A summer vacation with our two college kids and our son's roommate in July, 2015. We had discount certificates that were about to expire, so that was a significant factor in our decision making process. We've found that the ports of call on most Western Caribbean itineraries suit us well, so all of those considerations combined to narrow our list of likely choices. We had never cruised on one of the larger Carnival ships, so this was a new experience for us.
First, the ship. There were a few hits and a few misses.
First, the hits. Guy's Burger Joint takes the poolside grill to a whole new level. The menu has several recommended options, but you can build your own and then finish it off with even more options at the toppings bar. The hand-cut fries are just what you'd expect and the proper side for a burger of this stature. While we enjoy a good burger, the Blue Iguana Cantina was our favorite lunch spot by far. Think Moe's or Chipotle on the high seas. (No, not exactly the same, but a scaled-down concept offering similar food.) You can get burritos or tacos made to order. The protein offerings are on a rotation basis. I didn't make notes, but I recall chicken available every day (which was tasty) with beef of some description as well as pork and fish also available intermittently. The salsa bar has a wide assortment of toppings to finish things off and a selection of hot sauces who think that "just hot" isn't hot enough. Pro Tip: Unless you just MUST have a burrito, head for the tacos. The line is consistently shorter (usually non-existent) and you'll probably finish your tacos before you would even make it through the burrito line. If you're like me and enjoy a little variety you can mix things up with the tacos, but eating more than a single burrito would be a challenge. Breakfast and SeaDay Brunch in the dining room was consistently good in all respects; both food and service. For something fun, try their French Toast options, crusted in popular breakfast cereals. The entertainment options on board were on-par with what you should expect and the cruise director and his team did a nice job.
The misses weren't horrific, but they were noticeable. First, the buffet. The layout is perplexing and it is obvious that no one with an eye towards crowd flow was consulted during the design phase. There are copious bottlenecks, to such an extreme that we didn't set foot in the place after the Welcome Aboard lunch. It just wasn't a comfortable atmosphere. When we went to the dining room the first night we discovered that they intended for a party of eleven to occupy a table designed for ten. They sent us to the other dining room, where much confusion ensued. We struggled through dinner a bit the first night, but kudos to the wait staff for adapting quickly and pulling it off with minimal trouble, since we were seated after most guests had their entrees. We ended up being assigned to yet another table for the remainder of the cruise and while the wait staff was wonderful the cocktail waitress constantly hounded us about my son (who was 22) and wether or not he should be drinking wine with dinner.
The musicians on our trip were good. The comedians (and comediennes) were fantastic. I'd say that the George Lopez Comedy program on Carnival is one of the best things going in the cruise industry these days. My wife and I aren't much for nightclubs, but our college kids had fun at the disco and hamming it up at the various photo backdrops around the ship in the evenings.
We made plans for cave tubing in Belize with a local operator. Their excursion promised minimal walking and a higher degree of service than the excursions advertised by the cruise line. Unfortunately the weather was pretty lousy the day the ship was in Belize so we decided to cancel. Despite the prospect of being in the water most of the day the thought of being in the water and pelted by rain just wasn't an appealing concept.
The best selection of tequilas I've encountered are at the Forum Shops, just to the North of Los Cinco Soles. Bottles lined up along a bar about 15 feet long of every tequila imaginable. Don't try to taste them all! I suggest having an idea of what you're interested in and go from there. After you've tasted 4 or 5 it becomes an exercise in futility and there's no telling what you might end up with. Obviously don't waste your time and effort tasting what you've already had, and don't assume that the most expensive is going to be better than everything else. As is the case with all libations, the best is whatever you enjoy!
We didn't have any firm plans for our day on Grand Cayman, so we ended up at one of the local "rental chair" clubs on Seven Mile Beach and spent the day either in the water or sitting in the sun. While it wasn't what I would ever characterize as "exciting" it was a fun and relaxing day. We even managed a reasonable amount of exercise while we swam around and were in need of a nap before dinner after we returned to the ship.
Our remaining "port" day was spent at Mahogany Bay. The kids went on a SNUBA adventure and we spent the day lounging on the beach and floating in the water. It was quite crowded and would have been a bit uncomfortable if the breeze had ever failed us. There was a lot of vegetation floating in the water, and this was a bit annoying as it tended to be scratchy when it came in contact with you. There is a small shopping area with Carnival-sanctioned shops, so you have one last chance to make a purchase other than on the ship.
Carnival does a nice job, but their clientele lives up to their "Fun Ship" moniker, so you should always be prepared for a more raucous crowd than what you might find on Royal Caribbean, Princess, or Norwegian.
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