Cruise Ship Reviews : Carnival Cruise Lines Reviews
1lks1 saw things this way:
Carnival has really been lacking on customer satisfaction lately, April 26, 2016
Reviewer: 1lks1
Pros: The staff is always pleasant and ready to serve...except the bartenders.
Cons: Dining room food choices have gone downhill since my last cruise two years ago.
Date of cruise: April 9, 2016
Departure port: Jacksonville Florida
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6292
This ship was rather outdated in decor but seemed well maintained. The majority of the staff were friendly and always willing to assist. The entertainment was poor in the evening and not available every night. Deck service was poor, but I think that was because of lack of personnel. My problem with this cruise was not the ship, but I think with Carnival Corporate. With their recent lawsuits they seem to be taking it out on all of their cruisers. My past 10 cruises have been with Carnival and every one was enjoyable...but not this one.
jb4691 saw things this way:
Great time, August 13, 2015
Reviewer: jb4691
Pros: Food and service was exemplary
Cons: Guest Services was not able to resolve issues with on board credit
Date of cruise: August 1, 2015
Departure port: Port Canaveral, FL
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6296
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
On the cruise: Food, cabin & dining service, & shows were excellent. Long lines at Mongolian Wok. At Nassau port: Did Sail & Snorkel excursion with Seahorse Sailing & Snorkeling. Excellent time & experience. At St. Thomas port: Took taxi to Magens Bay Beach. Okay beach but very crowded. Nice for one-time trip but do not plan to go again. At San Juan port: Took free public trolleys around city and went to the two forts. Great time. At Grand Turk port: Walked to beach by Jack's Shack. Beautiful beach and water.
lholber21 saw things this way:
Ship was bigger then I thought and really nice, February 1, 2013
Reviewer: lholber21
Pros: We missed ship sailing so getting on out of US we were treated great
Cons: Smoking in casino....WAY TO SMOKY!!!
Date of cruise: October 1, 2012
Departure port: Miami, FL
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 1297
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: Yes
We missed our flight out so we did not make it on board the ship before it sailed. Carnival wanted $300 a person to board the ship at the next destination - Key West. We ended up flying to the second stop and staying for two days to wait for the ship and were not charged to board because we were no longer in the US. The ship was much bigger then I expected, the food in the main dining room was the same every couple of nights, I thought it would be a different menu each day for the whole week. I didn't expect to have to pay for soda but I haven't cruised in a while. The smoking that is allowed in the casino is AWFUL...and you have to walk through the casino to get to one of the shows. Carnival really need to work on a better ventilation system for that area. Overall we had a good time and will cruise with Carnival again in the future.
earleydb saw things this way:
Poor, May 23, 2012
Reviewer: earleydb
Pros: None
Cons: Poor food and services
Date of cruise: November 26, 2011
Departure port: miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 1057
Good for teenagers: No
Very poor ship. Will never sail the Valor again or any of the others again. Very poor service. I would sail any other ships but Carnival. They are cheap and that's what you get -- poor food and service.
Red1935hen saw things this way:
Not our favorite cruise, July 30, 2011
Reviewer: Red1935hen
Pros: The itinerary
Cons: Most of the guests were rude and unfriendly
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 9257
Good for teenagers: Yes
Having been on a number of Carnival cruises, we found this one to be our least favorite. While we had a good time, many of the guests were rude, which understandably made the staff a little "testy" at times. Also, we found the organization to be less than optimal. No more cruising out of Miami for us!
jdaddybear saw things this way:
Our second Carnival cruise and the Valor was GREAT!, July 29, 2011
Reviewer: jdaddybear
Pros: Oustanding service, food and entertainment.
Cons: None
Date of cruise: July 17, 2001
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 1318
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
This was our second Carnival cruise and we loved it. The entertainment, food, housekeeping and guest services were amazing. My cabin was above the casino band and they moved me the first night. My wife uses a wheelchair and our table was moved to a much better location for access. We found the ship clean and well maintained. Kudos to the entertainment staff. The shows and comedians were awesome. Special recognition must being given to Everson from the entertaiment team. He seemed to be everywhere and making a conection with all passengers. Last year we sailed on the Carnival Liberty, the Valor's sister ship, and we rated Liberty a 7 and Valor a 10. We are planing to travel Valor again with a different itinerary.
snowgrl1 saw things this way:
Wonderful ship, very well maintained, July 18, 2011
Reviewer: snowgrl1
Pros: Activities -- loved murder mystery
Cons: Dining service was awful, a minimum 2 hours for dinner each night
Date of cruise: July 3, 2011
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 2220
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Enjoyed the cruise very much as always on Carnival. The only negative was the your time dining experience. It took 2-3 hours for dinner. Sometimes our food set there waiting to be served for a long time. We could watch the ice cream melting. I have had "Your Time" dining before and had no problem. The shows were great and the usual activites kept us busy. I do tire of the sales pitch in the spa though. When I pay a hugh premium for a massage, I don't want a sales pitch at the end, it ruins the experience. We love Carnival overall. My kids won't sail on any other ships.
