PatongDave

PatongDave

Second Mate
Tampa, FL
Joined 12/2021

14

Cruises

6

Reviews

87

Helpful Votes

Past cruises

Carnival Liberty

April 2024 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty

Good for a relatively inexpensive quick getaway

This being our 6th cruise on the Carnival Liberty, we were very familiar with the ship. Although the ship is beginning to show its age, the crew does a good job keeping the public areas and staterooms clean.

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Mardi Gras

January 2023 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Mardi Gras

Our favorite ship

This was our second cruise on the Mardi Gras. It was fully booked, so a little crowded at times and in certain areas. It's our favorite ship, with lots of choices for food.

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Carnival Liberty

October 2022 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty

Always a good value

As mentioned previously, this was our 4th cruise on this ship in the last 10 months, so we know what to expect. People need to understand that cruises from the Florida east coast on this class of ship (Conquest class) have become somewhat of a commodity cruise, running the same itineraries and attracting a wide customer base due to relatively low pricing. With that said, it's always a nice 4 day getaway and change of scenery, for not a lot of money.

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Carnival Liberty

August 2022 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty

Carnival Liberty

June 2022 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty

What a difference 5 months makes

We last sailed on the Liberty 5 months ago, when there was only about 800 passengers onboard. This time, it seemed like the ship was fully booked. On the Lido deck, the lines for the deli and pizza were much longer than usual, probably due to the industry-wide staff shortage. There was only one person working the deli area, and only one working the pizza area. Normally, the pizza area has pizzas already made waiting to be cut and served, but not this time. Also the buffet lines were extremely long at times - much longer that any other times we've cruised. The long lines at the buffet didn't seem to be due to staff, just too many people. There are 4 buffet lines - two on either side of the galley. Strangely enough, the two aft lines were overcrowded, while the two forward lines were almost empty. I did find that at lunch time, the Lido buffet has more healthy items than in the past, heavily weighted toward salads and lighter fare, while a few heavier entree items are also available. For the most part, we had a very enjoyable and relaxing time, although there was quite a few individuals in the MDR and Serenity area who seemed to be unable to communicate with someone 2 feet away without shouting. I guess some people's definition of "serenity" is different than mine, as we could clearly hear every word of their non-stop conversation and cackling sitting over 50 feet away! All in all, this cruise was a good value for what we paid, with cruise fare being less than the taxes and port charges.

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Carnival Liberty

January 2022 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty

Very low occupancy - but still enjoyable

We've been on the Magic and Mardi Gras within the past 4 months, so we're a bit spoiled with the new ships. We were last on the Liberty about two years ago, so we knew what to expect. I think in the future, we'll stick to the newer ships. This cruise was different in that there were so few guests onboard. With a capacity of 2,900+ I don't think was more than 1,000 guests. It seemed that there was actually more crew than guests. Never any lines anywhere, and the main dining room and Lido restaurant were nearly empty. Very few people were using the deck chairs around the pools and the Serenity areas, which are normally full. Of all the times we used the elevators each day, there was only one time that we "shared" an elevator with someone else. Normally, you would think that a low occupancy would be good for guests, but it seemed a little eerie and I was concerned about the crew being compensated from gratuities with so many cabins being empty and so few people in the MDR. Even with so few guests, as a credit to Carnival, every station on the ship was fully staffed, even if it meant that some crew members would be spending most of their time doing nothing.

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Mardi Gras

November 2021 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Mardi Gras

Well-designed, Large Ship Doesn't Feel Crowded

A beautiful, big, new ship with intelligently designed buffet and public spaces. For a ship with such a large guest capacity, it never felt crowded. Staterooms have an updated, modern feel as do the various restaurants and bars. There are some new features that are unique to this ship - one being the Summer Landing area that feels a lot like a large neighborhood bar and includes Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ as well as the onboard brewery. A great laid-back place to listen to music or watch a game on one of the big screen TVs.

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Carnival Magic

October 2021 - 5 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Magic

Carnival Liberty

November 2019 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty

Carnival Conquest

November 2017 - 8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Conquest

Carnival Glory

October 2016 - Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Glory

Carnival Sunshine

September 2015 - 8 Night Southern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Conquest

June 2014 - 7 Night Exotic Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Conquest

Carnival Freedom

September 2013 - 6 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Freedom

Carnival Liberty

Carnival Liberty

Sail date: January 24, 2022

Very low occupancy - but still enjoyable

We've been on the Magic and Mardi Gras within the past 4 months, so we're a bit spoiled with the new ships. We were last on the Liberty about two years ago, so we knew what to expect. I think in the future, we'll stick to the newer ships. This cruise was different in that there were so few guests onboard. With a capacity of 2,900+ I don't think was more than 1,000 guests. It seemed that there was actually more crew than guests. Never any lines anywhere, and the main dining room and Lido restaurant were nearly empty. Very few people were using the deck chairs around the pools and the Serenity areas, which are normally full. Of all the times we used the elevators each day, there was only one time that we "shared" an elevator with someone else. Normally, you would think that a low occupancy would be good for guests, but it seemed a little eerie and I was concerned about the crew being compensated from gratuities with so many cabins being empty and so few people in the MDR. Even with so few guests, as a credit to Carnival, every station on the ship was fully staffed, even if it meant that some crew members would be spending most of their time doing nothing.

