We love, love, love Carnival! This was my 8th Carnival cruise since 1996. I have never had a Carnival experience I didn't really like! So far it is my brand. I have also cruised with Royal Caribbean on the Oasis twice.

This particular Carnival sailing out of Long Beach just after Christmas did not disappoint. We began our adventure in Long Beach at the Hotel Maya near the port. We loved our stay there. We did not make it to the Queen Mary but I would have loved to have experienced a brunch there on Christmas Day had we planned far enough in advance. There was plenty to do in Long Beach. Movies, dining, malls nearby. I noticed the Laugh Factory and though it would have been great to catch a live comedy show while there. There is also an aquarium.

The cruise itself was everything I've come to know and love about the brand and exactly what I expected. Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze. Our cabin was quite spacious and clean. We were on the Upper Deck cabins 39 and 35. The crowd was definitely different than the southeastern crowd of folks out of Jacksonville and Charleston that we are used to. We love the fun but it was nice to be with more refined passengers who spent more, as did we, for this particular holiday sailing. The ship was exactly as we envisioned it. I for one, am not a huge fan of the larger ships. In my experience larger ships equal more people with the same amenities. Don't get me wrong I love the people, but the smaller ships have always been more fun for us. Read more