ECM225 saw things this way:
Staff and "your own time dining" was excellent, food selection superb, July 16, 2011
Reviewer: ECM225
Pros: Food was top quality, Rosie's had great selection. desserts excellent
Cons: Expected soda to be free, so drank iced tea/lemonade. Beware of internet
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8238
Good for children: Yes
This was our first cruise. It was everything my parents told us they enjoyed about cruises -- great food, entertainment, things to do. More info available about ports and land excursions before the cruise would have been helpful, but it was probably overlooked on our part. Private Island in Bahamas was just okay however the ship luncheon on island was great. St. Thomas and Puerto Rico were great. Excursions were very negotiable. San Juan has a trolley/shuttle that takes you all around San Juan for free. Turks island could have been better if we had taken a snorkel excurson. The costs seem reasonable. There is a captive excursion market at Turks Island and the private Bahamas island so there isn't room for negotiations. Personal taxi to Cooktown, visit to museum was good. Beach was nice. "Your own time dining" was great. Go before 6:30 p.m. and after 8 p.m. for no waiting. 6:30-8 you could run into 30 minute waits (they give you a wireless pager to get an alert). Beware of internet charges. You can eat up 250 minutes (.40/minute) quickly. If you pick a lower category you can't upgrade. You can only buy another category. The "buy more time" implies you can add on but it is only for buying a new category in addition to what you have. Track your time. If you go over, it is a rip-off at .75/minute and you don't get any warning. And the manager is very non-negotiable. Printing is $.50/page. We brought our own portable printer and it was free. Internet was the only disappointing (and very expensive) thing. Phone use was also very expensive (dollars/minute). Use GOOGLEVOICE or MAGICJACK. Worked out very well. Need your own headset/phone. The cabin phone isn't a standard RJ11 interface.
linnybear saw things this way:
A great cruise for our family that includes adult children and grandchildren!, October 29, 2010
Reviewer: linnybear
Pros: Our entire experience was great; staff attention, food, service and ports
Cons: The smoke is overwhelming in areas where it is allowed ie.casino, bars, etc.
Date of cruise: October 17, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 8430
Good for children: Yes
Ours was a very positive experience that I had not anticipated in comparison to previous Carnival cruises! We had a fabulous time! However, in this day and age it is unacceptable to allow smoking on board. I cannot imagine being an employee of Carnival Cruises where I would be exposed to this health hazard over and over again! As a passenger it was very difficult to enjoy the casino, etc., being exposed to the smoke and I am appalled that the policy has not changed in regards to this issue. On a more positive note, the food was delicous and we appreciated the cappuchino every night at dinner along with unlimited ice cream all day long.
Sloan222 saw things this way:
Wonderful family cruise, with excellent value., September 2, 2010
Reviewer: Sloan222
Pros: My daughters loved Camp Carnival; the food exceeded expectations
Cons: Congestion at buffet, too few quiet places, no midnight buffet
Date of cruise: October 1, 2009
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Good for children: Yes
First, what we liked: The slide!!!, Camp Carnival, the dining room food, and the sushi. ur room was designed very well, with lots of storage. Our steward took very good care of us, as did our waiter. My daughter and I especially liked the afternoon tea. The not-so-great: difficulty getting food and a table at the buffet, not much for older children (9-11) at Camp Carnival, and whirlpools crowded. The ships layout was awkward to navigate, as well as a sewage smell in our hallway.
tbow saw things this way:
The Valor was a clean boat with attentive staff., June 8, 2010
Reviewer: tbow
Pros: The burrito bar and yogurt machines were the best
Cons: The food choices were ok, not the best
Date of cruise: May 23, 2010
Departure port: miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8311
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
I enjoyed this boat tremendously. The food isn't as good as some of the other cruise lines but you can certainly find something to eat any time of the day or nite. The yogurt machine and burrito bar were my favorites and I dont normally eat junk food. The entertainment was good and they usually had things going on. I wish the TV screen outside played a different movie each night though...the movies played at noon and the sun made it hard to see the screen. Overall my trip was nice and the ports were great!
