Carnival Pride February 24-March 3

[CruiserBren]

Thank you for the review. I hope your embarkation was better than ours.

 

The embarkation was a nightmare. It took us about three hours to get on the ship. We arrived at 1:30 p.m., as requested by Carnival and we sat in the line in our car to unload luggage for 45 minutes. People were putting their luggage tags on the bags then and that may have been the hold up. Twenty minutes were taken waiting in the line to pay for parking. Then we waited OUTSIDE of the security building in along line for another 30 minues and it took a couple of hours inside. We are never going out of Baltimore again!

 

--PD

 

This is definitely not the norm for Baltimore! Were you signed up for text updates? If the ship was late getting in, you would have received that as an update and been advised to arrive later. Usually we pull in and as soon as debarkation clears some of the parking spaces, they start to let those of us arriving into the parking lot. The only time I've ever had to wait was the day after Snowmegeddon, they had to let everyone leave so they could plow the parking lot before we were able to park. Baltimore has had the easiest embarkation of any place I've embarked from.

[rafinmd]

Thanks for the great daily reviews, I have enjoyed reading them:) We will be on the pride in May and we are looking forward to it. The bad thing about vacation is that you spend so much time looking forward to it, then it's over before you know it.

 

Isn't that the truth.

 

This is definitely not the norm for Baltimore! Were you signed up for text updates? If the ship was late getting in, you would have received that as an update and been advised to arrive later. Usually we pull in and as soon as debarkation clears some of the parking spaces, they start to let those of us arriving into the parking lot. The only time I've ever had to wait was the day after Snowmegeddon, they had to let everyone leave so they could plow the parking lot before we were able to park. Baltimore has had the easiest embarkation of any place I've embarked from.

 

I agree, although the Pride was not significantly late getting in that week. The coast Guard may have pulled some extra inspections due to the Triumph or something but it was definitely unusual. I waited 20 minutes in line for security and then was on board within 10 minutes of clearing security.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

I did actually rise at 5 and once again it was quite windy but the lifeboat deck was open and I did walk for about an hour in a chilly wind that was just comfortable in a light jacket. There was no rain but it was quite cloudy most of the day.

 

The morning was pretty quiet with some time on the computer and some time packing. We are travelling full speed to make Baltimore on time. We were roughly opposite the Georgia-South Carolina border at 6AM and opposite the border between the 2 Carolinas at noon. In his update Captain Lubrano reported we the weather would not change during the day with a temperature of 50. We will pass the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel around midnight, the Bay Bridge about 7, and the Key Bridge about 8:15, and the expected high in Baltimore will be 46.

 

Before lunch in the Normandie Dining I took a look at the Lido Chocolate Buffet, and continued packing. My final tea was at 3 with orange coffee cake, and at 4 we had a matinee performance of Wonderful World. Troy and Robin (Assistant Cruise Director) held a Q&A on shipboard life in Starry Nights leading up to our final dinner.

 

In addition to packing, evening activities on the ship included The Liars Club at 9 and the Carnival Legends Show at 10:30. I dropped down to the Ivory Bar to check out Roger at the Piano before retiring(excellent).

 

I had planned this parting shot for yesterday but held it over since Wonderful World was rescheduled for today. The song I was expecting was not actually part of the show but my thought process stands. Referring back to Wednesday:

 

Today's parting shot gets a bit messy. The evening entertainment was "Wonderful World". I anticipated it with a bit of trepidation. My cruise line of choice is Crystal and one of their traditions is that they play "Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong at each sailaway, so that song has become very special to me, and it's difficult to hear it when I'm on another ship. It can be depressing but often if the cruise is good I'll counteract the blues by writing my own lyrics appropriate to what I've experienced on the cruise.

<snip>

I feel it's still a bit too early in the cruise to know how I'll react to the song I did hear(even though I heard it only at David's).

 

Roy

 

 

I've seen gators and rockets and heroes of flight.

 

Helping St. Jude has been a delight.

And I think to myself "What a Wonderful World".

 

I've seen parrots flamingos, iguanas, cats and more

Gone from freezing to warm in comfort galore

And I think to myself "What a Wonderful World"

 

Roy

[Seago2]

Thanks for your review and for taking the care to post updates! Love a good 'live from'. Hope your debarkation goes smoothly.

