This was the first cruise for my boyfriend and I, so we have nothing to compare it to, but we really liked it.

Ship: The ship was a manageable size for us. Some say the decor is dated or tacky, but while it was somewhat over the top in some places, it wasn't that bad at all. And that type of thing doesn't bother me, I just find it funny. Everything was very, very clean. The pool at the stern was a nice, peaceful place to hang out, with mostly adults, while the main pool had more activity going on. The Serenity adults-only area at the bow was really nice, taking up two decks with hot tubs, nicer loungers with cushions, and big round loungers for two or more people. I did see kids in there, though, and the rule was not enforced by Carnival. The hot tubs in Serenity tended to be lukewarm. The hot tubs elsewhere were all perfectly hot. The water slide was lots of fun for game adults and the children.

Dining: Anytime dining was ok, but we will choose late dining next time so we get a table with other people. We ate in the dining room every night except the first, and we were never assigned to a table with others, despite requesting it. The anytime dining experience can take a while, too. If we arrived at 7 or 7:30, we would be there until 10. If we arrived at 8:00 or later, we would also be there until 10. So we started arriving at 8 or 8:30 by the end, to save some time. Food in the dining room was very good, I would give it three to four stars. Chilled soups were my favorite appetizers, boyfriend loved what they called the "didja ever" offerings such as alligator fritters and frog legs. Buffet food was more variable, especially at breakfast. If you like eggs for breakfast, get them made to order at the omelette stations, so much better than the buffet eggs. The deli was a great stop on arriving back on ship after port, with grilled cheese and reubens and the like. The Mongolian Wok was only ok, but many people seemed to like it. Fish and Chips on the top floor of the buffet, which most people never even notice, was fantastic, with fried oysters, ceviche, and other options, but it closes at 3:30. Pizza was ok (I live near NYC so my standards are high). And definitely indulge in the soft ice cream station at least once. Read more