My husband and I took a 6 day cruise on The Carnival Freedom on January 11, departing from Fort Lauderdale and visiting Key West, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. We had not chosen this particular ship or itinerary, but decided to join some longtime friends that had already booked their first time cruise on Carnival Freedom. I was a little apprehensive about sailing on Carnival because of the mixed reviews I have heard from others about this particular Line. I have to say that I am very glad that we decided to give Carnival a chance. We had a wonderful time! The ship was very large and well maintained. It reminded me of a Las Vegas resort. The staff was very friendly and eager to provide good service. Our room steward kept our cabin spotless and our dining room wait staff was terrific. Speaking of the dining room, the food was the best that we have ever had on a cruise (we have been on Disney, Princess, and Norwegian). The casino was spacious and the windows gave it an open feeling and not as "cave-like" as some of the others I have seen. The entertainment was really great. The two shows we saw (a tribute to New Orleans and another showcasing the music of the Beatles) was super. We also enjoyed the comedian that was featured one night. We spent a lot of time onboard in the adult only swim area. They have 2 whirlpools back there that were very relaxing. We also headed to the main swimming area where most of the action was. We booked one Carnival sponsored excursion on Jamaica. We took the sky lift to Mystic Mountain. You ride above the trees all the way up the mountain and the views were spectacular. On top of the mountain there is a pool with a twisting slide and a restaurant. There is also zip line that you can ride down the mountain or you can try the Jamaican bobsled ride. I tried that and it was a lot of fun. All in all, we had a wonderful vacation and we would sail with Carnival again as would our friends.