Glory Questions

[AN123]

Thank you so much for the suggestion of Coral Breezes. I found their website and it sounds just like the excursion I was looking for at Belize. It seems you get a little bit of everything and for a good price! Haven't had a chance to check on the one in Cozumel yet.

 

Thanks again!!

[Vibe]

When are the formal nights for the Glory western ?

 

Are there TV monitors near the treadmills in the gym ? If there are, do you need to bring headphones to listen to the audio ?

[Goofy63]

I'm leaving this Saturday 4/16 on the Glory. I will post a review for you all when I return. We are going to the Emerald Room as well, so I'll post a review on that as well. We are very excited as this will be our first cruise!

 

I would like to see this review when you post it, we are sailing May 7th with Glory and will also do the Emerald Room...please post your review to the roll call for Glory May 7th Thanks!!!

[Goofy63]

When are the formal nights for the Glory western ?

 

Are there TV monitors near the treadmills in the gym ? If there are, do you need to bring headphones to listen to the audio ?

 

I would like to know about these questions also!!!

[SunnieD]

Just off the Serenade of the Seas (RCI) and I am booking a group cruise for over 100 people. I can't decide weather I should go with Glory or the Mariner of the Seas. I don't know much about Carnival so has anyone done both? I think I will start a thread on this. Thanks

SunnieD

[Disneycruiser#1]

We LOVED Coral Breezes. As I mentioned the owners are some American guys in their 30's who made some money early on and are now running this business down in Belize. The boat was the nicest I have been on. I found them through several recommendations on these boards and another cruise board.

 

Their boat is not like a double decker type thing you usually see. Picture a speed boat but large enough for say 20 people, teak stairs, covered........they picked us up on the pier and we went right to the boat (no van ride or such). Then they hit it and we were flying through the water and they stop in the middle of no-where and now I know why it is considered one of the best diving sites in the world.

 

Type Coral Breeze Belize into a search engine and you should get the link, same with Eagle Ray Divers in Cozumel MX. If you can not find them post again and I will get the links to you.

 

I also suggest buying snorkel gear because it pays for itself the first cruise. We have used on every cruise since.

 

To the question about large groups and RCI vs. CCL. I know CCL offers a some great group pricing and incentives. I think the cruiseline you chose is so personal. I also believe in not staying with one cruiseline year after year or cruise after cruise. Now I KNOW many of you disagree with me and become very loyal to one cruiseline but in the last 3 summers we have sailed, Carnival 4 times, RCI 2 times, Disney 3 times and Princess 1 time.

 

I like and love things about each ship and cruiseline. Disney hands down with everything. My sons actually like Carnival better than Royal Caribbean and I have to say CCL is great with children. I would love to take them on the CP but will wait until they are much older.

 

This year we are going with the CCL Glory since we are taking our young boys with us and of course they love DCL boy the Magic is sailing out of CA all summer.

 

My best friend went on 2 Royal Caribbean cruises recently and did not have fun yet last summer she had a great experience on the Mariner of the Seas.

 

I really narrow it down to who is going and what is needed or desired for that age group, cabins, ports, time of year and then price.....

 

I personally have found I like balcony cabins and having a 3 and 6 year old who have already sailed many, many times I know what works. I also do not agree that Carnival is just a party ship. I have gone on two mommies only cruises in the last 2 years and it was a laid back experience. I think there is something for everyone on each cruiseline but in my opinion Carnival has stepped up the service in most areas.

 

Have fun :)

 

DC

[iluvdoxies]

Yes Coral Breeze is great! It's an all day excursion, but soo worth it---not much to do in Belize if you dont do an excursion

Their website is http://www.coralbrezeunlimited

[caviargal]

Just off the Serenade of the Seas (RCI) and I am booking a group cruise for over 100 people. I can't decide weather I should go with Glory or the Mariner of the Seas. I don't know much about Carnival so has anyone done both? I think I will start a thread on this. Thanks

SunnieD

 

I do groups and incentive travel for a living.

