A Brutally Honest Review of the Carnival Mardi Gras Cruise Ship

[@Cruisewith]

Head to squarespace.com/benanddavid to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code BENANDDAVID.

[@barbaraday7662]

Grand Turk is amazing, just rent a golf cart and stop by governor beach to collect sea ice, pillory beach for good natural shade and beautiful water.

[@junenelligan1729]

This review is so much appreciated. I am iffy about cruising with Carnival and I would have probably booked that excursion without knowing that isn't worth the money. Love the honesty. Thank you!

[@FloridaGrams1422]

Thank you Ben for the honest review of the over priced excursion and coffee. You make me laugh so hard. You express your self so beautifully. 😁😁

[@brianb2837]

Hi Ben and David, this is what makes your channel standout is the very honest no holds barred reviews that you do and this is what I enjoy the most. Thanks for another great review!

[@shellyt7325]

Good for you but I did not appreciate the title of this Vlog, How come they never uses those Words before BRUTALLY Honest With any other cruise line I guess it's because all the other cruise lines PAY them but Carnival didn't. That's why so many people used to call them out for not being honest

[@marie-christinelafontaine6043]

I feel like I am repeating myself all the time but, as I said before, the issue is not that they are understaffed. It is that they are overbooked for the staff they have. I know cruise lines, hotels, and restaurants have suffered terribly. But they are not helping themselves, in the long run, by cutting the quality of the service or offering less. Many will be turned from cruising Carnival if the experience one has is not satisfactory.

[@DenaInWyo]

Count me as one of them. Just hit platinum on my last cruise with them, but already booked on a different line. They've just cut too much over the years and the more cut rate they get..and this is going to sound incredibly snobbish but it's the truth..the more ghetto the passenger crowd gets. They're just no longer for me. I LIKE my table cloths at dinner, and turn down service in the evening. The quality (not the preparation really) of the food is the absolute cheapest they can manage, and even things like cakes are made with about half the sugar and butter needed. It's gotten terrible. I like hanging around with people who like to party and have fun but also know socially acceptable limits and are at least minimally polite. Last cruise, charges were filed over two women threatening to throw a couple of children overboard because they thought they were talking about their wigs. When Ben and David were talking about people running to the bus..yep, that's the Carnival crowd lately. Come on. And one more thing too: It makes me really angry that they're stretching the staff so thin. The visa issues from earlier in the year were one thing, but now it's just cost savings and they truly don't seem to care.

[@nicholasbennett4159]

​@@DenaInWyo I have to agree. I'm diamond plus on royal, and I tried carnival specifically the carnival sunrise for the first time this summer. I booked this cruise because I got a very good deal and I figured its been 15 years of cruising might as well try carnival. Well I thought that the sunrise was a good choice of ship because although it was old it had been in a dry dock where she underwent modifications to include all of the new carnival venues and upgrades. Well it was a 4 day cruise to key west and Cozumel I know i'm asking for the party crowd, but in my defense I did chose one at the beginning of summer during the week where all but the schools in the southeast US were still in school, and people who work were at work. Well I didn't know what I was expecting but my expectations weren't met. The food lines were atrocious waiting 30-45 min for any of the quick service restaurants at any time of the day, and if you want pizza late at night when nothing else is open forget it your going to bed hungry. Honestly the crew while I could tell they were severely understaffed were still very friendly, but I could tell they were working they're butts off. The ports were great, and the ship while showing it's age was fun especially with the upgrades. All things said though the worst part of the cruise by far were the passengers. They were some of the most disrespectful, loud, and obnoxious people I have ever met. Leaving plates everywhere and I mean everywhere. Deck 6 reeked of weed the entire cruise, and this is the first time I am ever gonna say this but the adults were worst than the passengers. Running up and down the halls at 2am literally, Playing loud music, and smoking weed. I wrote this entire paragraph to say that this was my first and last time trying carnival. It's Royal and Celebrity for us from now on.

[@spradduck]

They’re all about to go bankrupt they have to overbook. Otherwise there will be no cruise lines left to cruise. People. Need to just cruise and not complain

[@DenaInWyo]

@@spradduck sorry, but no. The money I spend on cruising is discretionary money. I absolutely will NOT just "cruise and not complain." What I WILL do is find something better to do with my vacation time and money. That's the silliest thing I've heard this week.

[@DenaInWyo]

@@nicholasbennett4159 Yep, you pretty much summed up my entire experience last June on the Dream. Identical complaints. I don't think I'd complain about it as much if I didn't know that it didn't used to be like that. It's not just covid either; they began cut backs and staff stretching before covid even started. I'm definitely looking forward to trying other lines!

[@creativelife9871]

I’m a Carnival girl. I just got off of my 12th Carnival ship (Sunshine out of Charleston) a week ago. My husband is totally a Royal boy. lol! I love the fun, party atmosphere of Carnival and he loves the peace and quiet of Royal. We’ve been on the Oasis and the Enchantment. We just got off of the Mardi Gras for my birthday (June) cruise. We weren’t at 100% capacity then so that was nice but there were some things that were ho hum for me as an established Carnival cruiser. I will say that it is a really nice ship but I definitely prefer the older fleet over the new bells and whistles. Though the shrimp and grits at Emeril’s was delicious and the seafood restaurant was wonderful.

