First off we have cruised many times including many on Carnival (CCL). CCL is and always has been a discount cruise line. It's the WalMart of cruising. This is not a complaint since the majority of us are WalMart shoppers. That said, CCL always provided a good product at a good price. However, the last 3 cruises we have taken on CCL since 2009, overall have been a disappointment. This last cruise we went because we had a large group of friends going so we joined them. I'll break the cruise down by sections:

customer service

NON-EXISTENT-we had friends coming in from Canada, who because of weather were delayed. They missed the sailing from Port Canaveral along with 23 others. They booked ALL directly through CCL and had travel insurance. Now the ship was scheduled to sail at 4:00 and did so. Our friends along with 23 others landed in Melbourne at 4:04. Since CCL made all the flights they should have known the status of the flight and that it was en route. CCL agents had left Melbourne 45 minutes earlier. It is only 30 minutes from Melbourne to Port Canaveral. CCL could easily have held the ship. I've seen them do it before many times. Our first day sailing was at sea so the time cound easily be made up. Anyway when our friends called CCL, they were essentially told you're on your own. Get your own hotel, find your own flights to catch the ship, all at their OWN expense. CCL offered NO assistance. ONLY through angry persistence were they able to get CCL to help them with flights, hotel and get them to Cozumel to meet the ship. And they had travel insurance and CCL did all the bookings. The CCL agent that they booked through would not accept their calls even though she was available. Of course nobody can control the weather. That is understandable. But for the things CCL could control it dropped the ball. Read more