Carnival Victory Cruise Ship Review
We review the food, entertainment, accommodations, Kid's programs, decor, pool area, service and more
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Ships > Carnival > Carnival Victory > Review
Why this cruise?
We booked our cruise vacation on the Carnival Cruise Line website approximately 1 month in advance. We paid just a tad over $1200.00 for a Lido deck 9 forward cabin for three adults. We chose this cruise based on the date, length and itinerary.
4-Night Cruise Aug 28 - Sep 1 to Key West and Cozumel
About us: Two middle age adults, married with grown
children, traveling with 18 year-old daughter for graduation present. We’ve
sailed a combined twenty-one (23) times with various cruise lines including:
Carnival,
Celebrity,
NCL,
Princess, and RCCL. All our
cruises have been to the Caribbean, traveling as far south as
Trinidad.
Embarkation
Overall score
We drove to the port, leaving our area around 8 a.m. We
took advantage of the express lanes on I-595 through Ft. Lauderdale and I-95
south until the lanes end about 5 miles north of I-395. The new
PortMiami Tunnel made driving to the port a breeze. We had good weather
and light traffic the entire way. Great way to start the vacation. We parked
on the third level of parking garage D close to the elevator. Parking costs
$20.00/day, credit cards or cash are accepted at the kiosk when you leave.
The embarkation process was well organized and swift.
After check-in, we sat and waited about 25 minutes to board the ship. No one
said hello or welcome aboard the ship which we thought was unusual,
especially for Carnival. We found our stateroom ready for us to move in so
we were happy about that. We said hello to our steward, Surdana, and then
walked the short distance to the Mediterranean Buffet, located Lido deck 9,
Midship, for lunch.
Stateroom
Overall score
9263 Lido Deck Forward Starboard side
The room features a king-size bed (or two singles) and
rollaway for third person, sitting area with love-seat and table, standard
balcony with two chairs and a small square table, two electrical outlets,
plenty of storage in the bathroom for toiletries and a 1960’s inspired
hair-dryer (bring your own), no refrigerator, adequate closet space (bring
hangers). The bed mattress was lumpy and saggy, not what you
would expect from a Carnival “comfort system” and a complete disappointment.
The stateroom is close to the elevators and the entrance to the Lido
deck pool area so beware of the noise from fellow passengers.
Shipdetective Tip |
 Check
out the viewing area on Lido deck 9, all the way forward. The
entrance to the deck area is located from inside on the port side of
the ship.
It's a great spot for sail away without the crowds. |
The Ship
Overall score
Décor, Public Rooms
The neon colors immediately grabbed our attention as we entered the
gangway; décor you would typically see on Carnival ships with neon
everywhere. The Grand Atrium fragments the ship in the middle like most,
however, this atrium with a myriad of staircases and elevators is difficult
to navigate during busy times like Captain’s parties and the half hour
before each dinner seating. Passengers tend to gather in the walkways and
overcrowd the seating areas
making it especially difficult for persons with disabilities to get around.
We try to avoid these areas at peak times and look for alternate areas of
the ship to hang out - such as the promenade deck if you don’t mind the wind
messing up your hair before dinner.
The casual dining area features booths with padded bench seats and large
tables with
plenty of room to eat comfortably. Once again, kudos to Carnival for
recognizing
that a little extra cushion for the rear end can enhance the cruise
experience. The table chairs however have no arm rest. sit low to the table
and are wicker - not comfortable at all.
Pool Area
Overall score
Main Pool
The pool deck has 4 or 5 tiers that lead you to the top where the slide
is. Again, we
feel the space is fragmented and difficult to maneuver with limited open
spaces
and lots of obstacles. There is ample deck chairs and space available for
folks who
like to soak up the sun. The stage area for dancing and games is located
directly in front of the doors leading to the Lido deck from passenger
staterooms on deck 9 forward. The area is cramped when events are taking
place.
Aft Pool
Located on Lido deck and situated just off the Mediterranean buffet, the aft adults-only pool offers a quiet area with plenty of chairs for sun bathing as well as dining tables for a meal outside. This is a fairly quiet area with no pool games or live DJ music. The area features two hot-tubs and a pool about the same size as the main pool.
|
Shipdetective Tip |
To get away from the crowds and relax comfortably, find a spot at the complimentary Serenity Adults area located on deck 12 forward. |
Dining
Overall score
2 out of 5 stars
Mediterranean Buffet – Lido Deck, Midship
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Breakfast served 7:30 - 11 am,
Lunch times vary depending on which station you eat from
Dinner served 6 - 9:30 pm.
