General:The Carnival Ecstasy is a smaller ship running 4 and 5 day cruises and thus is rather inexpensive. Your shipmates are the types where cruise cost is the main factor, so you'll be on the ship with some very loud, ethic diverse and first timers. If you're looking for peace and quiet...look elsewhere.Arrival /Depart: The Galveston Cruise pier is very small so expect alot of traffic with people trying to unload baggage. Once inside you'll line-up for security and again to check-in. Both lines go fast so don't get in a hurry.Departure is painless if you use a porter to handle your bags. They'll get you through "imigration" faster.The renovations make it a very comfortable ship, but they still allow indoor smoking.I was pleased to note that they now only have a safety briefing without the lifeboat drill. The ship offers a Serenity Deck but those ethic diverse people made all the other users mad that were looking for "Serenity" (as offered in the Carnival literature). It amazes me that Carnival doesn't do something about that. Room (Window, empress deck): Very nice, clean and comfortable. Be sure and take your "room spray" and Lysol wipes.Food: The Dining room was great. Food and service were both good. The Buffet was packed (lines) with kids and those ethic diverse people I spoke of earlier There are no specialty restaurants on the Ecstasy.Sushi at 5:00 on the Promenade deck. Long lines so wait till 5:30 or 6.Casino: Ecstasy offers all the table games. They use a "master scuffle machine" for blackjack, so bet straight only and don't escalate. Craps and roulette are offered and would seem the better play although they don't pay the correct odds on many exotic bets. Slots are probably set at about a 60% return so stay clear ( LV 90+).Entertainment: The "piano man" got sick in Cozumel and they put him off the ship. So no Piano Bar. Lots of bands and music elsewhere.