This was my second cruise, and by far the more exotic. The main focus for us was the incredible itinerary, so it was surprising how noisy and drunk the passengers seemed to be. A large number rarely got off the boat, which amazed me, but we found that many of the passengers had taken the exact (or similar) cruise several times before.

The ship seemed a little gaudy with expanses of emerald green glass and half-naked mermaids everywhere. The art was what my mother would call "questionable," although honestly, it was not an entirely unattractive ship. It was also very clean and orderly.

The food was mostly delicious. I especially enjoyed the chilled soups and the desserts. Service in the dining room was fantastic, and it was obvious they made an effort to make sure we had a good time. The buffet restaurants on Carnival ships apparently aren't as good, but this one was serviceable, and there was something of a hidden, uncrowded area with a great view where passengers could get hot dogs or hamburgers. Read more