Review of Mardi Gras 7 day Western Caribbean

[thomasale]

We are on this same ship and itinerary April 29th. It will be our first Carnival cruise in about 10 years. We've done plenty of Celebrity and Royal but this ship and sailing out of Canaveral really hit the spot for us. Been eating up all the Mardi Gras I can find and yours has been stellar. TYVM!

 

[luvs2beachit]

Am really enjoying your review.  Thanks for taking the time to write about your experience!

[mdin]

Day 4, Roatan 

 

Our first port of call was Roatan. We were thinking of doing an excursion but read a lot of positive reviews about Mahogany Bay. We ended up taking advantage of the free beach and spent our day there.

 

The ship gangway was open by 8am. We made our way down to deck 3 and it was a quick exit off of the ship. We didn't encounter any lines or anything. The port area is big with the same store fronts you see at other ports plus local vendors. Very clean and easy to navigate through.

 

There is chairlift that will take you to the beach for a fee, however we opted to take the walking path. It's well maintained, with plenty of shade and plants and flowers. There's a couple observation spots along the way that gives views of the ship and a chance for a nice photo.

 

It's about a 10 minute walk to reach the beach. They have plenty of free loungers for everyone, plus some half shells available for a fee as well. We ended with loungers under the palm trees. Perfect. We were the only ship in Mahogany Bay, so the beach was only half full at most. 

 

The beach was excellent with mostly clear, warm blue water . There is a decline getting into the water, as well as an immediate drop off where it gets fairly deep. If you swim out about 10-15 feet though there is a sand bank and the water is only about 4.5 feet deep. We spent a good part of day in the water swimming around and enjoying some cocktails. 

 

Food and drinks were available at the bar/restaurant that is on the beach. They have a big pavillion with lots of tables and chairs available. We bought the insulated 20oz souvenir sport bottles and had several drinks throughout the day. The drinks were $13 each, and decent. Maybe not as strong as the ones on the ship, but I could sense the booze in it. Our go to was the Hurricane.

 

As for food, they were cooking jerked chicken. The smell alone sold me on it. Tasted even better however. I believe it was $12.95 for a plate of chicken, rice, and yuca. Well worth it! Unfortunately I dug in before my wife could grab any pics of it lol. We finished our day at port by walking around the shops before boarding.

 

On board, we had after port hamburgers from Guy's. This was our only visit, but they continue to make some good burgers here. This spot is a deck above Lido and much bigger now. Line was long, but moved quick. Fries don't appear to be handcut anymore. 

[mdin]

Emeril's Bistro for dinner and easily some of the best food we've had on a cruise. Simply order at the counter, choose a table and they bring the food out to you.

 

For the price you pay, the dishes are well served and delicious. On this occasion we ordered boudin sausage balls, red beans and rice, and the gumbo. Added a couple glasses of white wine as well.

 

As a treat, we got beignets and the doberge cake. Both very good, but the beignets were something else. Those were had several more times throughout the week. 

 

[pirate4me2]

Great review so far! Thanks for taking time to do it. 

[ninjacat123]

33 minutes ago, mdin said:

Emeril's Bistro for dinner and easily some of the best food we've had on a cruise. Simply order at the counter, choose a table and they bring the food out to you.

 

For the price you pay, the dishes are well served and delicious. On this occasion we ordered boudin sausage balls, red beans and rice, and the gumbo. Added a couple glasses of white wine as well.

 

As a treat, we got beignets and the doberge cake. Both very good, but the beignets were something else. Those were had several more times throughout the week. 

 

Love Emeril's!!!

[we b cruzin]

9 hours ago, thomasale said:

We are on this same ship and itinerary April 29th. It will be our first Carnival cruise in about 10 years. We've done plenty of Celebrity and Royal but this ship and sailing out of Canaveral really hit the spot for us. Been eating up all the Mardi Gras I can find and yours has been stellar. TYVM!

 

We are on the April 29th sailing, too.

