Background: My best friend and I were supposed to be going to Las Vegas, but had trouble finding decent flights that didn't cost a fortune. We booked this cruise as a last minute substitution after seeing the great prices and tracking down Jet Blue flights to San Juan for only $150 round trip from Orlando. We are both male. I am in my 40's and my friend is in his 50's.

Embarkation: We took a cab from the airport and arrived at the port around 11:30. Check-in was very easy, taking less than five minutes. We were assigned zone two and waited to board. They started with VIP and zone one about 12:15 with our zone following soon after. We were in the buffet on the Lido deck by 12:30.

Ship: All Carnival ships have gaudy dEcor and this one (while not as extreme as most) is no exception. Yes, it's tacky, but you're on vacation, not redecorating your home. The casino was small and uninviting - I didn't play anything the entire voyage. I didn't see anyone winning either, but I wasn't there very much. The bars were all very nice. The cigar bar was probably the nicest looking room on the ship, but I couldn't stay there long due to the smoke. I was very disappointed that the best bourbon I could find was Maker's Mark. One more step up would have been nice - maybe Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve. Overall, the ship never felt crowded and we never had trouble finding a seat in the buffet, the theater, or any bars or lounges. I'm told that you had to arrive early if you wanted a seat at the Karaoke, but I never went. Read more