My review is for Radiance from Los Angeles to Cabo and Ensenada and If it wasn't for the constant rocking of the ship from left to right and my horrible seasickness it would have been a great vacation. Unfortunately the patch, zofran, Dramamine, and even Sudafed didn't help, which was a really drag. Nonetheless the drop off and boarding were extremely easy. They delivered our luggage within a few hours of boarding. Our Stateroom 8th Floor and center of the ship was small but we had lots of storage, king size bed, and balcony. Only one plug with two extra usb ports, however there is a second plug for the TV and if you're like me and don't watch it just unplug it for extra electronics. Everyone on board (employees) were extremely happy and always offered a good morning or good evening comment when you passed by. Lots of different entertainment from concerts to comedy shows they definitely kept you busy. The food situation was hit or miss. Guys burgers are fantastic but some of the other places not so good it just depends on what you like they definitely have allot to choose from. Our first destination was Cabo San Lucas which aside from the beach was absolutely terrible. Town was very trashy with not many choices for restaurants or shopping, and Ensenada wasn't much different just a sad place with the same shops. Two places I hope to never visit again. The ship offers so much more! read more

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Carnival Cruise Ship Firenze Very Clean Ship, well kept up. Our room with a balcony was nice and everything worked, the walls were well insulated, quiet. Our stateroom attendant was attentive, and our room was always clean and made up. The Staff we were in contact with were awesome and very friendly The elevators overall are my biggest complaint--I've never waited so long or walked so many staircases in my life. The smart elevators are smarter that most of the guests trying to use them. So be prepared for long waits. I would not cruise on this ship again. When there are 3,500 people leaving the ship, with an elevator system not suitable for a cruise ship, it creates a complete disaster for guests. Departure was a nightmare; we pulled about 200 yards from dock and sat for 8 hours while they did maintenance. Michelangelo Restaurant for Breakfast was very good Medici Restaurant for Dinner was good not great Summary Firenze was new and clean. The service - food, drink, and housekeeping - all very good! The servers at the main dining rooms were awesome, but I would not go again on this ship. read more

They seriously need to stop nickel and dime-ing the customers. We bought a drink package and were limited to every 10 minutes. That means if you order a specialty code you can't also have a water for yourself at the same time.. you have to wait 10 minutes. Fresh juices are not included in the nonalcoholic beverage plan. Also their WiFi has major limitations. I couldn't get any SMS messages. No phone calls unless it was through WiFi of course. Plus a lot of folks don't remember to put their phone on airplane mode and get hit with extra charges for unintentionally using a normal feature of their phone. Food on the Radiance was better at the buffet than the dining room during breakfast. Most of my food was extremely dry. Dinner was better but they sure had a funny interpretation of "medium rare" my prime rib was barely cooked except for the outside edge. read more

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We just did our 5th cruise out of Long Beach. Ensenada for 2 days. 19 people total. Room was clean and tidy. Iwan was our cabin steward and did a great job. Oscar was our team lead server and Jay was our other server. They both were wonderful. All of our bellies were full and happy every night at dinner. It was our first time in Firenze and I liked a majority of the ship. I didn't like the lido deck. It was missing stairs to go down from water works to lido. Radiance and Panorama had the stairs to go down quick. The Firenze had a retractable roof to cover Lido deck. I think that's why it didn't have stairs. Other than that, we made a lot of memories. Ate good everyday. Thank you Carnival! read more

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Not my first cruise and not my last. I'm very torn about this review. Over all it was a great fun and enjoyable cruise. The number one thing bringing the star down is the many changes Carnival has implemented. I get it they want to be the "budget" friendly cruise. So with the rise of goods they cut things out. The drinks have gotten so bad, they barely put any alcohol in them. The caned drinks are better and have more alcohol. I ordered a Long Island ice tea, did not look or taste like it! I still think it's a fun and one of the best cruise lines. read more

Everything went well. Exceeded expectations! Very fun time was had. Balcony room was great and clean with air and heat. Crew was great besides a couple. I will definitely do it again. read more

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4/23 & 4/24 - TV in room malfunction day 1 & 2. It required the replacement of a new TV on 4/25 4/26 - Carpet wet due to housekeeper(s) flooding room entrance to mid room. Found industrial room dryer/fan when returning to the room @ approximately 4pm. The the cart remained wet/damp and the entire room smelled like mold the remainder of my stay. Birthday Wine was delivered 1 day late to my room on 4/24 opposed to 4/23 along with birthday decorations read more

Carnival Cruise Lines - Towels laid down to avoid walking on damp carpet - Travel Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

This review is for Firenze. We decided to arrive using Tax. Make sure you print your boarding pass and luggage tag at home, you'll save time when you arrive. You go to a typical ID and passport check. Then when you get inside, your cruise cards are waiting for you in the box at your room door.For staying, there are multiple room options available. Small rooms with no window. Small rooms with window but no balcony. Small rooms with balcony. Then big suits. I suggest you get a room with balcony because it is better. Normal small rooms have two twin beds or one queen bed, one small couch, one cabin with tub and sink, another cabin with sink and toilet and shower, TV, hair dryer, a safe and a small fridge. TV had some in-network channels. Air conditioner worked very well. Room had several wardrobes to put your cloths. Make sure you bring an empty water bottle so you can fill it for free from the Lido level buffet. You can store your luggage under the bed if luggage is not too big. Hot water in shower was very hot. Suggestion: I wish the have more outlets closer to the beds. Make sure your phone is on airplane mode after ship leaves the port so you don't get charged for connecting to ships phone tower. Make sure cruise Company's phone app is downloaded in your phone and signed in because it will be very helpful, you can see all the shows, you can make dinner reservations, etc. There is a two minute meeting to show your emergency area and then you need to watch two minute video on your phone app or on your TV. If you don't wanna eat at the buffet at all times, make sure to make your dinner reservations at Michalengeno or Medici in advance. Buffet has very good choices, and also water, coffee, tea and fruit juices are included. There is also a smash burger store, which was superb. There is a Mexican food place as well as a salad place and sandwich place that you can try. If you like soft drinks like Coke or sprite, you can bring an unopened container dozen box into ship. Also a bottle of wine if you drink it. If you wanna join to some excursions, make sure you make a smart decision because if you change your mind, they will not refund your money, which happened to my friend. Gym is open to all passengers. There is also a sauna with ocean view, which was superb.. Your personal cruise-card is very important, if you don't wanna carry your wallet everywhere, you can buy a plastic container and hang it around your neck. Make sure you hold on to your cruise-card until the cruise finished and you are out of the passport control because they may check. Also, plan accordingly be aware that first day and last day, elevators were not available because porters were carrying your luggage. While leaving the ship, if you forgot to print your luggage tag, you can go to guest services and ask them to print one for you, or you can reserve your luggage tag through the Phone app. Internet is available for a fee, otherwise you can use the free version which is good so your phone app gets updates. If you prefer, sit-down dining in Medici or Michalengeno you can have 2 entries, multiple appetizers, multiple desserts but make sure you check the menu because there were some items that will not be free and it will cost you. If you need anything else like tea, coffee, or yogurt, you can ask them to bring it to you. Also, room service is free, as well. Deck 12 has a nice walking trail that you can enjoy walking especially early morning. Deck 15 has adult space with no kids, otherwise kids are everywhere in this ship and they are constantly screaming, be ready. There are many dancing events or movie nights.. There is also casino inside the ship which smelled so bad. Comedy shows were decent enough. There was also an art show. Ship was very clean, crew was constantly cleaning so I had no problem in cleanliness. Staff was extremely friendly. Especially our hallway attendee, and the staff at the restaurant were very kind and nice people. There is a nine hole mini golf that you can enjoy. On the day of leaving the ship, if you can wake up early, you can have a breakfast. Make sure you make a reservation early in the morning. By the way, if you want them to pick up your luggage before you leave the ship, you need to make it ready before 10:30 PM the night before. One of the things I did not like was that they don't have a proper system for people to use like fussball table or ping-pong table or other amenities, because I've seen many people are arguing, especially around the ping-pong table. People were constantly arguing that they were in line or they came there first. A whiteboard on the wall where people can write down their names to get in line by the ping Pong table could have easily resolved these arguments. One of the dinner nights on the ship is prom night so I've seen people dressing up very nicely.. Make sure you pack a sandal or slippers. Cruise gives you two pool towels, and more towels are available by the pool side. read more

