This is my 4th cruise (all have been on Carnival) and my second time on the Pride. I've always traveled with my fiance's family, who go on at least one cruise a year; this time there were 11 of us traveling together, ranging in age from 19 to 82.

We cruised out of Baltimore on the Pride last year and did the Grand Turk/Half Moon Cay/Freeport itinerary. This year we again cruised out of Baltimore on the Pride and did the Port Canaveral/Nassau/Freeport itinerary. I think I liked last year's itinerary a bit better, but I still came back from the cruise feeling very refreshed and relaxed! So here's the scoop:

Embarkation: A breeze for us, since we're only an hour's drive from Baltimore and my fiance's family are Platinum members (10 or more Carnival cruises). We just hopped into the VIP line and were on the ship in maybe fifteen minutes or so. The only problem is that it was difficult to find handicapped parking and my grandmother-in-law-to-be is in a wheelchair. We'll have to make sure to allow time for that next year! Read more