Embarkation was very smooth. We arrived right on our check in time and went straight to the counter where we were processed and boarded the ship in no time. Our first observation was that there was no staff directing passengers to their rooms. Our luggage did arrive quickly, but we had to call to have our mini bar unlocked and the contents removed and for a new tv remote as the one in the room obviously needed new batteries. There are no toiletries provided except soap and Carnival do not provide a carry bag which has been standard on other cruise lines.

We found the Unicorn buffet to be very disorganised, had to cover the whole area to see what was on offer, and various sections did not open on time even though food was there. The cleanliness of the buffet area was poor as there was not enough staff working, and those that were there were did not seem interested, one female never smiled. There did not appear to be any control over people coming into the buffet in wet togs, bare feet or children running every where. Unfortunately we also found the quality to be poor and often greasy. We had just been on a Princess cruise where we could not fault the service or food.

Anytime dining in the restaurant is a plus but we found the time between courses very slow and then you had to wait further while the staff had people up dancing in between. Very good for children but not people who are constant cruisers and prefer good service. The food was no better here so my husband had the steak from the everyday menu each time and I preferred the grilled salmon. Read more