CBuick

Gold Rock Beach looks really nice. I am guilty of being one of those that stay on the ship in those two locations. For private ports like Grand Turk and Amber Cove one can leave the trip and walk to the beach, where as Freeport and Nassau an excursion might nessasary for a similar experience. I know some cruisers that like to have any empty ship for a day.

I do hope on the larger new ships, 180,000 ton ones. They go back to the large spa like the one on the Dream ships. I recall original plans had the large spa, and it was shrunk down (Thellaso pool removed) when built. I guess that counts as a removal (cut back)- even though it cost more to use it.

I have a couple more Seafood Shack questions. Do the lobster rolls only come cold or can you order them CT style (warm).

Has anyone tried the clam strips? My parents are nostalgic for the old Howard Johnson's strips - though I am certain those would have to have been frozen.

Did they have Superstar Live - or is that indeed done on the Magic?

Can't complain if it is. I got a nice lanyard and two great experiences singing Oasis's Wonderwall.

Yes, another Vista Class and two 180,000 ton ships. Interested to see what those ships are going to have. These are supposed to be 6,000 passenger ships so they will compete with Oasis class and Breakaway plus in the passenger counts. If I were to guess, I would say they would have the same venues only on a larger scale, and they would go more in the direction of very large waterworks (AIDA has a lazy river so that might be a feature) as opposed to "Central Park". I think they are happy with their layout template, and they aren't going to be looking to start from scratch as they did with Breeze and then Sunshine. I do hope they do add a little more fun theme designs. They don't need to go all out back to Farcus, but some fun here and there would be refreshing. The Havana Bar designs do give me some hope.

I don't know if anyone else remembers the Pinnacle Project, but it was a plan that predated the Oasis class.

It would have been nice, but I think it is better they invested in upgrading existing ships venues (Red Frog, Guys Burgers, Bonsai), and established more private ports (Amber Cove, Mahagony Bay). Having a super liner like that can also mean a much varied experience between ships - It is frequently stated the Oasis experience is very different than other ships. Carnivals latest changes have been able to give a better experience across the fleet.

I am also interested in Carnival's plans for a private Grand Bahama port.

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Carnival-finalizes-Grand-Bahama-cruise-destination

They are saying it will be the most expensive private cruise port, so I think it might be like Amber Cove - only bigger and better.

Also it appears the Splendor will be going away. Which will be joy to people that hated the pink, but sadness for those of us that saw the cool things that ship had to offer (awesome spot, and some interesting 1930s inspired themes. Don't forget that awesome covered amidships pool area.)

I can't tell what the local American Table choices will be but this 7 day menu from this site can help for the basic American Table Menu http://www.zydecocruiser.net/CarnivalFreedomBC9/menu/mdr_menu.html. The menu followed my cruise last April on the Pride pretty closely. Unless they update the buffet it should be the International Themed Chefs Choice. The Pride is also unique in they have a Chopsticks section in the buffet area like other Spirit Class shipos. I can't find a definitive location for the Chefs Choice and Chop sticks, but google image searches can bring up menu boards for those.

I agree - I have 2 kinds of people on my ignore list:

 

1. Those who add nothing to the conversation because they are speaking only to inflame;

I agree. Though at least in a forum u can block them.

On my last Pride trip there was this woman that would tell everyone how much she loved the Anthem and Quantum and everything wrong with this cruise and Carnival. She would corner any random person that would listen

I think someone at the Margaritaville pool in Grand Turk finally told her off.

Sorry you are having an issue. I really like my planner. He only called me once, but I have called him the last two times. I think the cruise planner program can work great if you have a good planner

Though I stayed on the ship last time in Nassau. I did enjoy Atlantis. If u can't go for the water park at least do the quick tour. My first tour I had a great guide that took her time.

The sculptures in the casino and the aquarium are very nice. I haven't been to Freeport in some time, but I did a good beach excursion. (I wish I had the name)

Cool to see they have lockers there. I haven't used them in the past, but I may use one next time.

I really like HMC. Hope u enjoyed it as much as I have the past two times.

Carnival has a great staff! I love the ships and their layouts. Having sailed other lines, I always go back to Carnival. Lunch on Lido, MDR and Steakhouse beats the other lines. Royal nickel and dimes you plus its like a mall. Not a fan of their layout at all. I want ocean. Johnny Rockets? I don't eat that at home. Carnival has good pricing, I only book suites and they are affordable on Carnival. HAL used to be good but totally cut out entertainment and their food has gone downhill. Carnival Staff is the best at sea!

 

 

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I agree 100%. I haven't done a suite yet, but I have always thought I have gotten great service. I also love their food.

I do see some gripe about Carnival's layouts. On one hand the aft MDR might be a little more difficult to get to on the ships that have 2 dining rooms, but they are better at accomodating more guests for early dining. Another gripe is that Carnival has nothing to compare to RCL's Royal Promenade, but the three banks of elevators on Carnival vs. two on RCL means less walking.

