WTG Old School! That was awesome! Loved your video. Counting down the days until we go on the Mardi Gras.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

LOL Thanks a bunch. These kids needed to be taught a lesson. Mardi Gras was def a well balanced ship. The theme of the ship was cool too. Hope your cruise is super awesome. The Cruise Director is now on the Jubilee. She was def awesome.

I've been on 7 Carnival Cruises so far. I cruised the Celebration in May 2023 and absolutely loved it. I'm booked for the Mardi Gras July 6th. I'm glad i saw your review

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

We've been locked into Norwegian for some time. It's looking rather bleak though, so we think we'll be cruising on other lines moving forward. I, Gil, hate to say it but I actually had so much fun on the Mardi Gras. Well balanced ship. Too bad the cruise director, Kendall Fire, will be on the Jubilee at that time. You would have loved her. Hope it's awesome. #downtovacay : )

Can’t wait until June!!

You two are hilarious. Glad I watched until the end!

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Stop playin'! Even I (Gil) didn't watch it til the end. LOL Thanks for taking the time. Hopefully we dropped a lot of good info for you. So tough to keep these videos short.

I went with my son last year in June and we absolutely LOVED it. It was so huge we couldn't do everything that we wanted so... My hubby and I will be going back again in September and I can hardly wait. The staff was ALL amazing no complaints. Oh and it helps to decorate your door. Those halls are extremely long and they all look the same. Lol Thank goodness we had ours decorated it helped us out a few times. You should try the silent dance party. Check it out on your cruise it was Sooo much fun.

@downtovacay

2 ай бұрын

So cool. It's def a great a well balanced ship/cruise. A lot of fun. Many things to do. We got back from the Icon of the Seas cruise. Talk about a massive amount of stuff. Too much. We tried to get as much video/content as we could. We actually did do the silent party. It's hilarious.

I will be on Mardi Gras in September. Thanks for the review.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Thanks a bunch. I hope it'll be awesome like ours. We're trying to jump on that Jubilee. Same style but different theme.

We leave in a week on the MG! Can’t wait. Great content!!!

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

First time? Def a fun time. If you dabble in the drinks dept, don't forget to check out the Fortune Teller. Our favorite spot. If you're on the lido, Street Eats is the place to grab a quick bite. Some good stuff that changes daily. #downtovacay

Your video was great and very informative

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Much appreciated. Even though these reviews are subjective, we always try to make sure we cover as much as we can. Hope it helps. Ride the waves of life and enjoy the view.

We are going on here October for our Honeymoon and my 40th Bday! Cant wait!!

@downtovacay

2 ай бұрын

Aaaaaay thats awesome. We're on the Icon of the Seas right now and I must say I'd take the Mardi Gras any time. I like the setup of the Carnival XL class. Drinks. Fun. Adult section. #downtovacay

Loved the video!!! Carnival Mardi Gras is my FAVORITE ship!! We've cruised MG twice and have two more booked.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

My wife LOVED it. I even favored it and I'm an NCL lover. It surely gives you more than a balance of everything. We were going to book the Jubilee, but plans changed. Mediterranean here we come. Thanks for the response. Kyndal Fire, the best Cruise Director, will be contracted for the Jubilee out of Galveston.

@Crazytraveladdicts

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay She was supposed rand be the CD for our cruise last year but a week before we cruised, they announced that most of the CD’s were going to a yearly meeting in Miami that week!!!! I was disappointed but it was still a great cruise

@trayrite4040

23 күн бұрын

Yes! My 2nd sailing is in August

Going solo on the Mardi Gras in February. I can't wait!

@downtovacay

2 ай бұрын

Great bars. Love the Serenity section.

