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Watch out for on-board expenses by
Gary from San Diego, CA Sailing date: Feb 2010Pros: The staff is wonderful and very friendly. Cons: Price of drinks, etc. during cruise I think all cruise ships are going the way of many airlines. They're offering reasonable prices on the trip, but then overpricing their drinks, photos, excursions, etc. Most people I talked to spent more on their on-board charges than they paid for the trip. Ship QualityThe ship was fine, but decor is very plastic and glitzy. This style is becoming dated. Dining/FoodMost of the food was excellent. Stateroom QualityThe stateroom was excellent. Ship Staff QualityGreat staff. They really made the cruise enjoyable. Entertainment & ActivitiesThe theater shows were better than expected, but the other activities were routine and dated. 5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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   A good value by
Lv Lawyer from Las Vegas Sailing date: Jan 2012Pros: Balcony cabin Cons: Average food, poor disembarkation handling
Good Value for the Money
Embarkation (1/1/11)
We drove to the ship from Las Vegas and stayed at the San Pedro Doubletree. They let you park for the week as part of a room package and deliver you in their van to and from the pier. Tip the driver, who works very hard at getting you close to the curbside porters. My only complaint was that the porters seemed overwhelmed and you do not get a claim check for your luggage. That said, our luggage was in our room in less than 2 hours from the curb. The Carnival check-in personnel were quick and pleasant. TSA could take lessons. We were on the ship in less than 30 minutes from the curb at the height of check-in.
I was hoping to get some lunch but the Lido deck, where lunch was served, was extremely crowded. That said, we got a quick bite before the ship departed. I think the signage on the Lido deck and throughout the ship could learn a thing or two from Las Vegas casinos. Signs are often small and hard to read, particularly near the elevators. The buffet stations are somewhat confusing but offered an ample lunch. During the cruise, the Lido deck food is well prepared and hot and there are numerous choices.
Safety
The ship held a thorough muster drill before departure. Our cabin steward showed us our life jackets. We had three in a room with only 2 people. We never felt our safety was compromised in any way. Plus, I read the signs and practiced going to the muster station.
Room/Ship
Our room was a starboard balcony. It had two chairs and a small table outside with a wooden deck. It was quite comfortable. We watched Mexico go by -- a lot. Our floor had only cabins above and below (hat tip to my Orbitz travel agent for that recommendation.) The room is about 185 square feet. The bathroom was clean and had free samples of various products. Towels were changed when we asked and not changed when we asked. Our cabin steward, Jessie, learned our names on day one and was ready if needed.
The decor of the ship can be described as "Vegas casino modern." It is an eclectic mix that grows on you. After the first night, people spread out and the ship did not seem crowded. It was a mix of families, young people, and retirees. The casino looks interesting but I can gamble in my grocery store so I did not play.
The shows were good. I recommend New Orleans night on the last night.
The ship has Internet access, which worked fine, albeit a bit slow. I used both my iPad and the Internet cafe. ($29 for 40 minutes.) Word of caution -- don't use your cell phone on the ship. You will get service (Cell at Sea). It is $2.99 per minute! Also, don't use your cell phone in Mexico without discussing it with your US carrier before you go. Foreign cell changes can be very high. I have a friend who ran up a $3k bill on a recent trip since his iPhone was pinging the Mexican network. You get wireless service from the shore anchored in Cabo.
Dining
We ate most nights in the MDR with anytime dining. We got a table for two by the window, most nights. The lower MDR can be loud but our area was relatively quiet. The food is well-done though lukewarm on a couple of occasions. The wait staff was attentive and never pushed drink specials. The menu ranged from comfort food to more interesting choices, like frog legs. Wine prices are a bit high but not extraordinarily so. The wine list is what you would expect on a value-oriented cruise ship. Carnival is constantly hawking drinks but it is not as intrusive as some reviews claim.
We ate breakfast in the MDR but try not to sit in the back. The vibration from the screws is annoying.
We also ate dinner in the Steakhouse ($30/pp supplement). The food was extraordinary. My 18 oz rib-eye steak would have been $75 at Smith & Wollensky in Las Vegas. The wine list was superb and our wine captain helped us make a great selection. Dessert is not to be missed, save room.
One food tip -- try the sushi cart early in the evening. Usually 3 interesting items but not enough for a f Ship Quality
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Great 30th Anniversary Cruise. by
Ellen from Las Vegas, NV Sailing date: Feb 2007Pros: Atrium and Supper Club. Had a wonderful, relaxing time recapturing the memory of meeting in Acapulco 32 years ago as two young tourists from Canada and the US. Really enjoyed the music and attentive servers. Fabulous balcony cabin. Entertainment & Activities
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Acapulco, MexicoOld Acapulco.
