I just got off the celebration 2 days ago. Surprisingly, I did not once think any area was too crowded. Even up top, I had no problem getting a good seat, on sea days at that!! Loved it!
I believe that those behemoths only can be seen as non crowded or non challenging if a comprehensive crowd is aboard. Maybe you were on the lucky side. Now imagine a ship full of unruly kids and a crowd that don't want to move on as the timesheet moves away... Prospect for problems and crowds to arrive "unexpectedly"...
I sailed on the Celebration 4/16-23, and yes it was slightly crowded, but not too bad. You were spot on about the cabins seeming narrow and the bathrooms tight. I had to sit slightly turned on the toilet if I didn't want to hit my leg on the counter. Their was also a nasty sewer smell coming from the floor drain. Plumber came out 3x. Better, but not gone 😢
Crowded conditions on all the new cruise ships are now the norm. I try to stay away from these events that many passengers are attracted to. With 285 Carnival cruises I have learned how to avoid crowded areas. Your review was right on. Good job.
Wow, WAY Too many people!! The music is way too loud, I mean if I want to endure torture, fight crowds and stress, I can over pay and go to Disney World!!! 🙄 I do like cruising and cruise ships, just not blasting noise and mobs. I just got home from Carnival Conquest, Way too many people and ear damaging music (noise at 125 decibels).
I’m not surprised about these ships. Carnival is first and foremost a party cruise line. The major theme of their ships is party and party more. Looks like that hasn’t changed in the least in the five years since I went on the Vista. This is why Royal Caribbean wins in my book.
@@glenn87654 Would be nice if it was music. Pianist usually ok, and the ships band and some groups but those solo singers with a guitar looking like tramps ion torn jeans every song if you can call them songs the same no matter who sings them. Not sure why scruffiness constitutes talent. Call themselves singer songwriters. My god Gershwin Brothers and more would be turning in their graves at that pathetic song writing attempt from people who only know a couple of chords.
The thing I like best about your video is you simply show things the way they are. Some people will want that, others won't. The important thing is that they know what to expect.
Ok…I swore off Carnival years ago after 25 yrs of loyal sailing but now you got me rethinking future cruises! Carnival live entertainment lacked pre Covid so need to investigate if it had improved.
@@leonsilcott4895 1) The Icon is not even launched yet, 2) If the specs are correct, the Icon carries around a thousand more passengers and displaces around 80,000 tons more.
I have always been a huge Royal Caribbean cruiser, but tried Carnival Mardi Gras and my mind was blown. This class of ship is truly amazing, I was blown away with how many included restaurants there were, and the quality of the food.
I'll admit, I'm not big on fancy dining. I just want stuff that tastes good. Carnival really fits that bill for me. I feel like other lines try to make every meal an "experience" when sometimes I just want a really good burger or some tacos.
@@dwayneplummer12 Yeah I agree. I had fun on Royal Caribbean but Carnival is still my favorite cruise line (especially dream class and vista class ships)
@@brianna_lynch never been on Vista class but I’ll be on Venezia in July which is just a tad larger than Vista. Glory is my first ship so it has a spot in my heart forever. I’ve been on Magic in the adrenal class and liked it too.
Too busy for me honestly. I go on vacation to relax and not be so crowded. Too bad most smaller ships are mostly going away for these massive ships. I liked the Carmival Radiance. Just enough to do but not so crazy feeling that it was overwhelming.
Just spent a week on Carnival Mardi Gras. Departed Port Canaveral with stops in San Juan, Amber Cove Dominican Republic and Grand Turk. I did ride the Bolt roller coaster. It costs $15 for twice around the track, less than 5 minutes. Not worth it in my opinion. You're right about the slow elevators. If you're only going up or down and few decks it's just easier to take the stairs. You're right also about Guy's Pig and Anchor. Collard greens are on the lunch menu but they need to get a lesson on how to prepare them. I couldn't eat them. Food in the Palm dining room was fairly good. Sea day brunch had good variety. The pizza place was very good and open until 4 am. My sister and I shared an interior cabin on Deck 14. The bathrooms are tiny but functional. Beds were very comfortable! The shows were great and comedy club was good too. It took me a few days to get my bearings and figure out how to get around. Its a BIG ship! All in all it was a really good time, even won a little in the casino.
I think the behind the scenes tour is a great idea. If/when I go on another cruise I'm going to see if something like that is offered. I'd definitely do it.
Most Carnival ships offer one, although it's a bit pricey and tends to fill up very fast. My wife and I have taken 3 different ones on three different ships. The galley spaces always blow my mind!
Awesome video, you were very in-depth with this one, I’ve sailed Mardi Gras and now I’m booked on the Celebration in July, I have a lot to look forward to with this one , thanks again, keep the videos coming
Hey Tanner, you mentioned that the Casino was very smokey. I sailed the Carnival Mardi Gras in 2021 and spent a lot of time in the Casino and it wasn't smokey, because I gambled on the NON SMOKING SIDE. My understanding is that Carnival Celebration Casino is divided between SMOKING and NON-SMOKING.
I didn't notice if there was a split between smoking/non, but you may be right. I think the cruise also had Carnival's players club members onboard, so it might have been busier than usual.
Thanks for the honest review of this beautiful ship! We have booked on her newest sister, the Jubilee and will be on her 5th sailing, so will see her pristine. The review has me even more excited and aware of potential downfalls. Not sure, but I think the sailing is already or nearly booked full, so it will be the same crowds.😊 Can't wait!!!
In 2002 we (about 48 of us) were on the Carnival Victory on the western Caribbean. Our first port was Cozumel then the next day, we were supposed to port at Grand Cayman, but a hurricane was passing over it, so our ship and a few other were the first ships to port in Costa Mya. Then they started going there regularly. Next was Jamaica. The year before, all of us were on the Victory’s sister ship, the Triumph and we did the Eastern… San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. I love Carnival and hopefully this year I can take my wife on her first cruise
@@irenedavo3768 my buddy was a bartender at Bennigan’s in Jacksonville Florida, every year for about 8 years he would get a list for a cruise together. I went in 2001 and 2002. Our flight from Jacksonville to Ft. lauderdal and back, shuttle from the airport and back, and a 7 day cruise (Triumph then the victory, eastern then western Caribbean) ran us about $450 including taxes and port fees. We also had some other extras like the previous sailors party (even if it was your first cruise because others in the group have sailed and we had such a large group), a private cocktail party for our group, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in all the rooms. Every night at 11pm, if you wanted to hang out with the group, we all met at the piano bar.
100% agree on how crowded this class ship seems, I sailed on Mardi Gras in March of 2022 and they were several "choke points" as you called them. I didn't like the trade off as much as you seemed to and it's doubtful I will ever sail on this class ship again, just too many places where ship traffic gets very congested. You would think with a 180,000 ton ship they could have designed the flow of it better to avoid the crowded feeling it has in so many places on the ship. I had to laugh when you talked about the bathroom, as I have often wondered what Carnival executive ok'd those tiny things.
I didn't notice the bathroom size until I tried to put on clothes after a shower. I couldn't bend down to put on shorts without hitting against something.
Having been on the Mardi Gras, I agree with a lot of things you said. Totally agree about the seating in the Atrium theater, which is hard to come by. All in all, it's the best ship I've ever been on. My only real complaint would be that I didn't do a B2B. Lol
100% agree about the Atrium theater. Was on Mardi Gras in Dec '21 and if you didn't get a seat at least an hour before the 1st show, never going to find a seat (let alone a pair of seats) all night long. Had to stand for most of the shows and then I just went did something else. That being said, I am going back to the MG Dec '23 as part of a B2B (first out of Tampa on the Pride, then over to Canaveral same day we get off the Pride to get on the MG. We'll see how 14 days of sailing will be. Not looking forward to the total cost of Cheers! will be (haven't ordered it yet). OUCH!
