ScottC

Sorry - never did a "review" so don't mind me if this is all over the place.

 

This was my response to my Breeze Roll Call with a few add ins

 

Wow, I feel like I was on a different cruise than everyone else. This was my 8th cruise, and possibly the best service I've EVER had! Everyone was fun, outgoing, had a smile on their faces, they always spoke.

 

We didn't sail away until about 6ish. I LOVED sailing out of Miami at night, such a cool experience. I wish we did it more often.

 

Butch the CD was Fun, he seems to be well respected by his co-workers and I see why he is on the newer ships. He is very good at his job.

 

We did miss Grand Turk, because of high winds. Was I disappointed, definitely it's my favorite, was it gonna ruin my cruise, negative. We did have a longer time in Jamaica which is a positive or negative depends on who you ask.

 

We had decent weather during the day, but pretty high winds/rain during the night.

 

I didnt really attend the deck parties but they looked like a lot of fun.

 

I had a 4J room on the Lido, right by the secret deck door. I really liked it. Only heard the door slamming on the last night.

 

The ship itself was very beautiful. It's not over done. Very pretty art all over the place. Super clean. I like the little side hallways to get from one dining room to the other was very convenient. The Christmas decorations were pretty.

 

Maybe the issue with the service was that this was a lot of the staff's last sailing, they had all been there throughout the Inaugural season. I give them a lot of credit for what they have to do day in and day out. I can honestly say I couldn't do it. They work super hard. I feel bad that other guests service was effected, but I loved everyone.

 

My dining room staff was A M A Z I N G! Hands down the best service ever. Im sure some of my table mates might not think so, but a big part of what made my trip was Martina, Srdjan, & Jovan! Excellent service. Ken Byrne himself said out of all his waitstaff, Martina is the best! Ken can also sing his ass off! He is a nice guy, we enjoyed talking to him a lot.

 

Comedy Brunch, kind of a waste of an idea. The comedians hate it. They only do a few minute thing about going to their night shows. Its just really random. The comedy shows were okay, one was better than the other. One of was so funny to talk to and have random conversation with, but once he got on stage it was like he got nervous or something. Now with the other guy it was the opposite, no personality, but freakin hilarious!

 

Guys burgers were "SLAMMIN"! The Blue Cantina wasn't bad either, I never really had a long wait for any of that stuff either. Went to pizza once, but I don't remember if I ate it or not.

C-Side BBQ - was really good, the line was seriously long though, but it do go fast.

The Sushi place was a nice add, you get A L O T of sushi for the price. The Tempura was delicious.

 

The Cherry On Top - very cute- we had flowers delivered to our Head waiter and they were really pretty not expensive at all.

 

I did have the Cheers program. never had an issue getting a drink, never waited once. They do go slightly heavy on the syrup, but I just ask for less, and after a while they get with the program. I felt like they have upped the amount of waiters and servers they had since my last cruise. They were every where.

 

The production shows were awesome, I loved Divas. They had a really great cast this sailing. Thrill theater was a great add to the ship, I can't wait until they come out with new mini movies. The Hasbro game show was different, I loved that they included kids!

 

Piano Bar always was full and everyone was happy.

 

Spa was beautiful as always. Prompt and polite. Serenity was peaceful!

 

The Red Frog Rum Bar was a good spot to get drinks at, I liked it more than the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar.

 

The Red Frog Pub was a lot of fun. They had a great rotation of singers. Good atmosphere in there. Great food, good beer.

 

Liquid Night Club was cool, had a lot of fun there. Alex the DJ was actually a DJ, so that always makes it better. A lot of fun to hang with the crew. Kat the bartender was my go to girl.

 

Casino was beautiful, didn't win anything. The Casino bar on the other hand, I loved! It was my favorite.

 

The photographers were pretty talented, every picture we took came out beautiful.

 

I must say, from my stand point that there wasn't a lot of people in their 20's and 30's during this sailing. I'm not sure if that is why I gravitated towards the crew and vise versa. Our waitstaff had mentioned how excited they were to see young people at their table. Lots of families on board, which was nice to see during the holidays!

