This was our 9th cruise, all on various Carnival ships. We had 23 in our party, Eddie & The Cruisers, this time. My in-laws, in their 80s, went and were a bit overwhelmed by the size of the ship. They prefer a more intimate setting. The rest of the group, from 8 to 65 enjoyed everything.
Embarkation was a breeze. We arrived at the terminal about 10 a.m., checked in and were put in the holding pen for about an hour and then on board. Debarkation was just as simple. We had a leisurely breakfast and then waited for an announcement that it wasn't crowded. We were off the ship and in a taxi in about 1/2 hour. We had an inside cabin on deck 8. We like the inside if we aren't going someplace with a view such as Alaska or trans-canal, since we sleep much better. These cabin layouts are far superior to the smaller and older Carnival ships we have sailed in the past. There was a glitch when we first boarded with the interactive TV, ordering shore excursions, but it was soon remedied.
Food service in the dining room, ours was Washington late seating, was very good. The quality and variety of food has increased dramatically since our first Carnival cruise on the Holiday 15 years ago. We shared a table with some friends in the Scarlett's supper club, good food, extremely attentive service, great desserts. Try the lobster, it's great! The Lido deck dining option is far superior to other smaller ships, more than four buffet lines plus a deli, a stir fry, burgers and dogs, pizza, fish and chips and ice cream. The buffet lines at Rosies are a bit long, but they seemed to progress quickly.