Just found your channel. I love carnival ,on the mardi gras in July. Yall r hilarious #bkny #iluvcarnival

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

Man I wish you're able to see Kyndal Fire. She was the life of the ship. We're flip flopping right now on Carnival Jubilee or Celebrity Beyond. On one hand we're trying to determine which Luxury'ish ship is better. NCL Prima/Viva or Celebrity Beyond. Since we've been on the Mardi Gras, it's pretty much the same as the Jubilee. We haven't tried the Celebrity yet. Dilemmas. And the Jubilee will have Kyndall Fire on that one.

I Love the Mardi Gras!! 5 Palm Trees 🌴 😊 I will back on her again in September. 🤗🤗

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

Aaaaah double dipping on the Mardi Gras? We get it. It's a solid overall FUN ship. We have the Icon of the Seas coming up next week. Can't wait for that one.

You guys...so fun! I just booked it for Thanksgiving!!! Great video and thank you!!!

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Aaawe we hope you have the best time. Street eats is the spot for quick bites. Stop by the Fortune Teller, if you're into the good ol' drinks. Our favorite spot for create stuff. Thanks for subscribing. More to. follow. We're actually on the NCL Viva right now. Porting back in PR on the 25th. Then off to Miami a month later for Icon of the Seas. Going to be a crazy couple of months.

@madac219

3 ай бұрын

​@@downtovacayI don't mean to be rude at all but how do you all have the time and $ to cruise or vacation a bunch? I'm about to go on this cruse this may pretty excited but was just curious.

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

This is like asking a woman her age and weight. I (Gil) am an educator as well as a Graphic/Web Designer on the side. I have Winter Break, Spring Break and Summers off. Wife gets 5 weeks. We're very fortunate, to say the least. That's how we're able to do it. We've invested in this because of a greater goal in the future. Hopefully it all works out. If not, we had a hell of a time going on vacations around the world. @@madac219

@madac219

3 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay Ah interesting, thanks for sharing that. This is the first cruise or vacation in over 12 years, always interested on how others make it work.

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

We're very fortunate indeed. We decided to live life. In my eyes each day is a new lease. Once the lease is over, we renew it. We take advantage of it. We try to make sure we have a positive impact on someone's life each day. This is partly why we decided to do this. Ride the waives of life and enjoy the view. @@madac219

We are set to sail on MArdi Gras Dec '24! We are SO looking forward to the Serenity Area.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Happy Sailing! Serenity is probably the biggest kid free space that offers peace and drinks. You're def going to love it. #downtovacay : ) Appreciate the follow. We're heading on the Viva this Sunday. Sooo much to edit.

Thank you for such a great detailed video. About to book for September to surprise our daughter for her 18th birthday. This will be our 2nd cruise.

@downtovacay

2 ай бұрын

Aaaaah man that's going to be a great bday. Hopefully they have a solid Cruise Director like Kyndall Fire. Cruising is def a great way to get bang for your buck.

We have been on. Mardi Gras twice and going again in November. It is the best and so much fun. I agree with her and give it 5 trees lol. There is so much to eat, hot sandwiches were great, Italian restaurant, speciality restaurant, seafood stand, street carts, etc. Glad you enjoyed your cruise 👍🏾

@downtovacay

Ай бұрын

You can go on 2 Mardi Gras trips for the price of 1 Icon. It's crazy. Mardi Gras was def my top pic. Having that awesome Cruise Director was the icing on the cake. Would have been top notch if they had better food than finger foods. Only so many burgers and fried chicken I can take. Carnival as 2 more ships coming out. Curious to see what they add. #downtovacay

@mojocollectibles5721

Ай бұрын

@@downtovacay Did you try the street cart area and the seafood?

@downtovacay

Ай бұрын

@@mojocollectibles5721 Def. Minute 6:20 in this video. It was good. Street Eats reminds us of the Aqua Dome Market on the Icon of the Seas. Only difference is that Street Eats changes its menu per day.