We sailed Mardi Gras last year and will sail Celebration in March. My biggest complaint about Mardi Gras is there is no laundry room only “ironing” stations and the elevator situation is really bad. We took the stairs a lot. Everything else was great!
Yes, the laundry rooms on Vista ships is an underrated item. That last day at sea headed back to port you can do a quick load of laundry for $3 and have it all clean when you get home.
I just finished a week on the Breeze and found the experience to be lacking. First, the drinks -- both coffee and alcohol -- are extremely watered down. Second, the food in the buffet and main dining -- whether breakfast or dinner -- were literally identical. That is, if you want to avoid waiting to be sat, having to order all 3 courses upfront, and incredibly small portions... just go to the buffet. Third, the ship was a bit too crowded, making it difficult to find a place to sit and eat. In fact, even the pubs, where you're expected to buy drinks and food, were practically taken over by large groups (15-20+ families) who were essentially squatting, playing card games, and NOT buying food/drinks. Fourth (related to third), the clientele -- especially these large groups -- were rude, often cutting lines, hogging furniture 24/7, and allowing their unruly children to run wild and unaccompanied.
Going on the Mardi Gras again this May because there was so much to do that I feel like 7 days wasn't enough. So excited, but I am booked for Celebration for next New Year's Eve
I was on the same sailing as well! Beautiful ship, and agree with all the pros and cons of the ship. The Celestial Strings performance was also phenomenal, and couldn’t agree more with the Bolt coaster in terms of procrastinating! 😅
@@yikesvikes I don’t do reviews. There is no way these cruise UA-camrs will give an honest review if the trio was paid. It’s just the new form of advertisement used by companies. Use “regular” people to make it seem real.
wow the celebration sounds amazing :) I wish with all of my heart that we had ships like this come to Australia at times, but our ports just can't fit them. and I don't think we could ever afford to travel then cruise to the USA to cruise on one.... saying that "never say never"
I just went on the Celebration a few weeks ago. stay away from the casino... lol! but it was my first cruise and it was 7 days and my good ness was it AMAZING. there are about 5k guests and 2k workers. the workers are excellent you really get that ... royalty kind of feeling there. The food thats included with the cruise is also amazing.. we spent alot of time eating I must of gained a solid 15lbs in 7 days lol! honestly I just want to go on it again.
I was on this sailing! It was definitely a tremendous experience and I look forward to sailing on this ship again. I agree that show and event seating in the center stage area was always rough. Additionally the elevators were noticeably smaller. That must have been a nuisance for those using scooters. Though the bathrooms were smaller I appreciated the bigger showers. The food was amazing and plentiful. The caliber and variety of shows were SPECTACULAR! I saw Amor Cubano and was blown away! Aside from the center stage seating and sometimes trying to find seats during peak eating times it wasn't bad. I fully took advantage of the Carnival app and made seating reservations whenever possible. Also towards the end of the trip I noticed that I hadn't seen a whole lot of kids. I thiiiink Carnival purposely put kids clubs/rooms/areas in out of the way places (love it!). When I sailed the Horizon a few years ago there were unsupervised kids and teens everywhere and it was pretty annoying. Also, regarding the smoky casino, you must have been on the smoking side. The non-smoking side was clear air and pretty large.
I can't imagine the operating / maintenance cost to operate this behemoth. The engine controls system alone is easily in the millions. Then the staff. Like many massive Hotels, it's truly impressive. Like a city on the water.
The class of ship Carnival used costs over $1 BILLION. I can't imagine how steep fuel and crew wages cost together. And I'm NOT including waste disposal fees (everything from human waste to paper/leftover food...) docking fees laundry detergent/soap/shampoo/water usage engine maintenance (I'm sure there's something that has to be done after every cruise as preventive maintenance) and the list goes on and on...
This ship will blow your mine it is so amazing just so much to do. A floating hotel so much to do the staff's is hand on. I had the opportunity to tour and i ate at my leisure. Just so much to do see, eat and to do. Will differently will be back. Enjoyed cruising with you.
Hey Tanner, have you ever thought of teaming up with Jay from shiplife? I love watching you both. You guys totally lead the game in cruising. You guys could do something awesome!!!
Thank You for the great, honest review. We sail aborde Celebration in Feb. and can't wait to spend a week getting to know the ship! Is the Ship Tour you took, offered to the public? That is something I would really enjoy.
Unfortunately, it's not that I know of. I hesitated to include it but thought it was too neat to skip. I think Carnival used to offer some sort of "behind the scenes" tour before the pandemic.
I was on the same cruise. The bathroom was the worst. I agree about Grand Central as the view is not great from most seats. However I thought there was plenty of room on the lido deck and serenity decks.
Great video! I have been hesitant to cruise with Carnival. It seems like all the negative cruise news is always focused on them, and they are certainly in the bad spotlight a lot, but people who love Carnival are diehard fans, so I have to give it a try. I am really impressed with these new ships. I appreciate the serenity area as sometimes the craziness of the main pool deck on any ship, makes me a little uncomfortable.
@@amandacollins748 I think you are right. I was on a weekend 4 night Norwegian sailing out of Miami, and it was a booze cruise. Damage in the nightclub and the pool area was a disaster by 3 pm. The bachelorette parties were mingling with the divorce parties, LOL. It was an interesting site for sure!
Thank you for this informative video. I've been on Mardi Gras and I am booked on Celebration at the end of January and can't wait to go! Shaq's Big Chicken and Chibang are not to be missed. I picked up some good tips from you in this video. How did you get that tour of the bridge?! That's awesome!
Great review. I have sailed twice with Carnival on the west coast. First on the Ecstasy which was my first cruising trip. I thought it was enormous at 70000 tons. Then I said on the Splendor which was around 113000 tons. Crazy big. I am now ready for the Celebration. Can't wait. Thanks
To each his own I prefer Royal Caribbean. I have been an Avid Cruiser for a very long time I've been on board pretty much all the Carnival ships as well as princess ships. I've been on Plenty of NCL cruises but I have always cherished the experience of that of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise lines it always seems no matter what cruise I choose with either 1 Royal or celebrity it has always been a wonderful Cruise filled with intriguing ships and excellent service with plenty of space to feel comfortable and enjoy new environments throughout the ship without feeling overcrowded. With only possibly the one exception of the parade in the main plaza on Oasis classes but the rest of the events on board Royal Caribbean always seem to be better spaced seating compared to other Cruise Lines and with such a selection on board Royal Caribbean everyone has their own venue to choose from which keeps the crowd well diverse without everybody crowding in one area. And this seems to be more consistent with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise lines then Carnival or princess or NCL.
@@garouthetiktokinfluencerhu9731 not enough to voice a valid opinion about MSC. Are waiting till I've cruise with them more to rate them. Although I have heard great things about the line I've also heard bad things so I'm going to wait until I get more opportunities on MSC to voice an review. They are however currently the most cost-effective you can literally go on MSC cruises usually twice for the price of one cruise compared to multiple Cruise Lines pricing. I would also compliment MSC that they have very modern new ships. And they have quite a selection of ships to choose from particularly cruising out of Miami Florida.
What order would you put NCL and Carnival? I’ve only cruised NCL, but want to do Royal next as I’ve heard so many good things about it. That might be my new go to ship. The one thing I like so much about NCL is the freestyle dinner, food is good, great shows and the way they handle their packages. How does Royal compare?