 

All in all, I had the greatest time. Other than a longer cruise, I couldn't have asked for more. I feel like Carnival put the best of the best on the new ships. They have some kinks to work out for the Miami sailings.

 

Am I saying everything was perfect? NO, but it wasn't enough to mess with my trip or happiness. Would I cruise the Breeze again, YES.

Thank you, that is a nice review. We will be on the Breeze Jan 5. BTW What is the secret door you mentioned?

Looking forward to this review! I'm sailing jan 27, 2013! This is exactly what will make my wait so much more faster! Thank you!

Hello Cruisegirl.... We sail the Breeze on Jan 5. Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Thanks for clarifying. :-) I love Chris and Cass and am always telling them they have a place on here as reviewers. I see them as friends now and didn't want them to feel like they had to compare themselves to my review and I guess I also don't desire to see who loves whom more either. lol. I'd rather stay in my "we're all equal" bubble. :-D

It sounds as though you all had a wonderful cruise. We will be bording on Jan. 5. After all the poor reviews (which I tend not to really believe) it was great to read yours. It was very well written and took me all afternoon to read! What a way to kill a day at work! I will look for Femmys tomorrow.

I am so loving this review, and can't wait to board. Your pictures are great. Can you post more pictures on your balcony on a good day? Did you ever get to have breakfast out there? That's what we want to do, if possible.

INCHARGE... We will be on the 8 day the week before you!!

Scott- where did you get that information. (I need a link)

 

My agent is telling me that I have to book a spa suite to get the spa amenities included.

Scrap your TA and book directly through Carnival. There are many reasons to book yourself. First your TA is NOT going to watch for price adjustments. if you book yourself through Carnival this is easy to do yourself. When you find the price has adjusted in your favor you call your PPV and they take care of your OBC or upgrades themselves. Your TA may send you a cheap bottle of wine or once in a great while you will recieve so kind of small OBC but you will not get a better price through a TA. Everyone pays the same if you book ES. We have found it much simpler to do it ourselves. We have used the same PPV through Carnival for our last three cruises. If you're interested I can pass along his contact information. He's VERY helpful. Unless your TA is sharing his or her commission with you why use them?

Scott- where did you get that information. (I need a link)

 

My agent is telling me that I have to book a spa suite to get the spa amenities includ https://www.goccl.com/irman/bookccl/the_fleet/Breezespa_accommodations.htmed.

Scott- where did you get that information. (I need a link)

 

My agent is telling me that I have to book a spa suite to get the spa amenities included.

Try this link... Also when we book our cruises we book directly through Carnival with their PVP's and they http://www.cruisecheap.com/c/cruise-ships-deckplans-cabin-detail.php?Cabin=12024&DeckID=3492&ShipID=569900&CatCode=8Sgave me all the information.

Thanks Scott :)

 

Yes, I want to swim with the sting rays too. Still trying to convince future hubby that we won't end up like Steve Irwin.

 

As it looks, we'll be sailing right after you next year. Our cruise starts on January 19th. :)

 

And thanks so much for the input on the port room. There must be some truth to it, because most the rooms on the port-side spa deck have already been booked, and I didn't know what the reason was, exactly. I thought it had something to do with noise and foot traffic, but it's probably because of the view of the islands. I think I'm going to try to get 12001, I think it was? The one port-side at the very front on the spa deck. My best friends will be in the room next to us... hopefully they'll both be available when we sit down and book together... it'd be nice to be able to open up the divider between our balconies and have an extra large one without paying the extra large price...

Ha... He sounds just like my wife! in all honesty what happened to Steve Erwin was a freak accident. These are a different breed of Ray. Although their barbs will hurt if you step in them they are quite small. The Rays are much smaller as well. It really was a great experience.

We have created a set of categories of accommodations for the staterooms and suites that are part of the spa facility onboard the Carnival Breeze. The décor of the Spa accommodations look different than the rest of the accommodations and is in harmony with the soothing and relaxing theme of the Carnival Breeze Cloud 9 Spa.

