We chose this cruise because it appeared to be affordable and we had 25 people going. It was a disaster from the get go. I can’t blame anything on our cabin stewards. They went above and beyond to help us out. Dining in the celebration dining room was great. Entertaining and a decent selection. They do NOT update menus online so do not rely on the app to be correct. I guess they look at what you spend to determine how to treat you. We booked the Cat In The Hat Breakfast as soon as we got on board. We were told to be at the 8:30. When we arrived we were told we were bumped to 9:45 because of overbooking. So we had two upset kids that we had to pacify for an hour. I will say the breakfast was worth the wait. I wouldn’t recommend Carnival or this ship for families. This would be a great party ship but the activities are not what I expected. Camp for the kids was basically 20 kids in a room with a play kitchen. My grandson hated it and didn’t want to go back. We had a handicapped room because my husband has hip and knee issues and needed it. The cabin was beside the service elevator so it was extremely LOUD all night. We were woken up at 2am nightly by crew singing in the service area. We also had a fire on the ship which caused a bit of drama. People wanted to get to their kids and couldn’t. I am sure carnival will hear more from them. Read Less

5 hours from Mobile so we drove down. Getting on and off the boat simple and easy in Mobile. It’s a nice big port with $70/5 day parking. Get a better ship in there it would be worth it. We chose this cruise because we wanted to take our 4 boys (10 to 17) and it was cheapest we found. The boys thought it was awesome, and for them it was, my wife and I not so much. But before I go further I do want to say that everyone was super nice and friendly. It was my first cruise and if it wasn’t for people I know that wouldn’t lie to me it would be my last. It was like staying in a musty ran down motel with excellent room service (if that makes sense), the king size bed was so uncomfortable that I was ready to take the frame out in the hall and lay the mattress on the floor. We paid for extra for an ocean view which landed us at the main back of the noisy ship but that was a WASTE because the window had not been cleaned in so long that you couldn’t be 100ft past the back of the ship. The food was ok the best was Guy Fieri burgers and the Blue Iguana was great. We ate lunch there and dined at ships restaurant it was ok fancy food cooked up and served with a smile but lacked variety and flavor I thought. And believe me I tried everything 6 people 4 being teenage boys can put some food away and I tried everything that we ordered. The entertainment was ok I enjoyed name that song, the live music at the bar and marriage game was halirious. Kevin wasss ssso over the top but he wassss funny I thought (If you know him you’ll get that). The shows were ok except for the Country Roads show it was terrible I thought. The ports were ok, Progreso that shops were in your face almost. Cozumel the boys swam with the nurse sharks and stingrays they had fun but they had never done anything like that but it’s was like a petting zoo in the ocean where you can touch it if your fast enough to corner it. I’ve found out that I just can’t afford to take 6 ppl on a cruise. I’ll find a resort, condo, time share or something else because the 5 days on the boat with the excursion was over 6K. I just read over this... Lol I sound like a hateful old man but one of the easiest going guys I know. I just excepted more and better Read Less

2nd time on the Victory / this time sailing with daughter and granddaughter. Food was adequate, entertainment top notch, and staff very friendly, Alcoholic drinks get pricier on nearly ever ship. We love the ports of Cozumel and Key West. Shuttles from Truman Annex easily accommodated my wife on her mobility scooter. Exciting Cruise Director Filipe! Ship ran ontime. Very long lines at the Lido Buffet. Not gourmet food but lots of selections to choose from. Dining room experience much more pleasant. Food is good quality and wine selections very good but pricey. Excellent service at all meals. Living in America and VRoom were fantastic productions with live band. Dancers and costumes very good. Female singer well tuned. Male singer a little flat but OK. Typical jamb of stairwells and elevators for port debark. We were stuck at the elevators servicing the Pacific Dining Rm for breakfast. My wife needed elevator since she was on a mobility scooter. None of the elevators could qued. Read Less

