We booked this cruise to relax and I must say... Mission accomplished! This was our 3rd sailing with Carnival, our first on a larger ship. Overall, we had a great time!

The ship did not leave until 9 pm since she was repositioning from Miami that morning. We drove the 3.5 hours to the port. Our goal was to arrive around 3 since we had a 4:00 check-in. I was following social media for updates and saw how some people took a bus to a mall. I guess they started boarding shortly after the bus pulled away. We went straight to the port, arriving around 3:30 and were on the ship in about 20 mins. I read other reviews where people didn't have such a good time but this was the easiest boarding experience I've had so far. Our room was ready as soon as we boarded. I went straight to the shore excursion desk to pick our cabana. I was second in line and was able to get my first choice, #13. I then went to the atrium bar and ordered a celebratory glass of champagne!

We did my time dining. I thought I would like the flexibility but I think I prefer late assigned dinner. Every meal in the main dining room was excellent! There was nothing we were served that disappointed. Bar service was a little slow so bring a drink with you. We ate at the Italian restaurant one night. We were a little disappointed that we were waiting at the reservation table for about 5 mins and a couple that walked up after us was assisted first (we had a reservation). The food was okay, large portions. The service was excellent. It was difficult to eat because the restaurant is in the aft of the ship and the vibration was so bad at times it looked like that scene with the water glass in Jurassic Park! My boyfriend was getting queasy and couldn't eat. We also ate in the steakhouse one night. I did not like it as much as I had thought I would but the price is great for what you get. Again, top notch service. Unfortunately, this night I was feeling queasy so that may have contributed to my lack of enjoyment. Brunch in the main dining room was my favorite! Read more