First time on Mardi Gras May 2026

I sailed on the Carnival Mardi Gras from May 1, 2026, through May 9, 2026, and overall I would give the cruise a 3 out of 5 stars. There were definitely some positives, but also several things that kept this from being a great cruise. The biggest issue for me was how overcrowded the ship felt. I understand Mardi Gras is one of Carnival’s larger ships, but bigger is not always better. At times, it felt like there were simply too many people onboard, which made certain areas feel congested and less relaxing than I had hoped. The buffet food was just okay. I would rate it around a 6 out of 10. It was not terrible, but it also was not anything special. In my opinion, it felt like Carnival may be sacrificing some food quality in order to save money. There were options available, but the overall quality and consistency could have been better. One thing I did enjoy was our room. We had a suite, and the room itself was very nice and comfortable. However, we had an issue with the air condition…