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First cruise ever on an 8 day cruise on the Carnival Panorama to Puerto Vallarta, La Paz, Mazatlan & Cabo. Had a really great experience and can't believe it's taken this long for me to go on my first cruise! Pros: - INCREDIBLE fun squad (entertainment staff) - George, the cruise director, is wonderful and engaging and really knows how to entertain a crowd. Other fun squad shoutouts include Gracie and Flavio, as well as Sam & Ava. Chloe, the comedy club host, was fantastic as well! - Wonderful entertainment (live shows including Celestial Strings, Broadway Beats, & Soulbound). - Love & Marriage Show w/ George was fantastic, as well as the 80's Rock & Glow + White Party - Food in the main dining room for sit down service was fantastic. - Piano Bar with Gilbert was a fun highlight! Cons: - Not many cons to mention. Debarking was a bit chaotic but I didn't really know what to expect / didn't mind. The crew did a great job of managing the chaos. read more

My first time cruising with Carnival and it exceeded my expectations! Hubby and I joined family on the Firenze to Ensenada. It's been over a decade since my last cruise so I've been out of the loop on the latest and greatest. I was super stoked to find legit vegan options within the all-inclusive meals! The effort and thoughtfulness in crafting the plant-based menu is pretty impressive! The dining room menu (breakfast and dinner) is posted on the Carnival app so I could preorder my meals. And there is a dedicated vegan section in their menu that is changed daily for variety. Here are some highlights: - Shrimp Cocktail https://bit.ly/4btbRlx - Vegetable Wellington https://bit.ly/3Lk8l2l - Chicken Cordon Bleu https://bit.ly/49PuTkQ - Eggs Benedict https://bit.ly/4szV72b - Spiced Quinoa & Chickpea Fritters https://bit.ly/4sAJmIN - Créme Brûlée https://bit.ly/3NcG6Dk - Coconut Parfait https://bit.ly/4sqSfVc - Vegan Butter for the bread! https://bit.ly/4jFNV0A Most of my meals were in the Michelangelo dining room (breakfast and dinner), but an honorable mention goes to the pizza spot on the lido deck for having vegan cheese. Something that actually shocked me was the lack of vegan options in the Marketplace buffet, which I honestly thought would be where I would have the most flexibility. The buffet didn't even offer a salad bar or fresh fruit consistently. The Firenze ship is nice! We had an aft balcony stateroom which was convenient for capturing gorgeous timelapse's at sunrise and sunset. We also had access to the Terrazza deck, which I recommend if you're an introvert like me. There is a brunch offered at MODA Lounge for Terrazza guests. The upper decks had water slides, mini golf, corn hole, and a rope course. Lots of activities throughout other parts of the ship that were geared toward Gen X and Millennials, including games around 80s, 90s, and 2000s pop culture. The spa is nice but be prepared for staff to pitch products for you to buy. We treated ourselves to a couples massage. Pro tip, make the appointment during golden hour so you can get this gorgeous view: https://bit.ly/4btNnbL Overall, we had fun! This Carnival experience made me a fan. Looking forward to my next adventure! read more

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What an adventure. First cruise ever and had the most amazing experience that I just can't wait to do it all over again. This was amazing from check in to check. Service was excellent and the food delicious. I did a 5 day los Cabos cruise. Totally recommend doing this shop cruise if you a a first time cruise vacationer like myself. Every one treated us with so much respect and was so courteous from house keeping to our waitress was amazing. One of the things that I loved the most was the pizza was freshly made every night. Totally doing this cruse again 5 stars for Carnival read more

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If you've never gone on a cruise you need to I suggest the carnival Firenze ! With cruise Director Keegan He's amazing! The ship is beyond beautiful. The food is great drinks are delicious and everyone is so nice. read more

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Our third time on a Carnival ship; the Radiance, 11-6-2025 to 11-10-2025. A 4 day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada. The Radiance was originally built back in 2000, rebuilt in 2021. And we found certain inconveniences, like, cabin walls that were not made of metal. Thus, unable to support our magnetic hooks that we've gotten so very use to on other newer ships. Food was okay, as far as the main dining room and the buffet were concerned. And the pizzas at Pizzeria de Capitano are outstanding! But Guy's Burgers was disappointing, burger and fries. And my past one time try of Big Chicken was enough for me. Sorry Shaq. Very friendly staff though. Other than the marriage seminar we participated in this sailing, once again we just haven't gotten much out of the Carnival Cruise Lines experience. read more

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The food didn't begin to be cruise ship level. The biggest thing was 90% of the staff was extremely unfriendly they didn't even acknowledge you look at you or smile at all.. The guest service lady was so rude and we felt like when we paid our bill that we were paying a Pastdue bill from a collections agency or something.. carnival cruise lines is in the gutter as everybody knows but I'm here to tell you it's beyond that. read more