In addition, the Spa staterooms will solely be Non-Smoking staterooms (including the balconies). Only 1st and 2nd guests in the Spa stateroom will receive the access and amenities; 3rd and 4th guests booked in Spa staterooms and suites are not entitled to spa access and amenities.

All Spa accommodations are located on Deck 11 and Deck 12, directly below the Cloud 9 Spa; access to the Spa is via an exclusive, private spiral staircase or glass elevator. These accommodations offer complimentary additional in-room amenities, spa-related amenities and eligibility for exclusive Carnival Breeze Cloud 9 Spa Packages.

Interior: Category 4S on Deck 11

Sky View (obstructed): Category 6S on Deck 11

Ocean View with Balcony: Category 8P on Deck 11

Ocean View with Balcony: Category 8S on Deck 12

Ocean Suite: Category SS on Deck 11

The Spa staterooms will solely be Non-Smoking staterooms (including the balconies). In order to preserve the Cloud 9 Spa standards and ensure staterooms are free of smoke residue, guests who smoke in their Spa staterooms will be assessed a $250 cleaning and refreshing fee on their Sail & Sign account. This fee will cover the cost of deep-cleaning required to restore the room back to its original smoke free condition. Information on this fee is included in Carnival’s ticket contract. It is necessary to document the booking thoroughly when making a new reservation.

Booking Procedure

1. Verify that the guests are non-smokers. Advise the caller that SPA cabins are non-smoking accommodations.

2. Notate the comment on the booking record: "agt adv gsts are non-smokers" / “gsts adv non-smokers” (for direct consumers).

Carnival Breeze Cloud 9 Spa Special Offerings

Guests in Spa accommodations will have exclusive entry access to the adjacent Cloud 9 Spa facilities and will receive a wide array of special offerings including priority Spa appointments, unlimited use of the Thermal Suite and Thalasotherapy Pool, complimentary fitness classes and upgraded in-stateroom amenities.

Carnival Breeze Spa Amenities

Note: Only 1st and 2nd guests in the Spa stateroom will receive the access and amenities; 3rd and 4th guests booked in Spa staterooms and suites are not entitled to spa access and amenities.

Amenities and offerings available to all the Spa accommodations include the following;

• <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Priority spa appointments for reservations made by 6:00pm on Embarkation day (as stated in the Welcome Letter). <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Unlimited access to Thermal Suites:
  
  • <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo3; tab-stops: list 1.0in" class=MsoNormal>Laconium <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo3; tab-stops: list 1.0in" class=MsoNormal>Tepidarium <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo3; tab-stops: list 1.0in" class=MsoNormal>Oriental Steam Bath
    
  • Aroma Steam Bath
    

<LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Unlimited access to Thalassotherapy Pool:

• <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo3; tab-stops: list 1.0in" class=MsoNormal>Detoxify, unwind and revitalize your body in a pool which is gently heated to body temperature.
  
• Ideal for alleviating arthritic pain, soothing sore muscles and offering relief for sport injuries.
  

<LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Two complimentary fitness classes per person (Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi) <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Spa-branded bathrobes and slippers for use during the cruise <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Cloud 9 Spa Carnival Products in Stateroom:

• <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo3; tab-stops: list 1.0in" class=MsoNormal>Elemis Carnival Shampoo and Conditioner
  
• Elemis Carnival Sharp Shower Gel and Vitamin Rich Body Lotion
  
• One hand and one body Elemis Carnival Soap Disk
  

Things to Know

• <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Carnival Breeze Spa staterooms and suites are only available to guests who pay for spa staterooms or suites. In the event that guests are upgraded into the Spa staterooms, they will not be eligible for the additional amenities. <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>18 is the minimum age for body treatments and use of the Thermal Suite and Thalassotherapy Pool. Hair, nails, facial services and the fitness center can be enjoyed by guests of 13 years and older, provided they are accompanied by their parent or guardian for service and booking. <LI style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in" class=MsoNormal>Only 1st and 2nd guests in the Spa stateroom will receive the access and amenities; 3rd and 4th guests booked in Spa staterooms and suites are not entitled to spa access and amenities.
  
