We live in St. Petersburg, Florida and my wife doesn't like flying, so we chose to take a bus to Miami. Cruise Connection, Inc handled this. They picked us up at a local shopping center at 6:15am on Sunday. We traveled down the West Coast of Florida, making about 5 stops to pick up all the other cruisers. We arrived at the Port of Miami around noon. After trusting the porters with our luggage, we proceeded to check in. This was our first cruise and we didn't know what to expect. Our travel agent told us to ask for the Skipper's Club because we were staying in a demi-suite (cat 11, Verandah deck).
I grabbed the first Carnival employee I could find. He took us to the Skipper's Club right away and told us someone will check us in shortly. I was a little dismayed at first. There was about 25 people in the room and two very slow employees checking everyone it at the desks. I decided that this was not a very productive scenario. After about 5 minutes, no progress was being made in the Skipper's Club. I am not know for my patience, so I thought maybe we would get checked in quicker in the regular line. As I was leaving the Skipper's Club, an employee of Carnival was coming in the room. I asked her if there were more employees to work this area, because it was moving at a snail's pace. She said she came to check us in personally. She took our documents, disappeared for about 3 minutes and came back. Then she took us upstairs to get the keys for the room. She went to the front of the very long line to get our keys for us. Then she escorted us to our room and showed us around the ship a little. I was pleasantly surprised to get this great service. My advice to all: ask for the Skipper's Club and ask for someone to check you in. They didn't care what room we were in. It was never asked. I believe anybody could get this speedy check-in if they just ask. I must commend Carnival. We started our first cruise on a great note.
Article continues below
The ship was beautiful. Although I had studied the layout of the ship, I was disoriented the first day or so. But after that, I had no problem finding my way around the ship. Our demi-suite was just as expected. A very nice size, with a couch and a small balcony. It also had a refrigerator and a bar with plenty of glasses. The desk doubled as a vanity, which my wife enjoyed. The room was pristine. I felt like we were the first to stay in the room. There were no spots on the carpet, and no mildew in the bathroom. We dropped our carry-on bags and headed out.
Our first stop was the beauty salon. My wife wanted to have her hair done for the first formal night. This place seemed disorganized. Several employees walked by, but no one bothered to help the people waiting. Again, I grabbed a staff member and soon we were taken care of. Then we headed for the Paris Restaurant on the Lido deck.
The food in the Lido deck was of good quality. I would have like a better variety and perhaps some staples such as spaghetti or deli sandwiches. Most of the dishes were prepared in ways I had never tried. Everything I tried was very good. I am a mainstream eater, I eat steaks, pastas, hamburgers; you know, American food. This cruised pushed my limits. I was only disappointed with one dish the whole week (this was in the dining room, I will talk about that later). So eating was an adventure for me. I got to try lots of new things and I liked almost everything I ate. A favorite of mine was the carving station. The meat was very good. The deserts were average. The soft serve ice cream machine was very popular with the kids, but I wasn't impressed with it. Tasted like ice milk. Same stuff you'd get at any buffet style steakhouse. The pizza was superb. The Paris Restaurant itself was not impressive, but functional. It was clean, but it had the feel of a cafeteria. I don't like that type of atmosphere. The wait staff in the Paris Restaurant was obviously there just to bus the tables. They never offered me a refill on my drink even though there was always several bus boys hovering around. Bottom line on the Paris Restaurant: The food is very good, no atmosphere. Go there to fill your stomach, not to be enchanted. This seemed like where the families on board did most of there dining, because I never saw many small children in the main dining room.
After our first meal on the Lido deck, we went back to our room to nap. We were very tired after getting up at 4:30am. The nap was nice, and we felt refreshed for dinner. We had early seating in the Destiny dining room. The dining room was elegant, but not stuffy; Just our style. The service was great in the dining room. The bus boy and waiter was very friendly and prompt. The food was excellent, delivered hot and always well presented. I am not a food connoisseur, so I will leave it at that. Bottom line: the dinning was fantastic in our dining room. It exceeded my expectations for sure. I would have liked to see lobster more than once on the menu, but if that is my only complaint�..
