroom fairly roomy. The balcony was very small...barely enough room for the 2 chairs and small table that were there. We've never opted for a balcony room before and probably won't in the future.....really didn't use it. The room location (V15) was very convenient and close to Camp Carnival which we used a couple hours each day. The staff there was very nice and our daughter enjoyed the time with other children her age and the crafts and activities they did. She enjoyed it and gave us an hour or two of alone time to explore the ship and enjoy some adult activities. Read more