Well, first, I'd like to say that we went on a cruise out of Long Beach, California to Hawaii on the 4th of April 2026 and returned on the 18th of April 2026. Overall, it was a wonderful trip. However, prior to my departure, I had purchased a $100 bar tab. Any one hundred dollar photo tap. As we wanted to have pictures over shells on the cruise professional pictures. Add a hundred dollar war tab for purchasing. Sodas and non alcoholic beverages. In the process, somehow we had all so purchased essential value package (21+) for $1400.00. Not realizing this. Until Boarding the ship. We had also purchased a steakhouse dinner for 2 onboard for Monday April 6th For $54. Once we got onboard Saturday. I went to the customer service desk and told them that I accidentally purchased the essential drink package and wanted to get a refund Would there be a problem and the customer service representative said no. There would be no problem. I said that I would be back later because I was feeling ill due to the stressful Experience I had experience getting to long beach from Maryland. After 2 days, I ended up going to the doctor on 0 deck and was treated for shortness of breath with antibiotic IV breathing Treatments and prednisone and I was treated for 3 days. Once I felt better, I went back to the customer service desk and asked for the refund.Not only for the essential drinking package, but for the steak dinner As I was sick and it could not attend. The customer service rep on the ship stated that would be no problem. It would take 24 to 48 hours to receive an email verifying the refund. At the end of 48 hours, I had not received an email. So I went back to the customer service desk and asked about my email. We were told that they could not refund the essential drinking package or the steak dinner. And I explain, that's not what I was told by the other customer service rep. I had talked to a few days earlier. I tried calling the customer service on the phone from the ship and could never get a hold of a human being. I then went back to customer service onboard and talked to Molly who again submitted a request to the main office. The next day got a letter in my cabin to come to customer service. Molly explained to me that I would have to call customer service once we got back to the mainland and explained my situation. However, she did get the state dinner refunded. But not the essential drink package. I would also like to say that the medical attention that I received onboard was outstanding and it was about $2500, which was to be expected as it would have been the same going to urgent care Probably. I would like to say that the people onboard the Stuarts, the waitresses, the people that took care of our rooms, the dining room, everything onboard was great except for the encounter. I had not receiving a refund for something. I accidentally ordered and was told I could not get it once. I was onboard. It had to be canceled prior to getting on the ship. But I didn't know that, nor did it say it anywhere. That I was aware of. I would also like to add that I was on oxygen and in a wheelchair. And that my immune system is very weak, and that I was very weak when I first got on the ship because of travel accommodations by the airlines and airports and taxis. And everything else, it was a great endeavor for me. read more

Carnival Cruise Lines - Travel Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

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*LONG BEACH, CA EMBARKATION REVIEW ONLY* Came here to board a cruise at the Long Beach cruise terminal. The process initially started well, then it stopped. There was a major computer glitch across the Carnival fleet that impacted our embarkation. Carnival did not communicate this issue to us, resulting in aggravated cruisers. It took about three hours for the issue to be resolved and even during the checkin, the staff had to use printouts consisting of thousands of cruisers' names and mark them off before being allowed to board. All in all, it seems we always have issues coming out of this port and needless to say, this will be our last. read more

There is always a smooth experience. Organic cruises through separate lines. Always make sure you have your documents at hand. Either your birth certificate, ID or social security card or your passport and forwarding passes is enough. Make sure your bags are packed. Keep in mind they will recheck your bags. Make sure you read the guidelines on contraband. Because trust me if you have everything in order it makes the lines go a lot quicker which makes people like me a lot happier. Mind you, this isn't the actual cruise. This is where you boarded even that inside is that created and it even used to be the flight hanger better known as the spruce goose Howard Hughes kept his planes here. read more

Carnival Cruise Lines - In line about to board! So excited - Travel Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Fun: 5-stars Ship: 3-stars (our ship was old) Value: 4-stars ($400 for balcony room on a 4-night cruise) Food: 4-stars Service: 4-stars Entertainment: 3-stars (we had great fun, just relatively, the entertainment is weaker compared to others) Overall: recommended for quick informal get-away, not expecting a lot, and just to have fun Not recommended: if you are a seasoned cruiser with distinguished tastes and requirements (ie, picky) We just got off the Carnival 4-day Baja Mexico trip on Radiance. We had a great time and it was a fun trip with good value. The Carnival Radiance is a 25-years old ship so it's much older than most newer cruise ships we have been on. They have a very small Spa area and without jacuzzi so it wasn't worthwhile getting the spa package which we normally like to do. Main dining was ok, I think it's fine considering the price, you can pick up to 2 appetizers, 2 main courses, and 2 desserts each meal, so enjoy the variety! The buffet areas are much smaller, food was adequate but with limited selections compared to other cruise lines. We also went to the Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse for the $50 Surf & Turf, it was pretty good, my friends loved it and wanted to go back again, we were ok just stayed with the dining hall. Entertainment. We loved dancing, listening to a variety of music, watching live entertainment, and comedy, participating in Bingos and Game Shows (Deal or No Deal), etc. They have all of the above, the scale is just less than other cruises we have been on. We did have FUN which is their mission and what matters. The cruise director we had, Kieran from UK was fantastic. The operations is much more efficient than MCS, generally, getting on/off wasn't a negative experience at all. Kids: there are lots of young families with kids, they seemed happy. There was a Dr Seuss parade and face painting, water slide and rope course, camps for different age groups. read more

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Carnival may be considered the budget cruise line, but they have their operation down to a science. Getting people on and off the boats is extremely efficient We had no issue with booking or payment even though we purchased through a 3rd party website. read more

I just came back from my second Carnival Cruise. I experienced my very first Carnival Cruise 10 years ago with my parents and fast forward to 2025 and I got to go again. For this cruise, I sailed on the Carnival Firenze. The Carnival Firenze is all about "Fun Italian Style" and so the ship is all decked out in Italian fare as a tribute to Florence (or Firenze in Italian). Getting to my cabin and then going to lunch during the first day was a bit of a hassle due to the elevator. The elevators took forever because everyone was trying to go up to their cabins or to the restaurants for lunch. We ended up having to climb up 8 levels just to get the lunch place because the elevators were taking longer than 10 minutes! That was the worse part of this cruise - other than that, everything was pretty smooth sailing (no pun attended ;)) from there . My cabin was on deck 2 with an ocean view. I found the room to be spacious with a nice view. It had a fridge, a couch, a big tv and even had two bathrooms- one with a shower and another with a mini tub. My cabin steward Dennis was very kind and helpful. He even went above and beyond and made me two towel animals every day! It was such a cute and nice surprise. Cruising on this ship was fun! I enjoyed the activities onboard. My fave was making bracelets on sea day. I also loved the daily karaoke sessions. Karaoke sessions can get really popular and so definitely sign up early if you want to sing. On the last karaoke day, the Carnival fun crew said we broke a record because sign ups filled up in less than 3 minutes! Activities were great and so was the dining! Food wise, this ship has lots of options! They have dining options on deck 3, 4, 5 , 10 and 15 (15 is adult only and a salad bar). The buffet is on Deck 10. The buffet was ok but honestly I've had better buffets on other ships. Because this ship had an Italian theme, it just seemed we were having a lot of Italian food that was the same (I like more variety). What I did enjoy though was the dining options at their main dining room Michelangelo on deck 3 and 4. I did have to schedule my Michelangelo dining time on the app every night but it was very easy and I loved how they gave me constant updates on the wait time. The Michelangelo restaurant was beautiful. It even includes a replica of Michelangelo's David! Michelangelo was a full on dining experience that even included entertainment (dancing and singing) from the dining crew. Food wise everything was wonderful. They've got appetizers like Frog Legs, Duck Spring Rolls and Fried Green Tomatoes. Their entree selections include 12 Hour Braised Short Rib, Vegetable Wellington and Cornish Game Hen. Dessert selections included Tiramisu, Bartlett Pear Almond Cake and Ice Cream Cake. Menus rotate daily. On Sea Days, Michelangelo also had a great Sea Day Brunch and Afternoon Tea. Aside from the buffet and main dining room; there were plenty of other free dining options on the ship. A crowd favorite was Guy's Burger Joint by Guy Fieri. The burgers are definitely worth a try here! Another good spot is the Chicken Shack which has amazing crisp chicken tenders and fries! I also got to try Tomodoro for their tacos. During karaoke, I did try Empanada Shop for their empanadas. The empanadas are $1.50 each or $8 for 6. They had both savory and sweet options. I had a fun and relaxing time at the Carnival Firenze. This cruise was a four day that went to Catalina and Ensenada. I definitely would go again (perhaps next time to Cabo San Lucas). read more