[@AshleyTravis]

One of my biggest pet peeves on vacation is rude loud obnoxious people in rooms and hallways at night. I just will never understand how people are so selfish they have no idea other people in the world exist or would want to sleep on vacation! I would have really been able to overlook most of the other cons you discussed but that is such a deal breaker! I also cannot stand the understaffing issue, if the line knows in advance how many people are boarding, then they darn well need to maintain adequate staff to support it. We went Royal for the first time this year and the service was above and beyond, great management there! Thanks for an honest review, love it!

[@joegraham8626]

If you booked a cruise to sleep you should find a senior citizen cruise line

[@AshleyTravis]

@@joegraham8626 inconsiderate people like you that tell others they should just stay home or go on a seniors cruise when we have kids are the problem. With an entire ship to drink and party and 12 hours to play all day, people cant keep it out of the hallways at night its not enough? but others should just not get to enjoy their room in peace? The only alternative is to not do anything fun and new, right?

[@keawarren]

I really appreciate how thorough, honest, and well organized this review was. 10/10!

[@lakiiamccall3051]

I love watching your food reviews. Especially, when you're thoroughly enjoying whatever you're eating.😂

[@marshsundeen]

I take a small bottle of sanitizer with me whenever I eat out. You cannot control what other people do. I sanitize after turning in a menu.

[@Kayw434]

Yes, I do as well, especially at the buffet! 😊

[@jeannecrawford6324]

Loved your honest review of the Mardi Gras. It's a real shame that you couldn't dine at Rudi's Sea Grill because of your luggage issue. You missed a real gem. Their food is superb, and there's no rushing you out. At the time of your sailing, Carnival was having a problem with their staff who couldn't return due to the immigration process. That has since been resolved. I do think that they shouldn't have filled the ship, though. There are so many choices of what & where to eat on the Mardi Gras. Bonsai Teppanyaki is a treat with their 7 course menu. I also would love to sign up for their cooking school which I've heard is really good. One more thing is the children's programs. My grandchildren had a blast and made many friends. They loved doing the scavenger hunts. I hope you get a free press cruise on the Carnival Celebration in November. It will be sailing out of Miami, and I'm sure the crowd will behave themselves. 😊

[@mw4382]

How full was the ship when you Sailed, I leave on the 10/8 and I was told it was 100% full. Also, I was sent an email about Room Service being Ala Cart.

[@sarahdray7167]

I recently cruised with P&O Australia. They have "the Pantry" instead of the buffet and you ask for "a scoop of this etc" and there is less handling. They also have people at the entrance of any food area making people clean their hands. It was amazing!

[@dianawardrip5171]

All cruise ships have staff as you enter the food courts telling you, encouraging you to wash your hands!! Washey washey is what they generally say.

[@gloriabowie5629]

Put out gloves for people to wear to get their food or bring your own gloves

[@gloriabowie5629]

When people go to restaurants do they wash there hands?

[@jameshamm7911]

My wife and I were on a Carnival Sensation cruise that went to the GT&C, as well as the Dominican Republic. We stayed at the beach right behind the ship and found a local joint that served awesome Jerk Chicken for very little $ (tour guides and fisherman kept rolling in to get their lunch, meaning it was both authentic and reasonable). Bad thing was there were freakin' chicken bones all over the beach and those tings can mess with one's bare feet! BTW: "Jurassic Pork?" That was hilarious...

[@ysbel]

I just got off of Royal Caribbean and I hate to admit the demeanor of the staff was unenthusiastic to say the least. I was alone and sometimes the staff seemed less than thrilled to serve me which hadn’t been the case on my previous cruise. I’m not terribly chatty so I wasn’t that offended but I was bemused when occasionally they’d change gears midway and start trying to chat me up. I couldn’t help but think they suddenly remembered the tip.

[@reececollison5101]

17:18 I can tell your use of older Carnival ships being ‘wild’ is a very polite term for ‘horribly garish and dated’ 😂

[@Prince_of_void]

23:51 Y'all are going to have to warn me if we are dressing for dinner, my PJ's are so comfy and I thought I'd just watch LOL - Love y'all!

[@yveslabbe5412]

I’ve been cruising with Carnival for over 10 years. Personally, I do enjoy the younger crowd, laid back vibe and the casual food options Carnival offers. Also, I refuse to “dress up” to go eat at the MDR while I am on vacation, cargo shorts, t-shirt and sandals it is! So Carnival has always served me well. That being said, Carnival’s smaller ships and shorter cruises do appeal to many people I have no desire to cruise with. I manage to avoid that crowd by booking 6+ days cruises on the larger/newer ships. When sailing on a Vista Class ship, I always book a Havana aft-view cabin. The Havana section is kids free and you won’t hear running/screaming up and down the hallways. Also, being in a Havana cabin gives you access to the Havana deck. That in itself makes the entire cruise experience 10x better. Going for my 15th Carnival cruise in November on the Sunrise! 🛳

[@ND-nt6yw]

I agree. I enjoy the late nights but I like to pay for a thermal suite or Havana access for less crowds and a quiet space when needed.

