This was our second trip and a bit disappointing the ship is old and really needs renovation, buffet food can’t compare to Royal Caribbean, layout is confusing and food average. Restaurant was better option but singing waitresses a bit annoying every night. On last night we found a bottle of wine on our table- complementary??? NO . We opened it and shared wine with other guests at the table just to be told we have to pay $55 for it . WHY put a bottle on each table . If it’s there on your table it’s FREE just like the food or put a price on it. We paid but it certainly was not a nice farewell. Would I use same company again. NO . You get wat you pay for. But I must praise the staff they were very nice and professional. Entertainment was good and Hub app was very helpful. Read Less

Great to be with an older girls cruise for the long weekend. Friendly service. Food so-so and always only mildly warmed in dining room. Bread very hard. As for entertainment, the dance shows were LOUD electric music with flashing lights. Singers going to the top of voice range which means I had to put hands over ears. Nice costumes and movement around stage. Avoid Kirk as a comedian. Saying the best part for last was the newly appointed cruise director——Chris. So full of life! Makes everything he does so fun Whether it is Harry Potter trivia or atrium music. Awesome!!!! This was his first cruise director position and he was ready for it. He had an accessory for each event he was doing. He was entertaining just to talk to. Boring destinations but only ones if leaving from Jacksonville. Parking easy, Embarked within 30 minutes. Could have been sooner if Elation could figure how to disembark. Total headache. Easy walkoff took until 10:00. Poor ports, mediocre food, and terrible disembark gives it a three. On deck, Guys burgers and burrito bar are good. Read Less

This is mainly a shore excursion review. My daughter (on spring break from college) and I did the Bufadora Kayak excursion. Rebecca and Carlos were our guides and they were great. (Jose-Luis was our driver and he was great as well, but didn't get in the water.) Nice drive out to the point, and then suited up. I recommend the wetsuits - they will keep you warm if the water is cold. Also, take Dramamine or other seasickness prevention. We had 5-6-foot swells, and when you're out in a small (even 2-person) kayak, you feel it more than in the cruise ship. We had great views of La Bufadora, far better than what is seen up top. Carlos led the way, and my daughter and I learned pretty fast how to paddle straight, how to turn, all with the help of Carlos and Rebecca. We got some great pics. If you have a waterproof camera or a waterproof sleeve for your phone, you may want to plan to take those. After paddling back in and rinsing off and changing, we headed up to the top of the Bufadora shopping street for great tacos. Then a quiet drive back to the ship, or to town to do some shopping. The cruise itself was great. I've done this particular cruise two other times, and the staff works hard to make sure everyone has fun. The weather was a little colder than we hoped, so less time for my daughter to sun on deck, but we lounged and read books in Serenity and other places on deck. We won a Thomas Kincade print at the art auction, and recommend those events as a fun thing to do. They had an egg-drop contest, and let individuals or teams build whatever they could to protect an egg dropped from the 10th deck to the 7th in the atrium. All winners won a medal. Our team used a parachute and straw design and won our medal. That was a fun part of the sea day. Shoutouts to Putu (room steward) and to Abigail and Angela, our dining room dinner staff. Highly recommend. Read Less

Bottom line of this review: You get what you pay for and WASH YOUR HANDS. This was my third cruise with Carnival, with my other two sailings on Miracle. I've never cruised with anyone else. My partner and I chose this cruise because we wanted a quick getaway and couldn't commit to a 7 or 10-day sailing. We understood Liberty was not one of the newer ships, and amenities/cabins may be outdated, and that the entertainment may not be Broadway-worthy. Embarkation was a breeze - even for being Spring Break season! It seemed like it took us less than 20 minutes to get on board. All Carnival staff were kind and helpful during this process. The only thing we wish we would have remembered was to tip the gentlemen that help with your luggage before you embark, even if it's just a dollar or two. Definitely choose the Balcony cabin. Totally worth it. Our stateroom steward was fabulous! The room itself is nothing to write home about - clearly outdated. To me, all dining was mediocre and got old quickly. Guy's Burger Joint was delicious. The best entrees were the prime rib and the leg of lamb with curry sauce. I ordered the surf n' turf dinner the last night.... very underwhelming and not worth it. My steak was sirloin and not filet mignon. I cannot comment about the bar service as we maybe had three drinks the whole time. We purchased the Bottomless Bubbles package and would recommend it if you like sodas/juices. The cocktails we had were definitely strong. The entertainment was fun and lively, but not 5-star. The "Flick" production was a little awkward but the singing/dancing was great. Our cruise director, NoNo, is fabulous and will always keep you entertained! The comedy acts were excellent. Everyone showed up for the deck parties and had a fantastic time. The service was absolutely wonderful. Every staff member smiled, waived and said "Good morning/good evening" when you walked by. Always greeted with a smile. One of the highlights of the sailing, by far. The day at sea was a little underwhelming. We mostly stayed in the Serenity area which was wonderful. The cabanas were awesome and very private! I've been to Nassau before - it's a beautiful and fun port, but make sure to have something to do. We didn't have anything planned and decided to wing it... a little bit of a mistake on our part. We went to the nearby Tiki Bikini beach hut - lots of college kids there so be warned. $30 for two chairs, an umbrella and free WiFi for the day. If you do this, don't leave your beach chairs unattended for too long. They forgot we purchased the chairs earlier in the morning and accused us of not paying. Freeport was really run-down, but the weather was beautiful and our excursion was lovely. We did the private beach and open bar package through Carnival. If you go with this excursion, do yourself a favor and purchase the buffet as well - it looked delicious and we really wanted to try it! The beach was gorgeous and the staff was super friendly. The buses were not very well-organized but we got back just fine. The bus driver also gave us a very informative tour on the way there which we loved. Now on to the absolute worst part of the cruise, which might change my mentality about cruises (and Carnival) forever. My partner and I both contracted norovirus or food poisoning while aboard... so ALWAYS wash/sanitize your hands and be careful with what you eat! We most likely got this from lettuce, fruit or any other uncooked food. I spent the last evening on board (which happened to be the roughest water) exploding from both ends for HOURS. One of the worst nights of my life, and made traveling the next day absolutely dreadful. I would cruise Carnival again, but not for a while. Might try Royal Caribbean, Holland America or Celebrity next time. Most are owned by Carnival, but whatever. The last night on board just put a bad taste in my mouth... literally and figuratively. Read Less

