AuntPinkie
Captain
Monument, CO
Joined 08/2016
44
Cruises14
Reviews231
Helpful VotesWe have been cruising since 1998 when I won a cruise. We have been on 41 cruises and have three booked. We enjoy introducing new people to the cruising world. Our second passion in life is attending and working at Renaissance Festivals.
Upcoming cruises
Past cruises
January 2020 - 8 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Magic
It was Magic: part two
The seas were calm the whole trip. There was a large group on board that had many “private functions” throughout the ship on sea days. Sadly, many people in this Marketing group acted as if the ship was only there for them and were often rude to other passengers and took over places even if it wasn’t a “private function” designated area. It moved the “build a bear” to the atrium which cause a lot of noise and congestion for earlier diners that evening. It was amazing to me how different the second leg of our adventure was because of the passenger component.
January 2020 - 6 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Magic
It was Magic: part one
This was the first leg of our first Back to Back (B2B) making this really a 2 week adventure. For this leg of the cruise, the seas a were rough and the ship was a bit rocky for the first 2 days. Then the last evening, it was extremely rocky. If the door to the bathroom wasn’t latched it would bang open and shut. We both slept well with this rocking. We were the only ship at each port of call on this leg of our journey. That has never happened before!
October 2019 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Breeze
Finally completed sailing on the Dream Class ships. Had a great time.
It was all we hoped it would be! We met some fantastic fellow passengers from around the country. Had great service from a friendly crew. And met up with a favorite member of the "Fun Squad".
February 2019 - 12 Night Southern Caribbean Carnival Journeys (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Glory
A Glorious Journey: Our first Journey’s cruise was wonderful. The itinerary had islands we had never visited and the crew was outstanding.
Our first Journey’s cruise was wonderful. The itinerary had islands we had never visited and the crew was outstanding. Some of our fellow passengers needed a few lessons in manners and respect for others, but Carnival has no control over rude behavior. We were concerned 12 days would be too long, but they went by so quickly that we weren’t ready to get off the ship at the end of the adventure. We also had a medical emergency that had the ship dock at Grand Turk during dinner on the 3rd sea day. It didn't cause any interruption in service or delay in our arrival in Miami. Our thoughts and prayers are with that family.
November 2018 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Glory
Glory revisited for the third time.
We decide to do things new for us on this cruise. We added the Carnival Hub app, played trivia, attended an art seminar, rode a sky chair to the beach, sat on beach for much of the day and stayed up late. Nothing spectacular in themselves, yet we had as much fun as ever.
Carnival Hub: We used this for this first time this cruise. There are still some bugs to be worked out of this program. First there is no notification of a message from the folks even when you have paid for the chat option. Just a quick note here, DH said he did get a ding but I did not. This shows the system is not consistent enough yet. It “eats the battery” time like the Cookie Monster. Your account information could not be trusted and needed confirmation from either customer service or the Sail & Sign kiosks. The really good part about it was the ability to look at the schedule and see what was happening at any given time of day or right at that moment if you wanted something to do.
September 2018 - 7 Night Northern California Coast (Seattle Roundtrip) Cruise on Ruby Princess
Unofficial West Coast cruiseline cruise review
If you want access to everywhere on the ship, do not sail the week before dry dock. If companionship and the itinerary are your main objective, you might find a good bargain the week before dry dock. This is a great itinerary and we'd do it again as long as the ship wasn't going into dry dock after we disembarked.
January 2018 - 8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Conquest
3rd annual Renaissance Festival
The group of 11 friends enjoyed our cruise. We were disappointed in the condition of the ship and pleased with all of the upgrades.
December 2017 - 8 Night Southern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Vista
Take 2 Birthday cruise
We had a wonderful adventure. The Liquid Lounge is need a major redo. The chairs (yes chairs) are uncomfortable making it a poor fit for its function.
January 2017 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Dream
Sweet Dream
We spent the night prior to boarding in New Orleans. Highly recommend this experience. The transportation to the hotel/port is a bit expensive, but providers are within $10 of each other. The next morning it was a $20 (including tip) to the port. The embarkation process was smooth with Carnival personnel stationed everywhere to give directions (a nice change from our last port). NOLA boards the VIFP card holders slightly differently than we have experienced before. First the wedding party (this is the same), then milestone and diamond and then platinum. We have not seen the diamond and platinum separated before and some platinum card holders were a bit upset.
The ship is going into dry dock on Jan. 29th, yet she still was clean and well maintained by the staff. Folks were always cleaning the stairways, hallways and chrome. Newcomers in our group who have sailed another cruise line remarked favorably on this. There was also some preliminary work for dry dock done on the balconies (sanding of rust spots and area primer added).
Our room steward, Linda was very attentive and asked if we want morning, evening or both room cleaning. She was already marking both before we could answer. She made sure we had robes and ice when we needed it. She gave us our new towel animal in the morning (a nice twist).
We were delayed in leaving because the loading was not done until almost 6PM. I am not sure why this happened. We did have a beautiful sunset for our sail-away.
Jase, the cruise director was energetic and humorous. His staff was always busy. The game "CLUE" was offered and while it was fun, I prefer the "Murder Mystery" that was offered before.
Sea days had "Oceanside BBQ" on the Lanai. This is very tasty. I do not know if this will still be available after dry dock since "Guy's BBQ is to be added to the dining offerings on this ship. The last day that was to have the "chocolate extravaganza". I somehow missed it or they didn't do it (it was scheduled).
Smoking was in the usual places on the starboard side of the ship...except on the Lanai where the had it on the port side. This was weird. We have managed to "train" ourselves to avoid the smoking areas, but were caught off guard on the Lanai. The casino did not do a good job of separating the smoking and non-smoking machines.
Montego Bay: We had planned to shop in the terminal building that was also had duty free shopping two years ago (our last visit there). But there is no longer any shopping in the terminal building and only some local vendors off to the side of the building. It would be wise to book a tour or use an authorized taxi.
Grand Cayman: We booked the Amphibious bus land & sea tour. It was all we had hoped, it is a big yellow bus that drives around town with a guide informing you about points of interest. Then it takes a turn onto a ramp into the Caribbean sea and becomes a boat. There are underwater cameras and you have a TV screen showing what you are "driving" over. Again your guide explains what you are seeing. The adventure is capped off with a 20-30 minute stay on seven mile beach.
