Miracle vs Freedom

[Prairie_Gal]

We are looking at doing a cruise that stops at Colon, Panama next year and I see these two ships are doing that itinerary. The Miracle is a fair bit cheaper (around $150 - 200/pp), but it is a smaller ship. I am concerned that the rocking would be worse on the Miracle. How much worse? Also are there some amenities on Freedom that would not be on the Miracle? Which would you choose?

[chitown cruisers]

We are looking at doing a cruise that stops at Colon, Panama next year and I see these two ships are doing that itinerary. The Miracle is a fair bit cheaper (around $150 - 200/pp), but it is a smaller ship. I am concerned that the rocking would be worse on the Miracle. How much worse? Also are there some amenities on Freedom that would not be on the Miracle? Which would you choose?

We were on the Miracle around TS Noel and it wasn't bad at all.

 

I love the Spirit class and like many here....it's the preferred class because it's so easy to navigate and has a comfortable feel. She's been an Eagle award winner for Carnival (Highest customer service scores) on multiple/consecutive years and has scored 100's on CDC inspection.

She has most of the amenities of the bigger ships. The night life is there but know to be a bit more subtle than the Conquest class.

 

I believe that the main differences would be that the Freedom had the fish and chips, Lido TV screen, night life a bit more prominent, one forward and one aft dinning room (resulting in 4 times and interruption in a few of the decks) and the lido is stadium tiered vs the single deck lido of the Miracle. The Freedom would be comfortable for you because of your first cruise.......it'd be loike going back home to a house that someone decorated while you were gone LOL Familiar yet different.

 

I'd sail any Spirit again in a heartbeat, but with that being said....I'm booked for the Glory (Freedoms sister)............either one would be a safe bet!!

 

 

Miracle is longer than Freedom, just not as fat LOL Miracle also presents more Balcony options.

[Prairie_Gal]

Thanks very much for your help. How did you find the Miracle as far as stability? Did you feel much rocking?

[chitown cruisers]

Thanks very much for your help. How did you find the Miracle as far as stability? Did you feel much rocking?

we had beautiful seas our first trip....was home 4 days before I was booked to go back. Like I said we were in and around Troprical Storm Noel for our last Miracle Cruise....didn't have a problem until the last night. We were just ahead of Noel as it was near Ft Lauderdale. Although it wasn't bad for me, my older son had a little problem with the roll the last night. We did have the front balcony with the adjoining interior for the boys. Their beds were port/starboard instead of front/aft. He said he felt like his feet were above his head one second and then below the next. He had trouble that last night.

[cruisinjerseygirl]

We have done the Miracle and the Liberty, the Liberty being the sister to Freedom from what I am told...We prefer the Miracle. The first night we had rough seas and there was a bit of rocking but it wasn't bad at all. The nightlife and staff were way better on the Miracle in my opinion as well we found that the Liberty was just TOO big it was TOO much for us honestly. Honestly I would rather do the Miracle again then to try out the Freedom because it was easier to Navigate, the nightlife was better, and the staff was wonderful.

 

Also my cousin just did this itinerary on the Miracle a few weeks ago, this was her 6th cruise on CCL and she told me it was the best one yet, she didn't go into detail about why but I would think it may have something to do with it being the Miracle.

[Prairie_Gal]

Thanks a million for your input. I am still really waffling. The frugal side of me really wants to try the Miracle, and it gets good reviews and comments such as yours. But then again, I am a little prone to sea-sickness, and I am scared I would feel the rocking too much on a smaller ship.

 

Still, almost $400 in savings buys a lot of Dramamine. Lol!

[happycruiser201]

We sailed the Miracle in 2005 and this is not by any means a small ship and unless you have really rough seas I think you will be ok. I have heard if you get a cabin near the middle of the ship you don't have much motion.

[Wee Bob]

Thanks a million for your input. I am still really waffling. The frugal side of me really wants to try the Miracle, and it gets good reviews and comments such as yours. But then again, I am a little prone to sea-sickness, and I am scared I would feel the rocking too much on a smaller ship.

 

Still, almost $400 in savings buys a lot of Dramamine. Lol!

 

I would highly suggust staying in the lower rooms (with window). If there is rocking on the ship and you start to feel sick, at least you can go to your room to re-group. The bottem floors barely rock. Good luck!

[NCTribeFan]

Thanks a million for your input. I am still really waffling. The frugal side of me really wants to try the Miracle, and it gets good reviews and comments such as yours. But then again, I am a little prone to sea-sickness, and I am scared I would feel the rocking too much on a smaller ship.

 

Still, almost $400 in savings buys a lot of Dramamine. Lol!

 

I'm prone to seasickness and was worried about the Miracle (although she was my largest ship to date) because we were on the 7th deck, as opposed to being midship on lower decks on my prior cruises.

 

I started taking ginger capsules the morning before we sailed (we flew down to FLL that evening), and started taking Bonine the morning we boarded. I continued to take both every am and pm, but stopped the bonine by the time we reached St Thomas (we had 3 consecutive port days), and I had NO problems at all.

