This was our 34th cruise. We are in our late 40's and have cruised many lines, but decided to try Carnival Legend after being on its sister ship Carnival Miracle two years ago. We live in St. Pete, so the port of Tampa is close to home which was why we chose Legend. Here is what we found:

Food: Surprisingly good, especially for Carnival Stateroom quality/size/cleanliness: Good Staff: Ship Staff- Good; Dining staff: Good, but challenged with English language. You have to speak slowly and concisely if you want your food order to be correct. Room staff: Very friendly throughout ship. Always saying good morning etc. Ship Overall: Nice, not too over the top. Legends dining room is nice too, not gaudy like Miracle's dining room. The only stark place we found is the casual dining area on deck 9. It is dark and dingy. Shore excursions: Expensive- you can do better at each port negotiating your own deals. Of course, Carnival swears you will be sorry if you don't book with them. Entertainment: It was OK. We have had better and worse. Band was great; piano player in main bar was great. Shows were pretty good but our lead singer had a weak voice and couldn't carry a tune if he had a backpack. The support singers were very good. Photography: Obnoxious; too many snappers on this boat. We always buy a few, but every five minutes gets crazy. I was expecting one to pop out of my shower. Gift Shops: Nice variety, but don't be misled. Duty free does not mean NO DUTY OR TAX regardless of what they tell you to make the sale. Regardless of what you buy on the ship and at each stop, each passenger gets 800.00 total exemption .And if you buy something expensive on ship (like jewelry) like we did and think you don't have to list it on your customs form, think again. and plan on getting called to customs before getting off ship. Customs gets reports from Carnival of all big payoffs in Casino and big purchases on board. Best experience: Embarkation and Debarkation goes quicker from Tampa than most ports. Arrive early or late, not between 1-3 for walk on quick. When leaving, claim early flight option regardless. If you're not in a hurry, head upstairs for one last chow. Worst experience: Casual dining on deck 9 gets very crowded. People camp out at tables for a two hour feed-fest, leaving you walking around with a tray looking for a place to sit. The worst part is many parties of 1, sitting at a table for 6 and nobody from the line doing anything about it. Pass by 10 minutes later still looking and still that same one person sitting alone. We asked to share a table ONCE. Mistake! Overall: If you are looking for a nice cruise with decent food, good ports and a nice easy port to get in and out of, this cruise will satisfy. With all the cruising we do, we like casual and laid back. We have done the boutique lines, and I hate putting on the penguin suit every night . Some seasoned cruisers who are diehard RCL, Celebrity or Holland America may not like this. We liked it.