Cozumel: Having visited here more than most places we decide to do another land and sea. but this time it was in two separate vehicles. We toured the Mayan Cacao Company where we learned about the making of chocolate. Yes, there were samples of both the raw product (no very tasty) and the completed delightful product. Items were for sale. We also visited a "tequileria" where we learned the process of making tequila. Samples were given and purchases were made. We the proceeded to the "semi-sub" which is submerged 4 feet with "windows" to view the coral formations and fish. The boat made sure both sides saw things by turning around when necessary. It was a bit rocky and some passengers had to go up-top. All in all a fun excursion.
December 2016 - 15 Night Panama Canal - Ocean To Ocean (Los Angeles To Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Island Princess
The transit is a "must do"
Went to LA the day before and stayed on the Queen Mary over night. It was a great start for a cruise as it took us back to the beginning of cruising in luxury. The history included famous people who sailed on her, her role during the war and more. You get a self-guided audio tour with the booking and it is fascinating all the things the Queen Mary has been through. They were still working on parts of the ship. Evidentially she had slipped into some disrepair, but she is now looking like an old lady with stories to tell. Highly recommend these accommodations.
We took a cab to San Pedro to board the Island Princess and arrived within our slotted time. Embarkation went smoothly with our cabin available for carry-on drop off. We promptly went to the Horizons on Lido Deck for lunch. The Horizons is in the front of the ship so we were always a bit disoriented as we are used to the buffet being in the aft. The food selection was good and tasty. I enjoyed this part of the ship as it seemed so open even when crowded. It did get busy for the transit, with folks saving their place at the front at 4:00 AM.
We expected the passengers to be an older crowd and we were right. There were only about 2 dozen (or so) 50 and under. The disadvantage to this was the scheduling for Early Dining…. It was overbooked and a real disaster when the Any Time diners tried to get into the MDR. We skipped the MDR the 3rd night due this mess but figured out a “work-around” after that. We were impressed that they were able to have a varied menu for 15 days. The food was good and the presentations very appealing. They are also very accommodating for people with special diet needs (be sure to let them know ahead of time). We were slightly disappointed in the more casual dress on formal night than the last time we sailed on a Princess ship (2 years ago). That said, they did enforce the dress code as posted daily in the “Princess Patter” and at the entrance to the dining room.
The balcony cabin was smaller than we anticipated and the shower was tiny (kept hitting my elbows). We felt that a balcony was a must because we had no idea how much rail space would be available for the transit. I would recommend deck 9 (Emerald Deck) because it is closer to the water and better for measuring the rise and fall of the ship. Sadly there was a leak in the plumbing on decks 9 & 11 and they were frequently turning off the water for hours at a time and there was a musty odor in the corridors. She is, after all, an older ship and age takes a toll on us all.
Our room steward, Glenn, was the best we have had in many years (reminded us of the ones back in the beginning of our cruising history). He watched the cabins to see when his passengers left to eat and promptly cleaned the cabin. There was no need to pick when you wanted your cabin cleaned as it was morning and evening (with chocolates every night). We asked for a sheet because the duvet was too hot for sleeping under and he had it ready that very evening. He always asked if there was anything else we needed and seemed happy to fix whatever problem arose. He was always smiling and remembered our names.
There were only a few smokers on this cruise (mostly the younger folks), so the casino was relatively smoke free. They would go to Churchill’s to smoke or the one outdoor area (I think there was only one). No one seemed unhappy on either side of the issue.
If you have sailed the Island Princess in the past and expect deck 7 to go around the ship, that is no longer true. Many folks did a daily walk on this deck, but either turned around or walked through the ship for their laps. This is more shaded than deck 15 where others went for the daily laps. Yes, there is a gym on board, but I have no idea what it looks like.
We had a “destination specialist on board that gave presentations for each port of call and information about the area in general. These were wonderful and very informative. If you have a chance to hear any presentation from Humberto Neto, go and enjoy.
October 2016 - 6 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Miracle
Halloween on the Miracle
We flew to LAX the same day as our sailing (usually go out a day ahead) and we purchased our transfers from Carnival. Our plane had a fog delay (not common in Colorado) but we arrived in plenty of time to board the ship in time for lunch. The Carnival representatives at LAX were on the look-out for us and the 6 others arriving at about the same time. We had to wait 20 minutes for out bus, but we did not wait for a full bus to head to the the port.
The VIFP lounge seemed disorganized, priority guests were processed along with contractors and it seemed 2 of the 3 representatives were taking care of contractors not guests. Finally another person came into the lounge and took care of the guests. The signage for the next step was poor and we asked were we were to proceed and were told the far door on the right. That was fine, but once we went through the door we had to ask again. It was as if they expected the guest to know how to get to the next point. They need better signage.
Went to our cabin as soon as we boarded to drop off our luggage. The cabin still had the couch made into a bed with the bolsters under the regular bed. There were no robes. We hoped this was not an indication of thing to come. Went to lunch on the Lido and where we had a nice variety of choices. We went back to the cabin and found our room steward, Mauricio. He asked if we wanted morning or evening service to the cabin. We requested both and he said, no problem. We asked for ice, robes and to have the couch restored to a couch. The next time we went to the cabin, all was right. He was very friendly and happy to do whatever we needed.
We were a party of six with YTD. The first night we were given a table at the back of the ship near the windows and had a spectacular sunset. Our wait staff, headed by Darell, was outstanding. We requested them throughout the cruise. Only one night were they not available when we went to dinner (had time off for our late departure in Puerto Vallarta). We took whoever was available. I'll just say not all wait staff are created equal... Darell and his crew worked hard to get us our food and dessert quickly, so we could go to the early show. The hostess, Chongchong, made sure our table was not filled by others before we arrived. So if you have YTD try to get table 385...you will have most excellent service.
Unfortunately the menu posted on the TV did not match the menu we got each night. I am not sure if that was because this was the short cruise to get the ship on it's "normal" 7 day schedule or not. Just a little nit-noy of a problem.
