Carnival Legend

AVOID AT ALL COSTS – Ah, finally off the Carnival Legend. Thank the Lord and all that is Holy. First time on a cruise, and very little positive to say. Abandon all hope, ye who enter this ship with the hopes of having a smooth, relaxing vacation. Where do I start? Get on the Legend, go to my room and it’s 110 degrees in the cabin. Their “solution” to get you to… Read more

shut up is to give you a desk fan…you've paid 2800$ for a cabin and these guys give you a dusty fan to point at your face on day 1. Already pissed off and we haven’t even gotten into international waters. Going out of Norfolk due to the tragedy in Baltimore, the Cheers package did not start until 6am…Ok, nobodys fault, god rest their souls. I was determined not to pay more for drinks, so decided I’d go gamble. All 2000 people on the ship had the same idea, so the casino was standing room only…and not even open. At this point, we’d been rocking for 3 hours (departed at 7), so were approaching 1030pm and my room is hot, they’re charging for drinks that I’ve already paid 1000$ for, and the casino is closed. It finally opens but there’s nowhere to sit as every elderly and disabled person on a scooter has lined up like the Daytona 500 ready to gamble. Ok, fine, Ill come back at 3am when it’s less busy to play some blackjack….jk, no I won’t. Tables closed at 2am, as did the bars. So the table dealers only worked 3+ hours the first night?? What kind of casino can you not gamble after 2am??? I asked when they open back up, they say 10am. No tables from 2-10am is an absolute joke for anyone who’s ever been to a real casino. Back to the drinks. The package was supposed to start at 6am…what they fail to tell you is that all the bars are closed until 8, so you’ll walk around aimlessly until then. I paid 1000$ for the drinks for me and my girlfriend, if it says that it starts at 6am, we should both be able to get a drink at 6am if we desire. Nope, 8am because everything is closed. Finally, 8am arrives. “Hello sir, Can I have a double? “No.” “Ok, can i order 2 drinks?” “No” “Ok, how about a beer and a water bottle, you clearly want to control my drinking on my vacation” “No sir, you must wait 5 minutes between each beverage, alcoholic or not.” At this point all I can do is laugh. I gave carnival 5000$ for a room, excursions, and the drink package to be told I can’t order 2 bottles of water at the same time. This guy was also incredibly short and rude with me.

The miserable week continues with various absurdity throughout the ship. Battling for every drink, sliced hot dogs labeled as keilbasa in the breakfast buffet, being denied trying to order a water and a gatorade at the same time, restaurants only open from 12-230, biting into your steak burrito just to find there’s no steak in it, just a tortilla and rice. 18% gratuity charges added to the seafood corner in which you are serving yourself…its part of the buffet, just a small extra charge for better quality food. When I bit into the hot dog labeled as sausage, I actually thought I was being punked. Gift shop has cartons of cigs but no lighters or matches. Everything had to be hunted down or begged for. My dad received a coupon for free wallet pictures…they actually tried to take away the coupon and say it was incorrect and shouldn’t have been given. That’s too bad, its in our hand now, are you kidding me?

Finally, today, debarkation day arrives. We’re told to wait on deck 2 or 9. We choose deck 2, as deck 3 is the point of exit. An employee rudely tells us to get up, we can’t wait there. This stirs the pot among everyone sitting there holding papers that say to “wait on 2 or 9”. The employee eventually takes a hike because everyone else has also had it with the disrespect and rules on the ship. We go to deck 3 where we are also told we cannot wait, we must go to deck 9. The elevators aren’t working at this point, so they expect you to drag your suitcase up 6 flights of stairs. They continue to tell us that no debarkation groups have been called and nobody can leave as customs inspects the ship…unless you’re on a bus to baltimore. Finally, I was able to battle past the rude employees who lied to us about being inspected by customs…simply by lying myself and joining the baltimore bus group back home. Just like that, off the ship, and thankful to be headed back home.

Myself and the 7 people I travelled with will never go near carnival legend again, we’ll likely try another cruise line. It’s a good cruise line for a 74 year old who wants to sit at a penny slot and chainsmoke virginia slims, or a 500lb tub of lard on a scooter who wants to eat greasy omelettes, or the rich, pretentious couple controlling the facebook group who are on their 40th cruise and can afford to buy crab legs and shrug their shoulders when something goes wrong because who cares, they’re going again next week. Definitely not for a 29 year old with a mortgage and student loans. I wouldn’t set foot on this boat again if you put a gun to my head.

