The stores on board have very limited selection. I was not able to find a stick of deodorant when I needed one. When I came down with a cough, they only had one type of cough syrup. Come prepared with everything you might need, don’t expect to find anything on the ship. The other experience I had was with the Legend’s Formalities store where you can rent tuxes, buy flowers or decorations for any event you are celebrating on board. The complimentary birthday cakes Carnival used to give upon request in the dining room no longer exist – they are now going to cost you ten bucks. For $32, you can even have your cabin decorated as a surprise for that special someone. I ordered birthday decorations for our cabin to be decorated between 7:30pm and 8:00pm one evening while I knew we would all be out having dinner. Well, those sharp Carnival employees decided to stop by at 9:30am instead. I sent them away and demanded a refund.
I also had a problem with one of my photo frame purchases in the gallery. After I stood on a long line and asked the clerk to replace the frame he told me to come back tomorrow since he was the only one on duty and instead needed to take care of the customers behind me. How rude. And very poor management of staff!
Ports of Call
Our cruise offered a healthy variety of ports of call including San Juan, St. Thomas and Tortola. Tours and shopping in San Jan and St. Thomas are a must. Don’t miss it! However, don’t waste your money purchasing shore excursions on board. You’ll find all the major ones for sale at the port for 30-40% off what you would’ve paid on board. Tortola, on the other hand, is almost not worth visiting. The ship is only in that dock from 7am-2pm anyway. Get off, stretch your legs, take a few pictures and get back on the ship. It’s not a very interesting place to visit nor will you find any worthwhile shopping opportunities.
All-in-all, we had a good vacation but know that it is such a pity that it couldn’t be better. I hope Carnival can take a look at the management of their ships and make the small changes that in turn make huge differences for the guests. If you have specific questions about the Legend before booking your trip, I’d be happy to entertain them via email. Happy sailing!
