Well, this is tough. We are not foodies, not picky and really easy going. We only carry on luggage and mostly have cruised in Europe. We travel a lot and have been in many places with differing cultural norms and expectations. So the bottom line is were not picky, we knew the Carnival line was price driven, food would be appropriate to the price we paid and had our expectations in line with the price, as well as, other Cruise Critic reviews. With that said, I have never written a review that tended toward the negative. This was our experience, it might not be yours, so take it as one traveler's opinion.

We have been on 7 cruises and this one was certainly one with great potential, but really needs to re-focus on the basics. Embarkation was crowed, confusing, and very much like herding cats or cows. The pier area is packed and then you are herded into lines that follow a path all around and then upstairs. We arrived at the pier about 12:30 and there were two medical emergencies in the line. (not a good start Once on the ship, its as it always is, very crowded with nothing to do but go the Lido Deck and fight a spot to eat. Its crowded, its crazy, but its typical and that's just the way it is.

The room on the 8th floor deck outside stateroom with balcony was nice. (8219) It was typical and what you would expect. Fine for us and the highest level in the ship we have ever had. Could you hear chairs moving above on the Lido Deck? Absolutely! Did it happen all night? Sometimes! Did I know that might happen? Sure I did. Did I obsess about it? NO Would I stay below the Lido again? Absolutely not. Why put up with the noise if you don't have to and why pay a higher price for the potential problem. I thought the carpet on the Lido would make a difference, but I was wrong. Good thing about the room was that it was a quick hop up the stairs to the Lido and Serenity Deck, (if we could find a spot in the Serenity area). Read more