Carnival Pride April 3 Review w/Pictures

[spideyfam]

We walk the beach for what seems like a half mile. We were taking out time and enjoying the weather. It was warm. It isn't warm here in Maine until 1:00 in the afternoon in the summer. Loved it.

 

All the way I was looking for a nice piece of coral for our collection.

 

 

 

 

Saw a really handsome man on the beach. Waitaminute... That's me!! LOL

[FIVEONTHEAVENUE]

It was just my wife and I on this trip.

 

Sorry. There is someone else doing a review as well and I must have mixed the two up. Thanks anyway.

[spideyfam]

After the walk on the beach we left the Raddison beach area and went across the street to the straw market. We were looking for something for our 20 year old son. A baseball cap? t-shirt? We couldn't find anything that we thought he would like.

 

Every port I have to have a local beer and have a picture of me drinking it. We went into one bar where the doors were wide open. They told me the didn't open until 5:00. It was 10:30. Why were their doors open and why were there 3 people in there drinking??

 

I finally find an outside bar where the local beer called Sands was being available. It is made right in Freeport (or so the label said). It cost me $4.00. It wasn't very good. Had a funny flavor to it.

[FIVEONTHEAVENUE]

Now to get to the Hulk Hogan part.

 

We were snorkeling and we looked up. We were about 20 feet away from the boat. We look down a minute or so and we are now 40 feet away from the boat. We try to swim to the boat and we are getting no where. We stop and can feel the current make us drifting further away from the boat.

 

We try to get the boat drivers attention but we could not get it. Oh well, he will come get us eventually. I put my head down for a few minutes and look at the reef. I can not stay in one spot for very long. I am drifting hardcore. I look up to see where my wife is. She is probably a quarter of a mile away from me. I panic because she is so far away from me. I try to get the boat drivers attention and I see he is pulling up anchor. A minute later he comes to me and asks if I am ok. I tell him not to worry about me and go get my wife. He goes past me and gets to her.

 

He throws her a rope with a life vest attached. He then tows her back in my direction. I swim to them. The current is so strong in takes me seconds to get there. I grab hold of the rope and he starts to to us back toward the reef. He picks up a little speed (not sure why). The wake from the boat and the waves that were there are pretting much going over out faces. My wife can't breathe so she lets go. Then I do.

 

The driver pulls the rope back on the boat and circles around to get us. He comes to us and wants us to get on but the water is over our heads and we can't get any leaverage to get back on. The boat is rocking up and down so it is pretty hard to pull ourselves back in.

 

He tells us to swim to shore. He had already told us which house was The Hulksters and that was the closest to us. With us swimming with the current we could have beaten Michael Phelps. I am not kidding either.

 

I slow down to let my wife to get on first. The boat pulls almost to the beach so she can get on. She does. I paid for snorkelling so I am going to snorkel. I look down in the water the whole way. There must have been several HUNDRED golf balls about 200 yards off the beach. They were about 12 feet down. I wanted to get one but with a life vest on there was no way in heck I could dive down that deep. But I really wanted one.

 

I hear my name being called and I look up. The driver and my wife are yelling for me to hurry. I do. In about 6 feet of water I see a pretty cool piece of coral and dive down to get it. It takes all my strength but manage to do it with my lifevest on. I come up and I am about 5 feet from the boat. He tells me to hurry up and get on the boat because he does not know what all of the rich people will do if we are on their beach.

 

I put the coral in my pocket and get in the boat. He tells me we have another 10 minutes of snorkelling time and asks if we want to go back to the reef. I say no and lets go back. My wife says she is exausted but trying to swim against the current.

 

We head back to the big beach where we started.

 

So even though Hulk Hogan does not own the ocean, I feel I took that coral from him. At least I have a story to go with it.

 

Where did this happen? Was it off Paradise Island?Cabbage Beach? I heard Cabbage beach can be dangerous for children. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[JaniceB]

Finally got caught up on your review, really great reading material. I think the bacon police needed to find you, LOL! Winning a ship on the stick is a great thing, doing it playing trivia is a greater thing. It is wonderful that you had great table mates you could hang out with. There was a thread asking how Carnival picks your table mates. We have never had bad tablemates, thankfully.

[spideyfam]

Where did this happen? Was it off Paradise Island?Cabbage Beach? I heard Cabbage beach can be dangerous for children. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

 

The snorkeling was right off Paradise Island. We probably travel east about a mile, maybe. I think it was when the tide was coming in or out. Not sure if the currents are always this strong. With only a boat driver and my wife and I, there was no one available to jump in and help if anything went wrong. Looking back at it we should have asked for two people to be in the boat. One to drive and the other to help if we needed it.

