Carnival Glory- what happened?

[ILUVSCOOPS]

Last November my cousins and I were on the Carnival Glory. Our cruise was ok, not outstanding, but considering the cost, worth repeating this year. We sailed on October 18 and it was an awful cruise experience. Some of the people had rooms you couldn't sleep in due to noise from the engine or the food disposal system. Others couldn't sleep due to the noise of people in the halls. I mean a lot of noise in the halls.

The ship was rank with cigarette smoke and even a crew member was smoking in a public area.

The shows were too loud so you couldn't enjoy the performance. Plus, the childrens program brought my 6 & 8 year old grandchildren to a show that was heavy on boobs and butts.

The food was not up to last years standard. I only had one entree that I cared to finish and I love to eat. The waiter brought around a bottle of water at dinner and indicated if we wanted to drink healthy water, we needed to purchase bottled water. If you were ashore and returned to the ship after 4pm, you had to wait in long lines for the grill or deli. Only one grill was open.

 

As for entertainment, if you didn't gamble or bingo the ship was b-o-r-i-n-g.

 

On a positive side, my cabin steward was probably the best I have ever had. Our dining room servers were great too. Breakfast in the Platinum Room, was another story. It took 40 minutes one morning to get our breakfast.

 

I don't know what changed on the Glory but something happened and Carnival needs to fix it.

[pnjkeith]

I think this is the way its going to be. We noticed it has slipped on the cruise we just got off last Saturday.

[Guest JJWW]

I guess it's the time that you cruise per se .

I found her to be majestic and beautiful :) .

The horn wars was a blast !

 

Port Canaveral ,what can I say a very nice port.

See ya at fish lips ! :D

[Katoswife]

My husband and I had a great time...This was our first cruise so we didn't really know what to expect and we have nothing to compare it to.

 

I thought the food was good but the variety during the day wasn't that great...We were bored sometimes while early dinner was going on (we had late) but we had brought books and Uno with us.

 

We will definitely cruise again but we'd like to see what other lines have to offer.

[TortieGal]

We sailed on her 10/11 and overall, things went well. I thought our room steward was just ok. Our wait staff was excellent though and our head waiter will be on Splendor with me. My biggest disappointment was the fact that this was our first balcony and I couldn't enjoy it all that much due to the smoking going on around us.

[tiger belle]

I certainly hope to see some more responses in this thread with positive reports...I have seen some random posts in other threads and other boards about Glory not being as good as it used to be...and then I've read review from others recently that thought Glory was still the best ship they had been on...I have found that passengers on the exact same cruise will have comments entirely across the spectrum...food was great and food was terrible...CD was the worst ever; CD was their favorite of all time....shows were great; shows were mediocre; shows were terrible...service was impeccable; service was terrible....crowds were horrible; no problem with lines or crowds

 

I guess that is just the way these types of things are...varying expectation levels...different strokes for different folks

[dclark]

The problem is that ships are constantly changing their staffs. A ship that was excellent 6 months ago can be horrible now and a ship that was horrible six months ago can be excellent now. That's why reviews have a very short relevent life.

[Georgiagolfer]

DW and I were on the Glory in May. This was our 3rd time on Glory and it was our best trip on this ship yet. We did not experience any negatives, in fact, found the crew the best ever.

[UpstateCruizer]

We sailed on her 10/11 and overall, things went well. I thought our room steward was just ok. Our wait staff was excellent though and our head waiter will be on Splendor with me. My biggest disappointment was the fact that this was our first balcony and I couldn't enjoy it all that much due to the smoking going on around us.

 

 

Colleen,

 

We're going on the Splendor with you too, so looking forward to meeting you! I keep hearing people mention smoking on the balconies around them. Dh and I must be lucky as we've had a balcony on all 4 of our cruises and never had smoke issues. Actually on all of our cruises we rarely saw anyone on their balconies around us. We must've been lucky in that aspect. We rarely used ours so I convinced dh to try an oceanview on our Miracle cruise in October. I found an obstructed oceanview with french doors. I'm hoping dh likes it since the balcony was rarely used. If you have a balcony on the Splendor and end up next to us you are guranteed no smoking from our cabin or noise :)

[enester]

Last November my cousins and I were on the Carnival Glory. Our cruise was ok, not outstanding, but considering the cost, worth repeating this year. We sailed on October 18 and it was an awful cruise experience. Some of the people had rooms you couldn't sleep in due to noise from the engine or the food disposal system. Others couldn't sleep due to the noise of people in the halls. I mean a lot of noise in the halls.

The ship was rank with cigarette smoke and even a crew member was smoking in a public area.

The shows were too loud so you couldn't enjoy the performance. Plus, the childrens program brought my 6 & 8 year old grandchildren to a show that was heavy on boobs and butts.

The food was not up to last years standard. I only had one entree that I cared to finish and I love to eat. The waiter brought around a bottle of water at dinner and indicated if we wanted to drink healthy water, we needed to purchase bottled water. If you were ashore and returned to the ship after 4pm, you had to wait in long lines for the grill or deli. Only one grill was open.

