Our 15 day Carnival Miracle Journey Cruise to Hawaii

Now that some of our post vacation depression has lifted (and Shon finally uploaded tons of vacation pictures from his i-phone for me) it's time to share Shon and Suzie's fabulous Hawaiian journey cruise vacation details. This will likely be a long review because the trip was amazing! and long!! and the aforementioned tons of pictures that we took.

About Us:

We are Shon and Suzie from Michigan. We've been on a lot of cruises and we're not totally loyal to any cruise line. We just like good deals, good people, good ships and good itineraries. We are super laid back, pretty silly and although we've been together forever, we're in love like we just met. ;):)

About the Cruise:

This was our DREAM cruise. 15 days on Carnival Miracle from Long Beach, CA to Hawaii and back. Our sailing was November 28- December 13, 2015.

(TBC)

Can't wait to read your review. Hawaii reviews are not posted often.

Yeah!! Really looking forward to your review because we keep thinking about booking Hawaii.

YAY!! Can't wait to read your whole review... we're doing the same trip, same ship, in October! :)

Some may say we are crazy for this but we flew out of DTW on Thanksgiving morning for this cruise. We left work, the cold and the holiday drama behind and went to find something much more fun to do! Actually, our flight on the holiday was perfect because the airport was empty. Security had absolutely no lines for us. And if that's not enough, alcohol was FREE!!! on our flight (Southwest Airlines) due to the holiday. The travel day is super long going from Michigan to California so we really were pretty exhausted (and buzzed....) by the time we arrived at LAX.

We met some of our cruise friends, CeCe and Gary, who were also on this cruise at the airport and shared a rental car to Long Beach. We all stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach for 2 nights pre-cruise, which was perfect. When we got to Long Beach, we searched for dinner (not an easy task since many of the restaurants were closed for the holiday, btw). After dinner, we had no energy left in our bodies so we went straight back to the hotel and fell asleep before our heads hit the pillows good.

I highly recommend this hotel. It's surrounded by things within walking distance to see and do. Even the aquarium in right next door. We requested a room facing the cruise ships but once we were in the hotel, we noticed that the opposite side had a beautiful beach view that would have been perfect, too. This hotel's pool area is beautiful and I wish we had spent more time lounging out there during our stay.

We spent Friday going down to San Diego, which was also on our list of places we really wanted to see. Luckily, Gary and Cece are originally from the area so they were excellent tour guides.

I'm really sorry to say this but I have my work computer set up with the photos and facts to complete this review (since I spend so much of my life sitting here at this desk :rolleyes: ) so I have to pause now so I can leave for the day! I will pick up where I left off in the morning.

Tomorrow I will tell you all about our time in Long Beach, San Diego and most importantly EMBARKATION-- stay tuned.....

I am so excited to read your review! I don't think I have ever read a Hawaiian cruise review.

Nothing like waking up on vacation to make your mood happy!!! After a good night's sleep, we got with our buddies so we could get breakfast and hit the road to San Diego. Years ago, I don't know how many- maybe 8?- we found this super breakfast place when we stayed at the Crown Plaza pre-cruise in San Pedro. We thought the breakfast at Crowne Plaza looked terrible and was highly overpriced so we set off on foot to find a nice breakfast diner. Well, after walking and walking and walking we ran into the Omelette and Waffle Shop. It looked cramped and so-so but when we got in there, YUMMMMM. And the service was great. It was busy-- and has been very busy every time we've been there. Their menu is about 100,000 items long. Everything that we have tried has been tasty. Flavorful! Not bland and microwaved...

After enjoying a perfect breakfast and MUCH NEEDED coffee, our group jumped in the car, turned on the Waze app and headed to the highway towards San Diego. And then... we sat, and sat, and sat. Traffic was terrible. There had been a huge accident close to San Diego that had traffic at a stand still. Our Waze app tried to take us on alternative routes but still we sat. Bummer. But we are champions so we championed on. We were on vacation and full of yummy food and coffee so we smiled the whole way, too!!! Can you believe that? No bickering between couples or anything. Eventually, though. We made it!!! I wish I could remember how long it took. It was about 3:00 p.m. when we got there so you get the idea.

We did a super fast tour of some main highlights. We were trying to see as much as possible before it was totally dark. Which at this time of year was like 5:30-ish. My favorite of the things that we saw in San Diego was the Mount Soledad Memorial. It was touching.

And the views from up there were (almost) worth the long drive...

We had fun seeing the spots where young teenage Cece and Gary met and had first kisses and stuff like that. So darn romantic! We need to get back there for an extended stay so we can experience it all in slow motion. But here are more of our drive by pics from San Diego.

