Carnival Mardis Gras...Cruisable or Steer Clear?

Travel Review: Cruising the Carnival Mardi Gras Spring Break 2023

Ports: Cozumel, Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay

Summer always felt too hot or rushed booking a family vacation with our kids. We also live in a part of the United States where it could rain, be humid, or even snow in the month of April. This year, we had the opportunity to sail on the Carnival Mardi Gras leaving out of Port Canaveral. If you are considering booking a cruise, especially on the Mardi Gras, this post might be just what you need!

How do you get to Port Canaveral?

For those of you not within driving distance of Port Canaveral, it is possible to fly into the Orlando International Airport (MCO). The cruise terminal is 45 miles from MCO, which will typically require a 45-60 minute drive. If flying on one of the more budget airlines, you could fly into Sanford Airport (SFB), roughly 60 miles northwest. Shuttle service from both airports is available. Viator offers several options of transportation from MCO to the cruise terminal for shared shuttles or you can opt for a private arrangement. Costs range from $20 per person to $135 per small group. I did note maybe one or two offers for a shuttle from SFB, but usually by the time you pay the extra fees for a carry-on, checked bag, and higher shuttle prices it ends up being easier to fly into MCO for relatively the same cost. We live on the east coast and were used to the drive. Saving us over $500 a person in airfare (family of 5). Since COVID, we like to ensure we arrive at least 1 night early to allow for any missed flights, road accidents, etc. We booked 1 night at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson. You do pay a little more for the stay and cruise feature at the hotel, but it saves the hassle of parking at the terminal since they shuttle to/from your ship's assigned terminal. If you are traveling spring break, be sure to book your lodging well in advance as many places did not have vacancies that week.

Ship First Impressions

First things first, let's talk about how easy embarkation was. You select your arrival window once check-in opens in advance of your departure date. Although being precisely in that window didn't matter, we were hours early. Carnival has streamlined this process, making it quite easy to get on board and take your welcome photos. Remind yourself to find your muster station and watch the check-in video so that you can grab lunch or a drink. This ship is massive and the atmosphere is positively fun. From the moment you step on board, you're greeted with lively ambiance that sets the tone for an incredible vacation. The rooms were clean and the stewards exceptional! Our Cruise Director was Kyndall Fire. She is one of the most entertaining, funny, and memorable ship leaders I've ever had the pleasure of hearing over the intercoms. It's almost August, and I still remember her name!

Pros and Cons

The ship has an array of dining options available that are complimentary (10 in total). My top 3 favorites on the ship were Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse, Cucina Del Capitano, and Big Chicken (everyone just called it Shaq's). We did pay for dining one night at Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and enjoyed a complimentary bottle of wine! Fun fact...if you are like me and forget to pack at least 1 thing every trip and it's usually a toiletry of some kind, head to the liquor store just outside of the Smokehouse. That's where they sell the sunscreen, ha!

Another pro is the amount of entertainment offered. Can we say, Family Feud? I don't know about you, but our family absolutely loves that game show and we are competitive. We had help from a fabulous Carnival employee who told us to get to the Pixel store early on the first night of the ship and wait for the tryouts. I made matching Mardi Gras themed shirts for our team of 5 (you have to have 5 players exactly or you can't play) and chose "Sink or Swim" for our team name. Our family has quite the twisted sense of humor, and some of us have big personalities. Being first in line, cracking jokes with the staff, and having matching uniforms resulted in being selected for round 2 tryouts. As the team captain, I had to compete on the mid-ship stage (think of stadium seating but open to 3 stories) in a mini-Family Feud style competition against several other families. I won my head-to-head round and then gave every number 1 answer in the lighting round for a perfect score! Night 3 we lived out our dreams of playing Family Feud. The stage is just like the television show, buzzer and all. We beat the opposing team in the Mardi Gras theater with hundreds of guests watching. My dad and I crushed Fast Money winning each person in Sink or Swim a $100 ship credit! No pictures allowed due to the copyright laws. So put the cameras and phones away or they will stop the show!

Now for the cons. The ship is quite large and is packed with people (6,500 guests). In my opinion, the elevators were the most frustrating aspect of the ship because they were slow and always full. If you have mobility issues, this may be a challenge for you with stairs not being an option. My advice is if the doors open and there is space, get in. Even if you are trying to go up and the elevator that opens is going down, just take it. It's the only way we could manage getting around after my daughter sprained her ankle and couldn't use the stairs. Bringing me to another tip, get travel insurance. My daughter needed an x-ray and an evaluation by the ship doctor. That visit would cost $400 or more without having bought the insurance or winning at Bingo. Another disappointment was the breakfast buffet (go to Shaq's for chicken and waffles instead) and the Palm Restaurant (main dining room) I could take or leave the food. Lastly, the roller coaster reservation we had was cancelled due to maintenance all week, but the cost was refunded automatically.

The Final Score - Cruisable

Having been on many cruises, I did enjoy the entertainment. The ship is so large, it's impossible to explore every location or restaurant on a week long cruise with 3 port days. It is family friendly and noisy (in a party way). If you prefer less crowded spaces or adult only cruises, select sailing dates when kids are in school. Also, take the stairs. Yes, I know the ship has 20 decks, but you will thank me because the elevators were probably the worst part of the trip.

Feel free to ask me any questions about my experience, and I'll be more than happy to discuss! Leave a comment below and share your thoughts if you have sailed on the Mardi Gras. What did you like most? Anything you recommend others avoid?

For those interested in this itinerary, there are 19 sailing dates for this ship between October 2023-May 2025. The best rates currently (as of 28 July 2023) are 7-14 December 2024 where inside rooms begin at $559* per person and suites begin at $1,459* per person (*taxes, insurance, fees and port expenses are additional. Prices subject to change.). Contact us to book your room! As they say in NOLA...Laissez les bon temps rouler.