We had the same comedians for the whole cruise. They both did a good job with the family version and the adult version. Very funny guys. Adam, the CD, was excellent and Alex, the assistant CD, should be moving up to his own ship as he was terrific. The shows were well done and we enjoyed them a great deal. We did get a wonderful show from a large group of dolphins on our last sea day during lunch. They were on both side of the ship and were doing flips, jumps and all sorts of antics; this lasted about 10 minutes (sorry no photos we were too involved in the show).
Many passengers dress for Halloween and so did the crew. It was "cruise elegant" night and we were invited to either dress in costume or our cruise elegant attire. and both were present in the dining room.
If you were bored on this ship it would be your own fault. Activities all over the ship all of the time. There is no way one could do it all.
Entered the bean bag toss (lost) and watched the bocce ball. Several trivia contests throughout the ship daily/ Mini-golf was open 24 hrs... found nighttime mini-golf very challenging. Much more was going on, but these were the ones we chose to do.
We arrived back in Long Beach in heavy fog. We heard the fog horn starting about 5AM and did safely dock about 8AM. The debarkation was delayed and no one was off the ship until about 9:30 AM. Most people seemed to do self assisted debarkation so it was very slow in the beginning.
The ship is beginning to show her age with minor cosmetic problems. But if you like the Spirit class of ship, this is a fun one to sail.
January 2016 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Splendor
The Pink Ship
When we told folks we would be on the Splendor, they said,"OH! the pink ship. So of course I started calling it MY ship. I was expecting neon pink and other bright shades of pink. Well, it has a lot of pink but an equal amount of oranges. After the fist day, one hardly notices. So you will not be overwhelmed by the colors.
We had a group of 18 people and many first timers. this was a good itinerary for so many people: history, beach and shopping in equal amounts.
We chose assigned seating in the dining room and two adjacent tables one for 8 and one for 10. Our wait staff was very understanding as we switched places almost every night. The service was excellent. The food was good both in the MDR and on the Lido deck. Be sure to check out the upstairs dining areas for the Lido dining.
Our room steward was one of the best we have had. The other experienced travelers said the same about their room stewards.
The ship was originally built to be a Costa ship and has the same deck plan as the Costa Concordia. I rather liked it.
The big theater production were still the main entertainment. We were very happy about this as we are slightly disappointed in the newer shows. The comedy club was packed every night and there was a good rotation of comedians.
The newbies had such a good time and are bitten by the cruising bug. The experienced cruisers want to go again as soon as possible. (Note: we are on the Dream this coming Jan.)
We would repeat this cruise with no problem, either with a large group or just the two of us.
January 2015 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Regal Princess
Regal Princess first non-Carnival cruise
To be honest we booked this cruise because Princess was having 2for1 sale and we wanted to see the "sky-walk". We decided on this ship because it was new and the timing was perfect.
We booked a balcony and we were surprised how much smaller it was compared to those we were familiar with on Carnival.
The ship seemed to vibrate continuously no matter where you were on the ship .
YTD was not done well. If you ordered early, the early seating was still served before YTD. The service was extremely slow and the food mediocre.
The food on the buffet line was great. This area was very open and a lot a variety. There were hand washing stations as you entered the area, a nice touch.
The Atrium was open and beautiful. Demonstrations,entertainment, dancing and fashion shows were held there.
The serenity area was costly to use, free to walk through.
The sky-walk was all we hoped it would be. The opposite side of the ship also had a glass bottom, but was a bar with a daily show.
Princess uses their lifeboats as tenders, which we found refreshing.
The horn plays the theme from the "Love Boat" and was fun when we sailed just before the Royal Princess as they serenaded each other.
We would probably sail on this ship again.
November 2014 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Glory
November 2014 - 4 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Ecstasy
Ecstacy November 2014
We took this cruise because we had a friend going for the first time who really wanted us to go with them. We had been on this same ship and itinerary years ago...but agreed anyway. It was as much fun as the last time. We did not plan to board with them, but there was no line and they got through almost as fast as we did. The mini golf was fun, even if I lost every time. The food was good and YTD worked well. We did our own walking tour of Key West and we took different shore tours in Cozumel. I highly recommend the tequila factory tour.
Lunch on Lido
Key West and first time cruiser
Atrium on cruise elegant night (chose to wear formal) with a Miami Vice each
Mini golf
January 2014 - 8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Freedom
April 2013 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Dream
January 2013 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Magic
August 2012 - 7 Night Alaska (Seattle roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Spirit
January 2012 - 8 Night Southern Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Valor
April 2011 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Glory
January 2011 - 8 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Freedom
December 2009 - 9 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Dream
January 2009 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Valor
October 2008 - 5 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Ecstasy
April 2008 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Freedom
October 2007 - 8 Night Exotic Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Miracle
February 2007 - 8 Night Exotic Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Legend
April 2006 - 8 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Liberty
March 2005 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Triumph
March 2004 - 7 Night Exotic Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Paradise
February 2003 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Elation
October 2002 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Paradise
April 2002 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Triumph
December 2001 - 4 Night Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Fascination
May 2001 - 7 nights on Destiny
December 2000 - 4 Night Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Ecstasy
April 2000 - 7 nights on Carnival Paradise
October 1999 - 4 nights on Carnival Fascination
April 1999 - 4 nights on Carnival Ecstasy
December 1998 - 4 nights on Holiday
Carnival Magic
Sail date: January 12, 2020
This was the first leg of our first Back to Back (B2B) making this really a 2 week adventure. For this leg of the cruise, the seas a were rough and the ship was a bit rocky for the first 2 days. Then the last evening, it was extremely rocky. If the door to the bathroom wasn’t latched it would bang open and shut. We both slept well with this rocking. We were the only ship at each port of call on this leg of our journey. That has never happened before!
Carnival Magic
Sail date: January 18, 2020
The seas were calm the whole trip. There was a large group on board that had many “private functions” throughout the ship on sea days. Sadly, many people in this Marketing group acted as if the ship was only there for them and were often rude to other passengers and took over places even if it wasn’t a “private function” designated area. It moved the “build a bear” to the atrium which cause a lot of noise and congestion for earlier diners that evening. It was amazing to me how different the second leg of our adventure was because of the passenger component.