[@XiLock_Alotx]

Recently cruised on carnival and was soooo very thankful that we booked a Havana suite. Perfect experience

[@ychaps]

I think your rating of this cruise and ship sounds reasonable. I do think you would not enjoy most of the older Carnival cruise ships...you may be a little bit spoiled by the bigger newer ships you have been on....and love them or hate them the older ships are gaudy. Having said that I have never had a bad cruise with... Carnival...anytime someone cooks for me , cleans for me and entertains me every day...I'm a happy camper.

[@Simpson4Fun]

Loved your honest review! I’ve been on 2 Royal Caribbean cruises and 1 Carnival and honestly Carnival was so much more fun and memorable! Though Royal was more elegant and the main dining room food was better, I felt super bored and out of place at times. But on Carnival, I had the time of my life! I’m booked on the Carnival Celebration in a pricey Excel Suite next July and I can’t wait! Hopefully the staffing issue is better by then. I adored the staff pre-CoVid.

[@xmoneyman100]

I'm a Carnival cruiser and I have enjoyed seeing you adventures and opinions on your experience. I love all your content and keep up all the good work.

[@StillPooh62]

Years ago we went to Club Med Turks & Caicos specifically for the scuba diving. I thought the island itself was a thoroughly unremarkable sand bar. But the wall diving is AMAZING 🤩

[@nickgoddard1687]

We went to Grand Turk in February, we just got off the boat and turned left onto the beach, the sun beds and umbrellas were free. It was really good and you are just in front of the ship

[@WestCoastCultured]

Ship*

[@laRosa1969]

Hey Ben and David, love your vlogs, you give me good inspiration and advice and you guys are funny! I had 5 Carnival cruises till now, the 6th in 1 week, I love them, never a bad experience and always lovely staff, good food...I worked 25 years in the travel industry so I saw a lot, worked in different countries; I did a couple of tours with the cruise-line but prefer to organize myself, it saves me plenty of money and nowadays you find all the information on line. 😉

[@joycelynmontgomery1446]

This is what I really love about you guys is your Honesty. Carnival was my first Cruise line when I started cruising. I have been on Royal Caribbean whom I love as well. I think the difference between Carnival and Royal is Carnival is "Party", Royal is some "Party/Conservative/Laid back" but I love both. I would like to go on Norwegian and a lot of my Family and Friends have been on Norwegian and they love it. Yes, everything you said about Carnival is true! But, they still are my favorite and that's my opinion. But, if you decide to go on the newest ship, Carnival Celebration.Then please, please book the Havana cabana cabins they are Fabulous!!! Just check it out when you have a chance. As Ben and David say Happy Cruising! ;-D Can't wait for your next cruise adventures. 😀

[@jlawrence0181]

We generally cruise on the older ships of Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Our experience in the MDRs is that the food is better with Carnival. On Royal Caribbean, there were so many poorly executed dishes like a lentil chili with hard lentils, bananas foster with RAW bananas and the like. I cannot speak on the buffets. We thought that Carnival had a lot more free options even though our ship did not have any of the celebrity chef places like Guys or Shaqs.

[@janniewalter2959]

I just got off the Mardi Gras yesterday. A cruise will never be perfect. There are some things that need improvement. I think the flow of things needs to be changed. Waiting in long lines etc. I did enjoy the adult serenity. I was able to find a chair and enjoy the sun. I saw a lot of people complain. I get being upset about some things but your in paradise! I always tell people to make the most of your vacation! I have two cruises booked next year. Legend in April and Horizon in July.

[@Simpson4Fun]

My family and I had the best time ever on the Horizon! Enjoy!

[@monykalynf3604]

Love the actual honest reviews. Really appreciate the scoring, and comparison to other lines. These type reviews are helpful to know what to expect!

[@eleanor4482]

Love your honest review. Sad that people just don’t get it. Takes one minute to wash or sanitize. Thanks for sharing.😎

[@sizzlemann]

Cruising, food, entertainment, etc. is subjective. After watching your videos over the years I know that you are RCCL biased. That is obvious. I've been on one RCCL cruise and it was the worst out of 25 cruises that I've taken. Been on the other lines as well and they are all about the same. Good in some areas, not so good in others. Carnival is the exact same bracket as all the other lines. It's a matter of preference. Obviously, yours is RCCL and you should probably stay with them because no other line will be able to live up to what you are comfortable with.

[@gnegron22]

We just got of MG two weeks ago and one of things we noticed was the lack of staff during high peak meal times. I hope management can figure out a better flow and placement of staff before the next two XL ships go online. It's such a beautiful ship but definitely need more crew. As well as you guys did, we talk to many crew. One of the things we heard alot was they love Carnival as a company but will not return to XL class. They prefer the Vista or Dream class.

[@PeriMedic1]

Great Review! Carnival has its positives and negatives (free food choices are a BIG plus), just like my experiences on other lines. One thing: the price for me means twice as many cruises, vs Princess, etc. I did the Caribbean in 2018, and on Turks and Caicos we chose the horseback riding in the ocean excursion. Very, very worth it. It's one of my favorite cruise memories.

[@cherylkoski7184]

Twice as many bad experiences, you mean.

[@PeriMedic1]

@@cherylkoski7184 I’ve done 3Royal, 1 Norwegian, 1 Disney, and 5 Carnival, and the hands-down worst was Norwegian. Horrible. Never again. Every Carnival has been great, but none were the short Caribbean that have the problems. The Mediterranean, 2 Alaska, 1 Pacific crossing, and a 14-day Caribbean. The older ships ARE tacky, but the experiences were good.

[@lisadee1623]

Your cabin decor looks 1000% better than Emma’s on her recent Carnival cruise on a 10+ year old ship! Thanks for your reviews guys!

[@2CraftySeniors]

Always appreciate an honest review. I know Carnival isn't for us... we're old and want quiet now... but I'm sure there are many people who would love it all. 🥩🥓🍗🍖 That barbecue platter at the end looked fantastic. That's my kind of plate of food... lots of different meats and some veggies... and put it on one plate, please. Dessert looked so yummy too. 🍨🥧 Mmmm.... now I'm hungry. Thanks Ben and David. 😂

[@leemorgan9291]

Having to cancel for trousers that were lost... so ridiculous. These formal dining room dress codes on cruises need to get over themselves.

[@helenrizi4719]

Was on the Mardigras in April. Our room was just below the lido deck party area. Took us a week to recover from the 24/7 noise. Guys barbecue was definitely the best restaurant. In retrospect I wonder how the crew that was so stretched would be able to handle the large number of passengers during any type of emergency. Have been on about 15 Carnival cruises in the past and this one was definitely our last. Just not for us-but for those who thrive on a noisy party atmosphere-you will love it. And, it is a beautiful ship.

[@deirdrekokora8680]

Absolutely love you two! I feel like I could totally hang with you and have a blast! I like my cocktails a bit more though!! 😂

[@totallytania7978]

I started cruising on Oasis of the Seas, then MSC, and then two Carnival. I've been happy on all of them. I was disappointed with the Royal Caribbean food though...

[@davidc5191]

Regarding washing hands 10:20 there was just a big norovirus outbreak on a Virgin cruise this past week.

[@cthompson1707]

What I love about Carnival's food is the creativity and the abundance of options. In the dining room I like the menus that feature an item that is local for the port you were in, and an item for food you've never tried. They offer more options than other cruiselines I've gone on. The Sea Day brunch is by far the best brunch of all cruiselines I've been on, and has an extensive and creative brunch menu. The Banana Cream pie in the brunch is amazing. You just can't beat Carnival for on the go food on deck. Even on smaller ships you still have Guy's Burgers, BBQ, Mexican, deli, pizza, Mongolir Grill, and more.

[@totallytania7978]

Always Crack me up!! 😄🤣 "Tanker-Hopefully not leaking oil...!"😆

[@margaretthompson6391]

I don’t get it. The carnival app is great but princess cruise’s app is rubbish. How can this be when they are the same corporation. Why doesn’t princess turn to carnival to fix this well known problem.

[@goody82az]

I went on a carnival ship a week ago. The crew of Carnival has been my favorite between Carnival and Royal Caribbean and Princess. I agree however, after the Pandemic you can see major corners being cut and there is a far lower crew/passenger ratio. Also, i've always enjoyed the main dining room to avoid the lines that you deal with at the fast food stations. It's sad to see that main dining rooms are being relegated to the quaint corners of the ship for the "old people".

[@mandmgirl7227]

We take plastic gloves with us to use at the self serve stations. We always wash our hands but you are right. We have seen many people not wash their hands and go into the buffet . Not good😞

[@mjrebafan]

Thanks for the review and your videos... I really enjoy them and your two personalities. I do have to say, a few of those 2 out of 10 was a little harsh. If Im rating something 2 out of 10, Im getting up to leave, Im talking to a manager, I wouldnt want anything else to do with that company....I didnt see any of that from you two. I respect your opinions and only you can speak to your experience, but really, a 2 out of 10????? Keep up the great work, cant wait to see were you guys go next!! :)

[@cathymccabe1200]

Turks have nothing to see really. But it’s a beautiful place. If you love the beach and the sea and a totally laid back feeling. This is your place. If your looking for action stay away. Unless you know. They have no water. It has to be shipped in from Florida along with their foods. The locals usually fly over to Florida to shop. One thing they have to much of stray dogs and cats. They don’t believe in spay and neutering.

[@GingerNinja4769]

Y'alls buffet comments are not brutal... especially not in a post-COVID world. Not to mention Norovirus, influenza, cold, and other sicks. Thanks for the info. 👍

[@patharrington2970]

If you go back to grand Turk just rent a golf cart drive up to the light house and there you can see the donkeys and it is fun you need to put gasoline in when you are done only $5.00 for gasoline and to rent $100.00 cart that’s for the day oh they will give you a free map so you will not get lost we had fun doing this I hope this helps you for next time you go there .

[@MartinLee888]

That tour……..wow. I hope they get in touch and explain how they justify the price for that.

[@tomvansoelen6557]

Having just off RCCL Navigator Seas. Dining room service and food better than the 2 Carnival cruises this year. Rest of the food was poor. I didn't do any specialty dinning as I was solo. Hated buffet and Mexican fst food. Pizza was mediocre at best. ROYAL definitely has a more formal service in dining room. However, not really courses as in past. Entire dinner order taken and pretty much delivered the same way. Carnival seems to have gone to complete casual. Though I found dining room food good. Carnival must be really lacking staff on Mardi Gra in house keeping as my cabins were well cleaned. Same on Royal. But Carnival only services cabin once a day. Doubt they will ever go back to twice. ROYAL does twice and I like that. It's always nice to return to fresh towels and tidy cabin. I'm sure u missed that on Mardi Gra. I just found ROYAL low energy people. Not real friendly. I found ROYAL more upselling drinks than Carnival. My 2 Carnival it was almost hard to get a waiter on deck. Certainly no up sales there. I felt ROYAL wait staff always tried upselling drinks. Add in all the up selling of food. I disagree with your observation about Carnival sales. Maybe Mardi is different. Lol Staff on Carnival always very friendly and willing to help. Mardi must be stressed with work. Matter of fact I was shocked how happy crew seemed on both ROYAL and Carnival considering covid and all the chaos the past 18 months in cruising. Mardi Gra has a premium price because it's new. I believe Carnival a much better value as compared to any of the other Mass Market cruise lines. New ships cost more and always seem to have service/food issues. I wait until they get seasoned and in their groove at a lower cost. I always avoid buffets period if possible just for the reasons mentioned. People can be gross. Even with people at the door and fantastic wash stations on Royal, there were still people who just walked in. As we know, it only takes one to make u sick. I also avoid the old Carnival ships and the 3-4 day cruises period. Too many people just there for a 3-4 day drunk. That's when u have the brawls etc. Plus they just are too short. It's over before u have figured out where dining room is located!

[@scottscaneh]

you did get ripped off a golf cart rental there is $85.00 tax included. Never had a bad experience on Carnival in 12 cruises but did have a bad experience on NCL

[@motaz1975]

RCI is snooze cruise. been on enough of them to know that after you get past the gimmick, they are no better than any other line. good luck getting a drink after 9 pm too. everything closes.

[@NeoPhoneix]

Love you guys! Thanks for your review. I was debating carnival for our first cruise because they are budget friendly, but I watched a lot of reviews and decided it just wasn't the line for us. Ended up booking our first cruise on the celebrity edge for 2023.

[@kenatl9435]

Your criticisms of the ship cleanliness strike me as somewhat disingenuous when the two of you were the ones cruising maskless in the height of the pandemic. It strikes me that you are either really kissing up to a cruise line (if they are comping you) or trashing one.

[@penelopepitstop762]

We like carnival and LOVED the Mardi Gras. I remember lots of hand sanitizer, especially in the food areas. With that said, my one complaint is the food. There’s plenty to eat and you definitely won’t go hungry, but I found the MDR to be very mediocre. We also went to Chibang, and I didn’t like the food very much at all there. The BBQ place was really good - and we are from Texas so we are BBQ snobs lol. Totally agree with your food assessment. I’m not a foodie, but I do like good food. I would be interested in a cruise line food comparison video! And, Lee is the greatest cruise director! We are hoping he’ll go on the new Jubilee when it sails. I’ve never cruised on Royal, but I definitely want to sometime! Tip for disembarking - go have a leisurely breakfast and be LAST off the ship. It’ll be much less stressful and no dealing with the crowds.

[@Lisa-lo9fw]

Looks lovely, we have only been on Carnival and have never had what I would call a bad experience. We will be on the Celebration in April 2023, I am so excited for the new ship. I’m very patient and try to enjoy no matter what, I mean your on a ship in the ocean, how cool is that. Great review and I will check out that BBQ. Thanks guys.

[@FloridaGrams1422]

Lisa, I am a Carnival only cruiser too #20 in 2 weeks, and will also be on the Celebration in April. I agree with you about being patient. The crews work so hard 24-7, but they always manage to have a smile on their faces and kind words to say. Happy cruising

[@patriciautley3824]

We have done the MG and loved every single day of the cruise we did not like RC at all and the food was no better than carnival and unless u live trivial u are bored to death

[@Powerful_Female]

Try other cruise lines. Royal is wonderful

[@geoffproven9385]

Love the honesty. You guys are the best. After your comments on the poor service, I looked up the passenger to crew ratio on Mardi Gras (3.02:1) compared to the Celebrity Apex (our next cruise), on which the ratio is 1.89:1. I guess you really do get what you pay for! Thanks guys.

[@swsunsetseeker7285]

Smoking pot onboard? Breaking the law, for sure. Noise in the hallways til 3am? Enough security staff? Only David's caprese sandwich looked good. The rest is Fast food sort of stuff, a Heart attack waiting to happen😢

[@kaunas88]

It seems that most of the food is slightly elevated fast food, and the main dining room looks terrible and depressing.

[@imaginator333]

Thank you both for your honesty. I could see in your moods and faces this one was a bit lacking in somw areas. I love the way you really detail the food and the excursions. I think I am leaning towards Royal or Norweigan. Looks like Carnival is not my kinda cruise, and I would not have known that had I not watched a few of your videos! Happy Cruising!

[@Cruisewith]

Thank you! Happy Cruising.

[@midwestkatie4]

Thanks for your honest, yet fun review. With a few other stories we’ve seen about Carnival we think we’ll stay with RCCL and Celebrity. Love you lads!

[@havehatwilltravel9183]

Thank you for another great review. Another confirmation that Carnival is just not for us, but to each their own.

[@932bandit]

Odd that the Mardi Gras would have few hand sanitizer stations. I was on the Carnival Breeze this last week and they had plentiful hand sanitizing stations all over the ship. With the number of folks on the Mardi Gras and it being their premier ship, I would have thought they would have had plenty.

[@blackbirds4]

The Difference is Actual Broadway Shows!!!

[@kristencarlbon4561]

I’m so OCD about washing my hands I wouldn’t be eating there either

[@laurenpigott885]

Very fair. I have done only Carnival but agree with your points. I think the design of your cabin- bed so close to the door-is a bummer for noise. The standard balcony puts the couch first and bed close to window. Sometimes cruises are fun and "fun"! ;-)

[@silvercookies]

I love that Carnival has so many included dining options of different varieties and not only that but that the food in those venues is good. The shows on the Mardi Gras looked quite impressive so I'd love to go on the ship just to see them. We tried Carnival for the first time earlier this year (Panorama) and booked another Carnival (Conquest) a few months later and we have another Carnival (Valor) coming up at the end of November. Safe to say we like them.

[@monykalynf3604]

Loved Panorama and Valor was my first cruise!! Enjoy!!

[@jeandalton7108]

They need to decrease number of passengers until they get enough staff. They will lose customers for sure!

[@TeachHiddenInTheLeaves]

I've always been nervous about trying Carnival because, based on your experience, it's what I expect. I'll continue to be loyal to Royal.

[@stuzy1510]

Ditto!

[@merccat67]

I’ve primarily cruised in Carnival and recently tried Royal. Honestly, they are about the same. There were some aspects of Royal I liked better and some aspects of Carnival I like better. I do feel that Carnival is still struggling brining quality and service back to pre-shutdown levels…. But again, Royal was about the same (cruised both within 3 months of each other) Currently looking for another line to try.

[@cydneystephen2814]

Hey Ben and David. Been waiting for your take on Carnival Mardi Gras. Oh my. Had to meet at 6:45? 😮🤦‍♀️. Love your shirt Ben. Just do it 🙌🏼. $9 for Starbucks? No thanks. Ppl rushing to get prime seats 💺 on the bus. Gorgeous beach but boring tour. A shack with a jellyfish 😮 🤦‍♀️. That was not worth $120 each. Seems like the spice cake was the highlight of the excursion. The port is enough for me at Turks. Maybe a drink at Margaritaville and a dip in the pool if not too crowded. Carnival does have 2 formal night and we dress. The rest of the nights nice casual unless there’s a theme night re:80’s or white night etc. True. Hand washing a must. We only went to Lido buffet for breakfast at like 7 in the morning. No lunch or dinner. MDR and the steakhouse one night. The hotdog 🌭 and focaccia sandwich looked good. Wow. Quick service better than the MDR and some specialty restaurants. 6/10 for food. 8/10 for entertainment. Beautiful ship. Yes to the photographers and a simple no thank you to the shots. Alchemy bar the only one we go to. 9/10 for activities. Understood. Because not enough crew; everything seems rushed. Can see the crew is stressed not rude. Fair assessment. Yess. Do like their app. Can order certain food to where you are on the ship. Exactly Ben in terms of the value. David. A campfire in your mouth?😂😂. Ben is rubbing off. Glad you guys enjoyed Guy’s BBQ. Oh my. Too many ppl on deck. We usually watch from a deck or 2 above. Guys. I’ve sailed Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity, Royal and Carnival. Your assessment is fair. I know exactly what you mean but you can’t put your finger on it. But ship wise, Carnival is evolving the past few ships in terms of beauty and trying to elevate. I agree the other lines are a bit above but I just love cruising and welcome what each cruise line brings. Great Vlog guys. Thanks so much. Have a great week and see you next video. You’re on Princess right now. Hope you are enjoying New England and Canada. 🛳

[@lindasobin7007]

We just got off our 7th cruise on Mardi Gras! Your review was spot on! Casual dining was fantastic! We haven't eaten in the MDR the last 3 or 4 cruises on Mardi Gras! Crew is fantastic, definitely hard working! Entertainment was excellent, however, we have seen those shows several times, so we let others enjoy! Pig and Anchor is one of my favorites, Bonsai also never disappoints!

[@PaulMeyer]

I'm ded. "She's moist." Y'all are killin me

[@ihatebobsaget1989]

15:02 my brother and i went to that bar after returning from a port and got wasted. funny thing is he is not a drinker. the bar was so busy with 1 bartender it took a while for our drinks to come out...

[@claudiamartin9700]

We just returned from the Carnival Magic and there were hand sanitizers all over the place. Sad to hear the largest ship in fleet isn’t as well equipped.

[@SeeJay81]

They have hand washing stations and sanitizer at the entrances of the Lido Marketplace. Of the 5 Carnival cruises I have taken in the last 12 months (which includes the Mardi Gras), they also had people stationed outside of the Lido with sanitizer and telling you to wash up. Maybe something changed since I sailed a few months ago.

