06/13/2024
Our family just returned from a 7-night cruise on the Carnival Mardi Gras. I was skeptical of Carnival since we've always cruised on more luxurious cruise lines but I was pleasantly surprised by the Mardi Gras!
PROS-Built in 2021, the ship still feels pretty new and our balcony stateroom was just as nice as on other ships (and tons of storage!). I was most surprised by the food options. Guy's Burgers and Shaq's Big Chicken were a huge hit for all of the family and we could stay in our swimsuits for lunch! Lido Marketplace buffet and main dining was not as impressive but we did enjoy the option to visit the Italian and Mexican restaurant once each without charge. The kids also loved all of the fun entertainment on the ship including multiple water slides, ropes course (no extra fee), arcade (we won't mention how much money we threw away here!), Bolt rollercoaster ($15/ride), scavenger hunts, Deal or No Deal show, Family Feud show, magic shows, PG comedy shows... Most adult shows started after 9pm.
CONS-With 6500 passengers, the ship definitely felt crowded, especially mid-day at the waterslides and at each of the five pools. We learned to head back to our cabin and enjoy some peace and quiet on the balcony (highly recommend a balcony to retreat to on any cruise!) in the afternoon and return to the slides etc between 5-8pm. Also, the ship felt pretty closed in on most decks, even in the main dining room. I like the main dining room to feel grand and this one just didn't. Although food was good in the other restaurants, it was just average in main dining and the buffet.
Overall, would I sail Carnival again? Yes! If it was a newer ship with lots to offer for the kids. That said, I would still pick Royal Caribbean or Disney for a family cruise 🙂
Happy to help you book cruises! All cruise rates are the same wherever you book but we give extra onboard credit (and a lot of knowledge to help with planning!).
