Just back from Miracle 6/26 sailing any ???

[Skinsfan1311]

Great cruise! I'll try to do a review, in the next week, or two. (I have a lot of catching up to do) I'll check out the board, over the next couple of days and would be happy to answer any questions that you may have;) Here's some random answers to a couple of inevitable questions & some helpful info, (I hope), while the cruise is still fresh in my mind.

 

1)Ship stays on Tampa time and does not change. That means Cayman, Costa Maya & Cozumel was 1 hour behind ship's time. Belize was 2 hrs behind.

 

2)Smuggling alcohol is easy. Just stick it in a piece of checked luggage.;)

 

3)Embarkation & Debarkation was smooth. They let you on the ship around 12:30 and into your cabins at about 1:30

 

4)Most, but not all, people conformed with the dress-codes.

 

5)There were many chair hogs:( but deck-chairs were readily available, especially on the upper-decks, over looking the pools, (great breeze), and in the adult pool area, aft.

 

6)Food was great! Service was good too!

 

7)Entertainment was o.k...didn't see a lot of shows...mainly some karoake and the R-rated comedians, (who were hysterical)

 

8)Cruise director Mark was pretty good and assistant Cruise direct Karl with a "K" was good too.

 

9)lot's of fun activities on sea days

 

10)Booze was, for the most part, cheaper on ship than at the ports, though I did find Crown Royal was a tad bit cheaper,($2.00>), in Cayman & Coz. Great deals on Absolut and Grand Marinier.

 

11)All of the ports were a blast...did 6 dives...all of 'em spectacular. Wife & son did some primo snorkeling

 

12)Pre-tipping is very convenient. Avoids figuring and hassling

 

13)Easiest embarkation, and debarkation, of any cruise I've ever been on. After the "self-debarkation" passengers left, they made a general announcement that everyone could leave, (no more wait for the colored tags to be announced). Very smooth.

 

14)Clean ship...friendly-crew...no complaints in the service department.

 

15)Our sign & sail bill, for 2 adults and a 15yr old came to $830.00. That includes a couple of 8 X 10 pics, (19.99 ea), and drinks every day, though not too many. A few Crown Royals in the evenings before dinner, along with a few bottles of Grolsch daily. The wife had a couple of mixed drinks each day. It would've been more, but rumour has it that a 12 pack of Modelo and an 8-pack of Bass Ale found it's way into our cabin. :D While we're on the subject of money, we found that we averaged around $100.00 in each port, though significantly less in Belize, as I booked, and prepaid, a snorkel/dive excursion with a private operator., (SeaSports Belize, who I highly recommend!)

 

16)Great ship for teens...our son made some friends, on the 1st night, and had a blast with his new friends...he even skipped dinner and ate with his buddies one evening.

 

Gotta get back to work...please feel free to ask any questions that you have and I'll answer as best as I can. I'll check back, from time-to-time, over the next couple of days! Hope this helps!

[Ellya]

Do you recall when the last tender out of Grand Cayman was (ship's time)?

[tidyoyster]

Will be on the Miracle Oct.2,and would like to know where your wife and son snorkled. I'm glad you had a wonderful cruise! I can't wait for our cruise ....just 89 more days!

[willowcreek1955]

Do you recall when the last tender out of Grand Cayman was (ship's time)?

I was on the ship a couple of weeks ago. It was 3:15pm

[Skinsfan1311]

tidyoyster: In Cayman, they snorkeled at Eden Rock Dive center. Exit the tender pier, turn right & walk about 5 minutes to the blue building. The snorkeling is free, if you have your own equipment. They rent it too. Lockers are available for $5.00 and you can keep 'em all day. Here's the web-site for more info. http://www.edenrockdive.com/ My wife has snorkeled all over the Caribbean and has rated this site as the best she's ever done. I dove in the same area...great dive

 

In Belize I booked with a private operator, that we've used in the past, SeaSports Belize. Wife and son had some great snorkeling there as well. The diving was superb. Here's their web-site. http://www.seasportsbelize.com/

 

In Cozumel, we booked with another private operator. Eagle Ray Divers. Great snorkeling and diving. Just do a search, on the Cozumel forum, and you'll get lot's of hit's with info on them. Overall, this itinerary, (Western Caribbean), was perfect for snorkelers and divers alike. We didn't dive/snorkel in Costa Maya...we hit the beach at Muhual(sp?)...beautiful beach..a "must-do"

 

Ellya: willowcreek1955 is correct..the last tender out of Cayman was 3:15pm ship's time Hope this helps!

