Carnival Pride 7/29/12

[cruiserjmeg]

Did anybody else sail the Pride this past week, 7/29 to 8/5? What did you think?

 

This was our first Carnival cruise and won't be our last!

[starlight0229]

Did anybody else sail the Pride this past week, 7/29 to 8/5? What did you think?

 

This was our first Carnival cruise and won't be our last!

 

I wasn't but I am sailing on her in just 6 days and am eagerly awaiting any and all reviews!

[backdro69]

I will be right htere along with you, Starlight:)

[Gailerina]

I love the Pride. I'm bias though, I live near the port :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ~ sign the awesome Gailerina!

[queentashyra]

i did just got off on sunday!

[JS0219]

We were on the Pride 7/29 - we were not impressed at all. We have only sailed NCL and will not sail Carnival again. Although since returning and talking to others who have sailed Carnival, our expereince and opinions may not be typical. We found the decor of the ship dark and confining. The lobby is smaller than others, although much of the room was taken up by couches that never seemed to be occupied. The buffet was very difficult to navigate - on NCL they have many stations, but all have the same extensive choices - so you don't have to wait in numerous lines to get different items. I will say that the deli was good though. We never ventured into the buffets for dinner, as lunches were disappointing, so we didn't try it for dinner. Breakfast items were luke warm, and no real eggs unless you waited at the omelette station. Outside burgers and dogs were OK, except that the choices were the same every day, and sides were also luke warm. Afternoon "snack" options were not offered - would have been nice to have cheese, crackers, wings, etc- something to go along with afternoon cocktails. Bars closed late afternoon by the pool, had to go all the way back to Serenity, as there were no waiters to be found either. Dirty dishes stayed on the table for long periods of time, as did trash and litter around the ship. No chairs to enjoy the views along the Promonade. Food in the MDR was nothing to write home about - we do not expect 5 star knowing they are serving en mass, but again, food was usually luke warm, and it was obvious that last nights prime rib was tonights beef stroganoff! Our room was kept spotless thanks to Jefferson, we had anytime dining so rarely had the same wait staff - so that was hit or miss. Singing in the dining room was a fun touch. Came to know Jugaslav who works at the towel desk and maintenance who was a gem! Staff overall seemed indifferent, but they were overwhelmed - ship is understaffed. So.... as I have rambled on and this has become my review, I apologize, but had the chance to voice my opinions and am open to questions.

[Gailerina]

Comparing lines make me think if comparing stores. I'm a target girl but I know Walmart is cheaper.

 

I'm sorry you did not have a good time but I do wonder if you judged before sailing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ~ sign the awesome Gailerina!

[JS0219]

I went into this cruise with a perfectly open mind, was excited to try Carnival, although hubby was hesitant, but I have my own opinions. Yes, some of them are based on comparison, but others not. For instance, I was comparing the set up of the buffet - but the choices and the temperature of the food are facts. Yes, the decor is a matter of opinion, but the cleanliness and availabilty of waitstaff were facts. There were good things as well, we went to several comedy shows, and the comediens were excellent. The cruise director Jaime was very good, in fact, better than on NCL, as there were not constant announcements, she was energetic and very friendly.

We had a fabulous time on Grand Turk, rented a golf cart and toured the island on our own, then went to Jack's Shack and had a great time there. half Moon Cay was beautiful, but with the weather - and no fault here, we couldn't enjoy it was much as we would have. Freeport - we went to Port Lucaya on the advice of a Carnival rep, and enjoyed renting a JetSki and then did some shopping.

All in all, the vacation was certainly not a bust, and I am the type who will make the best of things, there were things we enjoyed, but many things we did not care for will most likely keep us from sailing Carnival again.

[Beacher123]

WOW!! I was on the 7/15 - 7/22 junket and I swore I was on the Pride!! I had a completely different experience. Food in MDR was good, good temperature, a little slow but we were never in a hurry. Had anytime dining, but had the same wait staff each night, Santos and his group, who did everything to make our dining experience enjoyable. Breakfast was usually on Lido at the omelet bar. Perfectly done egg white omelet, almost no wait. This was not my first, nor I hope my last, cruise. This was my seventh and I am happy to report that I have never had a bad one!!

 

Just wanted you to have another view of what appears to be the same cruise (two weeks earlier).

 

For me, the negatives were so few and minor that they don't even matter. So go and enjoy!!

[cruiserjmeg]

This was our first Carnival cruise as well. We only sailed on Princess before. We went in with an open mind as we did not want to compare cruise lines.

 

We left from Baltimore and embarkation was very smooth. When we first went on, we went to the Mermaid's Grille (Buffet) for lunch. We thought the decor was very nice and the food was delicious with lots of choices--Asian, deli, All American, carvery, and best of all, the sweet shop!

