Hi,,I am new to Carnival, a veteran of 4 Holland America cruises.   Due to economic reasons I have had to back off on cruising this year but have a desire to get back onto a ship.  I live in the LA area so in looking for something I found the 4 night Baja cruise on the Paradise next year to be really inexpensive so I booked it for myself and my wife.

I have spent quite a few days lookng online trying to ge a handle on this ship and I find a lot of reviews,,,many saying this is the ship from heck with the poor food/service/"fun", other saying it was the best time they have ever had.  So what I am looking for is just some good honest feedback from someone that has been on her recently.

I kinow what cruising is like, I know things happen but what is most improtant to me is how well this will go as I am taking a friend and his wife on thier first cruise ever, they decided to join us after we were booked.  I want them to get the bug we all have and this has to go off great.

The Paradise is a beautiful, older ship - she is the last of the Fantasy class ships.  We were on her in June 09 and July 08 for the 3 day cruise.  We were spoiled rotten.

My only complaint about the Paradise is she does not have the quantity of balcony cabins the newer ships have, so we get an ocean view cabin on her.  She is almost the length and width of the Spirit class ships, but the layout is very different.

 

Yeah, I figured that part out.  I actually have never had an inside cabin and I notice they are actully pretty small vs HAL or even the newer CCL ships, like lack of furniture etc.  I have an Idea my wife thinks  is nuts but we won't have as much luggage as usual and what I am going to do is take the standard 4 suitcases but in one of them I am bringing folding charis so set up furniture in my cabin.

TO me the food an sevice is most important.  I have never read a gripe about the entertainment.  I did read on one of the forums here about a  person complaining about the any time dinng, which I will be trying for my first time, along with an outside cabin for my first time,,,I've always had balconies.

I can tell the cabins are smaller then most outside cabins on HAL or CCL ships, but I assume that agains has to do with age.

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We have not been on HAL, but the OV on the Paradise is definitely smaller than on the Pride or Splendor balcony cabins - she is a smaller ship in general. 

On our first cruise on the Paradise, the food was very good - not as good as the Pride or Splendor, but still we had no complaints.  On our second (last) cruise on the Paradise, it was amazing because we got very special treatment and meals - a gift that we really don't expect again and it was far beyond anything we have ever experienced anywhere. 

What we have found on our cruises is we always run into people that have a sour look and are complaining about the food.  I truly believe they are not ordering the right things because once they see what we order, and order what we order, they spend their whole meal time making ooh and ahh noises.  But then again, some people don't like the rich foods and we do.  The deli has a great Reuben sandwich.  People just need to venture out and try things.

The food on Carnival has always been better hands down than on Princess, and it is better than RCCL (although RCCL is good).

FightOnRon:

 

Yeah, I figured that part out.  I actually have never had an inside cabin and I notice they are actully pretty small vs HAL or even the newer CCL ships, like lack of furniture etc.  I have an Idea my wife thinks  is nuts but we won't have as much luggage as usual and what I am going to do is take the standard 4 suitcases but in one of them I am bringing folding charis so set up furniture in my cabin.

TO me the food an sevice is most important.  I have never read a gripe about the entertainment.  I did read on one of the forums here about a  person complaining about the any time dinng, which I will be trying for my first time, along with an outside cabin for my first time,,,I've always had balconies.

I can tell the cabins are smaller then most outside cabins on HAL or CCL ships, but I assume that agains has to do with age.

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Ron, I have frequented the Paradise a few times, last cruise was in July 09.  You are correct the rooms are much smaller than on the HAL ships, including the Cat 12 suites. 

Good luck with setting up extra furniture in your cabin! 

I found the service to be on par with anything Carnival offers on the larger/newer ships. The food, well not as good as some, but plentiful and varied.  I really had no complaints in that area.  I did not elect for the anytime dining, although half the area seemed set up for it. 

I like the Paradise, she may be older, but she is a fun ship none-the-less. The entertainment and activities were never lacking.  She is not HAL, and I would never compare the service or food to a HAL ship.  But for an inexpensive 3 or 4 day cruise, she shines.

About the chairs...  The cabin has one chair and one padded seat at the vanity.  I do not think you will have a lot of room for the folding chairs - unless they remove that built-in storage thing in the corner that holds the lifejackets.  You might be able to use that as a seat.

Where in LA are you located?

I live in Downey.