@@Aggie4life77 oh it's like the saying once you go royal you're loyal. Honestly I think that Royal Caribbean is the best cruise line overall they are a little bit more expensive than NCL or the other cruise lines but in my opinion they're worth it for the experiences of so many different atmospheres and themes an Adventures you'll encounter through the dedicated attention you'll get through the staff from the almost never endless menu options and even specialty dining venues including not just food but bars and social areas and entertainment you just get more of everything with Royal Caribbean even their private islands are on a whole other level of options and different experiences especially if you choose their Oasis class of ships. However even cruising with their sister line celebrity I was also quite impressed. Celebrity is a little bit more laid back than Royal Caribbean but they really know how to treat their guest on Celebrity Cruise lines you will literally get treated like a celebrity no joke they will always call you by your name they will have prompt Quick Service their food is scrumptious.. and they also have great entertainment so no matter what cruise line you choose I hope you enjoy don't be afraid to get out there and just have fun explore relax kick back and enjoy !🌊⚓🚢🏖
@@Aggie4life77 sorry I never really answered your question I don't know what order to put NCL compared to Carnival. I think it's really a matter of choice and depending on what ship you're on and destination. NCL encompasses a lot of similarities of Carnival but would say that NCL is more closer to celebrity then Carnival. My personal experience has been to get better service on NCL then Carnival. NCL tends to have their ships running with less chaos than Carnival but if you're cruising with a family or your very energetic I would say Carnival before NCL.. But it really again comes down to preference so it's kind of hard to say one way or the other I mean in some cases it comes down to choosing between bumper cars racetrack or water slides. Ice skating rock climbing zip lining surfing Or the big difference All the Above. I'm sure you probably interpreted from my first response that I think Royal Caribbean is number one. Celebrity being second from that. As far as packages go each Cruise Line is slightly different I think it's always smarter to go with package if you're into something in particular if you really enjoy drinking then definitely drink package . If you like coffee and Specialty teas. I would definitely recommend it. Usually the best package is the one that comes with juices tomato juice pineapple juice coffees and Specialty teas. However if you're more of a soda drinker than definitely would recommend the soda package I particularly like the kind that comes with being able to get a can or fountain so be careful when you choose depending on your preferences. And that goes again for just about all the cruise lines.. Out of all the packages I say that has the best value in my experience has been Royal Caribbean Bar beverage package with the alcohol liquor package no matter what cruise line it pays for itself if you enjoy your liquor spirits cocktails. Regardless of what you choose I'm sure you'll have a great time. Take care and enjoy.
I am elderly and I believe Caribbean Princess is perfect. My biggest ship is QM2 that I also enjoy along with several other ships. My cruise days are behind me though I feel confident that I would not enjoy these monster ships. Your stateroom cabin looked terrible that other passengers have told me is the standard sense that Carnival gives it's guest.
The cabin wasn't that bad, and you just want to be a snob and hate on Carnival. You completely ignored the rest of the description of the ship to hate on that? Princess is a division of Carnival corporation, just to let you know.
@@elouise5593 The presentation elevated that the theaters are also a disaster. My experience with Princess is that the newer the ship the more undersized and disfunction the theater. The Carnaval cabin staterooms are not that bad and from what I see they are not that good?
Tanner, if you want to praise a ship, I wouldn't use the word "Ridiculous" in the title! Webster's dictionary describes that word as "laughable", "arousing or deserving ridicule", "absurd" or "preposterous", so please use a correct term!
Thanks for an honest review. A ship like this would cause me too much anxiety! Too many people, too many lights and no small spaces to grab a nap or read. I’ll stick with the smaller vessels 😊
I have sail on the Celebration two times and going back in June and then in October because I love it and as long as I leave I will sail on the Celebration again and again ❤
We were on Mardi Gras Nov 22, size of the ship a big issue. Had a Spa room forward. The table we were assigned in the dining room overlooked the wake of the ship. Took over half an hour to reach the dining room another what felt like fifteen minutes walking through to our table. Most of the eateries are aft so that was an issue. Only the Spa, Serenity, main theater and smoking area of the casino were convenient. The bed in the balcony cabin was so close to the wall it was impossible to get in the bed on the window/door side. At 60 we are not jumping to the opposite side of the bed plus getting up in the middle of the night wasn't happening. Wound up using the couch to sleep.
Solid review. Balanced feedback. It looked interesting, right up until the comments regarding choke points and overcrowding. Not a deal breaker, but would definitely require me to reset my expectations. Thx again.
Have not been on a cruise yet however if i do cruise the Celebration sounds like the Ship to enjoy one .Lucky you for being able to check out the off limits and special areas ,cool info thanks
I went on Mardi Gras and I didn't think it was crowded at all. I agree that the elevators are small and I really saw this when it was time to depart from ship
Good review! Only issue is I hate when people say "Honest Review" in their titles and keep harping on "It's honest." I always assume everyone is honest and when people telling me how "honest" they are, it makes me not trust it. Otherwise, again very nice. Ship looks gorgeous, I just have no interest in being on these mega ships at capacity, I just think I wouldn't be able to do hardly anything without jumping through hoops.
Got a May 2023 date for Celebration. I’m sure I’ll be blown away. Sailed previously on the Splendor, and the Sunshine, so it will be a different world on the Celebration.
Awe man. We're going in April and the shows are by far our favorite things, other than the food, since we don't drink or gamble. I'm really hoping we can watch them, comfortably.
Sailed on Mardi Gras a week ago. Went to several events in the theater and there were always plenty of seats. Saw one show at the entertainment venue and it is viewable from 2 decks. It was most crowded at last sea day bingo.
Your cruise with 5284 felt crowded, this ship can sail with 1000 more!! Imagine 6200 on that 🥵 we’ve got sister ship Iona here in the UK, really not keen on trying it tbh
Another good informative video. We sailed on Mardi Gras last month. Loved it! A beautiful ship with lots to do and eat. We weren't a big fan of Chi-Bang as a eating option, otherwise perfect. Looking forward to Celebration next.
What was is about ChiBang that you didn't like? My only issue was that when you ordered a dish, that's all you got. I got Kung Pao chicken and it was literally just the chicken -- no rice. Food was good but that was a little weird.
Been on Big and Small Cruises. I actually prefer the Bigger Ship. More Options and Open more hours. I avoided crowds most of the time just by not going where it was crowded. Plenty of room and choices. Smaller ship had less options, more structure, more waiting because everyone was told what to do and when to do it. I'm also biased towards bigger ships because I like to wander around, and it gets boring pretty quick when you only have 7 decks.
I cruised on celebrations sister ship Mardi Gras not long after she came out and my observations were pretty much exactly yours. I also first ate at pig and anchor during lunch and it was not good. I'm so thankful I came back in the evening for dinner because that was amazing. Next week I get on celebration and look forward to pig and anchor and all of the other great food places. My next biggest gripe with this class ship is the limited seating for the atrium theater. It's just ridiculous. No ship is perfect though. And certainly there are so many great things about this class of ship that make it worth cruising on!
@@Cruzelycom NCL's big issue for me is that Syd's Pourhouse is an amazing venue with great bands but is way too small on all of their ships. Tiny venue then they let suite passengers in a back door before shows so for the 50 or so people in line by the time they are let in there are only about a dozen seats left.
Couple more weeks and I'll be on there. I've heard about the problems with long waits for elevators, cramped rooms and scarce seating in at the show where the circus is. Since this was other family members' choice, I'm going to give it a go. I was on a Carnival ship back in 2015, that one was a "never again" experience. This looks like a total turnaround.
This is awesome!! Thanks so much for such an awesome video My fiancé and I will be on celebration for our honeymoon in April and watching this video made us even more excited!!
I saw that beast at port. I still can't figure out why it doesn't fall over sideways. 😆 I have never done Carnival but talked with some people in port. One guy was so impressed he and his wife did two back to back. They didn't want to go home! He did have one complaint PARTY SHIP. Yea, well duh but it sure ain't Disney so that's a benefit.
