Destiny-8/15-Review w/ pics =)

[LoveTravel23]

Hey CC!!

 

Well like I'm seeing that most CCL cruisers (well ex now) decided to give negative thoughts on CCL I decided to do my GREAT :p review today even though it has taken me like forever to upload the pics!! But I also owed this review for everybody that has posted great info on Jamaica/Grand Cayman that really helped me on what to do/not do on this cruise.

 

Now basic info on me. I'm 23 yrs old and this is my 2nd cruise on CCL. My 1st was on the CCL Splendor n I LOVE that ship. Planning on taking my mom there next yr as her 1st crusie :). Now this was a graduation present but not for me, it was for my BFF, 22 yrs old that graduated on the 9th from Florida State University. We had cabin 1332-Riviera Deck 1 n really good for getting around. I hope this review assist you in anything (especially u jerseygirl that is so anxious on going). N of course disclaimer: my thoughts n mine only on what I did/didn't do....enjoy!!!

 

Embarkation Day

 

Woke up @ 8am and it was raining :(...not a good way to start of the cruise but I was still excited!! Started getting ready @ 10am after seeing the movie, Remember the Titans like I just live 30 mins. away. Left house @ 11am, picked up BFF and made it to the pier @ 12:15pm. This was our site 5 mins. away:

 

Can u see the tail?!? (if the pic. came out)....

 

We made it through check-in rather quickly, I love the new Kiosk (however you spell it)...def. makes it easier. On the ship by 12:30. Went straight to leave lugguage in the cabins and up to Lido deck for lunch. Lines were long but it took about 20 mins. to get our food and it was alright. Had shrimp rice-good but can they please peel the shrimp!! Also had fish, n coconut cake. It was good to fill us up and of course we got the DOD after. Now on the Splendor the DOD was good but this DOD got us tipsy!! I don't know how much alcohol was in it but whoa!!

 

Crossing the Lido Deck:

Yes that storm was coming in!

 

We did the Spa tour-nice but we got sleepy from the tour so we went and took a nap. @ 3:30pm we woke up to do the required Muster Drill. Now on the Splendor I did not do but after reading a posting here about it I said I would and you know what I hated it!!! It was just eww!! Advice to the ppl: If you know you're going to be in a crowd PLEASE take a shower!! OMG somebody next to me forgot to do that before getting on the cruise I believe. Well like 20 mins. later it finished (thank God!). Went back to leave life jackets n we only 3 decks down so we took stairs. Called mom to say good-bye and went up to deck 3-Lobby to say good-bye to MIA!

 

Cont.

[falkcor]

i just wanna be the first to say... thanks for your review! :D

 

looking forward to it. :)

[LoveTravel23]

So on our right side CCL Liberty was getting ready to leave:

 

On our left side this was our view:

 

Storm was coming in and I was not happy because I wasn't able to get those beautiful shots :(....yes I leave in MIA but its nice to get it high up. So we are already about to leave from the shoreside of MIA and it starts to rain. I look behind us and there's the Liberty under the rain:

1 more-

Good-bye MIA!!!

 

Now I didn't go to the sail away party but I was hearing the music and @ night time we were able to see the video in our cabin. People had fun dancing to the cha cha, the electric, and the cupid shuffle w/ Pip-one of the entertainment staff.

 

After this we went to the Spa raffle @ 5:15-sadly we didn't win anything. Then went to cabin and saw Fast n the Furious, then napped until 8 like we were in Universe dining deck 4 aft-just 3 floors up. Our table was 529. Now we sat down n here come 2 older people and their grandson. 2 more ladies arrived and the older people were like well we are waiting for 3 more people. Ladies asked if they were @ the right table cuz their card said 529. Older couple say yes look @ card and it says 509!!! Opps!! Ladies 4rm Philly sat down. Then we are like well I hope the 4 more ppl (we had a table for 8) are youngsters like us (we were all in our early/mid twenties) and then 2 more girls from Las Vegas arrive-let me tell u...we had a blast!! It was only us. We always closed the dining room of how much fun especially w/ Tatiana from Russia who was our drink waiter. We also had Iputu (pronounce it w/o the I) and he was really cool, here he is and Tataina (this was the last night):

[LoveTravel23]

i just wanna be the first to say... thanks for your review! :D

 

looking forward to it. :)

 

 

Thanx Falcor!! Stay tuned..I want to finish it tonight but this only 10 thing is not helping out!!

[LoveTravel23]

I had the porkchop (now I did not take pics. of all the food, so sry!!)