I figure one of those small chairs that collapse,,like at football tailgate parties,,would fit in the room with the beds put together.  According to the brochures the cabins are 185 sq ft, HAL is 210 sq feet on the smallest ships.  The thing was we paid a whopping 560 dollars for the both of us in a cat 6c cabin,,how in the heck can that go wrong?  The way I see the layout,,te Cat 11 cabins are in the wrong place and above the showroom (noise?) and I couldn't afford a Cat 12, which I am on the same deck as.

We NEVER eat at buffetts, even in HAL, if we have lunch it will be at the burger bar and we always eat in the  dinning rooms.  Breakfast will be room service to get going then breakfast number 2 int he dinning room.  As long as the meals are decent, the tiny cabins are fine (we've stayed in Europe, we know small rooms).

I found a video on youtube of one of the dinning  rooms flooding (2008) because of a burst pipe for the pool.  I forwarded to my friend to build his confidence.

Do try the Reuben sandwich in the deli (we get double meat and double cheese, then split the sandwich - cuts down on the bread).  The deli is in the buffet area.  We always have a Reuben and a Pina Colada when we board the ship at embarkation - the MDR is closed on that day.  Desserts are excellent, but not everyone likes everything...  We are not crazy about the burgers at the grill, but the fries and onion rings are good!  On your first sea day, be sure to order the Mongolian Steak Salad in the MDR.  Try all the delicious cold soups along with the hot soups that appeal to you.  I'm getting really hungry now!

BTW, nice touch... My kind of humor!!! LOL

FightOnRon:

I found a video on youtube of one of the dinning  rooms flooding (2008) because of a burst pipe for the pool.  I forwarded to my friend to build his confidence.

 

 

We were on her August 10th this year and have booked 2/15/2010 on her again.  Does that tell you something

I'm leaving on her in a week- on a Halloween cruise- I can't wait!

I was on the Paradise 9/28 - Oct. 2.  I hate to disappoint everyone, but the food was really not great.  Compared to the cruise of on RCCL's Monarch of the Seas, the Monarch's food was much better.  I also liked the ship better.  The Paradise is very dark...  Very little sunlight inside.  But it really is a great deal for the money.

 Next time I cruise it will be on the Mariner of the Seas!

Well, if it tells you anything...this will be my 5th cruise on the Paradise. Honestly, the service can vary greatly from year to year...even from table to table in the dining room! I've had outstanding service, and I've had luke-warm service. You have to consider the value for the money, though. I couldn't book a weekend at a local resort for the price I'm paying here, and I can appreciate that the cruise lines can't give away the farm in this economy. The food is okay. As a personal trainer, I'm actually grateful that I'm not tempted to over-indulge! LOL! It truly keeps me in check. I've taken large groups each year, and I've witnessed first hand the variance in wait-staff. We had 3 large dining tables within our group one year. 2 tables were with waiter A, 1 table with waiter B. (why they were arranged this way, I'll never know!) The tables with waiter A were having a ball, singing, dancing, getting involved, and being entertained with jokes and a little magic act. The table with waiter B was irritated watching all of us have a good time. Same cruise, vastly different experiences. Still, I come back year after year. Carnival does a good job, and many of these young waiters are testing their chops with English and social skills. I try to give them a break. The good ones get snapped up to bigger ships with longer itineraries, and rightly so. There is always something fun going on onboard...you've really got nothing to lose. Go with a positive heart and you'll always have fun. If you start looking for the negatives, I'm sure you'll find them. However, don't forget that you're on vacation with your wife! No cleaning, no cooking, no dishes! What could be better than that?

'If you start looking for the negatives, I'm sure you'll find them. However, don't forget that you're on vacation with your wife! No cleaning, no cooking, no dishes! What could be better than that?""

You're right, for four days my wife won't be able to tell me to cook or clean!   You know you made an interesting point about the crew I would never had thought about.  Training to be on longer cruises and bigger ships and using this type of ship and cruise as a training ground.  I have read a lot from people complaining about the lack of english and I personally have never given it a second thought.  The crew pretty much does want to help and if you work at it you can get a point across.   I concur about giving them a break,,never had thought other wise.

No not the paradise... booked 2 rooms and they stuck all 5 of us in the same room.... not good

Hey Ron, I live in Los Angeles, and this is my first time on at CCL cruise to baja but my 3rd cruise there...been on RCCL to baja and CCL to mexican riviera...sis and I will be going on a 'girls/mommies" get away to celebrate our birthdays....lots of good info here, I will be taking mental notes as well! have fun