Good info, think I will have to look at cruising on this ship. Agree on Guys Pig and Anchor during the day. The elevators not an issue for us sine we use the stairs.
@@TripReviews I have been on cruise already for 9 times and I'v never met Middle Eastern cruisers, yet. So, I will be the only Arab on ship, my nose will give me away.
@@HusseinMSAAlsalahi71 lol. The nose you may be right, could be a good clue. 😄 👃 A really good Syrian fellow I used to work with himself hasn’t been on a cruise but his sons have. They did a last minute sort of cruise and had a good time. You will probably spot me pretty easily, I’ll likely be walking around like this🧑🦯 with a long white cane. I have very limited vision and it takes me some time to focus in, the white cane has saved me a few times. There may be more than one big guy walking around like this but not too likely so I should be easy to find. Even though I do videos most of my recording is point, click and hope for the best.😄 I look forward to meeting with you we could have a coffee on deck. That could be a good idea.
Loved Mardi Gras! I totally agree on the elevators and Center Stage issues. But is such a great an unique ship that sends Carnival into a new direction. Great video as always
Certainly the use of the atrium as a theater show opportunity has its own challenges, especially if a non cooperative crowd is aboard as passengers. That said I believe both the Mardi Gras and the Celebration as big game changers for Carnival. It's only on their hands the opportunity to grow from their current 3 starish cruise experience to a solid 4 starish!... Time will tell!...
So XL class ships on Carnival have “interlocking” cabins instead of the traditional rectangles. They are also 2 feet narrower (1 ft from each side). Doesn’t seem like much but it is quite noticeable if you’re used to other Carnival ships
I just got back from my cruise 12-4-11-22 my only complaint was that I was very disappointed in the dining room food and the Lido deck it was not good and I have been on many of Carnival ships overall I like the ship
Unlike where I work, all those guages probably work. I am absolutely paying for the behind the scenes tour when I got on Vista with the background of running a college campus.
That is rue abou the seating at the shows. We were on the Mardi Gras and found that a lot of people with walkers would park them along the railing at the back of level two and go sit in the seats. I just turned one around and sat there to watck the show and no one said anything as I felt they were occupying two spots. lol
NO WAY, Not interested in being on a behemoth ship with 6,000- 8,000 passengers...I prefer the toned down classier smaller ships like the Soltice and Sumitt class ships of Celebrity. Also done all of the Caribbean years ago, Alaska, Iceland, Bermuda, New England Canada, Asia, South Pacific...Now solely taking cruises on Celebrity in Europe.
My biggest complaints about Mardi Gras made it so much less enjoyable than the dream class. The biggest complaint was the way the kids’ club is laid out. The club and Family Harbor are on the same deck. And the club is right in the elevator lobby. So getting an elevator is a disaster. Ok, fine. We can just walk aft (which is where our room was, anyway). Nope. NO AFT STAIRS to the FAMILY staterooms 😂😂😂😂😂 staying aft on deck four with small children means you if you’re at the lido marketplace you have to walk alllll the way midship, fight for an elevator, give up and walk down 6 flights of stairs, and then walk allllllll the way aft. With kids. It was such a ridiculously bad design idea that I can’t go back. Please tell me it’s not like that on Celebration. I can’t even describe how inconvenient that setup was with little kids - staying in the area supposedly designed FOR little kids. And the pizza place. What on earth was going on in the pizza place. Multiple times I watched them make, bake; remove, and cut 12 (!!!) pepperoni pizzas at a time before serving one slice. But we all wanted cheese. And they continued making pizzas. At one point there were TWENTY FOUR pepperoni and mushroom pizzas on the counter. And a line 15 people deep waiting for….cheese pizza. It was so bonkers I honestly thought I was being punk’d the first time. I’m so scarred I don’t think I can ever sail that class again. It got to the point that when my kids would ask for pizza I would break out in hives. Waiting 20 minutes for a slice of cheese pizza while mushroom pizza after mushroom pizza came out of the oven. If I hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have believed it. 😂
I'll be sailing on the Celbration in Febr. If it is like the Mardi Gras, I have a few comments. The rooms are smaller, and the bathroom is much smaller. If you liked the Havana area on the Vista class ships, you will be very disappointed in the Havana area on the Mardi Gras class ships. There isn't a library, and no computer area. I still loved sailing on the Mardi Gras, however, I did find some things lacking and somethings that were added that we really liked.
I agree with a lot of people on here that I go on vacation to relax and getting to crowded is not what I’m looking for. With that said, I don’t mind the larger Ships as it has more to do and places to see. I think they should just have less people on board. For example, this ship looks like it holds roughly 5300 people. It would be perfect if only 4000 were on board. Take the extra room to maybe add even more places to go or offer even more larger suites for the people who want them.
I just got off the celebration 2 days ago. Surprisingly, I did not once think any area was too crowded. Even up top, I had no problem getting a good seat, on sea days at that!! Loved it!
I believe that those behemoths only can be seen as non crowded or non challenging if a comprehensive crowd is aboard. Maybe you were on the lucky side. Now imagine a ship full of unruly kids and a crowd that don't want to move on as the timesheet moves away... Prospect for problems and crowds to arrive "unexpectedly"...
I sailed on the Celebration 4/16-23, and yes it was slightly crowded, but not too bad. You were spot on about the cabins seeming narrow and the bathrooms tight. I had to sit slightly turned on the toilet if I didn't want to hit my leg on the counter. Their was also a nasty sewer smell coming from the floor drain. Plumber came out 3x. Better, but not gone 😢
Crowded conditions on all the new cruise ships are now the norm. I try to stay away from these events that many passengers are attracted to. With 285 Carnival cruises I have learned how to avoid crowded areas. Your review was right on. Good job.
You have been on 285 Carnival cruises??? Is that a typo?
Great, comprehensive review. Sounds like it would have been a blast 30 years ago🙄 now being crowded while trying to relax does not appeal.
Wow, WAY Too many people!! The music is way too loud, I mean if I want to endure torture, fight crowds and stress, I can over pay and go to Disney World!!! 🙄 I do like cruising and cruise ships, just not blasting noise and mobs. I just got home from Carnival Conquest, Way too many people and ear damaging music (noise at 125 decibels).
We were not impressed with the Mardi Gras.
I’m not surprised about these ships. Carnival is first and foremost a party cruise line. The major theme of their ships is party and party more. Looks like that hasn’t changed in the least in the five years since I went on the Vista. This is why Royal Caribbean wins in my book.
@@glenn87654 Would be nice if it was music. Pianist usually ok, and the ships band and some groups but those solo singers with a guitar looking like tramps ion torn jeans every song if you can call them songs the same no matter who sings them. Not sure why scruffiness constitutes talent. Call themselves singer songwriters. My god Gershwin Brothers and more would be turning in their graves at that pathetic song writing attempt from people who only know a couple of chords.
Fortunately it appeals to enough people that it’s profitable to build these ships!
The thing I like best about your video is you simply show things the way they are. Some people will want that, others won't. The important thing is that they know what to expect.
Ok…I swore off Carnival years ago after 25 yrs of loyal sailing but now you got me rethinking future cruises! Carnival live entertainment lacked pre Covid so need to investigate if it had improved.
I always love your ship reviews! I’m booked on Celebration November 2023. I am ready
Seeing the engines has to be one of the coolest things you could do on a cruise imo. Too crowded for me but id go just for that.
Very cool. Loud, hot, and an amazing experience.
This cruise ship is way bigger than icon of seas
@@leonsilcott4895 1) The Icon is not even launched yet,
2) If the specs are correct, the Icon carries around a thousand more passengers and displaces around 80,000 tons more.
