cruise review

Carnival Breeze Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

ghuston

Contributor Level: Deck Hand

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 10

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)

Sail date: May 14, 2017

Ship: Carnival Breeze

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 9331

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

I booked my cruise with points I received through the Marriott rewards program. This was difficult because carnival and Marriott rewards could not work together very well.

At the bar I was charged a 15% gratuity for a bar tender to make me a drink. I can understand that gratuity for a bartender making drinks for a large group but for a single drink it is just wrong. Please review for yourself what the word " gratuity" means. I paid my gratuities up front when I booked my trip.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Children's Programs

No children

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Our steward Christina was the best ever. We tiped her well because she deserved it.

Ship tip

Be aware of the mandatory 15% gratuity wether it is deserved or not.

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Ports of call

Galveston, Texas

3 out of 5

Cozumel, Mexico

3 out of 5

Belize City, Belize

3 out of 5

Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

5 out of 5

26 Comments

Gwbigdog 2 years ago

Thanks.

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Gwbigdog 2 years ago

Thanks.

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modokiegramma 7 years ago

THE employees on the ship get minimal pay and count on our tips to supplement . many of them send their hard earned money back home to support family. Most work 7 days a weeks for months on end. I always pre pay grats but bring cash to tip. I tip my room steward 50, my waiters 100, and give a dollar per drink.

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davidnlisa 7 years ago

Your welcome

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chad3936 7 years ago

best one yet...thank you DavidnLisa...I know this gonna be awesome

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chad3936 7 years ago

thank you bitch123 advice taken

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davidnlisa 7 years ago

Chad3936...I thought so, lol. Well you picked an excellent ship for your 1st cruise. You will find that your cabin steward will do an excellent job. Most know you by name, greet you when they see you and when you don't know..they still see you, lol. I was on Paradise to Cozumel one trip, came back fully saturated from tequila, did a dumb thing and got in the hot tub...headache from hell put me to bed by 9 lol. Next morning I dress and am waiting on hubs with my cabin door cracked my arm resting on the frame so from the hall thats all you see, my arm. All of a sudden I hear in an Indian accent, "Miss Lisa are you still alive?!" LOL How did he know I had a hangover, I never saw him when I went to bed? Lol My point of the story is relax, you will be fine. You can watch your spending using cash on your account. Budget your gratuities in then what is left is what you spend. Porters for luggage we give $1 per bag, $5 to our shuttle driver & room service we give $2-3 depending on how much we order. We keep $250 in our safe with one's. Usually spend $50-80 in port but thats optional, but usually gets is a few drinks, lunch or snack and souveniers or rented beach chairs. You can take the blue towels in the cabin with you but make sure you bring them back and are replaced after room serviced because you pay $22 if lost. Take advantage of free champagne if you like it at art shows. Also watch for liquor tastings, 1st night, it will be in your Fun Times and usually a couple more thru the week but those are limited people so go early. If you participate in games, shows etc you have a chance to win a bottle of bubbly. The Red Frog PUB had a beer pong tourny one night also. Buckets of beer are a little cheaper. Other than drinking a lot ,casino, Bingo or pay restaurants, you really don't have too spend much extra. We get Cheers because we totally pay more w/o it. Tip policy I have included it is a breakdown and if removed people like laundry, kitchen, towel people, etc do not get their share. Trust me they will make it worth your $ they work 12-16 hr shifts. They remember you. I just was called out on Sunshine by the Alchemy bartender who remembered me from 2 yrs ago on a other cruise. lol He makes the best key lime martini's! You can check your spending at the kiosks onboard print it out or on the HUB app to keep up with spending. You will be hooked! Relax & have fun! Here is the breakdown, per day: Housekeeping Team: $4.05 ($5.05 for suites) Dining Team: $6.40 Alternative Services: $2.50

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batch123 7 years ago

^^^^So you're in line at customer service on the last day with all the other losers removing your tips for all the hard working people behind the scenes who work to make your cruise great. Best you stay home from now on.

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bonna1shrum 7 years ago

We have been on many cruises, we have learned to not pay in advance but to pay cash to the room attendant, head waiter and assistant waiter. Otherwise it goes in a pot, then carnival chooses how much they get from that, with carnival possibly keeping some. This has worked out great and makes our people happy! They get to keep all the cash that is given directly to them.

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chad3936 7 years ago

thanks guys, may as well relax, no turning back now

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Weber7 7 years ago

I Prepay gratuities buy drinks package put that behind me and still tip a buck on each drink and also take care of room steward, room service etc etc. heck it's Vaca their working non stop I'm chilling

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cece1951 7 years ago

Gratuities have to paid on extras like drinks. So it has to be added to your spending budget. No getting around it.

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batch123 7 years ago

pre pay the gratuities before you cruise. I think it's $11 a day per person. Someone can correct me if needed. Then budget for drinks and misc stuff. Can't say I've ever spent more than $2-300 over the course of a week with my wife. Don't sweat it. Have fun and chillax.

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chad3936 7 years ago

No, I've never cruise before that's the thing and it scares me that on a limited budget I may mess up something I've always wanted to do for a longtime because of my inability to tip like required

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davidnlisa 7 years ago

Have you ever cruised before?

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chad3936 7 years ago

gratuity cover room Stewart and all workers behind the scenes...So why did I pay 2,300 bucks...just to be clear I'm not against tipping but as a practice I only tip when I am giving personal service that was exceptional, that goes above and behind... reason I'm concerned a friend wanted to tip a bell hop 10$ her husband thought that was too much and gave the guy 5$ and the never received their bags till 2 days later

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davidnlisa 7 years ago

Gratuities cover your roim steward & assistant, dining room waiters & Maitre' D and all workers behind the scenes making your cruise great.

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chad3936 7 years ago

that's what I've been asking too, we paid almost 200 bucks for gratuity and we still have 93 days to go and all I can hear is tip bell boy tip bartender, tip Porter, why was I charged that 200 in the first place

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davidnlisa 7 years ago

The bartender on Sunshine in the sports bar told me they are salaried workers but not sure how tips are done.

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cece1951 7 years ago

Apparently you did not have the package deal?? In that case every time you get a drink you pay the gratuity no matter who serves it.

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Weber7 7 years ago

right on, thanks

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batch123 7 years ago

no it's all put in a bucket and divided accordingly by their job type. Just like the other prepaid gratuities.

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Weber7 7 years ago

I normally tip even though I have cheers just wondering if the bartenders are getting the shaft.

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Weber7 7 years ago

I paid 919.08 for cheers 8 day sail that includes 15% gratuities. (2 people) This is pre service paid in full. How does that get tallied out for the bartenders? just curious bc I was thinking the bartenders were tip only paid.

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batch123 7 years ago

Carnival will not see this. Nor will they change policy. Every cruise line is the same.

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Weber7 7 years ago

That's a valid point.

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Other reviews of this sailing

Breeze fun

1st cruise

Was good.. If you plan to participate in games or shows make sure you look like a celebrity or else you go unnoticed!