My cruise of DOOM! Spirit 2-6-11

[Echo Queen]

Great review, love the pictures. Where does the 4th person sleep? I can only see the sleeper sofa and the big bed.

[KarenMF]

Originally Posted by mittypooh View Post

Is that a Boston hat I see?

 

Why yes it is! For some reason my son decided Boston was his favorite. He does not really follow any basketball or baseball or really any sport professionally. He plays them and has a true love but does not follow. I really have no idea where the love for Boston came from. He has never been to the east coast. My brother is a ReD Sox fan so maybe his favorite uncle has made a impression?

 

I noticed the Boston hat too : ) Go Red Sox!!

[hill6]

Very nice review. Sorry you had a rocky road to get there but it all worked out in the end.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Thank you for posting the review, I loved reading it and got my little cruise fix albeit vicariously.

 

The parasailing pictures brought back memories. I did it once long ago in mazatlan, I don't know if the way they operate is all different now. I had to run on the beach both taking off & landing, parasailed by myself. It was a bit scary having to pull the ropes to get back out over the beach to land.

 

I must have missed the fact that you would be staying in Cabo for several days, I've never been on or heard of a cruise that scheduled this.

 

Did a mexican riviera cruise twice, last time in July. Believe me you won't be wanting for warmth if you take this cruise in the summer. Sometimes it was nearly unbearably hot, at least in port.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Echo Queen, it looks like there is a bed that folds out from the ceiling, you can see the outline of it in the first picture here, right above the painting.

 

 

sitting area... we had 4 so the couch is a bed as well as a upper

from the balcony looking in

one side of the balcony

the other side

 

[winefaerie]

Great Review,

 

We leave on the Spirit on the 20th of March. I am looking forward to the cruise even more now with your wonderful review. Hope that it is warmer...just bought a new swim suit to wear at the pool...:D

 

Thanks Lani

[sparkleroxy86]

thanks for the review!!!! I live in North San Diego county- consider one day moving there! its close to LA and orange county and 30 min from san diego and much cheaper;)

[hlb76]

Thank you so much for your wonderful review and the beautiful pictures. I enjoyed it so much. You got me with the title. I kept waiting to hear one of the kids fell overboard or you all got the noro:D I am so glad you had a great family vacation especially after the hard events of the previous year.

Kris

 

Thanks we never thought we would ever get to go everything and I mean everything kept stacking against us!

[hlb76]

Great Review,

 

We leave on the Spirit on the 20th of March. I am looking forward to the cruise even more now with your wonderful review. Hope that it is warmer...just bought a new swim suit to wear at the pool...:D

 

Thanks Lani

 

I hope its warmer for your sake too!

I was kinda hoping they would close the dome during the trip so we could enjoy the pool more.

[hlb76]

Thanks for your review. This past Oct, I took my 12th Carnival Cruise. But it was also my first cruise out of California. We were on the Splendor out of Long Beach. We went in mid-Oct and were also expecting warmer weather. Our sea days were also very cool. The sea day going down to Mexico was sunny, but it was windy and cool. I work sweatpants and light hoodie most of the day. That night we watched the Monday Night Football game (my fave team the Vikings were on) on the Lido deck and we had to cover up with the blankets they were handing out. Our return sea day was cold and rainy. They had to close the retractable roof. The days in Mexico were absolutely gorgeous though! From what I heard from the crew, that is typical weather for the sea days in the area.

 

I also did not enjoy sailing from California. We came from Ohio and I think a lot of it had to do with the time changes. In addition to the 3 hour time change from East Coast to Pacific Time. We also had two time changes while on the ship. He changed an hour forward before we hit our first port and then moved an hour back on our way back to California. I could definitately feel the changes. My internal clock just could not seem to catch up and I was more tired that week that I normally am on a cruise. Plus the longer travel days were very tiring as well.

 

I definitely prefer to cruise out of the Florida ports and can't wait for my next cruise out of Miami in 8 weeks on the Glory. And my first balcony cruise! Seeing the pics of your balcony really made me so glad that I splurged and got us a balcony for this cruise!

 

Great review though.

SKOL VIKINGS!!!!! It was quite hard to get used to the time change. But now I know what to expect if we do it again.

Bummer about your cool weather too!

You will love the balcony!!!!

[hlb76]

I hate to sound different from the rest, but you labeled this thread cruise of doom. Being that I was thinking of booking this ship, I am reading and reading to see what's wrong with the cruise. Well after 20 minutes, I realize that nothings wrong with the ship and gave up reading your posts. Couldn't you label it "THE BEST CRUISE I EVER TOOK"?