Sorry for saying this but Carnival is still bigger
Car sinking in mud porn
I have always been a huge Royal Caribbean cruiser, but tried Carnival Mardi Gras and my mind was blown. This class of ship is truly amazing, I was blown away with how many included restaurants there were, and the quality of the food.
I'll admit, I'm not big on fancy dining. I just want stuff that tastes good. Carnival really fits that bill for me. I feel like other lines try to make every meal an "experience" when sometimes I just want a really good burger or some tacos.
This is why Carnival is my favorite cruise line. Carnival seems to have more free food than Royal Caribbean, even on smaller ships.
I tried Royal and ran back to Carnival. The energy and the food is just different
@@dwayneplummer12 Yeah I agree. I had fun on Royal Caribbean but Carnival is still my favorite cruise line (especially dream class and vista class ships)
@@brianna_lynch never been on Vista class but I’ll be on Venezia in July which is just a tad larger than Vista. Glory is my first ship so it has a spot in my heart forever. I’ve been on Magic in the adrenal class and liked it too.
Too busy for me honestly. I go on vacation to relax and not be so crowded. Too bad most smaller ships are mostly going away for these massive ships. I liked the Carmival Radiance. Just enough to do but not so crazy feeling that it was overwhelming.
We’re sailing Jewel of the Seas in a few weeks for this very reason, we went on Independence in September and even that was crowded for our taste.
We sailed on the Radiance back in April and loved it.
Carnival has always been a "party" ship.
Carnival Magic may be your cup of tea. It is a larger ship but it's pretty chill. Any in that class you would probably enjoy
Mardi Gars was my first-ever cruise. But personally, I like the Carnival liberty better for some strange reason..
Just spent a week on Carnival Mardi Gras. Departed Port Canaveral with stops in San Juan, Amber Cove Dominican Republic and Grand Turk. I did ride the Bolt roller coaster. It costs $15 for twice around the track, less than 5 minutes. Not worth it in my opinion. You're right about the slow elevators. If you're only going up or down and few decks it's just easier to take the stairs. You're right also about Guy's Pig and Anchor. Collard greens are on the lunch menu but they need to get a lesson on how to prepare them. I couldn't eat them. Food in the Palm dining room was fairly good. Sea day brunch had good variety. The pizza place was very good and open until 4 am.
My sister and I shared an interior cabin on Deck 14. The bathrooms are tiny but functional. Beds were very comfortable! The shows were great and comedy club was good too. It took me a few days to get my bearings and figure out how to get around. Its a BIG ship! All in all it was a really good time, even won a little in the casino.
Blows my mind; the engineering it takes to make something this size float on water!
I think the behind the scenes tour is a great idea. If/when I go on another cruise I'm going to see if something like that is offered. I'd definitely do it.
Most Carnival ships offer one, although it's a bit pricey and tends to fill up very fast. My wife and I have taken 3 different ones on three different ships. The galley spaces always blow my mind!
Feel like the theater is no where near big enough for how many guests the ship has
I worked on the original Mardi Gras and was delighted to see the doors from my ship from fifty years ago.
Awesome video, you were very in-depth with this one, I’ve sailed Mardi Gras and now I’m booked on the Celebration in July, I have a lot to look forward to with this one , thanks again, keep the videos coming
It still amazes me the size of these ships. They are floating town's. Staggering feats of engineering and they keep getting bigger.
Yikes! That cabin absolutely looks small. Looks like our RV. MORE people, smaller spaces. Perfect!
Hey Tanner, you mentioned that the Casino was very smokey. I sailed the Carnival Mardi Gras in 2021 and spent a lot of time in the Casino and it wasn't smokey, because I gambled on the NON SMOKING SIDE. My understanding is that Carnival Celebration Casino is divided between SMOKING and NON-SMOKING.
I didn't notice if there was a split between smoking/non, but you may be right. I think the cruise also had Carnival's players club members onboard, so it might have been busier than usual.
Thanks for the honest review of this beautiful ship! We have booked on her newest sister, the Jubilee and will be on her 5th sailing, so will see her pristine. The review has me even more excited and aware of potential downfalls. Not sure, but I think the sailing is already or nearly booked full, so it will be the same crowds.😊 Can't wait!!!
In 2002 we (about 48 of us) were on the Carnival Victory on the western Caribbean. Our first port was Cozumel then the next day, we were supposed to port at Grand Cayman, but a hurricane was passing over it, so our ship and a few other were the first ships to port in Costa Mya. Then they started going there regularly. Next was Jamaica. The year before, all of us were on the Victory’s sister ship, the Triumph and we did the Eastern… San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. I love Carnival and hopefully this year I can take my wife on her first cruise
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@@irenedavo3768 my buddy was a bartender at Bennigan’s in Jacksonville Florida, every year for about 8 years he would get a list for a cruise together. I went in 2001 and 2002. Our flight from Jacksonville to Ft. lauderdal and back, shuttle from the airport and back, and a 7 day cruise (Triumph then the victory, eastern then western Caribbean) ran us about $450 including taxes and port fees. We also had some other extras like the previous sailors party (even if it was your first cruise because others in the group have sailed and we had such a large group), a private cocktail party for our group, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in all the rooms. Every night at 11pm, if you wanted to hang out with the group, we all met at the piano bar.
He used the same travel agent every year, so we got nice discounts on everything
100% agree on how crowded this class ship seems, I sailed on Mardi Gras in March of 2022 and they were several "choke points" as you called them. I didn't like the trade off as much as you seemed to and it's doubtful I will ever sail on this class ship again, just too many places where ship traffic gets very congested. You would think with a 180,000 ton ship they could have designed the flow of it better to avoid the crowded feeling it has in so many places on the ship. I had to laugh when you talked about the bathroom, as I have often wondered what Carnival executive ok'd those tiny things.
I didn't notice the bathroom size until I tried to put on clothes after a shower. I couldn't bend down to put on shorts without hitting against something.
A small skinny one🤣🤣🤣
Having been on the Mardi Gras, I agree with a lot of things you said. Totally agree about the seating in the Atrium theater, which is hard to come by. All in all, it's the best ship I've ever been on. My only real complaint would be that I didn't do a B2B. Lol
100% agree about the Atrium theater. Was on Mardi Gras in Dec '21 and if you didn't get a seat at least an hour before the 1st show, never going to find a seat (let alone a pair of seats) all night long. Had to stand for most of the shows and then I just went did something else. That being said, I am going back to the MG Dec '23 as part of a B2B (first out of Tampa on the Pride, then over to Canaveral same day we get off the Pride to get on the MG. We'll see how 14 days of sailing will be. Not looking forward to the total cost of Cheers! will be (haven't ordered it yet). OUCH!
Great video and review...thank you. Happy Holidays and take care!!
We sailed Mardi Gras last year and will sail Celebration in March. My biggest complaint about Mardi Gras is there is no laundry room only “ironing” stations and the elevator situation is really bad. We took the stairs a lot.
Everything else was great!
Yes, the laundry rooms on Vista ships is an underrated item. That last day at sea headed back to port you can do a quick load of laundry for $3 and have it all clean when you get home.
Out of the all the elevators, on our cruise 4 were down the whole time. Be careful of the elevation changes on deck 6.
I just finished a week on the Breeze and found the experience to be lacking. First, the drinks -- both coffee and alcohol -- are extremely watered down. Second, the food in the buffet and main dining -- whether breakfast or dinner -- were literally identical. That is, if you want to avoid waiting to be sat, having to order all 3 courses upfront, and incredibly small portions... just go to the buffet. Third, the ship was a bit too crowded, making it difficult to find a place to sit and eat. In fact, even the pubs, where you're expected to buy drinks and food, were practically taken over by large groups (15-20+ families) who were essentially squatting, playing card games, and NOT buying food/drinks. Fourth (related to third), the clientele -- especially these large groups -- were rude, often cutting lines, hogging furniture 24/7, and allowing their unruly children to run wild and unaccompanied.
