It was a very enjoyable and relaxing cruise. We have sailed with Carnival 17 times including Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico and Santa Catalina Island.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Carnival has made great improvements to the embarcation process a few years ago
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Main dining room and buffet were great, as usual. But the sushi bar was a bit of a let down. It's just a small counter in the buffet area and the service was a bit slow. Although the food was good, the portions seemed smaller than was expected. Also it was served in a cardboard box (takeout style) which was not expected. I liked the sushi bar on the Radiance much better. Although it is also a counter in the buffet area, they have a small alcove of tables set aside for service and your order is placed with a server, restaurant style. The food is served on dishes as in a restaurant and the table is adorned with decorations. (You can also walk up to the counter and get a take-out style box if you prefer.)
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I enjoyed the steam room in the men's locker area. The sexes are segregated on the Miracle so you don't feel conspicuous wearing a towel or you can enjoy it Korean style in the nude like I do.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
My wife and I both commented that the stage show was not alarm-blaringly loud this time. It made the show much more enjoyable.
Children's Programs
We be emancipated.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our room steward was very accommodating. One day we needed to stay in to attend a phone conference during the time he would normally be cleaning our room, and I told him to just change the towels, but he would not allow us to be inconvenienced. He still gave us complete service when we were finally able to get out. And I really liked our dining room waiter. Several times he surprised me with an extra dish just because I mentioned that I really liked a certain thing.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We have sailed on the Miracle at least three times and I like the layout. Our room was midship nearing aft right next to the elevators and it made it so convenient to get to anywhere. PS - we were never bothered by noise from the elevators. I was a little concerned about that when we booked, but I really liked the outcome. Especially because my wife is slightly limited in the amount of walking she can tolerate for a given time.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This room is slightly bigger than a regular balcony room. I think they classify it as a small suite. And it had a slightly larger balcony area that included two chairs, a table, and a chaise lounge.
Ship tip
Don't overpack. Just have fun and enjoy the food and the service and the thrill of being in a floating city on the ocean!
Only Carnival sails from Long Beach. All the other cruise ships sail from San Pedro. That make the port much less crowded and parking is in a five-story structure directly adjacent to the terminal. Couldn't be better.
We hired a bike taxi directly from the port (not through Carnival) for $50. The rider took us on a several mile tour of the city stopping to describe points of interest. He stopped at a sidewalk bar where we got a couple of margaritas to take with us and then took us to a souvenir shop where we shopped and had a free tequila tasting. On the return trip he took us to a restaurant and dropped us off for an hour to enjoy lunch and then picked us up to take us back to the port. He was very flexible and gave us a choice on what we wanted to see or do. I gave him a generous tip for his excellent tour and the effort he expended lugging around a couple of overweight Americans!
We did the Bar Hopping tour available from Carnival. It was a bus ride that included a stop at three bars that each served a complimentary drink. It turned out that all three bars were next to each other on the same street in downtown Ensenada! That's not what I was expecting, but it was fun, nevertheless and we did get the drinks. We also got some tacos and additional drinks at the last bar where everyone in the group was dancing. It was a lot of fun, but a bit a little over the top for my wife and I who average about 70 years old.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