 

 

Too label it the best cruise ever would of been a lie. It def did not rank that high.... It was our cruise of doom and always will be. With every obstacle that got in our way to making this happen was very hard to deal with. I at one point wanted to cancel as nothing could go right. I was a nervous wreck until we where on the ship that one more thing would happen. Even while cruising I was still worried!! I am so glad it all worked out for the best!

 

Sorry you could not appericate my review

[Echo Queen]

Thanks:)

[ATL2LAS]

The review was great!!! When is your next cruise?

[beckyk329]

Loved your review. And thanks for making it large and easy to read w/paragraphs!!:D

 

Here's my dummy question.... why in the world can't I see any of your pics!! Someone please help, as I feel I'm missing out here!:(

[CanWeGoYet?]

Loved your review. And thanks for making it large and easy to read w/paragraphs!!:D

 

Here's my dummy question.... why in the world can't I see any of your pics!! Someone please help, as I feel I'm missing out here!:(

 

Don't know for sure, but it might be your settings on CC. Go to User CP, Click Edit Options from the menu on the Left side of the screen. Scroll down to thread display options - there are options to see avatars, signatures and images. Make sure you have clicked on the display images. If you have & still can't see the pictures, I'm sure someone who knows more than me can help. :)

[cuted126]

I can't see the pics either! It looks like she has used all the available bandwidth on photobucket which is why the pics are no longer showing :(

[CanWeGoYet?]

you're right! I could see them all yesterday. Now there is only one that shows, that I reposted on the last page. Weird.

[hlb76]

Hmm wonder what happen? I did not movd or delete them. This is sad.

[hlb76]

Thanks for the review, I was on the Spirit last May to ALaska and was really looking forward on sailing on her to Hawaii.. sad she will not be doing that in 2012/2013. I share your thought about Stu! Great review, Thanks

Glad you enjoyed. Also good to hear it was not just me that felt the way I did about Stu.

[LucyR.]

Heather was ill before her cruise and she thought she wasn't going to be able to cruise.... this is why I think she called it the cruise of doom. She thought she was doomed not to go on this cruise. I sent her messages that she would have a great time.

 

Heather was on the cruise critic roll call for the Feb. 6, 2011, c. Spirit cruise. She worried a lot about whether she would be cruising or NOT!

 

Reading her review I notice that she didn't have not one problem on the ship. Her problems were before she got on the ship. I think if she had taken a 7 day or 9day cruise she would have had more fun since she had kids with her. Looks like she needed more time on the cruise ship.

 

I didn't think the ship was runned down. I loved the lay-out of the ship.

The ship's Atrium is a light brown color with lots of lights. It is a very pleasant happy ship. The staff are wonderful. I am a VIP and I had cruised on the C. Spirit two years ago. I have cruised 25 times on different Carnival ships. I have cruised 25 time on other cruiselines that include Princess, Celebrity, Hal, RCL, NCL, and other cruiselines that are out of business.

I had a great inside cabin with a king size bed. I love having the large beds... so I pay more for them as a solo cruiser. I was on deck 7 AFT near the elevators. Great location.

 

I cruised on the same date as she did and I had a blast! My experience was totally different. I had the best time ever in a long time on the ship.

I cruised SOLO and met up with a great new cruiser friend on the ship.

We are planning to cruise again on the Carnival Spirit for Halloween on Oct. 30th for the 5 day cruise out of Los Angeles/San Pedro port.

 

I met a lot of dancing and karaoke cruiser friends that I had fun with. I would stay up until 1a.m. dancing at the disco.

 

At the Captain's past guest party I went up and danced alone while the singer was singing. She invited people to go up on stage to dance and I was the only one who chose to dance on stage. The cruise director called me the "BLUE BUTTERFLY" because I was wearing a blue outfit.

 

I thought the food was fantastic! I chose "My time dinning" and I was always able to pass up the long waiting line for the early dinner time diners. I would sit with different people each night.

I truly enjoyed the comedian shows. I found a Trivia partner and I would play Trivia with her and we won a ship on a stick and a bronze medal.

 

There was a great dance band at the Cool Club. I would ask the band to play Santana music and I would start dancing by myself and soon a lot of gals would join me and we would dance in groups. Then couples would get up and dance.

 

Late at night I went to the Disco place named "DANCIN". I met a young couple who loved to dance and they invited me to join them. I danced and danced that when I got to Cabo I had pains in my legs from dancing too much. I had to buy some great pain pills for a few dollars. I speak Spanish too so it was easy to ask for just a small box of pain pills from a Pharmacy. I went to visit the new Shopping Mall and bought me some clothes.

 

If you walk to the backside of the front walk-way... you will find taxi's to take you into town if you have problems taking long walks. I don't like to walk because once I get into town I walk from store to store as a looky loo. I also took a ride on a taxi-bike into town. It was fun.