I love this ship. It is very classy, but not stuffy. The passengers and the staff were very friendly. Only encountered one jerk the whole time; he was a passenger trying to pick a fight in the show lounge. Lot's of families, very few hard core party-ers. Didn't see much obnoxious behavior, and I heard very little foul language the whole week. Good family ship.
I'll start at the bow of the ship and work my way back describing the interior public areas first (and their respective activities). Then I'll take a whack at the open decks. I reserve the right to jump around without rhyme or reason:
THE NORMANDIE LOUNGE - The room is exquisite. But as others have noted, you better get a seat early for the shows. There are a lot of bad seats in here. We were fortunate most of the time to get a good seat, but we usually got in 45 to 60 minutes early. There were shows in the room every night. We didn't go to all of them, so I'll just comment of the ones were attended. The first event that we attended in this room was the Captain's cocktail party on Monday night. This was a lot of fun. Free drinks and hor'deourves. The Paradise Orchestra provided big band music and lots of folks were dancing and having a great time. That same night was the first big show of the week. This was entitled "Dream Voyage". This was superb. Much better talent than I expected. This show was my favorite of the two Vegas style shows in the week. The second was on Friday night. That was titled "Shout". Everyone loved this show as well; it was my wife's favorite show of the week. The featured singers were the same for both shows. Very energetic. Never a dull moment. The shows lasted about 1 hour. The talent show was held on Thursday night. This is a single seating show at 10:30PM so get there early if you want a seat. I saw lots of folks standing on the stairs. This was very enjoyable; all the talent was superb, but each cruise will obviously be different since it is the passengers performing. This event was host by Troy Linton, cruise director. Very quick-witted man. He does a great job. On Saturday we attended the juggler and the balancing acts. Both were very good world class acts. The juggler was very funny. We were also treated to a nice laser show before and after the entertainers. Later in the week I was able to catch a bridge and engine room video at 9:30 in the morning. I recommend this if the technical stuff interests you at all. There was a lot more stuff going on in this room during the week. One big draw was the bingo; games almost everyday. We only played the last game of the week. The prizes ranged from $150 to $1500 during the week. The last prize was a cruise for 2 in a Cat 12 room on any ship for up to 7 days. But we didn't win. Maybe next time.
THE ATTRIUM AREA - Of course the atrium area was beautiful. Not as flashy as I expected considering the things I heard about Carnival. The bar on the Empress deck at the base of the staircase was very popular. The teenagers especially enjoyed this as a meeting point (hopefully they were drinking sodas). They had a big TV behind the bar showing sports. I found this to be tacky in this beautiful area. I think it should go. It doesn't mix well with the classical trio playing. They should put the TV in one of the other bars. On both formal nights the beautiful staircases we closed off so the photographers could use these for pictures. We bought one of these pictures. Very nice. My wife loved people watching here.
INFORMATION DESK - Months before our cruise we ordered the Paradise video from Carnival. In that video they showed the information desk. Behind the desk was a VERY pleasant person (of course this is a staged video) answering questions. I remember making a cynical comment to my wife; something like: "Oh, I bet they really have someone THAT pleasant working for them. Must be a hired model. There is probably some rude jerk working there." Guess what? The same pleasant person shown on the video was behind the desk! And she was just as nice as in the video. I had to let here know about my shock. It was nice to see someone so helpful and polite. The information desk had lines sometimes, but I found if I came back a few minutes later, the lines would be gone.
SNORKEL and VIDEO DIARY DESK - Tried to rent rubber shoes at closing time and the clerk was very rude and didn't want to help me. Told me to come back in the morning. I never did. This was my only experience at this desk.
