My family spent 7 days on a Carnival Legend cruise to the Bahamas. It only cost $100 a person per day, but we wouldn't do it again.

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Lisa GalekDec 7, 2022, 05:06 IST
My family spent 7 days on a Carnival Legend cruise to the Bahamas. It only cost $100 a person per day, but we wouldn't do it again.

I celebrated Thanksgiving aboard the Carnival Legend with my family.Lisa Galek

  • My family spent Thanksgiving on the Carnival Legend during a seven-day voyage through the Bahamas.
  • This ship was a great budget-conscious option but lacked upscale dining and amenities.
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This Thanksgiving, I took my family on a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas on the Carnival Legend.

This Thanksgiving, I took my family on a seven-day cruise to the Bahamas on the Carnival Legend.
My family and I embarked on a seven-day cruise.Lisa Galek

This Thanksgiving, I wanted to go somewhere tropical with my husband and three kids, so we decided to spend the holiday aboard the Carnival Legend.

The trip was fairly budget-friendly and ended up costing less than $3,500.

The trip was fairly budget-friendly and ended up costing less than $3,500.
We didn't have trouble finding space to sit and enjoy the view when we were on the ship.Lisa Galek

We paid just under $3,500 for our five-person, seven-day trip. Of course, that price doesn't include gratuities or extras.

We did purchase two family-shore excursions, which cost extra and accounted for $494 of the total, but didn't buy any special restaurant meals or drink packages that weren't covered by our all-inclusive package.

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The safety regulations changed between the time I booked in April and boarded in November.

The safety regulations changed between the time I booked in April and boarded in November.
Carnival had hand-sanitizing machines around the ship.Lisa Galek

When I made our cruise reservations in April, Carnival required guests to provide proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test before sailing.

Then, in late October, I received an email from Carnival saying that "vaccines, proof of vaccination, and testing for unvaccinated guests are no longer required on cruises of 15 nights or less."

I wasn't thrilled with this update but hoped most of my fellow passengers were fully vaccinated like we were.

Carnival recommended wearing masks indoors on the ship, but they weren't required, and few people wore them. However, dispensers of hand sanitizer were stationed around the boat, and we used them frequently.

The ship left from the Port of Baltimore and seemed to attract primarily local passengers seeking a quick and easy holiday vacation.

The ship left from the Port of Baltimore and seemed to attract primarily local passengers seeking a quick and easy holiday vacation.
I took my family of five on the Carnival Legend.Lisa Galek

Our family drove about five-and-a-half hours from Cleveland, Ohio, to get on board in Baltimore, Maryland, so we also fell into that category.

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The crew announced that our Thanksgiving cruise was completely full.

The crew announced that our Thanksgiving cruise was completely full.
Our cruise didn't feel overcrowded even though it was at capacity.Lisa Galek

The ship's capacity was 2,124 people, but it didn't feel stuffed or overcrowded.

Our family of five wouldn't fit in one cabin, so I reserved two rooms.

Our family of five wouldn't fit in one cabin, so I reserved two rooms.
My husband and I had our own cabin.Lisa Galek

Believe it or not, my husband and I have never stayed in our own room on vacation, so we enjoyed a little taste of privacy in our adults-only space.

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My kids were in a room that was right across the hall from us.

My kids were in a room that was right across the hall from us.
Our three kids had their own room.Lisa Galek

The children — ages 14, 11, and 8 — were close enough to reach if they needed my husband or me.

Our TV had two channels showing various movies.

Our TV had two channels showing various movies.
We could choose from two channels in our room.Lisa Galek

Carnival Legend didn't have a giant movie screen outside as some other cruise ships do, but our in-room TV featured a selection of movies that played on two channels throughout the day.

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We paid extra for the onboard chat service since the ship didn't have Wi-Fi.

We paid extra for the onboard chat service since the ship didn't have Wi-Fi.
I booked the Thanksgiving trip in April.Lisa Galek

Unlike most hotels, most cruises don't offer free Wi-Fi, so the five of us spent the week without full access to our devices.