 

I would recommend the Mariner over the Glory:

- more activities for all ages

- more specialty restaurants

- really beautiful ship

- great sports program - Shipshape

- Adventure Ocean

 

Also, if you read the reviews, the Glory is all over the board. Mariner is consistent. There seem to be lots of problems with getting a chair by the pool after 8:30 in the morning on GLory and there are many comments on the ship feeling crowded and the lines being long. Plus the buffet scores pretty low overall and Windjammer IME delivers pretty well.

 

I am taking 191 people on GLory next month - against my recommendation to my client - but it was a decision based solely on price. Just working with CCL on this group has been a nightmare compared to the customer service on RCI for the many groups I have done in the past. I truly hope it is not a disaster. It sure feels like you get what you pay for so far. And my two Carnival past cruises scored low amongst my 102 cruises to date.

[supermickey483]

We were on Glory last year on April 24 and went to Key west,Belize, and cozumel, and progreso.We snorkeled In Belize and it was beautiful.Belize was my favortie place.The color of the water is such an unreal color that it's hard to believe it's actually real.Definetly snorkel in Belize if you can!

[nyscruiser]

We just returned from the Carnival Glory on 4/16/05,. western carribean.

 

This cruise ship really smelled. I am not kidding and the smell got worse as the days went on and that is just the tip of the iceburg.There were many things that went on that were just jaw droping.

 

We were group from upstate NY who were all first time cruisers and not one of us would recommend this cruise line or ship again!

[cruizinrican]

We just returned from the Carnival Glory on 4/16/05,. western carribean.

 

This cruise ship really smelled. I am not kidding and the smell got worse as the days went on and that is just the tip of the iceburg.There were many things that went on that were just jaw droping.

 

We were group from upstate NY who were all first time cruisers and not one of us would recommend this cruise line or ship again!

 

I am booked on the Glory in Sept. and would really like to know what happened on this ship that turned you off other than the foul odors? Please do tell, we would all like to know?! Thanks.:)

[disneysteve]

We just returned from the Carnival Glory on 4/16/05,. western carribean.

 

This cruise ship really smelled. I am not kidding and the smell got worse as the days went on and that is just the tip of the iceburg.There were many things that went on that were just jaw droping.

 

We were group from upstate NY who were all first time cruisers and not one of us would recommend this cruise line or ship again!

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. We sailed Glory 3/26 -4/2 and had a wonderful time. This was our 3rd cruise and we didn't have any significant problems. The ship is huge and never really felt crowded. The only times we stood in any real lines was reboarding in Key West and waiting for the chocolate buffet one afternoon. But the other people were always friendly and the wait never seemed particularly long considering there were 3300 people onboard.

 

I have no idea what the smell was that you referred to. Where on the ship did that occur? What other "jaw dropping" things occurred that were so terrible? I'm curious too having been on the ship just a couple of weeks ago.

[ricer]

I too am curious about the problems on the ship. I am cruising in three weeks and I thought everything was looking great after reading two positive reviews on this very cruise. Please elaborate!!!

[nyscruiser]

First of all embarking went great it was very fast about 45 min from start to finish.

But not everybody could open their door (we could 2nd deck main) they made an annoucement about 4pm that there was a problem on the 6th deck and that they would fix it ASAP. Not true. The majority was on the 6th but there were people lock out on every deck and not just 1 or 2 rooms, at least 20 rooms on every deck and then also the 6th. I can't tell how many people I saw walking around w/ their carry ons.The people from our group (6th deck)just got in their room before late diner @ 8:45. They waited 7 hours.

They had a sign up on the purser desk THE SHIP IS FULL. That's a LIE. The cocktail waitress told us that they ship wasn't full just in conversation the exact # of people on the ship.

Why would the purser desk put that sign up?? Gets you thinking HUMM Don't ask for an up grade. Not that any of us did but is does make you wonder. Why not up grade the people if you have the space.

Getting off in Key West took about a total of 45 mins before we were on the trolley and in downtown Key West that is a lot of time considering the last trolley leaves at 4:30. More lines out side the ship to get on the ship. The only have 2 gang planks not enough if you have over 3,000 people tring to get off at the same time.

