I was a little nervous about sailing with Carnival after our experience last year. The crowd on that cruise was a little rough for a family vacation. But I was VERY pleased with my experience on the Magic.

Paid for Fastest to the Fun ($50/cabin) which got us on-board fast. Seriously, from the curb to our cabin (bags already there) in 30 minutes. TOTALLY worth it!

First of all, the cruise was mainly families. My two kids (13 & 8) had plenty of kids their own age to hang out with. That really made a difference for them. Plus, even though the bars were busy, I didn't have to contend with fellow passengers who were drunk before the ship left port never stopped for the length of the cruise. I suppose that's luck of the draw. Read more