PHOTOGRAPHERS and PHOTO GALLERY - I cannot say enough good things about the photographers and the pictures on this ship. The only time we were asked if we wanted a photo was boarding and disembarking at the ports. And they were not pushy. If you didn't want your picture taken, no problem. Very nice people. Every night the photographers would set up in various spots around the ship. Each one had a different background and style of portrait they were doing. It was never the same twice. There were even more opportunities on the formal nights, of course. We have had pictures taken at many different studios and paid top dollar and we have NEVER gotten pictures of this quality before. We purchased about 10 8x10 photos throughout the week and several smaller ones and some reprints. Spent about $300.00 total on pictures. It seemed like a lot, but I have spent more than that for mediocre photos on land. The photographers were very professional and meticulous. We have decided that we will not bother to get our professional pictures taken at home anymore. We will save our money for the next cruise. Tip: get dress a little earlier for the formal nights and get your picture taken BEFORE dinner. After dinner lines for the photographers can be very long. As for the photo gallery - what a mess the morning after a formal night! But the rest of the time it was fine. For those curious, here are the prices as best I can remember: Snapshots of boarding and disembarking at the ports were $6.00. 5x7 Portraits were $9.00. 8x10 Portraits were $20.00. Wallet reprints were around $8.00 for a sheet of 6. If you wanted reprints or a different size you have to purchase the one on display first. Photo albums ranged from $15 to $20.
ELATION and DESTINY DINING ROOMS - We were seated in the Destiny dining room for dinner. It was fantastic. The food was varied every night and I definitely expanded my horizons. I do not feel qualified to critique the chef because my experience is limited. I will say this: the food was great and plentiful, it was presented with flair and grace, it was hot when it should've been and cold when it should've been., the service was OUTSTANDING, the free iced tea was very good, and I ate way too much! One particularly exceptional thing was the rolls on the table. The bakery on this ship is great. The bread was hot and delicious. I probably ate 100 rolls during the week. The only issue I had is with the maitre'd and the headwaiter. They never once came by to ask how everything was. I tipped accordingly. We had the opportunity to eat in the Elation dining room for open seating breakfast and lunch while in ports. Everything was fantastic as always. Don't miss the pancakes in the morning; they are some of the best I have ever had.
MAJESTIC CASINO - I had never gambled in a casino before. I did not think of myself as the type to get caught up in this atmosphere. Boy, was I wrong. I caught the bug on this cruise. I stuck to the slots (usually the nickel machines) and had a great time. I think I did slightly better than breaking even. I was very intimidated by the card games. I know how to play blackjack, but the minimum bet was $3.00 a hand. I would have like to seen a least one table with $1.00 minimum. This was something I wrote on my comment card at the end. $3.00 a hand can add up quickly when you don't know what you are doing. So I've been playing a lot of blackjack on the computer getting ready for the next cruise. A smoke free casino was wonderful. The casino host and staff were very friendly. Most of the gamblers were casual players. I only saw a few serious players, so it is a comfortable setting for the beginner. I'm glad I don't live near a casino cause I could lose a lot of money!
CARNIVAL BOULEVARD -
This area was very nice. During the day it was quiet and I saw many people sitting in the very comfortable chairs reading and watching the waves go by. At night, it was full of life when the nightclubs opened. There is a lot of seating on the boulevard. I never saw a lot of people sitting here. Maybe 20 people sitting down the whole promenade. This was one of our favorite places to people watch and just relax. The Cafe Ill De France is very good, but it is not included in the cruise fare. A piece of cake was about $2.00. But it was excellent. They had a good selection of desserts and coffees. The sushi bar was also on the promenade, but you could miss if you weren't looking. There was no sign above it and it was only open a few hours a day. When it was open, there was always a line, so we opted not to try it. Maybe next time. But it was fresh sushi, hand rolled as you ordered it. The Leonardo Club looked very nice. They either had a band at night or played 70's and 80's type music and some oldies. We never had a chance to enjoy this but it looked like my kind of place. The United States Bar is right out in the open on Carnival Blvd. At night we saw a singer/guitarist behind the bar on a tiny stage. The place looked pretty dead most of the time. There was also a jewelry shop on the boulevard. Very nice watches and good prices. The Rex dance clubs was very nice, but too energetic for my tastes. It was packed at night with a mix of teenagers and 20 and 30 somethings. I overheard other guest complaining about the DJ, but we just walked through a few times. Again, it was nice to go into a dance club and not have to put up with the smoke.
