Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Cruising is one of our favorite getaways to take as a family. There is no other holiday where you can visit so many different countries in such a short time all while having so many activities and fun things to do at your fingertips. For us, the winter months are the best time to take a cruise down. It breaks up the cold months and allows us to spend quality time together, which is hard to come by in the middle of the school year.

In late November, Carnival invited us to set sail aboard the Carnival Sensation for five nights to experience what a family cruise holiday is like aboard one of their ships. The line has been named best cruise line two year’s in a row, so we were pretty excited to #ChooseFun with Carnival!

If you’re considering taking a family cruise with Carnival than look no further. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about sailing Carnival Cruise Line as a family.

Embarkation

I have sailed from Miami Port on one other occasion with and I remembered it being quite chaotic, so I was surprised to see how simple and organized Carnival’s port setup was upon arrival. We had priority boarding, but in all honesty, it wasn’t needed when we arrived at 11 am. A Carnival representative greeted us before the security check where they looked at our documents and checked us in within a couple of minutes. We then passed through security and proceeded to board the ship right away.

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Once on the ship, we headed to get lunch at the Seaview Grill & Bar on the Lido deck. It was packed, but people were constantly coming and going, so we were able to find a family table pretty fast. The food was fresh and my husband particularly liked the roasted chicken.

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation

It’s also possible to eat at Guy’s Burger Joint on the first day also, but we didn’t felt for something.  

Tip: Just to note, juice and water are included, but soft drinks and alcoholic beverages need to be purchased.

The Room

We had two rooms for our family of five, an Inside and Oceanview Room. We, however, spent 98% of our time in the Oceanview room, which we found perfectly fine for our family in terms of beds. The room had one double bed and two pull-down beds from the ceiling. It’s also possible to request a trundle bed, but it was not needed because our children are so small.

The setup of the room was simple with a small TV attached to the wall, a small desk area with drawers, a closet and a small bathroom. We had a big window that overlooked the ocean, which I appreciated because I easily get claustrophobic. If that is something that doesn’t matter to you or your family the inside stateroom was just as big and had a curtain to make the appearance of a window behind.

The Food & Service

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation To us, this was the highlight of our time aboard the Carnival Sensation. For the price of the cruise, the food was outstanding in the dining rooms and was comparable to other cruise lines I have taken or better. Everything was of good quality and for $20 you could even order from the Steakhouse selection, which was a Filet Mignon, Lobster Tail or Surf & Turf. Not only was the filet Mignon HUGE it was also cooked to perfection. It was definitely worth the price. My hubby loves pairing it with the Lava Cake, which he indulged in on more than one night!

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation The service we had in the dining room was outstanding. We loved talking to our waiter who was from Bali. We had just visited the island two months before sailing, so it was fun to talk about some of the things we did. After the first night, he knew right away what my kids wanted and would have juice waiting for them when they arrived.

Activities For Kids

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Do we have any Dr. Seuss fans in the house? Carnival is the official home of Cat and The Hat on the open seas. You will find lots of different types of Dr. Seuss themed activities for kids to take part in on each Carnival ship.

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation On the Carnival Sensation, our kids took part in the Green Eggs & Ham Breakfast, Seuss-Palooza Parade, Seuss-Palooza Story Time. Besides Dr. Seuss at Sea, kids can take part in Build-a-Bear on select ships.

Tip: Read – Why Carnival Cruise Line is Perfect for the Dr. Seuss Fan in Your Family

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Facilities-wise our three girls visited Camp Ocean daily. Our eldest went into the section for older kids and our three-year-old twins went in the area for kids under five. Each of them loved interacting with the other kids and taking part in organized activities. Each time our kids visited they came back with some type of artwork or bracelet they had made in the club. Also, late at night the different groups join together and watch movies, which my kids loved. We almost took them each night during dinner to do this.

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation For hot days kids will enjoy the Waterworks splash area. It had one big water slide and two smaller ones.

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation It also had water spraying for younger kids to enjoy. The ship also has a small pool and two jacuzzies.

Ports of Call

While aboard the Carnival Sensation we visited Grand Turk, Princess Cays, and Nassau.

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation Grand Turk: This is one of my favorite port of calls I have visited in all the cruises I have taken in the Caribbean. I loved that you could walk from the ship to the beach in as little as 8 minutes!

Carnival Cruise Review: Our Caribbean Family Vacation Aboard Carnival Sensation The convenience is truly perfect for families with young children. We also liked the setup of the beach and it was a hassle-free experience to rent a shaded cabana for the day.

Princess Cays: This was a tender port of dall and is a private island that is owned by Princess Cruises, a parent company of Carnival. The best thing about this port is its calm water.

Waves are almost non-existent, making it a perfect beach for families with small children. Lunch was all included, but beware that they stop serving early, so don’t laze around the beach too long!

Nassau: This was my first time sailing to Nassau and all the stories I have read are true – it is a hectic port of call! We had three other ships dock while visiting the city, so the port was extremely packed. We chose not to do an excursion and instead walk around the town to get a taste of the local culture. We felt safe and the local craft market was a great place to buy souvenirs.

Disembarkation

The day before you disembark you can pick up a numbered luggage tag at a specified location on the ship. The smaller the number the sooner you disembark. It’s also possible to carry your own bag, which allows you to get off the ship earlier. We were not in a rush to get off the ship so we chose one of the last luggage tags numbers. I must say getting off the ship was simple and the line was not huge. The whole process took us about 15-20 minutes.

