DH and I decided to take a final vacation before we have baby number 4 (due in August). We have cruised before as a couple, but have never taken our other children. We previously sailed the Grand Princess and the Carnival Legend. This time we decided to take our two sons (ages 4 and 6). We chose the Carnival Imagination based on price ($950 for family of 4), length (4 nights) and it's reputation of being good for children.

THE SHIP: We found the decor to be tacky and outdated. It was not elegant in any way. Although the ship was clean there were many signs of wear and tear everywhere. The layout was fairly easy to navigate, although this ship was smaller than our previous two. The main pool was always way too busy so we never went there. The kids loved the splash pad and waterslides so we spent most of our time there. The lines weren't too bad for the slides and they were perfect size for all ages. The mini golf course was small but was a nice option. I liked that we didn't have to walk through the casino to get to everything like we had to on other ships. I was able to avoid that smokey area nearly my whole cruise which was nice.

THE CABIN: This was our first time not having a balcony. We chose an oceanview based on price and the lack of availability of balconies on the Imagination. We missed having a balcony and would prefer one next time. We would like the balcony for the fresh air, the extra space and to have a place to sit and enjoy a drink, read a book, play a board game, etc. while the kids are in bed. In an oceanview cabin we were right there with our kids the whole time and basically just went to bed when they did. The cabin itself, although somewhat small, was fine. It was clean and had lots of storage space. The beds were very comfortable and I was impressed with the pullman beds for the kids (although the safety railing should've been a few inches longer). Our cabin steward did a good job, although he wasn't as good at sneaking in and cleaning our room while we're out as I'm used to. It took him a few nights to realize that we dine early and put our kids to bed relatively early. Read more