We are fresh off the ship from 5 wonderful nights on the Ecstasy. Our cabin was a tight squeeze for our family of 5, but it was manageable. Our cabin steward was wonderful. Fresh ice was always in the bucket, and we came home to a different precious towel animal every evening after dinner.

My 15 year old son and 7 year old daughter spent every minute they could in their respective Carnival Camp groups. My 13 year old son did not go to the ice breakers the first day, and by the time he got up his nerve to attend something, he felt left out. In the real world he is normally a very social kid. I would really encourage (force) (: your children to get involved in the very first activity on day one of the cruise. It makes a huge difference in how much fun they will have.

All 5 of us ate our dinner every night at the late seating in the Windsong dining room. The food was surprisingly good and we were treated like royalty by our waitstaff. I felt sorry for people who did not take the time to eat in the dining rooms. It was a bit of a hassle to have an assigned dining time, but a major part of the overall great experience.