I do wish Carnival's future ships would do something a little more to compete with the Solarium on RCL's ships on future builds. Though I liked the Thallaso Pool on Splendor - (also on Dream class), it looks to be scaled back on the Vista Class.

Havana Bar and Alchemy Bar are definitely winners. I do like how the Havana Bar on the sunshine helps the Lido Dining experience.

Looking forward to hearing about your thoughts about the food. Though the pool/spa set up and decor is my least favorite of all Carnival ships, I really like the Sunshine's food.

Alchemy is not your average bar though. I think RCI rebranding the Champagne Bar to R Bar is in response to the Alchemy theme.

I agree on that observation R Bar. I was a bit suprised they went in that direction. My brand impression of RCL is they went for an exclusive Main Line or Hamptons vibe with the Scooner Bar and Windjammer theming. The members only signage helped reinforce that policy and theming.

I felt that Carnival was alot more populist in its policies and branding. Which goes back to the discussion of their frequent guest benefits.

The Champagne Bar fit that core branding in my opinion, much like the parties where guests wear all white.

The differences in the branding is the reason I cannot say a newer Carnival ship will be better than anothing older RCL, or visa versa. I feel the programs may appeal to some people over others.

Same with airlines. Alot of ppl may prefer the more populist branding of Southwest, with an exception of a very high tier elite flyer on a trunk airline.

I went on a NYC cruise that came in empty. Embarkation will be easy.

Though Liberty is a much newer ship, I think there is more research needed to figure out which cruise line would be better for you. If someone asked me if I would chose Carnival Fantasy over RCL's Freedom of the Seas (not something would happen but if it did I would take the Fantasy). I would end up taking the Carnival one because it is the line I like.

Here is some Help

For if you want to see if Carnival Food is more up your alley check this out:

https://www.zydecocruiser.net/menus/CarnivalCruiseLineMenus.htm

I don't have an equivalent for RCL, but under Oasis they have some MDR menus

https://www.******************.com/menus

This link has a 3 Day Fun Times (don't see a 4 day) -- It's the daily schedule

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2454530

Here they actually have a Cruise Compass for the 4 day Majesty

https://www.******************.com/cruise-compasses/majesty-of-the-seas/mon-2017-05-29-0000

I do love the Splendor. I am glad I didn't listen to the haters that don't like pink.

My next cruise is in a little over 130 days. It is on the Pride. Looking forward to Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay. Freeport is also a stop. I have heard rumors that Carnival is going to open a new port in Freeport. Interested to hear what they are looking to do for that port.

From research it does appear as though NCL's innovations are more successful than RCL. The studio cabin concept is an excellent answer to a common issue. Much more thoughtful than the bionic bar. Their Spa suite also looks very impressive.

Also, it appears as though NCL does have a an impresive food roster, albeit most of the onboard surcharge restaurants do seem a little too close to comfort to land prices (though the 4.50 Chow Fun looks like a good deal). Some of the other specialty menus do look promising, though Teppanyaki doesn't seem as appetizing as my local choices. The Brazilian Steakhouse The MDR menus do look good, but menus do not always convey execution.

At the moment I am a little too enamored with my experiences and my costs for comparible Carnival Cruises (sorry Grandeur of the Seas doesn't even get good reviews from my RCCL snob friends) to try anything else. I also feel as though the provide a much better food value for the money. That is looking to include specialty dining at the moment.

I do realize that the cost story might be different in other areas of the country - Such as in Texas and Florida where there are many choices compared to the Mid Atlantic region.

I love the Pride too (I think we now consider that our "home" ship). On the Pride I recommend taking a look a Chopsticks each day to check out their offerings. I've had some very tasty dishes from there. Now I kind of wish that instead of Bonsai Sushi, it was a JiJi's on the Pride though :cool:

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I liked Chopsticks okay, but nowhere near as much as Ji Ji's. I can understand why they have Bonsai, as Sushi is really popular with everyone else but myself. I saw an expanded Bonsai Menu that included noodle bowls, tempura and skewers. Probably a good choice for wimps like me that don't eat sushi. ;)

Also, I would like to see Carnival go full time in NYC. One of my most memorable trips was sailing out of NYC on the Splendor during a snow storm. It was cool sitting in the hot tub as the snow flakes fell.

I am in the Mid Atlantic region. So the top choices would be Pride out of Baltimore or Sunshine out of NYC. I have driven to Charleston for a 7 day on the Fantasy. For NCL it would be the Breakaway. RCL is the Anthem - the class of ship that was RCL's answer to NCL's Freestyle Cruising. Both of the typical 7 day itenerarys for NCL and RCL are Port Canaveral, Nassau and the Private Island. (Grand Stirrup or Coco Cay). Yes, Atlantis is something everyone should get to visit at least once - I saw it twice.