I loved the video! Y’all remind me of my and my hubby!!!! We’ve been on MG twice and still have not gotten to experience everything!!! Can’t wait to be back on that beautiful ship in April

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words. We were booked on the Jubilee for July, but canceled it for Mediterranean cruise. Yeah it's really tough to vacation and record everything. We'll be cruising on the Icon come March and I don't think we'll get any sleep lol. Too many things to go over. Talk about editing videos for over a year with that one.

@Crazytraveladdicts

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay Our last time on MG was our first cruise with a KZread channel. Hubby took about 2 hours each day to edit and put together a video. We posted videos during the cruise but he’s decided that we won’t be doing that this time!

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

I wish I could tale 2 days to do video edits. I work in Special Education, so my day is packed. Then I'm exhausted afterwards. I'm so behind. 2 weeks it's off to the NCL Viva. @@Crazytraveladdicts

@Crazytraveladdicts

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay Have a great trip❤️❤️❤️

This deserves a 5. I am sailing again in August. We're bringing even more ppl this time. Over 200 ppl in my group.

@downtovacay

23 күн бұрын

Oh my Larry, Carnival is gonna love you haaa Hopefully 200 people will have the best time of their lives. #downtovacay : )

Man guys, the first drink on board is always so STRONG! I think it is to get you loosened up to buy all the things! We leave to go on the Mardi Gras in May, and I am so excited!

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

NO WONDER!!!! They always get us with that 1st one. We got loose alright haaaa. You def have to let us know how that went. #downtovacay

Love you video. Going on this cruise next Saturday for my birthday April 7th.

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to watch. Hope you got some good info from it. Happy early Birthday too. Girlfriend, you're gonna have a ball. If you get down with the drinks, don't forget to check out the Fortune Teller for some cool crazy drinks. We're heading on the Icon this Saturday. Gonna be epic. A lot of work lol Let us know how it went.

@Searchandrescue22

2 ай бұрын

Did you have a good time?

@downtovacay

2 ай бұрын

@@Searchandrescue22 On the ICON? It was crazy. So many things and places to go. It was a tad overwhelming. Just finished adding the HITS of the Icon. Working on the MISSES of the Icon and then next week work on the FULL review. Should be episodes at this point.

Just found your channel and subscribed. Loved the review. Good job! 👍😁

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Much appreciated. Have you sailed on the Mardi Gras? Looking to? I wish I could say that the new Norwegian ships are more fun than Carnival, but it's looking kinda bleak haaaa Mardi Gras = FUN

@jillbarnes575

4 ай бұрын

So far we are just a Disney family. Even though we are empty nesters. 🤣🤣🤣 We are open to other cruise lines so I am looking for a future ship. 😊

@jillbarnes575

4 ай бұрын

Also, we are learning towards NCL so look forward to watching any NCL reviews. Especially the Joy and the Bliss. 😁

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Oooooh maaaan we wanna sail on the new Disney ship. Thought about the Wish. but it was so expensive for the amount of days. Then we saw a behind the scenes on Disney+ and realized why it was so much. New ship is the plan for us. With or without kids. Depending on what you're into and what you're able to do, NCL has many options. Luxury + Less kids + Food = Prima Class Ships. The Prima, Viva and soon to be Aqua are for the more relaxed, foodies who just wanna chill. The Breakaway Class (Breakaway, Bliss, Encore, Joy) are more balanced. Something to think about. We've gone on all of those ships, but just recently decided to start vlogging. So we just have pics and some videos here and there. @@jillbarnes575

This was a great video! I've been on her 2 times with 2 more to go. You showed me a lot they have that I haven't been to but I spend 95% of my time in the casino lol. Gonna try some of the venues yoy showed! Ty :)

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Thanks a bunch. Much appreciated. The Casino is ALWAYS happenin'. Was fairly large. The NCL Breakaway Class ships have some pretty big casinos as well. Some of the nicest. I did a dedicated video of the NCL Prima's casino. It's in the NCL section. I'm not allowed to gamble : )

@TheSheSed

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay thank you :) ❤️ Question... you aren't "allowed" to gamble? Is that a casino decision? 😞

