please share your cruise experiences

I plan on going on a cruise next year. Ive never been on one but i like the idea of it. Also this will be my first "real" vacation in almost a decade so i dont need anything off the wall fancy or overboard luxury. Ive read the numerous mixed reviews on carnival cruises, and im looking for some more first hand stories with carnival or any other cruise line. Obviously price first comes to mind but i also want one that departs from Baltimore. Departing from Baltimore also keeps the cost down for me. Also those who are sharing stories how did you book the cruise (directly through the company's website, travel agent, AAA, etc). When you made your reservation were activities at the ports included or extra?
If anybody can share everything from A to Z, from making the reservations to getting off the boat and going home i would like to hear it.

 

My parents used to be Cruise Planners/Trip Advisers and while I have no experience with Carnival personally, according to them they are kind of like the Wal-Mart of the cruise lines. Just a bit lower class compared to the others. I'd give more tips but my parents aren't around to ask currently lol.

Only experience I've had was on Princess cruise ship on a trip to Alaska which was amazing.

I'll add in too that during that same trip the Carnival liner traveling with us ran into a pier and poked a hole in the ship. I was standing on the deck of ours watching them weld it back lol

 

Ha, sounds like a face palm.
I looked at princess and disney cruises but they dont depart from Baltimore.
Carnival and royal carribbean do depart from Baltimore.
Royal carribbean actually had the same and some worse reviews then carnival

 

Carnival Cruise is a party boat. If you want to be told when to eat, fight crowds, and have so so food it's for you. We have made 5 cruises 1 on a Carnival the rest on Norwegian , food awesome, service excellent ,they have the Free Style cruise, go where you want eat when you want. Boats are very nice not crowded, the excursions are all about the same, it's extra depending on what you want to do. Princess cruise is very nice my in laws cruise with them a lot, they love it. To book a cruise get on their email , they are always giving good deals, we cruise mostly in May before the kids get out of school, weather is nice . Also when you book a room don't spend a bunch of money on the higher end ones, you really never spend a lot of time in there mostly for sleep, and shower ,there is always good entertainment and plenty to do. You will be busy and you will have days at sea in between port of call, so you can rest up and get a tan or sunburn. Ant more ? Let me know be glad to help.