If you think this ship is acceptable your standards unbelievably low! – What a disgrace! Paid premium to travel during Christmas/New Year but what we received was below average service, food and accommodation. This dark, dingy and oppressive ship is a joke and was like staying at a 3 star resort. Food was terrible, no where to sit, sticky tables and old smelly carpet. Our cabin shower was full of mould and smelled… Read more

like a urinal. We were absolutely appalled at how sub standard this ship was and being stuck on this floating crap heap for 10 nights has put us off cruising for life!

EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED – Sailed on Carnival Legend November 2018. Booked through my normal Travel Agent (although he did recommend against it) but the price was so much cheaper. Guess like the old saw, "You pay peanuts and you get monkeys". Have previously only sailed with Princess and unfortunately have seen their standards decline in many areas. Embarkation and… Read more

disembarkation was smooth and unhindered. Was a little shocked when arriving on board with the decor. Certainly dated and in dire need of an upgrade. Food on Lido buffet for lunch would best be described as ordinary although there was plenty available. Dinner in the dining room (second sitting) we were served by wait staff who appeared to want to be somewhere else. Request for additional items (extra potato or vegetables etc.) was placed with main order but always seemed to arrive a long time after the main meal. Roast beef on one evening was so tough it was impossible to cut, would have made great soles for a pair of boots. Whoever trained the wait staff needs to brush up on their basic skills like not leaning across one diner to serve another. At times the wait for meals was longer than necessary probably due to the laconic attitude of staff. The only time we achieved what one would call proper table service was the last night when the expectation of a gratuity was there. The opening times of the Lido were very unfriendly and the amount of time the coffee and tea making facilities were out of order was a big joke. All in all I would not be eager to again partake in a cruise with Carnival and I think I will pay more heed to my Travel Agent on future occasions.

Real downer – Booked this cruise carnival legend on Wednesday 26 /02/19 - 03/03/19 from Melbourne to Hobart thru mega cruise . On arrival everything went smoothly until we got inside the decor was very 80 ‘s Very dark and dingy . After booking a balcony room expecting the glass to be clean ( not ) and all the steel having rust on showing was very disturbing.… Read more

Balcony doors didn’t seal properly and at night when the wind was blowing the whistling sound was very loud which caused us an uncomfortable night sleep . The chocolate shop was more expensive than the alcohol ,but the alcohol was not cheap either . The buffets where a joke trying to get a sit and the food was average. The dining room food was always warm and never hot and make sure you order 2 because 1 of anything won’t fill you up ,we had to go to the 24 hour pizza shop afterwards to top up . The entertainment was pretty average not enough ,they just had more things for them to sell stuff for you to spend money than trivia and shows . Bingo $ 5000.00 jackpot was rigged nobody won it surprise ,surprise within the 48 ball drop . The mini golf and table tennis are on the top deck while it is very windy out in bass strait good luck with trying to play . Only good thing was the free ice cream . After cruising on the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas for 8 nights I will definitelqy be going back sorry this ship is only about trying to take as much money as possible off you Very disappointing but this is my opinion .

Unfriendly, unhelpful guest service – Being a frequent cruise person and second time on this cruise I found the cruise itself mostly ok. Two incidences at the guest service desk gave me a bit of sour taste. The whole room steamed up when having a shower. Thin material clothings did not dry for two three days. I enquired about the exhaust system in my room and I was told the water was… Read more

too hot. Nothing was done about it.

I lost my baseball cap somewhere on the boat. I went to see if someone picked it up and handed it in. I described the cap. The response was “ so did you lose the cap” with no interest in helping.

My first time on Carnival and there will be a second time – I've been on 3 cruises, all with P&O. So when I saw a great deal on a balcony cabin on Carnival Legend, I took it. I did have some reservations about the Legend after seeing the Youtube footage earlier in the year when Legend security were kicking into a passenger while he was held down and other security staff were trying to confiscate cameras… Read more

from onlookers. Fortunately, I didn't see any of that.

The 12 day cruise left Sydney on Nov 1, for the south pacific. The cabin was neat and clean. The mattress was firm but comfortable. There was a 2 seater sofa and a coffee table and a desk fixed to the wall. The bathroom had plenty of mirrors and a wall cabinet.

The public areas had new carpet from a recent refit, but the furniture was showing it's age. The decor was loud and gaudy but it grows on you. The theatre was large and there was never a problem getting seats. If you want a good seat, get there 20-30 minutes before showtime. The big production shows were average, but the comedy shows were very good. There were a variety of comedians and they all did a family show and an 18+ show. One guy did two 18+ shows in one night, using different material in each show.