However, we wanted to be able to communicate with the kids so we paid $25, $5 per person, for an onboard chat service.

I wasn't surprised that Carnival made us pay extra for this feature since cruises are all about upcharges, but it would've been nice if messaging was complimentary on the Carnival HUB app.

The highlight of our vacation was Thanksgiving Day.

The highlight of our vacation was Thanksgiving Day.
Our cruise lasted a week.Lisa Galek

We spent Thanksgiving at Princess Cays in the Bahamas. It's a private resort on the island of Eleuthera, and Carnival provided an on-shore lunch and a lot of activities during the day.

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We did our shore excursion in the morning and ate an all-inclusive barbecue meal on the beach in the afternoon.

We did our shore excursion in the morning and ate an all-inclusive barbecue meal on the beach in the afternoon.
The cruise stopped in popular spots like Nassau and Freeport.Lisa Galek

Guests could also go swimming in the crystal-clear water, rent boats and gear, or just lie on the warm, sandy beach.

The Thanksgiving feast was in the same place where we had all our dinners: Truffles Restaurant, the ship's main dining room.

The Thanksgiving feast was in the same place where we had all our dinners: Truffles Restaurant, the ship's main dining room.
Thanksgiving dinner was in Truffles Restaurant.Lisa Galek

Initially, we were slotted into a late-dining spot every night at 7:45 p.m., but guest services moved us to 5:30 p.m. so that our kids didn't have to eat so late.

One of my favorite things about cruising is trying unique foods. During this trip, I had escargots, alligator beignets, and frog legs. I've tried all these before, but I also got the kids to sample them this time.

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Of course, there was a traditional Thanksgiving meal on the menu.

Of course, there was a traditional Thanksgiving meal on the menu.
Carnival served a traditional Thanksgiving meal.Lisa Galek

Carnival's Thanksgiving spread included turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, giblet gravy, and pumpkin pie.

The Carnival staff was fantastic throughout the entire cruise.

The Carnival staff was fantastic throughout the entire cruise.
We were impressed by the service throughout our voyage.Lisa Galek

The waiters in the main dining room were incredibly impressive and performed a different dance routine almost every night between serving entrées and desserts.

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After dinner, we went upstairs to the lido deck and snagged some extra slices of pie from Sweet Spot, a dessert buffet.

After dinner, we went upstairs to the lido deck and snagged some extra slices of pie from Sweet Spot, a dessert buffet.
We ended our night with some sweets.Lisa Galek

Our mini fridges were excellent for storing leftovers. The only bummer was that we couldn't find any whipped cream at the buffet.

Aside from the food, the ship had a minimal amount of Thanksgiving-related activities.

Aside from the food, the ship had a minimal amount of Thanksgiving-related activities.
Carnival tried to incorporate some Thanksgiving-inspired decor.Lisa Galek

There was a turkey scavenger hunt, a broadcast of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and some Thanksgiving-themed trivia, but not much else.

Coming from the Midwest, I associate Thanksgiving with chilly weather, a house filled with relatives. and dirty dishes.

So even though it didn't feel like a typical Thanksgiving aboard the Legend, I didn't mind sunbathing in the Bahamas and having zero clean-up for one year.

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We kept things festive by decorating our doors with some Christmas cheer.

We kept things festive by decorating our doors with some Christmas cheer.
We put holiday-themed decorations outside our doors.Lisa Galek

Since this was a Thanksgiving cruise, I expected the ship to have more of a holiday vibe.

Carnival ships do decorate for the holiday season, but the Legend didn't start decking its halls until December 4, after our cruise ended.

My family members aren't super picky eaters, so we ate breakfast and lunch on the lido deck during most of the sailing days.

My family members aren't super picky eaters, so we ate breakfast and lunch on the lido deck during most of the sailing days.
Guy's Burger Joint was delicious and didn't cost any extra money.Lisa Galek

The lido deck featured a deli counter, a salad bar, a station serving Asian-inspired cuisine, a pizza place, and a classic lunch buffet.

