carnival legend review 7/24-7/31

[honestguy]

Ok before I begin a little about my wife and I. She is a school teacher, and I work in a restaurant managing and waiting tables. I put a high emphasis on food and service. Much more so, than my wife or the average person. I've also worked on a cruise ship as a waiter, and cruised on princess and holland america, as a guest. (also get use to no caps, and bad grammar!)

 

Day 1

 

We had an early flight out of charlotte on sunday the day of the cruise.(yeah I know your not supposed to do that. Was lectured by an off duty airline captain sitting next to me on the flight). Anyway flight was really quick, we arrived 20 minutes early, and were off to the port.

 

We were the 3rd group to check in we were so early. Wife got comfy and I went next door to the wine shop to get 2 bottles of wine. I had to wait an hour for the shop to open(11am) but what a nice little shop with fair prices. Was a little worried about getting back through security with 2 bottles, but 2 my surprise I walked right through.

 

Was on the ship by 12, and headed right for the lido. From a seat inside next to the grill, so that's what we ate. Hamburgers was what you expect frozen patties but on a very nice toasted bun. French fries were great. Nachos were only so so with a very watery sauce. Chicken tenders were frozen. We quickly had a drink of the day in hand by the very friendly bar waiters.

 

We waited for our room in the casino bar since we had so much luggage and a case of water I was lugging for my wife.

[Islandbear]

looking forward to your review. Very interested in your having worked on a ship. How long ago?

[JerseyshoreBruce]

Looking forward to this review....nice start!

[honestguy]

looking forward to your review. Very interested in your having worked on a ship. How long ago?

It was 2005 I did one contract. that was enough for me.:D

[honestguy]

Ok, so back to lunch, while there we decided to eat in the steakhouse on Sunday night. After another cocktail or so our cabin was ready right at 130. I met out cabin steward right away handed him a 10, and told him we are low key don't need anything but alot of towels. My request was met all week.

 

Cabin was nice a roomy. Bigger than anything I ever had. that being said I couldn't stand the bathroom colors, or material used in it. It reminded me of my cabin when I worked on board. I feel like carnival really cut some costs with their guest bathrooms. Really liked princess and holland america bathrooms better. that being said it was an minor annoyance.

 

We booked an inside and received a free upgrade to the french door cabin. View wasn't great, but hey it was free and we had some natural light coming in.

 

After settling in we were off to the cruise critic meet and greet. Probably had close to 20 people there, and most did a shot of tequila with me. After that it was time to get ready for the safety briefing, which for me meant hiding out in our cabin. I was in charged of a life boat when I worked on board, so I avoid the muster drills at all costs. Steward knocked on the door once but after that left us be.

 

We were then off to the pool and the sail away party.

[LBumb]

great start

[spideyfam]

40 more days I will be on the Legend. Great eview so far!!

 

Are they still offering a free bottle of wine at the Steak House the first night?

[JerseyshoreBruce]

40 more days I will be on the Legend. Great eview so far!!

 

Are they still offering a free bottle of wine at the Steak House the first night?

Yes they do still offer bottle of wine on first night free!

[honestguy]

trying to get some pictures on lets see if I figured it out. ok i added them but not how I wanted to. how do u add them to the text and not thumbnails. somebody help me please lol. anyway the pictures of us. in the elevator going to check in. my wife's best day ever lol our wonderful view from our cabin. and our shots of tequila.

[honestguy]

We had a 630 spot in the steakhouse. I knew from on here we would be close to going under the bridge then. You could start seeing the bridge probably around 5. It was still a long way off. After enjoying the pool we went down to get ready and was back up on deck at 550. We went under the bridge right around 610 to 615. Somewhat early. I snapped some really cool pictures from a spot I never seen any taken. I must say it was pretty cool going under that thing. Alot closer than I thought. Next up Our steakhouse meal.

[honestguy]

bridge pictures

[peacebeach]

Loving this review, have never seen bridge pics from that angle:)

[nolababe504]

Great review so far!!!

[honestguy]

Loving this review, have never seen bridge pics from that angle:)

 

Yeah I was breaking the rules to get those bridge pics. lol:D

[cuted126]

Press the yellow icon above that looks like a pic of a mountain. Then copy the url from your pics and paste it into that box.

 

To copy the url right click on your pic and choose properties and it will give you a link to copy into that box! Hope this helps!

[honestguy]

Steakhouse dinner. We went back in forth for the longest time trying to decide if we would eat here. This is what I do on land is work in a prime steakhouse. Their sales pitch was too much during our lunch in the buffet so we decided to go.

 

I must say the dining room is beautiful. Love the 2 floors. By the time we were seated all the good tables on the first floor was taken. We were seated on the second. and had a wonderful view of both sides of the ocean.

