To start off, I have cruised over 20 cruises in the Caribbean. Carnival has yet to figure out the Embarkation process. Their website has made improvements since 2007 when I last set sail with them, but their embarkation is still what I would call disorganized and shottie at best.

1)Website for Embarkation: Did the CEO's nephew that used to work at Staples part time design this website? Once you book your cruise and you establish a login, the website is clunky and looks like something that was designed by a college kid with a few hours of HTML experience. Probably one of the worst large corprate websites I've used! Didn't work well with Windows 7 64 bit either...had to switch computers to get my Adobe PDF document to even print. Then when it did print...it didn't print a "FUN PASS"...instead it printed a bunch of stuff all mixed together, like my cabin, and my excursions, and luggage tags...nice move with print your own luggage tags..I spent $2500 on a cruise and you can't mail me some REAL laugage tages...instead I have to learn origami with my laser printer....nice.

2)Embarkation Review: 1 STAR....Carnival calls ahead and asks me to be at the Port at 10:30AM...that's great. Okay, so I do show up with their paperwork that their Website printed...OH SIR...This isn't a "FUN PASS" Nice...Anyway I have my passports, laugage marked and everything the asked me to print. First problem...The credit card I used to sign up on the website, is NOT the card I've decided to use to bill my cabin too. SORRY SIR, that can't be changed until you're on the ship. Then I'm given a red paper that says ZONE 9 and asked to STAND, not sit in a group of 2000 people for 1.5 hours while they call Zone numbers to get us on board. Then finally, at 12:30 I'm on the ship (2 HOURS!) They then say, sorry, but your room won't be ready for another 1 hour. Carnival. This is just bad. Come on. It should take less then 20 minutes to get me checked in and on the boat. I was ready with my stuff...how come you were not? Read more