I had cruised this itinerary on the Splendor twice before this cruise and so looked forward to this cruise despite the Splendor aging (like we all do...). I was surprised by the many changes I noted that included the elimination of the tablecloths in the dining-room except on "Cruise Elegance" evenings. There were no chocolates left on our beds with the turn down service., the art auction lacked selection and variety, but the flat iron steak was still tough as shoe leather. They even cut the note pads in half that were left in the cabins now w/4" pencils instead of pens! I know this is all little stuff, but the devil is in the details and the cuts all add up. I realize these trims make it possible for Carnival to continue to offer wonderful cruising experiences to the average person. You do definitely get a lot of bang for the buck!

I will commend the staff though very highly for taking such good care of a room full of us late arrivals. Our flight didn't land at LAX until 2:25 P.M. Our taxi arrived at the port at 3:10P.M. Cutoff time for embarkation was at 3:00P.M. I was so worried that we would be waving at the ship sailing away without us, but they boarded us and we had a great time.

Our room was comfortable with 2 portholes and 2 beds; one of which was a couch made into a bed for our week long trip's duration. We were at the forward end of the ship that gave us ample exercise to the dining rooms and lido. Our cabin steward was Bagus. He was attentive, smiling, and knew us by first names. Read more