I was soooo good but I sooo did not like the sauce it came with. I had fried shrimps for starter and that was good and then a Ceasar salad. That was the 1st n last time I had it because you could taste the anchovies too much. For dessert had the famouse WMC cake. Now on the Splendor I did not like but on this cruise OMG it was gooood!!!! I'm sooo going to make it @ home now :D!!

 

@ 10pm we went to the Welcome Show where we met our CD-Bret Mitchell-Canadian and HOT!! :D...I tried to get a pic. w/ him but he was never to be found :cool:. I liked him very much. Then there's Joyce-Canadian, Pip-England, some other girl (sorry) and Gaye-assistant CD. They are all cool and hilarious!! Had a comedian and he was hilarious!!! Sorry so forgot his name!

 

Called it a night after that...1st Sea Day tomorrow!

[LoveTravel23]

Woke up @ 9:30am. Took a shower and went to the $10 sale @ 10 in the jewelry shop. Bought 2 shawls...the dining room is cold so ladies please remember that!! Went back to cabin and our room service arrived @ 11:30am. Now room service food is great (we had cereal, crouissant, bff had bagels, and hot chocolate) but somehow they ALWAYS forgot something!!

 

An hour later we went up to the Lido deck for some sun like my legs needed them especially like tonight was Elegant night. Now there were some winds up there!!! We chilled for a while and then we went to have lunch from the Asian corner. We had shrimp fried rice/shrimp rolls n noodles. It was good!!

 

Now like I've heard good reviews of tea time I sooo had to go so @ 3pm we went. It was in the Onxy Bar-not too popular here from what I saw. I loved it!! But I wish they would add iced tea :).

 

My bff got scones-not my fav. thing to have n stawberry w/ sweet cream:

I had the fruit tart (loved it) and the strawberry w/ sweet cream:

I was very nice...now I see why people like it. You can sit and enjoy some good desserts, have tea and some soft music playing in the background!! Heaven :D!!!

 

@ 3:30pm we went back to the cabin. I watched The Sentinel w/ Michael Douglas-good movie while BFF slept. Took shower @ 5:30pm. Now we started running late (don't ask how but between deciding on what make up to wear and shoes it was late) and it was also the captain's reception @ 7:15pm. So we had to decide between pics/captain reception and we went w/ the pics. I heard the captain's reception was nice n yes the drinks were free. Here are some pics:

[DarthGrady]

Thanks for posting! I will be following this closely since we cruise on Destiny in only a few months! Cool shot of Liberty also, only another month and I'll be on board.:D

[LoveTravel23]

After the pics. we went to change our shoes. I'm not a high heel girl so we put on our flats :D. Went to dinner. Had 2 lobster n shrimps-goood!!! Ordered a mango martini and too much alcohol!! Had to order the mix to fix it cuz it was VERY strong and I wanted to go to the comedian show in one peace! For dessert had this:

Orange sherbet-it was really good!

 

Went to change clothes and went to the comedian show @ 10:45pm-it was packed but thank God we were able to find good seats. He was hilarious!!! Again sorry don't know name! Then we passed by the club-good music not full though. By the casino they had latin music-that was full, people dancing and enjoying! Yea us Hispanic ppl know how to start a party!! :D Passed by the lido deck and they were showing Eagle Eye:

 

Went to sleep @ 1am-Ocho Rios, Jamaica tomorrow!!

[LoveTravel23]

Thanks for posting! I will be following this closely since we cruise on Destiny in only a few months! Cool shot of Liberty also, only another month and I'll be on board.:D

 

You are very welcome!! Any questions/comments feel free to ask/post....

[LoveTravel23]

We woke up @ 7am to have breakfast in the dining room before 9 like it closed @ that time and we had a shore excursion @ 10:15. Breakfast was good-grapefruit juice, omlette w/ ham & cheese. BFF had bagel and scrambled eggs. We arrived into Jamaica @ 8:30. Saw it all while eating breakfast. @ 9:30 we went up to the Lido deck to take some pics:

The pier is a walk!!

 

So Jamaica is an hour ahead so we got off the ship and stand where we are to meet the excursion. We booked the snorkel/dunn's fall.

My bff in the entry:

So we got on the bus @ 8:44 Jamaican time which is 9:44 our time. We went to Dolphin Cove for snorkeling. We get in get a fruit punch no alcohol and see this down the stairs:

A dolphin!!! This is where you go if you want to swim w/ the dolphins. Now take a look @ the guy in the red shorts (whatever you call them) I have a story on him later.

