Embarkation.....We joined our family for a group vacation. Haven't been on Carnival in awhile. This ship was huge in correlation to other Carnival ships I've been on. We traveled out of Miami and the boarding process was a mess. It seemed to be just Carnivals way as I went out of that port before with Royal Caribbean and didn't have such a back up of lines. Don't know why they give you a time to check in time as everyone goes when they want.

The Ship.....The design of the ships layout is all over the place. It took us 3 days to figure everything out. Some Elevators can't get you to where you are going. Elevators are too small for the size of the ship. The Atrium is small for the size of the ship, not really any beauty about it. The Casino is good size but it's all a smoking area which just stinks and the smell permeates into the areas around it. People just go in there to smoke and take up machine chairs. They need it to be a non smoking casino with a small smoking area.

Restaurants.......Restaurants and food are hidden all over the ship, we finally found the BBQ joint on the last day as its outside and no signs leading to it. Never found the Asian restaurant. The Burger joint was great and love the french fries but to find a seat to eat was tough. The Buffet was just ok, nothing to write home about, long lines as its two stations with a line on each side and when its a day in a port everyone is trying to get food all at once so go to the dining room instead, its faster food hotter and nice to just sit a relax and be waited on. The MDR dinner food was just ok, nothing came out hot, the Dinner staff is just ok, (nice enough, but so busy they don't have time to be pleasant). Never saw the Maitre'd the entire time. The Seafood Shack is very slow. Chowder bowl was hard as a rock, and the chowder too thick (made with too much rue). The lobster roll was ok, definitely frozen lobster meat. Wish I had tried the Fried Shrimp but ran out if time. The Dessert/Coffee bar dessert was excellent but the time it takes to get anything because the barristas can't keep up with the lines. Read more