Carnival Jubilee - Good Value for the Price
Written: Apr 01 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent value, great destination ports, good food, good shows, great fun.
Cons: Small exercise room, not so hot for singles.
The Bottom Line: Excellent value for the price. Good food, nice ports. Not luxurious and not good for singles.
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| shurie's Full Review: Carnival Jubilee |
I was on the Jubilee for a 5-day cruise in February, from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Cayman and Cozumel. For $ 425. it was an excellent value.
Carnival Cruise Lines is known for their fun ships and younger crowd, but this particular cruise was mostly filled with retirees. There were a few honeymooners and families, and only a few singles. If you are going with someone, it would be a great choice, but if you are single and looking you may find it disappointing.
I was surprised at the quality and presentation of the food. I had heard that the food on Carnival is not up to the standards of other cruise lines, but that was not the case on the Jubilee. It surpassed the cuisine on several other ships, and considering the inexpensive price of this cruise, the food was impressive! You can choose to dine in the formal dining areas or have a relaxing buffet. And the 24 hour pizza parlor was very popular.
The night life was surprisingly good, considering the crowd. The shows were excellent, and the talent of the entertainers was very good. None of them were famous names, but the quality of the music, vocals, and dancing was excellent. The regular shows were spiced with humor, but the comedy shows were disappointing. A band called Black Jack played on the Lido Deck till the wee hours, and they were excellent at several different styles: Rock, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and pop. They even did a good job at Calypso, which ya gotta have on a Caribbean cruise!
The disco, karaoke bar, casino, piano bar, and other night-life spots were very popular, and were jam packed every evening. Even though the majority of the passengers were not young and single, there was still a lot of activity at the clubs.
The casino was very busy too - in fact it was sometimes hard to get a table or a machine. During the day it was slow enough that you could walk in and sit down at any of the tables. But in the evening there were large crowds around the Black Jack and Craps tables, which made it difficult to join in the fun. It was also hard to find an open slot machine.
Accommodations on the Jubilee are comfortable, but not impressive. You've got a comfortable room, not cramped. But don't expect to be impressed. Our steward was efficient, but not attentive. On this ship the stewards have a lot of cabins to tend to, so they're a little rushed. They'll keep your cabin clean and neat, but don't expect that personalized, attentive service you may find on a more expensive cruise. If you're looking for a great value, this is it. If you're looking for luxury, you'll be disappointed.
The ports of Grand Cayman and Cozumel are absolutely fabulous if you like tropical destinations.
Grand Cayman:
This port is very clean and attractive. The buildings are all newer and well kept, and the shopping is incredible. You can find great deals on crystal, diamonds and jewelry, leather, and many other items. They also have reasonable prices on T-shirts and other typical tourist merchandise. There isn't much else to see on land, but the ocean activities are great! Some of the world's finest scuba diving and snorkeling are found here. For novices there is the Turtle Farm and an exciting adventure at Stingray City, where you can swim with stingrays and actually touch them.
Cozumel:
This port has an entirely different flavor than Grand Cayman. It is part of Mexico, and the lack of affluence among the population is evident. The downtown shopping area is a place to find many bargains, and it is reasonably clean. But if you go a block or two from the main square, you may be inclined to look over your shoulder. The surroundings deteriorate rapidly as you leave the main street, and you'll pass by shady-looking characters hanging out in the doorways. Don't do it at night unless you are with a large crowd or you are comfortable in such places. The dining in Cozumel isn't great, but there's a lot of night life at the Cantinas. On the other hand, if you like the water, this is a great place! There's world-class diving and snorkeling, and you can almost jump in the water anywhere. I've never seen such a deep shade of turquoise, and the water was crystal clear. There's access to Mayan ruins too, if you don't mind a day-long trip.
The biggest drawback of the cruise for me was the lack of exercise facilities. There is a gym, but it is small and cramped. They have a few exercise bikes and treadmills, but that's about all. If you really want to work out, you'll be disappointed. The exercise room isn't air-conditioned, and it is next to the sauna, so it can get pretty hot and stuffy in there.
All in all, this cruise was an excellent value for the $ 425. I paid. You can hardly stay in a decent hotel for that, and a hotel does not include meals, entertainment, and everything else!
If you're looking for a great bargain and a good time, don't hesitate to sail on the Jubilee - especially if you're going with a partner or a group. If you're looking for luxury or pampering, or romance, try another ship.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Seniors
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Epinions.com ID:
shurie
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Location: Southern California
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 99 members
About Me:
Computer nut with lots of interests - and always an opinion!
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