 

So we went snorkeling. Now I'm a scary cat to some things so with this thank God my BFF was comfortable w/ it. I got comfortable after I put my head in the water but I still don't know how people are able to swim w/ the fins on-I was having a hard time w/ that n I took swimming classes!! But I loved it!! The fishes the coral-beautiful but I was sad I was not able to see a Doris or a Nemo :(.

 

So after that we got on the bus (w/ ur shore excursion bracelet u're able to get the transfer w/ no problems) to go to the dunn's fall. Now remember I'm a scary cat so when I saw the fall's I was like, "Wow beautiful!!!" then "Oh Lord!!" So it was like 10 of us. After locking things in the locker (u pay $8, get $3 back when u return key) we went down to the beach to begin. It was exciting @ 1st n cool-thanx to the guy in front of me who helped. When we got to this point I said good-bye to the tour:

My BFF continued. When she came down she told me that @ the top she fell like the rocks were getting really slippery. But thankfully she fell where there were no rocks!!

[LoveTravel23]

Oh yea the story on the guy in the red. When we got to the Falls he was the 1st one out of the bus. So a Jamaican guy comes and puts a necklace around his son, his daughter, and him. He's thinking they are free. Jamaican guy asks for a tip, he wanted $20!!!! He got something but it wasn't a $20 bill. Now Brent-the CD did a session about Jamaica n Grand Cayman. We did not go but they showed it almost all the time. I remembered Brent saying this, "In Jamaica-if its in ur hand you basically bought it!! So if you don't want it don't touch!" So we didn't. Now when we were leaving this guy comes to me and tells me for $10 he'll take me back to the ship. I said no thank-you its already taken care off (showed the bracelet). Well one of his friends got mad and said that nothing is for free and that he should spank us. I'm thinking in my head are u serious!! But I let it go cuz I'm not @ home but if it would have been here he would have seen my bad Dominican side come out. My friend on the other hand didn't stay quiet. She screamed something @ him and we powered walk out!!! Guys kept pushing things in our face and we kept saying no but now I understand why people say they are pushy and why some don't like it. I wouldn't mind going back but geez they need to calm down!!

 

So we got on the bus to go back to the ship. @ this point we are tired/hungry/sleepy!!! So the bus leaves us @ a little mall so we walk to the ship. Walking a guy asked us if we wanted some fresh you know what and we were like, "Dang @ 2 in the afternoon!!!" But we kept on walking.

 

Going back to ship:

Walking back on the pier w/ ship behind:

 

So we get back on the ship @ 3-ship wasn't leaving until 5. We ordered room service-chicken fajitas are the BOMB!!!!! n so is the cheescake n the BLT sandwich. took showers and went to sleep. Propellers woke me up @ 5 (remember we are in the back so we felt everything!!) Went back to sleep until dinner time. Food was good-flat iron steak well done n WMC 2/ 2 ice cream like always :D.

 

After we went to the atrium to have a Long Island @ this bar:

where we met Jammal n Vilko who I say is my future hubby but he doesn't know it yet :p...He's from Serbia and really down to earth. We had some interesting conversation w/ Jammal n Vilko about life on a cruise ship and their lives.

[LoveTravel23]

Here they are:

Vilko on the Left n Jammal on the right.

We had some good time w/ them. After the Long Island I decide to have a Tequila (Patron) shot. Well Jammal ALMOST served it to me in a wine glass :eek: but I was like are u going to carry me or do you want me to walk...they said they can always put me in a wheelchair!!! Well I did have my tequila shot in a tall shot glass w/ 2 limes!! That was nice!!! After that we went back to cabin....Grand Cayman tomorrow @ 8am!!!

[LoveTravel23]

Well guys...it's time to go to sleep but I PROMISE that tomorrow I will finish. Hope you enjoyed so far.

 

Oh sorry for the sideway pics!!

 

Have a nice evening...Good-night!

[TakeMeAway1001]

Great review :)

[hill6]

Nice review so far. I remember the "vendors" in Jamaica well. Glad to hear your friends wasn't hurt when she fell at Dunn's River. I fell and got cut pretty good when we climbed her.

 

Only 68 days till we sail on the Destiny (Key West & Cozumel).

[kerrytens]

Great review so far - thanks for posting. This is the same itinerary I'm on in January. Can't wait to read more!

 

Miriam

[a3hrt0ur]

Thank you for sharing. We will be on the Destiny in Oct and are taking our daughter & son in law. Our daughter has not cruised for 8 years and this will be sil's first. Since they are in their 20's also, it is interesting to get a cruise perspective from someone closer to their age. Am anxious to read the rest of your review:D

[merocket59]

I had the porkchop (now I did not take pics. of all the food, so sry!!)