Wow 👌 👏 thank you for the video awesome & celebration is beautiful!! Everything you showed was great 👍
Going on the Mardi Gras again this May because there was so much to do that I feel like 7 days wasn't enough. So excited, but I am booked for Celebration for next New Year's Eve
Thanks for the Info. We just booked a cruise on the Celebration. I'm looking forward to it.
I was on the same sailing as well! Beautiful ship, and agree with all the pros and cons of the ship. The Celestial Strings performance was also phenomenal, and couldn’t agree more with the Bolt coaster in terms of procrastinating! 😅
We're going in April... what's your advice for someone taking 2 teenagers that definitely don't want to miss it?
I was there also and procrastinated until the last day when it was too windy also 😕
Beautiful ship? It is nothing like a ship ,would look it is a complete monstrosity.
@Kristina I think they'd have a great time! There was plenty of activities for all age groups, including teenagers while I was on board.
No free cruise comes with an honest review.
The mind will always paint a positive picture, just to seek for the next freebie
Sounds like you're projecting.... 😏
@@yikesvikes
I don’t do reviews.
There is no way these cruise UA-camrs will give an honest review if the trio was paid.
It’s just the new form of advertisement used by companies.
Use “regular” people to make it seem real.
wow the celebration sounds amazing :) I wish with all of my heart that we had ships like this come to Australia at times, but our ports just can't fit them. and I don't think we could ever afford to travel then cruise to the USA to cruise on one.... saying that "never say never"
I do hope you can find a way to save the money to do that!
I just went on the Celebration a few weeks ago. stay away from the casino... lol! but it was my first cruise and it was 7 days and my good ness was it AMAZING. there are about 5k guests and 2k workers. the workers are excellent you really get that ... royalty kind of feeling there. The food thats included with the cruise is also amazing.. we spent alot of time eating I must of gained a solid 15lbs in 7 days lol! honestly I just want to go on it again.
big chicken was so freakin good I would wake up and make my way over there and get those dipped chicken tenders mmmm
I was on this sailing! It was definitely a tremendous experience and I look forward to sailing on this ship again. I agree that show and event seating in the center stage area was always rough. Additionally the elevators were noticeably smaller. That must have been a nuisance for those using scooters. Though the bathrooms were smaller I appreciated the bigger showers. The food was amazing and plentiful. The caliber and variety of shows were SPECTACULAR! I saw Amor Cubano and was blown away! Aside from the center stage seating and sometimes trying to find seats during peak eating times it wasn't bad. I fully took advantage of the Carnival app and made seating reservations whenever possible. Also towards the end of the trip I noticed that I hadn't seen a whole lot of kids. I thiiiink Carnival purposely put kids clubs/rooms/areas in out of the way places (love it!). When I sailed the Horizon a few years ago there were unsupervised kids and teens everywhere and it was pretty annoying. Also, regarding the smoky casino, you must have been on the smoking side. The non-smoking side was clear air and pretty large.
I can't imagine the operating / maintenance cost to operate this behemoth. The engine controls system alone is easily in the millions. Then the staff. Like many massive Hotels, it's truly impressive. Like a city on the water.
The class of ship Carnival used costs over $1 BILLION. I can't imagine how steep fuel and crew wages cost together. And I'm NOT including
waste disposal fees (everything from human waste to paper/leftover food...)
docking fees
laundry detergent/soap/shampoo/water usage
engine maintenance (I'm sure there's something that has to be done after every cruise as preventive maintenance)
and the list goes on and on...
This ship will blow your mine it is so amazing just so much to do. A floating hotel so much to do the staff's is hand on. I had the opportunity to tour and i ate at my leisure. Just so much to do see, eat and to do. Will differently will be back. Enjoyed cruising with you.
You sailed with 2.9 Passengers per crew member. Not great, but not bad.
Hey Tanner, have you ever thought of teaming up with Jay from shiplife? I love watching you both. You guys totally lead the game in cruising. You guys could do something awesome!!!
Thank You for the great, honest review. We sail aborde Celebration in Feb. and can't wait to spend a week getting to know the ship! Is the Ship Tour you took, offered to the public? That is something I would really enjoy.
Unfortunately, it's not that I know of. I hesitated to include it but thought it was too neat to skip. I think Carnival used to offer some sort of "behind the scenes" tour before the pandemic.
I was on the same cruise. The bathroom was the worst. I agree about Grand Central as the view is not great from most seats. However I thought there was plenty of room on the lido deck and serenity decks.
Going on our second trip on the Mardi Gras in 6 days. Love the flow of the ship and general atmosphere. Going on the jubilee next year. Cannot wait.
Great video! I have been hesitant to cruise with Carnival. It seems like all the negative cruise news is always focused on them, and they are certainly in the bad spotlight a lot, but people who love Carnival are diehard fans, so I have to give it a try. I am really impressed with these new ships. I appreciate the serenity area as sometimes the craziness of the main pool deck on any ship, makes me a little uncomfortable.
I really think it’s the 3 days cruise that have drama.
@@amandacollins748 I think you are right. I was on a weekend 4 night Norwegian sailing out of Miami, and it was a booze cruise. Damage in the nightclub and the pool area was a disaster by 3 pm. The bachelorette parties were mingling with the divorce parties, LOL. It was an interesting site for sure!
@@Jon_T19 LOL
Thank you for this informative video. I've been on Mardi Gras and I am booked on Celebration at the end of January and can't wait to go! Shaq's Big Chicken and Chibang are not to be missed. I picked up some good tips from you in this video. How did you get that tour of the bridge?! That's awesome!
I was on that very cruise. You hit the nail on the head with the food… it was insanely good 👍🏼
it usually is...
Great review. I have sailed twice with Carnival on the west coast. First on the Ecstasy which was my first cruising trip. I thought it was enormous at 70000 tons. Then I said on the Splendor which was around 113000 tons. Crazy big. I am now ready for the Celebration. Can't wait. Thanks
To each his own I prefer Royal Caribbean. I have been an Avid Cruiser for a very long time I've been on board pretty much all the Carnival ships as well as princess ships. I've been on Plenty of NCL cruises but I have always cherished the experience of that of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise lines it always seems no matter what cruise I choose with either 1 Royal or celebrity it has always been a wonderful Cruise filled with intriguing ships and excellent service with plenty of space to feel comfortable and enjoy new environments throughout the ship without feeling overcrowded. With only possibly the one exception of the parade in the main plaza on Oasis classes but the rest of the events on board Royal Caribbean always seem to be better spaced seating compared to other Cruise Lines and with such a selection on board Royal Caribbean everyone has their own venue to choose from which keeps the crowd well diverse without everybody crowding in one area. And this seems to be more consistent with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise lines then Carnival or princess or NCL.
Have you ever sailed on msc?
@@garouthetiktokinfluencerhu9731 not enough to voice a valid opinion about MSC. Are waiting till I've cruise with them more to rate them. Although I have heard great things about the line I've also heard bad things so I'm going to wait until I get more opportunities on MSC to voice an review. They are however currently the most cost-effective you can literally go on MSC cruises usually twice for the price of one cruise compared to multiple Cruise Lines pricing. I would also compliment MSC that they have very modern new ships. And they have quite a selection of ships to choose from particularly cruising out of Miami Florida.
What order would you put NCL and Carnival? I’ve only cruised NCL, but want to do Royal next as I’ve heard so many good things about it. That might be my new go to ship. The one thing I like so much about NCL is the freestyle dinner, food is good, great shows and the way they handle their packages. How does Royal compare?