I was really impressed with the cruise ship Valor. It was clean, food was the best I have had on a cruise in a long time, the wait staff were prompt, courteous, could communicate very well, food in mdr was always very good, steak house was excellent, my room was very clean, the porter made sure I had 2 ice buckets filled, the casino staff were exceptional always coming up to me to see if I was having a good time, Casino even paid off some, the bar staff were very prompt getting drinks out. Being handicapped, the ships staff were always making sure I was ok. This was the fifth cruise I was on this year. I have never been on the Valor before. I will definitely book more cruises on her. I did not get off the ship in any ports because of being handicapped. Carnival always takes care of me. The only type of vacation I like. I have several more cruises booked with Carnival b Read Less

We choose a quick getaway and it was affordable. It was by far the worst cruise line we have ever sailed with. Food was terrible, cold, long lines, they even burned a hot dog. They also ran out of differfent dishes at the buffet. Room service coffee was cold. And NO ADA accommodations for those who need it. The fancy dining room was a joke and no management around. The pork chop was so tough, it almost went flying off the plate as I tried to cut it. What was good, was our cabin steward, he was wonderful, knew us by name and cared. The others don’t care. We tried to call customer service and guess what, no direct dial to customer service. It was such a disappointment. Spa, we used the spa for a couples massage, don’t do it, there’s no zen, you hear slamming doors and very noisy. Not to mention we were misquoted on the prices. They are not honest on their pricing and then you get the bill and they deny what they told you. I will certainly be contacting Carnival corporate. Stay far away from this ship. Read Less

I have been on two carnival cruises in past eight months/spent around 15k on tickets and onboard services. The service and organization on cruise to Alaska in August outweighed high pressure sales at spa/jewelry store/art gallery. The mediocre service/lack of organization on cruise out of Galveston over spring break, 2019, along with the high pressure sales that bordered on deceptive trade practices make it highly unlikely I’ll cruise with Carnival again. At an appointment at spa for massage I inquired about a facial. They reported an opening at 8:00 a.m. the following day. I said I’d think about it and let them know, and the girl said “We’ll keep it open for you!” When I called later that day to let them know I did not want the facial because my young daughter was seriously sea sick and throwing up, they reported that they would still charge my credit card due to failure to cancel (I never “booked”) w/i 24 hrs. At the art gallery I expressed interest in a piece. They were very insistent that I purchase right then and there. I left saying I’d think about. I got a call two days later asking about the art I “purchased.” When I said I never purchased, they preceded to tell me I had “reserved” the piece and was obligated to buy. Only when I asked them to show me what I had signed indicating I was reserving or buying, did they relent. Also, they were very unaccomofating fir my 80 yr old family member I had with me. They refused to allow me to take the elevator with her when boarding, and it took me an hour to find her after. Upon disembarking, they said she had to wait in the same line with everyone else, which took 45 minutes (she can barely stand with a walker. Carnival, I’m very disappointed and encourage all reading to reconsider cruising with them! Read Less

My family and I went on a carnival cruise. (freedom) We didn't like the high pressure sales, the fact that how whenever you would buy a drink the tip would already be added on (I noticed on the 3rd day of the cruise), we had tons of money charged to my moms credit card. There was already a tip of 70 plus dollars for our "team" on the cruise. There was ONE person who made my experience on the Carnival Freedom amazing. She is a playlist performer on the carnival freedom and other carnival ships. Her name is Victoria and she always said "hey" and would wave at me whenever she would see me. If you go on the Carnival Freedom be aware it is a party ship. Not made for older couples or family with newborns. If you go on a cruise from Galveston be prepared for long waits and being split up from your family. My aunt is disabled and they split us up when getting on the ship. On the way back we made sure we didn't get split up. The only reason we didn't get split up on the way back was because my mom made sure they knew we would not be split up. We told the lady we would not have it any other way. They also had LGBTQ mixers almost every night along with singles mixers. Read Less