 

I had fried shrimps for starter and that was good and then a Ceasar salad. That was the 1st n last time I had it because you could taste the anchovies too much.

 

Ohhh I'm so stupid it was anchoivies! I had the Ceasar salad night one as well and thought it tasted fishy so I just stopped eating, luckily I didn't say anything out loud! Your review is great, and so fast I'm still recovering, and still swaying with the boat.

[LoveTravel23]

Hey CC!! I started this @ 9am but my comp. was running slow so I got out and here I am...to all ur very welcome for the review...Here we go w/ Grand Cayman:

 

So we were not scheduled to arrive until like 8 but I felt the ship slowing down @ 7:30am. We woke up @ 8, took showers. Saw outside window a parasailing boat but it was cloudy (we later found out parasailing around 10 got canceled). Room service arrived @ 9 and we went down to Deck 0 @ 10. @ this point they were only doing one side for tender but by the time we got down Gayve-assistant CD opened another side so we got off there. We sit and I look to my right and I see this:

The Disney Magic...now I'm a fan of the Disney world but to go on a Disney cruise is too expensive so I'll rather drive the 4 hrs to the park :).

The CCL Valor was also in port:

and so was the Legend. Now the people from the Legend were having a ball @ Margaritaville...more on that later...

 

Well @ this point it was cloudy so we didn't want to go to 7 mile beach yet to see if it would clear. We started walking down Fort St. (down by where Senor Frogs is) and it started sprinkling. We decided to go to Margaritaville like we have a Senor Frogs here. But before we had to get a pic. of this:

Now it would have been better but the rain started to get hard so we ran to Margaritaville. We ordered Margarita's (the STRONGEST I have had in my life!!) and nachos-they were good!! Now when people tell u Grand Cayman is expensive it is!!! For 3 Margaritas (my BFF had one more) n the nachos it costs us $54 n that already included the tip in the bill. I wanted to die!!! But we had no choice, stupid rain!!!

Now I look like s**** but our waiter was HOT!! :D

 

Well rain cleared (still cloudy though) and we decided to make it to the beach.

 

[LoveTravel23]

Welcome!!!

The water is clear and the sand remembered me when I was in elementary school that we would play w/ "vanilla n chocolate" sand...this was vanilla!! People were renting jet skis, parasailing, and also being bummed that there was no sun.

You could see the Destiny from the beach:

.

@ 2pm we started getting ready to get back to the pier like last tender was @ 3:15. Now our driver decided to give us the long ride so it felt like forever to get back. We got a tender @ 2:45 and were on the ship 20 mins. later. I gave everything to my BFF and went up to Lido deck before the lines got long. Grabbed cheese pizza 4 her (good), cheese burger 4 me-aight and chicken parmasean-I believe mine comes out better :p but it was aight food....After eating we passed out. Now the past guest reception was @ 5:15. I told myself I would wake up @ 4 to go. I woke up @ 5!!!! Like I didn't shower once we got back I said forget it and went back to bed. Got up @ 7 to go to dinner. @ 10 we went to the Talent show...wow!! It was hilarious but I give those people props. for standing on that stage but OMG those people should keep their day job :p.

 

After the Talent show we went to the Lido deck party...this was the BOMB!!! We sweated like pigs from all the dancing. Gayve, Pip, & Joyce were in charge of this. We danced to the cha cha, the electric slide, the Cupid shuffle, the Macarena, and the conga!!!!

That is Gayve...

After we went to see my buddy Vilko and then some ice cream. 1 more day @ sea and then back to the real world =(.

 

[LoveTravel23]

Woke up @ 8:30am to go have breakfast in the dining room w/ Shane-one of our table mates from Philly. Breakfast was good. Ham & cheese omlette and french toast. Went back to cabin BFF still sleepy. I started seeing TV and she woke up @ 11:30 to go have lunch in the dining @ 12. Now I'm still full from breakfast but I went and ate the fish n chips-good and she had the baby back ribs-she liked it!!

This was the view from where we were sitting:

The ribs she ordered:

.

 

After @ 3 we went to tea time. This time it was in the Universe Dining room 2nd level (this was also our dining room just incase). Again not too full but it was cozy enough. Our waiter was Thomas from Scotland. He had the cutest eyes-baby blue/sea green. My BFF told him this and the poor guy blushed :).

 

We went back to cabin to chill (yes we do that alot here!!) and started getting ready around 6 because we wanted to pic up our pics. before dinner and take a sunset pic which sunset was scheduled for 7:55pm. Here is my sunset pic:

Now I was def. sad to have this dinner because nomore crazy girls from Philly/Las Vegas. No more waiters, no more WMC cake :(...no more everything!! But we enjoyed it!!! @ 11:15pm we went to the comedy show...this one sucked!!! It was Mark something but like we sat and 15 mins. into it people started leaving (including us!!). The 1st comedian was way more hilarious!!! Too bad he got off in Jamaica!

