goofycruiser

Carnival sticks Gosling's ginger beer. Just on the Miracle last month. It makes a great Dark and Stormy cocktail! Just bought some at home, it is amazing and nothing lme ginger ale!

15 day Hawaii cruise on Saturday! Flying from Buffalo to Long Beach tomorrow. So excited!

We are on the same cruise! We are flying from Buffalo, N.Y to LAX the day before too. We are staying at the Queen Mary which is right at the pier. We have not figured out how to get from airport to pier yet but we have a few weeks to figure it out. So excited!

11 day Vista repo from NYC to Miami. We become Diamond on this cruise! Can't wait!

We have two booked but are going to book another next week. During the last cruise in November 2016, we will be Diamond! Obviously we only cruise Carnival.

I swear by the sea bands! They cost about $10. and are available at any drug store. You put them on before the ship moves and they work great! I only take mine off to shower or go in the pool. They work so well!

Indian Tandoor is the best food!, also enjoyed the deli and Mongolian Wok!

In Curaçao we had free wifi all day from our balcony facing the port. We were even able to get it in the room too. In Aruba we paid for it in the cruise terminal. In Grand Turk, it was okay at the Margarettaville pool area, no wifi on Half Moon Cay.

We were on the Freedom last month. They took away the Tandoor but the spot where it used to be is empty! We were told that it was removed to make room for the upgrades. We really missed it after enjoying it the previous year.

We were on the cruise with you. I really enjoyed your review and the pictures. It brought back a lot of great memories! I agree with you that the staff was amazing, they went above and beyond what I expected. We had Anytime dining but went at 6 every night, never waited for a table. The food in the MDR was not as good as I remembered from past cruises, not as much selection, some repeats as well. The menus need to change! The Sea Day brunch was very good, we also enjoyed afternoon tea. Of course the ports were what made the cruise! What amazing places! We did not get the Internet plan but had no trouble finding WiFi in the ports for free or for a nominal fee. In Curaçao we got free Wi Fi all day in our cabin and on the balcony! That Texas tax on liquor was annoying, we usually buy a couple of bottles of rum from the islands but the tax made it not worth it. Looking forward to more of your review!

We just got off the 12.day repositioning cruise on the Freedom. We had a great time, the staff was wonderful, the food was fine. There is a lot of options for meals so there should be something for everyone. Mongolian Wok and The burrito place were amazing! We don 't use the casino so feedback on that. Our cabin was kept clean and the steward was very good. We asked for the minibar to be emptied and it was done right away. This was our 24th Carnival cruise and we aren't done yet!

February 2 on the Freedom! 12 day repositioning cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Galveston. We are spending two days in Florida precruise because we live in the frozen north!

I think that Platinum embarkation is definitely worth it! In most ports, there is a private lounge with drinks and sometimes cookies. It is very relaxing and you get on the ship very quickly. Also being able to drop off your luggage early is a great bonus. We arrive at the port very early but once they start boarding we are the first ones on after wedding parties of course. The only time we had a problem was our 16 day Panama Canal cruise. There were so many Platinum and Diamond members that it took quite a while for all of us to board.

We were on that Panama Canal cruise last March. They held the Muster Drill outside and it was snowing quite hard and very cold. Someone built a small snowman on the Lido deck. We were able to use the hot tubs the next day but it was still too cold to sit outside. By the the third day, it was very comfortable. Sailing out of NYC is a great experience even in the winter! We have done it several times and sailing past the Statue of Liberty is unforgettable!

We sailed on her in February 1999. It was an 11 day cruise that went as far south as Aruba and Trinidad. We thought it was an amazing ship and had a great time. Compared to the Breeze it seems so small but it was easy to get around. It never seemed crowded either.

I have a Nook Tablet and I always take it on my cruises. You can get WiFi in the ports at a lot of places. Just ask someone where there is internet service. I have gotten it at a Starbucks in Cozumel for the price of a coffee. I have also paid a couple of dollars for a couple of hours of time. I also use my Nook to hold my magazines and books for the trip. You can download books from your local library any time you have an internet connection and then read them later on the ship. I think the Nook and the Kindle are pretty much the same so you should be fine!

I lost 35 pounds with WW and have maintained that loss for 2 1/2 years. Since then I have been on four Carnival cruises two of which were almost two weeks long. What works for me is to use the stairs as much as possible and use the gym. You will also be walking in the ports, pack your pedometer. There is a spa selection evey night in the Main Dining Room. The portions are small and I always order steamed vegetables on the side. I drink wine but stay away from the fruity drinks. You can still indulge in a dessert or two. On my last cruise which was six days, I gained one pound which I quickly lost.

I think Carnival's loyalty program is pretty good. We have been Platinum since 2006 which is when Carnival began the program. I understood when they changed it from number of cruises to number of days sailed. It just makes it more fair. We feel very special when a crewmember says "Welcome Home" after seeing our cards. We get a gift, chocolate desserts delivered to the cabin and the best part, early embarkation. We also get off earlier which is great if you have an early flight. We book through a travel agent and we get better rates because of our loyalty to Carnival. We are at 148 days so far with another cruise booked for October. We have never sailed on another line and don't intend to. We are trying to become Diamond and we are well on our way!

We sailed on Super Bowl Sunday this year on the Freedom. If your ship has a big screen, the game will be shown outside. It also was shown in the main theater and in the sports bar. There were various tailgate foods set up on the Lido deck and in the sports bar. Muster drill was at about 4 pm and we sailed at about 5 pm. I don't think there was a Welcome Aboard show since people were watching the game in the main theater. The main dining room wasn't too busy that night either. We had AYT dining and it was great not waiting for a table.

Just off the Freedom last Saturday. The shower has two dispensers, one for body wash and one for shampoo. They are labeled. I always bring my own conditioner for my hair. The hairdryer is in the drawer but you have to hold down the button while you are drying your hair. It is also not very powerful. I was sorry that I didn't pack my own. Oh, by the way there is only one plug in the cabin, near the desk. We had an ocean view if that matters.

We left NYC last March on the Miracle for a trip through the Panama Canal. Our muster drill was held outside, it was snowing and the very cold. When it was announced, they told us to dress warmly. I have had muster drills inside in hot climates so I was puzzled at the need for us to stand outside in the snow. It didn't last too long but it was an experience!

We sailed on the Jubilee in 1999. It was our third Carnival cruise and was for 11 days. The ship didn't feel small but in comparison to the larger ships of today, she was tiny. We had a great time. We sailed on the Celebration in 2005, Jubilee's sister ship. Now the Fantasy class is considered small. I don't know how much bigger they can build a ship. We are taking the Miracle through the Panama Canal next month. The bigger ships can't fit.

The Breeze also has the Tandoor place. They have an Indian meal every night in the MDR. I don't mean the vegetarian option that is printed on the menu. This is something that you have to order a day ahead. We have had it twice and it is amazing. You get whatever they make for you that day. If you like Indian food, give it a try.

We met Icky on the Miracle in 2007. He was a fantastic waiter and a lot of fun too. Our cruise was 6 days and he made it memorable.

A french press is not electric so I don' t see a problem. You just have to be careful how you dispose of the used coffee grounds. The coffee on the Breeze was okay but not as good as my own coffee. I grind my own beans that I order from a store in New York.