Carnival Miracle Jan. 7-14

I took my very first cruise on the Carnival Miracle January 7th to the Mexican Riviera. Our itinerary included two days in Cabo and one day in Puerto Vallarta.

I had purchased FTTF and highly recommend it for anyone who isn't already diamond or platinum status. I arrived at the Long Beach terminal around 12:30 and quickly realized I could have arrived an hour or so earlier and gotten on board sooner. This was only important because by the time we were on the ship, the buffet was hopping and it was hard to find a seat. The check in and separate line for FTTF was such a relief when I saw the long lines others were having to deal with. My luggage didn't arrive until a couple hours later (which was fine, I had stayed overnight in LB and didn't need to change) but the room was ready right away and that was nice.

The biggest thing for me was just getting oriented to the ship. I had watched videos and read reviews in the months prior to my trip and that was helpful but it wasn't until probably day five that I realized which set of elevators was most advantageous for getting to my room quickly. By the time you know where you are going, the trip is over! LOL

I had an interior room on deck 7 and that was fine for me. I was hardly in my room so I didn't miss a balcony or window. I spent most of my sea day time on serenity deck with a book and when I wasn't there I was at the buffet, playing trivia or bingo, or in the casino. I have to say, trying to win a "Ship on a Stick" in trivia became a goal of mine and I wasn't quite able to do it. Next time!

Food: Chopsticks is awesome but it's only open for three hours at lunch. I'd love it if they could also open it up for dinner. At breakfast the eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, omelets...all good stuff at but I was surprised and disappointed that the frozen waffles and pancakes they use in the buffet are the same ones you get if you have breakfast in the Main Dining Room. It seems like that is something they could make there even if it isn't feasible for the buffet. Dinner in the buffet was hit or miss for me but had more to do with my personal food tastes than whether the options were any good. I have to say Pizza Pirate was really good. I just wish they could find a way to speed up the service. The food by the pool at the grill was nothing special but worked for a quick dinner.

Staff: I really liked and appreciated the staff. It seemed like everybody was working hard but had a good attitude, especially housekeeping and those clearing the tables at the buffet. I played trivia and bingo several times and grew to really enjoy TJ and the rest of the "fun squad."

Ports: I have to say, if I did it over again I would pick the itinerary that gave me two days in Puerto Vallarta and one day in Cabo. For the second day in Cabo I stayed on the ship and enjoyed the view from Serenity Deck. I felt like I saw everything I needed to see in one day but with PV I felt like I didn't get to see enough. We did the Dolphin excursion on PV and had a blast. I also felt like when I walked around PV I didn't get harassed as much by vendors or people trying to get you to go on tours as I did in Cabo.

I realized pretty quickly that while I did need $1 bills I didn't need as many as I brought and next time I won't worry so much about it. I also had access to a washer and dryer (and an iron and ironing board) in the laundry room so I won't feel the need to pack as many clothes next time.

Oh on Day 6 we had to turn back to Cabo due to a medical emergency for a passenger. The announcement was made around 10 am and we were in Cabo around noon. They later announced the passenger was in stable condition but obviously couldn't give any further information.

Thanks for the review! We love the Miracle, went on her in August and are going again in March!

Thanks for the review.

Thanks for your feedback.

Thanks for the review! We were on this cruise also, and found it very pleasant and relaxing, as we had hoped. On previous cruises, I used to plan our port days more rigorously than I did this time, and wished I had planned Cabo a bit better, but oh well.

Our highlights were the days at sea, which we love, and Puerto Vallarta was very nice. We visited Old Towne and had a nice late lunch and beers at a balcony restaurant near The Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. The Miracle staff was excellent overall, and we enjoyed Alchemy Bar for its creative offerings. She's a beautiful ship! Glad we went.

Thanks for the review. I leave in 54 days!!!

Thanks for posting your thoughts on your cruise aboard the Miracle! I'll be sailing on her in 47 days, super excited! I've done this itinerary before, but this'll be my first time on the Miracle.

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