Vista Cruise special notes: - pay for “faster to the fun” or get priority boarding if you hate lines - Try the Pig and Anchor BBQ or Taste Bar on 5 Midship for no-wait lunch after boarding, since they don’t appear on most deck maps - Don’t try to get in the aft Havana pool or hot tubs unless you have a Havana cabin (or it’s after 7 pm) - Gift cards from the spa are restricted - can’t use for thermal suite - Get tickets for Imax at a kiosk on deck 6 forward (there’s a senior discount for 55+!) - The Dive-in theatre (free) and IMAX (Fee) show new movies - very worthwhile. Free popcorn - Two of the speciality pay restaurants are FREE for lunch under different names: JiJi’s->Mongolian BBQ, while Cucina del Capitano->Pasta Bella (both are excellent!) - The taste bar is only open during boarding and on sea days but is worth a try - Aft cabins with the extended balcony are GREAT if you like sitting outside privately (be aware - the deck 9 aft cabins have an overhand that precludes most sunbathing) - SkyRide and Ropes require close-toed shoes - Ropes course is easier if you hold on to the safety harness as high up as possible - “Anytime dining” actually means “request table at the kiosk or via the Hub App, then wait from 5 to 90 minutes” - “Pancho’s Backyard” at Puerto Maya cruise terminal in Cozumel is a great place for a margarita and chips (and guacamole!) - Room power outlet includes usb charging ports - Dock pharmacy in Belize is less crowded than the one in Cozumel but prices seem comparable - You can make specialty restaurant reservations months in advance via the carnival website cruise manager - Pay-per-view movies in rooms are only $5 for new movies and lots of free older titles - You can bring your own food & drinks into the Imax theatre - SkyRide line moves very slowly; good to go at off times - Pre-paid value plan is a good deal for internet. Some streaming is supported—e.g., YouTube - Carnival hub app is buggy and unreliable it necessary 3/3/19 Sunday boarding We drove to Galveston this morning. It was a bit rainy but traffic was fine. Mardi Gras is in full swing so traffic was a little bad near the cruise terminal. Shawn dropped me off at the cruise terminal and went and parked at EZ cruise park then walk back. As soon as he got back we were able to board. Boarding was extremely simple and very fast since I’m a platinum member. After checking our passports and entry documents we were ushered right through to security then up and onto the ship. Unfortunately, cabins were not ready. Shawn found a hot tub working on the Havana deck. I met him and we went to the promenade where we grabbed a snack at the Pig and Anchor - great BBQ but it’s not listed on any of the maps - find it midship on Promenade (deck 5). There was no line at all – everyone was up on Lido on 10 in lines that were long. We went to the aft section of the Havana area and tried to get in the hot tub, but were told by a crewman that only Havana cabin guess could use that hot tub. We then went to the ocean view lounge and the taste bar midship near the elevators. It was lovely and there were no lines and there were a number of different interesting foods to try. Everything was very very tasty. At 1:30, we were able to get into our cabin number 9470 aft extended balcony. It is a lovely cabin, but I should note that because of an overhang from the Lido deck it will not be good for sunning or sunbathing. One of our bags was delivered early and the other an hour later. We partially unpacked. We realized we were seated for dinner in the midship restaurant (despite our cabin being as far aft as possible) so we need to try to change that. First, we made our way to the deck 3 aft restaurant, Horizons Dining Room for the mandatory safety briefing. Then we wandered thru Lido as the Sail Away party started. Went up and checked in at the spa since I purchased a week of Thalassotherapy there. Then we went to the Vista Atrium, deck 3 forward, to get a drink and await an Electric Violin Duo. We had a Sex on the Beach - yum! Listened to the Electric Violins with Polaris trio for a bit (very good!) then went up to Deck 11 to look around. The Skyride has appeared inactive all day. Went back to the cabin and watched a free movie. We’d requested a Steakhouse reservation online prior to the cruise but were told they were sold out. Once aboard, I was able to get a 9:30 reservation- late, but .... Went by Reflections dining at midship and the maitre de was very helpful in getting us changed to “my time” dining in the aft Horizons dining room. We got to the 555 Steakhouse early and were seated immediately. Wonderful service and excellent food! They offered complimentary house wine and we had the Chardonnay. We ordered: baked onion soup, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, baked sole, filet mignon, wasabi mashed Yukon gold potatoes, and garlic rapini. They also gave us a wonderfully flakey and delicious roll with basil butter and some incredible little wagyu sliders, compliments of the chef. We said we were too full for 2 deserts and asked for a recommendation- our server replied that she’d bring us the Chocolate Sphere (hard to explain but cool and yummy) for us to share and a “to-go” cheesecake for later. So sweet! The Sphere even had “Happy Anniversary “ written in chocolate on its plate. They also gave us complimentary champagne for a postprandial toast. It was an incredible experience overall - try to get an earlier reservation as everything slows down as it gets late. Back to the cabin, tired and replete!! 