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We sailed on the Carnival Pride from Baltimore to Bermuda on October 2, 2011. I have to say that Carnival wasnt my first choice but the extra 2 days for about the same price as Royal Caribbeans similar cruise (5 days) was very appealing. Cruising directly from our hometown was an added bonus. The Pride exceeded our expectations in nearly every way.
Embarkation was quick, easy and efficient. Debarkation was the same. We were on the ship within minutes of arriving at the port.
The common areas were large and well decorated (atrium, lounges, bars) and there were always lounge chairs available on the outside decks. It was a little difficult sometimes to get a chair in the adults only area at the back of the ship but since we sailed in October most of the passengers were adults.
The staff-members throughout the ship were friendly and the service was excellent. Our cabin was kept impeccably clean during the 7 days onboard. The cabin was a very comfortable size with more storage space than I have had on any of the other 9 cruises Ive taken! I think the best-kept secret on this ship is the category 4K cabins. They are priced as inside cabins but are behind the lifeboats and have floor to ceiling French doors. You have daylight with an obstructed view (very obstructed in most of the rooms unless youre able to get a room in between the lifeboats, which we did!) You can see these rooms on the deck plan. Two of them are 4140 and 4148.
There were nightly shows of exceptionally high quality, in fact I can honestly say the shows were the best Ive seen on any of the lines on which Ive cruised (Princess, Royal Caribbean, NCL, Holland America).
Food was good, though not exceptional. There werent as many choices in the main dining room as Ive seen on other ships. The Mermaid Grille buffet was excellent and always had a wide variety of choices. This location was a wonderful option for breakfast and lunch, especially on days in port. We were always able to find a table with a view.
We didnt take any tours offered by the ship. I prefer to arrange tours with local companies on my own and often find that they are more reasonable priced and you get to see more.
The activities on board were varied and plentiful and were the same as youd have on any ship. Carnival could improve the prize for contests. The plastic ship on a stick became a good-natured joke. One activity we did attend that was interesting was a discussion with some staff members about what life onboard was like.
Id say the only real disappointment was the library, which was small and didnt have much of a variety of things to read. Magazines and newspapers would be a nice addition.
On the whole, I would highly recommend this cruise to anyone in the mid-Atlantic who would like to visit Bermuda, especially people in the
Baltimore/Washington area. Bermuda is one place I keep going back to and am never disappointed by its beauty,friendly people and high quality of life. You wont be disappointed either.
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