The drinks were pub prices and were in $AUD. The bar staff were polite and fast. The cocktail orders slow things down, but people love cocktails when on a cruise. Carnival don't have drinks packages in Australia, but they do in other countries. However, they do have a wine package. Five bottles for $175 or 5 bottles from a more premium wine list for $225,

The food in the Lido Deck Buffet was OK. The pizzas were OK. Guys Burger Joint was OK but the meat quite bland. The main dining room was very good. There was choice, the menu changed regularly (with the exception of 2 starters and 3 mains) and each day would have an unusual meal such as snails or frog legs. At dinner, the quality and temperature of the meals were better than at breakfast and lunch. If your meal was too cold or too tough or too dry or just wasn't what you expected, send it back and ask for another or something different or even 2 of something. The waiters/waitresses will do it gladly. I found that they will bend over backward to accommodate my requests. I could see they wanted me to be happy and they certainly didn't want conflict, no matter how subtle. I could see some passengers getting very upset over a cold meal or the main wasn't big enough. Just ask for another.

The cruise was half way through school term 4, so not too many kids. I'm guessing about 200. However, I did hear several people complaining that there were too many kids on the ship. Carnival promotes itself as family friendly, so that's what we can expect. I did see a lot of mobility scooters onboard and some of the drivers were ruining the reputation of mobility scooters. This is the first time I saw scooter rage. I also saw one case of laundromat rage, but that was near the end of the cruise, when some people just can't wait to be home.

Now to the negative part. I appreciate that the "cruise business model" is to get as many people onboard as possible by keeping prices as low as possible (except for school holidays). This allows more people to experience cruising and hopefully fine dining. Once you're onboard, then the hard sell begins. I can handle the shops,the specialty dining spruikers and even the exorbitantly priced shore tours (I use independent operators). But the photographers on Legend have pushed intrusiveness to a new level.They have gone beyond hanging out at stairwells and elevators and walking through the main dining room 3 times per day. They have developed a new technique of insisting that you have your photo taken. Whenever a tender was used to take me ashore (which was most of the ports), the photographer and assistant would stand on the jetty holding a broom stick handle with a sign attached to the end reading "Isle Of Pines" or "Mystery Island". The stick was held at waist height across the jetty and you WILL have your photo taken with the sign held in front of you. Then they let you through.

I enjoyed the Legend and have recommended it to friends.

i hardly recommend to any of my family member – the booking process was pretty bad ,the phone line with Indian consolth wasn't never clear, hardly understand her never have satisfied answer for my question . No my trip wasn't my match expectation at all ,pay extra for room with window or balcony instead i had nothing i book for 4 person on this cruise 2 had the balcony 2 had nothing ....way ? the danying on bord was good ,

Food option – Room was brilliant but food on deck 9 bistros was absolutely shocking limited selections 9times out of ten food was not even warm. Hygiene was non existent .I had 5 of my family on board each and everyone got sick on other cruise lines they make sure you wash hands before you enter any food areas will not use carnival again staff were very friendly.

Family of 4 adults - Enjoyed in every way – I took my retired parents and my husband on a cruise from Melbourne to Sydney via Hobart. 5 days. This was our first cruise. My dad can't stop talking about how good and relaxing it was. They was at a junior suite. They got to relax a lot. For us, we're pleasantly surprised at the service. Super friendly staff. For me it was great in every way.

Legend is the fun ship – Recently sailed on Carnival Legend from Melbourne with a 3 night & 4 night cruise back to back. First time on Legend although have sailed on Carnival Spirit many years ago. Boarding was very easy. Ship decor is pretty full-on but you do get used to it. Lots of families were on the 3 night cruise & everyone was into having fun. Noise around… Read more

swimming pool a bit deafening at times. Entertainment was great & always something to do around the ship. Really enjoyed Guy's Burgers & the free soft serve ice cream was brilliant. There were plenty of food options in the buffet.Food in main dining room was very down to earth which suited us but probably not some. All staff were very helpful & friendly. Would not hesitate to travel with Carnival again. Most likely when Spirit is based in Brisbane late 2020. Carnival cruises are very good value for money especially if you keep an eye out for great deals.

Fantastic cruise with Legend – First time cruising didn’t really know what to expectBooking process fair done by sister-law traveled from Sydney to South Pacific islands outcome very happy cabin ok but bit small for4 of us food great can’t wait to cruise with carnival again only complaint. Is the smoking area why would you put it down we’re the children swim isn’t that against health regulations

First time on Legend – I have just come back from an 18 day cruise from Hawaii. The Legend is exactly the same ship as the Spirit layout, entertainment and almost the same in looks, disappointing. This ship needs a lot of basic repair work done on it. The staff particularly in the dinning room and our cabin steward excellent nothing too much trouble. The Carnival… Read more

ships are called the fun ships which they are as I did have fun. The Red Frog Pub was excellent - good bands nearly every night. Will I be going with Carnival next time - well maybe - but will try another ship. I did appreciate the cabin upgrade. The Services Desk need to be prepared with more basic shore information - so that they can assist when the Tour Desk is closed. The pizza 24/7 with no charge and free ice cream was great- particularly for families.