Carnival Valor reviews
Average customer rating:
3.98 / 5
3.98 / 5Average Rating based on 11 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
3.73
3.91
3.82
4.38
3.91
4.09
4.00
3.00
4.36
3.91
3.82
4.38
3.91
4.09
4.00
3.00
4.36
1lks1 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
3
3
1
2
4
5
3
1
2
4
5
Carnival has really been lacking on customer satisfaction lately, April 26, 2016
Reviewer: 1lks1
Pros: The staff is always pleasant and ready to serve...except the bartenders.
Cons: Dining room food choices have gone downhill since my last cruise two years ago.
Date of cruise: April 9, 2016
Departure port: Jacksonville Florida
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6292
This ship was rather outdated in decor but seemed well maintained. The majority of the staff were friendly and always willing to assist. The entertainment was poor in the evening and not available every night. Deck service was poor, but I think that was because of lack of personnel. My problem with this cruise was not the ship, but I think with Carnival Corporate. With their recent lawsuits they seem to be taking it out on all of their cruisers. My past 10 cruises have been with Carnival and every one was enjoyable...but not this one.
jb4691 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
2
5
4
3
5
4
3
3
5
5
4
3
5
4
3
3
5
Great time, August 13, 2015
Reviewer: jb4691
Pros: Food and service was exemplary
Cons: Guest Services was not able to resolve issues with on board credit
Date of cruise: August 1, 2015
Departure port: Port Canaveral, FL
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6296
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
On the cruise: Food, cabin & dining service, & shows were excellent. Long lines at Mongolian Wok. At Nassau port: Did Sail & Snorkel excursion with Seahorse Sailing & Snorkeling. Excellent time & experience. At St. Thomas port: Took taxi to Magens Bay Beach. Okay beach but very crowded. Nice for one-time trip but do not plan to go again. At San Juan port: Took free public trolleys around city and went to the two forts. Great time. At Grand Turk port: Walked to beach by Jack's Shack. Beautiful beach and water.
lholber21 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
2
3
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
4
4
Ship was bigger then I thought and really nice, February 1, 2013
Reviewer: lholber21
Pros: We missed ship sailing so getting on out of US we were treated great
Cons: Smoking in casino....WAY TO SMOKY!!!
Date of cruise: October 1, 2012
Departure port: Miami, FL
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 1297
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: Yes
We missed our flight out so we did not make it on board the ship before it sailed. Carnival wanted $300 a person to board the ship at the next destination - Key West. We ended up flying to the second stop and staying for two days to wait for the ship and were not charged to board because we were no longer in the US. The ship was much bigger then I expected, the food in the main dining room was the same every couple of nights, I thought it would be a different menu each day for the whole week. I didn't expect to have to pay for soda but I haven't cruised in a while. The smoking that is allowed in the casino is AWFUL...and you have to walk through the casino to get to one of the shows. Carnival really need to work on a better ventilation system for that area. Overall we had a good time and will cruise with Carnival again in the future.
earleydb saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
3
3
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
Poor, May 23, 2012
Reviewer: earleydb
Pros: None
Cons: Poor food and services
Date of cruise: November 26, 2011
Departure port: miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 1057
Good for teenagers: No
Very poor ship. Will never sail the Valor again or any of the others again. Very poor service. I would sail any other ships but Carnival. They are cheap and that's what you get -- poor food and service.
Red1935hen saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
3
4
4
5
3
4
4
4
4
5
3
4
4
Not our favorite cruise, July 30, 2011
Reviewer: Red1935hen
Pros: The itinerary
Cons: Most of the guests were rude and unfriendly
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 9257
Good for teenagers: Yes
Having been on a number of Carnival cruises, we found this one to be our least favorite. While we had a good time, many of the guests were rude, which understandably made the staff a little "testy" at times. Also, we found the organization to be less than optimal. No more cruising out of Miami for us!
jdaddybear saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Our second Carnival cruise and the Valor was GREAT!, July 29, 2011
Reviewer: jdaddybear
Pros: Oustanding service, food and entertainment.
Cons: None
Date of cruise: July 17, 2001
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 1318
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
This was our second Carnival cruise and we loved it. The entertainment, food, housekeeping and guest services were amazing. My cabin was above the casino band and they moved me the first night. My wife uses a wheelchair and our table was moved to a much better location for access. We found the ship clean and well maintained. Kudos to the entertainment staff. The shows and comedians were awesome. Special recognition must being given to Everson from the entertaiment team. He seemed to be everywhere and making a conection with all passengers. Last year we sailed on the Carnival Liberty, the Valor's sister ship, and we rated Liberty a 7 and Valor a 10. We are planing to travel Valor again with a different itinerary.
snowgrl1 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
4
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
Wonderful ship, very well maintained, July 18, 2011
Reviewer: snowgrl1
Pros: Activities -- loved murder mystery
Cons: Dining service was awful, a minimum 2 hours for dinner each night
Date of cruise: July 3, 2011
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 2220
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Enjoyed the cruise very much as always on Carnival. The only negative was the your time dining experience. It took 2-3 hours for dinner. Sometimes our food set there waiting to be served for a long time. We could watch the ice cream melting. I have had "Your Time" dining before and had no problem. The shows were great and the usual activites kept us busy. I do tire of the sales pitch in the spa though. When I pay a hugh premium for a massage, I don't want a sales pitch at the end, it ruins the experience. We love Carnival overall. My kids won't sail on any other ships.