3/4/19 Monday at sea Shawn up early (5 ish) to do laps on Promenade but a complete circuit was impeded by the Havana cabins. He still did 6 laps then came back and snoozed until breakfast time at 8:30. I figured out how to get my laptop on the paid WiFi - we chose the value package before the cruise. The trick is to put your laptop on airplane mode then access the WiFi and go to Carnivalhub.com and put in your folio number. Down to Horizons for sea-day brunch. Natalya from the Ukraine was our head waitress and was lovely. Back to the cabin to change into a swimsuit then I went to the Cloud 9 Spa to use the Thermal Suite while Shawn went to get tickets for the IMAX showing of How to Train Your Dragon. The Thalassotherapy pool and areas were wonderful. Changing rooms with lockers, towels, showers and a dry sauna were available. The main thermal area had the heated mineral jacuzzi, a steam room, aroma steam room, infrared sauna and dry sauna as well as heated zero-g lounges, all facing huge windows looking out at the passing ocean. I stayed for over an hour then got some orange flavored water and went to meet Shawn for the movie. You have to buy tickets ahead of time at a kiosk and there are no assigned seats. A senior discount (over 55) is nice! Popcorn, sodas and other traditional fare are available for purchase, and drinks from other parts of the ship can be brought in as well. Fun movie and it let out in time for us to go to Blue Iguana grill on Lido for a late lunch. I had a fajita beef taco bowl and Shawn had a grilled shrimp burrito - delicious and filling. We went back to our cabin for a brief siesta and found complimentary choc-covered strawberries (one of the perks of Platinum). We started watching a movie and when the hub app showed only a 5-10 minute wait for “My Time” dining, we requested a table (via the app) and went down to 3 Horizons. Where we waited and waited and waited. We finally got the notification that our table was available and were seated (about 30 minutes into the 5-10 minute wait). The braised kale tarts with Pork were a delicious appetizer. Back to our cabin to finish The Favourite then read and sleep. 3/5/18 Fat Tuesday at sea Shawn went for 7 laps then we went for an early bfast on Lido. I went to the spa while Shawn checked out the ropes course and sky ride. I arrived a little early but they checked me in. A woman offered me a shoulder massage then talked me into a bamboo massage at 4:30. I locked my purse and phone in the provided locker and entered the thermal suites. I started on the heated recliner and read for a bit then went in the mineral jacuzzi and on to the aromatherapy room which worked only briefly. I notified a spa attendant when I headed to the infrared room then the dry sauna. It was almost too hot, making the seats almost burning, but the huge windows were nice. I relaxed and dried out a bit then went to the relaxation room for orange flavored water. I headed back to the cabin. Shawn had gone and observed a huge line for the sky ride and a much shorter line for the ropes. We went to Pasta Bella for lunch. Since it sits below the sports deck and ball court, the banging from the ceiling is a bit annoying- the food is great, though! Choose one of 3 pasta then pick sauce and “add ins” plus Italian bread or Cesar salad. Liberal use of good olive oil made it rich and flavorful. I went to the shops to get a carryall for excursions (forgot to bring one) while Shawn went to the cabin. Louie our steward was working in the cabin so Shawn went up to 12. When I got back to the cabin, it’d been decorated for our anniversary with magnetic dangles from the ceiling, a bottle of champagne and flutes, plus a tumbler and a towel. There were also candies from My Time dining. We went back up to 12 aft (stairs required from 11 :-( so not great for us gimps). Shawn went on both the easy and hard ropes course, back to back, because there was no line. He says the trick is to grab your safety harness rope up near the wheel for balance!! The Skyride line was only a 30 minutes wait, so we got in line but realized I had on sandals (a no-no). We went back to our cabin after watching the