There were also two specialty restaurants on the lido deck. Guy's Burger Joint serves burgers and fries, and BlueIguana Cantina specializes in tacos and burritos. Both places delivered memorable bites without any out-of-pocket costs.

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On select days, the ship offered a late afternoon tea at Truffles Restaurant.

On select days, the ship offered a late afternoon tea at Truffles Restaurant.
We enjoyed tea at Truffles Restaurant.Lisa Galek

We went during our first full day at sea and enjoyed cucumber sandwiches, lemon cakes, and other sweet goodies.

Carnival is known for its round-the-clock soft serve, but the machine's hours were limited during our cruise.

Carnival is known for its round-the-clock soft serve, but the machine's hours were limited during our cruise.
Carnival is known for its soft-serve.Lisa Galek

We received an email before this trip letting us know Swirls would have a limited operation and only be open between 11 a.m. and midnight.

The email explained that Carnival shifted the schedule to "reduce food waste." It was still a tasty afternoon treat.

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The Legend had two family pools, two water slides, and an adults-only area.

The Legend had two family pools, two water slides, and an adults-only area.
My kids flocked to the family pool on warm days.Lisa Galek

One family pool was outside and located in the mid-ship area. The other one had a retractable dome that made it possible to swim on cold or rainy days. When we left Baltimore, it was 30 degrees Fahrenheit, so we definitely got some icy weather on this trip.

The ship also had a Carnival Waterworks area with two waterslides. The large yellow slide was more traditional and twisty. My kids loved it. The green slide was a fast-paced drop slide. My kids refused to try it, but my husband went down it once, which was enough for him.

The Legend had Serenity, an adults-only area, which had an additional pool and seemed like a relaxing kid-free space.

My husband and I viewed this as a family trip, so we didn't spend much time at the ship's bars, clubs, and events for adults.

My husband and I viewed this as a family trip, so we didn't spend much time at the ship's bars, clubs, and events for adults.
The Legend had plenty of nightlife options, but my husband and I didn't spend much time at the bars or clubs.Lisa Galek

This trip was about family, so my husband and I didn't spend much time drinking alcohol or doing adult activities without our kids.

Carnival offered a free babysitting service called Camp Ocean, but my kids wanted nothing to do with it. On a cruise we took a few years ago, they cried every time we left them, so we didn't even try on this trip.

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Our family took advantage of the onboard activities posted on the Carnival HUB app.

Our family took advantage of the onboard activities posted on the Carnival HUB app.
We could pop into shows and performances at the Follies Main Lounge.Lisa Galek

There were more than 100 activities per day posted on the Carnival HUB app. One day, we watched an ice-carving demonstration. We also did a towel-folding class with our cruise director.

Our rooms were also near the Follies Main Lounge, making it easy to pop in for nightly shows with or without the kids.

This was a low-cost trip, and these amenities and activities are typical of Carnival's Spirit-class ships.

This was a low-cost trip, and these amenities and activities are typical of Carnival's Spirit-class ships.
There was a mini-golf course on the deck with views of the water.Lisa Galek

If you're looking for more to do onboard — like ride a roller coaster, pedal a SkyRide, watch a movie in an IMAX theater, or jump around a trampoline park — you're going to need to book a bigger Carnival boat.

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We had a good time, but I wouldn't book another journey on the Carnival Legend.

We had a good time, but I wouldn't book another journey on the Carnival Legend.
I enjoyed the warmth during our port days.Lisa Galek

There were a lot of things to love about this vacation. We went from 30-degree Fahrenheit sweater weather to 80-degree beach weather — not a bad way to spend a week in late November.

Though the price was reasonable at roughly $100 per person per day, I didn't think the cruise had enough unique amenities and ports of call to make it worth repeating the trip.

Still, Carnival Legend had a lot to offer for those near the Port of Baltimore searching for a simple, budget-friendly getaway.

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