chadsjewel

This cruise is about enjoying a quick getaway. Weve done it several times. We went to Catalina as part of our Honeymoon, so it brings back great memories for us. While youre there, you can rent a golf cart for an hour or two to tour the island. Theres some fun excursions, we enjoyed a trip on the ocean for a couple of hours cruising with dolphins. We usually grab a bite to eat at Antonios on the beach, but the quality isnt as good as years ago. Grab a few cheap drinks at one of the places in town, have a chowder bowl at the pier. Theres lot of little shops to see while you walk around. 

In Ensenada, weve done the wine tour through the ship, which was not a bad way to spend an afternoon. Weve also rented an ATV and just drove all around town. Visited Papas and Beer for a quick bite and entertaining people watching,  stopping at the beach to see the sand dollars afterward. We ended that  at a little bar within walking distance of the ship with super cheap beers and shots. You can also stay on the ship and enjoy the quiet. 

So, we just booked a week on the Splendor. We were on board once, when the fire broke out in 2010. Since we didnt get a chance to enjoy her (we did do lots of exploring during our cruise to nowhere), what should I know about her? Ive read dozens and dozens of reviews but want to hear "recent" CC opinions. We have an interior Spa room booked. 

As far as the cash being "all at once" I book my cruise a year in advance and pay monthly. When I step on the ship I know everything is bad for. It's great not to get that bill slide under the door and see all the drinks you forgot! LOL!

And I purchase the 10% off cards and buy Cheers ahead of time so I consider those as my discounts too!!

Oh the forgotten drinks lol!! I'm interested in hearing about the 10% off cards?

Ravi laying down another classic margarita... If Roca Patron and other premium ingredients count as "classic"...

 

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Great review!! I read your Vista review because we are booking the Panorama in 2020 and this review because the Magic is our favorite ship. Pretty sure your pics from Alchemy have convinced me to get Cheers for the first time. Carnival should give you a kickback :D

Get him a frozen margarita, he'll appreciate it more. Tell him it's an adult Slurpee.

HA! Nice.

Just a few weeks ago, while planning the most expensive cruise we will take thus far, I threw out the idea of the Cheers program for being "too expensive". But, we are seriously considering it now. We like to drink on vacation and have always had a bill of a few hundred bucks for drinks, plus the hundred or so for Bon Voyage and carry on champagne and we have been rumrunner smugglers for all 6 cruises. We STILL end up having to watch what we order, order the cheaper drinks, etc. And we buy cheap drinks in port, to kind of make up for it. Once you add all of that up, we may as well get the package.

We had been toying with the idea of going to an Al Inclusive in Cabo, rather than a cruise so we wouldnt have to worry about the budget, but I do not like to fly. SO, we are going to look at this cruise as an All Inclusive and upgrade to a Havana Premium Vista balcony room and get the package for our 20th anniversary. Im rambling but I just wanted to point out the All Inclusive comparison to folks who may be on the fence. Yeah, its a lot of cash at once but we will probably have a S&S balance of under $100 when we leave the ship.

I am about to go on my 19th cruise. Never have I been on a perfect cruise, and some cruises we have had some "wrong" things happen, when those things happened it always gave us something to laugh about or joke about. We have made the most of it.

Some people complain about the attire of others in the MDR. We will dress nicely, but not nearly as nicely as we used to--tuxes and evening gowns. We've never worn shorts or casual items. Others do, and We don't care. We are with the people we want to be with, and what others do doesn't concern us. We go to other restaurants on land and people wear casual clothes. Do you really want something like that to ruin your vacation?

We have taken our children on 13 cruises, and now they are all adults, but we have some of the very best memories on the trips we have taken.

I am very happy to see the rest of the people who have responded positively to this rant. I would love to cruise with you! Life is what you make of it and so are cruises!

We were on the Splendor during the fire in 2010 and we saw some bad behavior from frustrated and at times scared people. Then there were folks who tried to make the best of a terrible situation that lasted for days. No vacation is ever going to be perfect but we have some fabulous and weird cruise pics from the Fire Cruise and it is a memory I am fond of sharing.

You know, losing someone special in your life who you used to share all that with always puts things in a different perspective, or at least in most cases it does... Pay attention to the things that should matter, enjoy those around you, make things better for yourself by choosing to be happy with what you have rather than being so angry about what you dont have.

Thanks for posting. All of us need regular reminders like this to put life in perspective. I was complaining about work stuff with a coworker just a little bit ago and while the complaints are legitimate, I am grateful to have a secure job. We havent cruised for a few years and since then, the prices are up and some perks are gone but I am grateful to be on this board, researching an future vacation because that means I will have the money to do so. Although I have lost much, I have much to be thankful for!

