Carnival Pride - May 9th, 2004 - Review, Pt 1 (LONG)

[marklodi]

We have just finished our first cruise ever, a 7-day cruise aboard the Carnival Pride. Anyone who knows me (including those poor souls on this board who were also on board) knows I tend to be verbose, so these reports are going to be a bit long. So consider yourselves forewarned.

 

Also note that what follows is strictly from our point of view, and includes our opinions and advice based on our experience onboard. Your nautical mileage may vary.

 

Because I like to include a lot of detail, I’m going to break these reports into one for each day. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in reply to that particular post and I’ll do my best to answer (or someone else surely will.)

 

Before I post the first part of our trip, here are some Cruise Facts for you (according to me of course )

 

Approximate Cost of the Carnival Pride: $375 million

Approximate Cost of our Cruise (2 adults): $3700

Approximate Value to Us: PRICELESS!

 

Inaugural Cruise of the Carnival Pride: December 30, 2001

The date of our Cruise: May 9th, 2004

The date we would like to go back: Is next Sunday available?

 

Country of Registry: Panama

Countries seemingly not represented by personnel on board the Pride: Panama

 

Approx. Crew Size: 930

Number of Crew Members who had to go through their 90-day Immigration Inspection during debarkation, which caused us to personally disembark the ship at 12:20pm on Sunday after waiting 4-1/2 hours in the Taj Mahal listening to poor comedian Jerome trying to be funny to some very tired and bored people for that same amount of time: ALL of them

 

Length: 960 feet

Distance you had to travel to find free food: 0 feet (hello, room service?)

 

Maximum Passenger Capacity: 2667

Number on our cruise: approx 2400

 

Number of times the Carnival Capers is delivered to you: 8 (Sunday through Sunday, although the last one is more an info sheet for debarkation)

 

Number of mints found on average couple’s pillows during the week: 10 (Monday night thru Friday night)

 

Number of elderly people who made love on the Lido Deck and then revealed that fact on the Newlywed…Not-So-Newlwed Game the next day: 2 (fellow cruisers can verify this actually happened)

 

Name of the best cruise director in the Carnival fleet: Greg Kneale!

Name of the cruise director who looks best in a pink tutu: Greg Kneale!

Number of times Greg was almost killed by a very large woman named Mary: One!

Number of times I heard Greg mention Cruise Critic at events: 4 (all very favorably. Said, quote “I think they’re a great bunch of people.†Unquote. He even personally made sure to unlock the Cruise Critic log book and place it on the table for all of us prior to the cruise.)

 

Note: Greg reads this board often, and I would like to personally thank him for an amazing cruise. YES, Greg, I mentioned that on my Comment Card. I tried several times to try to meet up with him for a photo, but that’s one very busy guy. Greg, I hope your cruise went smashingly and that Mary didn’t hurt you too bad. LOL! (details in the report to come…) Please e-mail me if you get the chance. I would love to chat and say thanks directly. (mark1313@pacbell.net)

 

Number of cruises I had been on before this one: None

Number of cruises I would go on if had the money: Can I move in?

 

Would I every recommend Carnival, and in particular the Carnival Pride: MOST DEFINITELY!

 

As I said, day-by-day details to come. Please feel free to post any questions and I’ll try to include the answers in the upcoming reports, probably starting late today or tomorrow (pending work demands.) We also took over 800 photos, so I will have WebShot images up, probably by next weekend as well.

 

Mark ºoº

 

5/9/04 Pride Cruise - 1st Cruise!

 

Visit our Webshots Gallery

[mohavemommy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by marklodi:

Number of elderly people who made love on the Lido Deck and then revealed that fact on the Newlywed…Not-So-Newlwed Game the next day: 2 (fellow cruisers can verify this actually happened)

 

Number of times Greg was almost killed by a very large woman named Mary: One!

 

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

 

WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!! I was on the April 18th sailing of the Pride and could it be that the shows like that are staged??????

 

..... WE ALSO had an elderly couple that "had fun" on the Lido deck and revealed it on the not-so-newlywed game (uh... the libito deck)........ AND a woman named Mary that about KILLED Greg by knocking him flat (this would have been the bedtime story)...... sounds pretty weird to me......

 

People who would find this too hard to believe: MANY!

 

See my past cruise pics here:

mohavemommy's Cruise Pics

 

 

 

__ /7__/7__/7____

\:::::::::::::::::::/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"THE WORLD'S BEST ISLANDS ARE ONES THAT FLOAT AND MOVE. THEY'RE CALLED CRUISE SHIPS."

 

next cruise ???? hhhmmmmm.....

[kajsb]

Hey Mark,

 

Glad to see you starting on your review of the cruise. But please hurry, LOL, we leave in 13 days on the Pride and I want ALL the details!!!!!

 

Kathy

 

 

05/30/04 Carnival Pride cruise & the wraparound balcony

 

06/28/04 Ecstasy-

Mom's 80th birthday- It's no longer a surprise!!