Great staff and great cruise – We went on a 10 night New Year's Eve cruise. This was our first time with Carnival. The crew were amazing and so friendly. So many activities to join in. We had such an awesome time. Can't wait to go again

Poor – The most unorganised cruise I've ever been on by the security are heavy handed and staff. Don't have any time for young children. The good was overpriced and greasy. I don't like conflict and normally avoid direct complaints but these people were Quite rude and racist. Please avoid or do further research, as basic questions to staff members Are met with eye rolls and sarcastic negative answers customer service non existent here.

Worst Cruise not family Orientated – Check who you book with too as they are all linked....Carnival P&O Princess few more Ship having repairs done entire time..see below my letter to Carnival after 11 day cruise I would like to take this opportunity to inform you on how disappointed we were to experience our first ever cruise and from our experience with Carnival it will be our… Read more

last cruise. This trip was a gift from family who also travelled with us group of 10 (2 families of 4 and grandparents).

To start the journey with arrive on ship head to buffet for lunch, I have asked numerous staff where the gluten free food is, response from multiple staff was it has not been sent up, and then the point out some of the dished are gluten free, but is mixed with gluten food and has a huge risk of contamination. We found some bread again easily contaminated by butter which was full of bread crumbs. So my 8 year old daughter went hungry. I again asked how I can arrange correct meals as advised prior to sailing that I just need to ask and it would be sorted out. Was told to go to restaurant, so I went do to speak to staff to ensure dinner would be ok. I got a very similar response from front staff stating they can’t do any special meals as they need to be ordered the night before. To then be told I would need to work out for the menu what is gluten free and order that. Nothing on the menu was indicated gluten free. After our first meal we again asked what to do and lucky we had wait staff who knew the process and were very accommodating, we sadly were now restricted on where we could dine for our meals, but were lucky enough to get the same table each night and had 3 wonderful staff who really went out of their way to assist with my daughters meal requirements.

Our Room Number 5219 was not what I was expecting from all friend reviews that this was going to be a great clean room sadly this was not the case. To start with I walk on a false nail in the middle of the room. The formal night I go to use hair dryer which is full of hair and covered in foundation. The balcony was dirty and had hair in the water track under the glass and for the nearly the entire trip had a rotten strawberry on the floor. On another day we had a toilet paper roll drop on the floor and was soaked and unhygienic to use, so I placed this in the bathroom bin, to come back to our room after the staff had been though to “clean” to find the same toilet paper roll on the bench in with my toiletries and drinking glasses. This just raises alarm bells with me on what else has been removed from rubbish bins. I place toilet paper back in the bin with some other items, the other items were cleared daily but the roll of toilet paper was left there for the remainder of the trip. I did report this to guest services on the final night, at the same time I reported that the door strip in the bathroom was broken and had pinched my daughters foot, the only response was does she need medical attention I said no. The ladder for bunk beds is unsafe and caused my daughter to fall and hit cupboard on opposite side of room as the steps are too far apart. The door handle to enter the room was extremely difficult to open and initially when we arrived I thought our room was not unlocked as the handle is that stiff. The balcony door did not close properly and whistled most nights. The TV had bad connect and we were unable to view TV in 3 of the 4 bed, only place to view TV was top bunk. Could not turn TV as would lose connection.

My 2 girls were really looking forward to kids club as their friends had told them all about how much fun they will have. I took 1 to stingrays and 1 to sharks, my youngest hated kid club as it was boring and they did was colouring in. I tried on numerous occasions to take her back and would ask what they are doing and it would be same colouring in or free time. Sharks were slightly better for my older daughter as she loves craft, but the only thing they really enjoyed was the scavenger hunt unsupervised running around the ship. There were no allowances for my daughter to attend diner with kid club on Lido as they had a set menu, so yet again unable to participate.

We came all excited with dresses up for theme nights to again find out that this was not children orientated and they got dressed up just to go to dinner not able attend the 80’s disc/Mexican Fiesta and Island night as it was at 1030pm.

Fun club staff who ran activities mad no allowance for children participation and basically there was no chance a child could win a prize, only after I said something to one of the staff did they feel bad and gave the kids in our group a medal.