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

I should have clarified. My apologies. I (GIL) am not allowed to gamble because the wife says no haaaaa She wants me to save my money because these cruises cost a lot : ) We don't get sponsored or anything. So if I still wanna lay in the same bed when it's time to go to sleep, I don't gamble on the cruises : ) @@TheSheSed

You against the children had me 😂😂🤭

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

Story of my life haaaaaa

@listen-learn-speak2465

3 ай бұрын

😂🤭

Ya'll seem like a pretty fun couple. Very good video. Super crisp footage! What type of camera did you use??? Subscribed!

@downtovacay

Ай бұрын

Much appreciated. You're gonna be shocked when I tell you what we use to record. We use our iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max plus a GoPro 11. I was using a Sony a7 II, but didn't want to lug it all around. Too much equipment lol I wanna save my back. When we go on an Alaska cruise April 25, I'll take my a7. Amazing photos for that one.

Great review! I have only been on NCL. My favorite ship is the escape. Now since they have done away with the Spa Rooms and cannot guarantee you will get a Thermal Suite Pass ( first come first served, they only sell so many) I chose to go on the Mardi Gras because they have Spa Cabins that come with a weeks pass to the Thermal Suite. I am going in April with my Mother and Sister in law. The only thing I am concerned about is that it is a huge ship and I hope I can manage all the walking. I am most interested in the shows and Live Music, Rock Bands and still cannot find out the best club for dancing. I loved your review and its great to hear reviews with people who have a good sense of humor! I only cruise once a year, so next year I will either try Holland America ( they really have great ports) or Princess ( smaller ship! ). I really enjoyed your video!

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Aaaawe thank you. Glad you found some good info from our video. The Escape is actually one of my favorites. Maybe it's because of the old "O'Sheehan's. Not to mention the fact that the Escape has a basketball court. I heard they were done with the Spa Balconies too. I was shocked. Also found out that they're adding solo balconies and Oceanview cabins. Waiting to see what that looks like. We're looking to lock into the Jubilee out of Galveston, TX first weekend of July. We're booking a Spa Balcony on that ship as well just to see what you get. Plus we'd like to see Kyndall Fire, the Mardi Gras Cruise Director who's contract is now on the Jubilee. The Mardi Gras has a guest capacity of 5,282 where as the Escape has a guest capacity of 4,266. Both are big ships. Mardi Gras is a bigger ship. You know that it will be packed at all of the hot spots. You won't be disappointed. I know it's a lot of people but the size of the ship makes it better. We've been investing in this travel vlog, so we're on like 4 cruises a year. We have the Icon of the Seas coming this March. Jubilee in July and NCL Getaway in the Mediterranean. Greek cruise. Can't wait for that.

I loved the Mardi Gras. The cruise director Kendell Fire was amazing, and you could find her all over the place. "BYE"

@downtovacay

3 ай бұрын

She was the topping on the sundae. I sooooo wanted to interview her.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are both very funny. We will be going on the Mardi Gras…our first carnival cruise ever in September. We are hesitant because we’ve only been on Royal Caribbean and Disney. Let’s see what we think of it.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

We're 2 peas in a pod haaaaa Thanks for subscribing. Much appreciated. Don't you wish the cruise was sooner? We're cruising on the NCL Viva out of PR this Sunday and I'm already wishing it was Sunday. You having your majority, we have our majority of cruises on the NCL. But now we're venturing out so we can check out all of the major lines. We've only been on 1 Royal cruise, which was the Freedom of the Seas. At the end of March, we're heading on the Icon of the Seas. That will be EPIC!!! Tons and tons of videos, It's like work haaaa . We hope that your cruise is super awesome and fun. No what matter what you do, make the best of it. Enjoy everything. Ride the waves of life and enjoy the view : )