[T2C]

I've seen gators and rockets and heroes of flight.

 

Helping St. Jude has been a delight.

And I think to myself "What a Wonderful World".

 

I've seen parrots flamingos, iguanas, cats and more

Gone from freezing to warm in comfort galore

And I think to myself "What a Wonderful World"

 

Roy

My favorite song of all time and you did it justice with your own lyrics.

 

Seems like yesterday that I saw your 1st post about doing a daily review while on the Pride, and now it's about over. Thank you again Roy for giving us a week to live through your vacation

[Charxu]

Thank you for letting me follow along on your vacation. I have really enjoyed your writing and am more than ready to board the ship in May. Can you tell me if there is unlimited internet and what the cost is onboard? I am wondering if it's the same as what is being talked about on the boards for $99, thanks and I hope your debarkation is uneventful.

[CruiserBren]

Thanks, Roy for a great review! I was on the Pride 5 weeks ago for my daughter's wedding! She is currently sailing with you on her honeymoon! I pick them up tomorrow, so it's great to know the ship should be on time!!

[thehip]

Thank you for the review. I hope your embarkation was better than ours.

 

My wife and I went on the previous week's voyage on the Pride. Our second cruise and first time out of Baltimore. The embarkation was a nightmare. It took us about three hours to get on the ship. We arrived at 1:30 p.m., as requested by Carnival and we sat in the line in our car to unload luggage for 45 minutes. People were putting their luggage tags on the bags then and that may have been the hold up. Twenty minutes were taken waiting in the line to pay for parking. Then we waited OUTSIDE of the security building in along line for another 30 minues and it took a couple of hours inside. We are never going out of Baltimore again!

 

There were ALOT of unhappy people there that day. From what I gather, what we experienced wasn't the norm.

 

The teenagers running rampant was pretty bad, though. Even at 1:00 a.m.

 

--PD

 

I cut some of your text to keep the reply shorter, we were on the same cruise and agree. The ship was in port on time, but they seemed pretty content to let the entire waiting area fill up before letting anyone board.

 

The kids on the ship were like wolf packs. Up all night, running through the entire ship screaming, banging on doors, whatever they wanted. Yelling though every show or event we tried to watch in the Taj. Baltimore can suck it. Too bad, the staff was great and the ship was outstanding.

 

A new review in the cruise review section also had the same issue for the pride cruise that left the week before ours....sitting in the waiting area until 1:30. I am suspecting that might be the new norm.

[Blurgh]

I think alot of it has to do when you go. If you go when anyone has a spring break (or February break, even), watch out. We went on the Pride last fall and to be honest, I'm not even sure if there were any school age kids on the boat... at all.

[thehip]

I think alot of it has to do when you go. If you go when anyone has a spring break (or February break, even), watch out. We went on the Pride last fall and to be honest, I'm not even sure if there were any school age kids on the boat... at all.

 

Feb 17th is not a big week for school breaks. For anyone. Anywhere.

[Blurgh]

Feb 17th is not a big week for school breaks. For anyone. Anywhere.

 

Presidents Week is a week off in most places in Jersey. So I'm sure it is in other places.

[John Reid]

Feb 17th is not a big week for school breaks. For anyone. Anywhere.

 

Disagree. There are many school districts off the entire week of President's Day. I just Googled two districts where I taught years ago. Both are still off for winter break that week. When I taught, families poured out of the Northeast for vacations President's Week. I imagine it may still be that way.

[rafinmd]

We just passed under the Bay Bridge, headed for at least a nearly on time arrival,

 

Roy

[WetToes]

I'm so sorry Roy ... sorry that it's over, but glad to that you seemed to have a good time.

I've really enjoyed reading your review, and looking at your pics. Thanks!

[mibarron]

Thank you for allowing me to vacation vicariously through you!! I can't wait to go on the Pride in August! :)

[nodogkisses]

Thanks so much for your review--especially appreciated the location updates via your GPS while at sea sailing to and from Florida/Bahamas. Just the info I needed--very appreciative. Thanks again.

[JaniceB]

Thanks for sharing your cruise "live" with us.

[rafinmd]

Thank you WetToes, mibarron, nodogkisses, and JaniceB.

 

There were a number of children but they all seemed to be happy and occupied in productive activities. I saw them at mealtimes but not much otherwise.

