Carnival Glory 3-25-06 long

[DiveSkip]

First let me say to qualify my review, my wife and I (58 & 62) am veteran cruisers. This is second cruise on Carnival the first was in July 05 on the Conquest out of New Orleans, which was great in every way. We have been aboard the RCCL, Cunard Princess, and the SS Britanias in 85. I work as Capt on a small live aboard dive cruise ship the Nekton Pilot (32 pass 12 crew) for about a year out of Fort Lauderdale and Georgetown, Bahamas.

 

I was traveling with my in-laws 86 & 76 and my daughter & husband (36 & 42) and two boys (9-11).

Embarkation was very good having lunch by 12:30. Daughter’s family joined us by 1:00. We arrived by car parked in the Port garage, 12 a day good deal. We got to our rooms balcony 6398 & 6386. Daughter’s family 1440 & 1438 oceanview. All rooms were great, very clean and we tipped the cabin steward $20.00 going in each, never had a problem with anything.

One problem I should mention in case anyone is thinking of bringing old people on a cruise is they can’t hear, even each other let alone anyone with a accented English they don’t like to stay up past 6:00pm and refused to go ashore anywhere, oh an don’t like food other than their own. Stayed in their cabin and played cards, complain about everything, besides that they never mention the cruise again on the drive back to Tenn. except to read me every road sign on the interstate. Save the $3000.00 and buy booze.

Ship Movement. Ocean was rough and very rough in different spots. The ship never moved at all. Never saw anyone seasick. I was sick one day, but it had to do with five or six martinis.

General Boys used Camp Carnival a lot and seemed to really like the experience. My wife Son-in-law and daughter used the gym everyday and thought it was great. My wife used the SPA a lot ($$$$) was satisfied. Room Service was also real good. The deli, pizza fish & chips and ice cream were outstanding. Had a peek at the topless deck, needed better customers. Captain’s Cocktail party was just ok. No one from the ship showed up, but the drinks were good. Casino’s are nice and the Texas holdem is good little wait sometimes, lost a little.

Food and Food Service We had a table for 8 at the first seating and our waiter and Ass’t were the worst food servers in the world, they had one other table (8) at this seating and they could not keep up. The tables around us were excellently served. We always got our food late or wrong item ordered, but I guess sometimes you get the bad one. The food was not as good as on the Conquest; at times we stopped eating and went to the buffet or for pizza. We dressed to the nines each night my grandson’s too on formal night’s tux and stuff.

Ports Key West. I live in the Keys for about ten years so I didn’t go ashore, but my daughter and her family did, some how they got on the first tram and came back a few hours later bought the T-shirts. The lines after the first few trams were as long as the ship I understand that you can not walk through the Navy Base and have to wait for the tram, need more trams.

Belize. Great Tour with Cave-Tubing.com. Best tour ever for the money. They took us farther up the mountain and through two caves about an hour and a half ride in a tube. They are great people. Couple of things if you have the tour go directly to the tender deck and tell them you have an early tour and get off early. Second, if your old and fat you may want to work out a little before making that hour climb into the rainforest, not a manly thing to be sucking air when you hit that cold water at the top.

Costa Maya a great port reminds me of Cancun back in the early eighties. Gave my grandson’s a chance on how to bargain with people in a positive way. Didn’t go far still tired from the climb into the rainforest.

Debarkation one word nightmare. The worst I’ve ever seen. Mass confusion everywhere. I finely just the line about 11:00am after waiting 3 hrs and then the escalator was broke and they were taking people down five at a time in an elevator. There is no excuse for this; they have to have back up plans that work just as well as the original. Many people who had a good time aboard I’m sure were turn off by the debarkation. The 100 or so people around me were close to rioting it was so bad. Luggage claim was a piece of cake and getting the car out of the garage and loading the luggage was easy and quick. The interstates were nuts. April 1st ever RV in FL was moving north and I75 in GA was being repaired for the first 90 miles (20mph) not fun. Will most likely not go back to Carnival. I like to dress for dinner and eat well. Carnival at least first night looked like a trailer park convention, sorry if I offended anyone, but when I first stated cruising you had to have a jacket and a tie in the dinning room everynight and then I could hardly afford a jacket and a tie, now I can.

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[minimartha]

We were on The Glory last year and Absolutely loved her! The service, food etc. was great. I loved the ports also. We were on her spring break so there were quite a few rowdy college kids but that wasn't the ships fault. You just had to pick a spot to lay out where you weren't in the middle of them. Did you eat in The Emerald Room? We thought the food was well worth the extra $25pp. We had a few rocky seas where they even had to cancel the show that night because they said it was too dangerous for the dancers. I still did not think it rocked as much as when we were on one of Royal Carribean's older ships in Oct. for my birthday though.

Glad you had a good trip but sorry the older ones did not seem to concur.

[dst]

Thanks so much for the review. I am taking my mother Her second cruise first Carnival) on the ship 5/20 sailing to western....I am glad to see that you kept the review positive but sorry to hear that you will not be sailing with carnival again.

 

I have crusied Carnival before as well as the other lines (this will be my 10th cruise) can you tell me how the cabins were. We have an aft balcony (7444) and really just want to go and relax. My mom is ill so she will mostly stay on the ship and I plan to dive in Belize but other than that we want to relax.We chose this cruise becasue of the three days at sea. I think some shopping will be in order as my mom is a shopaholic; but which port would you suggest she do that in?