Carnival Glory
Sail date: February 16, 2019
Our first Journey’s cruise was wonderful. The itinerary had islands we had never visited and the crew was outstanding. Some of our fellow passengers needed a few lessons in manners and respect for others, but Carnival has no control over rude behavior. We were concerned 12 days would be too long, but they went by so quickly that we weren’t ready to get off the ship at the end of the adventure. We also had a medical emergency that had the ship dock at Grand Turk during dinner on the 3rd sea day. It didn't cause any interruption in service or delay in our arrival in Miami. Our thoughts and prayers are with that family.
Carnival Splendor
Sail date: January 17, 2016
When we told folks we would be on the Splendor, they said,"OH! the pink ship. So of course I started calling it MY ship. I was expecting neon pink and other bright shades of pink. Well, it has a lot of pink but an equal amount of oranges. After the fist day, one hardly notices. So you will not be overwhelmed by the colors.
We had a group of 18 people and many first timers. this was a good itinerary for so many people: history, beach and shopping in equal amounts.
We chose assigned seating in the dining room and two adjacent tables one for 8 and one for 10. Our wait staff was very understanding as we switched places almost every night. The service was excellent. The food was good both in the MDR and on the Lido deck. Be sure to check out the upstairs dining areas for the Lido dining.
Our room steward was one of the best we have had. The other experienced travelers said the same about their room stewards.
The ship was originally built to be a Costa ship and has the same deck plan as the Costa Concordia. I rather liked it.
The big theater production were still the main entertainment. We were very happy about this as we are slightly disappointed in the newer shows. The comedy club was packed every night and there was a good rotation of comedians.
The newbies had such a good time and are bitten by the cruising bug. The experienced cruisers want to go again as soon as possible. (Note: we are on the Dream this coming Jan.)
We would repeat this cruise with no problem, either with a large group or just the two of us.
Island Princess
Sail date: December 05, 2016
Went to LA the day before and stayed on the Queen Mary over night. It was a great start for a cruise as it took us back to the beginning of cruising in luxury. The history included famous people who sailed on her, her role during the war and more. You get a self-guided audio tour with the booking and it is fascinating all the things the Queen Mary has been through. They were still working on parts of the ship. Evidentially she had slipped into some disrepair, but she is now looking like an old lady with stories to tell. Highly recommend these accommodations.
We took a cab to San Pedro to board the Island Princess and arrived within our slotted time. Embarkation went smoothly with our cabin available for carry-on drop off. We promptly went to the Horizons on Lido Deck for lunch. The Horizons is in the front of the ship so we were always a bit disoriented as we are used to the buffet being in the aft. The food selection was good and tasty. I enjoyed this part of the ship as it seemed so open even when crowded. It did get busy for the transit, with folks saving their place at the front at 4:00 AM.
We expected the passengers to be an older crowd and we were right. There were only about 2 dozen (or so) 50 and under. The disadvantage to this was the scheduling for Early Dining…. It was overbooked and a real disaster when the Any Time diners tried to get into the MDR. We skipped the MDR the 3rd night due this mess but figured out a “work-around” after that. We were impressed that they were able to have a varied menu for 15 days. The food was good and the presentations very appealing. They are also very accommodating for people with special diet needs (be sure to let them know ahead of time). We were slightly disappointed in the more casual dress on formal night than the last time we sailed on a Princess ship (2 years ago). That said, they did enforce the dress code as posted daily in the “Princess Patter” and at the entrance to the dining room.
The balcony cabin was smaller than we anticipated and the shower was tiny (kept hitting my elbows). We felt that a balcony was a must because we had no idea how much rail space would be available for the transit. I would recommend deck 9 (Emerald Deck) because it is closer to the water and better for measuring the rise and fall of the ship. Sadly there was a leak in the plumbing on decks 9 & 11 and they were frequently turning off the water for hours at a time and there was a musty odor in the corridors. She is, after all, an older ship and age takes a toll on us all.
Our room steward, Glenn, was the best we have had in many years (reminded us of the ones back in the beginning of our cruising history). He watched the cabins to see when his passengers left to eat and promptly cleaned the cabin. There was no need to pick when you wanted your cabin cleaned as it was morning and evening (with chocolates every night). We asked for a sheet because the duvet was too hot for sleeping under and he had it ready that very evening. He always asked if there was anything else we needed and seemed happy to fix whatever problem arose. He was always smiling and remembered our names.
There were only a few smokers on this cruise (mostly the younger folks), so the casino was relatively smoke free. They would go to Churchill’s to smoke or the one outdoor area (I think there was only one). No one seemed unhappy on either side of the issue.
If you have sailed the Island Princess in the past and expect deck 7 to go around the ship, that is no longer true. Many folks did a daily walk on this deck, but either turned around or walked through the ship for their laps. This is more shaded than deck 15 where others went for the daily laps. Yes, there is a gym on board, but I have no idea what it looks like.
We had a “destination specialist on board that gave presentations for each port of call and information about the area in general. These were wonderful and very informative. If you have a chance to hear any presentation from Humberto Neto, go and enjoy.
Carnival Dream
Sail date: January 15, 2017
We spent the night prior to boarding in New Orleans. Highly recommend this experience. The transportation to the hotel/port is a bit expensive, but providers are within $10 of each other. The next morning it was a $20 (including tip) to the port. The embarkation process was smooth with Carnival personnel stationed everywhere to give directions (a nice change from our last port). NOLA boards the VIFP card holders slightly differently than we have experienced before. First the wedding party (this is the same), then milestone and diamond and then platinum. We have not seen the diamond and platinum separated before and some platinum card holders were a bit upset.
The ship is going into dry dock on Jan. 29th, yet she still was clean and well maintained by the staff. Folks were always cleaning the stairways, hallways and chrome. Newcomers in our group who have sailed another cruise line remarked favorably on this. There was also some preliminary work for dry dock done on the balconies (sanding of rust spots and area primer added).
Our room steward, Linda was very attentive and asked if we want morning, evening or both room cleaning. She was already marking both before we could answer. She made sure we had robes and ice when we needed it. She gave us our new towel animal in the morning (a nice twist).
We were delayed in leaving because the loading was not done until almost 6PM. I am not sure why this happened. We did have a beautiful sunset for our sail-away.