@myangelsam519

4 ай бұрын

We will be going on Icon next year! I can’t wait to watch your vlogs of Icon! We have done the oasis class ships, and independence of the seas. Since we still take our daughter with us on cruises, Virgin will have to wait a little bit. 😂 my daughter is 20 and she still cruises with us.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

Icon was sooooo expensive, but we were fortunate to get a Guaranteed Oceanview Balcony through CruisesOnly. Paid just over $3600, while the going rate several months ago was around $8k. That is crazy! We don't have any sponsors or freebies, so we still have to pay that dinero haaaa We still take our kids on our cruises as well. We're taking our daughter, who's going to be 25 in Aug, to Greece for a mediterranean cruise on NCL Getaway. First time on a cruise out there. As for that VIRGIN... we're one and done with that one : ( At least for now. We got a lot of negative comments for our review of that one. Haaaa Must have been Virgin employees : ) @@myangelsam519

@myangelsam519

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay I’ll have to check out cruisesonly. Thank you

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

No problemo. We can always provide our experiences and what we know about their services. Til next time : ) @@myangelsam519

Sub.. i like yall. Your funny. Iolol. I was on Jan 27, 2024, and did some Vlogs too. Ty for sharing yall.

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

We're old. We need to be funny haaaaa I'm sure you had a blast. Did you hit up the Fortune Teller? Get that BOG Juice? Crazy cool drinks. We def had a good time on that ship. A lot of recording. It's like work. What's the next one? We're actually on the VIVA right now. Can''t wait for the Icon in March.

It looked like you had a junior balcony cabin. Next time you should try a standard balcony...you get more square footage.

@downtovacay

13 күн бұрын

Nope. The Junior balconies are in 16210 & 16215 on that deck. We were right next to one though in 16208. Those cabins usually sell out with the quickness since it has the sofa section as its own space. Typical cabin though.

It looks like 5 Palm Trees to me!

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

The wife overruled

Ill be sailing on mardi gras in nov of 2025 itll be my first cruise! Can i eat at pig and anchor for free more than once or is it like first meals included then you have to pay after? Ive heard both so im curious great video!

@downtovacay

Ай бұрын

Nov 2025? Oh man I'm wishing that was sooner for ya. Was such a good cruise for that week. As for Pig & Anchor, it is free during lunches. There's a cost for late night. Guessing it's because of the live band playing at night and the tvs with the games.etc. Unless they changed it recently like they did Chibang, it still costs after Lunch. Solid spot to go to though.

Thank you and I hope I get to give it a 5 ans stop telling her what she wants to give it. She said 5 so I'm sticking to that

@downtovacay

7 күн бұрын

She's stubborn haaaaaa

If you both went to the non complimentary food places your rating would’ve went up but still I think the complimentary is pretty good

@TjfrmWaldorf

24 күн бұрын

Honestly no other line has better complimentary options

@downtovacay

24 күн бұрын

The specialty restaurants? We ate at Guys Pig & Anchor one night. That partially counts, right haaaa For us, it isn't really just about the specialty restaurants. We actually factor the complimentary mostly. In comparison to Virgin, NCL and Royal Caribbean's newest ships, the Mardi Gras' complimentary food was sub par. These are what we felt. The food itself wasn't bad at all. It's just that we wanted better options than finger foods like chicken or burgers. Know what I mean? The complimentary food on NCL Prima and Viva are solid. The complimentary food on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady was really good as well. The tops... the creme de la creme at this time is Icon of the Seas. The complimentary food was by far the best of the best. You should check out our Hits and Misses for the other cruise ships we've been on. Reviewing these cruises is subjective. What was good or bad for us may have not been for others. Marid Gras for us was really fun. Best fun we've had so far, even against the biggest ship in the ocean. Can't wait to see the other Excel ships from Carnival.

What was your room category. I’m trying to book but I’m getting a run around

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

The Balcony Category is an 8G which are on decks 15 & 16. We were in the forward left section. Cabin 16208. What date are you looking at?