 

How was the pool area, and is there a nice place to hide and have some quiet time? Did you dine in the Emerald room and was it worth it? I was thinking of trying that as a treat for her one night.

 

Its funny that I do not see a lot of reviews on the boards for the Glory and that has me a bit concerned; so I thank you for any info you can share.

[DiveSkip]

Yoyr roomis in agreat spot. You shouldn't have any problems at all, The aft pool dosn't draw many teens or children and that is where the adult jacuzzi is located. Although I didn't go to the Emerald room this trip I heard good things about the place. Anyone with quesitions feel free. The cruise lends itself to relaxation.

Skip

[DiveSkip]

Your roomis in a great spot. You shouldn't have any problems at all, The aft pool doesn't draw many teens or children and that is where the adult jacuzzi is located. Although I didn't go to the Emerald room this trip I heard good things about the place. Anyone with quesitions feel free. The cruise lends itself to relaxation.

Skip

[Cruise'n Gator]

We also sailed on 3/25 and had a wonderful time. Myself, my wife and two sons (9 and 11). My first cruise but my wife is a veteran in that she was an assistant CD with the old Commodore line (15+ years ago).

 

Embarcation was, as you said, a breeze. We arrived at port around 11:30 and were on by 12:30.

 

Our dining experience was great. Our waiter Jerry really catered to the kids and our food was superb (Golden dining room). Cabin service was excellent; they even kept our stash of smuggled booze iced down.

 

We were disappointed with the Camp program, especially my wife who used to do it for a living and is an elementary teacher. The counselors never smiled or enagaged with the kids. Fortunately, our kids are pretty independent and prefer there own company anyway.

 

Went to Maya Palms resort in Mexico. 10 miles from the port. Private beach with pool, snorkeling/scuba on site, food, very accomodating staff. Spent the day in a hammock on the beach with a Pina Colada in my hand. Would definitely recommend.

 

Did cavetubing through ecotours belize.com. Better trip than the ship tour and cheaper. Four of us with a guide in a 4Runner. Guide was the son of the Nation Police Chief. Knowledgable, helpful and entertaining. They even sent a disposable camera my son left in the vehicle. You have to eat at the park. The chicken was treat.

 

Kids had a blast. Loved the pools and food. Arcade was more reasonable than I thought going in. Most of all they loved the waiter.

 

Sit down breakfast beat the heck out of the lido shuffle. Never a wait and fast service. And the coffee was way better then the buffett.

 

We managed to beat most of the disater getting off. We were on Main Deck and carried our own luggage. Escalator was still working but they put us on the elevator because of the amount of luggage we had. Saved us some time.

 

I am a cruise convert and can't wait to go again.

[dst]

Gator: Can you tell me more about the Maya Palms? Is there an area for shade so my mom could relax without getting burned. They don't mind you hanging out at the resort, is there a daily fee or something.....excuse the ignorance but I usually dive at all of the ports but traveling this time with my mom and may actually see some land this trip :)

 

I think if there is some shade for her and a bit of shopping she may like the resort for part of the day, I can sit in the sun and swim while she enjoys the shade.

 

What type of cabin did you have? I am excited for our aft cabin now that I have heard some good things about them we are in cabin 7444. Getting excited for the trip and some much needed R&R

[DiveSkip]

One last note; The shows are worth seeing the broardway reviews are quite good. The bars are worth the trip if you drink a little and want to meeet people

[NRWO]

Hah.. loved the bit about the in-laws. They went on your dime and decided to be crabby and miserable? What can you do..

[mnsawyer]

Don't feel badly...know my in-laws would be the same way but they have been on a couple of cruises (not with us!).

[poptart]

Sailing on the Glory in November (eastern), so thank you for the reviews. I enjoyed reading them. My sister and her family have sailed the Glory twice for Christmas and they really enjoyed her both times but I don't get much info from them--they stay in the casino! I enjoy the shows, karoke and piano bars. Do ya'll have any info on them?

Poptart

[Wantin2cruz]

My teenage sons are on the Glory right now as I type (in St. Maarten) with a bunch of their friends and their families from school. I'm here at work! Yuk! Never been a cruise but, back in the 80's I worked as a bartender on the Windjammer Barefoot Cruises.

 

Want to go on the Glory (Eastern Carribbean) in latter part of October for a very special birthday. Anyone knowing about October cruz'n???/

[luvgreys]

Diveskip,

Thanks for taking the time to write a review for us future Glory passengers.:) I know when I get back from vacation I hate to reflect on it because I am bitter that I am back to the real world. Thanks for the info on disembarking as well.

[airhead22]

Thanks so much for the review. I am taking my mother Her second cruise first Carnival) on the ship 5/20 sailing to western....I am glad to see that you kept the review positive but sorry to hear that you will not be sailing with carnival again.

 

I have crusied Carnival before as well as the other lines (this will be my 10th cruise) can you tell me how the cabins were. We have an aft balcony (7444) and really just want to go and relax. My mom is ill so she will mostly stay on the ship and I plan to dive in Belize but other than that we want to relax.We chose this cruise becasue of the three days at sea. I think some shopping will be in order as my mom is a shopaholic; but which port would you suggest she do that in?

 

How was the pool area, and is there a nice place to hide and have some quiet time? Did you dine in the Emerald room and was it worth it? I was thinking of trying that as a treat for her one night.

 

Its funny that I do not see a lot of reviews on the boards for the Glory and that has me a bit concerned; so I thank you for any info you can share.

My sister and I will be in that cabin in October! Take good care of it!!!!