[aztecr3ina]

Got any more details on Seasports Belize? I'm thinking we're going to dive with them, but I want to be sure.

 

Also, did they have dolphins in Costa Maya when you were there? Several others have said they were supposed to have them at Uvero Beach in June.

 

Thanks for the alcohol-smuggling tip! :D

[Skinsfan1311]

Got any more details on Seasports Belize? I'm thinking we're going to dive with them, but I want to be sure.

 

Also, did they have dolphins in Costa Maya when you were there? Several others have said they were supposed to have them at Uvero Beach in June.

 

Thanks for the alcohol-smuggling tip! :D

This is the 2nd time that we've used them. On this dive, there were 4 divers, (myself included), and a Divemaster, (Myron)...my wife, son & 1 other person snorkeled. You need to go to Frankie & Johnnie's,(or whatever bar/lounge that they tell you that is handing out tickets) at around 8:00 am, to get a tender ticket. Only one person per party is needed to get the ticket, (it's actually a sticker with a number on it). They tender off the passengers who booked ship's excursions first, then they start calling #'s for the other passengers. I can't emphasize enough of how important it is to be on that 1st tender. After the tender docks, exit out of the terminal area, hang a left, and walk a few blocks...SeaSports Belize will be on your left hand side...the shop opens 8:00am, LOCAL time. That's 10:00am ships time...we were on the tender around 9:30(ships time), and made it to the shop when they opened. (Don't be put off by the murky water around the port..it's beautiful when you get out there). They have a small shop, with a dock in the back. The rental equipment is in very good shape, (they sell and repair equipment on-site). You fill out some paperwork, hand 'em you C-card, and fill out the usual paperwork. You set up your own tank..(they want to make sure you know how ;) ) They'll set up your second tank. They'll put the equipment in the boat. It's a small boat...15-20' (? I'm terrible with sizes), with a single Yamaha 200hp motor. We went about 9-miles out. The boat has a canopy. We dropped the snorkelers off, with their own guide, on a tiny, tiny island,on the reef, w/no trees or shade, (Goffs Caye maybe?) and went about 100-200yds off of the island. Myron gave a thorough briefing, and we did backward-rolls off of the boat. We descended to about 60' or so, for about 20 minutes, then to around 40' til one of the divers got to around 700psi....we ascended and swam around the reef at around 20'-25'...til someone got around 500...and we did a 3 minute safety stop, right below the boat and ascended. (all the divers were pretty good..no air hogs on this trip!) The boat had a line at 15', with a couple of weights on it. When ready to board the boat, you remove your weights,(belts), and hand 'em to the Capt...then you remove your BCD and hand that up too...last thing is your fins, then you climb on-board...GREAT dive...lot's of stuff to see...Myron is a great divemaster...took a slate with him and showed us many things. We weighed anchor, (which they took great pains to set in the sand NOT on the coral), and went back to the island to rejoin the snorkelers for SI and lunch. On the 2nd dive, we did pretty much the same thing, though at a different spot off of the island, and at a shallower depth ~35' - 40'. This was an awesome dive...saw 2 HUGE:eek: Spotted Eagle Rays...swimming slowly by, just below us..they stuck around for a while and I was awestruck by the grace and beauty of those creatures. After the dive, we picked up the snorkelers, and headed back to the tender pier, where we were dropped off, in time to grab one of the last tenders. We love this company because they make you feel like family, they're safe and attentive...wouldn't hesitate to use them again. They handle cruise passengers all the time and will make sure that you get back in time.. I've never used a ships excursion, so I can't compare, but I've used several dive operators, and this is a good organization. You can contact the owner, Linda, through their web-site, for any questions that you may have...and I'll be happy to answer any questions too....hope this helps!

 

We didn't hear anything about dolphins, at Costa Maya, but we aren't interested in that type of thing...spent a wonderful day at the beach, however, at the small "fishing" village...plenty of great beach bars, good food, cheap drinks, beautiful beach....I highly recommend hittin' the beach at Costa Maya