If you’re looking to visit multiple ports in a short period while enjoying a relaxing, but fun holiday aboard a cruise ship than Carnival Cruise Line is the perfect line for your family. There are endless activities to take part in for all members of the family and you’re sure to leave with some unforgettable memories! 

To learn more or to book your next cruise holiday visit the official Carnival Cruise Line website.

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Disclaimer:  Carnival Cruise Line graciously hosted our stay in order to facilitate this review. Although, the opinions within this post are my own. 

Robyn Good
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Amber Myers
4 years ago

So fun! I do hope I can do a cruise with my family one day. Heck, maybe I’ll leave my family and relax on my own. 😉

Sarah Bailey
4 years ago

I would love to do a cruise one day – it always amazes me all the things they have on offer, plus getting to see so much more of the wold yes, please! Sounds like you had a great time on this Caribbean trip!

melissa chapman
4 years ago

That cruise to the Caribean is so amazing. It looks like the best way to travel and be pampered in style and see so much.

Lisa Joy Thompson
4 years ago

This looks so fun! I’d love to take our family on a Carnival Cruise sometime in the next year or two!

GiGi Eats
4 years ago

THANK YOU for this recap! My husband and I are officially ONLY going to do cruises from now on when we travel – I just LOVE them. But we have to look for cruises that allow kids 2 + and this seems like it fits the bill. Isn’t it amazing how DELICIOUS food on cruises is??!?! I did a culinary cruise on Oceania and the food. OHHHH THE FOOD!!!

Brianne Tursi Manz
4 years ago

A cruise sounds good right about now. I would love for our family to go on a cruise with Carnival. Your review really makes me want to pack now!

Liz Mays
4 years ago

The Dr. Seuss theme for the kids sounds so fun. I think this would be such an awesome family vacation choice!

Bianca
4 years ago

That sounds like it was a really great cruise. I’m not surprised. We’ve used Carnival before, and they’re really great.

Tara Pittman
4 years ago

You make me want to book a cruise right now. This sounded so much fun.

cait
4 years ago

oh my gosh how incredible- ive never taken a carnival cruise but this looks like a great idea a family trip

Tasheena
Tasheena
4 years ago

We just returned from our cruise last week and really had such an amazing time. I can’t wait to check out this cruise ship.

Heather
4 years ago

I love cruises! I’m actually planning our next one this week. I can’t wait.

Amy Desrosiers
Amy Desrosiers
4 years ago

Wow, what a simply stunning beach! I would love to cruise to this port as well! Looks fantastic.

Lisa Bristol
Lisa Bristol
4 years ago

Wow the Carnival Sensation looks amazing! I have always wanted to go on a cruise. Carnival has such a great reputation. They really have something for everyone.

Angela
Angela
4 years ago

I’m so glad you enjoyed your cruise. My family has cruised with Carnival quite a few times and it is always a great experience for us. My daughter loves the kids club and I head straight to the serenity deck or the spa for the few hours she is there.

Brandy
4 years ago

This looks like such a fantastic cruise to enjoy. I haven’t gone on a cruise ever, but I enjoy seeing how much fun everyone has on Carnival.

Angela
Angela
4 years ago

You touched on so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed your cruise. My family has cruised with Carnival many times and we love it.

Celebrate Woman Today
4 years ago

This is a great way to celebrate family times together. Food and blue ocean waters – wow, what a beautiful vacation!

Marysa
4 years ago

Sounds like you guys had a great time! This seems like a great family trip to go on.

Sherry
Sherry
4 years ago

I have always wanted to go on a cruise. Hopefully my husband and I can take one soon. It looks like fun.

Kita Bryant
Kita Bryant
4 years ago

It has been too long since I have been on a cruise. I would really enjoy doing this again soon.

Ruth I
Ruth I
4 years ago

This cruise is absolutely massive! Seems to have everything that you want a cruise to have. Great food, accommodation and people.

Krystel
4 years ago

Loved reading this because I want to do a Carnival cruise soon. They can be so inexpensive!

Victoria
4 years ago

This looks like a great time. I’ve heard mixed reviews about this cruise line and I’m also skeptical about taking my kids on a cruise in general. However, your review definitely makes me want to reconsider Carnival and taking my kids on a cruise.

Rena
4 years ago

Great information! I have been wanting to take a short cruise (I don’t think I could handle a long one), but my friends went on one last year and loved it too.

Ice Cream n Sticky Fingers DFW Parenting/LIfestyle

I went on a cruise in 2008 and fell in love. I’ve always wanted to go on one with the kids but finances never have lined up. Maybe in the next year or so, I can take my babies on a week-long cruise.

Myrah Duque
4 years ago

We love cruising and have done lots of them! Carnival is one of my favorite lines. With so many activities and the fun is excellent.

Amy H
4 years ago

This is one thing I’d like to do before I die. I want to go on a cruise – maybe for my 40th birthday…

rika
4 years ago

I have never been on a cruise! It sounds fun! I know that my family will enjoy the amenities!

Mama Maggie's Kitchen
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
4 years ago

Oh wow! Looks like you all had a wonderful and fun time! The food looks sooo delicious and the water is really refreshing! Hope I could be here right now!

Clarice
4 years ago

Wow! This is a wonderful experience. Happy to know that food is great and is reasonably priced.

One of the things that we really consider when planning a trip is the available activities for kids so, this is good news to know that they have a lot of Dr. Seuss themed activities for kids. 🙂

Rosemary
4 years ago

This is perfect for a family with so many activities for kids. I’ve never been on a cruise before and I look forward to the experience. Sounds like Carnival has a lot to offer.

Best SEO Services
4 years ago

Awesome post! Keep up the great work! 🙂

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