Long story short. We were scheduled to take a week-long Caribbean cruise out of FL and the plans had to be canceled for reasons beyond our control. We decided to convert the original cruise plans to something cheaper, shorter, and near where family resides. We booked this cruise having a fairly clear idea of what to expect. As the saying goes, all suffering is unmet expectation. So, the key to appreciating this cruise is to set the bar level at old-school Las Vegas, just as described by other reviews. If you keep that always in mind, the cruise will be enjoyable.

Note: the weather was dreadfully cold for So-Cal. 40-50's. So, the bulk of the guests stayed inside nearly the whole cruise. It limited our experience a great deal because any pool-side and other such outdoor activities were hard to bear. The wind was cutting. I wore my coat all day and evening because the inside was likewise chilly from time to time. It was nippy in Ensenada, even.

Carnival lived up to its reputation. Every economic stratum, every shade, and every age was present, which was pretty cool. It felt like all of Hands-Across-America boarded the boat. Read more