 

If you want to see whales try to book a small boat because those are the ones where the whales feel safe to get close to them. The super large catamarans scare off the whales because the whales are used to the small boats in the sea of Cortez where the whales are born in Dec. Jan. Feb. I don't know about March.

 

The sales tour people are supposed to stay behind a certain line as you arrive at the Cabo port but once everybody is off the ship the vendors will walk around asking if you want to take a tour. They will not run you down because there is a security guard keeping an eye on them to not harrass the cruisers.

 

Your bags at Cabo are searched for fruit as you arrive. I just open my tote bag and tell them I don't have any fruit. I get by real fast.

 

It was my birthday on the last day of my cruise and some gals who liked me invited me to have dinner with them. They had the waiters sing happy birthday to me. It was great fun. I had a lot of fun with lots of people. I truly enjoyed dancing with the waiters when they danced to the song "SlumDog Millionaire song of "Low, Low, Low". I think that was the name of the song.

 

I asked for the children's menu one night and I orderd chicken nuggets and fries and a banana split for desert at dinner time. I got to keep my kid's menu.LOL.

 

I loved their dellious sp French Toast. I would order it every morning at the dinning room. It was the best ever on any cruise ship.

 

As you all can see.... everybody will have a different experience and different attitude on a cruise ship. I have a social butterfly personality and I love to talk to other cruisers and make friends with them.

 

On my Oct. 30th C. Spirit cruise I have booked a large balcony port-side facing Cabo. No! You can't spend the night in Cabo. We all have to return to the ship since the ship leaves the port during the night.

The Captain does wait for everybody to return to the ship from Cabo.

 

You must stay on "SHIP TIME" since Cabo is one hour later than ship time.

 

I don't do tours because I have visited Cabo many times since the 1980's. I cruise to Cabo often too. I love Cabo San Lucas. Lucy R.

 

P.S. Please excuse my style of writing since I speak Spanish too and it messes up my spelling and style of writing.

[bougiet]

Thank you for sharing your cruise experience with all of us. I enjoyed your review very much and am very pleased that you and your family were able to get past all of the heartache!! I wish you happiness and the best of luck!!!:D

[hlb76]

Heather was ill before her cruise and she thought she wasn't going to be able to cruise.... this is why I think she called it the cruise of doom. She thought she was doomed not to go on this cruise. I sent her messages that she would have a great time.

 

Heather was on the cruise critic roll call for the Feb. 6, 2011, c. Spirit cruise. She worried a lot about whether she would be cruising or NOT!

 

Reading her review I notice that she didn't have not one problem on the ship. Her problems were before she got on the ship. I think if she had taken a 7 day or 9day cruise she would have had more fun since she had kids with her. Looks like she needed more time on the cruise ship.

We did enjoy this cruise... I would of loved a longer one for sure.... It was ot my favorite cruise of all time but it was just to me something was missing. I still was not feeling 100%. I missed our travel partners alot! I could not get used to the time change so I did not get to do as much as I had hoped! The weather was a bummer you warned me thats it's chilly but was in denial!

 

I didn't think the ship was runned down. nor did I she was lovely!!! My only complaint was the dining room and lines to get in. I learned to come a bit late and avoided the line. I also thought the MDR was a bit loud but it could of been where we sat.

I loved the lay-out of the ship. So did I it was so easy to get around. She might be my new favorite ship!

The ship's Atrium is a light brown color with lots of lights. It is a very pleasant happy ship.

The staff are wonderful. I loved everyone we had contact w/. It is the ppl that make the cruise wonderful!

I am a VIP and I had cruised on the C. Spirit two years ago. I have cruised 25 times on different Carnival ships. I have cruised 25 time on other cruiselines that include Princess, Celebrity, Hal, RCL, NCL, and other cruiselines that are out of business.

I had a great inside cabin with a king size bed. I love having the large beds... so I pay more for them as a solo cruiser. I was on deck 7 AFT near the elevators. Great location.

 

I cruised on the same date as she did and I had a blast! My experience was totally different. I had the best time ever in a long time on the ship.

I cruised SOLO and met up with a great new cruiser friend on the ship.

We are planning to cruise again on the Carnival Spirit for Halloween on Oct. 30th for the 5 day cruise out of Los Angeles/San Pedro port.

We had a good cruise the kids thought it was the best ever as they met friends in camp! I think had I been feeling better we would of enjoyed more!

 

I met a lot of dancing and karaoke cruiser friends that I had fun with. I would stay up until 1a.m. dancing at the disco. I'm so jealous I could hardly make it awake through dinner. Normally we are night owls and go and do not this time. :(

 

At the Captain's past guest party I went up and danced alone while the singer was singing. She invited people to go up on stage to dance and I was the only one who chose to dance on stage. The cruise director called me the "BLUE BUTTERFLY" because I was wearing a blue outfit. I remember you!!! I was there too. Looked like you where having the time of your life!! She sang beautifully!!!