 

I did resume the bonine the evening of our last port day since we were at sea the final day. We had 9' swells that last day and, again, I had absolutely NO problems.

 

Yes, we could feel motion in the cabin - a side-to-side almost "ticking" sort of feeling. My example was that it was like looking at a clock and the second hand would tick a couple of ticks toward 1, then back toward 11.

 

But it didn't matter. I didn't even have any problems in the bathroom when getting ready for the evening, and that's the place that always did me in - being in that confined space and pitching around.

 

I can't guarantee that you'd have no problems. But I liked the Miracle so much, and was so delighted that I had no problems, that I've changed my plans for next December from Victory to the Legend (another Spirit-class ship).

[GoinCruisin]

These are two completely different ships... I personally prefer the Conquest class ships, which is what the Freedom is. I did the Liberty in October (and was supposed to be on the Freedom this week :() and definitely prefer it over the Miracle... but it depends on what you like. The nightlife on the Miracle was dead compared to other classes of ship, due to the layout of the nighttime activity... they are just scattered. I didn't care for the layout of the ship, some love it... I also didn't like the zig-zagging hallways. The Miracle is a beautiful ship, but I found the age group of people to be much older, and it was a much more laidback ship, which I am sure many people actually like about it, I'm just not at that stage of my life yet :) Both ships are great and you will have a wonderful time!!!

[fourcruisin]

Thanks a million for your input. I am still really waffling. The frugal side of me really wants to try the Miracle, and it gets good reviews and comments such as yours. But then again, I am a little prone to sea-sickness, and I am scared I would feel the rocking too much on a smaller ship.

 

Still, almost $400 in savings buys a lot of Dramamine. Lol!

 

Honestly, IMHO, go with the Miracle. We sailed her 2 years ago and loved her. We sailed the Liberty last year and although we enjoyed it, I like the Miracle much better. As far as motion, my dh gets sick very easily and he has to use the sea-sickness patch on all cruises just in case but he had no problem on the Miracle. The ship is very easy to navigate and I didn't notice any difference in the motion of either ship.

 

We are sailing on the Miracle again in 2 weeks and I can't wait.

 

Good Luck.

[MaryZ]

These are two completely different ships... I personally prefer the Conquest class ships, which is what the Freedom is. I did the Liberty in October (and was supposed to be on the Freedom this week :() and definitely prefer it over the Miracle... but it depends on what you like. The nightlife on the Miracle was dead compared to other classes of ship, due to the layout of the nighttime activity... they are just scattered. I didn't care for the layout of the ship, some love it... I also didn't like the zig-zagging hallways. The Miracle is a beautiful ship, but I found the age group of people to be much older, and it was a much more laidback ship, which I am sure many people actually like about it, I'm just not at that stage of my life yet :) Both ships are great and you will have a wonderful time!!!

 

I felt pretty much the same way about the miracle as Lucy does. I hated, hated the zig zag hallways. We walked once from the front to our cabin all the way to the aft and my husband and I were like, no way in hell would we ever do that again...lol

It is a quiet ship compared to the conquest class. We are back on the valor in a few days. Yet because we have never ever done a ctn we just booked the miracle 2 night in oct, because it's out of ny. Our cruise after that is a 12 night on rccl also out of the ny area.

I was supposed to be on the explorer this week, but when my son totalled his motorcycle, we had to cancel. But he healed up quick, thank goodness and also being 20 helps, so we booked the valor. Honestly, the spirit class ships didn't even come into consideration. Although nothing beats their aft wrap suites. Now our cabin I loved on the miracle. But the rest of the ship, I wasn't overly impressed with. For us, our cabin made the cruise. I would probably do the itinerary going to st kitts on the miracle, but only in an aft wrap suite. On the ctn, we got a 7a with the long recessed balcony. In october for 2 nights I won't be outside sunning. Usually the weather is nice, but not really nice enough to be hanging outside in bathing suits. And I figured the recessed balcony will cut down on wind. And like I told my husband, it's fun to check out a category we would never consider booking for a normal cruise. Because he was like, you are kidding me right?? Those are lifeboats attached to our balcony.?? lol I told him, just think we have our own life boat because the atlantic usually sucks in october. Prime noreaster time/ often bad seas in october here in the new york area. So we'll just bounce around in the ocean for 2 days ;) But it will be fun, usually we go off on weekends to atlantic city, so a 2 night cruise will be different for us.

Sometimes I wish I lived in florida to just run off at a drop of the hat on a weekend cruise.

Anyway, to get back to your original question, I would book the freedom and forget the miracle. More fun I think on those class of ships than the spirit class.

[DqALEX]

Thanks very much for your help. How did you find the Miracle as far as stability? Did you feel much rocking?

I like the Miracle a lot, and would cruise on that ship anytime but I do feel the rocking more on the Miracle than any other Carnival ship. On my last cruise the first two days were very rough. A lot of people were sick. My kids got sick on the miracle at Camp Carnival, the camp is FWD on deck 5 I think. I always book Mid ship, no higher than Empress if I can, and I never have a problem with motion. My kids felt much better after and hour once they got back to Mid-ship. The Miracle so far is my Favorite Carnival ship.