We arrived at the Port of Los Angeles about 1pm. It took about 30 minutes total to board the ship, which was a very nice surprise. I should mention that there were long lines, however, we got in line with my VIP brother and bi-passed the long wait. As we boarded the ship, I must say that the staff was very curious and welcoming.

Our rooms were ready and our luggage showed up about 4pm. This was a first for us as it usually shows up just prior to the late dinner seating. We did the My Time dining, so we could choose when we wanted to go. Typically we went about 8-8:30 every night.

The food in the dining room was very well prepared with a good selection. We ate one evening in the Steakhouse where we had what I would say was a steak as good as eating at Ruth's Chris, and we ate one evening in the buffet. The buffet had pretty much the same entrees as the dining room, so we didn't feel as though we missed anything. The desserts in the buffet, were not to my liking. I felt as though they tasted like something from a cheap buffet. It would have been nice if they had put some of the desserts as served in the dining room on the buffet. The Allure of the Seas had awesome desserts on the buffet, including Creme' Brulee. So Carnival should really check those out and think about updating their selections. Read more