My Legend Review -10/17

[cruznluvr]

Over the years, I have enjoyed reading everyone's cruise reviews, so I thought it was time that I start finally doing my part & contribute, as well. Here's our background -DH & I are in our late 30s and our daughter is 4 y/o. This was our 9th cruise, our DD's third. Some on board were surprised that she has already cruised three times in her 4 years!

Since we enjoyed cruising Legend so much last year, we decided to repeat the voyage this year & had a wonderful time once again. Here's how our week played out..

Day 1: Since we live 30 mi. N of Tampa, cruising from here is an extra plus for us. My Dad dropped us off at the terminal at 10:45 & we were on the ship around 11:30. For us, the embarkation process in Tampa has always seemed less chaotic than what we've experienced at other terminals.

On the ship, we headed for a light lunch at the buffet, followed by exploring the ship. We packed our swimsuits in our carry-on & took advantage of the small crowds, by taking a dip in the pool.

Soon, we were able to check out our room & our luggage was already outside the door waiting for us. I loved our room layout w/ balcony (8156); however, since this is the deck directly below the pools & outdoor dining areas, there was a lot of noise at night & early A.M. We think we'll stick with booking on the 7th Floor next time.

Before we knew it, we were sailing away & leaving Tampa behind. One of the highlights of leaving out of Tampa is sailing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The best view is from the sports deck up by the miniature golf course. As a Tampa native, this bridge has always been a memorable part of my life & I will never forget the day the original bridge collapsed back in 1980.

Next, time for dinner. We enjoyed My Time Dining last year & opted for this again. I highly recommend this, especially if traveling with kids. Dinner can be a long event. The convenience of getting to choose when you want to eat is a definite plus. Our DD thoroughly enjoyed dinner every night & loved being treated like a princess by everyone on board.

 

Day 2 coming up!

[racegrrl]

Looking forward to your review..... :D

[cruznluvr]

Day 2: At Sea. We slept in & ate a late breakfast at the buffet. The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool & playing miniature golf w/ DD. A fun-filled relaxing day, followed by formal night with my fave -lobster tails!

Day 3 -Grand Cayman. Since we have been to Grand Cayman numerous times (including a week there on our honeymoon); we decided to do something different & rented a car from Cayman Auto Rentals and drove to Rum Point. We have not visited this side of the island since our honeymoon & thoroughly enjoyed the scenic drive. When we arrived at Rum Point, we were the first visitors & had the beach to ourselves until the tour groups boated in an hour or so later. Rum Point is a great relaxing place to visit, especially w/ a small child. The water is calm, clear & our DD enjoyed looking for fish & other marine life. The one photo attached is her holding a brittle star fish we found when we first arrived. After Rum Point, we drove the long way back to Georgetown & stopped at Blow Holes for a few pics before heading back to the ship.

[cruznluvr]

Day 4: Cozumel. We love Coz, especially since you don't have to tender! We spent most of the day at one of our fave places -Nachi Cocum. We have always enjoyed the fresh seafood, great service & unlimited drinks and despite being more crowded this day, they did not disappoint us. The grilled grouper was excellent & DH had the BBQ ribs this time around & said they also were great. Do not leave Nachi without trying the coconut ice cream. Trust me, it's worth it! We spent most of the time swimming with our little girl or snorkelling from the beach. Just a few feet from shore, I saw 2 small barracudas, a large lobster & various fish. We had purchased a Kodak Sport video cam (similar to Flip) & this was a great place to try out the waterproof feature. The video quality was great!

After Nachi, we took a taxi back to the port to shop a little before the trek back to the ship.

[saltcity]

Can't wait for the rest of your review... My husband and I will be sailing on the Legend on Feb. 27, 2011... We can't wait...:p

Paula Haskins

[cruznluvr]

Day 5 -Roatan. This was our first time at Mahoghany Bay, since Carnival was still docking at Coxen Hole last year when we cruised. I was impressed with the new port & we did a little shopping before & after our tour. We decided to visit Maya Key this year, despite the increase in price. Last year, we were able to book directly through Maya Key's website, walk off the ship at Coxen Hole & catch Maya Key's ferry to the island retreat. This year, we were forced to book through Carnival which was more expensive; but included a buffet. I wasn't crazy about the buffet; but, we still had a great time & would definitely return to Maya Key. Cindy & the staff were very friendly, even allowing volunteers to swim with their sharks on site. Being a dare devil, I had to take advantage of this opportunity. There were 6 of us that hopped in the water, hoping to see a nurse shark up close in a large confined area. We followed our guide to the deep areas; but the water was too murky to see the sharks down below. As we were swimming back toward the exit,the water visibility cleared & Cindy pointed out a nurse shark that was coming my way. As I looked down, the shark swam under me heading for the deeper water & I was able to shoot some great video of my shark encounter! We spent the rest of our time here snorkeling (very nice from shore), hanging out at the beach & pool area & visitng the animal displays. The grounds are well-kept & despite the increase in price, we will most likely visit again.

