Valentine's cruise on the Breeze

[MrSchwump]

Here's my Breeze review from our recent cruise. I'll put this up in installments with some photos. Feel free to ask any questions!

 

My wife and I traveled on the Carnival Breeze on an 8-day Southern Caribbean cruise on Feb. 14, 2015. This was our 2nd Carnival cruise and 7th overall. We’re in our 50’s, married 28 years with no kids.

 

We flew from Cincinnati to Miami on Friday evening ahead of our Saturday embarkation. We stayed at the Runway Inn near the Miami airport. It had been listed in a USA Today article as a local hotel that offered shuttles from the airport and to the cruise terminal. I looked at their reviews on Trip Advisor, and while not glowing, they looked okay. Our total was $145 with taxes. The Miami International Boat show was in town so rates were high everywhere.

Some people on TA had complained about a long wait for the shuttle. We lucked out and it was waiting right there when we exited baggage claim. It was about a 10 minute ride to the hotel. The hotel is located just across the street from the airport but it wasn’t noisy at all. Check in was smooth and we got our key right away. One downside; there isn’t an elevator and we had to lug our stuff to the 2nd floor.

 

Our room was clean and comfortable. It was by no means deluxe and was in need of some maintenance attention for chipped wall texture, scuff marks and paint touch up. It was perfectly serviceable as a place to crash for a night before our cruise.

 

Overall the décor of the hotel was a bit dated but again clean and perfectly workable. There aren’t many choices for eating nearby. There was a Honduran restaurant across the street and a Burger King several blocks down. They offer a continental breakfast in a room off the lobby. Again, it wasn’t a sumptuous spread but tided us over until we boarded the ship. I needed some deodorant that I’d forgotten so we were directed to a convenience store about 2 blocks away that had what we needed.

 

The shuttle to the port left at 10am and we arrived at the cruise terminal by 10:30, well ahead of when Carnival told us to arrive. We were quickly checked in and did very little waiting in line. We had our Sign and Sail card and all our documents by 11a and sat down in the lounge area to wait. We were assigned group 9 when boarding began. We waited about 30-40 minutes before we were called and queued up to get on board. We sat foot on deck 3 just before noon.

[fofita01]

Can't wait to read the rest of your review.

 

Do you have the FunTimes? If so, any chance you can post them on here? Thanks.

[tlcs]

We were on this cruise with you. Can't wait to read your review!

[MrSchwump]

I did not save the Fun Times. I thought about it but then I figured, why spoil the surprise for everyone else? :)

[Jenner9]

Can't wait to read more and see your pictures!!! Thank you for taking the time.

[davesgirl0419]

Looking forward to your review and pictures!

[MrSchwump]

We were assigned cabin 1274, portside just forward of amidships on deck 1, as low as you can go. However you get the least motion that low and it’s easy on and off on port days. The muster drill was on deck 3 so no long elevator waits after that. Our interior cabin was standard size arranged as a king. It was plenty of room for us and we had way more storage space than we needed. There was only 1 electrical outlet with 2 sockets so I’m glad we brought a power strip. It was in our suitcase and was not confiscated as I’ve read others have been. It was in plain sight all week with no problems.

The room comes with a stocked minibar including beer, pop and liquor, none of which we touched. This left room for a few beers of our own. The safe is electronic and uses a 4 digit number you create, no card needed as we experienced on the Valor. The room lights do need a card so bring an old gift card or something to leave in there. We made the mistake of at first using our S&S card. One morning I left early and took my card out of the slot, leaving my wife with no lights when she woke up. Lesson learned!

 

Our room steward was a very nice young man named Larsen who was from the Philipines. His associate was named I Made (ee MAH-day) from Indonesia. They did an excellent job and kept our cabin tidy and well supplied. They were not always in your face but always said hello when we saw them and exchanged pleasantries. I’m not partial to someone who is overly familiar and tries to be your new best friend. These guys hit just the right balance.

