This was our 14th cruise so we certainly had enough to compare.
Embarkation: We did not receive paper tickets but were told that Carnival is trying electronic ticketing. Needless to say, we were prepared for the worst. We arrived at the port early (11:15 a.m.) and were checked in, through security and on the ship by 12:30. Great job.
The food on the Lido Deck was quite good with quite a variety. We especially liked the stir-fry. You pick what you want and they stir fry in front of you with your choice of sauce. Very nice touch. The Oriental food section always had long lines as did the pizza and the hamburgers.