[SRQbeachgirl]

We only stopped once at Emeril's on our Mardi Gras sailing last year and got the Bananas Foster. I've seen several reviews lately mentioning the beignets and I think we're going to have to make another visit (or two, or three...) for some of those powdered sugar coated temptations on our upcoming cruise.  

[mdin]

Day 5, Costa Maya

 

Just like in Roatan, it was a quick and easy process existing the ship. This port was harder to navigate through though. Clearly trying to stop any easy escapes lol. Despite being large, it was very congested, more so on our return to the port. It took us about 20 minutes to make our way to the customs gates and exit the port.

 

We made reservations with Maya Chan and met them at their meeting point outside the port. The reservations included transportation. Before leaving, the employee notified everyone that they have a severe seaweed issue. They do their best to remove it from their property, however the smell can be very strong. At that point, they gave us the option to opt out if we'd like. We decided to still go.

 

It was a 30 minute drive on an extremely bumpy road along the coastline to get there. Part of the fun. Upon arriving though, you are greeted by the owner and staff as they walk you into their beautiful beach resort. As far as being pampered, this place does an amazing job. They treated us like royalty. Everyone was friendly, checking in on us an appropriate amount of times. Just amazing service. 

 

A staff member took us to our own personal space that included four chairs, two tables, hammock, and a beach bed. Umbrella, cabana, and palm trees provided plenty of shade. Super soft sand and unlimited drinks. We were basically in paradise. 

 

The only negative, and it's a big one, is the seaweed issue. They had workers clearing the water all day, but it's a never ending battle. The water was just never tempting enough for us to go in. Seaweed was basically everywhere. Unfortunately their neighboring property was overflowing with it. This caused the bad smell they warned us about. It can be overwhelming, especially if someone is sensitive to it. They provide kayaks, paddle boards, and paddle boats for guests to enjoy.

 

We spent the day in our own little area and enjoyed a day of relaxation in paradise (seaweed monster aside). Sampled almost every drink from their menu. Lunch was served during a 2 hour window. Without a doubt, the best tacos I've ever had. Offerings were beef, pork, chicken, and fish. With sides of rice, beans, and salsas. Everything was amazing and cooked right on the spot.

 

Despite the circumstances, Maya Chan does a wonderful job. Great hosts, friendly staff and owners. They really take care of their guests. Hopefully the situation with the seaweed is resolved someday for them. They scheduled us a return to port, getting us back in a timely manner.

[DeanDeeDee]

Maya Chan Beach is my favorite excursion.  We have been there three times. Luckily we have never encountered that much seaweed.  The seaweed is not just at Maya Chan, but throughout most of Costa Maya.

[aml3679]

Following 

[mdin]

5 hours ago, DeanDeeDee said:

Maya Chan Beach is my favorite excursion.  We have been there three times. Luckily we have never encountered that much seaweed.  The seaweed is not just at Maya Chan, but throughout most of Costa Maya.

You're correct, that whole region is being effected by it. I would still recommend Maya Chan.

[ninjacat123]

1 minute ago, mdin said:

You're correct, that whole region is being effected by it. I would still recommend Maya Chan.

I did enjoy The Krazy Lobster at Mahahual Beach and there was not a ton of sargassum there.  Maybe it wasn't there because of different currents.

[mdin]

Teppanyaki for dinner. We made sure to book it months in advance since we missed out on it on Horizon.

Wow! What a fun experience! They are on top of things by checking for allergies and diet restrictions. In the meantime we ordered some Sake Sangria's (twice). The chef was very fun and puts on a great  show between singing songs and interacting with the entire table. With an impressive menu and skilled chef, this was the best meal I've ever had on a cruise. As much as I enjoyed Emeril's, this topped it. I went with filet mignon, my wife went with chicken as our main protein, and we both loved it. If you have the means and appetite, I highly recommend trying it.