The girls went to bead bag toss on Lido deck which was just the target and some bean bags and you got to toss them in no staff running the activity.

Easter egg hunt at 9am on Easter morning, there was an entry box and some forms, no staff to give instruction, but at the same time in the same location was a trivia event so I asked staff [name removed] for some instructions his attitude was its nit my activity so I don’t know, so asked for him to get [name removed] down as by this point I was very disappointed with Carnival lack of family activities, his response was [name removed] running the morning show, so asked to see her boss and was told no, he then announce some very basic instructions on the egg hunt go find ester eggs on the ship, no real instructions on what they look like and section to go to or not to go into the entry form stated golden eggs but there were no golden eggs on the ship and apparently there were 10 eggs but after hours of searching only 8 coloured eggs were located by most families we spoke to, Kids were running around into areas marked adults only (Casio and Serenity Bar) as no boundaries were set.

Easter Sunday for a ship that has a chapel I am surprise no Easter service was offered for families to attend.

I was shocked to find your designated smoking area is located within the children’s pool area at the front of the ship, given you must 18 to smoke I would have though this should be located in an 18’s only area or at least away from children. You have the have water slides with the closest access via an adult’s only area and no way to get dry towels or swap towels.

Swapping beach/pool towels you have to give room number, as we were informed they are counted and if the number does not add up then we will be charged for towel, on a few occasions we had gone to get dry towels and the staff had written a higher number which we have had to get them to change, room staff took towels and did not leave same number in room to be returned.

When interacting with staff on the ship you could easily tell which staff had been away from home for a long period and staff who had recently returned from home, often when walking through the ship you would have to move out of the way for staff coming the opposite direction.

Given the high risk of communicable disease being easily spread with in the ship I was shocked to find many of the hand sanitizers not working or empty. Staff wearing gloves cleaning tables with bleach solution, go to the drink machine and get herself a drink and not remove gloves. On disembarkation day numerous staff walked passed a family with their children on top of the eating tables and not once was anything said.

Mixed up of times just added to frustration, Carnival app was 2 hours out to ship time, which made it even harder to know when to get to events.

To add to our disappointment not being able to tender onto Mystery Island just added to the frustration, I do understand this was out of your control, but again this was 1 of the few days we had the opportunity to do some fun children friendly activities off the ship.

Clearly Carnival are heading in another direction away from being family orientated, Up until our cruise we had only heard how great Carnival was for families, once on board many other parents felt the same as we do and were clearly frustrated.

I also asked to be contacted still waiting 2 weeks post cruise.

I don't even get into the medical event on the ship and no medical staff attended waited over 20minutes but funny enough maintence turn up within 5minutes.

Response from Carnival poor - spend another few $1000's to get a token gesture of the standard on board credit everyone gets..... "Thank you for taking the time to write us. My name is [name removed] and it’s my pleasure to respond and assist. I trust this email finds you and your family well.

First, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing Carnival. We’re delighted to welcome you aboard.

We are so sorry for the frustration you experienced regarding the gluten free food on your first day. While we are unable to create special menus for our valued guests with dietary requirements, we do offer a variety of foods at any given time. I am glad to hear that the dining staff was able to accommodate your family. Please know your feedback is appreciated, I have forwarded your comments to the appropriate area so they are aware and for any future consideration.

You have my apology for the overall lack of cleanliness you’ve described in your cabin. Please be assured, the issues you have described are atypical of the standards we wish to provide our valued guests. Rest assured we do not take this situation lightly. Your comments have been forwarded to the appropriate area for review and handling.

In addition, we sincerely regret your disappointment with Camp Carnival and the activities offered onboard. Carnival knows the importance of providing your children with care and supervision; all of our youth counselors have to meet important educational and professional requirements. We want you to know our staff works hard to provide a wide variety of fun-filled activities for you, our guests.

We appreciate your feedback. Rest assured all of your concerns have been forwarded to the appropriate department managers for their information and internal review so that corrective measures can be taken, where warranted.

As a gesture of goodwill and to show our appreciation for your feedback, we would like to offer you a *$200.00 AUD onboard credit for a future cruise. Please use the link below.