 

We walked the beach when we got back for a few minutes. There were families with small kids. They all looked like they were having fun. The beach and areas around where we were looked totally safe. I would take my two year old grand daughter there to play. It did not look unsafe at all.

[jerseygirl79]

I love reading your review!! I sailed the Pride last year and am getting married on her next year!!

 

Congratulations!!!! I was just looking at my wedding pics and videos today from our Carnival Miracle wedding!!!

[FIVEONTHEAVENUE]

Where were you while in Freeport? Where is that Radisson? Is it Freeport or Lucaya? I heard there is a Marketplace in Lucaya with a Beach accross the street. We were thinking of doing that. There is supposedly a ConchShack named Billy Joes somewhere in that area but I think the hotel that it is near is actually called Our Lucaya. Is this familiar to you at all? Curious so I know if it is possible to do it like you did and get private transportation rather than book an excursion.

[spideyfam]

It is Lucaya. All of the shuttles take you to the same spot. It is pretty much in the same parking lot. From there, it is about a 5 minute walk to the beach, at the most. You will pick up the shuttle back to the ship in the same spot.

 

I have not seen Billy Joe's. But there are a lot of bars/food places in the market place/straw market area.

 

Even though you have to walk through the grounds of the Raddison to get to the beach, it is totally free to use. Just bring your towels and you will have something to lay on. There are chairs there but I think you have to rent them. We have never asked about them so I can't say for sure.

 

The beach is quite long. If you want a private area that is quiet, I am sure you can find it.

 

If you want a beach day for free, it is a very nice beach.

[FIVEONTHEAVENUE]

It is Lucaya. All of the shuttles take you to the same spot. It is pretty much in the same parking lot. From there, it is about a 5 minute walk to the beach, at the most. You will pick up the shuttle back to the ship in the same spot.

 

I have not seen Billy Joe's. But there are a lot of bars/food places in the market place/straw market area.

 

Even though you have to walk through the grounds of the Raddison to get to the beach, it is totally free to use. Just bring your towels and you will have something to lay on. There are chairs there but I think you have to rent them. We have never asked about them so I can't say for sure.

 

The beach is quite long. If you want a private area that is quiet, I am sure you can find it.

 

If you want a beach day for free, it is a very nice beach.

 

Sounds Great!! Thank you so much for all of the information. We do not mind bringing our own towels and such. We are from Eastern Pa, close to Jersey shore, and are used to providing our own beach needs. We usually only have to travel a little more than an hour to get to a beach but of course we need to bring our own chairs, towels, drinks , coolers etc.... I think the Bahamas will be a bit more relaxed. :) and much needed..

[spideyfam]

I am back after a couple days. Been really busy up here.

 

We went back to the drop off point to get a bus back to the port. We got there and got right on one within seconds. Arrived at the port 15 minutes later.

 

We walked around the marketplace looking for something for our son. Finally found a Bob Marley T-shirt that I thought he would like. Warning, buy a shirt two sizes too big for anyone. He came to me last night and told me it shrunk. It looked like one of those half t shirts from the early 80's!! Not very stylish today. (I think I could pull it off though with my rock hard abs!! LOL x2) Her is what the Marketplace looks like.

 

 

In port with us was the Bahama Celebration. This is the only other cruise ship that we had been on. We took a two day cruise to Nassau from Port Everglades last march before our 8 day Miracle cruise. The ship is not very attractive on the outside but it is VERY nice on the inside. It now sail from the port of West Palm Beach. I would recommend this cruise to everyone.

 

 

 

 

[spideyfam]

Also in port with us is the Facination. We have been on this ship, too. Twice. We were on the ship when this one sailed in.

 

[spideyfam]

It was time to eat again. (Not by our stomachs but by the clock). Went to the lido for asian for myself, and my wife had another turkey sandwich from the deli.

 

I wanted to find the lucky coin so we went on quest to find it. We went to the basketball court and my wife found it within seconds.

 

 

 

We took a couple pictures of the mini golf course. At the beginning of the week one hole was closed. There were replacing the "grass". It was finished by the next day.

 

 

[spideyfam]

We took a couple pictures of the front of the ship. I was taking a picture of the crew deck. The dancers were out getting some sun!!!!

 

 

[spideyfam]

A few more pictures taken from the front of the ship.