Skyride and ropes for a while. At 4, Shawn walked me to the spa. They directed me to the relaxation room where I drank green tea and filled out paperwork. Sheila took me back and gave me a full body bamboo and hot stone massage for about 80 minutes. Very nice although they always try to upsell stuff. Met Shawn on 15 Serenity deck and looked around then headed back to our cabin. Dinner reservations at JiJi’s Asian restaurant got there early and were seated. Food is served family style so we picked 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 sides and 2 desserts. A small “compliments of the chef” appetizer came out first. Wonderful and delicious food – definitely worth the extra charge! Back to our cabin to watch Crazy Rich Asians on pay per view. . 3/6/19 Ash Wednesday at Roatan Up early - 530 for Shawn to do 5 laps. Went to bfast on Lido at 6:30 - lots of folks. Back to cabin to sunscreen up. An announcement at 8 that debarking was allowed so headed to 0 forward. Easy getting off and found mtg spot for Tabyana Beach and Gumbalimba Park but the tour directions folks weren’t very clear and a bunch of us headed off with the wrong group. Finally, our guide, St. Christopher, gathered us and led to the bus. VERY cramped bus - larger folk barely fit down the aisle. A 35-minute ride to GumbaLimba Park. Beautiful day! Saw 2 woodpeckers near the huge fig tree. Saw iguanas and island rabbits (capybaras) before going thru the Insectarium and Coxen’s cave. Climbed lots of stairs then crossed the bamboo bridge (Puente Bambusa) to see the birds. Scarlet and green/Military macaws as well as green parrots, turkey vultures, toucan and peafowl. Onward to see the monkeys although one visited us at the birds. I was winded when we got to the monkey area so the trainer told me to sit on the swing. Macheco, the white-faced capuchin monkey almost immediately came to sit on me!! The monkeys were fun and friendly except for some infighting with a male harassing a momma and her baby. Mango monkey also sat on my head. We hiked back, said goodbye to Christopher and took the bus to Tabyana Beach. Had a drink then got into the beautiful azure water up to my neck - incredible beach!!! Had a Monkey LaLa (frozen Vodka, Baileys and coconut rum drink with chocolate swirl) while Shawn dipped his feet in the waters. Headed back to the boat for lunch. Went to Guys Burgers with no line, though by the time we left, the line was long. Back to the cabin to change and rest then I went to the spa. Very crowded so did the steam aromatherapy room until the pool was less busy then onto a heated lounge for reading and to get my ankle up. Met Shawn on 15 to watch the Carnival Magic depart. Decided to do an early dinner and movie so requested a table at 5:30 and were seated by 5:45 next to 2 elderly sisters. Nice dinner - Shawn had the “local flavor” Pescado Asado with a wonderful broccoli soup (which we didn’t know was soup until it arrived at the table). I had the tenderloin with an excellent polenta. Back to the cabin to watch Arthur- Legend of the Sword. Bed early. 3/7/19 Thursday in Belize Same as yesterday for laps and bfast then down to the Liquid Lounge to await our excursion: Wildlife Adventure boat and zoo. BTW the Carnival Hub App has a bad tendency of locking up. Got told to go down for our Tender to shore. Two women argued about opening a window on the tender. One of them complained or yakked constantly and she ended up on our tour with her whiny kids. We were greeted and led by our guide, Anne, to a restroom and then our boat for the river tour. The boat was partially covered and had hard seats. We went to the manatee area at the mouth of the river then up river. We saw: 5 Bats, several Manatee, iguanas in trees, several Howler monkeys, 2 Morelet crocodiles, parrots, egrets, herons and two rare Jabiru storks w/nest. Stopped at The Iguana Spot for lunch: rice, beans, stewed chicken and a local Belikin beer for Shawn. On a bus for a 35-minute ride to Belize Zoo. Anne led us thru the maze-like zoo. Saw: King Vultures, black vulture, spectacled owl, cougar, margay, ocelot, howler and spider monkeys, jaguarundi, harpy eagle, tayra (bush dog), wild turkeys, jabiru storks, a keel-billed toucan, tapir, ornate hawks, alligators and crocodiles, whitetail deer, tarantula, and boas. Back on the bus for about a 50 minute ride back to Belize city. Got to the port, and the line to get on the boat was already very very long. We shopped a little then had a daiquiri before getting in line. A security guard came and saw my cane and walked us up to the front of the line after we had been in line about 15 minutes. We got on a tender and were back at the ship by about 415. We went up to 10 and crossed over and had an ice cream cone each then came to our cabin to rest and