They had an outside grille by the pool which we thought was nice for those who wanted a snack near the action. You can get burgers, hot dogs, fries, etc. (My mom loved the fries; it seemed like she ate a thousand plates of these!!)

 

It was always crowded by the pools but nothing out of the ordinary. A few times we had a problem finding a seat but most of the time we managed to find a few chairs.

 

We ate at the Main Dining Room every night. We had the early seating and our waiters were terrific. They were very friendly and efficient. The service was good and the food was delicious. They had great variety for all taste-buds--healthy/diet, seafood, meat & potatoes, and even a did'ja ever appetizer for the adventurous type.

 

As for the entertainment, we felt there could have been a little bit more. The shows in the Taj Mahal with the Carnival Pride dancers were very good, but at times we felt there could have been more choices. Some nights we were walking around saying, "What do you want to do?" There could have been more to offer in the entertainment area.

 

Our cabin was nice. We had a balcony stateroom, category 8C. The balcony wasn't as big as they were on Princess; there were three of us in the cabin, but there were only two chairs. The stateroom overall seemed to be a little bit smaller than on Princess too, although there was plently of cabinet/storage space.

 

The Serenity (Age 21 & over) was very nice. We didn't go up there much. One time we went in, there was not a chair to be had but tried another time and got a couple chairs. It was very, very relaxing. Serenity also has its own bar which we appreciated.

 

Overall, we thought it was a good vacation. We believe we'll cruise with Carnival again but maybe a little bigger ship next time.

 

I hope our review helps future Pride cruisers!

[dixieva]

Can any of you who were on the Pride tell me if you make reservations for the steakhouse (David's) for the first night (embarkation day) do you get a free bottle of wine? I know some cruise lines do this but only on the first night on board.

 

Thanks

[Cruiseprotobe]

We were on the Pride the same time, 7/29-8/5. This was our second cruise ever and there were some good things and bad things in our opinions as everyone in entitled to their opinions here.

 

Love having the port an hour and a half away, that was nice. Easy to get to, unload the luggage and enter the cruise port. VIP status also made it alot quicker as well. the Atrium was kind of small in the center of the ship and on the next deck up where they would do photo shoots every night it got crowded and tough to walk through the crowds. food was pretty good, MDR was pretty good food, nothing to write home about but the ST Louis style ribs were fantastic and their gourmet burgers were pretty good too. the mermaid was ok, didnt like the lay out of the Mermaids. they also could have had a burger, hot dog, fry buffet inside the mermaid instead of hiking out to the Venus pool area to grab ice cream/froyo/ and the burgers and such. Service in the MDR was fantastic, we had Chantala and Marco as our waiter team the first few nights but then we were changed and had Haydee and Volodomyr and they were just as fantastic with us as we had anytime seating. AS for the entertainment, it was meh, Comedians were very good. The carnival dancers were not that great. the signing and dancing was off most of the time. After two nights of shows, I stopped going but the rest of my party went each night and they would all come back with horror stories of how bad it was. Glad i just wandered around the ship instead at night. They could have added more variety IMO. Also you could get bored pretty quick on the Pride, although she is a nice size ship, I can see where one could get tired of the same type of entertainment every night in the Taj Mahal or the Karoake in the Ivory Bar or Raphael Lounge. I wasnt a huge fan of the CD, although she was very nice, she didnt need to yell into the mic when making announcements, shouldve kept them shorter too. After the first 2 mins Most people were paying attention, giving out to much information at once. Our room attendant was great though. Ernest. Fantastic person and took care of us with the best care. Our cabin, 5295, the carpet was water stained near the balcony door from previous water damage. Not all the channels on the TV were working. But we overlooked that. The beds were terrible, I was in such pain towards the end of the cruise with my back and leg muscles, no support whatsoever. Serenity deck was very nice but with the water slide right above you , it wasnt so peaceful. she was a nice ship but for an itinerary with 3.5 days at sea, they couldve used a larger ship with a better layout. I hope when she goes into dry dock they re do the decor, it was odd decor on the Pride. Overall, I give the Pride and its entertainment a solid grade C+.

[dvond]

We are going in 3 weeks for the 3rd time on the Pride and know what we are getting, doing the cruise for conveinence and cost which is quite cheap.

 

The food is fine, has gone downhill but you can still find something every night.

 

The buffet is chaos, I end up getting more hamburgers or hot dogs because I do not want to wait 30 minutes to get food.

 

The entertainment is awful, same old and tired shows, we have stopped going but usually the comedians are pretty good but if they do not play, you either gamble, piano bar, or go to bed early

[brlou]

Can any of you who were on the Pride tell me if you make reservations for the steakhouse (David's) for the first night (embarkation day) do you get a free bottle of wine? I know some cruise lines do this but only on the first night on board.

