This was our first Carnival cruise. After all the bad press Carnival has received over the past few years we really weren't sure what to expect. Let me begin by saying the embarkation was stress-free and by far the smoothest we have ever experienced. We had an inside spa cabin, our first inside cabin ever. We were impressed by the amount of space, and the size of the bathroom. We've been in cabins with very little floor space, but we never got in each others way as we moved around. We left the TV turned on to the ship's view channel so we could see what the weather was like outside, and to tell the time of day. During the night the screen was black but as the sun came up that light came into the room.

We took advantage of the spa privileges that came with the room, and really did not attend any of the shows, so cannot comment on the entertainment. We like the Any Time Dining option and ate most of our meals in the Sunrise Dining Room. Food and service were very good. We loved the Serenity decks for adults as we could escape the crowds on the main pool deck.

We booked a shore excursion with Iguana Mama in Amber Cove rather than a Carnival excursion. We would highly recommend using the Iguana Mama website for tours in Amber Cove. Read more