We had to go on spring break due to grandson being in high school now. I was worried about crowds on spring break and worried about Vista. Saw a lot of negative reviews regarding elevator waits, decor, food, chairs in lounges etc. I was pleasantly surprised. Decor didn't bother me at all. Didn't miss the lack of big atrium. Elevators were no problem other than not being air conditioned. My husband passed out twice on elevator when we had to stand in long line to get on elevator at embarkation and then it was packed with no air. It was his blood pressure but the heat I think really escalated the issue. I will agree the food was sub par compared to other Carnival cruises we have taken..but it wasn't horrible as some reviews stated. We ate at JIJIs one night it was wonderful! Lido food was good.Great breakfast at Horizons every day. Staff was excellent. Very friendly. Only negative for me, which I read lots of reviews about...the Punch Liner Comedy..our favorite place to go..I agree it makes no sense they made it smaller and the chairs are very cheap and broken. Also in area where all the shows and bingo are...why on earth did they put in straight back chairs and do away with little tables. Bingo is done on a clip board and very inconvenient. Every time someone sits down their straight back chairs slides into your legs...its a design nightmare...whoever designed those areas should be given 40 lashes with a wet noodle. We only played bingo once and only went to one show because of the set uo. Overall, very pleased and wouldn't hesitate to go on Vista again. Read Less

Great little getaway cruise! Main Dining Room was wonderful for brunch, tea time, and dinner! Guy's and Blue Iguana were awesome as usual. Buffet decent for a smaller ship. Pizza was good just a bit slow. Entertainment was nothing to write home about but not bad. Plenty of things to do all day long. Serenity was great in the mornings! Ports were great (costa maya and cozumel). I thought that the staff were extremely helpful and probably the best thing about the cruise. Service was great- Room attendant was spot on. Of course there are some downsides to this ship. It's old, I believe the oldest in Carnival's Fleet. My wife actually enjoyed the smaller size of this ship. Main pool area was a little crowded in the afternoon but thats normal. My one big complaint was that our room was right underneath one of the speakers for the stage show. Our bed shook during the rehearsals and evening shows. This was annoying but not a deal breaker for us. Overall a great, easy, affordable cruise. Read Less

Our cruise was as fun and enjoyable as our first one! The Park West team with the art auctions were great! It was our first ever auction at sea and even though we weren’t planning on leaving owning artwork, we did! Matty, Sasha, Ravi, Reece, Bianca and Zoe made our introduction into art collecting memorable. We look forward to seeing them again! The Washington dining staff (Kadek, Rodrigo and Maruf) were AMAZING. Dinner and breakfast with them was a blast and always fun! Dewa and the room staff were great and very attentive. They handled all of our requests quickly and efficiently. Lionel’s shopping tips were more than we expected. Great value for wonderful pieces. Bertold at the Java on the lido deck remembered me and my drink for the whole cruise and was very good with making it, the best Chocolate Lovers I’ve had on my cruises. We look forward to enjoying many more cruises. Read Less