 

We went to the disco but again, good music not too many people so we chilled there. Now I'm not a smoker and I can't stand the smell too much so I left (bff stayed w/ some guy we met that night from Venezuela). I went up to Lido to chill on one of the chairs. Went back to cabin and slept until 5 when we felt we were pulling into MIA. The skyline @ night is beautiful!!!! Now my camera wasn't getting the pics. good so sry!! We docked @ 6am.

 

More on next post....

[LoveTravel23]

So we went to sleep for 2 more hours like we had to be off the ship latest by 9:30. @ 8 we woke up and started getting ready...I almost cried!!! This was the best vacation ever that I could have taken especially w/ my BFF of 10 yrs. If I had more days off I would do the Destiny again going to Grand Turk/Half Moon Cay/Nassau just to see Vilko :D!!! But next year I already have some plans especially the Dream for my bday!

 

Now my thoughts on some certain things:

 

The ship-I really like the layout of it-everything came fast to mind and we knew how to move around easily. Don't know why people say it looks old or that its a boring ship but it def. isn't. Also, remember you make of the cruise what you want it to be. So if you payed it, enjoy it to the fullest!!!

 

The food-I loved the food in the dining room!! The best!! Especially the steaks (which I'm a fan off). The lobster was tender, I had 2 and I would have more but I didn't want to be that full Remember I had the orange sherbet for dessert as a reason. My BFF loved the dining room as well. We didn't do the Lido as much because of the long lines-we were just not into it but we were always there for the ice cream :). Room service is good as well-remember is FREE!!! Our tablemates didn't know that until I mentioned that fact!!

Entertainment-Brent does a good job of keeping you entertained as well as the other staff. We didn't go because we just wanted to chill or do other things and they alwasy showed it on TV either way. The Sailaway party I got tired of seeing it on TV, the Love & Marriage show-hilarious!!! That I could have watched over and over of how funny it was. There was one couple-55 yrs together that Brent put on the stage. Now he askes the couple 10 ?'s. Everthing to how they met to the dirtiest secret!! Well the married couple of 55 had to answer the #10 which was, "What's the one bad side about your wife?" The wife put down he would response her attitude, well he responded w/ this, "I didn't last this long by being stupid!!" LOL!!! They really made the show as well as the couple of 25 yrs together who were there w/ their grandchild Ava (a cutie) who we met on the tender boat. One ?-"When was the last time you made the whoopie (that's how Brent called it) that it made you see fire crackers?" The husband responded, "In Aruba a looooong time ago!!" The newlyweds were a couple who met on myspace-they were just funny but the show is great so if you wouldn't mind sharing some "dirt" be part of the show or just go sit and enjoy.

 

The staff-The staff on this ship I found to be nice except for one. That was a guy named Sergi who works in the Information desk. Attitude to say the least!! But the rest were really nice, talkative, and wouldn't mind sharing a smile whenever you passed them by.

 

Overall we had a GREAT time!! Feel free to post away and I'm going to see if I have more pics. to add....

[LoveTravel23]

1st towel animal that I seriously think CCL should stop doing :D.

 

The Palladium Lounge where the Welcome Show was scheduled for. This is the Bingo game finishing.

 

Chillin in the cabin

Oh notes on the cabin-we got an ocean view-I'm claustrophic so I needed that window which was good to see out especially days @ sea.

 

@ one of the lounges w/ our table mates before the bad comedian started.

 

Our swan on the last night of the cruise.

[LoveTravel23]

When you come in you see this. Either to your right or across depending where you come in.

 

The famous WMC cake...it was gooood!!!

 

 

The strongest Margarita....

 

 

The fish n chips...

 

Hoped u enjoy!!!!

[LoveTravel23]

Ok so on this cruise we had MANY children. Now they don't bother me as I love kids but @ the same time I won't stand for the rudeness and the attitude and the only time I encountered this was w/ a guy around my age who was drunk from too many beers on the elevators so that can tell you something :rolleyes:

 

Anyways I did see that Camp Carnival had many activities for them to do...they did a pizza & hot dogs for them on lido deck. Our club was the teens club until 10pm w/ the lights on for that they can dance.

 

No issues w/ the adults pool area. Did see some cute babies on this ship, like Ava who was just a cutie like the others. Overall not too bad and I would recommend it to anybody going w/ children, @ least for some time to breath if you would like.