THE AMERICAN BAR -- This was in the atrium area. Very nice piano sing along bar. Two performers rotated through the week. It was very popular with guests over 35 it seemed. I guess I'm getting old, because I really liked this spot. The bar service was lacking here and the drinks seemed watered down (in this bar only).
ROTTERDAM BAR -- Right outside the Queen Mary lounge sits this nice spot. It never was crowded. I don't think many people realized it was here. We did not sit at the bar, but it seems it is connected to the bar in the Queen Mary, so it serves two functions. The drinks I ordered in the Queen Mary were always prepared well.
QUEEN MARY LOUNGE -- I love this place! We attended two shows in this lounge. The first was a Nat King Cole tribute by Rudy Lowe. He was the headlining male singer in the Vegas Shows for the week. He is excellent and I'm glad I stayed up late for this show. The shows in this lounge where usually at midnight. I also was able to catch a comedian one night. He was good, but not excellent and the show was only about 30 minutes. But this was one of my favorite spots on the ship. I will catch all the midnight shows next time!
BLUE RIBAND LIBRARY - My wife fell in love with the library. It is beautiful and always quiet. The hours you can actually get books are very limited. The rest of the time the library is open but the bookcase are locked. They had a nice selection of books on ships that I enjoyed flipping through. Take the time to enjoy this room and the history it portrays.
CARD ROOM -- Never used it. Looked functional, nothing to write home about.
VIRTUAL WORLD (ARCADE) -- The name is deceiving. It is just an arcade. Not a single virtual reality game. It attracts the appropriate clientele. Never played a single game. Would have liked to try a VR game. It is adjacent to the Casino. Saw many youngsters dart back and forth from the slots. Parents beware.
GALLERIA SHOPS -- I'm not a shopper (I leave that to the better half) but the shops were very nice. The jewelry looked good quality. The prices about normal. Lots of Carnival wears. Not much else to say.
HAIR SALON - My wife had her hair put up both formal nights. Make you appointments early, it fills up quick. WOW! They did a great job each time. It was very pricey, but that is to be expected. They hire good talent in this salon.
ELEVATORS - One of the elevators was out of service the entire trip. This caused even more wait time. We used the stairs most of the time. I loved the English woman's voice announcing each deck! Take the stairs if you are in a hurry.
THE OUTSIDE AREAS -- There was plenty of open deck space. The small pools were always packed with kids on the sea days. The waterslide was only opened on sea days it seemed. I wish the pools were open at night. We only got to swim once while in port. I do not like a crowd, that's not my idea of a vacation. Plenty of deck chairs unless you want to sit right by the pool. The upper decks are always uncluttered. I would have like to spend time at night on the open decks, but the pools were closed and the chairs were stacked up and tied up. I mentioned this to Carnival, haven't gotten a response yet. The Mexican buffet and deck party was very good (except for the rain!). The stern of the ship was nice spot to be a night, listening to the wake of the ship. Very relaxing. The bow was hard to find, but it was also very nice. Very few people on the bow. Quick tip: Go to Verandah deck and go down the hall(s) for the cabins. There is exit doors at the end of the hall(s) that go out to the bow. Found this the last day! And we were staying on the Verandah deck. The smoke stake area is a good place for sun worshippers. No children allowed and you can go topless, but we never saw anyone doing this.
SHORE EXCURSIONS - We didn't participate in any of Carnival's excursions. In San Juan, we walked over to the Wyndam Hotel and used their pay phones and deposited my money in their casino. I noticed the smoke right away! This is a very nice hotel, worth checking out and it is right across the street from the dock. We went back to the ship after that since it was getting dark. In Tortola, we took a taxi to Brewer's Bay Beach. Nice beach, crystal clear water, and nice snorkeling. There were maybe 35 people on this good-sized beach. You could even see a lot of fish without snorkel gear. Taxi fare was $6.00 one way. In St. Thomas, we went up to Bluebeard's Castle for the view. Very nice view. Watch out for the folks selling time-shares! Then we went downtown and enjoyed the open-air market. We were really into the days at sea and the shipboard life. The ports of call were a secondary concern for us.
SUMMARY: We had a GREAT time and we are planning our next trip on the smoke-free Paradise. I'm sorry the week had to end!