@@Aggie4life77 oh it's like the saying once you go royal you're loyal. Honestly I think that Royal Caribbean is the best cruise line overall they are a little bit more expensive than NCL or the other cruise lines but in my opinion they're worth it for the experiences of so many different atmospheres and themes an Adventures you'll encounter through the dedicated attention you'll get through the staff from the almost never endless menu options and even specialty dining venues including not just food but bars and social areas and entertainment you just get more of everything with Royal Caribbean even their private islands are on a whole other level of options and different experiences especially if you choose their Oasis class of ships. However even cruising with their sister line celebrity I was also quite impressed. Celebrity is a little bit more laid back than Royal Caribbean but they really know how to treat their guest on Celebrity Cruise lines you will literally get treated like a celebrity no joke they will always call you by your name they will have prompt Quick Service their food is scrumptious.. and they also have great entertainment so no matter what cruise line you choose I hope you enjoy don't be afraid to get out there and just have fun explore relax kick back and enjoy !🌊⚓🚢🏖
@@Aggie4life77 sorry I never really answered your question I don't know what order to put NCL compared to Carnival. I think it's really a matter of choice and depending on what ship you're on and destination. NCL encompasses a lot of similarities of Carnival but would say that NCL is more closer to celebrity then Carnival. My personal experience has been to get better service on NCL then Carnival. NCL tends to have their ships running with less chaos than Carnival but if you're cruising with a family or your very energetic I would say Carnival before NCL.. But it really again comes down to preference so it's kind of hard to say one way or the other I mean in some cases it comes down to choosing between bumper cars racetrack or water slides. Ice skating rock climbing zip lining surfing Or the big difference All the Above. I'm sure you probably interpreted from my first response that I think Royal Caribbean is number one. Celebrity being second from that. As far as packages go each Cruise Line is slightly different I think it's always smarter to go with package if you're into something in particular if you really enjoy drinking then definitely drink package . If you like coffee and Specialty teas. I would definitely recommend it. Usually the best package is the one that comes with juices tomato juice pineapple juice coffees and Specialty teas. However if you're more of a soda drinker than definitely would recommend the soda package I particularly like the kind that comes with being able to get a can or fountain so be careful when you choose depending on your preferences. And that goes again for just about all the cruise lines.. Out of all the packages I say that has the best value in my experience has been Royal Caribbean Bar beverage package with the alcohol liquor package no matter what cruise line it pays for itself if you enjoy your liquor spirits cocktails. Regardless of what you choose I'm sure you'll have a great time. Take care and enjoy.
I am elderly and I believe Caribbean Princess is perfect. My biggest ship is QM2 that I also enjoy along with several other ships. My cruise days are behind me though I feel confident that I would not enjoy these monster ships. Your stateroom cabin looked terrible that other passengers have told me is the standard sense that Carnival gives it's guest.
The cabin wasn't that bad, and you just want to be a snob and hate on Carnival. You completely ignored the rest of the description of the ship to hate on that? Princess is a division of Carnival corporation, just to let you know.
@@elouise5593 The presentation elevated that the theaters are also a disaster. My experience with Princess is that the newer the ship the more undersized and disfunction the theater. The Carnaval cabin staterooms are not that bad and from what I see they are not that good?
Wow, I don't like crowds. Thank you for your tour. I only did one cruise and it was on the Disney Dream. I loved it.
Tanner, if you want to praise a ship, I wouldn't use the word "Ridiculous" in the title! Webster's dictionary describes
that word as "laughable", "arousing or deserving ridicule", "absurd" or "preposterous", so please use a correct term!
Thank you! I really enjoyed this. I will be on her starting Easter Sunday
Thanks for an honest review. A ship like this would cause me too much anxiety! Too many people, too many lights and no small spaces to grab a nap or read. I’ll stick with the smaller vessels 😊
You’re not missing anything. Carnival is terrible. Try Celebrity or Holland America.
I have sail on the Celebration two times and going back in June and then in October because I love it and as long as I leave I will sail on the Celebration again and again ❤
On the other hand pls continue. You folks are improving the gene pool which we desperately need
I remember back in the day we were on the Triumph and did a full tour of the kitchen it was amazing ! I don’t think they offer that anymore.
We were on Mardi Gras Nov 22, size of the ship a big issue. Had a Spa room forward. The table we were assigned in the dining room overlooked the wake of the ship. Took over half an hour to reach the dining room another what felt like fifteen minutes walking through to our table. Most of the eateries are aft so that was an issue. Only the Spa, Serenity, main theater and smoking area of the casino were convenient. The bed in the balcony cabin was so close to the wall it was impossible to get in the bed on the window/door side. At 60 we are not jumping to the opposite side of the bed plus getting up in the middle of the night wasn't happening. Wound up using the couch to sleep.
Solid review. Balanced feedback. It looked interesting, right up until the comments regarding choke points and overcrowding. Not a deal breaker, but would definitely require me to reset my expectations. Thx again.
Have not been on a cruise yet however if i do cruise the Celebration sounds like the Ship to enjoy one .Lucky you for being able to check out the off limits and special areas ,cool info thanks
I went on Mardi Gras and I didn't think it was crowded at all. I agree that the elevators are small and I really saw this when it was time to depart from ship
Good review! Only issue is I hate when people say "Honest Review" in their titles and keep harping on "It's honest." I always assume everyone is honest and when people telling me how "honest" they are, it makes me not trust it. Otherwise, again very nice. Ship looks gorgeous, I just have no interest in being on these mega ships at capacity, I just think I wouldn't be able to do hardly anything without jumping through hoops.
Omg yess he even said it right after he said the ship invited him in for free! After he said that It made everything sound so scripted! 😂😂😂
I did the 2week inaugural and it was great. It is what you make it
Got a May 2023 date for Celebration. I’m sure I’ll be blown away. Sailed previously on the Splendor, and the Sunshine, so it will be a different world on the Celebration.
Awe man. We're going in April and the shows are by far our favorite things, other than the food, since we don't drink or gamble. I'm really hoping we can watch them, comfortably.
Sailed on Mardi Gras a week ago. Went to several events in the theater and there were always plenty of seats. Saw one show at the entertainment venue and it is viewable from 2 decks. It was most crowded at last sea day bingo.
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Just got home from sailing her! Amazing ship. Food closes to early though.
Your cruise with 5284 felt crowded, this ship can sail with 1000 more!! Imagine 6200 on that 🥵 we’ve got sister ship Iona here in the UK, really not keen on trying it tbh
We are scheduled to do a B2B on the Celebration in July 2025. We have been on the Mardi Gras and cannot wait to experience this ship.
Another good informative video. We sailed on Mardi Gras last month. Loved it! A beautiful ship with lots to do and eat. We weren't a big fan of Chi-Bang as a eating option, otherwise perfect. Looking forward to Celebration next.
What was is about ChiBang that you didn't like? My only issue was that when you ordered a dish, that's all you got. I got Kung Pao chicken and it was literally just the chicken -- no rice. Food was good but that was a little weird.
Like you, the size of portions, food tasted great, just not enough.
Been on Big and Small Cruises. I actually prefer the Bigger Ship. More Options and Open more hours. I avoided crowds most of the time just by not going where it was crowded. Plenty of room and choices. Smaller ship had less options, more structure, more waiting because everyone was told what to do and when to do it. I'm also biased towards bigger ships because I like to wander around, and it gets boring pretty quick when you only have 7 decks.