Once again, we sincerely apologize for your disappointment and thank you for your feedback. We hope we have the opportunity to win back your confidence on a future Carnival cruise. "

Absolue Shocker – Purchased a five day cruise on Carnival Legend, Melbourne to Hobart, Port Arthur and return to Sydney during March 2018. Provided with a free extended balcony upgrade to level 8 "Panorama" which is the upper accommodation deck, just below the Lido deck the location of the pools, restaurant etc. For the first four days of the cruise the ship… Read more

maintenance staff carried out work on the Lido deck (angle grinder, drilling, banging) directly above my cabin from approximately 8.30pm through to 5.30am the following morning, which meant that my wife and I I had four days of sleep deprivation. We were unable to participate in any onboard activities and/or enjoy shore excursions due to complete exhaustion. The guest services staff told me that ships require maintenance and there was nothing they could do to prevent the maintenance work taking place. I was given a cash reimbursement of $500, however, this amount did not cover the cost of the cruise, air fares to Melbourne and Brisbane from Sydney, transport to and from the jetty to name a few. I don't understand why they allowed my cabin to be occupied on this cruise and have yet to receive a reply from Carnival in this regard.

Great Cruise but had a mishap in shower – First Cruise Melbourne to Hobart Port Arthur and then Sydney, booking was a breeze and got an excellent price as I was cruising alone. Food was ok, for buffet style, Noveau was really nice as was Truffles, Loved sitting on the balcony late at night watching the waves up against boat very relaxing. Staff very friendly and always made a point of… Read more

using my name one barman who served me on night one still knew what I was drinking on night 5 great service.

My only issue was stepping into bathroom ensuite there was a sign Mind Your Step but I didn’t realise that the hob of the shower being the same colour as the shower would bring me crashing to the floor in the shower and being a big guy really took the wind out of me as well aggravating my back, which limited my time enjoying the shows and activities. Please Carnival paint the hob a different colour to the shower floor.

I had a good time but would have had a terrific time except for my shower mishap.

Would recommend to first time cruisers.

Fairly good, but noisy cabin – We traveled 5 days on Carnival Legend Melbourne to Sydney via Hobart and Port Arthur. The per-day fare was around half that of our Princess 2016 world cruise, but both ships suffered some similar problems e.g. liquid from overhead piping dripping onto hallway carpet outside a cabin. Fortunately we didn't have a sewage smell from faulty shower… Read more

plumbing permeating the cabin, something we endured for five weeks in our Princess cabin, or blocked toilet necessitating carpet replacement (something staff appeared practiced at doing).

Staff were generally helpful, food was reasonable, great water slide for kids (not applicable in my case), and quite good live evening shows. TV movies were ok, sans guide (promised by a staff, but not delivered) and provided you'd worked out the quirky TV operation. When disembarking at Sydney, amongst the considerable stores observed sitting on the dock waiting to be loaded aboard were boxes of fresh watermelon, rockmelons, onions, lettuce, oranges, potatoes and more. Vegetarians would presumably be happy, however cooked food was mediocre - tough steak and beef, and fish (presumably frozen as most ship stocks are) was less than melt-in-the-mouth, but there was one lovely dinner of barramundi. Heaps of mediocre fattening cakes for those who subscribe to "quantity is better than quality". Great self-serve soft-serve machines, enjoyed by children and adults alike. Made-to-order pizza was light on for filling by Ozzie standards, but enjoyable anyway. I thought $35 for the cheapest bottle of wine onboard was a bit expensive, having bought and enjoyed a similar quality bottle in Hobart for $7, but $35 is a common price at many land venues.

Cabin access by staff: I complained that staff would knock, pause, knock again, then enter, all within around 5 seconds, regardless of responses like "coming" or "just a moment" (if indeed they can even hear you from the hallway). Fortunately neither of us were undressed, but when I asked senior staff "what is the official written policy for staff entry procedure to cabins?", it drew a blank. Just to be safe, best to remain clothed at all times in one's cabin.

Like many hotels, motels and cruise ships nowadays, door entry was electronically controlled by mag stripe card. In addition to the often heavy-handed door slam that would be heard cabins away, these mechanisms have the irritating property of making a loud click when the door is closed, not unlike a nail gun, and heard by at least your neighbour. There is a simple method whereby one can close the door noiselessly, but to date I've not noticed anyone else do so.

Although we paid for a (cheaper) inside cabin, we were "upgraded" to a Seaview cabin i.e. with a porthole, which was welcome, as was its being a 30% bigger cabin than our diminutive Princess cabin, and also having a bar fridge, not that we used it. This all would have been great except the number one requirement of accommodation was not met, viz a reasonably quiet cabin. If one can't get adequate sleep, nothing else matters.

