Overall it was good. Everyone should see Hawaii. Fun!
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Once through the security area it usually gets quicker but not true in Long Beach. Not sure what the hold up was. Maybe the sheer number of scooters, walkers, and strollers held up embarkation.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
MDR was great as it always is. Good variety to choose from. Tasty foods I wouldn’t normally prepare at home, even though I’m a foodie. I asked that hot food be served hot and cold food served cold—no medium temp foods—and everything was as I asked for on the first night. Didn’t splurge on the Chef’s table or Nick & Nora’s as we were happy with MDR. Buffet was good but usually had a salad or burger at Guys or sandwich.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Husband worked out in the gym daily and commented that it was clean and there were always attendants around to give advice & answer questions. Used the hot tub a couple of times and other than the few kids in and out it was fine. Didn’t do any of the games or contests. Just not our thing.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Best music of the cruise was in the Red Frog Pub. If you don’t go listen to Alterr Jam you’re missing out. Good rock and roll music. Wide variety of songs. They took all of our requests. And did a special number for our friends wedding anniversary. Super considerate people. Loved joking around with them outside of the Frog. Stage shows we’re good. But does the music really need to be that LOUD??? I noticed that in all venues—especially at the Alchemy Bar. Waaaay too loud there. Couldn’t carry on a conversation to visit with other guests. Attended almost all the comedy shows. Best were John Wesley Austin and the 2 females whose names I didn’t write down.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our MDR waiters/servers couldn’t have been any better—Nyoman, Feri, and Angelito were the best. Room steward—Jay was the same way. They all called us by name after the first day and treated us like royalty. Simply the best! Thanks, Guys!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Having cruised on several of the Freedom class ships, it took a while to get used to this layout. Weird but functional. For a older ship Carnival Miracle has been well maintained. Crew members were constantly cleaning and keeping things orderly. Totally appreciate the effort being taken by all daily.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Size was normal for a cruise ship. Other than sleeping and showering we usually aren’t in the cabin much. The bed was comfy. Although it would be great if they could figure out a way to eliminate the crack between the twin beds! The room was always maintained and very clean.
Ship tip
Book early. Do your research into excursions and book them early too.
Did the Pearl Harbor, City Sightseeing & Waikiki Shopping Excursion. Pearl Harbor was soul-stirring. The only bad thing was the windy conditions prevented us from going out to the Arizona Memorial. We had purchased tickets for that early but were unable to use them. The museum and memorials were beautiful. After that—the tour fell apart. Bus driver took us downtown during the 5:00 traffic. There had to be another less-traveled way to go. Tour guide Joe was awful. Told us about his health problems but neglected to tell us about the PunchBowl military cemetery or any of the beautiful buildings in the downtown area. Had to read the signs outside them. Waikiki was ok but it was getting dark so didn’t get to experience much. And No bathroom breaks. Not a good plan.
Did the Kings, Waterfalls, & Trains excursion. It was ok. Not sure where the Kings part fit in as it wasn’t discussed heavily. Train ride was lame. Being farmers from the Midwest and having heard on previous tours about how much damage the feral pigs were doing to the islands, I find it difficult to understand why they feed feral pigs from the stop on the train. As it was Sunday there wasn’t much open at the farm—no food stand and limited gift store. We took the free shuttle to a shopping area and enjoyed the local stores and restaurants along the beach.
This port was good. Excursion—Maui’s North Shore & Waterfall Nature Walk & Lunch. Good trip for the money. Tour guide Tim took us to a beach area to look at sea turtles and surfers. Then to the waterfalls and a great walk thru the woods. Lunch at a private restaurant was delicious and the shopping was fun. Just the right amount of time.
Tropical Farm Tour & Rainbow Falls tour was the best of the 4 we took while in Hawaii. Tour guide Zach was great. Super well-informed. The OK Ranch was such an interesting place to visit. Walking thru all the spice trees and plants was a true experience. The waterfalls were beautiful. Loved being able to sample the fruits and nuts. And being able to purchase items grown on their farm was great. Best!
If it wasn’t required to stop in a foreign port, this should be skipped. Totally. The number of children selling trinkets in the streets was heart breaking. We spent about an hour in Ensenada then went back to the shop.
It was ok. Difficult to monitor those folks who are anxious to get off but ignore the usual schedule. We have used self assist for most of our cruises. It works pretty well.
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