Live (Wi-Fi willing) Christmas Mardi Gras Review 12/18- 12/26 Blue Card Perspective

[brilliantseas]

2 minutes ago, BennyBrun said:

No check in on the app for this cruise.  You walk up and they sit you.  The service was wonderful and food was flavorful.  The banana cream pie was so fresh it was still frozen when they brought it out lol.

😆 I had the same issue with the banana cream pie on the Sea Day Brunch menu on Legend a few weeks ago. It wasn't completely frozen, but the bananas were still icy cold, which is honestly when it is the best! I'll take that pie and ice cream any day! 

[BennyBrun]

Day 3

 

M theory blew my mind.  The house magician Josh was amazing.  You have to see it to believe it!  Or not believe it!

[BennyBrun]

4 minutes ago, brilliantseas said:

😆 I had the same issue with the banana cream pie on the Sea Day Brunch menu on Legend a few weeks ago. It wasn't completely frozen, but the bananas were still icy cold, which is honestly when it is the best! I'll take that pie and ice cream any day! 

I LOVE the banana cream pie.  I can live on Shaq’s chicken and that banana cream pie and nothing else!

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

the service seems to be quicker and more efficient.  

 

Set time dining is easier on the servers because they only have to do it twice over the course of an evening.  In about 4.5 hours they have to serve round one and set up round two, serve round two and then reset the tables.

YTD servers are constantly on the go going from table to table and it's more difficult because table A could be on apps, table B on mains and table C in between. It's more hectic and cumbersome on them physically as well as mentally.  

The set time servers have it much easier unless someone shows up  a half hour late and they are let in, which should not happen.

[BennyBrun]

Day 3

 

After M theory the crowd moved towards center stage and we caught the late night showing of the Celestial Strings and the Playlist Performers and let me tell you the sound the scenery and the voice made it best show by far.  If you like classical music with pop interpretation this is the show for you.  It is about 60 minutes but it was amazing!

[BennyBrun]

5 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Set time dining is easier on the servers because they only have to do it twice over the course of an evening.  In about 4.5 hours they have to serve round one and set up round two, serve round two and then reset the tables.

YTD servers are constantly on the go going from table to table and it's more difficult because table A could be on apps, table B on mains and table C in between. It's more hectic and cumbersome on them physically as well as mentally.  

The set time servers have it much easier unless someone shows up  a half hour late and they are let in, which should not happen.

You are 100% correct.  We have always done YTD on various cruise lines but on the Mardi Gras it is best for us to do set time dinning.  It makes it a better dinning experience and I can order multiple entrees and it comes in a flash.  We switched over with the assistance of an officer and he said he will be looking after us if we want to go else where so I an fairly confident the dinning issue we had previously won’t happen again.  He also said we can still go to the other restaurants too if we would like but just let him know in advance.

[SNJCruisers]

28 minutes ago, keels81 said:

I was in 15212 in October and it was just a Premium Interior. Take a look:

 

 

15212 is a 4"O" cabin, a premium interior which is exactly like a balcony cabin size wise, where the balcony portion would be the cabin is walled off.

[hockeyluver]

Thankyou for your review and all the wonderful pictures !! 

[keels81]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

15212 is a 4"O" cabin, a premium interior which is exactly like a balcony cabin size wise, where the balcony portion would be the cabin is walled off.

 

Nevermind. You can have the last word.

Edited December 21, 2021 by keels81

[audcc77]

5 hours ago, BennyBrun said:

I hope this helps.

Yes!  Thanks so much.  

[SNJCruisers]

16 hours ago, keels81 said:

 

17215 and 17212 are listed as Spa Interiors, but they're actually oversized premium interior rooms. The X over where the balcony would normally be is actually square footage inside the stateroom:

 

Why is it so difficult for you to grasp the fact that with regards to cabin 17215, the cabin stops where the balcony would normally begin, the X area is dead space, not extra square footage, making that cabin larger in inside square footage as opposed to it's neighbor, cabin 17219.  Where the balcony door is located in 17219 is where the back wall is located in 17215.

[stellarose]

thx for the review. 

[ninjacat123]

Loving your review and pics!  I feel like I'm back on MG👍

[stellarose]

what to eat on embarkation.  hmmmm. my vegetarian self was thinking blue iguana/ lido/ piazza panini if open.

[BennyBrun]

9 minutes ago, stellarose said:

what to eat on embarkation.  hmmmm. my vegetarian self was thinking blue iguana/ lido/ piazza panini if open.

The lido deck is a zooooooooo / obstacle course on embarkation day but you will find vegetarian options

[mcgore83]

Great review!  Love the pictures and details.  Thank you for sharing!