Above our cabin was a large bar/entertainment area. The cabin had fairly good sound insulation for normal noise, but not for wooden stools being frequently dragged/repositioned above our head, the steel floor/ceiling serving as a sounding board. I wore earplugs and tolerated it for four days, but being woken at 4am on the penultimate night was the final straw. Even during the day we could not relax and watch TV without the unwelcome frequent loud scraping of a stool overhead. Predictably, staff said "they would look into it", and "why hadn't we complained earlier?", for there was now nothing they could do, we could not be repositioned as all cabins were (supposedly) full. Besides, we didn't want to have to pack and unpack in another cabin for the one remaining day. Maybe cordoning off the offending area would have been beyond the call of customer service? I suggested they spend $100 on rubber feet for the fifty or so stools, preferably before the next cruise, being later the same day we docked in Sydney. I pondered how many hundred previous passengers in our cabin, and the half dozen or more other affected cabins, had suffered that intrusive raucity. Carnival are not alone regarding noisy ship cabins - a couple on our Princess cruise had some sort of motor room adjoining and would be awakened at all hours by the sound of motors starting and stopping. Unsatisfactory.

I was offered various "goodwill" compensation which I refused on the basis that I considered it deflects attention away from Carnival's poor attitude - I told the head honcho that it's not up to passengers to find defects, blatantly obvious defects at that, and then be compensated with a bottle of wine, or some generous credit in the gift store where there's pretty much only overpriced junk. Just confirming their disconnect with my complaint, I've received several pro-forma emails from them asking me to complete a feedback survey. Here's my feedback: if Carnival put rubber feet on those stools before the cruise out of Sydney last Saturday, I'll buy them a bottle of wine!

So, beware of any offers that say "cabin will be assigned later"; best you know which cabin you'll be in prior to paying. The ship's plan probably won't show adjoining motor rooms, maintenance rooms, &c but at least you can investigate. You may even need to object to an upgrade!

im actually really dissapointed – I have not yet gone on a cruise I am single mum of five children this year for xmas I really wanted to treat my children to something we have never done ! I rang carnival o make a booking and asked for the biggest suite and was told that sorry they cant accommodate us as only four in a room at a time I was annoyed y don't hav bigger rooms but… Read more

when I asked the lady on th phone again like really not even a luxury suite or anythingshe stated no because most families that go on cruises have a mum and dad and the parents take two rooms my children have been so excited we do have our family friend that will go in th second room with kids but I'm no longer sure I want tto travel with them now after her attitude and comment but also I honestly cannot believe on a ship that big and they don't have the ability to make room for larger families

Happy Cruiser - exceeded my expectations – Exceeded my expectations, the accommodation was spotlessly clean, the staff were very friendly and the overall atmosphere was very laid back. The amenities on board were excellent and the gym & entertainment provided was more than sufficient to pass away the time. The food was excellent and there was plenty of food variety if you look around and… Read more

try the different options available. The ship is massive and a lot of time can be spent just walking around it. We recently completed the 4 night Melbourne to Hobart and return voyage (want to do another cruise now).

A giant Kindergarten! – Made a 9-nights cruise in January 2018. Booking process was without any complications. The ship and its decor are getting a bit tired and need refurbishment. The cabin layout was great, but the cabin furniture totally non-ergonomic. The room TV system is primitive and of little use, except to hire a very limited number of movies on demand at… Read more

$4.99 a pop.

Buffet style lunch or dining is non-imaginative, with the regular Restaurant dinners OK. For an extra $45/pp per meal you can enjoy the specialist restaurant experience.

Staff generally very helpful and obliging.

But for the invasion of huge numbers of children let loose throughout the ship without any apparent parental supervision!!! There is a small area designated "Serenity" at the rear of the ship (no children allowed), but unless you drop your towel and other possessions on one of the few quite comfortable cane lounges by around 7 a.m., you will miss out for the rest of the day because of the high demand for such. There is no designated "smokers" area within the "Serenity" set up. If you want to smoke, you are restricted to a very small areas at the front of the ship right in the middle of the childrens' swimming pools area.

The prices for WiFi access and for drinks generally are over the top and essentially a rip off. Of course it's all about maximizing the profit for the shipping company. You must keep an eye on the daily balance on your universal ship card unless you want to get a nasty shock on disembarkation day!

Summary: An average experience definitely not to be repeated during school holidays!

Great first time cruise – From start to finish the process was very quick and easy to book. We got a free balcony upgrade which was also a bonus! We loved the food and the choices were unlimited !! The stops were beautiful- we did lifu, Neumea ect - some were a little boring as the island didn’t have many facilities or tourist attractions/ mostly just the beautiful… Read more

beaches. We had a blast on the green waterslide and the adults only area was great. We also had a couples massage which was Devine- the onboard gym was also amazing ! It’s great for a first time cruise but if you have been on bigger and more elaborate ships this may not be as great.