Jase, the cruise director was energetic and humorous. His staff was always busy. The game "CLUE" was offered and while it was fun, I prefer the "Murder Mystery" that was offered before.
Sea days had "Oceanside BBQ" on the Lanai. This is very tasty. I do not know if this will still be available after dry dock since "Guy's BBQ is to be added to the dining offerings on this ship. The last day that was to have the "chocolate extravaganza". I somehow missed it or they didn't do it (it was scheduled).
Smoking was in the usual places on the starboard side of the ship...except on the Lanai where the had it on the port side. This was weird. We have managed to "train" ourselves to avoid the smoking areas, but were caught off guard on the Lanai. The casino did not do a good job of separating the smoking and non-smoking machines.
Montego Bay: We had planned to shop in the terminal building that was also had duty free shopping two years ago (our last visit there). But there is no longer any shopping in the terminal building and only some local vendors off to the side of the building. It would be wise to book a tour or use an authorized taxi.
Grand Cayman: We booked the Amphibious bus land & sea tour. It was all we had hoped, it is a big yellow bus that drives around town with a guide informing you about points of interest. Then it takes a turn onto a ramp into the Caribbean sea and becomes a boat. There are underwater cameras and you have a TV screen showing what you are "driving" over. Again your guide explains what you are seeing. The adventure is capped off with a 20-30 minute stay on seven mile beach.
Cozumel: Having visited here more than most places we decide to do another land and sea. but this time it was in two separate vehicles. We toured the Mayan Cacao Company where we learned about the making of chocolate. Yes, there were samples of both the raw product (no very tasty) and the completed delightful product. Items were for sale. We also visited a "tequileria" where we learned the process of making tequila. Samples were given and purchases were made. We the proceeded to the "semi-sub" which is submerged 4 feet with "windows" to view the coral formations and fish. The boat made sure both sides saw things by turning around when necessary. It was a bit rocky and some passengers had to go up-top. All in all a fun excursion.
Regal Princess
Sail date: January 18, 2015
Regal Princess first non-Carnival cruise
To be honest we booked this cruise because Princess was having 2for1 sale and we wanted to see the "sky-walk". We decided on this ship because it was new and the timing was perfect.
We booked a balcony and we were surprised how much smaller it was compared to those we were familiar with on Carnival.
The ship seemed to vibrate continuously no matter where you were on the ship .
YTD was not done well. If you ordered early, the early seating was still served before YTD. The service was extremely slow and the food mediocre.
The food on the buffet line was great. This area was very open and a lot a variety. There were hand washing stations as you entered the area, a nice touch.
The Atrium was open and beautiful. Demonstrations,entertainment, dancing and fashion shows were held there.
The serenity area was costly to use, free to walk through.
The sky-walk was all we hoped it would be. The opposite side of the ship also had a glass bottom, but was a bar with a daily show.
Princess uses their lifeboats as tenders, which we found refreshing.
The horn plays the theme from the "Love Boat" and was fun when we sailed just before the Royal Princess as they serenaded each other.
We would probably sail on this ship again.
Carnival Miracle
Sail date: October 30, 2016
We flew to LAX the same day as our sailing (usually go out a day ahead) and we purchased our transfers from Carnival. Our plane had a fog delay (not common in Colorado) but we arrived in plenty of time to board the ship in time for lunch. The Carnival representatives at LAX were on the look-out for us and the 6 others arriving at about the same time. We had to wait 20 minutes for out bus, but we did not wait for a full bus to head to the the port.
The VIFP lounge seemed disorganized, priority guests were processed along with contractors and it seemed 2 of the 3 representatives were taking care of contractors not guests. Finally another person came into the lounge and took care of the guests. The signage for the next step was poor and we asked were we were to proceed and were told the far door on the right. That was fine, but once we went through the door we had to ask again. It was as if they expected the guest to know how to get to the next point. They need better signage.
Went to our cabin as soon as we boarded to drop off our luggage. The cabin still had the couch made into a bed with the bolsters under the regular bed. There were no robes. We hoped this was not an indication of thing to come. Went to lunch on the Lido and where we had a nice variety of choices. We went back to the cabin and found our room steward, Mauricio. He asked if we wanted morning or evening service to the cabin. We requested both and he said, no problem. We asked for ice, robes and to have the couch restored to a couch. The next time we went to the cabin, all was right. He was very friendly and happy to do whatever we needed.
We were a party of six with YTD. The first night we were given a table at the back of the ship near the windows and had a spectacular sunset. Our wait staff, headed by Darell, was outstanding. We requested them throughout the cruise. Only one night were they not available when we went to dinner (had time off for our late departure in Puerto Vallarta). We took whoever was available. I'll just say not all wait staff are created equal... Darell and his crew worked hard to get us our food and dessert quickly, so we could go to the early show. The hostess, Chongchong, made sure our table was not filled by others before we arrived. So if you have YTD try to get table 385...you will have most excellent service.
Unfortunately the menu posted on the TV did not match the menu we got each night. I am not sure if that was because this was the short cruise to get the ship on it's "normal" 7 day schedule or not. Just a little nit-noy of a problem.
We had the same comedians for the whole cruise. They both did a good job with the family version and the adult version. Very funny guys. Adam, the CD, was excellent and Alex, the assistant CD, should be moving up to his own ship as he was terrific. The shows were well done and we enjoyed them a great deal. We did get a wonderful show from a large group of dolphins on our last sea day during lunch. They were on both side of the ship and were doing flips, jumps and all sorts of antics; this lasted about 10 minutes (sorry no photos we were too involved in the show).
Many passengers dress for Halloween and so did the crew. It was "cruise elegant" night and we were invited to either dress in costume or our cruise elegant attire. and both were present in the dining room.
If you were bored on this ship it would be your own fault. Activities all over the ship all of the time. There is no way one could do it all.
Entered the bean bag toss (lost) and watched the bocce ball. Several trivia contests throughout the ship daily/ Mini-golf was open 24 hrs... found nighttime mini-golf very challenging. Much more was going on, but these were the ones we chose to do.
