Carnival Sensation Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Before heading off on my first ever cruise, I did what I always do and read many reviews on the cruise. A lot people had negative reviews which had me a little nervous on whether I made the right decision. After embarking on the cruise I quickly realized I didn't. From the moment we stepped onto the ship and the moment we stepped off to say goodbye, we were in a positive environment. This made our time on the cruise very enjoyable and relaxing. We didn't see any shows but heard from several guest that they were a lot of fun. We really enjoyed the Serenity Deck (adults only) for relaxation. Our Cruise Director, Matt, was amazing and his energy made everyone joyful. We only ate in the dinner room on elegant night and it was ok. We felt the food in the Lido deck was a lot better. A cabin was just perfect. Not too big and not too small. We were only in there to sleep and get dressed so we weren't being picky about the cabin. Our steward was fantastic. Every morning he was close by to greet us personally, which made a huge difference. We looked forward to chatting with him about his family and his country (Indonesia). He was very positive about his job and never complained and was always smiling....even on embarkation day, which I know made him very busy.
I know this was my first cruise line but it definitely was enjoyable and I'd cruise again with Carnival in the near future.
Cabin Review
Ocean View
Having the window was excellent. We were able to wake up and see the weather outside every morning was easier to dress for the day. The cabin had enough space for the 2 of us. We simply placed our suitcases under the bed and hung up most of our clothes. Our room was cleaned twice a day, which made it so nice to leave in the morning and come back late afternoon to a clean room and then again a clean room after dinner.
Port Reviews
Miami
Port of Miami is a really nice Port and the staff is very friendly.
Ocho Rios
Absolutely loved Ocho Rios. The best part was shopping in the Craft Market. If you like to get deals, this is the place to go. I spent several hours here shopping and the people were so friendly with me. I felt safe walking around and browsed in almost every shop but mostly ended up chatting with the locals towards the end. The beach wasn't a big deal but I still walked out on it cause I didn't know if I'd ever get the change again.
Grand Cayman (Georgetown)
I am a Florida native, so this Port wasn't for me. As soon as you walk off the boat, you feel like you're at Disney with all the franchise places. The prices are very expensive to shop here, which was a bummer for me. However, 7-mile beach was the best part of this Port. The water was truly amazing. So clean and clear, and simply breathtaking. I wouldn't recommend taking the taxi's as soon as you get off the boat....walk a little farther down the road and get on the public transportation bus. It's cheaper and you are not sitting in a van waiting on the van to fill up. We sat at the Port in a van for 20 minutes until we decided to just walk. The cost of the taxi vans is $5US/person but the public transportation bus was only $2US/person. You won't find actually bus stops but listen out for vans honking and wave them down....they will stop and wait for you.