Read full review

Carnival Liberty

Carnival Liberty

Sail date: October 31, 2022

Always a good value

As mentioned previously, this was our 4th cruise on this ship in the last 10 months, so we know what to expect. People need to understand that cruises from the Florida east coast on this class of ship (Conquest class) have become somewhat of a commodity cruise, running the same itineraries and attracting a wide customer base due to relatively low pricing. With that said, it's always a nice 4 day getaway and change of scenery, for not a lot of money.

Read full review

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

Sail date: November 20, 2021

Well-designed, Large Ship Doesn't Feel Crowded

A beautiful, big, new ship with intelligently designed buffet and public spaces. For a ship with such a large guest capacity, it never felt crowded. Staterooms have an updated, modern feel as do the various restaurants and bars. There are some new features that are unique to this ship - one being the Summer Landing area that feels a lot like a large neighborhood bar and includes Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ as well as the onboard brewery. A great laid-back place to listen to music or watch a game on one of the big screen TVs.

Read full review

Carnival Liberty

Carnival Liberty

Sail date: June 06, 2022

What a difference 5 months makes

We last sailed on the Liberty 5 months ago, when there was only about 800 passengers onboard. This time, it seemed like the ship was fully booked. On the Lido deck, the lines for the deli and pizza were much longer than usual, probably due to the industry-wide staff shortage. There was only one person working the deli area, and only one working the pizza area. Normally, the pizza area has pizzas already made waiting to be cut and served, but not this time. Also the buffet lines were extremely long at times - much longer that any other times we've cruised. The long lines at the buffet didn't seem to be due to staff, just too many people. There are 4 buffet lines - two on either side of the galley. Strangely enough, the two aft lines were overcrowded, while the two forward lines were almost empty. I did find that at lunch time, the Lido buffet has more healthy items than in the past, heavily weighted toward salads and lighter fare, while a few heavier entree items are also available. For the most part, we had a very enjoyable and relaxing time, although there was quite a few individuals in the MDR and Serenity area who seemed to be unable to communicate with someone 2 feet away without shouting. I guess some people's definition of "serenity" is different than mine, as we could clearly hear every word of their non-stop conversation and cackling sitting over 50 feet away! All in all, this cruise was a good value for what we paid, with cruise fare being less than the taxes and port charges.

Read full review

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

Sail date: January 28, 2023

Our favorite ship

This was our second cruise on the Mardi Gras. It was fully booked, so a little crowded at times and in certain areas. It's our favorite ship, with lots of choices for food.

Read full review

Cruise tips

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau is becoming same old, same old for us. We usually just take a walk out to Junkanoo Beach and back just for exercise. There are really no bargains to be found in the shops.

Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island)

Having priority for the shuttle boat makes a big difference. The loungers under cover are always in demand, so it's good to grab those early before the throngs arrive on the island. The lines for the lunch food items are horrendous. Better to go back to the ship for lunch.

Grand Turk Island

Again, the usual souvenir, jewelry and t-shirt shops are at the port, along with a Margaritaville and adjacent free pool. There's also a nice beach with free loungers. This time we opted to walk up the beach to Jack's Shack, which turned out to be a disappointment due to a high rental fee for loungers and high food/beverage costs.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Aside from Half Moon Cay, this is our favorite port in the Caribbean. Love to walk around Old San Juan looking at the architecture. The landmark fort (Castillo San Filipe del Morro) is within a 20 minute walk from the port, and if you have a US National Parks Senior Card, admission is free - otherwise it's $10.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

The center stage shows are very popular, with limited seating on deck 6 and 7. You'll need to grab a seat at least 30 minutes before showtime, otherwise you'll be standing.

Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island)

While not as nice as Half Moon Cay, Princess Cays provides a decent, free beach experience. Lots of beach loungers - some in the sun, and some under cover for some shade. The shallow portions of the beach have a lot of rocks and sudden drop-offs, so be careful when going into the water. If you want a lounger in the first couple of rows, or under one of the shaded structures, you need to disembark in one of the first 5-6 water shuttles, as these areas fill up quickly.

Nassau, Bahamas

We've been here so many times we usually don't disembark in Nassau. This time, we decided to seek out the public beach that's closest to the pier. It's about a 20-30 minute walk, past the Margaritaville hotel. There's a group of bar/restaurants facing the road, with the beach behind. I'm not sure, but I think some of these businesses might have a few beach loungers for rent. If all you want to do is take a dip in the water and maybe partake in some local food and drink, you don't need to buy an expensive beach excursion - just take a towel and walk to this public beach.

Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island)

This was our first time visiting Princess Cays, which although somewhat similar to Half Moon Cay, didn't seem to be as nice. The beach area is smaller than that at Half Moon. Rental rates for floats and clamshells looked to be excessive.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Old San Juan is one of our favorite ports for self-guided touring. The El Morro fort and Castillo de San Cristobal are both within walking distance of the port, as are the beautiful streets of Old San Juan.

Nassau, Bahamas

We've been to Nassau many times before, most recently about 6 weeks earlier on another cruise. We enjoyed our time spend on the ship instead of going ashore.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras

Get to the Grand Central/Center Stage area early to see one of the shows to ensure you get a seat at one of the tables, or in the limited amount of theatre-style bench seats.

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Cruise lines

Carnival Cruise Lines

Ships

Carnival Magic

Mardi Gras

Ports

Phuket, Thailand

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Willemstad, Curacao