[boaterette]

Very nice review.

[cruznluvr]

Day 6: Belize. Wow! The week flies by so fast! I know Belize has received some mixed reviews in the past; but we have always enjoyed our visits here. To me, it's one of those ports that's a pain to tender in; but, totally worth it if you have a tour booked. Our plan was to spend the day at Bannister Island & we had pre booked a tour with Eco-tours for $30 pp for DH & I and $15 for DD. We did not want to snorkel this time around. When we arrived at the Eco-tours office, we were told that there was a change in plans & that the trip to Bannister had been cancelled, due to renovations being done there. We were given the option to visit Goff's Caye instead for the same price. Since we did not really have other plans, it sounded fine w/ us. I am so glad that we decided to take this tour. First, let me stress, Goff's Caye may not be for everyone. No, there are not lounge chairs or a bar if that's what you are interested in. There are bathrooms (not port-a-potty style); however, they are nothing fancy. The island is small; but if there are only small groups there, you do not feel crowded & the views are truly amazing. Our tour consisted of about 20 people & each family had their own picnic table. There was a guy grilling jerk chicken ($7) & lobster tails ($10). We opted for the lobster tail dinners that came with two large lobster tails, beans, corn & bread. It was delicious! Attached you can see a pic of the $10 lobster dinner. While we were there, a guy from belizecruiseexcursions.com told me a photo of my DD & I would be added to their website. If you look on their website, you can see us staring out at the beautiful water. It captures how special that day was for us. I would definitely recommend Eco-Tours. Carlos & Ian did a fantastic job with this tour & I am so glad we had a change in our plans.

[cruznluvr]

Day 7-Last day at Sea. We spent our last day relaxing & enjoying the ship. After dinner, we sadly had to pack our bags.

 

Day 8 -Disembarkation -Went very smoothly. We were off the ship before 10am & back at home by 11, missing our ship.

 

In summary, we had a great time! Legend is the only ship we have ever sailed more than once & we have not been disappointed. We have always tried to cruise with an open mind (especially during hurricane season) & be flexible to changes in the itinerary.

 

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank not only the cruise employees; but also all of our fellow passengers that took the time to interact with our little girl. Thank-you for helping make this a truly special experience for our princess. We appreciate it!

 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[ArthurIhde]

wow that's a long review

[cruznluvr]

wow that's a long review

 

Sorry, it's my first review & I was trying to break it down by days. It's really not that long, especially compared to some of the others I've read on here.

[flgojo]

WOW you are brave. I don't think I could get in a tank with a shark! Your little girl is beautiful... isn't it great the way the Carnival employees dote on the children? That $10 lobster looks yummy. And I like reviews like yours that I get to read all in one go. I get confused when I have several reviews in progress,lol.

[jtdlmc]

Great review, thanks. We'll be on the Legend in February - can't wait!

[okwriter]

Sorry, it's my first review & I was trying to break it down by days. It's really not that long, especially compared to some of the others I've read on here.

 

I thought your review was the PERFECT length! Great combination of your time on the ship, activities in port, and pictures! Thank you SO much! :)

[crusing48/51]

Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. We have a long time to wait for our Legend cruise, and it helps to read your adventures. It was too long, or too short, it was just right! I enjoyed all of it. Thanks again!

[luvofthecruise]

Thanks for the review. I love Goff's Cay!! My husband and I were there in September and I loved every minute of it. The jerk chicken is good too..;)

We were not even planning on getting off the ship in Belize this time but since we missed GC because of Tropical Storm Nicole we decided to do something. I picked it because they pick you up right at the ship so you don't have to tender in. Loved it. Thanks again. :D

[mowb07]

Great review! Thanks for posting! I finally booked this one (after much debate re: which week to go, which cruiseline, which itinerary) and I am seriously looking forward to it! Your review got me amped! :)

[cruznluvr]

WOW you are brave. I don't think I could get in a tank with a shark! Your little girl is beautiful... isn't it great the way the Carnival employees dote on the children? That $10 lobster looks yummy. And I like reviews like yours that I get to read all in one go. I get confused when I have several reviews in progress,lol.

Thanks flgojo! The shark swim was something I never planned to do; but I'm glad I did it. Our guide made me feel safe too.

It was great to see how friendly everyone was to our daughter. She enjoyed all the extra attention from not only the Carnival employees; but also our fellow passengers that would talk to her on the tender boats, etc.

