We arrived at the port in Long Beach around 12:45pm and it was the perfect time, as there were no lines to get in and we were directed to an open window to check in right away. The employees in the check in area were friendly and helpful and our check in took about 5 minutes at the most. We had photos taken before we got on board and walked onto the Paradise with no line ahead of us. We went to the Lido deck to relax for a bit before going to our room, which was to be available at 1:30pm. I bought a soda sticker and Carnival mug for my 8 year old daughter. If I had it to do again, I probably would not have bought the soda; we brought 2 12 packs on board with us and didn't even use 1 of them. We had no trouble bringing this, as well as a bottle of wine with us.

We had an interior room on the Main deck. The room was surprisingly large for what I was expecting, and the bathroom was bigger than I remember the bathrooms being. My 8 year old slept in a pull down bed and loved it.

We ate dinner that night, and the next two nights in the Destiny dining room. Our waiter and his assistant were outstanding. Both made a great effort to remember our names and our preferences for meals. The food was outstanding. We also had meals in the Paris Restaurant and at the Pizzeria. Read more