First some background - my husband and I are in our mid 40s. This was our 14th cruise (2nd on Carnival, 2 on Celebrity, 10 on NCL). We booked this cruise because of the price and also because it left from Tampa. My husband was in Lakeland to see the Tigers at Spring training the week before (GO TIGERS!).

Monday we drove to Tampa and dropped off our car at the rental agency. From there we caught the Carnival bus to the pier (yes, I know a taxi is cheaper but my husband prefers the cruise line transport). We were the oldest people on the bus and that was without a doubt. We had unwittingly booked a Spring Break Cruise!

Embarkation was a breeze. We did have to wait for them to call Zones, but we were on the ship by noon with probably a half hour wait from being dropped off at the pier to boarding the ship. Read more