Counsel

We were on that sailing as well. Here are the good and bad:

Good: Pig and Anchor was very good! Get there at 11 when they open, or wait after the noon rush. They still get people thru quick. Wish they didn't water down the BBQ sauce!

Good: Cuchina Del Capitano restaurant was excellent as well for the $15 upcharge. Well worth it! The servers can't sing though!

Good: the "Rock" show was one of the best on Carnival I have seen (and we have done 10 Carnival cruises in 9 years).

Bad: The staff cutbacks are REALLY affecting the "experience". In the MDR, our wait staff was friendly but overwhelmed! In the past, we have always enjoyed the MDR experience, but between the poor service and inedible (yes inedible) food, we never went back to the MDR after day 3.

BAD: Our cabin steward was a sweet and hard working young lady - but she was overwhelmed as well, having 32 cabins to clean.

BAD: In general, the staff morale was NOT good. Rude, not smiling, etc.

We will be platinum on our next cruise, but based on this experience, we will not be staying with Carnival. IMO they are cutting costs to draw new cruisers, while alienating their established clientele...

We have a rep from the fulfillment company talking to the rep from Carnival Esolutions... Holding the phones next to each other! Stay tuned!!

If nothing else, this is quite entertaining! Yeah almost like pier runners!

Bruce

aka Counsel

Customer service is dead in America....

Called the company who does the fulfillment. They were adamant that the deal was over and there was nothing that could be done - So I:

1. Facebooked John Heald

2. Contacted my PVP - she said to call Carnival customer service.

3. The DW is on the phone with Carnival customer service - even though I can prove that the website is still up (printed a copy), they said initially that they couldn't see it at http://www.carnivalgiftcards.com, then she came back and said that "someone was removing it right away". After 53 minutes with her, they agreed to give us the 10% thru today - to call back the card fulfillment company and insist on the deal. Here goes...

Bruce

aka Counsel

... I would definitely want to be above deck 6. We had a balcony on deck 6 on the Dream, and the people in the ELEVATED hot tubs on the Lanai deck could see right into our room. No privacy whatsoever. :eek: We would never book below 8 again on a Dream class of ship.

Bruce

aka Counsel

...back in January while on the Liberty. We were going to stay on the ship (did the cave tubing last time - yawn), but decided to book this - part of the reason was that they picked us up right from the ship and took us to this cute little island. When I say little, it was about the size of a football field. They had hamburgers and drinks for sale.

We had a great time, and the water was very clear. DW and I agree that it was one of the highlights of this cruise! :D

Bruce

aka Counsel

... Cocum - we have been there twice before and will be there a week from today :D.

The problem is that it is tough to keep it secret!

Bruce

aka Counsel

... where are you? Everybody knows Preachers only work on Sundays, right? :cool:

Bruce

aka Counsel

... review! We were at HMC last year on the Liberty and rented #13. Definitely worth it!

I appreciate how you enjoy your vacations - I too am in full time ministry, and we ENJOY our cruises! We are at the "other end" of Ohio, up in the Toledo area, and ministry is rewarding but also draining.

We now travel with many of our good friends from the Church, so far 25 of us are going on the Liberty again in January. The great thing about a cruise is that you can "hang" with them or just be alone with the DW. Your choice. Our group grows a little each year - we figure in a few years, we'll just rent the whole boat!:D

Love your "behind the scenes" perspective so far... Very different from most reviews here. Keep up the great review!

God Bless,

Bruce

aka Counsel

... in the picture of your DW at the HMC Cabana that she is wearing a "Lead without Limits" shirt - isn't that a Dave Ramsey shirt? If so, you must be "living like no one else, so that someday you'll be able to live like no one else". :D

I am the facilitator for FPU at our Church...

Bruce

...night reading your review and looking at the great pix! We will be on the Liberty in 43 days sailing the same itinerary. We have reserved a Cabana at HMC as well.

We were on the Liberty this past February, so it will be interesting to compare old vs. 2.0 ! :)

Your pictures make me want to go out and buy a DSLR for the cruise. Thanks again for taking the time to post... I was going to ask you about the secret door, but I see luvcdays beat me to it.

Bruce

aka Counsel