 

Thanks

 

Yes, you do get a free bottle if dine the first night. :D

[dixieva]

Thanks so much!

[luv2gocruzin]

Freeport - we went to Port Lucaya on the advice of a Carnival rep, and enjoyed renting a JetSki and then did some shopping.

 

Could you tell me where you rented a jet ski and how much it was? Thanks!

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

We were on the Pride 7/29 - we were not impressed at all. We have only sailed NCL and will not sail Carnival again. Although since returning and talking to others who have sailed Carnival, our expereince and opinions may not be typical. We found the decor of the ship dark and confining. The lobby is smaller than others, although much of the room was taken up by couches that never seemed to be occupied. The buffet was very difficult to navigate - on NCL they have many stations, but all have the same extensive choices - so you don't have to wait in numerous lines to get different items. I will say that the deli was good though. We never ventured into the buffets for dinner, as lunches were disappointing, so we didn't try it for dinner. Breakfast items were luke warm, and no real eggs unless you waited at the omelette station. Outside burgers and dogs were OK, except that the choices were the same every day, and sides were also luke warm. Afternoon "snack" options were not offered - would have been nice to have cheese, crackers, wings, etc- something to go along with afternoon cocktails. Bars closed late afternoon by the pool, had to go all the way back to Serenity, as there were no waiters to be found either. Dirty dishes stayed on the table for long periods of time, as did trash and litter around the ship. No chairs to enjoy the views along the Promonade. Food in the MDR was nothing to write home about - we do not expect 5 star knowing they are serving en mass, but again, food was usually luke warm, and it was obvious that last nights prime rib was tonights beef stroganoff! Our room was kept spotless thanks to Jefferson, we had anytime dining so rarely had the same wait staff - so that was hit or miss. Singing in the dining room was a fun touch. Came to know Jugaslav who works at the towel desk and maintenance who was a gem! Staff overall seemed indifferent, but they were overwhelmed - ship is understaffed. So.... as I have rambled on and this has become my review, I apologize, but had the chance to voice my opinions and am open to questions.

 

It sounds like Carnival is not the line for you. And I am not saying this is a bad way...everyone has lines they like and ones they don't, and that's OK...I'm going on the Pride, for the 2nd time, in about a week because it's my favorite ship so far. A lot of people love RCI...I've sailed twice and don't get the fascination...but that's OK too...I certainly didn't have a bad time on RCI, just don't prefer it.

[DKane]

Can any of you who were on the Pride tell me if you make reservations for the steakhouse (David's) for the first night (embarkation day) do you get a free bottle of wine? I know some cruise lines do this but only on the first night on board.

 

Thanks

 

Yes. A free bottle for the table.

[sweetjem]

It sounds like Carnival is not the line for you. And I am not saying this is a bad way...everyone has lines they like and ones they don't, and that's OK...I'm going on the Pride, for the 2nd time, in about a week because it's my favorite ship so far. A lot of people love RCI...I've sailed twice and don't get the fascination...but that's OK too...I certainly didn't have a bad time on RCI, just don't prefer it.

 

Heard they are not the best either 15 on carnival and a vacation is what you make it .

[suzinva]

I've been on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival, I thought they were pretty comparable (though to be fair, I haven't been on RCL in about 6 years). I think that RCL has a little more variety in things to do and I did love their promenade area, with the shops and snack areas, etc. There was always something going on there. My son liked RCL's kids program more than Carnival, but he loved Carnival's as well so that was almost a wash. I like Carnival better because all other important things (to me) being equal, Carnival's a better vacation bargain for my bucks.

 

I'm sailing the Pride this weekend and can't wait! I appreciate everyone's reviews, good, bad and indifferent as all points of view and perspectives are necessary, I think, so that people can make informed decisions.

 

Thanks for the review :)

[DontTreadOnMe]

I was on this sailing of the Pride. This was our second cruise overall and our first with Carnival. Our first (as seen in my signature) was on the Allure of the Seas. Our third will be on the Grandeur of the Seas. I seem to be going on ever smaller ships!

 

We sailed the Carnival Pride because sailing out of Baltimore is super convenient. And the Pride is cheaper than the Enchantment of the Seas.

 

For background information, we are middle-aged traveling by ourselves.

 

We had Any Time Dining. We stayed in an Aft Extended Balcony cabin on deck 4.

 

We must be easy to please because we had a really good time. Sometimes the food wasn't exactly right, but that didn't keep us from packing on some pounds. I am still working on losing them.

 

We ate MDR every night except for the second Elegant Night opting instead for the convenience of the Lido buffet. Service for us in the MDR was quite good. Split our nights between two teams. One was better than the other but both were good. Always was able to find more than one thing to eat. Often sampled both! :p

 

Never went to any of the entertainment. Still enjoyed the ship. Grand Turk is pretty, HMC beautiful, and Freeport nothing amazing. Still found it interesting to watch a working commercial port.