Okay so I’m a Norwegian girl. But I’m taking my teenagers this time. Think I’ll like this ship

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

I was a die hard NCL fan until the Prima Class came out. My wife is Carnival fan because it is, in fact, FUN. NCL's Breakaway/Breakaway Plus Class is by far the best balanced ships. My opinion of course. Food, Entertainment and actives are awesome. Carnival's XL Class is pretty cool I must say. Your teenagers should love it. Did you ask if you'd like it? All depends on what you're into. The Mardi Gras is well balanced. The quality of the food is the only thing holding it back from our top spot : ) Other than that, it could be a contender for you. Let us know how it is if you go on it.

@chelseanewman9975

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay I booked it. I went on Norwegian Prima for my 40th birthday for my first cruise and loved it. Booked the joy for December 2025. Chose the Mardi Gras because it’s our first family vacation and for 3 of us it was in budget. Loved everything about Norwegian. The food. The staff. The ship. We sail during Christmas so I’ll definitely let you know. What’s your favorite Norwegian ship?

@downtovacay

4 ай бұрын

That's cool. Wise choice to go on the Mardi Gras with the kids. Oooooh I remember doing thee Bliss for New Years. Great cruise. As for the best ship? Hmmm It depends on what I'm looking to do on a cruise. If I'm just looking to relax and enjoy a beautiful and luxurious ship with less people, I'm jumping on the Prima. If I want a well balanced ship with a basketball court and traditional Atrium, I'm cruising on the Escape. I'd prefer the basketball court over the race track. BONUS SHIP: The Bliss. Only because of the Observation Deck. Beautiful. @@chelseanewman9975

@chelseanewman9975

4 ай бұрын

@@downtovacay I’m excited about new years on the joy. 600 something days away is gonna take forever!!!! The bliss or the breakaway are my next ones. Dying to see the Ice Bar on the breakaway

What was your favorite cruise so far? We are Royal Carribean cruisers and gonna try it soon on this ship. Im nervous to try Carnival!

@downtovacay

Ай бұрын

Oh man that's such a tough question. We've gone on quite a few and they were all different in terms of style and theme. I can understand why anyone would be nervous about a Carnival cruise, but it goes with any cruise line. We did the ALL adult (Virgin Voyages), and it was a lack of really fun activities for us. Adult parties which was cool. Good food selections. 1 small pool. NCL Prima & VIVA had great food. Decent activities. Go Kart raceway. Great shows. Ocean Boulevard for quiet spaces while looking at the ocean. Small venues for the amount of people. Luxury. Carnival Mardi Gras had ok food, lots of entertainment, Roller Coaster, Great bars, basketball court, Serenity for adults. Almost in the perfect range. ICON of The Seas was just overwhelmingly good. But more of a One and Done for us. Too much money. We could go on 2 1/2 Carnival XL Class cruises for the price of one Icon/Star of the Seas Cruise. We're working on the FULL ICON Review. Already tired just thinking about it. But if I had a choice it would be a VIVA & Mardi Gras cruise. I have yet to go on the Wonder or Oasis ships. I said too much lol

@ArizonaMMJ

Ай бұрын

@@downtovacay thanks for the feedback!

@tonyawilson1415

Ай бұрын

Windjammer Royal Caribbean buffet is really good. You can't beat their private Coco Cay Island either.

@downtovacay

Ай бұрын

@@tonyawilson1415 Hands down the best buffet on a ship we ever had.

@tonyawilson1415

Ай бұрын

@downtovacay yes it is I enjoyed it to the fullest. I only went to main dining once. I don't knowbif Carnival will top that for me. That pizza place on board freedom of the seas that stats open to wee hours was a hit. The private island Coco Cay doesn't miss either. Love Royal Carribbean although the drink package is expensive but it allowed me to try drinks at my leisure. Sip and Sit it down, repeat if I wanted to try something else 🤣