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Why is it so difficult for you to grasp the fact that with regards to cabin 17215, the cabin stops where the balcony would normally begin, the X area is dead space, not extra square footage, making that cabin larger in inside square footage as opposed to it's neighbor, cabin 17219.  Where the balcony door is located in 17219 is where the back wall is located in 17215.

The cabin is classified as an inside cabin, but is the same size as a balcony cabin (not including the balcony), 204 sf instead of 158 sf.  Nothing to get upset about!

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

The cabin is classified as an inside cabin, but is the same size as a balcony cabin (not including the balcony), 204 sf instead of 158 sf.  Nothing to get upset about!

I'm not upset at all.  I am aware that the premium interior cabins are the same square footage cabin wise besides the outside balcony.  I was just going against the statement by keels81 who stated " The X over where the balcony would normally be is actually square footage inside the stateroom."

[BennyBrun]

Day 4 Amber Cove

 

The Spicy sauce at Blue Iguana is burning your mouth off numb you lips hot but I can’t stop eating it with my Shaq’s chicken tender.  I wanted poached eggs but the only option at Lido is to push the eggs off the Egg Benedict which I did.

[BennyBrun]

Day 4 Amber Cove

 

Off the ship we go.  The immediate port area is very nice.

[BennyBrun]

Day 4 Amber Cove

 

We were adventurous today.  We decided to walk outside the port area and haggle our way into town.  We managed to get a private Toyota Sienna and a driver for $40.00 for the two of us to take us and be the tour guide to the beach, downtown area and a local liquor store to buy rum.  Our guide was awesome.  He insisted on carrying our shopping bags and gladly offered to take pictures for us.  I am so glad I decided on doing the tour outside the ship because the same tour was $47.99 per person on a bus load of cruisers.  We pretty much did everything they did but on a private tour and with a translator.  We visited Cathedral Felipe, Casa 40, Donna Alley, and hit all the tourist spots.  The Scarlett Lady was also in town today.

[Hogladyrider]

Fabulous pics!

 

Looks like an awesome day!

[BennyBrun]

Day 4 Amber Cove

 

The pool area at Amber Cove.

[RoperDK]

On 12/20/2021 at 3:43 PM, BennyBrun said:

We were very nice about it and spoke to the restaurant manager / officer possibly (white shirt with stripes) he apologized and told us that they do not have the staff they need to accommodate the capacity and it’s only going to get worse as they add more capacity.  He said he is not sugar coating it and want to be honest and upfront and he will try to make it better for the rest of the cruise and was appreciative that we told him early vs at the end of the cruise.  You can see it in the staff’s eyes that they are over worked while we can be understanding but from the cruiser perfective 60 minutes after you order and  you only got about half the order and saw your server once when he dropped off the food that does not look very good for service.  Food was tasty, steak was tender but over cooked but still good.  No complaints about the kitchen the service is very rough… We were told elegant night is going to be worse.

I know it is disappointing when service is lacking.  Doubly disappointing when you are told it is a staffing issue and things won't improve.  I don't know why Carnival is increasing capacity and not adding staff.  Especially on their flagship.  Difficult times, I know.  When we were on during Halloween, the staffing issues and exhausted crew really stood out.  There would be one bartender at a busy bar running around like crazy with a line of customers with lessening patience waiting for a drink.  Our cabin steward said he couldn't bring extra towels or ice (for my bad knee) because they only service cabins once a day.  That was our first interaction with him and it was a negative one.  However, he always checked if we needed more towels and brought me 2 ice buckets and kept them full to the brim.  He looked beyond tired.  We tipped extra at the end and he was so grateful.  I heard "no we can't do that" way too many times, but the staff seemed anxious to please.  I wonder if a bare bones corporate policy is being pushed to the staff and then they have to face the disappointed passengers when they say no.  I feel for them.   

[BennyBrun]

7 minutes ago, RoperDK said:

I know it is disappointing when service is lacking.  Doubly disappointing when you are told it is a staffing issue and things won't improve.  I don't know why Carnival is increasing capacity and not adding staff.  Especially on their flagship.  Difficult times, I know.  When we were on during Halloween, the staffing issues and exhausted crew really stood out.  There would be one bartender at a busy bar running around like crazy with a line of customers with lessening patience waiting for a drink.  Our cabin steward said he couldn't bring extra towels or ice (for my bad knee) because they only service cabins once a day.  That was our first interaction with him and it was a negative one.  However, he always checked if we needed more towels and brought me 2 ice buckets and kept them full to the brim.  He looked beyond tired.  We tipped extra at the end and he was so grateful.  I heard "no we can't do that" way too many times, but the staff seemed anxious to please.  I wonder if a bare bones corporate policy is being pushed to the staff and then they have to face the disappointed passengers when they say no.  I feel for them.   

It’s really sad for the staff.  If they hired more staff then the low cruise fare will most likely be history.  I do think they need to strike a balance.