shower. Found out it was “elegant night” so decided to eat on Lido instead of the dining room - the Hakka noodles were great! Then we found a couch on deck 11 where we watched Antman and the Wasp at the Dive-In Movie. Also, the ship told everyone to set clocks ahead one hour for Cozumel and daylight savings time. Enjoyed the film although we sat too close to the starboard smoking area. Changed my watch and ended up going to bed after 11:30 PM. 3/8/19 Friday in Cozumel It was already light at 6 AM because of the time change and Shawn got up to run laps or rather walk them. Searched the cabin but could not find the laundry bag so I had to call Louie our Steward. Went to breakfast on Lido and they announced gangways were open and last boarding extended to 4 pm because we were a little late getting into port. Filled the laundry bag for Louie and read on the balcony until 10. Went ashore and shopped a bit before going to Pancho’s Backyard restaurant at Puerta Maya dock. Shared a marg and had chips, guacamole and a quesilla con salsa verde. Listened to local musicians then strolled back to the ship. Saw parrotfish, trumpet fish and sergeant majors in the lovely Caribbean blue waters along the dock. Stopped by the cabin to try on purchases and rest before heading to Mongolian Wok for lunch. Went up to try to ride the sky ride but they were doing maintenance and weren’t sure if they’d open today. Shawn did the ropes course (both sides) then we went to the Promenade to watch people returning from Cozumel and to laugh at drunks. The last stragglers were 48 minutes late. We went over to Red Frog for pub grub ($3.33 per ordered item): coconut shrimp, rhoti and sliders. After eating, Shawn went to the cabin while I bought rum cakes and got our anniversary pictures of the ship. Back in the cabin, our clean laundry was delivered then we watched First Man. To bed about 10. 3/9/19 Saturday at sea Up at 6 am for Shawn to walk laps (35 total this trip) and me to purchase pics. Lazed about until 8 then down to Horizons in hopes of sea day brunch opening early. They opened at 8:17 and we got a separate table. I ordered a croissant and we got a basket of 4 egg-washed butter croissants-delicious! I had eggs Benedict and a parfait. Shawn had the parfait and breakfast pasta - unfortunately, it was spaghetti in a cream sauce rather than the red sauce he wanted. The Sky Ride was scheduled to open at 9 so we hurried there after breakfast to find only a short line. I unknowingly got into the car on the inside track which turned out to have more steepness but it was great fun!! Back to the cabin to change shoes (the ride requires closed-toe shoes) and a little digestion time then we put on swimsuits and headed to the spa. Unfortunately, the $50 gift card we received was only for “spa services” and didn’t include the thermal suite so we paid $45 for Shawn to join me. Went into the jacuzzi then the steam-aromatherapy room then onto the heated lounges - Shawn fell asleep. I went for infrared and dry sauna then we cooled off in the relaxation room. Back to the cabin to change and rest and read. Down to the Ocean Plaza Taste Bar to try some incredible dishes while listening to Caribbean Sounds with Mikhail on steel drums. Back to the room to read before going to listen to violins and get our free drink. The funnel of art/images in the Vista Libby 3 forward was composing and decomposing impressionist artworks as we listened to the trio and shared a Sex on the Beach. Went to Bonsai Sushi for dinner: 2 miso soups, wagyu kakuni (beef appetizer), spicy tuna roll and Katsu chicken - all superb!! Picked up the photo I bought then went to our cabin. Saw Louie and tipped him $50 for his amazing service. Started packing. To bed early but I had trouble getting to sleep. 3/10/19 Sunday debarkation Alarm at 5:30. Shawn did 2 laps while I finished packing. Went to bfast on Lido them back to cabin for last check and luggage. Went to 3 midship Reflections for Priority debarkation - supposed to be there by 7:45 but already a line. They had us line luggage up to ensure everyone got off the ship in the order they arrived in the priority area. Left the restaurant at about 7:25 and finished customs at 8:03. (Customs Inspector on line 5 was SSLLLOOOOWWWWW) Shawn left me to go get car. We drove away by 8:30 am!! Read Less