We arrived back in Long Beach in heavy fog. We heard the fog horn starting about 5AM and did safely dock about 8AM. The debarkation was delayed and no one was off the ship until about 9:30 AM. Most people seemed to do self assisted debarkation so it was very slow in the beginning.
The ship is beginning to show her age with minor cosmetic problems. But if you like the Spirit class of ship, this is a fun one to sail.
Ruby Princess
Sail date: September 22, 2018
Unofficial West Coast cruiseline cruise review
If you want access to everywhere on the ship, do not sail the week before dry dock. If companionship and the itinerary are your main objective, you might find a good bargain the week before dry dock. This is a great itinerary and we'd do it again as long as the ship wasn't going into dry dock after we disembarked.
Carnival Vista
Sail date: December 02, 2017
We had a wonderful adventure. The Liquid Lounge is need a major redo. The chairs (yes chairs) are uncomfortable making it a poor fit for its function.
Carnival Conquest
Sail date: January 20, 2018
3rd annual Renaissance Festival
The group of 11 friends enjoyed our cruise. We were disappointed in the condition of the ship and pleased with all of the upgrades.
Carnival Glory
Sail date: November 03, 2018
Glory revisited for the third time.
We decide to do things new for us on this cruise. We added the Carnival Hub app, played trivia, attended an art seminar, rode a sky chair to the beach, sat on beach for much of the day and stayed up late. Nothing spectacular in themselves, yet we had as much fun as ever.
Carnival Hub: We used this for this first time this cruise. There are still some bugs to be worked out of this program. First there is no notification of a message from the folks even when you have paid for the chat option. Just a quick note here, DH said he did get a ding but I did not. This shows the system is not consistent enough yet. It “eats the battery” time like the Cookie Monster. Your account information could not be trusted and needed confirmation from either customer service or the Sail & Sign kiosks. The really good part about it was the ability to look at the schedule and see what was happening at any given time of day or right at that moment if you wanted something to do.
Carnival Breeze
Sail date: October 12, 2019
Finally completed sailing on the Dream Class ships. Had a great time.
It was all we hoped it would be! We met some fantastic fellow passengers from around the country. Had great service from a friendly crew. And met up with a favorite member of the "Fun Squad".
Carnival Ecstasy
Sail date: November 10, 2014
We took this cruise because we had a friend going for the first time who really wanted us to go with them. We had been on this same ship and itinerary years ago...but agreed anyway. It was as much fun as the last time. We did not plan to board with them, but there was no line and they got through almost as fast as we did. The mini golf was fun, even if I lost every time. The food was good and YTD worked well. We did our own walking tour of Key West and we took different shore tours in Cozumel. I highly recommend the tequila factory tour.
Lunch on Lido
Key West and first time cruiser
Atrium on cruise elegant night (chose to wear formal) with a Miami Vice each
Mini golf
Cruise tips
An announcement was made before the gangways opened that a new shore tour was available on the pier for $25.98/person. We thought this tour of the island on a tram sounded interesting so we decided to get off early and perhaps book this tour. It seemed like everyone else decide to the same thing. The stair wells were crowded and people were frustrated. Folks with shore tours were having issues. Finally, a crew member helped folks with shore tours by taking them off directly (don’t know where they went, but they did make the shore tour). We did finally get off and could book the shore tour for later that afternoon. We decided to walk the beach and do a bit of shopping. We returned to ship for lunch and quick game of mini golf. Went on the fascinating tour of Grand Turk, learning a lot about their way of life, government, and role in the beginnings of the US space program.
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic
We really enjoy people watching on this port of call. Someday we may venture away from the port area, but watching fellow cruisers enjoy life is delightful. No other ship was in port.
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)
We decided since we would be repeating this island and water shuttle is always frustrating, we would not get off the ship on this leg of our B2B. It was fun being on the ship with fewer passengers.
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
1/11/2020 Stayed at Nobleton Hotel in FLL. This was a great find with easy walking to beach and shopping
Carnival Magic
If you need to avoid the smoke from the casino, use deck 4 to go from aft to forward (or the otherway).
We chose to do a shore tour of Curacao on the pink tram. We had fender bender on the taxi to the tram. No one was hurt and the cab driver did everything right. Some idiot stopped in front of us for no apparent reason, no traffic and a clear street. Our driver stopped as quickly as possible but still reared ended him. Her first reaction was to be sure all 10 passengers were alright and then to remain where we were until the situation was resolved. She called for another taxi from the shore tour company to come get us. Before we could be transferred to another taxi the other driver decided not to pursue the situation and we were on our way. He drove about two car lengths and stopped again. Either he was trying to scam folks or didn’t know how to drive his vehicle. The next day we were contacted by the shore tour desk to be sure we were not injured. The tram did wait for us and it was good historical information. I recommend the tour for a bit of information concerning the island. There is still plenty of time to do other things.
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)
We knew the drill having stopped at this port on the first leg of our B2B, so we picked up numbers for the water shuttle once they were out but before it was announced where they would be. After contacting a fellow traveler we chose #24 to miss the crowd. My only complaint was that the people taking the tag numbers didn’t pay attention to the number of the passenger, as there were people on our shuttle with #45 and only those up to #28 had been called. It saddens me that people think the rules are for others and not themselves. Again this passenger component was more rude (nothing Carnival can really do about that).
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
We were already on the ship.
Since we had the tour of the island on the first leg, we just got off and enjoyed the beach for a while. We share the port with a Holland America Ship.
One of our favorite places to just enjoy the town. We have been several times and just walked into town and went to Starbucks (I know silly) and chatted with other cruisers. We met several folks from the Princess ship also in port.
Carnival Magic
If you can't find something to do it is your own fault. There are constant activities.
We love the history of this place and retraced our steps of the Old City. We also talked with many of our fellow passengers explaining the history of the blue cobble stones that still pave many of the streets. Works is being done to preserve the outer wall to the Old City.
A very hot day so we just walked the beach. Stopped and had a local beer and again used the free WiFi to check in with the home front. Returned to the ship to cool off in the air conditioning. We’ll be back in January (twice in the two weeks of our B2B).
We have been here many times and enjoy each visit. There was a bit of rain which halted the Sky Ride we had planned to take. So we joined some fellow passengers in an open air bus for a trip around the Island to the highest point where we could view both sides. A most enjoyable adventure.