 

Ecstasy 09/13/02

Ecstasy 05/26/03

 

 

[KKCruisers]

That's right everything must be staged! How many women named Mary could be knocking Greg down and how many old people could be making love on the Lido deck! I agree with you Mohaveamommy. I guess they must think we are very naive. I wonder if it's just Greg or if all CD's stage the shows. How about it, does anyone else see any similarities? This was my second time on the Pride but a different CD. I guess we would have seen the same things happening if it was the same CD. They did do a good job though making you think it was real! We did do a lot a laughing about it and make a bunch of people laugh when we repeated the story of the Lido deck when we got home.It does make you stop and think though what really was real on other cruises. I remember once when we went to Mexico and two newly weds said they had just gotten married that day while in Port. Hmmm!

 

KKCruisers

 

Pride 4/18

[SoccerMom#3]

Great set up to your report. All this does is make it almost impossible for me to wait till our cruise in July. Looking forward to the next installment.

 

Elise

 

7/11 Pride Cruise

[NewCruiseAddict]

We heard the couple story on the Elation 2/02 and the Ecstasy 6/02 with different CDs so I think it is a Carnival gag.

 

Cass

 

Disney Wonder 5/2001

Carnival Elation 2/2002

Carnival Ecstasy 6/2002

Voyager of the Seas 5/2003

Carnival Pride 6/04

[im4clowns]

I agree, they have to be staged! I got off of the Pride on May 9th and we also had an elderly couple that did the deed on the lido deck and Mary was there too! Still alot of fun!!

 

Ruthie

 

Tropicale 09/98

Carnival Pride 10/02

Carnival Glory 07/14/03

Navigator 09/06/03

Carnival Pride 05/02/04

Until 15th Wedding Anniversary aboard the Pride

Mariner 10/31/04

 

Mariner of the Seas 10/31/04- All Hallows Eve

[mohavemommy]

All hail the old couple and Mary!!!!!!!!!

 

Hey, they got us good, huh.......

 

See my past cruise pics here:

mohavemommy's Cruise Pics

 

 

 

__ /7__/7__/7____

\:::::::::::::::::::/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"THE WORLD'S BEST ISLANDS ARE ONES THAT FLOAT AND MOVE. THEY'RE CALLED CRUISE SHIPS."

 

next cruise ???? hhhmmmmm.....

[Laurab23]

they were using that elderly couple story on my last cruise 4 years ago.

Laura

[halos]

I must say that you are all party poopers, ruining it for the OP.....

 

I'm glad you had such an awesome time. I can't wait for the rest of the review!!

 

I believe in Miracles

MIRACLE JUNE 19, 2004

Calm Seas, Good Friends

[candigirl41]

Is that the same newlywed, not so newlywed game where the old man says he wants a hooker in the missionary position? Heard this many times before. Mary always knocks down Greg.

 

Candi

 

 

[vette]

Hi Mark,

 

Great start - keep em coming.

 

Vette

 

NCL Norway

Carnival Holiday

NCL Sun

NCL Sea

NCL Wind

Carnival Celebration

RCI Splendour of the Seas

Carnival Pride 1/04

Caribbean Princess 2/05

[marklodi]

Hi gang!

 

No worries about the Mary and Elderly Couple bit. It really doesn't matter to us. If I saw that bit again on the next cruise, I guarantee we would laugh just as hard as we did this time.

 

Why?

 

Simple: Greg

 

Look, with most comedians and/or entertainers, the jokes are really the same - a joke about Michael Jackson, or Kobe, or whomever is still the same material. But it's the delivery, the timing, the PERSON who makes it effective and funny as heck. THAT is the key, IMHO.

 

We have been served by many different people at restaurants around the country and the world, but Jean Claude and Cristian on the Pride stand out to us as very special. Same delivery, but the attitude and effort these two put into it made it special to us. Sharon our room stewardess is another example.

 

Perhaps even a better example of "the person makes it special" is Denny in the Main Gift Shop on board the Pride. He went out of his way to help us on many occassions, always with a smile and his quirky Canadian sense of humor. He didn't have to, but he did. A shirt is a shirt, but he made it special.

 

So as far as Greg and the routine goes, I hope he keeps doing it just like he has. We loved it, and based on the ROARING laughter and people talking about it all week, it still works wonderfully.

 

But let me ask all of you this? How many of you have seen Greg in a pink tutu? Hmmm? Details to come in one of my reports....

 

Mark ºoº

 

 

5/9/04 Pride Cruise - 1st Cruise!

 

Visit our Webshots Gallery

 

[im4clowns]

Mark

 

We got off as you were boarding and the pink tutu had me crying. it was sooo funny, and the water balloons in the shirt! that skit was worth going to the afternoon talk. I actually learned quite a bit about life of the cruise staff.

 

already planning my next cruise.

 

Ruthie

 

Tropicale 09/98

Carnival Pride 10/02

Carnival Glory 07/14/03

Navigator 09/06/03

Carnival Pride 05/02/04

Until 15th Wedding Anniversary aboard the Pride

Mariner 10/31/04

 

Mariner of the Seas 10/31/04- All Hallows Eve

[darkauf]

We just knew you would be here...clicked on Carnival and there was your name. Now we will go back and read your review. Welcome home our new friends...we really enjoyed meeting you and Mona. Here's to another cruise next year...that's if you youngins are up to it.