 

As for entertainment, if you didn't gamble or bingo the ship was b-o-r-i-n-g.

 

On a positive side, my cabin steward was probably the best I have ever had. Our dining room servers were great too. Breakfast in the Platinum Room, was another story. It took 40 minutes one morning to get our breakfast.

 

I don't know what changed on the Glory but something happened and Carnival needs to fix it.

 

I was on the Glory a couple of weeks ago and had a blast. Having said that, I would note on a couple of your items:

 

1) Not sure where your cabin was - so I can't make a comment about the noise. Hall noise is passenger dependent - so that's not Glory related.

 

2) Cigarette smoke is always a note of discussion - but I found the smoke - and smoking areas far less than on the Valor. They moved cigar smoking into the sports bar, so even if you're a cigarette smoker - or just wanted to watch the World Series, you were gonna have to suffer a bit.

 

3) The shows can be loud (I have sensitive ears, but it usually was temporary - like a song climax, and not continual). There were more "boob's and butts" than in the past. I liked that part :o. Not sure why they would integrate that into the children's program.

 

4) I like the old menu better. I didn't notice a difference in what was provided (for example - Tilapia was still Tilapia) - but the preparation (ie sauces etc) were different. It wasn't a complete washout to me. I still enjoyed every meal - and had some that I thought were outstanding.

 

5) Not sure why you were offended by being offered bottled water. I stuck with the water that they normally supply and was happy.

 

6) I saw long lines at the grill at times. Never detected any difference from other cruises however.

 

7) I would strongly disagree that the ship was boring! We never had a problem finding plenty to do (beyond gambling). I'd be curious what you'd want beyond what was offered. I couldn't do everything available.

 

Sometimes I think that irritations play on themselves - then multiply. Better luck next time.

 

 

[EDIT: OOPS - I just read that your cruise was LAST NOVEMBER. I thought that it had just happened so my responses were on top of an old cruise - not after. Sorry]

[NCTribeFan]

I also sailed her in May and it was wonderful. Aside from the tough, overcooked strip steaks (had the same problem on Miracle), the food was great; the service was great; and we had a wonderful time.

 

The smoke was a big issue for us as we're both asthmatic. On Miracle, the only time smoke bothered me was when I was sitting directly next to someone who was smoking in the sports bar or casino. I was surprised that it was so bad on Glory.

 

Hate the layout of the pool area but I don't hang around there so it didn't bother me. Wish the aft pool was adults only like it was on Miracle. Loved the Fish & Chips.

 

Overall, I'd rank it in my Top 3 cruises to date (Miracle #1, Elation #2).

 

And why start a thread now about a cruise that you took 11 months ago?

[cv322]

We've cruised on the Glory twice and will be back on in 2 months. I think the Glory is a great ship. I think many of the OP's criticisms cannot be directly attributable to the ship or her crew, but can occur on any ship, on any cruiseline.

[Kristi Williamson]

We just returned from the Western Carribean on the Glory and my DH and I, as well as our four kids, had a marvelous time! This was my eighth cruise and hubby's seventh and we thought the food was by far the best we've ever had.

 

We enjoyed our ports even though the weather was a bit cloudy, but the weather can't be blamed on Carnival, ya know?

 

I think every cruise varies for every person. And honestly, much of it has to do with attitude. We typically go NOT expecting good food. Based on our past experiences, cruise food isn't that good regardless of the reputation that it has. Since we didn't have high expectations and we aren't foodies, perhaps that's why we were so pleasantly surprised? We thought the burgers from the grille were some of the best we've ever had and the chocolate melting cake was one of the best desserts we've ever had the pleasure to taste anywhere.

 

The Glory is just fine, so go expecting to have fun, and you will. ;)

[JanesCruisingBuddy]

DW and I were on the Glory in May. This was our 3rd time on Glory and it was our best trip on this ship yet. We did not experience any negatives, in fact, found the crew the best ever.

 

May 3/08 Cruise on the Glory - Hey Mike... we cruised with you!!! Had a GREAT time, overall we had no real complaints (I remember writting a few negative comments in my review, but really, overall I would give the Glory a 9.95 out of 10). Can't let a couple small issues taint the whole experience. We had a smoker in the next balcony... but he was not there all the time. Never had to prepare a single meal... that is always better than at home! I saw lines at the grill too, but at other times I just walked up and pick up what I wanted. I always plan my trips to the food courts to the "off-peak" times, and it is great.

 

Good to see you again Georgiagolfer.

 

I also sailed her in May and it was wonderful. Aside from the tough, overcooked strip steaks (had the same problem on Miracle), the food was great; the service was great; and we had a wonderful time...

 

May 10/08 Cruise on the Glory -Good to see you again too, NCTribeFan. Interesting finding two posters on the same thread that cruised on the same two cruises we were on in the spring.