[@StrayDogVideos]

Grand Turk, amazing water and sand, rather underwhelming island. I usually just walk down the beach where you were to this bar the crew like to visit called Jack’s Shack and chill out there and do some swimming.

[@jeffthomas7383]

Carnival absolutely nails the casual dining options. Nice to hear the entertainment was really good too. Haven't been on the Mardi Gras, but surprised to hear the service fell short. They put their best crew on their newest ships. Guess there just wasn't enough of them. I'll be on the Celebration November 27th and really looking forward to it. I doubt I will set foot in MDR or Buffet though. May not even pack pants. If you embrace the party atmosphere and sail on their newest ships, then Carnival can be really fun time.

[@cthompson1707]

The Sea Day Brunch is a must, especially for the banana cream pie. I've always loved the dining room food on Carnival. The best lobster tail I've had was on Carnival. I've sailed with HAL, RCL, Celebrity, and Princess also. I wouldn't discount the dining room.

[@jeffthomas7383]

@@cthompson1707 I’ll be sure and at least try the sea day brunch then. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@tj8114]

I took a Carnival cruise in the 1990s. IMO, they have never prioritized passenger safety, hygiene, or customer service. They ran their staff into the ground then, so I can’t imagine how bad they are now.

[@DH007-w2d]

In Gold we trust... The only thing that matters for those sharks-cruise cies...

[@KathyL4444]

I was just on Royal. They wouldn't even let you enter the buffet without washing hands. At the MDR they greeted you with germ gel. There were the germ gel stations all around the ship. Our room attendant kept our room spotless.

[@ivantheDIYguy]

Germ gel?😂 You know the gel doesn't do anything

[@michaelyoung6442]

The very first cruise my wife and I took was on the original Mardi Gras back in 1982. We were engaged and in college. My parents were taking their first cruise and invited us along. It was the most amazing experience. We went to Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Ocho Rios. The cabin was tiny (about 10ftx10ft) for the four of us, but it didn't matter. We cruised many times since, including a Mediterranean cruise right before the pandemic. We have a British Isles cruise coming up in September.

[@jennifervantichelt4395]

I have only done RC Oasis Ships and Carnival Vista and next week I board Mardi Gras (MG). I am a family of 4 and never pay for the upgraded dining on RC due to family size. I definitely prefer Carnival INCLUDED food over RC any day. I prefer Carnival DESSERTD over RC any day. I was on Harmony last year and the main dining room food was truly awful. Almost inedible. My waiter on Harmony was wonderful. He was Indian and instead he brought us out Indian food that the cooks prepare for the crew. Yes, Harmony has a lot for teens and it is beautiful. Re: costs, in 2023 I am booked on Odyssey in a virtual room and I am still paying $700 more for a 6 days vs an 8 day on Carnival MG. The difference is the evening parties are great on MG (and I am an introvert!). I book RC because for teens it is wonderful. My teens love RC. I do enjoy the refreshment package RC offers that Carnival does not. Just my prospective. It may be the pandemic re cleanliness because I've never had issues on Carnival before. On Harmony in 2021 I never saw my steward and I was in boardwalk balcony.

[@kathleensuhy1875]

I really hope that y’all went to guest services and complained about that tour. I’m not somebody who complains or ask for refunds or sends food back. To use a pun that’s kind of related, I just don’t like rocking the boat. I know mistakes happen and things can’t be perfect all the time. However, in this case for the amount of money y’all spent and the description that was given of the excursion that’s not anywhere close to what actually occurred on the excursion. I would ask, if this was me, not for a full refund but they without a doubt need to give y’all a 40% or 50% refund. Anybody can put a round larger concrete pond in front of a shack and put saltwater creatures in it. You can buy conch shells off of Amazon or eBay. This is not anything remotely related to what they said you would be seeing or going to. Wow, lol, you got to pet some donkeys but you can literally do that almost anywhere also. The beach, it should’ve been explained it’s right there by the cruise ship. Y’all actually have video of the entire experience so if they don’t believe you show them. Also, if you can, I would go to any site that allows you to rate and discuss that particular excursion. I would go to every one of those and tell people exactly what the excursion really is. Hopefully you can save somebody else from spending that kind of money.

[@johnnieves8719]

That was a great description of that cruise. You guys are honest and to the point that is why we ❤ you. We went on that ship and everything is how you described it. On the fourth night we were so disappointed with the main dining that my brother said”Let’s try the BBQ for dinner and we never looked back.

[@Bessie66]

You should have your own TV series - Jane McDonald move over! Great video x

[@chuckhallscorpionking8766]

Was on the Mardi Gras this past end of June first of July, my first ever cruise by the way, and I loved it. I had an inside cabin on the 5th deck and I never heard a peep from the halls at all, but of course I would be out until 3 or 4 in the morning just walking the deck. I loved Guy's Burgers, probably the best burgers I've ever eaten. I did have the Pig & Anchor once, but it was around 11:30 p.m. and it was buffet style at that time. I had the adult grilled cheese, and a couple of sides, can't remember those lol. But, I can still taste that grilled cheese to this day. I wish I would've known that it was a complimentary restaurant though, I would've eaten there more, especially during the "dining hours." But, I am going on another Carnival cruise, the Magic, at the end of November through the first week of December for my birthday, and that ship has a Guy's Pig & Anchor on it as well, so I definitely will be eating there mostly for that week. I gave my first cruising experience on the Mardi Gras a 9/10. The staff were amazing and the service was actually really fast when I was on there, and we were at full capacity. The reason for the score I gave, was due to the fact that I was shocked at the price of drinks, I spent $312 my very first night lol. But, I have a drinks package for my next cruise. P.S. sorry for the long comment, I just had to give my first ever experience.