 

Did find the decorating a bit strange. I enjoy Renaisance Art so the "nudes" didn't bother me. In fact, I usually didn't notice them. However, there is a rather large painting on a woman reclined on a couch down in Raphael's. I think I might have avoided the deck if I had 8 year old boys with me. What I found most strange was a "Taj Majal" themed theater on a ship with a Renaisance theme. Didn't make much sense to me. However, doesn't have any impact on my enjoyment.

 

Clearly this is a much smaller ship - and older - than the Allure. And doesn't have anywhere near as much "stuff" to do. My vacations are about relaxing. I have too much "stuff" to do most of the time. We bought 2 Future Cruise Certificates while onboard. We will certainly be sailing the Carnival Pride again.

[Binks240]

I got off the Pride yesterday and had a great time. there was 8 in our group and the dining staff was wonderful. Food was good every night. the only time we felt like the buffet areas were crowded was the day in Freeport when everyboday was on the ship by 1:30.

 

We had a spot by the pool every day. The adult area was always crowded.

 

Our room was a balcony and I thought it seemed smaller than other balconys i've had but still nice to have.

 

The layout of the ship was great and easy to get around. We saw just about all the shows and they were entertaining. I liked the Around the World show.

 

I would definetly sail the Pride again. :)

[belles]

I've been on the Pride 3 times in the last 18 mos. I love the convenience since I live in MD. It's so nice to be home 25 minutes after getting off the ship.

My last time on the Pride was May 6th. My husband and I went with my in-laws. They had cruised before on Royal Caribbean. I liked the itinerary better on the Pride over the 1 stop to Bermuda that Enchantment of the Seas offered out of Baltimore. Well, my husband and I enjoyed the cruise but I could tell it wasn't a cruise my in laws would pick again. I think they didn't like the ship or food at all. We all still had a good time, but I think they'll stick with RCI.

Only 2 things I wasn't crazy about my last time on the Pride. I did find the food in the MDR to be lukewarm. Never hot. We ordered cappuccino every night after dinner and they could have been guzzled down. They were no where near hot. And of course I wasn't crazy about the interior of the ship. I thought it was tacky. My balcony cabin was great, service was wonderful and I had a wonderful time as I have on all my 15 cruises.

I'm going on the Freedom in Sept, the Imagination in November but I think I'd like to try another line next year. I've cruised before with NCL, Princess and Celebrity but it's been a while.

 

[jerseyralph]

We were on the Pride 7/29 - we were not impressed at all. We have only sailed NCL and will not sail Carnival again. Although since returning and talking to others who have sailed Carnival, our expereince and opinions may not be typical. We found the decor of the ship dark and confining. The lobby is smaller than others, although much of the room was taken up by couches that never seemed to be occupied. The buffet was very difficult to navigate - on NCL they have many stations, but all have the same extensive choices - so you don't have to wait in numerous lines to get different items. I will say that the deli was good though. We never ventured into the buffets for dinner, as lunches were disappointing, so we didn't try it for dinner. Breakfast items were luke warm, and no real eggs unless you waited at the omelette station. Outside burgers and dogs were OK, except that the choices were the same every day, and sides were also luke warm. Afternoon "snack" options were not offered - would have been nice to have cheese, crackers, wings, etc- something to go along with afternoon cocktails. Bars closed late afternoon by the pool, had to go all the way back to Serenity, as there were no waiters to be found either. Dirty dishes stayed on the table for long periods of time, as did trash and litter around the ship. No chairs to enjoy the views along the Promonade. Food in the MDR was nothing to write home about - we do not expect 5 star knowing they are serving en mass, but again, food was usually luke warm, and it was obvious that last nights prime rib was tonights beef stroganoff! Our room was kept spotless thanks to Jefferson, we had anytime dining so rarely had the same wait staff - so that was hit or miss. Singing in the dining room was a fun touch. Came to know Jugaslav who works at the towel desk and maintenance who was a gem! Staff overall seemed indifferent, but they were overwhelmed - ship is understaffed. So.... as I have rambled on and this has become my review, I apologize, but had the chance to voice my opinions and am open to questions.

 

Congrats on success with NCL......... We have not been so lucky.

[govgurl]

Could you tell me where you rented a jet ski and how much it was? Thanks!

 

I know this poster had a great experience, but the Bahamas natives on the Pott of Call board always warn against renting jet skis in the Bahamas. I assume in this case, since it was recommended by Carnival staff, the place was legit, but apparently there are a lot of people, particularly in Nassau, who rent dodgy jetskis to tourists on beaches. The jetskis break down in the water and lead to accidents all the time. So whatever you do, be careful! If you rent from hotels, thats fine, it's the independent operators you have to be careful about.