The way back to Long Beach was MUCH quicker!! Thank God! We were all ready to put the driving behind us at "get on a boat"!!!!!!!! I love cruises because you don't have to figure out what to do and look at maps and pay for every little cup of coffee or snack to need. It's just so ideally vacationy, if that makes sense. Who wants to think and worry and plan when they are in chill mode? Not us!

We woke up super early on cruise day and watched the ships sail in out of out hotel window. I don't know how I woke up. I must have just felt it in my bones or something. So I squealed and woke Shon up and we hugged and got so super psyched about getting on the ship!! It was about 5:30 a.m. as it slowly came into port.

We went back to sleep for a while and then jumped up and got ready for the day! We paused for an hour by the beautiful pool area and then checked out. Check out was simple and we had a rental car so we packed up and headed out. We decided to return the rental car together and grab a taxi from there to the ship. First, we drove to the port and dropped off all of our luggage. Oh, how hard it was to keep going after we were that close!! But fair is fair and we stuck to our word to go together to return the car.

Dropping off the car in Long Beach was strange. We went 7 million stories down in some hotel parking garage that they told us to return it to and then there were spots marked to park the rental but no people??? Do we leave the keys in it? DO we call someone? We walk out of the ramp go to that hotel lobby and see a desk for the car company. It has a sign that says CLOSED. I see a small drop box that says "leave keys here". Not totally trusting the set up, we drop the keys in with a note and take tons of pictures of the setting and the hand dropping the key. Can't be too careful!!! This was the last hurdle between us and our cruise! Or was it?

We go outside and call Uber. A driver was right there and scooped us all up and took us to our ship. I think it was $7.00 total. This was my very first Uber experience. Very strange. I was a nervous wreck about it but I followed along with my mouth shut (for once ;) ). We got there in one piece as it turns out. Interesting phenomenon.

And then there it was! Our home for the next 15 days! Our paradise! Carnival Miracle!

We were at the port at about 12/12:30 to go onboard. The lines were crazy. We thought we'd be fast because we are platinum status and get to use the VIP line/lounge. Well, with a cruise this long... almost everyone had VIP status! Lol. The other lines were not moving at all so we stood in the priority line. We were smiling and happy--- I mean, it's vacation!! But some of these "VIP's" were downright rude and snappy and sour! Common sense told us that this 15 day cruise would not necessarily be a first time cruisers best choice. So with a high number of cruisers with lots of cruises under their belts, many more people qualified for the priority treatment. But some of these people took it personally and let it negatively effect their days. Not us. But one thing that kind of erked me personally was this. We are bouncing up to the priority line with our docs in hand and a few people were careful to point out that I dont belong there, "the regular line is over there". Now granted, my big happy smile and happy disposition may make me look less VIP-y but shoot, I have earned the heck out of my "cruise status". Just ask my bank accounts... Anyway, we met lots of fun nice people and we know snobs are everywhere so forward we go to our happy vacation place!!!

After check-in, it was a zip to get onto the Miracle and soon enough we were touring the ship with drinks in hand! We sailed on the Miracle in 2008 and there were some changes since then. My favorite of the changes was the added Serenity area. It was fantastic and you have to be 21 and older to use it. The lounge chairs were so comfy and they have fun round lounges with half covers. They also have hammocks and pretty yellow towels (different from the regular blue ones at the other pool deck areas).

Loving your review so far. Cant wait to read more!

Since the information for the review is on your work computer I guess that means we have to wait until Monday for more?

We did this Dec 2014 on Miracle and than did it again last month on Ruby Princess.

Great time on both.

Will say check in process at Long Beach was the most inefficient we have ever seen with Carnival. Between getting people off the ship and starting boarding took forever and have heard it is always like this.

Thanks for writing! You 2 look sooo cute and happy in the pix! We are also staying at the Hyatt before our cruise in March and it was good to see those pix too!

Hope you come back some time to see the rest of San Diego as there are many more places for great views than Mt. Soledad!

We also love Serenity on the Miracle. Sorry that she'll be leaving us for China in 2017!!

Keep writing but don't get into trouble from work to do it!

Love, love, love this beginning! You went on my "dream" cruise! I'm hoping to get to do a Hawaiian cruise for our 25th (milestone) cruise in another year or two!!

Since the information for the review is on your work computer I guess that means we have to wait until Monday for more?

