Carnival Reviews

Carnival has an overall rating of 3.2 based on 717 reviews. Customer feedback on Carnival is mixed: Carnival reviewers highlight positive aspects like variety of cruise options, friendly staff, onboard entertainment, good food and dining choices, which strongly appeal to families, couples, and groups looking for affordable vacation options. However, Carnival is often criticized for its long wait times for boarding, additional costs for certain activities, crowded areas on the ship, inconsistent customer service.

3.2/5.0

717 reviews

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All Carnival Reviews (717)
james.Toney
May 21, 2026
"Decent cruise, rough ending"
The cruise itself was fine overall, but getting off the ship was the most frustrating part. I think we just had really bad timing because it felt like everyone was trying to leave at the exact same moment, and nobody seemed to know where the lines actually started. Staff kept sending people in different directions, so we ended up standing around way longer than we expected with all our bags. I get that disembarking that many people is never going to be perfect, but it felt unorganized. Carnival definitely needs a smoother system because it wasn’t the best way to end a vacation.
MAPP
May 05, 2026
"Smooth Booking Experience"
Booking was easy and straightforward. To be fair, I didn’t run into any issues, so I can’t really speak to how they handle problems, but the process itself was quick and simple.
JamesPoque
April 28, 2026
"Overall, I had a really good…"
Overall, I had a really good time on this cruise! The food was great and the staff were super friendly, which made a big difference. The only downside was that the ship felt crowded a lot of the time... especially around the pool and at the buffet. A few waits were longer than I expected, too. Still, I had fun and I’d definitely consider going again.
robert1979
April 25, 2026
"I tried this out over the weekend…"
I tried this out over the weekend when I had some free time after running a few errands, it was a mixed bag for me. Some parts were fun and kept me interested, but other parts felt kind of slow or boring. I didn’t hate it, but I also wasn’t totally hooked the whole time.
marcus.Heminger
April 20, 2026
"The cabin was better than I…"
The cabin was better than I expected. The bed was really comfy, the room stayed nice and cool, and, you know, we had enough space for all our bags. It wasn’t super fancy or anything, but it was just easy to relax and get a good night’s sleep.
irene_Mcdaniel91
April 14, 2026
"could use more options"
i liked what they had, but i wish there was a bit more variety. it would be nice to have more choices to pick from.
amy1991
April 08, 2026
"Plenty to Do Onboard"
well... we had a good time with Carnival overall. There was always something going on, whether it was trivia, comedy shows, poolside games, or the evening entertainment. A few activities got crowded quickly, and some of the events felt a little rushed, but we definitely weren’t bored. It’s a solid choice if you like having lots to do without needing to plan every part of your day...
MarthaBrown
March 18, 2026
"Some of the meals were pretty…"
Some of the meals were good—actually, a few were better than I expected. But others were kind of bland and didn’t really stand out. It was a bit mixed overall.
JARRETT
March 15, 2026
"I had to cancel my cruise, the refund..."
I had to cancel my cruise, the refund process was a mess. A mess. Every time I contacted customer service, I got a different answer, so I never really knew what was going on. They told me it would take a certain amount of time, but it ended up taking weeks longer than that. I did finally get some of my money back, but the whole thing was stressful, confusing, and just way more hassle than it should’ve been.
Lee_long82
March 04, 2026
"Things like this usually end up…"
Things like this usually end up being a hassle for me, so I was expecting the worst. But check-in went really quickly, and I was able to board without any issues. For once, it felt like the process actually worked in my favor
PARKS
March 03, 2026
"Nice to See the Full Price Up Front"
I booked through carnival and, i was kind of expecting some extra fees to pop up at the end like they usually do on travel sites. But the taxes and fees were shown before I paid, which was a nice surprise. I’m still a little skeptical because I always feel like there’s a catch somewhere, but checkout was straightforward and I appreciated not getting hit with a weird last-minute charge.
jonathan_Brown72
March 03, 2026
"Felt like I was getting passed around"
I’m frustrated. I reached out hoping someone would actually help fix my issue, but support just kept sending me from one person to another. After all that, I still don’t have a refund or even a clear answer. It just feels like nobody really took the time to care about what was going on.
johnmyles9098
February 25, 2026
"Decent stay, but the cabin could’ve been cleaner"
The cabin had a cozy feel at first and the location was really nice, which I appreciated. That said, there was a weird smell when we walked in, and the carpets looked dirty, so it didn’t feel as clean or fresh as I hoped. With a little more attention to cleaning, it could be a really great place to stay...
William-little
February 20, 2026
"Login Issues and Constant Freezing"
I tried logging in multiple times, but the app just wouldn’t let me in. On top of that, it froze every single time I attempted to use it. frustrating experience overall, and I hope this gets fixed soon.
Katherine_golish03
February 09, 2026
"Not worth what we paid"
I don’t get why keeping a room clean has to be so complicated. Our room had dust, sticky spots on the table, and the bathroom smelled bad. There was also trash sitting out in the hallways for hours. I mentioned it to the staff, but nothing really changed. For the price we paid, it was just gross and really disappointing
bryan-Charland
January 27, 2026
"Quick Help Once I Was Seen"
I had to wait a little bit, but I was mostly paying attention to how they handled things once it was my turn. They helped me quickly and got me taken care of without making it a big hassle.
JONES
January 24, 2026
"Booked a couple of shore excursions through…"
Booked a couple of shore excursions through carnival before our cruise. The site itself was fine. Easy enough to click around, pick times, pay, all that. But some of the info felt a little thin. Like, okay... how long are we actually sitting on a bus? What exactly is included? Snacks? Entry fees? Not super clear. One of the tours ended up being a good time. Nice guide, decent pace, glad we did it. The other one though... kind of rushed. Felt like we were being moved along before we really got to enjoy anything. And for the price, I expected a bit more. So yeah, not awful. Not amazing either. Just kind of middle of the road. I’d probably still look at Carnival’s options next time, but I’d definitely compare with outside tours too before booking.
BillyPardo
January 23, 2026
"Good updates before our cruise"
Carnival did a good job keeping us in the loop before our cruise. The emails were clear tbh, and check-in was easy enough. No issues so far, so all good lol.
richard1989
January 19, 2026
"Booking Was Super Easy"
I booked our cruise on Carnival and it only take like 10 minutes. Picking the dates, choosing the room, and doing the payment was all easy to follow. I got the confirmation email right away too, so no problems for me
julia.Smith
January 17, 2026
"Not really family-friendly tbh"
Booked this place thinking it would be good for the whole family, but the kids' activities felt kind of messy and limited. The staff also seemed annoyed most of the time, which made things awkward. Wouldn’t bring my family back again, ngl.

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Carnival Q&A

11/3/16 we had to cancel booking #3ws6g2 for 1/14/17- christine morris which was a free cruise thru the casino, due to hip surgery in near future for my husband. wanted to know if this offer will be offered again in 2017? we love cruising with carnival and hope to do again soon.

How can i get a copy of the itinerary for the ecstasy out of jacksonville for november 10, 2018 thank you

Who is the customer service manager for carnival cruise lines

Who is your customer service manager/ ceo

We were held back at the ship and denied entry on the ship in the last minutes. we followed staff instructions and now we are missing our 20th anniversary cruise. i need to know where to request compensation.

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