 

Darlene & Larry

 

Sensation 4/2001

Victory 12/2001

Spirit 12/10/2002

Zuiderdam 5/7/2003

Legend 12/7/2003

Pride 5/9/2004

Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - 10/24/04

Celebrity Constellation - 4/9/05

 

West to East thru the Canal on the Radiance ots

 

Visiting the Southern Carib on the Constellation

 

 

 

[CM Arizona]

We were on the Victory 2 years ago and the cd did the same Mary story. I can not belive it was staged. It looked so real.

[darkauf]

Mark..you got cheated. We received 12 pieces of candy - Monday through Saturday. They are still in my medication bag as neither of us eat it. They will go to work with me tomorrow.

 

Even if all of it was staged, who cares. It was for our enjoyment and enjoyment we had. We also saw the tutu thing on the Carnival Legend which had us in stiches. There one of the male dancers came out as the "chipendale dancer" and they put a water balloon in his underwear and broke it pouring water all over him, down his legs...that was the greatest. We must have laughed for hours. Except on the Legend, they did this routine to a full house after the talent show, which in my opinion, was better than when they did it on the Pride. But again, it doesn't matter. It was just great fun.

 

D & L

 

Sensation 4/2001

Victory 12/2001

Spirit 12/10/2002

Zuiderdam 5/7/2003

Legend 12/7/2003

Pride 5/9/2004

Royal Caribbean - Radiance of the Seas - 10/24/04

Celebrity Constellation - 4/9/05

 

West to East thru the Canal on the Radiance ots

 

Visiting the Southern Carib on the Constellation

 

 

 

[kerrydee]

nothing, i repeat NOTHING, could ruin the time mark and mona had. they are adorable and they both had a wonderful time. mark was having fun from before we left and mona started out slow (not knowing what to expect), but everyday her grin got wider and wider.

 

kerry dee ambler

[marklodi]

Wow....adorable??? Gee, handsome maybe, studly sure, amazingly muscular of course, but adorable? No, not adorable.

 

But Greg in that tutu. NOW we're talking adorable. LOL!

 

Mark ºoº

 

 

5/9/04 Pride Cruise - 1st Cruise!

 

Visit our Webshots Gallery

 

[boom op]

Mark,

You did'nt happen to stay at the Long Beach Coast Hotel?

 

Pride 6th June

 

[glrounds]

Mark,

 

You were getting on as I was getting off.

 

On my cruise, I posted during that cruise that I had had Greg Kneale on my previous 2 cruises, the ELATION, the GLORY and that he was very "predictable" (same jokes, especially the old couple). He commented on one of his shows a day later, "I have a couple new jokes, since I wouldn't want Gary to think I'm too predictable"...LOL...I talked to him later about it....He is a super guy, but he DOES READ THESE THREADS.

 

Glad you had a nice cruise. There will be many more I'm sure and the next time you get Greg Kneale, I promise you you'll have just as much fun. Just don't call him "predictable" online...

 

Don't feel bad, he got me too years ago...I was telling everybody back home about the retired Baptist minister that got lucky on the Lido deck at 3:00 am also.

 

Live well, love much, laugh often.

 

Gary

 

[marklodi]

Hi Boom Op,

 

No, we didn't stay at that hotel. Friday night we were at the Holiday Inn Downtown Long Beach and Saturday night on the Queen Mary. Details to come in the next parts of my trip report.

 

Gary, so you're THAT Gary! Greg mentioned you by name. You're famous (or infamous, as the case may be.) Yes, I'm quite aware Greg reads the boards here, and very happy that he does.

 

Mark ºoº

 

 

5/9/04 Pride Cruise - 1st Cruise!

 

Visit our Webshots Gallery

 

[kajsb]

I'm testing to see if Greg Kneale is still reading the posts. Greg, I will be on the 5/30 sailing of the Pride. I hope to hear you mention all the good people here on cruise critic. I promise to still laugh at your jokes even though the punch lines have been given away!

 

Kathy

 

 

05/30/04 Carnival Pride cruise & the wraparound balcony

 

06/28/04 Ecstasy-

Mom's 80th birthday- It's no longer a surprise!!

 

Ecstasy 09/13/02

Ecstasy 05/26/03

 

 

[glrounds]

Kathy,

 

LOL....be careful of what you ask for.

 

Greg just might make an example of you in front of 1500 people. He is a super guy, incredible personality, perfect for the job.

 

I do hope when you are on the PRIDE someone sitting in the front row makes the mistake of taking a "potty-break" while Greg is talking. The results will be HILARIOUS! !

 

Enjoy your cruise and mention us to Greg.

 

Live well, love much, laugh often.

 

Gary

 

 

 

[kajsb]

Gary,

 

I plan on doing another post for Greg just before our cruise. And thanks for the tip. I may have to rethink any decision to sit in the front row.

 

Kathy

 

 

05/30/04 Carnival Pride cruise & the wraparound balcony

 

06/28/04 Ecstasy-

Mom's 80th birthday- It's no longer a surprise!!

 

Ecstasy 09/13/02

Ecstasy 05/26/03