This cruise was so needed after a hard 6 months with my step dad beating cancer, & some other stuff leaving him in a wheelchair. This was a huge family ordeal with 14 of us needing some serious R&R & Carnival Elation did not disappoint. We've cruised together years before, but now some of us had children & significant others. The things I was super impressed with are: -Embarkation & Debarkation were pretty painless due to faster to the fun. I would absolutely add this on if you are considering it. -The staff was super nice. Jordan is pure sunshine, he would greet you by name at the Tiffany's buffet, & ask how you were, what your plans are for the day, & his smile is super contagious. Seriously if you don't smile after interacting with him, you should take a look at how you are living your life. -Our steward Jose was awesome as well. He kept our room super clean, & there was a towel pet waiting each evening for our daughter. -We had a room on the Empress level with a private balcony. This was fantastic! We had a king size bed, along with a pull out for my daughter. I know cruise ship rooms are small, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't knock my head on her bed a few times due to it pulling out right over our bed. -Half Moon Cay is magical. My husband was wary about getting off the boat onto the island, not having control on when we could come back, but he is so glad he came. The smaller boats ferry back & fourth all day & we were able to grab one to go back straight away. The behind the scenes work that goes into preparing all of us lunch on that island should be fully recognized. Impressive operation & it seems so smooth! We didn't go on any excursions, we were happy to just relax on the beach. There were chairs for my step dad to use to go out onto the ocean for free! This was so wonderful! -Nassau is always fun & bustling. I've been there before & done some excursions so we opted just to shop & walk around this time. It was a lot of fun. -The buffet was awesome. The casino was awesome, the fun shops, & other places to buy jewelry & souvenirs are great as well. -The 80's show & Divas were fantastic. -The professional photos we got were stunning, we went home with the canvas package. I was however, not impressed that in order to get digital copies - you are forced to also purchase the 8x10s. Things I feel could've been improved upon: -My daughter, niece & nephew's were not impressed. They never really did what the itinerary said they had planned. They wanted to hang with us instead, which of course we wanted to spend some quality time with them but my husband & I were wanting a bit of an "adult reprieve" & having a kid not stoked about the kid area was kinda disappointing. -The food at the dinners. Most of it was really good, but getting through all of the courses took over 2 hours. We were scheduled for the 8:25 dinners so we had to go directly to any shows we wanted to see, nearly missing them. The one steak I ordered had a huge tendon going through the whole thing which didn't leave me able to eat but a few bites. We had a blast. This was my husband & daughter's first cruise, & though my husband wasn't super excited about being on a moving boat (he was seasick the last day due to a rocky ride back to Jacksonville) they both would love to go back. I hope to go again next year. Read Less

Just returned from our first cruise with my daughter and adult grandchildren on Carnival Imagination from Long Beach CA to Ensenada Mexico. We booked the smaller suites with balconies on the Veranda deck. We had a fantastic time and it was just what we needed in a mini vacation. We knew the Imagination was an older smaller ship which was fine for a short trial cruise. I arrived first and was so relieved the garage had benches so I could sit and wait for family and be out of the cold weather. There were many porters to take bags out of cars and they worked quickly to move bags to the ship. Checking in was easy and quick and along the path to board, there were many Carnival staff welcoming us. What I appreciated and liked best was the very diverse and friendly Carnival staff from so many countries; and any time we had a question any staff member was happy to help. When I had an issue about a charge, Lori Ann in Guest Services took care of the bill quickly and very efficiently. Also, we were assigned the Spirit Dining Room where Abigail, Kamaljet and Angela served us each night flawlessly and food was so delicious. What was lacking was some of food in the food court was very much below par so we went to the deli and Guy's Burgers which always had lines. It seemed that Alcohol was highly promoted and the main activity for many, there were so many bars and people drinking. We had to call to report our loud drunk room neighbors who were arguing at 11pm; security took care of the issue and called us back to make sure it solved the problem very quickly. I use a walker and cane which was a little difficult at times moving through crowds; my rollator walker had a strap on the seat which I could lift to make the walker narrower which helped a great deal. We all decided cruising is for us and we will definitely be making reservations at a future time. Thank you terrific Carnival employees! Read Less