We walked from the ship to find the "Club de Pesca" where we met. Over the years the area has not aged well, but we had a great time. Stopped along the way for drinks, food and chatted with a few locals.
Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, MexicoZ town!
Z town was just as I remembered! Friendly, layed back and quaint. We took a cab to Xtapa and felt, even though it was very upscale, that it is was just another place with hotels and American eateries. Our cabby was very friendly, knowledgeable and fluent in English. We are not bi-lingual so his language skills were appreciated.
Manzanillo, MexicoExperience Manzanillo!
We took an organized excursion which was a lot of fun. The scenery is just awesome. The architecture of both the old and new buidings is stunning.
Don't Miss: Walking around and appreciating the overwhelming size of the town square sculpture. 9 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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I would recommend every person to take a by
Robert from Everson, WA, USA Sailing date: Feb 2007Pros: The people working on the ship. It was wonderful and we would like to take another one in the future. Entertainment & ActivitiesActivities: Staff very helpful.
Entertainment: Need bigger vegas type shows. 6 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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wonderful cruise by
Phyllis W from Lawrenceville Sailing date: Jun 2010Pros: The naturalist on board , the staff was great. Cons: How you look at your pictures. Fwiw, it is the 21st century come up with a better way to find and view your pictures It was probably one of the better ships i have been on. It was clean and neat. Food was good. Ship Quality
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Juneau, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska
Victoria, British ColumbiaI would have rather spent more time in Alaska. Afterall it is an Alaska cruise.
Don't Miss: Nothing there and yes I have been there twice. 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Fun Family Vacation by
Manal M from San Diego, Ca Sailing date: Dec 2010Pros: The friendly staff Cons: The food wasn't always good We had a great time as a family, there was something to do for everyone, of any age. The staff were all so friendly and ready to answer questions or offer a helping hand when needed. This was our second cruise and we were already talking about going on another cruise as soon as we got back. I would recommend Carnival to all my friends and family. Ship Quality
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Great ports of call. Beautiful scenery. by
Jim from Maryville, TN Sailing date: Jun 2006Pros: The ports of call. We had a great time and will return to Carnival in the future. Entertainment & Activities
6 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Ship Review by
Linda from Vancouver, WA Sailing date: Mar 2006
Entertainment & Activities
5 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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I think the experience was adequate but by
Diane from California, USA Sailing date: Oct 2006Pros: Swimming pool. I would not cruise with this Carnival line again. I was disappointed in the quality of food and selection. The lunch buffet was set up in a frustrating way where you had to walk 1/2 mile to get each part of lunch (beverage; bread; entree; etc). The ship overall was way too air conditioned and we all got sick from it. The kids' activities were spartan at best and too late at night for my teenager. Mexico was wonderful, but the cruise itself was rather tortuous with the iced cold temperatures, boring activities and mediocre food. Sorry, but I can't feel more positive about it. Entertainment & ActivitiesActivities: The kids' activities were too late in the evening for my teenager (3 a.m.???).
Entertainment: Entertainment was okay. 4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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A cool cruise by
Gwendy A. from Centennial, CO Sailing date: Jul 2011Pros: This cruise, besides being to an area of spectacular scenery, offered a break from the heat of mid-summer! Cons: A couple of the stops were so short it was hard to fit in an excursion or really enjoy the port. We recently returned from a cruise to Alaska aboard the Carnival Spirit. What a beautiful ship and friendly staff! The itinerary included spectacular scenery in the Tracy Arm fjord and stops at quaint towns along the way. We would highly recommend this particular cruise. Ship Quality
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Juneau, AlaskaThis port provided a lot of jewelry stores, in which we were not that interested, but others may be.
Don't Miss: The gold panning and salmon bake were incredible. Definitely worth the time. Ketchikan, AlaskaWe loved this quaint little fishing village. It was fun to watch from our balcony as all the seaplanes came and went. Would have liked a little more time there.
Skagway, AlaskaSkagway is a cute town with lots of shopping and history.
Don't Miss: We really enjoyed the White Pass and Yukon Railroad excursion. Victoria, British ColumbiaWe just didn't have much time to enjoy this port. The walk downtown was pleasant. And the Empress Hotel and parliament buildings are beautiful.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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