 

We were seated right away, and had to ask for the free bottle of wine. Now understand we didn't eat here for the free bottle.(I'm a wine snob according to my wife) Once seated I ordered 2 glasses of wine for my wife and I. I did the wolfblass shiraz, and the cuvasion Cabernet. Wasn't a fan of the wolfblass, but the wife liked it. I thought the cuvasion was a very nice cab, and if someone was looking for a very nice bottle this would be a good choice. After enjoying these I tried the free bottle. Its a merlot from chile. Its very easy to drink cause there isn't much to it. Its red and wet. We drink half of it.

 

You receive amuse-bouche each from the chef. Mine was a mini prime slider, and my wife had tomato soup. They both were great.

[Cobra1365]

Press the yellow icon above that looks like a pic of a mountain. Then copy the url from your pics and paste it into that box.

 

To copy the url right click on your pic and choose properties and it will give you a link to copy into that box! Hope this helps!

 

If they aren't hosted on the web somewhere, the above suggestion won't work.

Post them on Photobucket and then click the URL to the right of the pic that says "IMG code"

The come here and just right click and paste where you want them in the text.

[rhcpchika1]

Loving the review! Excited to read the rest :)

[honestguy]

If they aren't hosted on the web somewhere, the above suggestion won't work.

Post them on Photobucket and then click the URL to the right of the pic that says "IMG code"

The come here and just right click and paste where you want them in the text.

 

thanks for the info I will have too look into doing this. for now I'll post them attachments.

[honestguy]

For our apps I did the beef carpaccio. Wife did the crab cake. She loved the cake, I'll take her word on it since I can't have shellfish. The carpaccio was very simple which is fine when your using good beef. Could have used a few more toast points but as i said the beef was so good that it was fine.

 

For our salad course I did french onion soup wife did the spinach salad. Salad was wonderfully done and the soup was some of the richest onion soup I had, and I'm not a big soup eater.

 

I was torn on what steak to get. I settled on the bone in rib eye. I tried to tell the server what end of the ribeye I wanted since there is a difference but the language barrier was too much. She even brought out the chef but he couldn't understand what I wanted. What I wanted was a Ribeye closest to the strip end of the loin. Versus a ribeye closer the the chuck end of the loin. I ended up with one closest to the chuck end. lol

 

It was a good cut of meat though and was surely prime grade. My only complaint with the steak is the fact that they grill them. There is a reason every major steakhouse chain broils steaks. Its considered by most the best way to cook them. It also takes alot of heat and natural gas. This might be a reason why they don't used them.

 

They also don't season the steaks heavy, so i would suggest most get a sauce or some mushrooms even for a steak cooked medium or less.

 

Wife had the seabass and loved it. lots of spinach with it. After having it she should have gotten a different salad other than the spinach salad since it had so much spinach with it.

 

For dessert I had the chocolate sampler, and I think my wife passed or had fruit. The sampler was great. Loved the homemade raspberry sorbet I would have ordered just that, had I known it was so good.

 

Service was excellent the whole meal until the end. Took way too long for desserts and to get our check. The reason I figured for the check was I got 2 one for the steakhouse charge and one for the 2 glasses of wine. The sommelier had to bring the check for the glasses of wine. That being said I still tipped an extra 10 bucks.

 

All and all I think the steakhouse is a good value for what you get. I fact I dined there again later in the cruise

[PrinceNyht]

I'm no chef. But definitely a foodie. I'm really loving your review, I enjoy hearing your take on the Steakhouse as I'm doing it for the first time for my cruise in October. I've already made reservations for one night, debating on whether or not to do another as well.

 

Do you think it's worth it?

[Pasco08]

What makes you so much better you think you can skip muster drills? Thats a pet peve I dont care if you have worked on the ship or not you would probably be the first one to sue if something went wrong ugh

[oncruisecontrol]

I'm really enjoying your review so far. I work in a somewhat upscale restaurant, and I am very curious as to your opinions of the other food on the ship. Particularly the main diningroom food and also the deli on the Lido. Thanks.

[marshhawk]

Enjoying the review. I wont be as hard on you as Pasco08-(maybe shouldn't mention the muster LOL). We are thinking about doing the steak house on our first night next year(it's our anniversary). Were you able to choose where you wanted to sit? When you made the reservation did you request window view?

[honestguy]

What makes you so much better you think you can skip muster drills? Thats a pet peve I dont care if you have worked on the ship or not you would probably be the first one to sue if something went wrong ugh

 

Buddy I was in charge of a life boat. I had better training than any of the people on the carnival ships being I was on a US flagged ship. I was a card carrying merchant marine. I know where and how to get to my muster station.