We used “Goportcanaveral” for the first time this cruise. They book your hotel (which has a shuttle from the airport) and shuttle you from hotel to the port and the port back to the airport. It was as good as advertised. We had to wait until the buss was full to go to the airport, but they told us that up front. This make sailing out of Port Canaveral reasonable.
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic
Since we will be returning here in January we decided just to check out the area around the ship. A nice bit of shopping, a swim-up bar, an awesome water slide and fun area for children. We stopped had drinks and got free WiFi to check in with home.
Carnival Breeze
Use deck 4 to go from the front of the ship to the back (or the other way) to avoid the smoke in the Casino.
Again they prefer Euros and an exchange hut was at the end of the pier. There was also a small market there and they had items marked in Euros and dollars. There were dancers and local reenactors in the village square, a parade by the elementary school ( they were so cute), and a busy shopping “downtown” area. Much more affluent than Guadeloupe
We have been here many times, so decide to try something new. We booked a shore tour called “ St. Maarten Best views & Sky Ride”. We were taken by bus to Rockland Estates where you were able to learn a bit about St. Maarten’s history. Then you boarded the Sky Ride and went to the highest point on the island called Sentry Hill. It was very windy and folks coming down kept telling us to hold on to our hats. They weren’t kidding. At the top the views were spectacular. You returned the same way and could get a bite to eat at the restaurant, buy a souvenir at the gift shop or wait for the next bus to take you back to the ship. We shopped and went to wit for the bus. One of the tour guides was there and since we had a long wait we chatted with her. We learned more from that interaction than anything else. The negative about this adventure is the meeting signs were not well marked. We went to the site with the “Flying Dutchman” shore tour but both signs were not up and we couldn’t find the right line for about 10 minutes. It’s a good thing we were early. We did get to watch those adventure seekers as the prepared to fly down the mountain.
Not a lot to see without a shore tour. The water is beautiful and the shops are quaint.
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
It was election day on Tortola and therefore no alcohol was served on the island. Also this is a no smoking island and the ship’s casino was very busy while we were in this port, not with gamblers but smokers. As we docked we had a rainbow over the ship (sorry no photo). There is a local market and few fun shops.
We were advised that they use Euros here and we could exchange dollars at the end of the pier. While we didn’t get any, we still walked into the town with all its shops and figured if we saw something we really wanted we could backtrack and do so. This is place fascinating and a very busy place. We, however, did not feel completely safe by not taking a “shore tour”. If we were to return, we would book a shore tour or stay on the ship.
Major warning from the ship – no camo attire is allowed on Barbados. This is our first visit here and decide to book the Atlantis Submarine tour through the ship. What a great adventure. We met our driver on the pier for a short drive (5-10 min) to the “headquarters” where you find a static display of the sub, gift shop & sign a waiver. Then you take a boat ride to where the sub is waiting. On the way you are briefed about safety precautions and what you might see on your trip. You wait for the current passengers on the sub to disembark and then board the sub. A quick bit of advice if you are boarding to the rear of the sub be first in line or near the front and if you are boarding to the front be last in line. This is so you are near the Captain (pilot) driving the sub. It has a nice bigger window. You have your own port hole to see fish, coral, a sunken ship and if you are lucky a sea turtle. This was great and I highly recommend it.
Carnival Glory
Do as many things as you can, but try to do everything becuase you'll be exhausted and need a vacation from your vacation.
Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
Our first visit to this island. We did not do a shore tour but decided to check out the town near the pier. We were greeted but the high school marching band. The band came down to the end of the pier and the back to the park in the town area. This port is not full of the “standard” commercial trappings found in the Caribbean. It was a lovely visit
We only spent the night and did not tour. However, we found the Uber to be frustrating as we asked for an XL car (to carry 4 people and their luggage) and they sent a small sedan..twice!
We walked off the ship into the shopping area by the ship. We enjoy this a lot and there was even a tank to put your feet into and have the fish eat the dead skin. I don't know the cost because I wasn't willing to do it. It was almost as much fun watching the faces of the people watching the folks with their feet in the tank as it was wactching the victims.. I mean customers.
Another tender port. We had not planned to even get off the ship, but did in search of good wifi. We were on the ship for the elections & we had some ballot issues that were very important to us. The connections on the ship were very slow, spotty and costly. We went into town and bought 30 minutes for $3 and learned all the things we needed to know. Then got back on the ship. This is a port you should have a tour booked.
This is a tender port. If you want to get off the ship early, book a tour. The last tender was to leave the dock at 2:30 and folks who were in line to catch a tender at 1:30 were still in line then. We did wait for everyone who was in line before we set sail. It was a late departure.
Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
We booked the Carnival shore tour "Relax on the Beach". This is a package for two with a ride from the ship to the beach on the "Magical Flying Beach Chair". It is like a ski lift that goes over the jungle and water to the beach. I could have ridden this back and forth all day it was so fun. Once on the beach we had two lounge chairs & two floats under a clam shell. Note that you are given the floats but they need one sail and sign card to hold until you return the floats. We got there early and were in the first row of clam shells. Fat Tuesdays is the attached restaurant & bar to this part of the beach. There are wait staff that come to your clam shell on a regular basis to take your order. A bit pricey.
Carnival Glory
Remeber she is an older ship and ingnore her blemishes.
We did not book any tours here and decide to walk into town. This is a tender port and one of the things I like best about Princess is that they use their life boats as tender boats. This not only lets the passengers see how big they really are, it makes sure they are working. If you are not in a hurry to get off the ship, go later and the wait time to catch the tender will be very short (if at all). There is a nice museum by the dock worth a visit. My DH says the Starbucks has fast wifi.
Met friends living in the area and visited Fort Clatsop National Park. So if you have a Nation Park pass be sure to bring it with you
Visiting Alcatraz was the reason we chose this itinerary and we were not disappointed. We actually booked our tour online with the Alcatraz center before sailing to be sure we got what we wanted. Be advised the food and drink in the waiting area for the ferry is very expensive. The ferry is only about a half of a mile from where the ship docks and is easily walked. We also walked to Fisherman's Wharf. Other attractions are within walking distance if you choose to do so.
