After reading a few blogs, our expectations for this cruise were very low. How pleasantly surprised we were! Our son & his fiancé chose this cruise to celebrate their wedding vows. Having never been on a cruise, I wasn't sure what to expect. We arrived at the dock around 10:00, dressed for the wedding, as we were told that our cabins would not be available until later in the day. The dock area for Carnival in Long Beach, CA is nicely shaded and very clean. Check-In was fast and simple. We were met by Annette, a lovely wedding coordinator, that provided us with an itinerary, so that we would know what and when to expect it. It would have been nice to have received the itinerary in advance. Our group was allowed to board first.
The ship was very clean. Everything on board sparkled. The wedding group assembled in an area with comfortable seating. Annette, our wedding coordinator, stayed nearby with last minute instructions. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. I was impressed. After the ceremony we relocated to a nearby lounge where a delicious buffet of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres was waiting and a server circulated with a variety of tropical drinks, preceded by champagne for the toasts. The next hour and a half flew by with laughter, conversation and dancing.
Dinner in the main dining room that we were assigned to was a surprise. I wii eat almost anything, and I thought the food and the selections were very good. Our head waiter, Gusti, and his team were excellent. They made the trip more fun. Request a table by a window if possible.
Our cabin was spotlessly clean with a nicely built-in desk/makeup vanity with a large, well lit mirror. The bed was very comfortable. I was prepared to feel confined, but wasn't at all, the bathroom is small, but not uncomfortably so. There is plenty of hanger space in the chifferobes. I was concerned at our location near an elevator, but there was no noise at all. The most noise we encountered was the group across the hall, partying with their door open. Our steward and his assistants were very pleasant. They remembered our names and greeted us whenever we left or arrived at our cabin.