I took my grandma on a 4-night Carnival cruise, and while we mostly had fun, we also encountered some unexpected challenges. Whether crazy lines at the cruise terminal or long waits to go ashore, not everything went to plan.
After taking 30 cruises, I’ve traveled the world with many family members and friends of all ages. I explored Alaska with my sister, island-hopped the Caribbean with my dad, and cruised the Mediterranean with one of my best friends. Cruising has been a wonderful way to make memories with my friends and family.
Until recently, however, I had never cruised with Ellen, a family-friend who has become like a grandma to me in the past few years. She’s my designated dog sitter whenever I cruise, and I figured it was finally time to thank her with a fun, last-minute cruise vacation.
We boarded Carnival Firenze, one of Carnival’s newest vessels, for a 4-night getaway from Long Beach. Our short cruise was filled with exciting adventures, but it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.
Even though we still had a great time, these mishaps almost wreaked havoc on our Carnival cruise vacation.
Boarding the ship was hectic — it wasn’t a relaxing start to our trip
When Ellen and I arrived at the cruise terminal, I was disappointed to see massive lines. There were thousands of passengers waiting around the entrance of the Long Beach cruise terminal.
Lines zig-zagged around the pavement, but there was no clear organization as to where we should go. We joined a random line, which, thankfully, was for our time slot.
The boarding process was anything but efficient. We waited around 45 minutes just to enter the cruise terminal! After 30 cruises, I had never experienced such a slow embarkation process.
This wasn’t the best first impression of Carnival Cruise Line for Ellen, and I felt bad she had to start her trip in such a chaotic way. Admittedly, she's easygoing and didn't mind, but I assured her this boarding process is not the norm when cruising.
Read more: Carnival Cruise Line Check-In Process
We loved exploring our itinerary’s ports of call, but I’d book an excursion next time instead
Our 4-night Carnival itinerary had two ports of call: Catalina Island, California, and Ensenada, Mexico. When planning our cruise, we opted out of booking excursions to explore the ports on our own.
During our day in Catalina Island, I loved walking around the small town of Avalon to discover local beaches, bars, and shops. With colorful buildings, picturesque palm trees, and a lovely boardwalk, I was impressed with the port. Ellen and I had a fantastic time.
Our next port of call, Ensenada, was not as exciting. Most cruise ships visit Ensenada to adhere to the Passenger Vessel Services Act, which states all foreign-flagged cruise ships must visit a foreign port on round-trip itineraries from the United States.
Aside from the legal obligation, there’s no huge draw to visiting the immediate port area. Sure, you can find authentic restaurants and souvenir shops, but more notable attractions like beaches and wineries are a drive away from downtown.
Ellen and I spent our port day walking around the center of Ensenada, but I wish we had booked an excursion instead. Even though we loved tasting local cuisine at restaurants and street food stalls, we found there was little to do aside from eating, drinking, and shopping.
Next time I visit Ensenada, I’d probably plan my port day more thoughtfully. Perhaps I'd visit a beach in nearby Rosarito, tour a winery north of the city, or book a cooking class downtown.
We still had fun (and enjoyed our fair share of churros), but it was a good reminder to consider excursions on a future visit.
Read more: Is it better to book excursions through a cruise ship or separately?
Traveling with a mobility scooter came with unexpected challenges
Carnival Firenze, like many of today’s modern cruise ships, is massive. The ship is over 1,000 feet in length from end to end, and there’s a lot of walking involved to get around the vessel.
Because Ellen often uses a mobility scooter at home, I recommended she rent one for our cruise. I didn’t want her to feel limited when going about the ship, and it would offer more freedom of mobility during the sailing.
During the cruise, however, we encountered a few challenges when traveling with the scooter.
First, we noticed that it wasn't always easy getting from place to place onboard. Because Carnival Firenze was built for an Italian cruise line, it doesn't have the typical American standards for accessibility.
While everywhere was technically accessible, we ran into a few issues with steps around the ship. Sometimes this meant Ellen needed to go down a floor, travel to the other side of the ship, and access the deck from that side. This was far from convenient.
We also found boarding a tender boat in Catalina Island a huge hassle. Ellen and I, along with over a dozen other passengers, waited well over an hour to board an accessible tender to go ashore. The process seemed chaotic, which was surprising considering the ship regularly visits this tender port.
Despite a few issues, the majority of our cruise went off without a hitch
Every cruise vacation encounters mishaps. You might miss a port of call due to poor weather, forget to pack an important item, or realize you booked the wrong stateroom.
It’s important to be prepared for the unexpected on any cruise, but with the right mindset, you can have a great trip no matter the circumstances.
So even though Ellen and I encountered a few issues here and there during our Carnival cruise, we didn’t let it put a damper on our vacation. The majority of our trip was fantastic, and we made excellent memories together onboard Carnival Firenze and in our two ports of call.
Whether watching a gorgeous sunset from the pool deck, laughing our way through a comedy show, or enjoying multi-course meals in the dining room, I’m so grateful to have made these memories with Ellen during our 4-night getaway.
Jenna DeLaurentis
Jenna DeLaurentis enjoys exploring new ports of call around the world on a cruise ship, learning about new cultures, discovering beautiful landscapes, and trying diverse cuisine. She loves to get active while in port, whether cycling through mountains in the Caribbean or scuba diving under the sea.
