I confess I was a bit wary about cruising on a Carnival ship, and did not have high expectations. I knew that as long as the seas were calm and the weather was good that our family of 6 would have a good time. Well, we had a great time! Where to begin! First, the ship itself has a stunning profile... sleek not boxy and just the right size. Our Ocean Suite 6176 was excellent - spacious, comfortable, attractive decor... great bathroom, plenty of storage, large balcony with 3 chairs, 2 small tables and a chaise. We used the balcony quite a bit. Our daughter's family of 4 shared a regular balcony stateroom (6214) and were comfortable as well. Only niggles about our suite... Using the TV remote from the bed was a challenge and the dressing room door did not close (our steward said it was locked in place on purpose.

Dining in the Normandie Restaurant was great... great service, great menu... all great. Our table for 6 was in a quiet alcove and right by a window. (Table 140). We also enjoyed the food in the Mermaid's Grille

There was plenty of activities for our granddaughers, but also plenty of quiet spaces on board for us grandparents. While the Muster deck on Deck 3 was not used as a traditional promenade deck, the sun deck (deck 10) was a great place to walk around the whole ship. I also used the gym a couple of times. Read more