I have become a little spoiled with the Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Nassau / Freeport Itenerary. It is really awesome to be able to get off the ship at two ports and walk right up to the beach. Oddly enough the Pride has the best ports and is the best priced of all three options (RCL, NCL and Carnival) out of the Mid-Atlantic region. I do want to try some other itenerarys such as one that includes Amber Cove and Western Caribbean, so I am going to eventually have to bite the bullet and fly or make a drive to Port Canaveral.

I should make myself clear I really did want to like RCL. I really wanted to try Labadee and see have the "Oasis" experience. But my one trip had so many little things wrong that I haven't been able to even think about spending more to try another line. I feel Carnival has the perfect product for me, and as an added bonus they are the best priced.

1. I love the value of Carnival. The Prices for the cruises, and just about anything one would want to purchase on the cruise are a great value.

2. The staff is always very friendly and laid back. This includes the booking staff. I have a cruise planner that I really enjoy dealing with. I had tried a competing cruise line and found their staff to be very unfriendly.

3. I enjoy the food on Carnival. I had tried a competitor and despite their premium claims - I found their food to be poor to fair. I don't see to many pictures of food on the site for that line.

4. I like the short entertainment options. Though other lines may offer 2 hour shows, I prefer to catch a short show and a good comedy show.

5. The comedians are really good.

6. The clientel is very laid back, I can frequently meet nice laid back people on Carnival Cruises.

7. I actually think despite Carnival's laid back attitude, they run a tight ship and follow standards closely. On the competitors cruise I found there were many instances where doors were held open showing the stark "crew only" areas, and I could witness alot more employees on break in public areas.

8. I like the Carnival Brand. I like how they are coming up with cool innovations - especially with bars, food and shows - that can be brought onto other ships. I feel the competitor (RCCL in case you haven't figured it out yet) offers a much more varied experience between the Oasis, Freedom, Voyager, Jewel and Vision class than Carnival does it's Dream, Conquest, Fantasy and Spirit class.

Bottom line: I can trust Carnival for a good fun relaxing trip.

I realized that I had a couple of photos from my Sunshine Cruise. Though the Wagyu at Ji Ji's is a good choice. I remember the Peppered Beef being very tasty. It comes with a little "Bird's Nest" pastry on top. We also got the wide noodles, which are good, but not as wide as they thought they would be - like the Pappardelle that they have for brunch.

Speaking of which I always try to grab the Pappardelle at least once for Brunch in the MDR. It seems the announcements the Italian Captain's make always put me in the mood for rich Italian food. I can't help myself.

If one doesn't try the Steakhouse, I have to at least recomend going to the cooking demo. One of my favorites is the Mushroom Capuccino. I will say I thought the crew member on the Pride - Matey was the best at leading the cooking demonstration. The Sunshine Demo was still good though.

Even though I didn't give 555 a try, I did do a steakhouse selection. It was a short trip, and I felt like Lobster. I also had some fries - because why not? I'll try to be healthier next cruise. :halo: I'll try the String Beans Side.....with Bacon.;).

This is only a small sampling of the great meals I had on the Sunshine. Though I liked the Sunshine, my next trip is booked on the Pride in the fall.

Thanks for the awesome review Meatloafsfan. Sorry about the issue you had with the accessability. We enjoyed Ji Ji so much our first night we did it a second night. I agree the pork belly and the wagyu is worth the price of admission. Though the Sunshine isn't my most favorite ship - I like the old school loud ships, I really enjoyed the food. The empanadas in the Havana club weer a special treat.

I was never really big on Carnival's International themed lunch buffet (I believe they call it Chef's Choice), but I was a really big fan of the Comfort Kitchen on the Sunshine. I can't wait until they bring that on other ships!

Between the food and my father liking the Epic Rock Show, I may consider another one on the Sunshine.

So you are freely admitting that Royal intentionally gouges its guests because "hey we know they will pay it!" Got it :)

 

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I agree on the pricing. Aside from a pretty disappointing trip on the Liberty of the Seas a few years back (bad food, hassled and moody crew. I could write a book), Pricing has also kept me from giving RCL another try. It isn't only the cabin prices.

Although I am one of those people that said I would never pay for food on a cruise ship, Carnival's prices on surcharge food are downright reasonable. Bonsai and JiJi Asian Kitchen are really well priced compared to Itzumi. ($6 for won ton soup on RCL, $4 for the awesome Wagyu Kakuni on CCL) Even the relatively inexpensive character breakfast is twice as much on RCL. If you want Lobster at Chops its another $21 on top of the $4 extra dollars you paid over Carnival's Steakhouse. I also noticed how RCL sells drink packages on the website they offer the cheaper soda package, when you get on the ship they don't advertise it, and only try to sell you the pricier ones.

Yes the Oasis ship classes look incredible and Labadee sounds like alot of fun. I don't feel like paying a premium for a cabin, and then a higher premium if I want anything extra.

We had the chateaubriand on the Legend in April.

 

 

 

Cool. Was it the American Table Menu or the older menu?

I would love to go on the Legend also. I like the layout of the Spirit Class. The Enchanted Forest definitly seems like a cool area.