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I've cruised with Carnival before and they always seemed to be welcoming and willing to go the extra mile. And they enjoyed taking my money. Today was different. We arrived at the port and were running for the doors when they closed them in our faces and refused entry, refund or any recourse. I'm so disgusted with this situation! There were several other people who arrived within moments of this happening and they received the same treatment. I won't sail with Carnival again. There's plenty of other, better cruise lines out there. Highly recommend putting your money elsewhere! Where is the minus star option? read more

Carnival Cruise Lines - The ship that didn't leave for an extra hour - Travel Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

I feel awful giving such a terrible review. I'll start with a positive. The ship has a lot of fun activities for adults and children. It is family friendly, and they even have several camps for the kids so the adults can enjoy some alone time. The food was pretty good. Our favorite was the Italian restaurant on the Carnival radiance ship. It was absolutely delicious. It was a slight up charge since it's a specialty restaurant. We had a balcony room. It was nice. We did enjoy sitting on the balcony. The room also had a lot of storage. Now for the negative. Carnival has been in the media a lot lately because they are trying to crack down on bad behavior by passengers on the boat. Everything you have heard is true and we witnessed it ourselves. There were several large fights on the boat where Security had to get involved. One was a male beating another female in the hallway by our room. Another was three males, jumping another male in the elevator. Even though the boat prohibits marijuana, there were several instances of people smoking it. I have never seen behavior like this on another cruise ship. We just took a celebrity cruise a few weeks ago and you don't see this type of behavior. We actually feared for our safety, which is why we would not do a carnival cruise ever again. I don't know what the solution is for carnival because they can't change a culture of behavior. read more

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First things first, I'm not a fan of the one to five star ratings. I view things from a different lens. Did I get what I paid for? If I did, five stars! And I felt like, I got what I paid for on Carnival Cruise. It's not a private super yacht, but it's a hella good time! Awesome shows, Comedian performances, pools, adult only deck, with adult only hot tubs. The staff are always exceedingly amazing. They work long hours with only one day off a week! Despite that fact, they are always cheerful. They are always willing to go the extra mile to be helpful. Now, let's talk about the food. The buffet is "okay". The real money shot, to me, are the appetizers served in the Dining Rooms (dinner time). I'll leave a few pictures. I loved the layout of the ship. I also appreciated the efficiency of boarding and disembarkation. read more

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My wife and I decided to take another cruise on the Carnival Panorama, and it was a great choice. We arrived later in the afternoon; 2:00. It was a lot better than getting there early and having to wait in line. They have their own security team that checks you in, and it goes relatively fast. The downside is that the complex currently doesn't allow parking, it's only offsite parking. And you will pay $140 to park offside for a seven-day trip. However, that's less than having to pay to park right next to the demarcation center period. The cruise itself was fantastic. The first day on the boat, we were able to eat burritos and tacos at the Blue Iguana cafe. I didn't think their hot sauce would be very spicy, but the habanero hot sauce from the sauce bar was extremely hot even for me, but it was fantastic. Every meal on the ship was fantastic. There are so many options that if you want to eat kosher, you could. If you wanted to eat vegan or vegetarian, you could. Meat in abundance fish, if you're a pescatarian. Indian food, BBQ, Italian, sushi and the list goes on. Some are additional, but most places are included. We did not buy any of the drink packages. We drank water, coffee and tea. The breakfast did offer juices, and there was plenty of cream and milk for the coffees. The salad bars were great, the fruit bars were great, and the dessert bars were great. I don't know how we did it, but we lost a couple of pounds on the ship. The elevators were extremely crowded the first day, so we just started to walk up to deck 10 or the Lido deck. Even though I'm in my early 60s and my wife is in her late 50s, we had no problem traversing the stairs, but we do cardio every day for at least 1/2 an hour. If you don't, you want to take the elevator or go slow. We booked a room with an ocean view. It was fantastic. It had 2 showers, 2 sinks, 1 bathroom and two doubles that were made into a king bed. The thermostat worked perfectly fine with no issues. The shower water was fantastic hot or cool as you liked it. Mini fridge held quite a bit of space, so we were able to fill our waters up every day and put them in there to get them cold. Orland was our cabin steward, and he was great. Overall, a very clean room and lots of space. We went to two ports of call, Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada. Prices were reasonable less expensive than the United States but still a little high. But when you're on vacation, you expect that especially in a very touristic port. In the larger restaurants we paid in pesos because using our visa card we paid no fees for foreign currency and the exchange rate was very good. Dealing with individual merchants we saved money by paying in American dollars. We had a great time, friendly people and the weather was warm--March 22nd through the 28th. We ran into no problems in Mexico, but we were smart enough not to look for any. The fun days at sea were exciting. There's a lot of activities for people to go to it was nice seeing kids having fun playing, swimming and not just glued to their cell phones. There's a spa for adults, special kids' area and an arcade. If you like gambling that's there too. We enjoyed mostly hanging out in the Havana Bar on deck 6. There are lots of places to play cards, mahjong, dominoes plus a lounge area. At night they had Cuban music. On the way back we had some fun days at sea, then stopped at Ensenada. The port at Ensenada is quite different, you don't have amenities right in the Marina area, so you must walk into town, but as always, once you get away from the touristic areas, it's always nice in our opinion. Going through customs on the way back was excellent, not a problem. Everything on the ship you basically do through your phone on the carnival hub, their app. Including debarkation, trips, dinner reservations, and water taxi service (free). Overall, our experience was 9.5 out of 10 and we would recommend anybody that would like a nice 6-night 7-day trip to go on the Carnival Panorama. Make sure you watch YouTube videos on the ship you choose to help you navigate the experience. It has something for everyone. read more