• Charges apply for the Thalassotherapy Pool and Thermal Suite areas for those guests in Non-Spa staterooms.
  

are you saying you can book ANY cabin on the spa deck and get those amenities? so what will the point be by paying that extra $$ (and it is much) for the spa suite?

That I am not sure about. But from what I understand any room on the spa deck gets all the same amenities.

Cabin # 12024

Category 8S

Cloud 9 Spa Balcony Stateroom

Description: Cloud 9 Spa Balcony staterooms are the perfect place to warm up for your spa-time or wind down afterward. Take in the ocean breeze, then let it out. There you go - breathing is important - you're already getting the hang of the spa life! Spa staterooms feature two twin beds that convert to a king-sized bed and a full bathroom with shower. Sliding glass doors lead to your private balcony with patio chairs and table. There is also a seating area with sofa, coffee table and desk. All staterooms are equipped with television, telephone, hairdryer, bathrobes, 24-hour room service, mini bar, individual climate control and personal safe.

Spa Stateroom Amenities: Spa staterooms include priority Cloud 9 Spa reservations, unlimited use of the Thermal Suite and Thalassotherapy Pool, 2 complimentary fitness classes, spa bathrobes and slippers, and upgraded bath amenities. Spa Amenities are only applicable to 1st and 2nd guests in each stateroom.

Some staterooms are equipped with a sofa bed and/or upper Pullman-style bunk beds to accomodate a third or fourth guest

the Freedom Spa deck vs the Breeze spa deck will be different experiences.

On the Breeze you get the spa amenities--although I do not think that massages and spa treatments are included. (massages on a cruise are VERY pricy-- like 169. for a 75 minute hot stone massage.

 

When taking a caribbean cruise side should not be a huge choice when looking to book a cabin- it can be different from sailing to sailing as the captain decides how he wants to dock either pulling in or backing in.

 

 

 

for the amenities of the spa-- you MUST book a Spa Suite cabin- category SS (these are located on deck 11)

 

regular balcony cabins on the spa deck do not get the below stuff in their cabins

 

"Suite" Accomodations

How "suite" it is... These pampering staterooms feature spa-like décor, offer private access to Cloud 9 Spa, and extra luxuries such as unlimited use of the Thalassotherapy Pool and Thermal Suite.

Guests are also given exclusive spa packages consisting of Elemis products and more (packages are for 1st & 2nd guests ONLY; packages for 3rd & 4th guests will incur additional fees).

Spa Packages Include:

- Elemis bath & beauty products

- Priority for booking spa appointments

- Complimentary fitness classes (2)

- Exclusive spa stateroom amenities

- Spa towels, bathrobes and slippers for use during the cruise

Im pretty certain that on the Breeze anything booked on the Spa deck will have the same amenities. All of which you included in your post. Yes this is true. I just got off the phone with the carnival Rep.

Hello all!

 

As you might notice, I don't have a fancy signature boasting all the cruises I have taken (or a signature at all, for that matter), and for good reason - this is my first post on Cruise Critic and I am a first timer STARVING for information about EVERYTHING before I book this beast! :D

 

So I have some questions for you fine veterans, the first one being, my cabin choice. I sort of have my heart set on booking a spa balcony on the new Carnival Breeze for our honeymoon, January 2013.

 

I was just curious of how many people have booked a spa room, in particular, a balcony, and what they thought of them?

 

* Were they worth the extra cost? I have never even gotten a massage before, but I'm so sore and I'm a new parent, so I'm exhausted and I was wondering how much people find themselves glued to Cloud 9 while aboard?

 

* How much Elemis product would you get on an 8-day cruise? Should I still bring my own shampoo/conditioner/body gel?

 

* Was the sea sickness an issue?