[Lee Cruiser]

On 3/17/2023 at 4:43 PM, mdin said:

The pool itself was extremely crowded and noisy from 11am to 5pm on sea days. Unfortunately, there were always guests playing music on their personal speakers. They didn't receive the no Bluetooth speaker memo Carnival sent out prior to this sailing I guess. The staff didn't put an end to it either. To be fair, we never complained to anyone about it, although we thought about saying something to guest services. This wasn't exclusive to only the pool, but throughout all of Serenity. People assuming everyone wants to listen to their playlist 🤷‍♂️. 

 

Serenity usually has a serene vibe with soothing background music, but that vibe didn't exist until late afternoon, early evening (even had the pool to ourselves sometimes at that point). Between people noise from the pool and personal speakers, it was serving as a second Lido really. Not the quiet escape I was expecting. 

Exactly why we love the extended balcony cabins on the XL ships.  We spend most of the sea days lounging on our balconies.  Plus you can stay out of the element rain or sun if you prefer.

[L1211]

Love this review!!  Thank you so much!!!

[LUVMYGSDOG]

Really enjoying your review!  Now I just have to wait until January…….

 

 

Kim

[mdin]

Day 6, Cozumel

Our final port day brought us to Cozumel. Easiest ship I've been on for getting on and off of on port days. We walked right off, never a delay. The Cozumel port was busy that day with 4 ships in port. Navigating our way out of this port was much easier than the previous.

We purchased passes to Mr. Sanchos prior to sailing. Finding a taxi was easy, and it was $17 each way to get to our destination, about 15 minutes away. After arriving we, checked in at the desk. They require an ID of the person who booked the reservations. Once we were all set, we were assigned a staff worker who brought us to his area on the beach. The loungers were right on the waters edge. Behind them were shaded tables and chairs.

The location was very nice, with clean, warm water. Fortunately the seaweed seems to not be an issue there, at least on that day. It was all inclusive, so we started our morning off with some drinks. We had a few throughout the day, but they felt watered down. Not strong at all. That wasn't great, but I get they probably don't want guests getting hammered and sick or going out for a swim or something.

The food was disappointing. I didn't expect the best lunch ever, but it was very plain tasting and basic. Nobody is going there for the food, that's for sure lol. That said, the service was decent and we ended up enjoying our day, meeting some nice people from another ship that was in port as well. Fun looking inflatable park on the water was available to all. Grabbing a taxi was simple. They line up right outside of the establishment. I will probably consider trying something different if I'm ever in Cozumel again, but Mr. Sanchos was an OK way to spend the day.

[Terab85]

Great review!!  We're doing a B2B on the MG for the first time next month and so glad since it seems there are so many places to eat and drink that a week isn't enough. Super excited to try Emeril's and hang out at the Fortune Teller Bar. 

[mdin]

The last day of our cruise was a sea day. We ordered bellinis from Bar Della Rosa the first two sea days, and did it again on the final one. We attempted to try any food locations that we hadn't done so yet. In this case, my wife grabbed lunch from Bonsai Sushi (and Sake Sangria's) and I got an andouilli po-boy from Emeril's (also another round of beignets). My wife enjoyed her ramen dish. I loved the po-boy! 

 

You really do need more time on the ship to try everything. We were able to sneak in pizza one night and a couple of meats from Guy's BBQ on the last sea day. Unfortunately, we weren't able to try Blue Iguana's, or have breakfast from Big Chicken. Never got around to trying any of the panini's or the grab and go at JavaBlue.

 

We skipped the marketplace buffet altogether, never got to Guy's Smokehouse for food, and also skipped on Rudi's and Cucina. So many options, so little time.

 

That evening we packed up and set our suitcases out in the hallway to be picked up. We decided to check-in with Chibang again, this time the wait was only 10 minutes. 

 

We passed on having cocktails this time and ordered from the other half of the menu. My wife ordered the chicken spring rolls and lettuce wraps and I got the braised pork belly and lettuce wraps as well. I wasn't a big fan of the pork belly, but the lettuce wraps were very good. We both ordered the beef and broccoli for our main, very delicious. 

