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I went on Mardi Gras 3 weeks ago. My wife, two young kids and me. I sailed a lot as a kid (mostly Carnival but also RC and NCL) so on the MG I went platinum. It helped a lot with the lines for embarkation, guest services and disembarking. However, you’re right on. It’s quite crowded and the elevators are too small. Both the ships were smaller relative to the Mardi Gras. The included food options available on Mardi Gras were above and beyond what we expected. The bigger the ship though, the more people. There are trade offs. Carnival is more about activities and having fun than being a quiet ship. There are areas that are adult only that help mitigate if The Mardi Gras is 40% larger, and has more dining options if you like options. It also has a more upscale look/feel to it. The rooms on Mardi Gras are nice,looking, but the Magic's rooms are a bit bigger. If you want the latest and greatest, Mardi Gras is the way to go. If you want tried and true, Magic is a safe bet. Entertainment is comparable to other Carnival ships, though the Grand Central Atrium is a great place to catch a show. There are a lot of people onboard and it is crowded and there are bottlenecks. Make your plans accordingly to avoid peak times. I would highly recommend Mardi Gras. It's my favorite ship. Staff was amazing ship was at capacity for spring break but didn’t feel crowded, Guys burgers was great. Mdr was good, all the bars were amazing! Red frog on lido could be crowded during lido events but not terrible and I’m very impatient. Looking at either Mardi Gras again next year or Celebration kind of torn . Both ships felt clean but the Celebration felt cleaner overall (it's newer so that probably makes sense). I personally would return to the Mardi Gras eventually but am looking forward to trying a non-excel class to see if I enjoy them (Horizon next). My husband and I went on the Mardi Gras in May and it was our 5th cruise and 4th ship. The Mardi Gras was beautiful and absolutely massive. The interior was decorated beautifully. Having said that, I really missed the layout of the older ships. There doesn’t seem like there is really a centralized area on the MG. I've done both. I prefer Mardi Gras because 1.) I like sailing from Port Canaveral, 2.) I hate sailing from Miami, and 3.) I like the decor and the bars better on Mardi Gras. Aside from the slight differences already mentioned above, they're the same ship. Overview of ship. The Mardi Gras is a beautiful ship. She is tastefully appointed. No more neon colors. Yay Elevators. On embarkation and debarkation days it was hard to get an elevator. There are three banks of elevators forward, midship and aft. The elevators are small. MEET THE CEREMONY. We kick off a new ship’s career with a naming ceremony and ours are one part tradition and a lotta parts fun! On the tradition end, we get dignitaries like Mardi Gras' godmother, Miss Dominican Republic Kimberly Jiménez, and our own Chief Fun Officer Shaq to help make sure the champagne bottle gets broken just right for good luck. Give me a few days and I'll let you know. What part of the ship are you booked? We are on Deck 16 leaving this Saturday, directly under the M in the Mardi Gras on the starboard side. I have Spa Balcony booked on Deck 17 booked in the inset for January and I suspect that balcony will never receive sun. I think OP is probably referring to some Carnival ships having access to areas in front of the passenger decks 6-8ish, not the very front of the ship where some ships have that helipad. I know that at least the Conquest-class ships have it, but not sure about the new Celebration/Mardi Gras. Im going on Mardi Gras next February. Really looking forward to it. When we sailed on Mariner of the Seas at the start of the month, Mardi Gras was leaving Port Canaveral at the same time. Everyone in our group was jealous, though mostly because of the roller coaster. The roller coast looks cool, but im not excited about spending $15/ride. That being said, the Mardi Gras is absolutely massive and there is something to keep your attention almost 24 hours a day. The balcony cabins are much narrower than they are on older ships from the minute you open the cabin door to the balcony itself, but if you haven't sailed Carnival before you will not notice it. So I went on the Mardi Gras back in 2022 and now have it booked again for September 2024. I haven't kept up with any updates on it, but when we first went on it, all the dining options except for the Steakhouse, Seafood, and Hibachi place were free of charge for lunch and dinner. Overall, I don't know if your experience will be much different on Mardi Gras. The layout is totally different, but it's the same kind of experience overall. It'd be different if you were talking about Carnival's older ships for booze cruises, but the Vista should provide similar levels of service, options, and class as the Mardi Gras. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that Carnival ships greatly decline in experience when you go with even a slightly older ship while Royal ships tend to have a lot going for them until you get to their absolute oldest ships. Mardi Gras and her sister Celebration have a few more free food options than every ship older than them. Mardi Gras definitely has the better itinerary, but I would personally pick the Oasis over the Mardi Gras in terms of the ship itself. As a disclaimer, I've only been on one of the Oasis' sister ships, the Symphony of the Seas, and haven't been on the new Carnival ships. The two Carnival ships I have been on so far are the Mardi Gras and the Glory! I went on the Mardi Gras for New Years 2023. The elevator situation was absurd at times! Sounds like it hasn't changed much, unfortunately. That was my biggest gripe on that ship. Other than that, I had a wonderful time on it! I went on the Glory last June. It was a It doesn't say which boat is which in the pictures, but I would go with the 7 day cruise from Port Canaveral assuming they are similarly priced. I haven't been on Mardi Gras but people have nothing but good things to say about the newer Carnival ships like Mardi Gras/Celebration. The ports on the 7 day are much better.
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