ECM225 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
Staff and "your own time dining" was excellent, food selection superb, July 16, 2011
Reviewer: ECM225
Pros: Food was top quality, Rosie's had great selection. desserts excellent
Cons: Expected soda to be free, so drank iced tea/lemonade. Beware of internet
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8238
Good for children: Yes
This was our first cruise. It was everything my parents told us they enjoyed about cruises -- great food, entertainment, things to do. More info available about ports and land excursions before the cruise would have been helpful, but it was probably overlooked on our part. Private Island in Bahamas was just okay however the ship luncheon on island was great. St. Thomas and Puerto Rico were great. Excursions were very negotiable. San Juan has a trolley/shuttle that takes you all around San Juan for free. Turks island could have been better if we had taken a snorkel excurson. The costs seem reasonable. There is a captive excursion market at Turks Island and the private Bahamas island so there isn't room for negotiations. Personal taxi to Cooktown, visit to museum was good. Beach was nice. "Your own time dining" was great. Go before 6:30 p.m. and after 8 p.m. for no waiting. 6:30-8 you could run into 30 minute waits (they give you a wireless pager to get an alert). Beware of internet charges. You can eat up 250 minutes (.40/minute) quickly. If you pick a lower category you can't upgrade. You can only buy another category. The "buy more time" implies you can add on but it is only for buying a new category in addition to what you have. Track your time. If you go over, it is a rip-off at .75/minute and you don't get any warning. And the manager is very non-negotiable. Printing is $.50/page. We brought our own portable printer and it was free. Internet was the only disappointing (and very expensive) thing. Phone use was also very expensive (dollars/minute). Use GOOGLEVOICE or MAGICJACK. Worked out very well. Need your own headset/phone. The cabin phone isn't a standard RJ11 interface.
linnybear saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
A great cruise for our family that includes adult children and grandchildren!, October 29, 2010
Reviewer: linnybear
Pros: Our entire experience was great; staff attention, food, service and ports
Cons: The smoke is overwhelming in areas where it is allowed ie.casino, bars, etc.
Date of cruise: October 17, 2010
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 8430
Good for children: Yes
Ours was a very positive experience that I had not anticipated in comparison to previous Carnival cruises! We had a fabulous time! However, in this day and age it is unacceptable to allow smoking on board. I cannot imagine being an employee of Carnival Cruises where I would be exposed to this health hazard over and over again! As a passenger it was very difficult to enjoy the casino, etc., being exposed to the smoke and I am appalled that the policy has not changed in regards to this issue. On a more positive note, the food was delicous and we appreciated the cappuchino every night at dinner along with unlimited ice cream all day long.
Sloan222 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
5
4
4
4
5
4
5
4
4
4
5
4
5
Wonderful family cruise, with excellent value., September 2, 2010
Reviewer: Sloan222
Pros: My daughters loved Camp Carnival; the food exceeded expectations
Cons: Congestion at buffet, too few quiet places, no midnight buffet
Date of cruise: October 1, 2009
Departure port: Miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Inside
Good for children: Yes
First, what we liked: The slide!!!, Camp Carnival, the dining room food, and the sushi. ur room was designed very well, with lots of storage. Our steward took very good care of us, as did our waiter. My daughter and I especially liked the afternoon tea. The not-so-great: difficulty getting food and a table at the buffet, not much for older children (9-11) at Camp Carnival, and whirlpools crowded. The ships layout was awkward to navigate, as well as a sewage smell in our hallway.
tbow saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
The Valor was a clean boat with attentive staff., June 8, 2010
Reviewer: tbow
Pros: The burrito bar and yogurt machines were the best
Cons: The food choices were ok, not the best
Date of cruise: May 23, 2010
Departure port: miami
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Inside
Cabin number: 8311
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
I enjoyed this boat tremendously. The food isn't as good as some of the other cruise lines but you can certainly find something to eat any time of the day or nite. The yogurt machine and burrito bar were my favorites and I dont normally eat junk food. The entertainment was good and they usually had things going on. I wish the TV screen outside played a different movie each night though...the movies played at noon and the sun made it hard to see the screen. Overall my trip was nice and the ports were great!