When I rose at 5 the temperature was in the 30's with a chilly room. I enjoyed a coffee in my room before walking an hour as we approached the William Preston Lane Bay Bridge. I initially walked on deck 3, and went up to deck 10 as the bridge came into view. I went back to my room for a while after we passed under the bridge. We passed under the Francis Scott Key Bridge about 8:15 and I left my room and watched our continuing sailin from the Serenity deck. One of my usual sentinels of the sailin, the USNS Comfort was missing, I found that it is currently docked in Norfolk, but am unsure why.

 

We put the first of the stern lines out about 9:05 and settled against the dock. It appeared that clearance of the ship was delayed and disembark started quite slowly, but eventually caught up. The times for disembarkation, estimated and actual(I was Zone 12):

 

Self disembark:

 

Deck 1: 9:15,9:47

Deck 8: 9:45,10:26

Deck 4: 10:15,10:28

Deck 7: 10:25,10:39

Deck 5: 10:35,10:39

Deck 4: 10:50,10:49

 

Zones 1-3: 11:00-11:10,10:50

Zones 4-5: 11:10-11:20,11:07

Zones 6-8: 11:20-11:30,11:07

Zone 9: 11:20-11:30,11:17

Zone 10-13: 11:30-11:40,11:17

Zone 14-15: 11:30-11:40,Wasn't there

Zone 16-19: 11:40-11:50,Wasn't there

Zone 20-23: 11:50-12:00,Wasn't there

Zone 24-26: 12:00-12:10,Wasn't there

 

There was a customs line extending to the end of the ship's ramp but it moved very quickly. We did our immigration checks BEFORE claiming our luggage and were free to go once we collected our bags. I left the terminal at 11:35 and largely retraced my steps home. I walked to Fort Avenue, took the Banner and Orange Charm City Circulator to Panera for Lunch and then the Light Rail and Howard Transit back home. Using exclusively mass transit I walked in my door at 4:10.

 

This concludes my Baltimore cruises for the year until I return for a port call on the Crystal Symphony in November. I will soon post a review and my comparison of the Pride vs the RCI Enchantment/Grandeur.

 

As my final parting shot, best wishes for a speedy recovery to Queen Elizabeth.

 

Roy

[WetToes]

Looking forward to your next review, as we are on the Grandeur in Nov.

We've cruised her before ... quite a few years ago.

[JohninDC]

As my final parting shot, best wishes for a speedy recovery to Queen Elizabeth.

 

Roy

 

Thanks for a great review! :)

[eltotaupin64]

Roy, now I understand all the note taking at dinner. Nice trip report. Perhaps Kim and I will meet up with you on another cruise!

[ahwahoo2006]

Thanks for the review, Roy! I am excited to sail on the Pride in November for my honeymoon

[T2C]

Hi Ray, after 25 years in Baltimore the Comfort has been reassigned to Norfolk.

Navy said it puts it closer to where it goes to the most and most of the people assigned to the ship live in or are closer to Norfolk then Baltimore.

[buckirj1]

Welcome home! I look forward to reading your review and comparison of Baltimore's two cruise ships.

[rafinmd]

Thank you WetToes, JohninDC, eltotaupin64, ahwahoo2006, T2C, and buckirj1.

 

I'm sorry to hear the Comfort has been relocated but it seems like a good move, if only because it's 8 hours closer to any deployment. I'll do a comparison of the 2 ships both here and on the RCI forum after this review is published. I didn't do a new one on the Enchantment, having reviewed it last year:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=103298

 

Here's the review to be published from me. Getting a lot of stars from me is pretty unusual:

 

Welcome to our new Member Review Submission form. We hope you find our new format easy to use. Once you've completed the "Begin Here" information, we suggest that you scroll through the entire page to familiarize yourself with our new features. Here's what we look for in a published review:

 

Background:I consider myself an experienced cruiser, and have sailed most of the world. While my favorite line is Crystal, I like to cruise more than I can afford with them and have also sailed with Windstar, Silversea, RCI, Cunard, HAL, Celebrity and Carnival.

 

Hotel Info:

 

Pre-cruise:I stayed at the Rodeway Inn on St. Paul Street. While adequate it was somewhat run down and there are probably better options for the same or just a bit more money.