First time cruise on Carnival. We were looking for a quick get away and this one lined up with dog sitter availability. I was really worried about cruising on a big Carnival ship known for the lower end of cruising experiences, and because of their reputation of being a party boat and having to share the space with over 4,000 people. The ship was Carnival's Firenze, which from reading reviews, does not have the typical vibe of the usual Carnival experience (this is good or bad, depending on what you prefer). It does have the big ship feel that is good for partiers, families, teens, kids. It's a lot of hype and excitement with a big water slide, rope course, miniature golf, arcade, sport court, loud music, casino, etc. Well, it turns out our cruise was better than I expected. The big ship moved smoothly. You could almost forget you are on the ocean, especially walking through deck 5 where there are a lot of different venues and paid for specialty dining. We tried to stay away from the crowds, but hard to avoid especially on sea days. Look for spots around the ship that are quiet and away from the crowds (they do exist). This is when a balcony room is worth it. Our balcony room (#6277) was small, but had good storage. It was close to stairs and elevators, though sometimes noisy it wasn't too bad for me. We ordered a pot of coffee and toast through room service (no charge) every morning to get us started before heading to breakfast. We carried on two bottles of wine to enjoy in our rooms. Call your cabin attendant for anything you need for the room (ie wine opener and wine glasses). Great balcony views into and out of Catalina Island! Loved Catalina! The port at Ensenada was yuck! We never had a problem finding seating in Lido Marketplace. Tip: lines are shorter in the aft side of Lido Marketplace. Choose wisely when selecting from the buffet, or you will be disappointed (a definite no on the scrambled eggs). Dining in Michelangelo was pretty good (go early to get a good seat, but go later if you want to catch the evening entertainment. On sea day we had breakfast here--my steak/filet was tender and tasty! Our favorite place for a cocktail was Moda Bar and Lounge for mellow, low key music and nice sitting areas. Versus around the corner was the Tuscan Lounge where a big crowd gathered for karaoke (they were having lots of fun!). Worse part was driving in. We waited in line for almost two hours before we got past the gates leading into the parking garage! Thankfully, we got a parking space in the garage! Get there early, especially if you are on a fully booked cruise like we were. Check in through the cruise terminal was fast and easy with the Faster to Fun upsell pass. This was totally worth it to us after waiting in line in our car for almost 2 hours! Our debarkation was also fast and easy using the express, self assist (take your own bags). Our scheduled check out time was 9am. They let us exit before 8:30am, allowing us to beat the crowd. Would I cruise Carnival again? Maybe if taking the granddaughter. No if just me and hubby. Better for me is to sail the smaller ships with nicer, roomier rooms, and enjoy a quieter, more laid back and more catered to experience. Wow, sorry for the long review. I guess I had a lot to say (lol)! read more

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In early November, Chun P and I were booked on a 5 day cruise on the Carnival Radiance. Coincidentally, we found it was the same time as a Lindy Hop Cruise and we were able to book tickets to attend the swing dancing events and had a marvelous time! It's been many years since I've been on a cruise, but I found the Radiance staff exceptional! Every morning we were warmly greeted by Kasna, our state room attendant. Kasna kept our state room looking perfect and always remembered our names when he saw us onboard. We opted for the late night dining, and our team lead server, Robert, accommodated everyone's preferences, including a lady seated at our table who had a severe onion allergy. Team server Jennifer was very responsive, polite, and also greeted us when we were seated in her section during formal breakfast. Assistant team server, Aamir had a lot of hustle and kept things on time. What a great team! I found all the formal dining meals quite good, however, the fish the last night of dinner was quite tough. That said, the baked Alaska on the last night of our cruise is a traditional treat and definitely made up for my entrée's shortcomings! The casual dining options were tasty! Big Chicken had a really delicious breakfast sandwich, and Guy's BBQ had awesome brisket and collard greens! For entertainment, we did a lot of swing dancing, but also attended the comedy shows. I miss seeing a musical number on the agenda, but maybe they'll bring that back for longer journeys. Our stateroom was comfortable, however, the walls were paper thin. Our next-door neighbors were rather boisterous with their late night antics, which made it very awkward when we ran into them the next day. Be sure to bring earplugs! I purchased our tickets online via Costco travel, and got a fantastic deal, and opted to pre-pay for gratuity. With that added along with taxes, it was $810. Quite a deal when you consider the cost of hotels, entertainment, and dining out these days! read more

Carnival Cruise Lines - Travel Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

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***May 25 - 29 cruise from Long Beach to Catalina Island and Ensenada*** If you came to relax on a cruise, Carnival Firenze is not the cruise for you. This beautiful vessel is for a party, energetic crowd. I loved everything the Firenze offered except putting on additional weight from eating and drinking. Cruise Director was spectacular, and, thank you Carnival CEO and team for recognizing all military & veterans who were onboard for Memorial Day. We explored every space possible and even found areas that others weren't utilizing. One part of the ship we had all to ourselves and took advantage to watch the sunset. My room was expertly cleaned by Rastham, room attendant, who was EXCELLENT. No issues at all with cleanliness. The cruise ship was exceptionally clean, and if there was a spill, team members wasted no time tending to the issue. Speaking (writing) of team members THANK YOU to the following: Special *healing* juices/tonic guy (sorry I didn't remember his name) *Thandi *Mellody *Grace (Serenity) *Stephen (Michaelangelo), Restaurant Team Leader *Na *Doubin (Comedy) *Sugar *Marvellous *Memory &Regina (Asst Cook 1):  always cooked my eggs the way I like them Faster To The Fun was definitely worth the price paid. I will happily pay again to skip the long lines and get treated like a VIP. We absolutely enjoyed the following: We allowed a porter/baggage handler to take our bags away from us before getting inside the cruise terminal. Express Luggage worked. Bags were in room between 130 and 2p. Priority Check-in: Once we got inside of the terminal, we looked for the Priority line to check-in; Was easy and expedited. Once we were actually on the Firenze, we quickly toured as much area as possible to get oriented. Then we went to the bar and parked at a cabana. Guest Services: We were priority, and, there is a dedicated line for team members to answer any questions you may have. Wait until the cruise has left the port to ask your questions. Dining Reservations: We had Priority Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurant reservations (excluding Your Time Dining). Loved it! Priority Water Shuttle Boarding: 1st group off the ship for excursions. Loved it! We were able to explore destinations on your own and had the option to choose a priority water shuttle from the ship to shore. Loved it! Debarkation: When it was time to leave from too much partying., Debarkation was super easy with that Faster to the Fun added package. We chose an early debarkation and was off the cruise by 8am. read more

