Carnival Pride, 7/10

Item: Carnival Pride
Rating: 2
Author: merceda

Carnival Pride Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

merceda

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 46

Overall rating:

2 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Baltimore Roundtrip)

Sail date: July 10, 2016

Ship: Carnival Pride

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 1124

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

Favorite part of the cruise was not having to fly somewhere to arrive at the ship. Sailing out of Baltimore was awesome. However, all the people responsible for design the ship with a stateroom beneath a pub, to the decorator who decided not to carpet the pub (think chairs being dragged and bumped) to the party responsible for assigning a family with a 7 y.o. in the stateroom immediately beneath the pub, to the people at guest services who somehow 'forgot' we complained the first time, to housekeeping who has to move the chairs to clean, I'm just not sure at 6 a.m. ... all those people, and anyone else, should be made to sleep in Pride stateroom 1124 for a week of sailing. And whoever makes the decision to turn off the water/lemonade/iced tea/ice machines and remove the cups from the pool deck at 8 p.m., even though the pool is open until 10 p.m.? should have to go without beverages for a twelve hour stretch. And given how old the Pride is, I'm pretty sure I'm not the first to complain about these things. And then disembarking via the tender, and at the end of the cruise ... took way longer than it should have. Three hours to get everyone off the ship ... God help us if there had been an emergency.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Best prime rib I've ever had. Otherwise, the food was nothing special. And the cookies that were available after lunch, and no other time was a bit of a bummer. The most annoying was no water/lemonade/iced tea/ice, nor cups, from the machines on the pool deck after 8 p.m. Why????

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Children's Programs

3 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

The staff were great, entertaining. Unfortunately, it took a long time for dinner to be served, and that meant getting to the movie after it started, unless guests wanted to leave dinner early. Carnival needs to work on better coordination. And we traveled with two other parties, booked at the same time. Somehow, we were seated at different tables. So went to guest services (another nearly hour long wait) only to find out I have to speak with the maître d at dinner. Maybe having a guest service liaison casing the line and asking people the purpose for their visit would diminish the line, and certainly would have diminished my ill will for having waited in line for nothing.

Ship Quality

1 out of 5

See above comments regarding a stateroom beneath an uncarpeted pub and assigning a family with a 7 y.o. in said stateroom. Also, the smell of sewage coming up either the toilet or shower drain was pretty gross.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Kamong was very attentive, quick, and has a great memory. The Normandie servers were humorous and also have great memories for names and other details (though I know this particular comment is about the cabin). No issues with the room itself, just its location beneath a pub. My 7 y.o. had bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep by the 3rd morning of the cruise. It's an easy solution and not all that expensive. Put carpets on the floor of the pub, and don't bunk small children beneath it. There were plenty of other inebriated adults who could have gotten by in those conditions.

Ship tip

The prime rib was phenomenal. However, find out what surrounds your stateroom. A good night's sleep can make less than desirable situations tolerable. Location, location, location. Coordination needs to be improved.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Baltimore, Maryland

5 out of 5

Sailing out of Baltimore was awesome, convenient.

Thumbs Up 2

Grand Turk Island

5 out of 5

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

5 out of 5

Freeport, Grand Bahama Island

3 out of 5

35 Comments

nursetami 8 years ago

Download a Spa Sounds Ap on your phone, keep it plugged in, loop it and listen to that all night. works for me! 😊

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oldefunk57 8 years ago

This was our second cruise. I've used Travelocity every time. Using Travelocity allowed us to make a deposit and gave us time to pay it off. I highly recommend Travelocity.

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oldefunk57 8 years ago

I understand about the ice tea situation on the pride. We just got back Sunday and we experienced the same thing. I'm thinking that those machines were shut down around 8pm, to give cleaning personnel time to have that section of the ship cleaned in a timely fashion. That's just my thought.

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kbiedlingmaier 8 years ago

Note to everyone: Do a little research, book carefully and early, orient yourself on the ship (where are beverages, food, entertainment, etc.), keep your expectations reasonable, and finally be determined to have fun. Follow these rules and you'll have a great trip every time. Don't follow these rules and you'll end up thirsty under the noisy pub for a week.

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CruiserKel 8 years ago

We're on the 7th deck as well

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klocke1952 8 years ago

I made sure there were cabins above and below us. See you in 26 days.

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dkane882 8 years ago

Always do your research before booking your vacation. It will save you from your misery.

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Cynthe 8 years ago

I misread the tender part, I read it as tendering at the end of the cruise. I just reread it and got myself unconfused.

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mfishers 8 years ago

The only place they'd use a tender at on that cruise is Half Moon Cay, and it's like that with all the private islands. You didn't look into the location of you cabin, and it's not the cruise lines job to do it or anticipate your sleeping issues or the fact that you have a 7 year old. We've been on many cruises, and while things don't always go as planned and sometimes there are problems, we have always thoroughly enjoyed everyone. But we're not picky picky picky or think everyone has to wait on us hand and foot.

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dkysor 8 years ago

Ok one more it takes time to get everyone through customs, remember the less stuff you have to declare the faster it goes.

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dkysor 8 years ago

Pay more get nicer room

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dkysor 8 years ago

I love the pride third cruise in 13 days, we have always stayed on the 7th floor no problems,

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

Yes we like it. Only a 2 hour drive to the port. We have met some great people on the ship.

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CruiserKel 8 years ago

Cool , Woodbuilder. You've been on the Pride many times, guessing it's good.

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Cynthe 8 years ago

Now we've never had a problem with that, some people do which I understand.

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sandrakaymorgan 8 years ago

And not too close to the elevator!

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Cynthe 8 years ago

I go through the website and book our cabins also. I've learned to try and book a cabin between two passenger decks so you don't have all that extra noise from the public spaces

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sandrakaymorgan 8 years ago

I did not use an agent...booked through Carnival...I picked the type room and a map of the floor showed up. Before I locked one in I went to the ships legend and saw what was around, above and below. Then I chose my room.

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Cynthe 8 years ago

sandrakaymorgan I was wondering how they booked? Did they book guaranteed? I mean you take what cabin they give you. If not they didn't do their homework and check where the cabin was before booking it.

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sandrakaymorgan 8 years ago

This site is for cruisers...you need to take this to Carnival...they do not monitor this. Next cruise check where your room is..if there is something above or below you request a change then. You can find the ship layout on their website. Hope your next trip is better..hard to enjoy yourself with little sleep.

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

See you on board.

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horton50 8 years ago

Bermuda September 4th

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Cynthe 8 years ago

I did not like the Sunshine. We sailed it last year, not again.

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

Didn't like the sunshine.

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Cynthe 8 years ago

We've been wanting to do Bermuda and not on the Sunshine. Also we've been wanting to sail the Pride

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

Bermuda Sep 4.

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

We are on the Splendor Nov 27

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Cynthe 8 years ago

We get the Splendor in 61 dates and can't wait, 432 until the Pride to Bermuda,

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

Me too. Going with you! Should be a great cruise.

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CruiserKel 8 years ago

Never been on the Pride, so looking forward to Jan 2 147 more days.

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Cynthe 8 years ago

Never been out of Baltimore since we live in Florida, but I want to try the Pride.

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

I agree! !!

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Cynthe 8 years ago

Disembarking via a tender at the end of the cruise? Now you've got me confused.

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woodbuilder 8 years ago

I have been on the Pride 6 times. I have never had your problems. Going 3 more times this year.

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CruiserKel 8 years ago

I like your comment about sailing out of Baltimore, it gets ugly after that.

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