 

 

Ship: At 88,500 tons and somewhat over 2,000 passengers the ship to me is big but is small to medium size in today’s market. Built in 2002 the ship feels quite modern. The decor is a bit dark but I soon got used to it. One thing I thought was lacking was a forward looking observation lounge.

 

Service: Good but not great. The waiters seem to break for a dance most every night. While this did not seriously detract from the quality of services, this was for me a negative. Once would be fine but several days was just too many.

 

Port & Shore Excursions: I’m not really a fan of the Caribbean and the Bahamas, and for me the ports were not great. My highlight was Kennedy Space Center and it was a very nice day but something that could just as well have been done on a land trip. Shore excursions lacked the personal service touch I prefer but were in general well run. For me, the primary attractive port was the embarkation port. As a Maryland, travel (especially in winter) without having to worry about cancelled flights and the like is a big plus.

 

Summary: Carnival has often been referred to as the Walmart of cruising. I think Southwest would be a better analogy, with basic, limited service but much of what they do done well. For me, the Prides primary drawback is the limited itineraries, with only a grand total of 5 ports visited in a year on 2 itineraries.

 

 

Travel To Port of Embarkation: Very easy. I could drive to the port in 20-30 minutes but have generally chosen mass transit. My options are a bit limited for a weekend departure but I connected from Howard Transit through BWI to the Baltimore light rail, and used the free Charm City Circulator on Sunday to Fort Avenue with about a half mile walk to the pier. Using senior rates I paid a total of $1.65, including an MTA day pass.

 

Stateroom: I had originally booked an inside room but took an upsell in the final week to a verandah. The room was about average sized and more than adequate for me. It was pretty well laid out and well equipped with a fridge and ample storage although it could have used a bit more drawer space. I was one deck below and about 5 cabins back from the bridge with cabins both above and below me. The room was quiet and everything worked well. .

 

Dining: The Noremandie Dining Room sits aft on decks 2 (fixed) and 3 (anytime). It was open for lunch on sea days. Food and service were both good but not great. The Lido buffet on deck 9 was well laid out and the food was generally good. I did have some pancakes that were past their prime but that was the only slip up. David’s Steakhouse had excellent food and a stunning location.

 

Children's Clubs: While school was in session there were still a number of children on the ship. I seldom saw them while at sea, and have to assume they were occupied and engaged with the activities for them.

 

Entertainment:The Carnival Pride Dancers had 3 shows although there were some problems the week I was on board. The first show was Vroom! and the male lead singer took ill between the early and late shows, leaving all the vocals to the female singer. The second Wonderful World showing was cancelled when someone became ill or injured between shows. Jazzin was the only show that came off as planned for us on early dinner seating. While the lead singers were certainly pleasant, I did not think they were the same caliber of others I have seen. The dancers were very good. There was one juggler who I found nothing special and several shows at the Punchliner Comedy Club each day. I saw 2 of the comedians and enjoyed them.

 

 

Disembarkation: Disembarkation was well run but a bit difficult with the 9am arrival in port leaving everybody ready to get off ths ship quickly. I found it annoying to be expected out of my room a half hour before we arrived in port. Disembarkation started about 9:45 for those doing self disembarkation and 10:45 for those whose luggage was taken off for them. Once off the ship the line for immigration ran very quickly and there is no need to go back to customs. I was out the door about 20 minutes after my number was called on the ship.

 

 

Port Canaveral: There is really nothing at the port so venturing afield is a virtual necessity. I chose a tour to Kennedy Space Center, although I have been there several times in the past. I think it’s a must do for anyone who hasn’t been and I loved my visit there. One thing to look forward to in the future will be the unveiling of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in Summer 2013. Other options are shopping or theme parks in Orlando, and shuttle to Cocoa Beach for either beach or shopping.

 

Nassau: Nassau is a nice but crowded town. I went to Ardastra Gardens which is really more of a zoo. The animals seemed to be mostly African, as well as a large collection of birds. There are 2 interesting shows, parrot feeding (audience participation) and marching drill by pink flamgoes.

 

Freeport: Apparently good for beach, snorkel, and shopping, there was little to offer in cultural and historic attractions. I took the ship’s “Island tour”, and it was mostly looking at upscale houses and a lengthy shopping stop.

 

Roy