Just Returned From Carnival Miracle - Long Post

I'll try to make this a mini-review but it may take on a life of it's own
once the typing begins.

This was the last sailing for the season from Jacksonville. We arrived
Thursday and stayed at the Holiday Inn (Airport) for 89.00 through
Expedia.com. Free shuttle to and from the airport and to the port. Free
parking for your car while you cruise, there are other hotels nearby that
offer the same deal. To get the shuttle back to the hotel after the cruise
and to use the shuttle from the hotel back to the airport is a charge of
10.00. You'll pay at the front desk, get a receipt and also a separate
voucher to give to the shuttle drivers. You must have both to go to hotel
and then to the airport after the cruise.

The hotel was very nice with an indoor/ outdoor pool, and beautifully laid
out lobby. We had a delayed flight after the cruise and the lobby was
perfect for relaxing before shuttling to the airport. The restaurant food
was forgettable. There is a convenience store and Waffle House that are
easy walking distance from the hotel.

Our taxi driver to the port told us they're building a new dock for Carnival
to the left of the bridge due to the bridge being so low. Carnival has to
wait for low tide to sail coming and going. On our way out it looked like
there was a 2 foot clearance and cars slowed to a crawl as we passed under
them.

The Miracle is the same design as the Pride and Spirit but we like the
Miracle much better, that could have been due to the great service and
attitudes of the employees too. Everyone seemed very relaxed and glad to
see us. We saw some familiar faces and one who had been promoted since we
had last cruised with him.

Our room (5203) was clean and laid out the same as the rest of the regular
balcony rooms, two seats and a table on the balcony, midship, right by the
elevators. You could hear chairs being moved around and doors opening and
shutting on other's balconies. I minded it, DH never heard any of it.

Pluses: Food was generally very good on the Lido and in the dining rooms.
There is a Sushi Bar set up daily from 5:00-8:00 that is away from the Lido,
outside MacGuire's Sports Bar. We found it accidentally as we walked around
the ship on the second day. Very good and something they will probably be
charging extra for the next time we sail. There is a coffee/espresso bar in
the Lido area too, this is an extra charge but worth it after a night of
partying.

The Phantom Orchestra in the main show room was fantastic, we heard them
during the Captain's Party and also the Return Cruiser's Party playing big
band and more recent music. They were great accompaniment to both parties
without being intrusive. The singers in Nick and Nora's Dinner Club and the
deck band were great, too.

We don't do shows often but were forced to go to the Beatles Show, it was
enjoyable and I'm sure that other's would say it was worth the price of
admission.

The newer Carnival ships have impressive workout rooms, plenty of treadmills
for running or walking. The weight machines are spaced far enough apart
that you don't feel crowded, they are new and easy to use. I ran one day on
the treadmill and the rest of the days on the track outside. What a view in
the morning!

Plenty of deck chairs were available, although the pool area seating was
filled by 10:00 a.m. the upper decks had lots of unused lounges. There is
seating on rockable chairs around the pools and also another type of chair
on the desk above the pools that are in the shade and very comfortable for
reading or just watching the pool activities. There is a lot of wind on the
upper level and the towels tended to blow around, I took clips along that
hold the towel to the chair and had no problems.

Minuses: The deck band is very loud, if you are in that area of the pool
you won't be able to sleep. Either the pool to the front or the one on the
back of the ship are better if you want to rest while tanning. You'll still
hear the music but it's not as annoying. They also could accommodate more
deck chairs by losing the dance space in front of the deck band, but the
decibel level is too high in that area.

There were tables in the Lido dining area that seemed to have a direct line
to the air conditioning unit, we had to move to escape a cold blast more
than once.

The decks around the pool areas should have been power hosed each night, we
could see where people had spilled drinks and decks hadn't been cleaned to
get rid of the sticky residue. We've seen the power cleaning, or at least a
good washing with a hose and mop, done on all of our other cruises.

Nick and Nora's Dinner Club is not worth it. The service was not what
we've had in the past, even though we saw some of the same employees that
had worked in other Dinner clubs on Carnival ships! We also had an incident
concerning a bottle of wine that had been ordered and signed for earlier in
the day. At the dinner they had no record of it being ordered and there was
a "disturbance" in the staff, sign and sail card had to be pulled out and
run again - totally inappropriate. There were other flaws through out the
dinner that simply should not have been. Avoid the dinner club, at least
on this ship, it's not worth the extra charge. The only consistency we saw
from other ships was the beautiful presentation of the food on the plates.
Hats off to the chefs.

Honestly that is all I can remember as far as negatives/minuses.

Ports: Cozumel - Taxied to Chankanaab Park to snorkel, went back to the
ship to shower, change clothes, eat lunch, then off the boat to walk around
the shops for a while. Fat Tuesdays got wild in the evening with crews from
Triumph and Miracle partying - Big Fun. We didn't go into town this time so
I can't say if there are any changes worth noting.