 

 

 

[spideyfam]

We knew this was going to be the last day we would be able to enjoy our balcony, so we headed on down to the room. Tomorrow was a day at sea but we would be traveling north back to Baltimore in about 20 minutes. I knew it would be getting a little chilly by the next morning.

 

 

Not sure what cruise ship this is in drydock. I can make out "SeaE" on the side. Anybody reading know what line this is from??

 

 

 

 

We then decided to lay down for a quick nap. It refreshed us, that is for sure.

[spideyfam]

After our nap, we turned on Ellen and got ready to eat. I know the pictures of the meals are getting few and in between. I did not take pictures of duplicate meals. If we didn't care for the new menu items we went back to the Carnival Classics. Flat Iron steak, Corn Fed Chicken Breast, Ribs, etc. I cannnot recall exactly what we had each night. We even brought a small note book to take notes. At the time I wasn't sure if I was going to do a review or not.

 

Dinner that night....

 

 

 

 

[R3D0P]

The dancers were out getting some sun!!!!

 

 

 

 

Nice! :)

[spideyfam]

That night it was Michele's (our tablemate) birthday. Her boyfriend had ordered her a birthday cake. At dessert time, they brought the cake over and sang happy birthday and they cut it and served it to us. The cake was very good. It tasted like the room service chocolate cake.

 

 

 

Even though we had cake a few minutes more. I still oredered dessert. Hey, I'm on vacation!! I ordered the Baked Alaska. It's only neopolitan ice cream with merange on top.

 

[spideyfam]

Nice! :)

 

 

Agreed!

[gemsm]

Today is now thursday and vacation is half over!!! BOOOOOO!!!

 

We are stopping in Nassau today. We had nothing planned so were going to get off and find something to do. This was our 6th time there. We are very bored with this port and if we never do it again we will not complain one bit. I was supposed to be mostly sunny and in the 80s.

 

The Norwegian Jewel came in right after we did.

 

 

Awwwwwww I miss my Jewel :( We had the aft balcony when she was doing the western carribean itinerary...Awesome ship

[spideyfam]

We went back to the room to change. Found this on the bed.

 

 

 

Our friends met us at our rooms so we could decide what we were going to do that evening. All four of us love 80's music so I suggested going to VROOOM!, which was the broadway style show for the night. Like the first show we saw during the week, we all did not care for this, either.

 

Before someone says that we are not happy with anything, none of us liked it. I love Ticket To Ride that I have seen on another ship. There were several other that we enjoyed, too. The two on THIS ship we did not enjoy. The female singer with the raspy voice, the choreography, and the lack of excitement the show generated. If you have seen these shows on this ship, let me know how you liked them.

 

After the show, we wanted to head down to the Punchliner Comedy Club. There were 1000 people leaving the theater and we were on the 3rd floor of the Taj Mahol. We hurried down the 3 flight of stairs. My wife was right in front of me. I turned around to see where our friends were and when I looked back my wife was gone. I walk into the lounge and I look around. Down front in the right hand corner was my my wife waving to me. She found a seat for the four of us. Within 2 minutes, there were dozens and dozens of people standing around looking for a seat. I was glad my wife is fast!

 

Ordered our first drink of the whole cruise. Wanted a Miami Vice. Sorry, we are out of Pina Colada. WTH! Could not believe it. This is our second cruise that they ran out of it. Ordered a Funny Zombie or something like that. I was ok. Just not what I really wanted.

 

We saw Eric Griffin at 9:45. After he was done we waited for about 30 for Jim Brick to start at 11:45. Both of these guys were ok. They had their moments where they were sidesplitting funny but were so-so the rest of the time. I am waiting for a comedian to be funny for the whole 30 minutes. Like Eddie Murphy-Delirious funny.

 

After that it was about 12:30 when we finally left. We wanted an ice cream and a drink to bring back to the room, so we went to the Lido to get them.

 

Off to bed we went.

[gemsm]

I do believe the Sea ES -- Is the old Sea Escape from the Port Everglades to Bahamas casino run

[spideyfam]

I do believe the Sea ES -- Is the old Sea Escape from the Port Everglades to Bahamas casino run

http://www.miamibeach411.com/cruiseguide/seaescape-casino-cruise.htm

 

That's it!! Thank you. With that info I was able to do more research.

 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/seaescape-casino-cruises-fort-lauderdale

But they went out of business due to the Hard Rock casino.

 

 

I did a seach before that information but could find anything.

 

Thank you again.

[spideyfam]

Will finish this up tomorrow!! (hopefully)