This was my first Carnival cruise, travelling with a hosted singles group of 95, all ages. I enjoyed the cruise, but probably won't repeat on Carnival unless the itinerary is irresistible... it just didn't wow me.

Embarkation at Long Beach is, frankly, a zoo. The cavernous dome that used to house the Spruce Goose has been re-purposed into a cruise terminal, and it's just awful. Plus, the fellow checking me in didn't seem to know how to apply Carnival gift cards to my Sail & Sign account.

Once aboard, I had done enough research to expect the Joe Farcus over-the-top decor. Some of it grew on me (Mad Hatter, Gotham;) some of it I never did more than tolerate (Atrium, purple purple Bacchus.) I'm old enough to instantly equate cruising with luxurious elegance, so the Vegas-style glitz grates on me. Read more