 

The only other Carnival ship we’ve sailed on was the Valor in 2013. Overall we liked the Breeze much better. We didn’t like the overly patriotic, borderline jingoistic, decorating scheme of the Valor. The Breeze had a more appropriate, Caribbean feel to it. On the Valor I kept waiting for a 4th of July Parade to break out. The Breeze was island-y without being Tiki Bar kitschy.

The public spaces were similar to the Valor, 3 level atrium with bar and the bottom, shops and casino on the top level on deck 5. One thing I liked was the “Fun Hub” internet access areas which were scattered in multiple locations (I can think of at least 3) in this space. I only used it on our last full day on board to get caught up with home before disembarkation. I could access it at one of their terminals or through my phone. Five bucks a day for social media only access or $16 a day for email and website access too. There was another level which offered the same as the $16 package but had higher speed, I think. The Fun Hub app was useful too. Instead of having to carry a copy of the Fun Times with you, all the info on what, when and where could be pulled up via the app.

We went to the Punchliner Comedy Club twice. The first comedian we saw was good. One night the comedian was Chas somebody. It was the adult show, which we had no objection to. We did object to his stale, unfunny material. He did a joke about ****** and the 4 hour erection. How old is that? He did fart jokes! He was so puerile and unoriginal we got up and left.

We were frequent users of the Casino. We’d just been in Vegas at Christmas so I was prepared for a letdown but the slot machines were pretty new and it was well appointed. I played a lot of Fun 21, a blackjack variant that seems like you win more while actually giving an advantage to the house over regular blackjack. All the dealers I encountered there were friendly and fun. There was a regular crowd of players there so you got to know each other. My wife was up and down on the slots coming out behind. Fortunately I was up on the table games so it was about a wash for us.

We went to a couple of the shows. The Diva show was very good. The featured singers did a great job! We tried the Brit show but it used a lot of animation that my wife didn’t like. We also saw the Edge. Not the U2 guitarist but a comedy juggler. He was good but a little irritating with it overly boisterous and wacky presentation. The Love and Marriage show, hosted by Matt the Cruise Director, was funny too.

We thought Matt was a great CD and kept things lively whenever he was part of the goings on. As good as Matt was, I thought the rest of his staff ranged from dull to invisible. The only others I saw ever doing anything were Chris and Cruz. Their personas during a show we saw were drab. Chris mumbled a lot and failed to project any kind of energy or enthusiasm. He also introduced the comedians at the Punchliner. Again, no pizzazz or excitement in his presentation at all. On other cruises the assistant Cruise Director was a big presence and was almost as good as the CD himself or herself. On the Breeze, they’re lucky that Matt is as good as he is because he’s carrying the entire load!

[MrSchwump]

Here are a few photos

 

Our cabin, 1274

 

Star Island where many celebs live

 

Adios Miami!

 

Lido dancing at sailaway

 

Cuban coast the next morning

[MrSchwump]

trying to upload photos....

Edited March 1, 2015 by MrSchwump

[re-re]

Enjoying your review, can't wait for the pictures.

[Elaine5715]

Following

[PortSideCruzan]

 

One thing I liked was the “Fun Hub” internet access areas which

were scattered in multiple locations (I can think of at least 3) in this space.

Hi MrSchwump :)

 

Enjoying & following your review.

 

Did you notice if printers were available at any of the fun hub computer terminals aboard the Breeze?

 

Thanks in advance, have a terrific day!

 

 

:)

[LindaJSteele]

We were on that cruise. I love, love, love Matt! He's definitely one of Carnival's best CDs. It will be interesting to see if he goes to the Vista.

 

We used the Fun Hub app and loved it. It made it very convenient for us to keep in touch with each other and also to access the Fun Times and plan the day. It's nice to keep that calendar on your phone and also be able to see who else in your group is going to different activities. It's definitely worth the $5 it cost for all 8 days!

[MrSchwump]

Hi MrSchwump :)

 

Enjoying & following your review.

 

Did you notice if printers were available at any of the fun hub computer terminals aboard the Breeze?

 

Thanks in advance, have a terrific day!

 

 

:)

 

I did not notice if printers were available or not. I don't recall seeing any but I could be wrong.

[01sunworshiper113]

I did not notice if printers were available or not. I don't recall seeing any but I could be wrong.

 

Looking forward to your review and photos, I was on this same cruise with my husband and kids. :) We were midship on deck 8 and felt some motion especially the night before we arrived in Aruba. Loved the ship and had a great time!

[01sunworshiper113]

I did not notice if printers were available or not. I don't recall seeing any but I could be wrong.

 

Yes, there is a printer at the Fun Hub on Deck 5 near the Ocean Plaza.

[leetza]

Looking forward to your review and photos, I was on this same cruise with my husband and kids. :) We were midship on deck 8 and felt some motion especially the night before we arrived in Aruba. Loved the ship and had a great time!

 

 

I was in this cruise as well, also deck 8 mis ship. Your right the night before Aruba was awful!! First time in five cruises I was actually sea sick!

[Elaine5715]

I was in this cruise as well, also deck 8 mis ship. Your right the night before Aruba was awful!! First time in five cruises I was actually sea sick!

 

Looking forward to your review and photos, I was on this same cruise with my husband and kids. :) We were midship on deck 8 and felt some motion especially the night before we arrived in Aruba. Loved the ship and had a great time!

 

I was on deck 7, mid ship. I didn't really notice much movement after dinner. I did, however heard the elephants herd that kept stampeding up on deck 8 in the mornings. did you see them?,

[01sunworshiper113]

I was on deck 7, mid ship. I didn't really notice much movement after dinner. I did, however heard the elephants herd that kept stampeding up on deck 8 in the mornings. did you see them?,

 

LOL, funny that you should mention that! I did in fact hear that herd of elephants stampeding past our cabin several mornings however, I did not actually catch...I mean see them! And I do believe that same herd went up the stairs and stampeded back over our cabin on deck 9. :D

[Elaine5715]

LOL, funny that you should mention that! I did in fact hear that herd of elephants stampeding past our cabin several mornings however, I did not actually catch...I mean see them! And I do believe that same herd went up the stairs and stampeded back over our cabin on deck 9. :D

 

How can such tiny feet make so much noise?

[Frank12]

Did Breeze have the Epic Rock show?

[MrSchwump]

I don't recall that one. There was a Divas show a Brits show featuring British Invasion groups, not the Fox News Senior Political Correspondant, Brit Hume.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LindaJSteele]

Unfortunately the Breeze does not have Epic Rock. It has Brits, Divas, Latin Nights, and Motor City. However..the entertainment director told us they are getting a new show..but not Epic Rock.

[MrSchwump]

We chose the Your Time dining option. We’ve never done a fixed seating and have always chosen this or its equivalent on other cruise lines. We were assigned to the Sapphire dining room on deck 3.

We usually ask for a table for 2 and have always been accommodated. We're not foodies by any means. We prefer good, simple meals that are well done with good service. The American Table fell short, in my opinion. So much so that we ate in the buffet 3 times on our 8-day cruise.

 

The selections were not bad. There were always 1 or 2 things that would appeal to us, not counting the 4 standard entrees that are always available (chicken, salmon, steak and something else which escapes me...). The problem was, the service was so slow and indifferent that we felt it wasn't worth sitting through for a so-so selection.

 

There were 2 occasions where no one took our drink order. We had to ask for iced tea and there wait a long time for it. Forget about getting a refill most of the time. One time it was almost a half hour from the time we sat down until our first course appeared. Most night’s dinner took 1.5 to 2 hours. That's way too long for 2 people with relatively simple fare.

 

The other irritation was, having to wait so long to get a table. Twice we waited 20 to 30 minutes for a table. In past experiences, on Carnival and Princess, we've waited no more that 5 or 10 minutes if at all. Once we were given a pager and told it would be a 45-minute wait and we just gave the pager back and went to Guy's hamburgers.

 

On 2 different nights we were put at a table for 2 that was effectively a table for 6. Three 2 tops were placed within 3-4 inches of one another so you couldn't NOT engage with the other people sitting right next to you. In both cases the people were enjoyable company but I really don't like making small talk with people I don't know for 2 hours.

 

The wait staff in most cases seemed flustered and confused. Twice we followed the hostess from table to table until she could locate the one that was ours. I don't understand how hard it can be to number tables and find them on a layout of the dining room. The waiters seemed very disorganized and confused in most cases. It really seemed like they were struggling to figure things out.

As such, I didn't find them all that friendly and convivial.

 

On our last night in the MDR, we had a great team. Rajesh, Seno and Marcus did a fantastic job and the meal was great. Had all the service been this good we would have found the American Table to be a much better experience. As it was, I was not impressed.

 

We ate breakfast and 3 dinners in the buffet. Breakfast was basic continental stuff, cereal, toast, bagels as well as a grilled selection with bacon, scrambled eggs, ham or sausage and breakfast potatoes and baked beans. They also had cheeses and cold cuts. There was an omelet and made to order egg station. I thought the breakfast was good and we never had a problem finding a seat.

The buffet dinner was a little underwhelming. It was not the most expansive selection I’ve seen but what there was was good. There was a good salad selection as well as a few things that mirrored the MDR offerings. There was always a carving station with ham, pork loin, roast beef, etc. I had more good dinners in the buffet that I did in the MDR. My biggest complaint about the buffet was you couldn’t get a drink order if you wanted a Coke. It seemed you would have had to go out to a bar and get it yourself. On the Valor, as well as the Princess ships, there were waiters in the buffet taking your drink orders. On the Breeze, everything drinks wise was self service.

We ate a lot of lunches at the Pizza Pirate, near the stern pool. Not bad pizza and was generally quick and easy. We really liked Guy’s Burger Joint. It was great! We ate at one of his places in Las Vegas and liked it so I was looking forward to having it on our cruise. I was not disappointed. The guys at the grill gave you a hamburger or cheeseburger and fries and you applied the toppings yourself. The line moved quickly and it was very good. Without a doubt, my favorite food on the ship!

On the last sea day we ate at Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ. It gets crowded; we waited about 20 minutes in line. It was good, about what you’d expect when Applebee’s or any chain restaurant tries to do BBQ. Yankees will like it, Southerners will be grievously disappointed.

 

Drinks

We are not big drinkers of alcohol so we passed on the all you can drink (up to 15 per day) card. I bought 2 buckets of beer, and my wife had a couple of pretty drinks. She really enjoyed the Hurricane Wave made by Kristina at the Serenity Bar. I did most of my business with Mirko also at the Serenity Bar who was a very nice guy. Beer (Coors Light) was usually $5.50 but was $20 for 4 when you bought a bucket. The Froo-Froo drinks were $8 or $10 I think. Shots of well liquor were $5 or $6 and call brands started at $8 I believe.

We did purchase the Bottomless Bubbles soda/pop program. It was $50-something each. We also bought the insulated Carnival cup which really wasn’t very well insulated. Next time I’d bring my own from home and save $7 apiece and have a more effective container. With the soft drink sticker on your card you were supposed to sign for each drink. Some of the bartenders made you do this and others didn’t. My wife mentioned that it would be nice if you had the soft drink program that you be allowed to drink the Cokes from the mini-bar in your room free of charges. It’s exactly the same as what the bar would give you. I’m not a coffee drinker so Coke is my morning caffeine choice.

I do not understand why Carnival uses soft drinks in aluminum cans instead of a soda gun like every bar and restaurant uses. It would have to be cheaper to dispense and more efficient to move and store than pallets of Coke must be. Unless it’s an accounting thing, I don’t get the Coke in cans.

My biggest disappointment was the bourbon selection at all the ship’s bars. I think plain ol’ white label Jim Beam is the only bourbon I saw. (And no, Jack Daniel’s isn’t bourbon. It’s made in Tennessee.) With the current bourbon craze you’d think they’d have at least a couple of premium brands. Even something as ubiquitous as Woodford Reserve would have been welcome. There was lots of Scotch, several brandies, rum and tequila galore but only Jim Beam represented the amber elixir of life. I’m glad I snuck a small quantity of Elijah Craig and Basil Hayden on board!

[MrSchwump]

I have tried posting more photos but I don't know if my files are too large. Every time I try, it says "upload failed".

I'll keep trying.