This was the first time on Carnival for both of us. I have to say it was quite enjoyable. Getting to the port and getting on the ship were both easy. Within 10 minutes of parking the car, we were onboard. Must faster than we expected.
We had a vista suite that had plenty of room and storage. The large balcony was a huge plus. Our room steward Andi always greeted us and made sure we were comfortable. We took a cooler with us for some extra beverages and he made sure to keep it filled with ice each morning and evening. I do recommend bringing a fan. Even on the lowest temperature setting, our room was constantly warm. Once turned on, we never turned the fan off.
I will say that one of the downfalls was the Lido Buffet. We tried breakfast and lunch there both only once. The food was subpar at best and the crowds and lines were horrible to deal with. After these two attempts, we had the rest of our meals in the dining room. The food and the service were much better. We had our time dining which worked well for us. Twice we had to wait for dinner and were given a beeper, but the wait wasn't terrible. Guy's Burgers were amazing and I suggest getting the plain and building your own with the toppings bar. Ask for extra cheese to make it even yummier. We ate at David's one night and I have to say my meal was wonderful! I highly recommend the escargot. Probably one of the best things I ate the whole trip. My fiancé on the other hand was disappointed that he ordered a medium steak and received an almost beyond rare one. The chef did come out and personally apologize which was a nice touch and they even took his meal off of the bill. Despite this, I would still go back to David's.
Very spacious and the extended balcony was well worth the additional money. I also have to say it was nice to have 2 TV's. A definite plus.