If you can change your plans, I would advise you take another cruise (on another line). Carnival is notorious for ripping people off.  I knew this and was prepared to pay for the extras.  However, be warned: to use your cell phone, Carnival charges you 6$ per minues.  To use the internet, they charge $24 per hour!

The spa is a great place to take a ton of your money.  We booked two treatments on the first night and it put us back $600 (you do need to tip on top of that!).

The food is really bad.  Thanks to our Maitre'd, Shawn, he had some delicious Indian food made specially for us and a few others.  Thank God for that, we ate the chicken curry three of the five nights!  The lobster was a joke, as big as my thumb and I am a medium sized woman!

The Guest Services were awful--they kept calling me to tell me my credit card was not authorizing my charges--it was a gold AMEX (LOL). 

They have an art auction which I enjoyed--I bought $1,200 worth of art.  This was a subject of my credit card validity as well-I had to go down (from Veranda deck) to the guest desk five times to get the bill sorted out.

So, if you think you will have everything paid for you are naive.  My shipboard credit account was over $1,800 for incidentals (of course most of that was art--and it had better be as good as they said it is).

Try to avoid this ship and Carnival if you can.  They are really a disreputable company.  Unfortunately, they own most of the entire cruise industry,

As with the negative, there should be some positive.  That would be as previously mentioned our Maitre'd, Shawn and our waiters Joseph from India and Iniggere (from Indonesia) our wonderful cabin steward "Sofi" (from Indonsia) and the Art Auction staff from Park West Galleries. Our room location was pretty cool (Veranda 2) up front on the top floor for rooms.  I wish I had taken that money and cruised on a FIVE STAR ship instead of this dump which I would rate at 1.5 stars. Sorry, but it's my opinion and I have travelled all over the world and on at least 5 cruises. Better luck next time. Bon Voyage.

Did you look at the Internet Plans/charges before using? You had a choice.  Carnival charges about the same as other lines.

Did you look at the SPA charges before using? You had a choice.  Carnival charges about the same as other lines.

Do you know anything about cruising? Did you read any of the materials here or the pre-cruise materials that clearly indicate what's extra? Did a "well-traveled" cruiser such as yourself think SPa and Internet and such were included?

 Whose credit card was it that was inadequately funded, and whose responsibility is that- if it comes back no good, that's between you and your credit card - call them and tell them they're disreputable and spoiled you cruise. ANY cruise line (and any store) would be calling you up to report this. Were they supposed to let you keep charging on a "Bad" credit card?

Offsetting your complaining, There are 100 other cruisers saying how great the food was. Few of us would agree with you that Carnival is disreputable or a rip-off. 

Find a life and your favorite 5* ship - less complaining for me to listen to on my next Carnival cruise.

 ken

 I suppose you were on the Rivera deck?

 Yes, indeed, I did a lot of homework.  It was the only one which would fit our schedule. And, I think you are a tiny bit mistaken regarding the cellular and internet fees. Yes, I did see the spa charges dear, you you tip at all?  Yes, I do know a bit about cruising, my husband was the doctor on a Carnival ship. There was NOTHING wrong with my credit cards, certainly not worth FIVE TIMES going to sort things out. If others thought the food was great, I think their idea of good food is Arby's or Applebee's. Also, you must not have had ***** service in your lifetime, or else you'd agree with me.

 My comments were directed toward professionals, not blue collars.  For any blue collars out there, this cruise ship is pretty cool.  For others, don't even waste your time reading the description which says it was refurbished in 2005.  It looks like a tacky Vegas casino from the 70's.  Bon Voyage Ken!  Have fun on your next CC.

 In the paper work you would have received , it clearly states to check with your carrier to see what the rates would be for cell and internet usage. Did you even bother. Sounds to me like you got caught trying to live a life not custom toooooo.

Never sailed the Inspiration.....what are the ports of call?

What do you have against blue collar people, if you are so high class you should've already bought a yacht instead of traveling with people like us who work very hard all year to save for a nice vacation. And if Carnival is such a bad cruise line why are you wasting your time in OUR BLOG. 4vicci

If you expected 5* food/service you DIDN'T do your homework as you claim.

if you're not aware of the somewhat garish "Las Vegas" Look (which all the Carnival ships have), then you didn't do your homework as you claim.

If DH is/was a ship's Doctor, you should be better informed than all the rest of us as to what to expect. 

Most people pay about $2.50/minute for cellular (not $6.00), and that internet IS about 50cents/minute BECAUSE ITS VIA EXPENSIVE SATELLITE, not your local AOL.  

I'm sure the lowly blue-collar cruisers enjoy your shipboard & forum rants.  ken

 Diversity of opinions is one thing but, snobbishness is another.  Sorry for whatever seasons that you didn't enjoy your cruise but, it seems like you made a point not to enjoy it.  

4vicci@gmail.com:

 

The spa is a great place to take a ton of your money.  We booked two treatments on the first night and it put us back $600 (you do need to tip on top of that!).

 

Almost ALL cruiselines (RCCL included) use the Steiner's out of London for their spa services.  And all prices run about about the same.

kinda of like the S.S. Minnow pocketbook with a Loveboat taste 

"Snob" and "Elitist" come to mind:

• Vicci can afford $1200 Art Work.
• Vicci can afford $600 SPA treatments
• Vicci had a "Veranda Deck" cabin, but had to leave the stratosphere  to walk all the way down to the lowly Riviera Deck to explain her credit problems.
• Vicci had the Maitre'D have food cooked special for her.

Must have been embarassing in front of the rednecks when Vicci's AMEX GOLD bounced! 

There are probably 200 passengers and 900 crew wishing Vicci HAD taken that money and cruised a 5* cruiseline (which she'd have to use that bouncing AMEX GOLD to book).

ken

 "I suppose you were on the Rivera deck?" 4vicci

Actually a bit below that, I got the cruise a bit cheaper by bunking in the engine room; they don't have spa services there, but the company is better than some of the elitist passengers.

And thank-you for the insight that you have to tip for Spa Services; most of the blue collar cruisers probably weren't aware of the fine cruising point.

ken

I am a blue collar worker myself, and for you to come on here and talk down to us is rude.  So take your sorry *** else where and complain or as you put it tell your opinion of a cruise that you didn't like.  Whatever 4vicci.............go live the high life and tell your friends about the cruise that you wasted money on, or should I say  your gold amex. (Must have financial problems with the card the way you make it sound).  We really don't want to hear about it since we enjoy cruising on Carnival  and I'm sure that no one on here will stop cruising just because of your opinion......so good bye and go sail on your 5* yacht!!!!!  Oh so sorry you don't have one of those 5* yacht that is why you were cruising on our fabulous cruise ship from Carnival......LOL

Happy Sailing to all those who love Carnial funships!!!!!!!