Thanks so much for your true and honest review for this cruise 🚢 ship. I’m looking forward to cruise on this ship in the near future 😮😊
I cruised on celebrations sister ship Mardi Gras not long after she came out and my observations were pretty much exactly yours. I also first ate at pig and anchor during lunch and it was not good. I'm so thankful I came back in the evening for dinner because that was amazing. Next week I get on celebration and look forward to pig and anchor and all of the other great food places. My next biggest gripe with this class ship is the limited seating for the atrium theater. It's just ridiculous. No ship is perfect though. And certainly there are so many great things about this class of ship that make it worth cruising on!
Yeah, that theater was an issue. Great idea, but just not well executed.
@@Cruzelycom NCL's big issue for me is that Syd's Pourhouse is an amazing venue with great bands but is way too small on all of their ships. Tiny venue then they let suite passengers in a back door before shows so for the 50 or so people in line by the time they are let in there are only about a dozen seats left.
Couple more weeks and I'll be on there. I've heard about the problems with long waits for elevators, cramped rooms and scarce seating in at the show where the circus is. Since this was other family members' choice, I'm going to give it a go. I was on a Carnival ship back in 2015, that one was a "never again" experience. This looks like a total turnaround.
After experiencing the promenade it's hard to imagine going back on carnival's short ceiling hallways.
This is awesome!! Thanks so much for such an awesome video My fiancé and I will be on celebration for our honeymoon in April and watching this video made us even more excited!!
Wow the celebration sounds amazing.
I thought so.
I saw that beast at port. I still can't figure out why it doesn't fall over sideways. 😆 I have never done Carnival but talked with some people in port. One guy was so impressed he and his wife did two back to back. They didn't want to go home! He did have one complaint PARTY SHIP. Yea, well duh but it sure ain't Disney so that's a benefit.
My first cruise EVER was in 1992 on the Carnival Carnivale!!
So cool that they have those "artifacts" from that old girl!!
4:10
👍
Good info, think I will have to look at cruising on this ship. Agree on Guys Pig and Anchor during the day. The elevators not an issue for us sine we use the stairs.
Thanks for the honest evaluation. What is your favorite ship?
That I've sailed so far, I would say Oasis of the Seas. Sailed it after the revamp and there was tons to do.
I'm cruising on this ship on January 15 for 7 days to Eastern Caribbean...can't wait.
We are too, same week as you and the following two weeks in the same room.
@@TripReviews lucky you 2 weeks. I guess we can meet on ship.
@@HusseinMSAAlsalahi71 it just May happen, I’ll have to figure which of the 5000 passengers you would be? 😊
@@TripReviews I have been on cruise already for 9 times and I'v never met Middle Eastern cruisers, yet. So, I will be the only Arab on ship, my nose will give me away.
@@HusseinMSAAlsalahi71 lol. The nose you may be right, could be a good clue. 😄 👃 A really good Syrian fellow I used to work with himself hasn’t been on a cruise but his sons have. They did a last minute sort of cruise and had a good time. You will probably spot me pretty easily, I’ll likely be walking around like this🧑🦯 with a long white cane. I have very limited vision and it takes me some time to focus in, the white cane has saved me a few times. There may be more than one big guy walking around like this but not too likely so I should be easy to find. Even though I do videos most of my recording is point, click and hope for the best.😄 I look forward to meeting with you we could have a coffee on deck. That could be a good idea.
Loved Mardi Gras! I totally agree on the elevators and Center Stage issues. But is such a great an unique ship that sends Carnival into a new direction. Great video as always
Certainly the use of the atrium as a theater show opportunity has its own challenges, especially if a non cooperative crowd is aboard as passengers. That said I believe both the Mardi Gras and the Celebration as big game changers for Carnival. It's only on their hands the opportunity to grow from their current 3 starish cruise experience to a solid 4 starish!... Time will tell!...
The bridge and engine room would be awesome. The rest of it not so much. I've been on four cruises - but never that crowded.
On a ship like that - well, 4 weeks and I`m happy 😃
Thanks man!
Casinos that still allow smoking are disgusting! Hard to believe that’s still a thing any more
So XL class ships on Carnival have “interlocking” cabins instead of the traditional rectangles. They are also 2 feet narrower (1 ft from each side). Doesn’t seem like much but it is quite noticeable if you’re used to other Carnival ships
I just got back from my cruise 12-4-11-22 my only complaint was that I was very disappointed in the dining room food and the Lido deck it was not good and I have been on many of Carnival ships overall I like the ship
Carnival share price is rediculous. In 1995 carnival celebration holiday class was set off, but share price still high than today!
Unlike where I work, all those guages probably work. I am absolutely paying for the behind the scenes tour when I got on Vista with the background of running a college campus.
That is rue abou the seating at the shows. We were on the Mardi Gras and found that a lot of people with walkers would park them along the railing at the back of level two and go sit in the seats. I just turned one around and sat there to watck the show and no one said anything as I felt they were occupying two spots. lol
NO WAY, Not interested in being on a behemoth ship with 6,000- 8,000 passengers...I prefer the toned down classier smaller ships like the Soltice and Sumitt class ships of Celebrity.
Also done all of the Caribbean years ago, Alaska, Iceland, Bermuda, New England Canada, Asia, South Pacific...Now solely taking cruises on Celebrity in Europe.
I can't wait to go on this ship!!!
My biggest complaints about Mardi Gras made it so much less enjoyable than the dream class. The biggest complaint was the way the kids’ club is laid out. The club and Family Harbor are on the same deck. And the club is right in the elevator lobby. So getting an elevator is a disaster. Ok, fine. We can just walk aft (which is where our room was, anyway). Nope. NO AFT STAIRS to the FAMILY staterooms 😂😂😂😂😂 staying aft on deck four with small children means you if you’re at the lido marketplace you have to walk alllll the way midship, fight for an elevator, give up and walk down 6 flights of stairs, and then walk allllllll the way aft. With kids. It was such a ridiculously bad design idea that I can’t go back. Please tell me it’s not like that on Celebration. I can’t even describe how inconvenient that setup was with little kids - staying in the area supposedly designed FOR little kids.
And the pizza place. What on earth was going on in the pizza place. Multiple times I watched them make, bake; remove, and cut 12 (!!!) pepperoni pizzas at a time before serving one slice. But we all wanted cheese. And they continued making pizzas. At one point there were TWENTY FOUR pepperoni and mushroom pizzas on the counter. And a line 15 people deep waiting for….cheese pizza. It was so bonkers I honestly thought I was being punk’d the first time. I’m so scarred I don’t think I can ever sail that class again. It got to the point that when my kids would ask for pizza I would break out in hives. Waiting 20 minutes for a slice of cheese pizza while mushroom pizza after mushroom pizza came out of the oven. If I hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have believed it. 😂
I'll be sailing on the Celbration in Febr. If it is like the Mardi Gras, I have a few comments. The rooms are smaller, and the bathroom is much smaller. If you liked the Havana area on the Vista class ships, you will be very disappointed in the Havana area on the Mardi Gras class ships. There isn't a library, and no computer area. I still loved sailing on the Mardi Gras, however, I did find some things lacking and somethings that were added that we really liked.
Mardi Gras was too big for me but the free food options amazing
I agree with a lot of people on here that I go on vacation to relax and getting to crowded is not what I’m looking for. With that said, I don’t mind the larger Ships as it has more to do and places to see. I think they should just have less people on board. For example, this ship looks like it holds roughly 5300 people. It would be perfect if only 4000 were on board. Take the extra room to maybe add even more places to go or offer even more larger suites for the people who want them.
Carnival just isn’t that cruise line
The venue I work at has one of the few big chicken locations. Interesting to see it on a Cruise Shop
my wife and I planning of going in febuary and we are planning of taking our 6 year old, is there a kids club?
Mark Fennell- Yes, there is! 😉
Excellent video! Thank you!
Do they give beach/ bags complimentary in balcony rooms?
I was on the same cruise as you and it was a fun one :)
Great video I will be trying both ships 2023