By way of background, DH and I aren't drinkers or gamblers and aren't fans of most entertainment (although we do enjoy juggling & magic). We want to relax and get some sun, enjoy a chance to swim in warm water, and eat well. We don't socialize much, except with other Friends of Bill W.

We took a red-eye from Seattle to Miami, arriving 9 AM or so day of embarkation (never again!). Embarkation went smoothly; we were relatively early and sat by the base of the stairs. A Carnival guest services rep gave VIP boarding to a nearby couple, and gave us their higher-number pass (nice!).

We were a bit disappointed in our cabin, in that it really didn't have an 'extended' balcony on Verandah Deck 8 (lower decks did). We do enjoy aft-facing, and had no noise from Lido deck above or Empress below. Also, there were only about 4 hangers in our closet, and we ended up with a tangle of wire hangers from Housekeeping. I'd like to see the cruise lines put more clothes hooks in cabins. Read more