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Food is located at individual stations: Pizza, American
Grill, Deli, Caribbean, Chopsticks, Salad Bar, Dessert Station, etc. We
always had to stand in line to fill our plate at the buffet. The buffet area
was clean and usually well stocked with cups, glasses, and utensils. The
food quality at the buffet was less than average and disappointing to say
the least. In our opinion, some of the items were barely edible and had no
taste and texture. As each day passed, it became more difficult to find
items at the buffet that we could enjoy. Carnival offered a midnight
Mexican buffet that turned our stomach. Most things were unrecognizable and
inedible. Even the taco meat was a mystery. The best thing about the buffet
is the omelet station for breakfast.
Click on the images to enlarge
Specialty Restaurants
There are no "specialty" restaurants on the Carnival Victory. Prime cuts of meat are offered in the main dining rooms but at an additional cost.
Main Dining Rooms
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Pacific Dining Room
The Pacific dining room is located all the way aft on
decks 3 and 4 and used for fixed seating dinners and Seaday Brunch. Make
sure to use the aft elevators or you’ll need to walk down from deck 5 atrium
and work your way back. We ate brunch during our one and only
sea day in the Pacific dining room and again the food and service was
mediocre.
Atlantic Dining Room
The Atlantic dining room is used for “Anytime Dining”
between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. We enjoyed the service the first night and
requested the same table every night. The food was sometimes good and
sometimes not so good. It was hit and miss really but a step or two above
the selection and quality at the buffet. Carnival offers a fixed menu of
items like shrimp cocktail and southern fried chicken in addition to the
nightly menu if you prefer.
|
Shipdetective Tip |
Do yourself a favor and choose buffet options carefully. Use the dining rooms for lunch and dinner. Opt for the omelet station at the buffet for breakfast. Choose the grill or pizzeria for snacks and lunch time. |
Entertainment
Overall score
Trivia, Karaoke, Hairy Chest Contest, The Love and Marriage Show, and a scattering of other activities were offered night and day. A welcome show, and a Bon Voyage show featuring our Cruise Director, Marcelo, and the Carnival dancers in the Caribbean lounge were just okay and not the best we've seen on other Carnival ships. The Punchliner Club featured two comedians and they were just okay too. The Caribbean deck party on Lido along with dance lessons afterwards was fun. And of course we can't forget our dining stewards who entertain us with song and dance during each meal, it's something we look forward to on every Carnival cruise.
Service
Overall score
out of 5 stars
Service was very good to excellent throughout the cruise and we had no complaints.
Port Destinations
Overall score
out of 5 stars
Key West, FL
We docked at 8 am at Pier B. We were the only ship scheduled to dock in Key West (click on link for photos) that day so we had the entire town pretty much to ourselves. It was summer time and not much is happening in Key West other than keeping a look-out for tropical weather during the month of August. We spent some time window shopping in Mallory Square and then hired a Pedi cab to whisk us down Whitehead St. to see the historical cites as well as the "southernmost point" where a long lined had formed for folks waiting to snap a photo. We traveled back to the port along the infamous and eerily quiet, Duvall St., admiring places like Margaritaville and Sloppy Joes. Our driver Robert was very knowledgeable and friendly and his service is highly recommend. The Pedi cab rates are $1.00 per minute per person. Our total tab was $69.00 plus tip.
Cozumel, Mexico
We spent the day on Passion Island (Isle Passion) in Cozumel. We were told this excursion is exclusive to Carnival Corp passengers. The "high speed catamaran" picks you up from the pier - fun ride but can be a little rough when seas are rough. Sitting on the upper deck feels like you're riding a bull - just hold on. Drinks (rum punch, beer, soft drinks) and buffet food at the beach is included. Nice beach but there are rocks on the sea floor about 15 ft. out and the surf can be rough when it's windy. Floating toys in the water for kids. Freshwater showers. Caribbean music plays throughout the day. Straw market and massages available. Excellent service from all providers - bring tip money for catamaran staff and bar servers. Priced at $69/pp. Good excursion if you want a fun ride and a relaxing day in the hammock or lounge chair.
Summary
Overall score
out of 5 stars
Overall we enjoyed our cruise aboard the Carnival Victory. Yes, our bed was uncomfortable and the ship was difficult to maneuver, but we can attribute these things to the flawed design of the Carnival Victory and the fact she is in desperate need of a makeover. The only failure during this cruise experience was the food offerings; a passenger should never lose weight on a cruise! We don’t need gourmet at breakfast and lunch, just edible and satisfying. We found little of either at the buffets. In our experience, food quality was poor. However Carnival did score fairly well on presentation and selection.
The food quality and lack of well-designed public spaces will probably deter us from sailing on the Carnival Victory again.