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This is our eighth overall cruise and fourth with Carnival. In past sailings we've sailed w/ the Carnival Pride, Spirit, Fantasy and this eight-day tour of the Mexican Riviera was aboard the Panorama. Pros: -While we've always been blessed w/ dutiful room stewards, our steward for this trip, a delightful, service-focused and beaming lady named GOOD NIGHT, is the best stew we've ever had! Despite arduous split shifts spent detailing 34 staterooms across two floors, Good Night consistently lavished us w/ radiant smile and cheerful greetings. She nimbly worked around our sometimes bizarre schedules (up as early as 7am on shore excursion days but sleeping in til late AM on sea days) to keep our room pristine. She's truly an exemplary employee and we hope Carnival rewards her! -Entertainment options run almost as long as the gargantuan ship's nearly 1,100ft length! Casino, ample upscale shopping, Broadway caliber shows, skilled DJs who had the swimming pool throngs buzzing and hopping to the tunes and of course world-class shore excursions. -Carnival has upgraded its elevator system to a new system where you're assigned one of twelve available 'vators based on which floor number (they run from zero to fifteen) that you pre-select. The result is a vastly streamlined transport system bet floors. -Did I mention the excursions? We frolicked w/ sea lions and dolphins in sauna-humid Puerto Vallarta, were humbled by a majestic cathedral in Mazatlan (part of a City Highlights tour) and rode camels in the arid, balmy dunes of Cabo San Lucas. -We opted for a "Deluxe Ocean View" cabin that came configured with two restrooms plus a pullout couch...making it an ideal set up for groups of three or small families. There were only two of us, but we loved not having to jockey over sink space in the mornings! Cons: -As this was our first Carnival cruise since 2012, we can attest to just how much the company and industry has changed during the ensuing yrs. Sadly, Carnival now "nickel and dimes" its passengers via the same extortionate fees for internet access, drink packages and even high end dining. -On past Carnival cruises, my bride and I could literally order rib eye steaks (Yours Truly) and lobster tails (the pretty one) every night in the formal dining room. Nowadays, guests get to choose from a Prix Fixe menu of five generally good, but not upscale appetizers/entrees and desserts nightly. Sample entrees incl. beef short rib, prime rib, Cajun style catfish, pan-fried barramundi et al. If you want the higher end fare, you must visit one of the many specialty restaurants aboard, each requiring reservations and an up-charge of $24-56/pp. Also, Carnival's chefs have fallen prey to getting TOO precious and artsy w/ presentation, repeatedly sending out dainty, wee portion sizes that compelled each of us to order multiple appetizers, or even entrees, nightly. Example, my wife's shrimp cocktails were literally comprised of a smear of Cocktail Sauce w/ a trio of small shrimp. Her sole lobster tail was the size of an infant's shoe and she demolished it in three bites. This experienced cruiser pleads w/ Carnival and its competitors to stop sacrificing portion sizes for the sake of presentation! Pro Tips- To avoid paying $120-plus for the "Bottomless Bubbles" soda program, bring 2-3 12pks of your fave soda (mine is unabashedly Diet Coke!) and store in your stateroom fridge. While Carnival WILL confiscate plastic water bottles, they will permit 12pks of soda. Also, wanna avert the sticker shock of $180-plus for internet access, PER DEVICE? Do like we did, and pre pay for one guest in your party to have internet then simply take turns. The Carnical Hub app allows couples to toggle between devices by logging in w/ the appropriate folio number. Will we be back aboard Carnival to further our quest up its Loyalty Program tiers? You bet. Do we wish Carnival would restore COCA COLA to its ships (they switched to PEPSI) and ease up on all the nickel + dining valued guests?! Ditto. read more

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I went on another Carnival cruise weekend trip to Ensenada and I had not been on this cruise line in many years. What I can say is that it is very bare bones, barely any activities and amenities compared to other cruise lines. The staff in the dining room was not very friendly and things were quite slow. This sailing was particularly crowded and there were rarely times the hot tubs were not overflowing with people. The pool temperature was Freezing! The price is good but you get what you pay for apparently! Our room was super small even though I upgraded it. The mattresses were pretty good and our room Steward was nice and kept things clean. They keep the boat clean and the kids enjoyed the teen program. The buffet was pretty bad, tight space with limited strange options and food that didn't taste very good. We opted for sit down as it was much better. They had a vegan menu for every meal with LOTs of options which is why I'm giving more stars! read more

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Food descriptions: 1(D) - had braised short rib, roasted duck rolls (OK), Navel orange cake. 3(D) - beef carpaccio, good intent but it was plated too early and had been sitting. Spinach raspberry salad had good ingredients but not great. Shrimp cocktail was small. Two lobster tails were outstanding, broiled...that's the way to make lobster, not boiled. The creme Brule had the thickest layer of caramelized sugar...just outstanding. Cheese plate were all soft cheeses and had been plated early and sitting. 4(D) - Cappuccino Pot de Creme - excellent but very rich. two bites were more than enough for us. BBQ Beef Spring Roll: basically big piece of shredded beef, wrapped and deep fried. Bit dry. Spaghetti carbonara - skippable. Hawaiian Shrimp Poke - got two of these. It's presented deconstructed, and satisfied my poke fix, though the rice was again not good. Broccoli and Cheddar cheese soup was good, more broccoli than cheddar which is a good mix. I got the Indian vegetarian which was kadai mushroom (good taste), dal, and vegetable biryani (which was indeed basmati rice but was again very mushy). Everything was served separately, which was nice. 5(D) - Stuffed Mushrooms - 3 button mushrooms, quite good. Good Smoked Poblano and Corn Soup. I got Ceviche Crudo, and it was good...cheap white fish, but really good lime marinade. BBQ pork sparerib was good and ordered by 3 others. I got the linguine and clams...really liked the big slices of clam. Dessert for me was strawberry ice cream, which I didn't like (tasted almost like raspberry and freezer burnt). 6(D) - Queso Fundido - small appropriate portion, thick. Taco de camarones - simple, shrimp in a tomato sauce with flour tortilla. Pescado Frito - I don't think I got the right dish. A piece of nondescript fish, but also a piece of matter of something that I couldn't taste (our servers didn't know what it was). Coconut tres Leches was very good, had made right before. The crema catalana tasted like creme brule which was a good thing, though too large a piece 7(D) - Linguine with Smoky Mushrooms and Ham app size - I think it's good when the noodle is linguine, good for a couple of bites. Ended up with 3 portions of Shrimp Escabeche, as Renaldo brought me a 3rd one without asking. The broth reminded me of Achara, but with shrimp. I got a wilted spinach and portobello mushrooms which was quite good. I liked the fact that the spinach had been left with dressing, so it was indeed a bit soggy, but I liked it. Got the beef and barley soup which was good, would get it again. Shared the chocolate decadence, which ended up like flan which we didn't like. 8(D) - Escargots Bourguignonne - not good. served out of the shell and not in the typical container. Tuna Crudo - really good, good way to get raw tuna (which was OK quality). Got Grilled Jumbo Shrimp and Fish cake: one time when they give out large shrimps. I liked the fish cake, similar to a crab cake. Also got the duet of filet mignon (medium rare, wasn't great), and short rib, which was good, very tender and rich. Grand Marnier Souffle - excellent, served warm with melted creme anglaise. One of the best desserts we had. 9(D) - Swedish Almond Chocolate Cake - My wife really liked this. Spinach, arugula, strawberry, and feta was good. My two entrees were shrimp creole (OK, the sauce was a bit bland) but the cup of rice was good. Bourbon glazed Beef short ribs, very tender. Best meat dish on cruise. 10(D) - Got a bunch of appetizers. Cured Tuna - decent. dish with the most amount of raw tuna, buffet quality but still tuna. Arancini (fried rice balls) - really liked this, especially with the good marinara. Nonna's meat balls - one big meatball, with good texture (a little dense), with a really good Marzano sauce. Fritto Misto - big miss. It had been sitting too long, batter was coming off of the vegetables, and mostly white fish. Caprese Salad: worth getting if liking fresh mozzarella. Roma tomatoes were not ripe. Linguine Vongole - tasted really good, with big (though sparse) pieces of chopped clams. Got to sample chicken parmesan and veal marsala, both skippable. Shared the apple crostata. supposedly house-made gelato...no, it was just generic vanilla ice cream, a little freezer burnt. 12(D) - Oyster Rockefeller was very good, served on the half shell. Lobster bisque soup was very good, best soup of the trip. Plate of broiled lobster tail with jumbo shrimp and risotto was very good. The baked Alaska was OK, missing the strawberry ice cream layer. 14(D) - Penne Mariscos - basically a tomato cream sauce with a lot of seafood from frozen. Tried the Parched Pig Ale and Cheddar Soup which I couldn't finish. Emeril Selects Fried tomatoes which wasn't good, since the red plum tomato wasn't good. The braised beef brisket was very tender. Didn't like the Coffee glazed roast duck from Emeril Selects. The Babaloo Cake was rainbow colored and very, very dense. read more

