CSTECH

Yes you have to get off, but, you are considered (" In- Transit") which gets you First to embark after they clear the ship. You get back on-board before Platinum and Diamond & FTTF folks. It's not bad :D

Platinum

Price

use to be the available cruises from the north east but now that they are pulling out of there I'm not sure.... :confused:

I booked with ExecuCar. Did it on the Internet. We are getting the service where the driver greets you before you have your luggage so we don't have to wrangle it.

 

Cost was $74.70. Plus we'll tip the driver. It was the best price I could find and the best rated service.

 

I used a Coupon code for 10% off when using a Visa card ZRPYB

 

There is another code for 10% and doesn't require a specific credit card. MYBIZ

 

I know the first one works. Got the second one just now off of 'Retail Me Not'' Also got the Visa card discount code from there.

 

I had to prepay, but there is a generous cancellation provision.

Oh This Is Awesome Thank You! Trying to figure out what to do myself for my Oct. Cruise.

I had thought I would write a review on our October 15 day Hawaii Miracle cruise but then realized I always have great expectations of doing a review then they fall apart somewhere along the 3rd day. Since this was a 15 day cruise lots would be left out. Thought I would write in no particular order things that happened, events attended and things I liked and disliked as well.

 

If you have questions I will try to answer them but I will not post or send carnival fun times. A few years back it was requested that I send the times--I tried and found my downloading skills to be very slow and a little poor so I could not continue them. I got threats--yes threats when I told others that I could not get them down loaded, thus the wariness of trying it again.

 

A little about us--60's, me still running an active business(cheer and gymnastics) husband loving a quiet retirement. We LOVED this cruise. Was it perfect no --only one perfect thing in my life and he is residing at the right hand of his Father--but it was pretty spectacular! We are platinum cruisers so we have a few perks that some others don't have but do not take advantage of all of them.

We started this cruise by flying in the day before. As we touched down in LA we turned our phones on. On our flight there were several going on the same cruise as we were and I noticed the surprised looks on their faces as they had gotten the same texts and voice mails that we had from Carnival. We were told not to board until 2:30 the next day. We were all in a group on cc as well as a group on the other site. There was much discussion about this with many saying they were going to ignore the messages as they put them in the same category as those from Carnival to alleviate the early port congestion. Those of us on the plane thought it unusual that we got called as well so thought perhaps we would heed the calls.

 

We took a private shuttle to the Hotel Maya where they informed us we were not going out tomorrow until after 2:30 as well so we scheduled a late shuttle.

 

Morning of cruise we noticed the Miracle was not there but finally arrived around 9:30. We took our shuttle to the ship around 2 and they were still debarking the cruise before us. We saw lines everywhere and people sitting on the ground. We got in the priority line and they were taking groups of 5 families and placing them in a line by the check in desks. We got in our line got checked in and then escorted to the dome. We went thru security there and got on the ship. Really not too crazy for us but for others not so convenient. Others were still entering while we had muster drill.

 

We had so many platinum/diamond members on board there was no FTTF. In spite of this mad house our room was ready when we got on.

MDR the service was great--we had a table for two with 3 wait staff. The menu was different than we had in June on the Splendor. Others liked the changes--me not so much. Nothing I could put my finger on but it was just when we looked to see what was on the menu that day I was not excited as I have been in cruises past. Prime Rib was offered about 5 nights but it was of the skinny variety! Good flavor but thinly cut.

 

Went to the steakhouse twice--once to celebrate our anniversary and once to avoid the Halloween crowd in the MDR! Had lobster each time and my husband had the cowboy rib eye. Dessert the first time and none the next--too full. Did not take as long as it had on other experiences on other ships.

 

Productions were lacking on this ship. We only saw one and I think they only had two on a 15 day cruise. They made shows with magicians, jugglers, a guy singing and telling stories. Not my kind of entertainment. I miss the old days, but that is just what they were the old days. Things change.

 

Sea days Carnival had the same things they always have--high tea art auctions, hairy chest etc. Nothing I partake in any more but it is not where i look for my day time activity. I like to veg out and read so I find a great spot with a nice couch or chair.

 

We rented a car in most of the ports. Since we hold U.S. licenses this was very convenient. We loved all the ports--Hard to say which was our favorite but Honolulu was our least favorite. We loved the Memorial but the rest was just too commercialized for us.

 

Tendering in life boats is not our favorite way to tender. Been a long time since we did it and was surprised that we did not remember how rough it was.

 

One of our tours was Ricky's in Hilo. Recommend his tours--you get a lot for your money!

Past guest party was a mess! They had to have two since there were so many past guests--we heard 300 platinum/diamonds, but another couple heard 900. Got no hors d' oeuvres and got one drink at the very end. We were fine with no drink I was a little hungry tho but the people in the beginning of our row were livid so they came and gave us one. They scheduled our party time during our dining hour.

 

Wish Carnival would change their smoking policy. I wish they would make one side smoking and the other not for balconies. That way we could all be fair to one another. We now have insides booked but would really like to have our balcony back. :(

 

This is a cruise I think we would like to do in two years or so. I went into it with a little apprehension as we had heard so many great things about the Alaskan cruise and we really did not enjoy ourselves on that one that I was worried about this one as we had heard great things about it as well. This was our favorite of all the cruises that we have taken in 30 years--including our first! My husband does not like to fly so this works well for us. We fly to LA only 3 hours and then travel by his favorite mode of travel--cruise ship.

 

I think the Hawaii ports have something for everyone. Lots of times he Caribbean ports are mostly beach outings. My husband had melanoma and is not a beach person except at HMC. This trip was the first cruise I have been on that I have not had my swim suit on at all.

 

Days going out and coming back to port are cold so make sure you pack long pants. I wore my jeans and a sweater for the first two and the last two days. The ship was cold at all times so I wore a cardigan.

 

We had an early flight out of LAX so we hired a private super shuttle to make sure we did not have to make any stops. Thank goodness as it took so long to get off the ship. We were in the lounge with priority and the guy kept saying 1/2hr to every one that asked him even when it had been a half hour from the first time! We were all a little nervous as there had been a fatal shooting of a TSA person in LA two days before at the terminal and we did not know how crazy security was going to be. We were fortunate to have been picked as a TSA pre check and did not have to wait in the large security line- take our shoes off or jackets off. Pretty easy.

 

Any questions on our cruise or ports please ask. I was with a large group that did many things and heard their opinions as well.

 

We started our cruise with 800.00 OBC (due to price adjustments) and we ended up with getting a check for 36.00 from Carnival as we did not use all of it. We don't drink much but we took an excursion and bought pictures. We normally spend a lot on the cafe with specialty coffee but I packed our creamer this time and we saved that way. We also decided to put the rest of my laundry money (yes we could have had 10 bags done but I like to do my own laundry) in a penny machine and my husband won 90.00 and I won 30 so that gave us a little extra. This was probably one of our most economical trips that we have taken. For what we pay to rent a condo for a week on the Gulf(3000.00) we cruised for 15 days had our food paid for and most of our entertainment. We thought this a real bargain. We normally cruise at least twice a year and take a land vacation-this year to AI in Dominican Republic and this was our best bargain so far!

Thank You Very Much for this tip! We just booked him for our Hawaii cruise, sounds Great Can't wait to get there!

Order a BLT from room service and a turkey sandwich. remove some bread and combine for a turkey club.

Night light and Imodium AD :eek: lanyard