We have been on 13 other cruises and have sailed Carnival many years ago. That was not a good experience and we wanted to give Carnival another chance. We know you get what you pay for and this was a very inexpensive cruise. But there are standards that should be met.We sailed out of New York to The Bahamas. The cabin with balcony was nice. It was well maintained, neat, and very sufficient for our needs. The ship itself was well maintained and clean. The major issues were with the dining and the amenities. The biggest disappointment was the hot tubs. They were never hot. We were told we must never have been on a cruise with hot tubs before because they are "warm tubs" to accommodate people with heart conditions! Are you kidding me? There are warnings for such people to take care. The rest of the guests shouldn't be penalized. Maybe one tub could be cooler but not every one on the ship. And to give guests such lame excuses is terrible. Another issue was children and infants with diapers in these "warm tubs". I realize the weather was terrible and beyond any-one's control but to allow infants in diapers in these tubs is inexcusable. Talk about a health issue.

Dining was another negative experience. Service at breakfast was horrendous. Baskets of bread and rolls were reused table to table. Most mornings, the food was cold when it arrived. My husband actually had to get up and get his own coffee one morning. One waiter at breakfast does deserve commendation. His name was Stanimir. He was wonderful-friendly, efficient, and fast. Our dinner staff was also very good. I think her name was Denista. Her assistants were also very good but I have misplaced their names. The food was not. Portions were small and it was usually only warm when served.Although our room was well kept, our original steward was replaced 2 days into the cruise. Again another weak excuse was given that he had gone ashore. But we were at sea for 2 days! How did he get ashore? We also tried to be conservative as the card suggested in the bathroom. We hung our towels every morning, with this card attached. And every day, our towels were taken and replaced. Why bother with the cards?

The main shows with the dancers and singers were great. They were colorful and entertaining. The fill in acts, however, were awful. A little better entertainment would have helped. And the atrium "singer"! Good gosh, who hired him? He tried to strum and sing every day but was terrible. Read more