 

I thought the food was fantastic! I found my beef and meat cooked amazingly! But some of our other past favorites just did not add up this time. but then again remember I was sick and maybe was not tasting them quite right.

I chose "My time dinning" and I was always able to pass up the long waiting line for the early dinner time diners. I would sit with different people each night.

I truly enjoyed the comedian shows. I only made it to one and he was great for the late night. The early shows we saw where good too!

I found a Trivia partner and I would play Trivia with her and we won a ship on a stick and a bronze medal.

 

There was a great dance band at the Cool Club. I would ask the band to play Santana music and I would start dancing by myself and soon a lot of gals would join me and we would dance in groups. Then couples would get up and dance.

 

Late at night I went to the Disco place named "DANCIN". I met a young couple who loved to dance and they invited me to join them. I danced and danced that when I got to Cabo I had pains in my legs from dancing too much. I had to buy some great pain pills for a few dollars. I speak Spanish too so it was easy to ask for just a small box of pain pills from a Pharmacy. I went to visit the new Shopping Mall and bought me some clothes.

 

If you walk to the backside of the front walk-way... you will find taxi's to take you into town if you have problems taking long walks. I don't like to walk because once I get into town I walk from store to store as a looky loo. I also took a ride on a taxi-bike into town. It was fun.

 

If you want to see whales try to book a small boat because those are the ones where the whales feel safe to get close to them. The super large catamarans scare off the whales because the whales are used to the small boats in the sea of Cortez where the whales are born in Dec. Jan. Feb. I don't know about March. We did a zodiac and saw a good share! I was super neat to see them. I would of loved to get closer but I respected the fact our captain gave them there space!

 

The sales tour people are supposed to stay behind a certain line as you arrive at the Cabo port but once everybody is off the ship the vendors will walk around asking if you want to take a tour. They will not run you down because there is a security guard keeping an eye on them to not harrass the cruisers.

 

Your bags at Cabo are searched for fruit as you arrive. I just open my tote bag and tell them I don't have any fruit. I get by real fast. We never had any one look in my back pack but then again we had nothing to hide!

 

It was my birthday on the last day of my cruise and some gals who liked me invited me to have dinner with them. They had the waiters sing happy birthday to me. It was great fun. I had a lot of fun with lots of people. I truly enjoyed dancing with the waiters when they danced to the song "SlumDog Millionaire song of "Low, Low, Low". I think that was the name of the song. Happy B-day late! My son turned 16 on 2/11 !

 

I asked for the children's menu one night and I orderd chicken nuggets and fries and a banana split for desert at dinner time. I got to keep my kid's menu.LOL.

 

I loved their dellious sp French Toast. I would order it every morning at the dinning room. It was the best ever on any cruise ship.

 

As you all can see.... everybody will have a different experience and different attitude on a cruise ship. I have a social butterfly personality and I love to talk to other cruisers and make friends with them.

 

On my Oct. 30th C. Spirit cruise I have booked a large balcony port-side facing Cabo. You will love it!!! We had a port side as well and loved watching the view the whole way down and in Cabo!!!

No! You can't spend the night in Cabo. We all have to return to the ship since the ship leaves the port during the night.

The Captain does wait for everybody to return to the ship from Cabo.

 

You must stay on "SHIP TIME" since Cabo is one hour later than ship time.

 

I don't do tours because I have visited Cabo many times since the 1980's. I cruise to Cabo often too. I love Cabo San Lucas. We enjoyed it too!!! I think we will be back!!!

Lucy R.

 

P.S. Please excuse my style of writing since I speak Spanish too and it messes up my spelling and style of writing.

 

 

Thanks for sharing your cruise as well!

[sassyredhat]

Heather, your review was awesome. :)

The pictures are stunning, and I live in SD, sailed Spirit, and have been to Cabo 7 times. Good job. !

Pat

[capndinghy]

Heather - thanks for the great review. The Whale Tail Photos should end up hanging on a wall somewhere. :)

We cruised on the Spirit this past April to Hawaii and Had a Suite Identical to yours. It was just for 2 us. I am sure that extra room was nice with 4 of you.

 

There are links to my 2 reviews at the bottom of my 'signature', it you are interested.

[JenSDCA]

I see that Stuart is the CD on Spirit - any idea when they change? We've sailed Elation twice, both times with Stuart. The last time, he was assisting with the debarkation, and actually held a line up while he was exchanging phone numbers with a pair of PYTs. After waiting on line for 45 minutes +, the crowd was not amused, but he wouldn't let those girls pass until he'd finished. Not impressed.