Belize is where I realy started to wonder if they have any form of organiztion skills. You have to tender in Belize so I you don't pay extra ($33 extra for the cave tubing)for an excursion with carnival expect to wait and wait and wait.The funny part is carnival hires the local companies to do the tour for them so we just cut out the middle man (carnival). They don't like it if you don't book with them so the hold you on the ship till all their tours have gone. I don't have a problem with this. All we asked if 6 of us could get off on the first tender after thier tours had all tendered.( when carnival tender over their tour the tender boats were not full) My question we not fill them? Now we got LIED to again 3 different people asked 3 different pursers assistsants at differnt times if we could be on one of the first tenders after canival. We were told to go wait in the Ebony Room @ 9:00am. We then asked what time does the line start forming. Answer @ 9:00. WRONG WRONG Wrong time wrong place. WOW I couldn't beleive it. Now I was the last one to ask the purser's desk that morning at 8:00. After that I got back in line to point out that the carnival carpers said the hospitality desk at 9:30 for a sticker # to tender over. Now if we listened to them we wouldn't have a shout in the dark to make our tour we would have missed it. The line just starts to form it self with no help from carnival. No ORGANIZATION! Once again we wait for our tender to be called (we got #1) to deck #0. We are waiting On(deck #1) for all of their tours to finish coming down the stairs. ok no problem. Then the announce ok #2 and #3! WHAT still stuck on deck#1 and carnival people won't let any #1 down. Now the 2 and 3 are passing us on the stairs. we ask again ( there are about 20 pp with #1)they say no. Now we say forget it we all 20 decide lets go. Now in a line agian going down the stairs. We get on the tender we are on their w/2,3 and people I know the are on a carinval tour. How is that for ORGANIZTION.

We saw a woman fall and we went over to help her up andto see if she was ok. Security came and left and never got her ice for her knee some other bystander did after security left.

Any time we want to get off or on the ship you will wait in long lines.

All the buffets at any time of the day you wait in long lines. We all ate at different times other than diner there are 40 us.

The hot tub are filled w/ kids. No one there to tell the kids they have to be in there with an adult. I'm talk 15 kids at any time.

Don't expect to get a lounge chair on the sun decks unless you are there before 8:00am there is not enough deck space any where by the pools or above.

The casino smell like ash tray even when it wasn't open!

The bars all closed early so you couldn't go after the late show. They are suppose to be open till 2am

The waitress in the Amber Palace (show room) stopped taking drink orders for anyone during the late comics (started at midnite) because the bar that they use for that closed before the show was done. This is way before 2:00am.

The coffee place Creams closed at 12:30 suppose to be 1:00am.

No coffee on the lido deck after 1:30am (not even help yourself) was told to order room service.

Oh and Karoke, If you want to sing sing in on the first day it taks days till it is your turn. Over heard this complaint so we went to check it out. Yup they were right. The Carival Caper states when it open but not when it stops. On Friday early nite it had 3 different times it started but not when it ended. When we asked if we could sign up we were told "no it is closed read your carnival capers" we did not once did it say it closed just KAROKE OPEN and time.

Carival gave us group party 1 hr open bar, but the girl name we used to identify our group to registrar got a letter that our party would be at and time and date. No one else got any message till she called and ask if they notified the members the party. They said "no". she asked if they would an they told HER to noitify all of us ( she didn't have a list of room #s). She asked if they would no they don't do that but she would ask her boss, we all got letter under our door. Should we have to ask for this!

Getting off it took 1 1/2 to get off the ship (more lines) and then 1/2 to wait for luggage to come thru.

On this ship all you will do is wait in a line like cattle. I wasted more time in line. Iwish I went to work, waiting in lines is not relaxing. I thought this was the "fun Ship"

We met people at the airport w/ pieces of paper taped on thier luggage cart

"Carinval Glory Stinks try another Cuise line" So we stopped to talk to them. More of the same complaints, they had been on other cruises and said they never expienced any thing like this and they had cabins on the lido deck#9.

So I guess we weren't the only ones who say The Funk Ship.

[lilsonicfan]

I've gotta say that most of what you complained about probably could be found on other ships too. Is it a smoky smell that is the "bad smell" you complained about?