 

Unlike the previous visit, the restaurant was not busy at all. No situation in the kitchen this time. The food came out quickly, although for some reason all our dishes came out at once. Maybe because it was the last night and they were trying to get us out quick. Service was, as usual, excellent. 

[mdin]

Debarkation was delayed a bit due to a backup in the birth certificate line. Our zone was called around 10:15 and we made our way off. It was a non-stop walk from the ship to the baggage claim. The passport line uses facial recognition and moves fast. The birth certificate line was very long however. I heard it was over an hour wait. Definitely bring your passport if you have it.

[mdin]

Grand Central is a cool concept. It's a versatile space used for different events throughout the day. Morning shows, Q + A's, game shows, musicals, etc. We attended 2 shows during the week. Celestial Strings and Voodoo Moon.

 

Celestial String is a good show. The dancers and singers do a good job. I had already watched it on Horizon, but watched it anyways. We arrived 10 minutes before showtime but were lucky to find two seats close to the stage on 6.

 

Voodoo Moon was a dark, 80's? music based musical. We enjoyed the storyline along with the music. In this case, we had to watch the show standing the entire time on 7. It was packed. The negative about Grand Central is that a lot of the seating is obstructed. Very difficult to get a seat with a good view.

 

We attended comedy shows twice, both in the main theater. The first comic wasn't our style of comedy. We gave it another chance on the last night, and Billy D. Washington was hilarious. Probably the best I've seen at sea.

 

The theater is an improvement over the Vista class. It's not as big, but the layout makes it that all seats have a good, unobstructed view. 

[ramwrek92]

On 3/18/2023 at 8:25 PM, we b cruzin said:

We are on the April 29th sailing, too.

As are we!  Can't wait...

[mdin]

Overall thoughts:

 

My wife and I liked, not loved Mardi Gras. We had a good cruise. For us, this was the best cruise we've been on in terms of food, both in options and quality. Need another week to get more in lol. The French Quarter was our favorite area. Enjoyed the food and bars in this zone. The new layout of the ship with the different zones was very easy to navigate. Different than the usual Carnival cruise and something they got right. A lot activities available to do during the day, including Bolt which was worth the $15. Nightlife at bars was popping, but it did seem to die down earlier than on our previous cruises.

 

Although we enjoyed our time in ports, ultimately we both prefer the Southern and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. That said, not one time did we feel the ship rock, even slightly. Not sure if that's a Western Caribbean thing or it just takes a lot to rock the ship.

 

I heard (unofficially) there were 6400 guests on our sailing, and it felt like it. The ship felt crowded, indoors at times, but especially outdoors. Probably the most crowded I've felt on a ship so far. Not having Havana didn't help.

 

The crew and staff are amazing. They work so hard, refer to you by your name, and do everything possible to make your vacation great. I think anyone sailing on Mardi Gras will have a good time. They'll enjoy great service, food, entertainment and drinks. Some negatives like the Bluetooth speaker rule not being enforced is annoying, but it probably won't ruin anyone's vacation. 

 

On a side note:

 

This is kind of weird for me write about it, but I figure I'll put it out there as a PSA. On several occasions on this sailing I used the public restrooms and several times I witnessed someone leaving without washing their hands. From stall to exit door. Definitely wash or sanitize your hands before and especially after touching anything, like the serving spoons in the buffet for example. Never know who handled it last. This isn't something exclusive to Mardi Gras, Carnival, or the cruise industry. Has more to do with society really. I'm sure it happens everywhere unfortunately. 

[mdin]

For the age old question, is the cheers drink package worth it?

 

We didn't have the drink package, instead we didn't restrict ourselves and ordered whatever, whenever we wanted. We averaged 4-6 drinks a day each on sea days. On port days, that number was 2-3 each.

 

Our combined total was $776 (18% gratuity included). So far us, the drink package is not worth it. Note that we purchased 2-12 packs of water that I didn't take into account. We also don't drink sodas or coffees.