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Carnival Cruise Line

MS Carnival Sprit

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Linda Powell
# previous cruises: 10 to 20
Date of Trip: July 6, 2005
Itinerary: Alaska-Southbound

This cruise was fun and well worth the money. Although it was a full cruise, we never felt crowded. We had no long lines at meals or ports. We made every schedule stop or port on time. We found the ship to be clean and well maintained. The colors were bright, but pretty in the Carnival style. The staff was excellent from the Purser's desk to the Cabin Steward. As with all cruises, nothing is perfect. But we are seasoned cruisers who have learned that the best thing to pack is a good attitude. Each cruise is an adventure. This one was a wonderful adventure into the beauty and wonder of Alaska. The ship's captain did a super job of giving us all a trip worthy of Alaska's beauty. The Naturalist on board (Michele) was perfect. Just enough announcements and information without being over bearing or intrusive. The only negative is that my youngest son has a form of autism and he does not like Funship Freddie. The Carnival Staff made sure we had a daily schedule of Freddie's appearances to prevent "Freddie encounters".

The public areas were clean and well maintained. The layout of the ship is a good one. You never feel crowded or overwhelmed with people. My son loved the indoor pool, which he used every day. My husband used the whirlpools and exercise room daily as well and was well pleased. We don't gamble, so I can't comment on the Casino. The bar staff were attentive, but not pushy. The Lido deck was kept clean and tables cleared quickly.

In general, the food in the formal dining room was good. It was served promptly and hot. The beef was not as good as I have had on other Carnival ships, but still above Commercial Restaurant quality. Seafood, soups were great. Chocolate desserts on this ship were a little to strong with "chocolate" taste for me. I have never had that problems on other ships. The Lido deck food was well prepared and had a great variety. And of course there was always the pizza, deli, hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream on top of all the other offerings. All were good and served promptly. Breakfast was also fine, with a good variety. Room service (which I used daily) was prompt with food arriving hot.

This was the first time we booked a balcony. For Alaska, I would recommend it. There is so much natural beauty to see. We are a family of four and had plenty of room. We were at the Aft of the ship on the Upper deck and it was quiet. Our cabin steward (Amporn) was the best in 22 cruises. We did a week in the Interior before getting on the cruise, so we had a lot of clothing...and still had plenty of room for it all.

My husband liked the shows. I do karaoke and had a great time with our karaoke host Emie. I also participated in the Guest Talent Show and the cruise staff were the best. The Social Host Tina worked hard to make sure everyone felt comfortable and prepared. The sound tech (Barten) was excellent. He and the orchestra treated us like true professionals.

My son was part of the Teen Activities and had an excellent time. The Teen Counselor (Daniel) was terrific. As with any cruise, there was plenty to keep you busy if that is what you wanted to do...or you could just be lazy and spend the day at your own pace. A good selection of shore excursions at each port kept many cruises on the go. We had already done much of it in our Interior portion of our trip (walking on glaciers etc) so we opted to simply enjoy each port by walking around the towns. Each was within walking distance. We did take the Glacier Express $5 each way per person, to view the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. It was beautiful and well worth the 20 minute drive. We hit all the "salons" at each port and they were fun and full of history.

Our fellow passengers were some of the best we have ever cruised with. Those that smoked followed all the directions and were very respectful. Although these were older passengers, they still knew how to have a good time. Our sons made great friends that they have stayed in contact with.