My friend chose this cruise and I agreed to it only because of the ports. Based on others feedback about Carnival cruises they have been on I should have known better. I was reluctant at first so I wasn't expecting much. After the long delay to board the ship and finally settling in I soon understood why my friends had such poor experiences on this cruise line.

First and foremost, Carnival's basic drink package "bubbles" was lacking, BIG TIME. 55 bucks for 7 days for soda is not cheap. What was most frustrating about this was having to find a bar on the ship at all times then wait ... and wait... and wait to get served. Then presented with a receipt for you to sign even after they swipe your card. Worst part about this is that gratuities are already included and the bartenders give you nasty looks when you don't tip on top of what you paid. ($55 bucks for a week is enough) Thank you very much.

Also why not take a page out of Royal Carribeans playbook and have a coke freestyle machine? Even in the buffet areas when you want a drink you have to search around for a bar that doesnt have 20+ people around it. VERY frustrating. Read more