What are some tips for the Miracle?

[SadieN]

 

I was on the Miracle last week, and one thing that surprised me was how late the boarding got started. There were still people coming out of the terminal from the previous week's cruise at 11:30 AM. Wedding guests boarded around 11:45 AM and Priority Boarding didn't start until close to Noon.

 

 

 

In cruises that start in Miami, I have often arrived at the terminal at 10:30 and been on the ship around 11 AM. But there is absolutely no need to arrive at the terminal that early in Long Beach, at least not under the current circumstances.

 

 

 

At the end of our cruise, when we disembarked in Long Beach, I could see what the problem was. It's not a Carnival problem, it's a US Customs Service problem. For 2000+ disembarking passengers, they only had THREE customs service inspectors checking passports and customs forms. That was the least number of customs agents I had ever seen working a cruise ship disembarkation. So, because of that bottleneck, the Carnival staff had to very slowly trickle the passengers off the ship. Otherwise, they just would have piled up in a huge line at customs.

 

 

 

So, don't arrive early in Long Beach! It's a slow, late embarkation. And if you're flying in and out, don't make reservations for an early flight like you can in Miami.

 

 

 

I'll be posting a full review of my cruise this weekend... including lots of photos, a few videos, and scans of many documents including the Fun Times.

 

 

 

 

Three CBP is unusual. Debarking 10/3 and 11/14 there were at least 6 officers. The booths are staggered, front and back. Maybe you only saw the ones closest to the line?

 

Doors are almost always open by 11:30. Early checkin starts around 9:30. We've never had an issue arriving around noon.

Didn't see any food offered in the RFP. Frog balls sound a lot like falafel.

Edited November 24, 2015 by SadieN

[JLee1973]

Three CBP is unusual. Debarking 10/3 and 11/14 there were at least 6 officers. The booths are staggered, front and back. Maybe you only saw the ones closest to the line?

 

Didn't see any food offered in the RFP. Frog balls sound a lot like falafel.

You have to ask for the frog balls they are not on any menu. I love falafel and these are nothing like them.

 

 

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[kidlessatsea]

I went to a couple of other trivia events in the Atrium Lobby so be sure to check the location of trivia before you go.

 

Definitely do Nick and Nora's sampling day. They do a cooking demonstration and you are given small plates of what they made. Very good stuff, took about 45 minutes or so.

 

The late night 18+ comedy shows fill up fast with barely any standing room so if you want to go to that one, you may want to get there early.

 

There is tea time every sea day at 3pm in the dining room. Definitely worth going one time, it was pretty neat and we met some new people.

 

You can get free decks of cards at the lobby desk, just ask.

 

There are TWO lines for the buffet on the lido (outside) - the one with hamburgers and fries. Most people gather in the port side line only, make sure to check the starboard line, there's almost never any waiting.

 

Pizza for us was...1/2 pizza until about 6pm. After 6pm you get the whole thing. It all depended on how many people were waiting.

 

Don't trust the signs. At breakfast, the sign at the pizza place will say "omelets" but you can still get pizza. In fact, you can get almost anything you want at any time (cereal, desserts etc) you jsut have to ask.

[SadieN]

You have to ask for the frog balls they are not on any menu. I love falafel and these are nothing like them.

 

 

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Thanks for the info!:)

[Pugster4]

I went to a couple of other trivia events in the Atrium Lobby so be sure to check the location of trivia before you go.

 

Definitely do Nick and Nora's sampling day. They do a cooking demonstration and you are given small plates of what they made. Very good stuff, took about 45 minutes or so.

 

The late night 18+ comedy shows fill up fast with barely any standing room so if you want to go to that one, you may want to get there early.

 

There is tea time every sea day at 3pm in the dining room. Definitely worth going one time, it was pretty neat and we met some new people.

 

You can get free decks of cards at the lobby desk, just ask.

 

There are TWO lines for the buffet on the lido (outside) - the one with hamburgers and fries. Most people gather in the port side line only, make sure to check the starboard line, there's almost never any waiting.

 

Pizza for us was...1/2 pizza until about 6pm. After 6pm you get the whole thing. It all depended on how many people were waiting.

 

Don't trust the signs. At breakfast, the sign at the pizza place will say "omelets" but you can still get pizza. In fact, you can get almost anything you want at any time (cereal, desserts etc) you jsut have to ask.

 

Hey thanks so much for all that info. Really appreciate it! When was the Nick and Nora's sampling?

[kidlessatsea]

Hey thanks so much for all that info. Really appreciate it! When was the Nick and Nora's sampling?

 

For our cruise it was the morning of the first sea day (11:30ish if I remember correctly). It is listed in the fun times but wasn't listed as one of the top 10. There was not a lot of people there either.

[CAnative1]

Oh good grief!:mad: I am so not looking forward to being on this ship! As I understand it, the food on the ship sucks and they do not have any of the 2.0 alternatives. I do not do buffets so my plan was to have lunch in the MDR on sea days!

 

 

Luckily for you, the cruise is so far in advance you can cancel! :p

 

But seriously... just go to the MDR early have a breakfast meal, go back before brunch ends and have something else. Or you can get things from the Deli area, the burgers by the pool, or the pizza. It should not be the end of the world.

[Pugster4]

For our cruise it was the morning of the first sea day (11:30ish if I remember correctly). It is listed in the fun times but wasn't listed as one of the top 10. There was not a lot of people there either.

 

Good to know. That would be fun to go to. Thanks!

[caitmac1]

I thought the food on the MIracle was decent-to-good. I thought the buffet was pretty underwhelming, but the pizza wasn't bad, and the MDR was good- I only had one dish that I didn't care for (a too-fatty cut of beef on one of the formal nights).

 

My favorite 'tip' is that if you like to people-watch on formal night (or really any night) before dinner, the Alchemy Bar's a great place to do it. :)

[mousey]

JLee thanks. I will have to try some frog balls. I'm always willing to try something new.

 

Spaniel lover thanks for the info and I will definitely be reading your review! I'm always looking for things to read waiting for the cruise. I'm excited and can't wait. I'm not going to let anything like late boarding or anything ruin my cruise. Just excited to have a week at sea and all the food I can eat! I'm not a picky eater and usually love the food on the ship. Yep, even the buffet :)

 

Love your attitude!:D

[cruznjan]

Bring sweaters and/or jackets. The ship is COLD!

[tjmcdona]

Thanks for the tip on Red Frog. Is it just the very first person to physically walk into Red Frog that gets a free beer? I'm all about a free drink, but odds don't sound great for getting the freebie.

[Taters]

Thanks for the tip on Red Frog. Is it just the very first person to physically walk into Red Frog that gets a free beer? I'm all about a free drink, but odds don't sound great for getting the freebie.

 

Yep - Just the 1st person. And this is on all the Carnival ships with a Red Frog Pub.