Do as much or as little as you like – We took the 10 day South Pacific cruise. Thoroughly enjoyed our time on board, the staff were friendly and service was excellent. Found it really relaxing, entertainment was first class, food great and alcohol reasonably priced. Always something to do if you wanted. There were lots of kids on board but did not find this an issue. Had a cabin with balcony, spacious enough, clean and air con was cold.

Good but might be better – We have had 5 nights cruise to Tasmania - overall it was good: the activities, entertainment & food were excellent. Disappointing issue we had with extra charges for internet we never did purchase (means the passengers database has been leaking). I recommend everyone to check the account statement very carefully.

The Bogan Cruise Line ! Too many bogans allowed to wear thongs to the restaurant ( Contrary to their – If they enforced their rules would be have been a far better experience ( do not have rules if your not going to enforce them ) . If you don't mind sitting in a restaurant ( Dinner time with Waiters ) surrounded by people who cannot be bothered putting on a Pair of shoes on this Cruise line will be fine, as they do not enforce the dress code… Read more

anything goes ( Thongs for dinner , no problem ) so unlike other cruise lines where part of the dinning experience is the atmosphere you won't get it here. Chaos is the best way to describe port disembarkations, upto 3 hours in some ports. Most of the crew are friendly enough ( Not the tour desk though , didn't see them smile once ! ) Don't expect to get a sun lounge unless your willing to get out there at 7am and put towels on them ( as most people did and never go near them just so other people couldn't use them ) Value for money yes although the lack of enforcement of the dress code was quite disappointing though, considering there are areas when you can go if you cannot be bothered putting appropriate clothes on ( at least shoes ) If you do go book your shore excursions as soon as you get on as we did as the next day all had sold out so some people got into ports were not able to do tours ( they probably booked half as many as required ) Also the wine Package on board was pretty good Value so would recommend this if your a wine drinker.

Fantastic Holiday – From the moment we arrived to the end of the cruise the staff could not have been more pleasant and helpful. The rooms were perfect and clean, thank you Rhibut, you were fantastic, the food and waiter entertainment was fantastic, no problems getting seated with anytime dining. The shows and all entertainment was first class, cruise director Jen… Read more

was a dynamic pocket rocket as was Dallas and all entertaiment staff. All the bars made perfect cocktails and prices were great. Shame about the weather as we missed an island but that was in the lap of the gods and we were informed about everything that was going on. The tender boats to the islands were well organized and the islands we did get to were perfect. We had a fantastic time and will go again. Thank you to all the staff on Carnival Legend.

the island were grat , not the ship – we had a bad time , the tables very unclean most places not clean food average at best ,glases sent back with lip stick , partner got sick , when we went to doctor started by saying sti , whencame back after one test found out ecoli , many problems , the worst was when we were about to hop off , cabin flooded out of the tiolet with tiolet water… Read more

etc , had to buy luggauge at airport , didnt offer to clean bags or cloths , was rushed off , they are paying $200 towards new luggauge , but we paid $399 contact carnival standard responses , the people in duty free had attitude and not helpful , our stewart , she was nice and kept our cabin clean , the one shining star , went to carnival with the issues , just got standard replies mischelle and lorraine were nice , but they even came back saying gastro , it was ecoli so standard replies

carnival legend 1st decemenber 2015 – we on carnival legend the food was good but too much of the same food .no enough drink waiters .none in buffet.took to long to get a drink,were p&o there was allways a waiter on hand . better entertainment onp&O staff see to bemore friendlier on p&o.it was a good cruise but i reckon p&o was more value. not to mention the tender situation took for… Read more

every. lost half a day at islands of pines. then when you wanted tenders tickets you lined up for miles. it was a nice ship.but to many people over crowed. plus the drill standing in the 40 dregree heat in a hudle was bad. the green thunder .didnt go at one time when started .and the yellow one you had to push yourself. missed the outdoor theatre on the ship.but had a good time.

Fun – We went on a 9 night cruise in November from Sydney to some Pacific Islands. The ship was great with a huge water slide and a great adults only pool and bar area. We had an extended balcony on deck 7 and the room was great, we even enjoyed dinner on the balcony one night. You can choose dinner options and we chose the any time dining which allowed… Read more

us to go to the restaurant whatever time suited us. The food was really good with plenty of choices. The only problem we found was a lack of security on the ship and children running around everywhere unattended.

The tours to book on board are a bit expensive and we found in Isle of Pines and also Noumea that we could get tours right where you are dropped off the ship at a lot cheaper price. In Noumea they have a hop on hop off bus and also a green tram which does all the tourist sights which you can book when you get off the ship. Also recommend you take your own snorkeling gear as it is expensive to hire or purchase on the ship.

But we did have a great time and would recommend this ship.