Costa Maya - Got off the ship early and walked through the shopping area
(follow it around to the left) to the beach. They have a swim up pool for
drinks, another pool down by the ocean and a small beach at the ocean. The
lounge chairs are free, the waiters are ready to serve you whatever you need
to eat or drink. Massages are offered in a space to the right by a
uniformed woman who has a curtained outdoor "room". I forget the 15 minute
price but it was 25.00 for 30 mins.

This was our first time in Costa Maya and I loved it. Everything was CLEAN,
and easily accessible, there were restaurant/bars in the shopping area for
relaxing and listening to the music, one had a live band that sounded
alright.

Freeport - Not much to see here, got off the ship and took a cab for 5.00
to the Port Lucaya shopping places. Walked through the Sheraton and Westin
across the street to the beach - it was beautiful and would be an option for
a land vacation. Hopped a cab back to the ship and laid in the sun.

Overall - A very relaxing cruise that covered all of my requirements in a
vacation: Warm weather, friendly, accommodating service, and an escape
from our daily routine. We feel like we've been gone for two weeks! On a
scale of 1-10, this cruise was a 9.

Nancy

On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 11:10:46 -0400, "I Caramba" I
wrote:



We don't do shows often but were forced to go to the Beatles Show, it was
enjoyable and I'm sure that other's would say it was worth the price of
admission.

Does Carnival charge for shows now?


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

"Mason Barge" wrote in message
news
We don't do shows often but were forced to go to the Beatles Show, it was
enjoyable and I'm sure that other's would say it was worth the price of
admission.

Does Carnival charge for shows now?


Mason Barge


No, I was being facetious. It costs nothing so we wouldn't have been upset
if we hadn't enjoyed it. The voices were excellent and the dancing was well
choreographed. We had a swell time, worth the price of admission!

Nancy

"I Caramba" I wrote in message
...
I'll try to make this a mini-review but it may take on a life of it's own
once the typing begins.

Thanks for the interesting review, Nancy.
By the way, what gave you the impression that there will be a charge for
sushi in the future?

--Jean

On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 15:33:42 GMT, "Jean O'Boyle"
wrote:

Thanks for the interesting review, Nancy.
By the way, what gave you the impression that there will be a charge for
sushi in the future?

Thanks for asking that, Jean. Very important.

rolling eyes

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
. ..

Thanks for the interesting review, Nancy.
By the way, what gave you the impression that there will be a charge for
sushi in the future?

--Jean


Jean, It seems that they're looking for specialty items that people would
be willing to pay extra to have available to them. They have the chocolate
delicacies stand (chocolate covered strawberries, cups made of chocolate
with fruits in them, etc...), this year they made the espresso an extra
charge at dinner, it used to be free. They have the coffee bar built right
in at the Lido deck and it's very similar to Starbucks (they charge).

The sushi used to be an item Carnival offered in the International corner of
Lido once or twice a week. Now it's a free standing, Oriental designed,
street cart and is situated away from the Lido tucked into a place removed
from the other food on board the ship. It looks like a specialty item that
they would charge to serve. Maybe I'm wrong, I'd be happy if it never
happened!

~N~

On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 15:44:52 -0400, "I Caramba" I
wrote:

The sushi used to be an item Carnival offered in the International corner of
Lido once or twice a week. Now it's a free standing, Oriental designed,
street cart and is situated away from the Lido tucked into a place removed
from the other food on board the ship. It looks like a specialty item that
they would charge to serve. Maybe I'm wrong, I'd be happy if it never
happened!

Hi Nancy,

I would not doubt that some day they may charge. That being said,
they have had it as a free standing operation on some of their ships
for years and do not charge.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com

"I Caramba" I wrote in message
...

Jean, It seems that they're looking for specialty items that people
would
be willing to pay extra to have available to them. They have the
chocolate
delicacies stand (chocolate covered strawberries, cups made of chocolate
with fruits in them, etc...),

Nancy, I think I remember this on all the ships that I have cruised on. A
confectionary shop of sorts with wonderful looking pastries that they always
charged extra for.


The sushi used to be an item Carnival offered in the International corner
of
Lido once or twice a week. Now it's a free standing, Oriental designed,
street cart and is situated away from the Lido tucked into a place removed
from the other food on board the ship. It looks like a specialty item
that
they would charge to serve. Maybe I'm wrong, I'd be happy if it never
happened!

I remember this as a separate cart also on other Carnival ships. Once it was
at one of the end stations of the buffet. But never a charge and as you
posted, I hope they don't start. If they start adding on things that one
must pay for everywhere that you turn, cruising will be an entirely
different experience. I dislike wondering where on the ship, there are
charging and non charging areas. It will be more like a land vacation and
shopping in a mall instead of boarding and knowing everything has been paid
for except your bar drinks, spa charges, casino and shore excursions if you
take them.. To me, the relaxation a cruise provides is knowing that all the
rest is inclusive. That is one reason I am adamant about not going to the
specialty restaurants. If more people would boycott them, they would not be
lucrative enough to continue. I feel quality food should be served in the
dining room and the more that people accept paying extra to get the food
that they should already be served in the dining room, the more nickel and
diming there will be.

--Jean

Thanks much for your review, Nancy.

Howie - Really glad to see some Neon back on Carnival.