We walked into town which a bit farther than advertised, but well worth it and well marked. It is a beautiful place and next visit we plan to book a tour to properly see and learn more.
While we did not visit Seattle (we lived in the area for several years), we chose our hotel poorly. When booking a hotel that includes "airport" in the name, it might mean that airplanes will wake you up at 4:30 in the morning.
Ruby Princess
Carry the map given to you on embarkation day for the first few days in order to find everything.
Grand Turk: the wind prevented us from docking here. The captain tried, but he could not hold the ship in a steady position away from the pier and felt it unsafe to dock. He took every opportunity to apologize to the passengers. Our port fees and port taxes were automatically added to our accounts, as well as any ship purchased tours. This gave us an extra sea day, which turned out to be the best sun bathing day of the cruise.
St. Maarten: the damage is still quite apparent and the reconstruction is impressive. We were pleased to see work being done while we were there. It will take time but you can see the progress. We were told, by locals, that each time a cruise ship comes into port more income is generated and more provisions are available to repair the damage.
St. Kitts: was missed by the hurricanes. It was nice to visit an island that is still lush and green. The people are friendly and it is a beautiful place to visit. A caution however, there are folks with monkeys that will want you to take a picture with the monkeys for $10. These little guys are quick and will be on your head, shoulder, and/or arm in a flash.
San Juan: much like St. Maarten the old city is a work in progress. We got the same story from the locals about the need for more tourist dollars. Having withstood the test of time, the forts are still is good condition. If you plan to visit, you might want to bring you National Parks Pass (for USA passengers).
Carnival Conquest
If you enjoy the buffet for breakfast and/or lunch, eat on deck 10 aft for more seating options ans less people.
This a port where a shore tour is your best option OR staying on the ship as a good choice. We stayed on the ship. However, there is now a "straw market" just off the pier where you can purchase local goods.
There is still a lot to be done on some of the buildings, but several new roofs are in progress. Margaritaville is up and running. The NASA display did not seem to have any damage. The "half ship" of Jack's Shack was boarded, but a temporary site is further down the beach and doing a brisk business. Both dogs are there and entertaining passengers. The beach and water looked good and was warm.
Curacao, our plan was to walk into town over the "moving" bridge, because on our last visit it was open and you couldn't cross over. The weather was beautiful and the bridge was closed, so we got to cross over. While there we learned of the "heart of locks", a tourist attraction set up last February (I think for only a year) for people to bring a lock to "lock their love" ; similar to the bridge in Paris. If we knew about this before we went we would have had a spare lock to add. The town was decorated for the holidays.
Aruba is on of all time favorite places. This time we took the open air party bus around the island to the light house, oldest house on the island, the church with stations of the cross and finally 2 hours on the beach. We had lunch at nice little place on the beach and then enjoyed a nice walk in the surf. The island looked in good shape.
Carnival Vista
On debarkation day, have breakfast on deck 5 in the Ocean Plaza. It is uncrowded and a quick breakfast gets you off the ship quickly.
Be sure to take an authorized tour. Be watchful.
Noisy and fun. Be ready for lots of people in the streets drinking, dancing and singing.
Shopping right off the ship. Great place to watch for pier runners.
A favorite port of call. I feel very safe here. Beautiful beaches and crystal clear water.
Carnival Dream
Bring your own golf balls. The mini-golf is very popular and often there are clubs but no balls. I think they went to several cabins as souvenirs.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
Stay on the Queen Mary.
Panama Canal Transit: what the cruise is all about. We heard doors start slamming about 6:00AM so decide to get up. We were waiting with several other vessels to enter the locks. While we hadn’t started the transit yet we could see a lot from our balcony. Humberto was live on the TV and we were able to follow our progress. We went under the Bridge of the Americas then enter the Miraflores about 10:45AM, then the Pedro Miguel a half hour later. We transited the Gillard Cut and went through Gatun Lake. We finally enter the Gatun Locks about 4:00 PM and watched from deck 5 in the coffee shop. This was a wonderful spot as we started with window at the top of the lock and went down so the wall filled the window (kind of spooky). We were finally through about 5:30PM. While we did not go through the new locks we watched a ship enter and we could see it as we did the transit. This experience should definitely be on your “cruise to do list”.
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua: is now a “suffer haven”. The history of this place was unknown to us and a great surprise as to the importance it had for the California Gold Rush. We did not take a tour here and just went into town (small village) to see the area. We would not recommend wandering about without a guide.
Cartagena, Columbia: We were an hour late because of headwinds and a late departure from the canal. But this is just the way things happen sometimes. We chose to go with a non-ship tour and wish we had picked a smaller group. You will see more if you stick with a group of 10 or less.
Huatulco: took the “Land and Sea” tour offered by the ship, the land part was poor but the sea part was good. It has been decided by the local government to develop this area into a tourist destination with 70% to be left untouched by “human hand”. According to our guide on the sea portion of our tour, the tourist dollars have given them many schools before the university level (which were lacking), two universities, several exclusive hotels, a hospital and two international airports. He thinks most of the citizens are happy with these changes.
Puerto Vallarta: since we were just there we simply went shopping near the ship. A land based crew boarded and decorated the ship for Christmas. It was amazing what they accomplished on such a short time.
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua: is now a “suffer haven”. The history of this place was unknown to us and a great surprise as to the importance it had for the California Gold Rush. We did not take a tour here and just went into town (small village) to see the area. We would not recommend wandering about without a guide.
Aruba: one of our favorite ports. There are beautiful beaches, crystal clear water, good shopping and tasty food. Pick a shore tour from the ship or one from a local vendor and see the Island.
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
Fort Lauderdale: debarkation was slow and frustrating. There were several ships in port, much to our surprise for a Tuesday. Cab ride to the airport for two is $35
Island Princess
When going through the Canal Decks 9 and 11 have a forward public area. You must go through a door marked "emergency exit" but is open and available for the transit.
Carnival Splendor
Be sure to use the upstairs of the Lido dining area.
If you go the night before, stay on the beach, We walked both the night before and the morning that we sailed.
Carnival Ecstasy
Remember it is a small ship and the crew can be more friendly than on some of the bigger ones. Watch out you just might become addicted. ;)