[cruznluvr]

Great review! Thanks for posting! I finally booked this one (after much debate re: which week to go, which cruiseline, which itinerary) and I am seriously looking forward to it! Your review got me amped! :)

mowb07 -I think you made a good choice. This has been one of our favorite ships & itineraries. Hope you have a great cruise!

[chrislaurn]

Day 4: Cozumel. We love Coz, especially since you don't have to tender! We spent most of the day at one of our fave places -Nachi Cocum. We have always enjoyed the fresh seafood, great service & unlimited drinks and despite being more crowded this day, they did not disappoint us. The grilled grouper was excellent & DH had the BBQ ribs this time around & said they also were great. Do not leave Nachi without trying the coconut ice cream. Trust me, it's worth it! We spent most of the time swimming with our little girl or snorkelling from the beach. Just a few feet from shore, I saw 2 small barracudas, a large lobster & various fish. We had purchased a Kodak Sport video cam (similar to Flip) & this was a great place to try out the waterproof feature. The video quality was great!

 

We are headed to Coz in May and debating going to Nachi or Paradise Beach. We have 2 boys, ages 6 and 4, but the reviews of Nachi seem like its more for adults. Were there other kids? Did your daughter enjoy it? Thanks and great review!

[AryMay]

Originally Posted by ArthurIhde

wow that's a long review

 

Originally Posted by cruznluvr: Sorry, it's my first review & I was trying to break it down by days. It's really not that long, especially compared to some of the others I've read on here.

 

Long?? Compared to the review I did on the Legend this is a teeny, tiny review. ;)

 

I do thank you for your review though...it is always fun to read about tours that others do. Your day in Belize sounded wonderful...I'm glad it worked out for you after having the first tour cancelled.

[spideyfam]

Not to long, not too short....PERFECT!!

[Pattyjo9951]

We are headed to Coz in May and debating going to Nachi or Paradise Beach. We have 2 boys, ages 6 and 4, but the reviews of Nachi seem like its more for adults. Were there other kids? Did your daughter enjoy it? Thanks and great review!

We did Nachi and my kids love it. I have two boys and they were 8 and 6 at the time we went. They loved swimming in the pool and getting smoothies all day! My husband rented jet skis and they went out on them for awhile. I know people say that kids will enjoy Paradise beach more with all the water toys but my boys don't like being in the ocean to much and I felt they were a little young to do some of the water toys any ways. Maybe in a few year we will try something different.

[BeachChik]

Over the years, I have enjoyed reading everyone's cruise reviews, so I thought it was time that I start finally doing my part & contribute, as well. Here's our background -DH & I are in our late 30s and our daughter is 4 y/o. This was our 9th cruise, our DD's third. Some on board were surprised that she has already cruised three times in her 4 years!

Since we enjoyed cruising Legend so much last year, we decided to repeat the voyage this year & had a wonderful time once again. Here's how our week played out..

Day 1: Since we live 30 mi. N of Tampa, cruising from here is an extra plus for us. My Dad dropped us off at the terminal at 10:45 & we were on the ship around 11:30. For us, the embarkation process in Tampa has always seemed less chaotic than what we've experienced at other terminals.

On the ship, we headed for a light lunch at the buffet, followed by exploring the ship. We packed our swimsuits in our carry-on & took advantage of the small crowds, by taking a dip in the pool.

Soon, we were able to check out our room & our luggage was already outside the door waiting for us. I loved our room layout w/ balcony (8156); however, since this is the deck directly below the pools & outdoor dining areas, there was a lot of noise at night & early A.M. We think we'll stick with booking on the 7th Floor next time.

Before we knew it, we were sailing away & leaving Tampa behind. One of the highlights of leaving out of Tampa is sailing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The best view is from the sports deck up by the miniature golf course. As a Tampa native, this bridge has always been a memorable part of my life & I will never forget the day the original bridge collapsed back in 1980.

Next, time for dinner. We enjoyed My Time Dining last year & opted for this again. I highly recommend this, especially if traveling with kids. Dinner can be a long event. The convenience of getting to choose when you want to eat is a definite plus. Our DD thoroughly enjoyed dinner every night & loved being treated like a princess by everyone on board.

 

Day 2 coming up!

 

Love the bridge picture! So pretty

[cruznluvr]

We are headed to Coz in May and debating going to Nachi or Paradise Beach. We have 2 boys, ages 6 and 4, but the reviews of Nachi seem like its more for adults. Were there other kids? Did your daughter enjoy it? Thanks and great review!

Chrislaurn -Yes,there were other kids at Nachi the day we were there, most were in the 4-8 age range. I guess it all depends on how many ships are in port that day. Nachi seems to cater more to adults; but they definitely welcome families & my daughter never seemed bored.