Carnival Mardi Gras Review

5.0 / 5.0
185 reviews

Overcrowded/lots of design flaws

Review for the Western Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Mardi Gras
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Ricefamof7
2-5 Cruises • Age 40s

Rating by category

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Additional details

Sail Date: Dec 2021
Traveled with children

Chose this cruise for the family harbor suite and lounge. We had very high expectation for this trip and it wasn’t cheap. What we got was an unorganized overcrowded nightmare with lots of rude and grumpy guests including us. First off we got talked into a family harbor suite because of all the perks for the kids.. Lounge, babysitting, cookies nightly, free dinning in specialty restaurants and priorities like dining room seating and boarding. We got none of that. Babysitting obviously not opened but nothing to make up for that? I thought a small gift for the kids (coloring books maybe?)or a game as they also didn’t have those in this So called family lounge?? No games no books nothing.. Family harbor lounge was not open all night as we were told. No quiet place to get away with kids to have a snack or drink. Never could watch movies or play games as it was always closed except for meal times. We thought this was for the in between times for our kids when they had no availability for snacks anywhere else on the ship.. WRONG! No all night snacks and never had any milk or juice or any snacks in fridge. We even got kicked out rudely by camp ocean staff one night as they were using the space for programming. Why there is not a cold juice machine here is beyond me? An upcharge soda machine though!! $$ I got to attend a total of one comedy show and only because they moved to the main theater that seats 900 and dozens were still coming in and standing trying to attend. Got charged for kids meals in specialty dining. No Robes in rooms either and no cookies although we did get a few the first night. Ok now idk why but at 10:00pm everything but the pizza and uncharged sushi and room service closes. Why no buffet?? So grab a bite to take to your room or your kids will be crying for a snack other than pizza and ice cream. If you wonder why the Italian and the chi bang are free right now it’s because this ship can’t accommodate that many people in the main dinning rooms. We never got to eat at them but once and it was a absolute fight couldn’t get a table let alone so called suite priority. We also couldn’t sit in the main theater with our kids as the seats didn’t stay down my daughter was smooshed into one and we had to leave because she got hurt. This ship could of been amazing but unfortunately tons and tons of small but needed details were overlooked. Who puts a Pullman ladder in front of a tv for kids to block the tvs view? Should of left tv out all together.?? I’m not hard to please love the small ships where we had time to get to know the crew. We miss the old carnival vibes and dancing in the main dinning room and where are the port of call menus? I felt as the crew had no time to stop and chat let alone dance because they had to go go go it was very sad. I will cruise again but never on this ship and possibly never again with Carnival. Sorry not sorry.

Cabin Review

I felt these cabins were ok but many small details could of made them great. Hard to move chair maybe put wheels don’t put tv in front of a Pullman ladder to obstruct view or break.. Kids soap in tub area and possibly kids robes even though we didn’t get this feature at all. Kids hangers would be awesome!

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