[@waynejohns752]

Steakhouse and Rudi's are FANTASTIC! The older ships are fun! I have been on Carnival, NCL and Viking. Viking is a world unto itself- if you want posh - that is #1. NCL is ... not my cup of tea. No or very little entertainment. We live in Florida and love Carnival - no need for RCL!

[@chigirl318]

Thank you so much for doing these kinds of reviews! So many that do reviews act like everything is absolutely perfect. I love the honesty!

[@crystalBcruisin]

What a...Fan-bloody-tastic review😃 I really appreciate your honesty and can't wait to cruise the Mardi Gras. Thank you for sharing💜

[@margaretthompson6391]

Maybe bring gloves to the buffet for getting your food so you don’t touch the tongs. That’s what I would do.

[@tiffinyanderson4403]

As a Carnival Platinum member I appreciate your honest reviews. I sail on almost every cruise line. With Carnival (and some other cruise lines) it’s hit or miss. I do think sailing out of Port Canaveral or Carnival is more stressful and I get priority boarding too. Disney pulls it off but Carnival struggles. Carnival seems to do better out of Miami. I also think the ship, time of year and itinerary all factor in. I have been on back to back cruises on Carnival where the first few days of a 7 night cruise had me questioning life lol! The cabin next to us was “lit up” 24/7. They argued with each other, they argued with the poor cabin steward. People were having open conversations about them in the hallways because it was such an issues. Luckily they were kicked off at our first port. I was concerned about the next week which included the Fourth of July holiday but it was calm and the demographic was totally different. I appreciate you pointing out the burden on the staff. All cruise lines underpay and overwork their staff but Carnival in particular has only gotten worse.

[@sbyers1978]

We went on the Panorama last year and thought it was super fun, try an LA cruise it is their second newest ship behind this one. Loved this series maybe we'll see you out there!

[@mikeandcheryl1885]

Dear Ben and David, long time followers and we rarely comment. You are both very very fair in the assessment overall and sincerely appreciated your honesty about the experience. We feel so bad for the staff. Hope mgmt at carnival read this

[@rainbowcheeze99]

You're on a brand new ship. I really appreciate all of you honesty. Great content.

[@cherylcascone7840]

David I love your wood framed sunglasses!

[@judyjetson2706]

So many times in this video I said OMG their us to my husband 😂. Love when you two give negative feedback because I never trust all positive feedback. No cruise will be 100% fantastic or crap. Video looked good.

[@tiffinyanderson4403]

We love Grand Turks. You can get off and just use a free lounger and take a dip in the ocean and Margaritaville. It’s an inexpensive port. Our 6 year old had on shorts with a button down long sleeve shirt and bow tie and they tried to deny entry at the steakhouse on Christmas Eve. We stayed calm and pointed out that our little guy was dressed better than 98% of the adults. And he matched his adult brothers but they had on khaki pants. They finally conceded.

[@voodooqueene]

Super helpful!!! I’m trying to decide between Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas (which we’ve already sailed on) and the Mardi Gras. I think I’m leaning towards the Mardi Gras! 💜💚💛⚜️

[@CruiseWestCoast]

I think people need to move on in terms of their dress codes but it's unfortunate you missed the steakhouse - BY FAR the best cruise steakhouse at sea (at least in mainstream cruise lines).

[@joannedawe1900]

When are you going to go on Holland American, you need to go on one of the new ships, Koningdam, Statesdam, or Rotterdam. I think you will love them. You did a great honest review of the Mardi Gras, thank you!

[@heatherdl]

👍🏻 Yes-you should definitely try HAL. It’s definitely a quieter, more relaxing experience, yet classy without being stuffy. It’s mostly adults, but the few kids I’ve seen on the four HAL cruises I’ve been on have tended to be well-behaved. Excellent food, service, entertainment, and cleanliness (the buffet staff were serving up the food even before the pandemic). If you keep an eye out, you can definitely get some good deals. Hubs and I have our fifth cruise booked with them for early December-a second trip on the NS. 😊

[@ND-nt6yw]

I actually liked my recent cruise on carnival but I can say it is not for everyone.

[@mruggier0]

This was spot on. I was on that ship last winter and took the same excursion. Only difference they took us to a "town" to shop?! It was a bunch of broken down shanties with a rest stop without a flush toilet. Between each woman they stood with a five gallon bucket to flush!!! Huge rip off a tour. As for the ship I really liked it. Big beautiful and so many choices of restarurants and things to do. The dining room was a tad slow and food mediocre. But the crew is stretched thin and its not their fault. However the other free venues outstanding. As for the guests, they vary from seniors like us and young people gone wild. lol. I say try it (Carnival) at least once. I went several times on the Norweigan and didn't like it once twice or three times. Princess was fabulous as was Royal and Celebrity.