I have been on two carnival cruises in past eight months/spent around 15k on tickets and onboard services. The service and organization on cruise to Alaska in August outweighed high pressure sales at spa/jewelry store/art gallery. The mediocre service/lack of organization on cruise out of Galveston over spring break, 2019, along with the high pressure sales that bordered on deceptive trade practices make it highly unlikely I’ll cruise with Carnival again. At an appointment at spa for massage I inquired about a facial. They reported an opening at 8:00 a.m. the following day. I said I’d think about it and let them know, and the girl said “We’ll keep it open for you!” When I called later that day to let them know I did not want the facial because my young daughter was seriously sea sick and throwing up, they reported that they would still charge my credit card due to failure to cancel (I never “booked”) w/i 24 hrs. At the art gallery I expressed interest in a piece. They were very insistent that I purchase right then and there. I left saying I’d think about. I got a call two days later asking about the art I “purchased.” When I said I never purchased, they preceded to tell me I had “reserved” the piece and was obligated to buy. Only when I asked them to show me what I had signed indicating I was reserving or buying, did they relent. Also, they were very unaccomofating fir my 80 yr old family member I had with me. They refused to allow me to take the elevator with her when boarding, and it took me an hour to find her after. Upon disembarking, they said she had to wait in the same line with everyone else, which took 45 minutes (she can barely stand with a walker. Carnival, I’m very disappointed and encourage all reading to reconsider cruising with them! Read Less

My family and I went on a carnival cruise. (freedom) We didn't like the high pressure sales, the fact that how whenever you would buy a drink the tip would already be added on (I noticed on the 3rd day of the cruise), we had tons of money charged to my moms credit card. There was already a tip of 70 plus dollars for our "team" on the cruise. There was ONE person who made my experience on the Carnival Freedom amazing. She is a playlist performer on the carnival freedom and other carnival ships. Her name is Victoria and she always said "hey" and would wave at me whenever she would see me. If you go on the Carnival Freedom be aware it is a party ship. Not made for older couples or family with newborns. If you go on a cruise from Galveston be prepared for long waits and being split up from your family. My aunt is disabled and they split us up when getting on the ship. On the way back we made sure we didn't get split up. The only reason we didn't get split up on the way back was because my mom made sure they knew we would not be split up. We told the lady we would not have it any other way. They also had LGBTQ mixers almost every night along with singles mixers. Read Less

I just completed my 9th cruise, five of which are the same itinerary, the 7-Day Mexican Riviera from the Long Beach port. I had never done a cruise until February 2014 and now I have completed nine with the tenth I anticipate being on the Carnival Panorama. I drove in from Scottsdale, AZ for this trip. I actually got to the cruise terminal a bit early so I wandered over to the Queen Mary and grabbed some breakfast. I try to always purchase the Faster to the Fun package so that I can take advantage of those benefits. The most important one to me is to be able to go straight to my cabin and dump off my stuff and then go to Lido Deck for some lunch. Embarkation was incredibly smooth. When they let us into the terminal, I honestly believe we were seated for only 45 minutes before they opened the doors to go aboard. I went straight to my Ocean Suite cabin, 7253, of course, the room was all ready. I dropped off my carry on luggage and went up to the Lido Deck. The first place I went to was the Ol' Fashioned BBQ on deck 10 aft. This is a hidden gem. I have never seen a line at this spot and the food is great. I wandered around the ship to see what was new and what was happening. After a while we did the Safety Muster. I got to station A, but no one was really taking charge at the site and I never did get my Sail n Sign card scanned to show that I made it. The Muster only lasted about 15-20 minutes (woo hooooo). However later that evening, I got a letter stating I did not make it to the mandatory safety muster and that I should review the process of an emergency evacuation of the ship. The first evening I ate in The Steakhouse restaurant. Carnival increased the price from $35 to $38 but it is still such a great bargain. I started with the Bone Marrow and Hand-Cut Beef Tartare. I have never eaten either before but I make it a point to eat things I would never eat otherwise on the ship. Both were very good. I could not get enough of either. I have to admit I got the shrimp cocktail too. I just wanted a Plan B in case I did not like the other appetizer. For the main course, I got the Australian Wagyu. And for the dessert I got the Chocolate Sphere. I also did the wine pairing for this complete dinner. So I got some Layer Cake Pinot Noir with the Bone Marrow and Beef Tartare. I got some Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc with the shrimp cocktail, and Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon with the Wagyu, Lastly I got some Graham's Six Grapes Port with the Chocolate Sphere. The wine pairing was only $18 extra. Like I said, the bone marrow and the tartare was delicious. The shrimp cocktail was pretty good. (It's shrimp. What can you do to shrimp.) The Chocolate Sphere was absolutely fantastic. The restaurant is a MUST DO. It is $38 per person including gratuities. The first sea-day was pretty much as you might expect. Lots of trivia and shows. Plenty of entertainment choices for all. Cabo San Lucas was great. I did a day trip to a local resort and hung all day on the beach. In my opinion, one of the best sites to see at Cabo is found ONLY when you are tnedering in to or out of the piers. I love watching the sea lions hitching a ride on the back of the fishing boats begging for fish. In Mazatlan, I took the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours. I got off at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and chatted with some of the volunteers. I went over to the market and it was pretty amazing. The next port was in Puerta Vallarta. I hired a cab to take me around the unusual sites in town. He drove me to where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton lived, he showed me around the Romantic Zone of PV and then showed me an errant crocodile in the marina. Read Less