 

We had no real complaints on this cruise either. I say, "Thank you Carnival Glory for another wounderful time."

 

 

.

[MamaParrotHead]

I don't know that it's a problem with the ship itself...I think there are a handful of factors that all contribute to the quality of the cruise. The crew, the other passengers, the expectations of the guests, the weather.

[TortieGal]

Colleen,

 

We're going on the Splendor with you too, so looking forward to meeting you! I keep hearing people mention smoking on the balconies around them. Dh and I must be lucky as we've had a balcony on all 4 of our cruises and never had smoke issues. Actually on all of our cruises we rarely saw anyone on their balconies around us. We must've been lucky in that aspect. We rarely used ours so I convinced dh to try an oceanview on our Miracle cruise in October. I found an obstructed oceanview with french doors. I'm hoping dh likes it since the balcony was rarely used. If you have a balcony on the Splendor and end up next to us you are guranteed no smoking from our cabin or noise :)

 

I can't wait to go on Splendor! And you can be another set of eyes on the lookout for Mel, our Glory waiter! :D When we were talking at the beginning of the week, he had said he was being sent to the Conquest next. I ran into him at breakfast, right before we left, and he said they changed him to Splendor.

 

We're going to have a blast!!

[JanieBug]

We just returned from our first cruise which was on the Glory and since I don't have anything to compare it to I will just say I thought it was awesome and wasn't disappointed with a thing!

 

The only time I smelled smoke was in the casino, and I never heard any noise in the hallway at night.

 

Now, I need to go on several more ships to have something to compare it to...and I can't wait!!!

[LRene]

...I have found that passengers on the exact same cruise will have comments entirely across the spectrum...

 

So true...so I'll give my take on this cruise. I was on the same sailing as the OP on October 18, and we thought it was great. I'm not one to usually notice decor or what someone is wearing in the dining room so can't comment on those things that just don't matter much to me anyway.

 

We've sailed Carnival 14 times and this was one of the best cruises we've had when it comes to the ship, crew, food etc. The weather could have been better (or worse) but hey, it's weather, and that's the chances you take.

 

I had 12 in my group varying in age from 3 to 79 and from first-time cruisers to Platinum cruisers. We ALL had a great time! :)

 

Cabin location can take care of a lot of noise problems. Can't book a guarantee cabin and then gripe about location. If you pick your own cabin, some are in quieter places than others on every ship. We were on the Verandah deck and had no problems with noise on the Lido or in the hallways. Our cabin was adjacent to the elevators and with the exception of the last night when they were handling luggage for a while, we never heard anything. Love the additional overhang from the Lido on this deck - your balcony is always dry if it rains.

 

The food was some of the best we've had on Carnival lately and the supper club was wonderful. I've eaten in many CCL supper clubs and many CCL dining rooms and these were better than others. The quality of the steaks we had were very good (had pretty bad ones lately on other ships) and our service was super. I agree there was a long line in the grill on port days but I walked up to the deli with no line more than once after returning to the ship. The buffets didn't have much of a line either although I don't eat anything but the salad bar on the buffet. We were asked if we wanted bottled water - we didn't. If you go to any upscale restaurant you will be offered (and charged for) the same as a courtesy.

 

All 12 of us had breakfast together in the DR twice - never waited more than a few minutes even with such a large table. We were pretty spoiled by our evening waiters but we had some of the best! :)

 

Smoking....I'm a smoker but I choke on second-hand "inside" smoke. For that reason, I don't smoke in my cabin and rarely anywhere else inside the ship. It always baffles me that people complain about balcony smokers. With the wind created by a ship going 20 knots, someone smoking a cigarette on a balcony divided from yours for a couple of minutes could hardly be that big of a deal.

 

My granddaughters went to Camp Carnival also although we took them to some of the shows ourselves. I saw nothing more revealing in those shows than what's on TV. CC has a schedule telling you exactly where the children are going - it's not a surprise. If I had anything negative to say, I would say the vocalists on this ship were not so great. The comedian and hypnotist were really good and we went to all those shows. Butch does a good job as CD.

 

We gamble very little and NEVER play bingo but were never bored. We also don't do any of the ship things - art auction, trivia, games, contests. We have a good time doing what we want to do which in this case was spending time with our family and laughing a lot. There was so much going on all of the time that I found it hard to find time to relax a little!

 

The Glory is a very nice ship. Port Canaveral was also a great port to go out of and we'd do both of them again in a heartbeat. To all of you booked on the Glory.....you're going to LOVE it! :)

[boatdoc]

 

 

Smoking....I'm a smoker but I choke on second-hand "inside" smoke. For that reason, I don't smoke in my cabin and rarely anywhere else inside the ship. It always baffles me that people complain about balcony smokers. With the wind created by a ship going 20 knots, someone smoking a cigarette on a balcony divided from yours for a couple of minutes could hardly be that big of a deal.

 

Really it is a big deal:mad: