Diamond Cruise 4/5/15 aboard the Breeze

[jimbo5544]

We did know this cruise was full and more so, being a school break week. When we headed out to aft pool we wer not disappointed to see the CHOGS had come out early and even though it was 7:50 AM a good number of chairs were already "taken".

 

I sat there while the wife went and got "pool ready" and she then did the same for me and we spent the morning by the pool.

[trvlgirlmq]

Did you notice a lot of smoking on Deck 5 during your walk? I also like to get my exercise in this way but with the change to the smoking area all along the port side I am worried. I guess I could use the track but I don't run and I am afraid I will be in the way of the actual runners.

[love my grandkids]

First night entertainment

 

We have become real fans of the Piano bar. That being said, it really depends on the talent and his interaction with the crowd as to how much fun it really is. Gary Gentry on the Brreeze is really good. He has a good following and his way of entertaining makes for a fun evening.

 

Enjoying your review. We made Diamond three cruises ago and enjoy the extra perks greatly.

 

BTW his name is Ben Gentry and he is probably the best one Carnival has.

[jimbo5544]

Enjoying your review. We made Diamond three cruises ago and enjoy the extra perks greatly.

 

 

 

BTW his name is Ben Gentry and he is probably the best one Carnival has.

 

 

Thanks for the kind words. You are correct, not sure how I butchered the name. He is good. Congrats on your attaining the status.

[love my grandkids]

Thanks for the kind words. You are correct, not sure how I butchered the name. He is good. Congrats on your attaining the status.

 

Now if they would only combine loyalty and give us more reason to see the world on Princess and HA.:)

[WAHMto5]

Congrats!! Thanks for sharing your review.

[jimbo5544]

Did you notice a lot of smoking on Deck 5 during your walk? I also like to get my exercise in this way but with the change to the smoking area all along the port side I am worried. I guess I could use the track but I don't run and I am afraid I will be in the way of the actual runners.

There was some on the port side of Oceans plaza forward of the red frog. I don't remember that before :confused:(it is pretty early when we walk) and maybe a result of the reduced areas smoking is allowed. I have more to say about smoking coming up in my review.

[jimbo5544]

Congrats!! Thanks for sharing your review.

Thanks on both counts! I enjoy doing it, but not near the skills as some people have here (or the patience to have camera in hand at all times;)), that being said it is still a labor of love.

[jimbo5544]

Now if they would only combine loyalty and give us more reason to see the world on Princess and HA.:)

I agree with you wishes, but sadly I cannot see it happening. If they did combine them, their would be many people upset (due to the diffrent ways all are calculated). I had a fairly long conversation with a VP on this very subject at the Sunshine naming ceremony in New Orleans a year and half back.

 

But hey, you never know!

Edited April 16, 2015 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

Did you notice a lot of smoking on Deck 5 during your walk? I also like to get my exercise in this way but with the change to the smoking area all along the port side I am worried. I guess I could use the track but I don't run and I am afraid I will be in the way of the actual runners.

 

We have done both track and the 5th floor walkway and have never felt in the wa of runners, just keep to the right. Hope this helps. I love the walkway on 5 and would highly recommend it.

Edited April 16, 2015 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

After lunch, we had the second meet and greet of the cruise. This was one that phunny (Andy and Michelle) had organized. This was a paid one hour cocktail party in the Liquid nightclub from 2 to 3 pm. We had about 24 people admit was a lot of fun. Kudo's to phunny for all of the hard work it took to get to the minimum numbers that Carnival required.

[jimbo5544]

The Carnival staff really kept the drinks flowing, and a lot of fun was had by all. I only really got to talk to 5 or 6 people during the time, but we enjoyed it a lot.

 

As many of you know, Carnival changed the pricing for cocktail parties about a year and a half ago. It was priced significantly cheaper the old way but from my perspective, it is still not a bad deal.

[jimbo5544]

Speaking of meet and greets and roll calls, I wanted to give my 2 cents on them. I have seen roll calls be very active here and slow (sometimes nonexistent). They have continues strong and sometimes waned as you get closer to the cruise. As previously mentioned, sometimes they are more active on other sites.

 

The same is true of meet and greets. They are really hard to know what will happen when the time comes (to meet). All of this of course, is just fine. The point of bringing it up is that for those reading this and have never have gone to one, it is worth your time. We have met some reply nice people and some friends that have far exceeded the cruise and will last a lifetime.

 

OK, enough soapbox talk, back to the cruise.

[love my grandkids]

Speaking of meet and greets and roll calls, I wanted to give my 2 cents on them. I have seen roll calls be very active here and slow (sometimes nonexistent). They have continues strong and sometimes waned as you get closer to the cruise. As previously mentioned, sometimes they are more active on other sites.

 

The same is true of meet and greets. They are really hard to know what will happen when the time comes (to meet). All of this of course, is just fine. The point of bringing it up is that for those reading this and have never have gone to one, it is worth your time. We have met some reply nice people and some friends that have far exceeded the cruise and will last a lifetime.

 

OK, enough soapbox talk, back to the cruise.

 

I find the dynamics of meet and greets to be fascinating.