No way will I put this on hold over the weekend!!! I will be writing this all weekend long :) It was set up perfect here at work but I can set it up perfectly at home too. Its more fun writing from work and getting paid to do it, so to speak ;)

Love, love, love this beginning! You went on my "dream" cruise! I'm hoping to get to do a Hawaiian cruise for our 25th (milestone) cruise in another year or two!!

We originally wanted to get married in Hawaii and have been planning to get there. We honestly put off our wedding 7 years trying to get married there. Finally, 23 years after we originally started planning to get married, we made it! Good thing we didnt put off the wedding for it though. Lol!!

Hopefully, when i get to the island parts of this, it will be helpful for your planning!

I am so excited to read your review! I don't think I have ever read a Hawaiian cruise review.

When we were planning this cruise, we didn't see many either. The entire time we were on vacation I kept saying, I am definitely putting this in a review. I was taking pictures of semi-insignificant things that I thought might be helpful for people and everything. I love reading reviews and seeing what people liked or didnt like. And the tips are so helpful. Not to mention, we can live vicariously through them and feel like we're on the cruises with them!

Did the cruise and you are correct, some miserable cruisers!

So.. as a special "Journey Cruise" there was supposed to be a lot of special things to do during sea days and experiences more like they were back when we first cruised. Honestly, I didn't see that. Now don't get me wrong, there were things to do but they were the same things to do that we always have. They did have some lectures on Hawaii--kind of. Dining changes- not really. Galas and things- the same. We all felt that it was the same cruise just longer. And that is fine but then don't market it like it's something different so all of the passengers are looking around for the something different. I don't know about other Journey cruises, because I haven't seem reviews with details about them, but this was a 15 day cruise to Hawaii.

And a 15 day cruise to Hawaii is FANTASTIC without the false "journey" promises...

So on to the 15 days...

We had a nice 5 days at sea to begin this cruise. Oh gosh how we needed that down time. It was a little chilly for the first day. It was probably 60-ish. We and other troopers laid out in the cool sun and soaked in what we could with goose bumps on our bodies. We made it happen doggone it! But never fear, the warmth came the second sea day. We love sea days because we have to rush here and rush there at home. Sea days are about doing what you want when you want. No pressure. They had fun things to do, like dances and group games but they also had nice lounge areas, pool areas and the good old casino to entertain ourselves with. It seems a lot of people we talked to on board were upset because there were too many trivia games and they felt not enough other types of activities. I can see that somewhat. They offered 2 or 3 different trivia game gatherings most sea days. But for us, there was plenty other things to do. I dont know what I would have added or what those who were disappointed would have added.

Here are the things we liked doing during the sea days in no special order:

1. Pool area - things like bean bag toss competition, the drink mix competition, swimming, sunbathing

2. Casino- they had drawings and music and slot pulls and drinks. Need I say more?

3. Comedy shows- there was a good mix of comedians and they switched them up often. Not one or 2 people for the whole time.

4. Deck parties- music and laughter and the cruise director getting in there with everyone and dancing the night away!

5. Food- everywhere- all the time- too much but just enough.

6. Our balcony. Peaceful heaven that it was.

Early in the cruise, maybe day 2?, during one of the dance things in the main lobby Shon got hooked into participating in a passenger/crew 50's dance show in the main theater. He innocently walked out on the floor being silly and having fun and the next thing I know, he is going to practice with the dancers for a half hour each sea day and performing on stage. It was incredible really. He is NOT a dancer. He was so cute though and the show itself was pretty good. Each crew dancer had a non crew passenger partner that they had trained throughout the cruise. It was a good way to draw the passengers in.

This is how it began:

This is what it turned into:

One thing that we liked this cruise was the Sea Day brunches. Not every sea day but most, it seemed, they had brunch in the main dining room. It lasted later than regular breakfast and had a nice variety of breakfast and lunch foods.

For our nightly dinners, we chose Anytime Dining because we do not like set schedules on vacation. We were so lucky to get an awesome serving team on the first night so we sat in their section everytime. They were great in so many ways! Service, excellent. Attentiveness, excellent. Personality, beyond excellent. And this is one of the odd things I took a picture of just for this review...

The food was good. I know, I know.. it wasnt cooked tableside just for us.. but it was good. Some of the creations cracked us the heck up!! Some deserts were just downright strange combinations of things. They tried hard to be original but probably should have stuck with the old standards... Our table was very polite and appropriate most times but other times we were a silly mess! But it's vacation people! I did not take pictures of all of the dinner menus (yawn) but I did take pictures of some of the food (and food fun).

Loving the review!!!!! The pics are priceless, thanks for sharing, can't wait to see more!