My first cruise in 14 years was on the cheapest of the cheapest: The Carnival Radiance! I don't normally "cruise" for vacations anymore, but this was Lindy Hop/Swing Dancing theme, so I was in, and for $350pp for 4 nights in an ocean view cabin it was great cheap deal! PROS: -Friendly staff all around whom all seem to be working 12+ hours days. -All the common areas were clean, modern, and fun. -Ocean view cabin more spacious than expected. Comfy beds, couch, TV with on demand movies, and a mini fridge! -Pool areas are fun, could use more jacuzzis, water slides are FUN! There's also a no kids allowed jacuzzi. -Gym looked decent, with great ocean views, I didn't use it this time. -Fun stops in Catalina Island and Ensenada...normally a roundtrip ferry ride to Catalina costs $100 alone! -Less annoying kids during November...apparently some parents think its okay to pull their kids out of school to go on a cruise? -Entertainment was great all around....comedians, live music, dance parties, sing a longs, the worst karaoke, pool time, casino, and more! -We each easily ate $350 worth of mostly above average food. Dinners were good enough. The fast casual options were delicious! Big Chicken has some great chicken tenders. Guy Fieri's Burgers were beefy and flavor. Guy's Pig Out BBQ had awesome smoked beef brisket, chicken, mac and cheese, and collards. Formal Breakfast I enjoyed Lox and Bagels and Eggs Benedict every morning. Coffee, Tea, Iced Tea, and juices juice are free all day and all night. CONS: -Yuppies find Carnival too low brow -Food Snobs/Elitists will hate the food, especially Yelpers(JK!) -There used to be musical-theatre shows, not this time. -Booze prices could be cheaper...$8-10 beers, $11-18 wine glasses, $10-15 cocktails. -Still too many kids whom should be in school. -Thin doors...you easily hear the hallway and your neighbor...make love quietly...ssshhh!!! Overall, I was surprised how much value, fun, and food this $350pp bought us. 4 nights in at low-mid level hotel in Los Angeles would would've cost us about $800 alone. I probably won't wait another 14 years for my next cruise. read more

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This is a very late post but needs to be written. We were on a family cruise in July 2024. My aunt is going on a Norwegian cruise this summer and had to be persuaded after her last cruise experience and that's why this subject was most recently discussed. She wanted to post a review but doesn't have the knowledge and asked if I could do it.I agreed and will never forget when she showed me her neck and opened a napkin. This was an expensive cruise for 3 day ( compared to the $350 we paid in the past. This cruise was over &500) because of the season. My aunt and her friend paid over 600 each for their shared cabin, as they opted for a balcony. Unfortunately, she had blood drawn after being bitten by a bed bug! I thought she could be mistaken but she checked the bed and found it. She had it in a napkin and it was gross. Even more unbelievable is after reporting it Carnival didn't seem surprised. They did a thorough cleaning and could not go in the room all day, yet they had to stay in the room for the rest of the cruise.Oh yes, don't let me forget the $50 credit they gave her. Just beware and check your bed in advance if you decide on a Carnival Cruise out of Long Beach. read more

Carnival Cruise Lines - Bed bug - Carnival Mexican 3 day Cruise July 2024 - Travel Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

So much fun! We took the Mexican Riviera Cruise on the Carnival Panorama in July of 2024 with our family and group of about 25 people. I have heard so many good and bad things about Carnival but glad I finally took us on our first cruise as this trip had something for everyone! From the sail away parties, to the endless food options, several bars, shopping and nightlife this is a fun packed cruise ship. The casino was where we spent a lot of time and had a blast with the family that was old enough to gamble. There are day care options for children and amusement adventure activities for kids and adults. We booked a state room with no balcony but had an ocean view window. The cruise was a full week from Long Beach to Los Cabo's to port for 2 days and then stopping in Ensenada before getting back to Long Beach. My favorite for Guy's Hamburgers as I had at least one a day sometimes two . To drink I loved the rum cocktails the deck bars had to offer and enjoyed the 80's night party and movie nights they had. We cannot wait to sail away again on our next cruise with Carnival again soon. read more

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Carnival Firenze May 6-11 We were a group of 24 people. Almost everyone had cruised before . This particular ship was beautiful and not a typical carnival cruise ship by design. Overall our group had a great time but only because we made it that way. We will cruise again but maybe not on Carnival. Also for the first time got to see the infirmary on a cruise ship due to someone in our group falling. Experience was interesting to say the least. Our pros and cons- Pros: -We participated in the theme nights and really enjoyed the 80's night. -Loved our server in the Medici dining room Cindy!!!! -Enjoyed the Italian restaurant and the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse . Great service and good food -Loved Gilbert the Piano player( hung out there every night!) Cons: - Food quality on the lido deck was subpar. ( meat and cheese was laying there for hours) -Food quality wasn't great in the dining room either. - Sometimes there wasn't much to eat- I know -that sounds weird- but from 11am- 12pm there was only left over breakfast and from 11pm-12am only pizza and the line was 25 deep. - Our event coordinator never showed for our private event on Friday night read more

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Carnival April 27 to May 1, 2025 Loved my cabin 12223, plenty of spaces n shelves for my belongings. Good food, great companies and staff were accommodating. I enjoyed my experience on this 4-Day Baja Mexico. I paid $454 including fees. What a deal! Day 1: Sea Day 2: Catalina Island Day 3: Ensenada Day 4: Sea Note: -You can check in early or late. Enter through early/late arrival line. There's also on time line for those who arrive on schedule. -Wine bottles (750ml/person) need to be carried in the carry-on. -Shampoo and body wash are from the same dispenser. If you are particular about hair products bring your own. Bon voyage! read more

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I called with one simple question since our cruise is already paid in full. The representative, Edla-Ba, was sarcastic, unprofessional, and repeatedly talked over me, which caused her to miss information I was clearly providing. Verification is understandable...disrespect is not. This interaction shifted my entire mood and fell far below acceptable customer service... Crystal and David, thank you both very much for hearing me and helping resolve the issue. I truly appreciate your support. read more

the waiting area was cold, so please bring a jacket. you aren't the water. Carnival Cruise is always lit. I been going here since I was a tiny little baby with my chooky fam bam. Always a good time and something always going on in the ship whether it be trivia, performance, dance, shows, etc. Worth the price especially because food is already included in the costs. Just know when the opening hours of each restaurant, stand, bar, and buffet is so that you can really stock up. Everyone seems to love their job and genuinely want to get to know you as they take initiative to strike conversations in the waiting lines, dining tables, pool platform, etc. I never had a bad time while being on the ship. Also, know when the hours that you are docked off at your vacation spots are because if you board the ship late...uh idk what happens, but I do not imagine that it will be good. just remember to have your passport on your person! anyway, here is me eating 6 plates of lobster and seafood tartar that I still dream about until this day (it has been 5 years) . surprisingly did not get seasick! read more

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I always have a great time when I cruise with Carnival. The check in is so easy and quick as long as you have your things together. The only thing that annoyed me was when I had my water bottle and asked the lady if I had to pour out the contents and she said no a few times because I asked her multiple times to make sure . Then , when going through the security, the lady told me I had to pour the contents of my water bottle out after I asked the other lady like 5x. That was highly annoying. Everyone should know this information as it should be consistent. read more

This review is for the Carnival panorama. I've been on the ship three times so far. It is a nice ship. I believe it's about four or five years old. I'm gonna do a little pros and cons in this review. Pros Inexpensive vacation. We paid $1100 for two people in a balcony room. For $20 more you can pick your room location. I strongly suggest doing this. The live entertainment is free. The comedian Dougie Doug was fantastic. We've seen him on three different ships. Our room, Stewart was the most attentive person on the ship. Thank you, Antonio. The Christmas decorations were a wonderful touch. We really enjoyed the Christmas spirit on board. We had a great experience with at customer service desk Nozipho. She helped us fix our shore excursion issue. She is AWESOME! Even though the Teppanyaki was an extra $42 a person. It was definitely worth it! Our chef's name was Glenn. He was so funny and entertaining. He kept us laughing and engaged the entire time. Cons Our biggest complaint was the Carnival app. We downloaded the chat application, which is five dollars per person. I would say it didn't work 80% of the time. Our second biggest complaint would be lack of hot tubs. There are eight hot tubs on board the ship. Four of them are accessible to all ages. Two of them are accessible to 21 and over. The other set are located in the Havana section. They are reserved only for customers paying for Havana rooms. It was very difficult to get any hot tub time. Especially without kids. Our third con is the lack of staffing. If you do manage to get in one of the hot tubs, you will have to get out to get yourself a drink. Drink service on the ship was pretty much nonexistent. We really wish they had more poolside staff. The drink package - My sister and brother-in-law purchased the drink package. My husband and I we don't drink very much so it really wasn't worth it to us. It is $70 a day for each day of your cruise. This was a six day cruise so it came out to $420 before taxes and fees. My brother and sister-in-law waited in line for their drinks sometimes upwards of 15 minutes. I just don't feel like standing in line for something already paid for is a good value. read more

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This was my first cruise ever so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was expecting more though. It started with parking which was relatively easy, but it's pricey at $23. Next, the boarding was pretty easy. We gave our bags to the attendant and went and waited in a relatively long line even though we had an appointment time. The line did not move very quickly. Once we got through the initial first line, we were in the big dome like building and both of us needed to use the restroom. The restroom was clean and spacious and had a lot of stalls. Then we started the line up the ramps, lots and lots of ramps. Finally another line to board the boat. Once on the boat, we went to our safety lesson, but we were a little bit early to check into our room so we went to a barbecue place on the boat. The food was just mediocre. At about 1:30 we were allowed to go to our room to get our keys which were placed outside of our room but prior to that the doors to get into our area were locked. The room was clean and had everything we needed. The attendant greeted us outside, and she was very, very friendly and helpful throughout our whole trip. I ordered water for the room that should have been there when we arrived but it wasn't. I called the front desk who said they would look into it and make sure it was delivered that evening. It wasn't. I called again that evening and spoke to a guest services agent who was quite rude and told me that it was not supposed to be delivered that day, but it wouldn't probably be delivered tomorrow. The next day it was not delivered so I went to the guest services desk and they said it was supposed to be delivered before check-in, but they offered nothing for the disservice only that they would talk to the manager and have it delivered that day. It was finally delivered late afternoon on the second day. We ate at the lido buffet and the food was not good. The prime rib was raw, the Mac n cheese was watery, the cakes were either dry or wet from defrosting and the rest of the choices were bland. Everywhere we went employees tried to stop us to get us to sign up for various promotional events on the boat. We did do some, but quickly learned that they were not good experiences and all they were, were ways to try and get you to spend money on anything they could. The meals in the restaurant weren't great either. The first night the food was fine but nothing special (the short rib wasn't too bad). The next morning. Breakfast in the restaurant was fine as well. The second day the breakfast was not so good. I should've stuck to eggs Benedict the whole time because it was OK. The dinner on the second night was also not very good. The calamari was chewy, the mushroom soup was bland and lukewarm, the prime rib was raw and the crème brûlée had a sugar coating so thick it was almost impenetrable. The third night the meal was ok. The fried green tomatoes were good, the duck had good flavor but overcooked and chewy. The braised brisket was ok but the barramundi was over cooked dry and chewy. The baked Alaska and the crew doing the Macarena were enjoyable. We went to the piano bar which was more like karaoke, saw comedy that was okay, a singing and dancing show that was entertaining, went to an art auction and wandered around the boat endlessly. I think I'll do another cruise when I'm older, but it will be much more upscale. read more

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