Since it had been 5 years since our last cruise, I was extremely excited about embarking on our Christmas trip. We had never cruised Carnival, and I was also somewhat nervous about what to expect.

My husband, 14 year-old-son, and I flew into West Palm, rented a car, and drove to Miami on December 22, the day before sailing. We stayed at the Port of Miami Holiday Inn, which was a great choice! The hotel is an older one but has a great deal of character, a nice restaurant, and very clean. The Bayside Marketplace directly across the street from the hotel is a wonderful place to shop, wander around, and enjoy dinner with the many eateries from which to choose.

After dropping off our rental car, the three of us headed to the Port around noon on December 23. We immediately dropped off our bags and headed to embarkation. Embarkation was very fast and we were on the ship by 12:30. The ship was sparkling clean and a lovely sight as we first entered and were handed glasses of champagne from greeters with welcoming smiles. The day continued as we explored the ship and waited to set sail. Read more