 

* What's the noise-level like? Which cabins are best to avoid the noise? (I'm guessing you want to stay away from the cabins closest to the WaterWorks, elevators and underneath the Fitness Center... but that's not leaving me with many options).

 

* Spend the extra few dollars a day for the Spa deck or go for Panorama?

 

* I have heard that the Serenity deck is windy, as are forward cabins. Has anyone ever not liked the windy conditions in the spa balconies, or has anyone actually preferred them? Does it get very cold or does it feel kind of nice?

 

* This might be a kind of general question, but do you take your room towel (in this case, a special white Spa towel) with you to the pools and hot tubs, or are there special towels in these areas?

 

* The "Welcome Ritual" - I've heard it exists and I've heard that it doesn't. I think it probably exists, and those people who don't think it does just haven't figured out when to go. I know it is a tour of the spa and it's where you can make your priority appointments - so, when do you need to show up, and where? The Relaxation Room?

 

* The Relaxation Room - I've seen photos of fruit and teas... are there really fruit and teas? Those are my favorite things, as dorky as that sounds. I'm especially interested in relaxing with a nice, hot herbal cup of something yummy. What kinds of hot teas are available here/elsewhere on the ship?

 

* How crowded is the Thalassotherapy Pool and Tepidarium? When are the best times to go?

 

* And, finally, do you get any kinds of discounts on treatments if you book a Spa cabin? I heard some people say they did, but others haven't mentioned it, except to say you get discounts on port days (and we plan to be M.I.A. on those days... I am on a totally cliche mission to pet a dolphin).

 

Any information at all, even if it seems redundant, would be so greatly appreciated! :p As evidence of my n00bness, I am an obsessed information sponge!

 

Thank you!

Erin

Ok erin I'll go through your list of questions and answer what I can. We have cruised 6 times all with Carnival and all different cat. cabins. We have been on a lower inside cabin all the way up to a Grand Suite. Let me say that you will have a terriffic time no matter were your room is. Your cabin will not make or break your cruise from an enjoyment standpoint but it can damage the budget. We are sailing the breeze on Jan. 5 2013. We booked a spa room for this cruise. My wife loves the gym and the spa. One nice thing about the spa decks is that there is no smoking on that deck at all anywhere. So when you're out on your balcony you wont have people smoking in the room in forward of you coming back to your balcony. So really room choice is a personal preference.I'm not sure what Elemis is so hopefully someone else will chime in on that but the showers do have shampoo and body wash. My wife brings conditoner as they don't provide that. As for sea sickness the very fist cruise we took 25 years ago (damn im aging myself!) my wife got a little queezy but that was a smaller ship. She gets sea sike very easily and thats been the only time on a cruise she has been sick. As far as noise goes. Stay away from the main deck because right under the main deck is the crews deck and they can be very noisy. The cabins close to the elevators get more foot traffic and can be a bit noisy too but its never really bothered us. I think the spa deck will be one of the more quiter deks on a ship because it is the smallest deck with the fewest cabins. I will find this out next moth as we will be on the Carnival Freedom on the spa deck. As far as the wind goes your balcony is on either side of the ship and wind has never really been an issue for us. But I do always like the rooms on the port side of the ship as they normally have better views of the islands when docked. As far as towels go the have a towel hut on the decks by the pools. Your cabin will be supplied with them as well. We use them when we go to the beaches in port as well. Just don't lose them because they will make you pay for them. And yes early in your cruise they do offer tours of the spa area. Ive never gotten a massage onboard but my wife does each time we cruise. She also gets her hair done. As for booking a spa room you do get a sampler basket with all kinds of goodies but im not sure what is in it yet. I can let you know when we get back in April. Ha and YES you have to swim with the Dolphins. That is a great experience. also if you get a chance go swim with this stingrays! An congrates on your pending marriage! We have managed to keep it together for 25 years. we have two awesome kids. An 18 yr old daughter and a 15 year old son. They have cruised with us going on three times. But in Jan 2013 its just DW and myself. Hope this helps. SCOTT

HELLO fellow Cruisers!