We wanted our first trip sans children to be something we had never done before! We wanted it to be adventurous, affordable and not too far from home. After much thought, we decided that a cruise would be perfect! The plan was to fly down to Florida with the kids, drop them off with my parents, and sail away! Here’s a review of our 4-night stay aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Liberty Ship!

the Room

Prior to booking our room, Lou and I had many discussions about what type of room we would book. There was no question that it would have to be a balcony room. The both of us have had our bouts with sea sickness in the past, and we didn’t want to chance it on our parents-only-vacay. If you can, definitely spring for the balcony room. We spent a lot of time each morning and night sitting on our balcony taking in the majestic ocean!

Room Tips:

• I had read that there were “not a lot of outlets” in the room. Little did I know, that meant there was ONLY ONE! So, bring a power strip (that doesn’t have a surge protector) so that you have a way to use all of your electronics. For us, that meant a charger for each of our phones (which acted as our cameras), charger for our tablets (for reading), my breast pump, blow dryer, etc.
• You will have a state-room attendant assigned to your room who will take care of cleaning your room as well as making your stay special! Our attendant left us a sweet message, gift cards to a few of the stores on board, and cute towel art for our anniversary! It is customary to leave them an additional tip (even if you’ve prepaid for gratuities).
• The WiFi package is worth it! We were able to text, receive emails, and stay in contact with our children for the duration of our cruise. The video calls didn’t work as great, but we were able to get a couple of clear minutes in each call and that helped this mama get by!

the Food

Let’s put it this way, there is plenty to go around! Have no fear, there is sure to be something you like! During our 4-night cruise, we dined at many of the restaurants that are included in your cruise package. My favorites were: Guy’s Burger Joint and the BlueIguana Cantina! I could have eaten at these two every day! Three of the four nights we had dinner in the main dining room. The menu had great options every night and FYI: you don’t have to order just 1 appetizer or 1 entrée – the sky is the limit here! 😉

Food Tips:

• We purchased the Bottomless Bubbles package prior to our sail date. This package includes unlimited soft drinks and juices for the length of your stay. We’re not big soda drinkers, but it was nice to have a glass or two throughout the day. At $5.95/day, it was worth it to us.
• Carnival allows you to bring 1 bottle of wine aboard per person on embarkation day. It must be packed in your carry on luggage. No other alcoholic drinks are allowed!
• You are allowed to bring a 12 pack of soda, water, juice or milk but it cannot be bottled, it has to be cans or cartons.
• There is an ice cream machine that is open 24 hours! I repeat, opened 24 hours!
• If you’re a late sleeper, fear not! There’s breakfast, and then there’s a late breakfast option! 😉

the Entertainment

I wish I had more to say, but if I’m being real honest here, we were parents who had never been away from our 2 children for more than a few hours. What does that mean? We were exhausted! We did however, attend a few shows that I would highly recommend!

Entertainment Tips:

• The Love & Marriage show was HILARIOUS! Our only complaint, we wish it was longer. It was really funny and a good time.
• Make sure you go to the comedy shows! Obviously, the shows will be different on each cruise, but the shows during our trip were really funny. We made the mistake of missing the first night and we were sad we missed out. We made sure to go to the shows the other two nights they were offered. Get there early because they do pack up and then you’ll have to stand on the sidelines!
• There really is something for everyone! Dance parties on Deck, Bingo, the Piano Bar, the Casino, live music throughout, and more!

the Ports

Our two ports were Freeport, Bahamas and Nassau Bahamas. We were thrilled to have two Port days on such a short cruise. Instead of booking excursions, we opted to find our own way around the islands. Thankfully, both islands were easy enough to navigate and their taxi system was regulated so you didn’t have to worry about getting cheated! We had a great time lounging by the beaches and exploring the islands! FYI: The morning you arrive to each port, they announce last minute sales on one or two excursions. Both times they were beach excursions and the deals were pretty good!

the Bottom Line

We had a great time on the Liberty and were very pleased with our first cruise experience! It’s essentially a hub of fun! All you have to do is leave your room and you’ll find something to do!

Final Thoughts:

• The room and the ship as a whole were very clean.
• The food was very tasty and there was a lot of variety
• Very affordable and a great way to enjoy multiple destinations!
• The staff were all very kind and helpful

I think in the future, we would definitely LOVE to experience a newer ship, but overall, we were really satisfied with all that Carnival Liberty had to offer!