 

Ah well. I really couldn't care less about these negative reviews any more, I'm still gonna have an excellent time on the Glory :)

[caviargal]

I have read many reviews commenting on the awful wait times to get on and off the ship. This has not been my experience with other ships and I imagine I will get disgusted and not even get off. I am not into hassles on cruises.

 

The lines for food, the lack of enforcing policies aboard (kids in hot tubs, chair hogs) point to a lack of management on the ship. Sounds like the Hotel Director needs to be replaced. These are things within Carnival's control and they need to take responsibility and fix these problems.

 

I do not want kids in the hot tubs where there are supposed to be adults. I will toss someone's stuff off of a chair if I need one and it is unoccupied for 30 minutes. Just people passengers are rude does not excuse the staff from not controlling these problems. It is what causes problems between passengers.

 

The Glory sounds unorganized, overcrowded (too many pax for that tonnage IMHO) and poorly managed.

 

CCL needs to take charge and fix the problems. This ship has many negative comments and it is a shame.

[cruizinrican]

I don't care about the complaints either, I am booked on the Glory for Sept. and can't wait! I think that we should try and make the best out of every situation, even the bad ones. Cruising is what we make it, what you can get out of your experiences on board. It is alot like life, you take the good and the bad and move on, thats life. I am sure that as NYCruiser had a bad experience, there were plenty of others that thought it was the greatest cruise they had ever taken. So I have heard the bad and now I am more determined to make my adventure on the Glory a wonderful experience.;)

[mnsawyer]

Interesting how people perceive the same cruise. We sailed the Glory on 4/9 and absolutely loved it. Yes, we were unable to get into our rooms until 4:30 p.m., but it wasn't the end of the world! Our best cruise on Carnival yet. Don't let other posters bad reviews discourage you! You'll have a wonderful time! I have posted a review a few threads down. We had a fabulous time and loved the 4 stops!

[Intrudr]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=159239

 

Here's a positive Glory review from the 3/26/2005 western caribbean cruise.

 

long lines and a smelly casino are more tolerable than a 70 foot wave...

[Sportkim]

Just off of the Glory 4/9 cruise. Thursday was the second formal night. We only went to the aft pool and never had a problem finding 2 chairs together. Enjoy your cruise! We loved ours!

[Thatmom]

Hi,

Just wanted to say I have sailed the Glory and I have booked her again in August 2006. I am right now in the process of booking one in Oct.2006 too. We loved the ship. Not one complaint.

Have a great cruise she is a wonderful ship.

Carla

[Magnifique1908]

Thanks to all the positive (with more than two posts, lol;) ) Glory cruisers. I will be on her in July and I can't wait :D I always bring a party with me, so I'm sure I will have a good time.

[disneysteve]

I agree that any trip is what you make of it. No vacation is ever perfect but we've never let it stop us from having a great time.

 

We sailed Glory 3/26 and had a great time. Food was consistently excellent, service was very good and I never waited in a line that I considered too long. We only swam one day but had no trouble finding a chair near the main pool. After swimming there, we moved to the aft pool and found a chair right away there also. The casino was smoky but I expected no less. Debarking in ports was never a problem. Tender service in Belize was perfectly efficient as far as I could tell.

 

The good thing about the Internet is you can read a variety of reviews, good and bad, and make your own decisions. But always keep in mind your own likes and dislikes and your own travel preferences.

[nyscruiser]

By the way the foul smell on every floor was SEWER smell. It started in the middle of the hallway edged it way down to each end and up the decks. By the end of the cruise the smell was in our bathroom. When we asked if they could do something about the smell they just sprayed air freashner in the hallways. Oh yeah the smell was also in the Platinum Dining Room by Friday nite. It wasn't just me it just me everybody in the hallway kept asking other people "can you smell that smell". We were not the only asking for answers. No one wants to smell foul sewer on your vacation.

Honestly it smelled like woodstock (the bathroom area) for which I was at, I never had a drink or drug and had the best time of my life.

I just hope by posting this that carinval fixes the problems.