We loved the Spirit too! We had a Havana Premium Balcony on Vista 2 years ago & it was our favorite room on any ship we've been on. We have booked the Havana Cabana for our upcoming Horizon cruise. It is worth every penny. Maybe that's why when I read all the reviews on how crowded the Vista is supposed to feel I don't remember it that way. It's a very private laid back area that feels a little luxurious to me. I would definitely recommend both this class ship & the Havana area. I have always wanted to do a Mexican Riviera cruise so maybe we will take the kiddos & try the Panorama family harbor area one day!

We love the Mexican Riviera itinerary! I keep reading the same reviews about the Vista and Im hoping that staying in the Havana area will help get a way from the crowds. I cant decide between the Havana Cabana or an aft balcony. I love the little patio at the Cabanas but that aft view for a bit more is pulling me.

I’ve been on the Vista and Horizon and would def book the Panorama. The restaurants that are free for lunch are all so good and just make the ships extra enjoyable. The new padded wicker furniture is everywhere and there are so many places to sit and relax in the sun and shade. Very enjoyable, upgraded ships.

 

 

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Ive liked what I am seeing in Vista photos! Are the specialty restaurants free for lunch or do you mean the Guys Burger place and the other included places?

Thanks for the feedback! To those who have sailed the Vista class, has anyone tried one of the Havana rooms? We are considering splurging for our 20th Anniversary and would love to hear the good and the bad.

Parking has never been great at this port any of the 5 times Ive used it. I would google Park and Cruise packages for hotels in the area and get a shuttle/cab/uber to the port. We stayed at Hotel Maya one year and they shuttled us the short distance over. Have a great time on the Splendor!

Not booking the Panorama until

Long Beach gets it act together about parking. As it is, there’s not enough parking with the Splendor and two Fantasy Class ships. Doubt that the two extra levels added to the parking structure will help with an even larger ship in port.

Im just catching up about the port changes and I think if we do book, I will do the park and cruise at one of the hotels nearby. I hate dealing with the parking there to begin with. I think Ill have a couple of mimosas in the room and cab/uber over.

We are looking at booking the Panorama for next year and/or 2020, mostly because it is the new ship and its coming to our coast. We haven't cruised since 2014. We've sailed on the Imagination, Inspiration, Magic, Spirit, Paradise, and the Splendor. We liked the Splendor but it caught fire before we could really enjoy it and wandering around on it for nearly 4 days kind of killed that lol. Liked the Spirit, spent 9 days on it. Loved the Magic. The others don't stand out as liking or not liking. It we are cruising, we are good to go!

We've never sailed a Vista class ship so Im wondering if you can share some things you love or hate about this class ship. . Would you book the Panorama if you already done the itinerary? Tell me your reasons!

Thank you!

Thank you, everyone!

Havent cruised for several years and always booked direct online or with a travel agent doing a group booking. Do you find any differences in booking through a live person vs booking online?

Im waiting to book my 20th Wedding Anniversary for September 2020.

+1 for waiting to book a 20th Anniversary cruise in Sept 2020! I kept wondering why I couldnt complete the booking until I saw this thread. Thanks for all of the replies explaining the timetable. Guess Ill have to wait a bit longer.

Lucky, lucky you. We loved Tex and loved Roatan. Keep in mind it is not an island that is developed like St. Thomas. While it has become somewhat developed it is really about the beauty of the island. What other things do you like to do? You can also ask Tex for suggestions or get suggestions from Victor's website.

Im quite excited! We are not the really snorkeling type although we wouldnt be against trying it. We love nifty bars and little restaurants and seeing what the locals like to do etc. Im interested in hearing about the island and about our guide's lifestyle. Im thinking of maybe checking out the Butterfly Garden.

We are really just into seeing the island, away from Mahogany Bay, for a few hours and getting some great photo ops. I think Im going to let the day unfold as it may and see what happens!

Just booked a VB tour for September, and will have Tex as our guide! We are zip lining in the morning and then I dont know what lol.

Dangit, cannot get the pic to insert. SO sorry. Pick one from my album below??

Hi, We're sailing this Sunday (11/7) on the Splendor and I am starting to panic about embarkation. I've poured over this thread a few months ago but can't remember seeing anything really clear about embarkation.

 

I've read some places that you check in on the Queen Mary (?) Can anyone describe the process for me at this port? Namely where to go and what time you have been able to successfully check in? I'm a bit of a worrywart when it comes to this stuff and just have an unsettled feeling. We've sailed out of Tampa, Port Canaveral and Miami and things seems so straightforward there. Am I worrying for nothing?

 

Thanks for any help or advice you can offer. Please feel free to direct me to another thread if one exists. **Note: I have read the posts on the departure ports boards and that's where the confusion started.

 

I really appreciate any help. Thanks!

Just wanted to say hey to another first time cruiser! We will be on that sailing too!