This was our fourth cruise and third cruise line. It always amazes me how people on the same cruise can have such different experiences. Overall we were very happy with the cruise.
Our cruise began on December 9Th and unfortunately it didn't begin well. When we arrived at the Tampa airport we found out that due to heavy fog in the port, the ship had not yet returned to port and a significant delay was expected. Luckily we booked our transportation to the port with Carnival. They provided a ballroom to relax in and kept us updated. To make a long story short, Carnival did the best the could with a bad situation that was no fault of their own. They rebated the charge for transportation, $18, gave each of us $15 for lunch, $25 for dinner, and did not charge us for the first days gratuities. We finally got to the port after 8:00pm. There was a large crowd trying to board at the same time but they did a very good job of getting everyone on board. The ship didn't leave port until about 4:00am but the first day was at sea day and we made it to all the ports on schedule.
The ship was very nice and we didn't notice significant maintenance problems. The food was very good and we enjoyed the variety. We ate most breakfasts and lunches in the buffet area and it was always good. For evening meals we ate in the main dinning room during the my time dinning. I do recommend this rather than the scheduled dinning times. After the first day we found one of the best head waitresses we've every had. Her name is Elena and if you have a chance, ask for her. She does an excellent job but she said her last cruise is in March.