 

On the Conquest end of Jan we showed up for meet and greet at sailaway and nobody else was there and never met anyone from roll call the entire cruise.

 

Last month on the Pride there was over 200 people and had a whole bunch of activities and met some folks who we will be sailing with again and are still in contact with.

[jimbo5544]

I find the dynamics of meet and greets to be fascinating.

 

On the Conquest end of Jan we showed up for meet and greet at sailaway and nobody else was there and never met anyone from roll call the entire cruise.

 

Last month on the Pride there was over 200 people and had a whole bunch of activities and met some folks who we will be sailing with again and are still in contact with.

I totally agree, on our first cruise on the Breeze two years ago, there was over 200 at the meet and greet. The dynamics are facinating.

Edited April 17, 2015 by jimbo5544

[trvlgirlmq]

We have done both track and the 5th floor walkway and have never felt in the wa of runners, just keep to the right. Hope this helps. I love the walkway on 5 and would highly recommend it.

 

Thank you! Think I will just use the track this go round.

[jimbo5544]

After the meet and greet (OK and 3 or 4 cocktails) we headed back up to the room to get ready for the first cruise elegant night. After getting ready, we headed down to the Red Frog (our normal palce for cocktail before dinner hangout). The picture takers (and posers;)) were out in full force. Having cruised as much as we have, we are not inclined to pose for or buy cruise pictures. We still dress up for formal (oops....:o) crusie elegant nights and this cruise was not an exception. It is always interesting to me to see how people dress, especially since they have loosened the dress code.

[jimbo5544]

As we are seated we are handed different menus (and I was just getting used to the other one:confused:). They did a good job explaining what the difference was/is between American Table and American Feast.

 

We were seated in Blush dining room lower level center sextion three tables in a little to the left. This was exactly opposite of where our tables were in the same dining room for our December NYE cruise family cruise.

 

Which brings me to one of my pet peaves.......

[jimbo5544]

I know John Heald had brought this up on his blog site as well a while back. The pet peeve is people coming into the MDR 1/2 hour after the MDR has opened. Diagonal to us wwas a table for siz where two non related couples sat. The oblviously were not sailing together and must have been place together. The first night it had caught my eye, now it being the the second night one couple was not thre and I thought to myself, someone must have moved or changed their dining.

 

Then at 6:28 (I checked my watch) in strolls the other couple and sits down. I watch our wait staff go crazy trying to get things for them. I wish they would close the doors to the MDR 15 mintues in.....but that's me.;)

[kelkel2]

I know John Heald had brought this up on his blog site as well a while back. The pet peeve is people coming into the MDR 1/2 hour after the MDR has opened. Diagonal to us wwas a table for siz where two non related couples sat. The oblviously were not sailing together and must have been place together. The first night it had caught my eye, now it being the the second night one couple was not thre and I thought to myself, someone must have moved or changed their dining.

 

Then at 6:28 (I checked my watch) in strolls the other couple and sits down. I watch our wait staff go crazy trying to get things for them. I wish they would close the doors to the MDR 15 mintues in.....but that's me.;)

Sorry to hijack your review, but I have seen this happen so many times too. I completely agree with you. I really don't understand why they don't shut the doors. If you can't be timely or don't want to be on vacation (it is your vacation, no one is here to make you do anything at a specific time) then that is what they did ATD for!

[jimbo5544]

Sorry to hijack your review, but I have seen this happen so many times too. I completely agree with you. I really don't understand why they don't shut the doors. If you can't be timely or don't want to be on vacation (it is your vacation, no one is here to make you do anything at a specific time) then that is what they did ATD for!

 

 

No worries on stealing the thread. The example I mentioned was but one instance there were more. While I don't know it for a fact I think the guy was enjoying them scrambling. I can only hope I am wrong in that thought.

[cruiseclues]

Thanks for your great review. :):):):)

[jimbo5544]

Thanks for your great review. :):):):)

 

Thanks! While I am no where near some of the great story tellers here (and I mean that in the most positive sense), I do enjoy doing the review. It lets me relive the cruise.

Edited April 18, 2015 by jimbo5544

[jimbo5544]

After dinner we went up to change and get into something more comfortable and went out to enjoy the evening. Our last few cruises we have not gone to a show in the main show room. I do not have a good answer as to why that is. It is probably a combination of many factors including the one that after a while, for me any way, not so much my wife, the shows do seem to be all the same.

 

I know that there is much discussion on Cruisecritic in regards to Playlist production and cutbacks for entertainment, but I really can't say that is a reason why we have not gone to shows.

[jimbo5544]

This evening we spent some time in the piano bar (we probably spent more time in the piano bar on this cruise than almost every other cruise, the one exception would be the on the Pride out of Baltimore. I cannot remember the guy from there (Roger?) but he was equally as good.

 

We also spent time in the Ocean's Plaza listening to Deja Vu again. Then we went to the Comedy show (the late one). He was very funny and the place was very full. After that we went to bed, I spent some time sitting out on the balcony which is very peaceful and I do enjoy the churn of the wake behind the ship.

Edited April 18, 2015 by jimbo5544