Carnival Glory extensive review with tons of pictures

I have done a few reviews on a few ships on the past and I certainly love reading the extensive reviews on cruise critic.

I love cruising and it's my favorite vacation style.

This trip will be first hosted group. I have 22 people in my group. I have to say organizing and hosting really is a fun experience.

We're on the Carnival Glory from 3/25-4/1, 2017. The Glory was my very first cruise ever, so I thought it being my first group was pretty cool.

My husband Mike and I are on the kids without the kids this time. They get to go with us in 2018. We take them every other year.

I booked our group space over a year ago to get the best prices. We scored a really great mega upgrades and reduced deposit sale which took us from a 4b to a 4g lido deck cabin!!!! I check all of our prices often and we definitely got a great deal as the prices were never the same or lower again. Our group snatched up many of the lido deck cabins!!! Early bird definitely works in this case.

I created a chat group so our group could talk and all stay connected. My group is from Wisconsin all the way to NY!!! This chat really helped keep us all informed and connected. We even all ordered the same shirt from a custom cruise t shirt place online. They are great!!! So we plan on being best dressed on embarkation day!! Lol

I am a super obsssive cruise planner. I keep a notebook/journal and write down on each page our excursions and then at the end of the day I write a page of what we did that day. I started that about 13 years ago when I traveled to Italy with my Mom and Grandmother. I wanted to remember every detail years later. I'm so glad I did!!! My grandmother passed away from Ovarian cancer about 10 years ago. Reading what we did brings back memories I would otherwise have forgotten.

My diaries also help me scrapbook and write these reviews now too!

Planning...............

As soon as hotels opened up for booking I searched in Miami for our favorite pre cruise Hotel. Holiday Inn across from the Bayside Marketplace. We usually get a bay facing room so we see the ships in port. Every time I tried to book it it said sold out!!! I was like you got to be kidding me!!! We are almost a year away!!! We'll come to find out Miami is hosting that weekend in the Bayside area a giant music festival!!! Our hotel required a 4 night minimum stay. I would have loved to stay that long and have more vacation time but my husband would not agree 😞 He can be such a bummer sometimes!!! Lol

I needed up booking a downtown hotel farther south of the port. It didn't have a pool and that really started to bother me so I cancelled and moved to the Riu Hotel on South Beach. I booked the cheapest most boring view room for me and some of my group.

After a few months and my constant checking paid off as they had a sale and I scored us oceanfront rooms for only $2 more per room!!!! The reviews are mostly good on this place and there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance. Of course I made an extensive list of local places that are budget friendly and with great reviews. I like local food when I travel. I can get at home all the food chains and nice restaurant. I prefer on vacation cheap and easy. I don't want to dress up or spend hours at a restaurant on vacation time.

Airfare..........

At the 6 months out mark is when I started searching for air. We live near Green Bay Wisconsin so we have to fly. The prices I was finding were rediculous!!! Over $1k per person!!! I have never seen this before!!! Must be spring break prices and combo music festival in Miami??

After watching the prices continue to climb for 2 months we decided to use our frequent flier miles to score two free tickets.

My husband flies almost every way week for work so we get free tickets points that yield up fast. We were going to save them for a trip to Europe but with these prices flights to London were cheaper than to Miami.

We needed up scrapping our Europe vacation anyway for an awesome trip to Vegas with the kids and we are getting a car and touring all the Canyons and National parks in Utah and Arizona. I am so looking forward to that trip too!! Our first family vacation without our oldest daughter who's a junior in college and after our last family vacation last year to San Francisco made an oath that it was her last time vacationing with us. I guess we're not lively enough. Visiting trees n rocks are not her idea of fun!!!

Anyway. I secured our free airline tickets , and since the kept an eye on the prices and they have only skyrocketed to over $2k per person recently. And that's coach!!

Shore excursions............

I wanted to have at least 1 group shore excursion that would be really fun. Then the rest book what I wanted to do and if people wanted to join great, if not that's cool.

I should start with our Itinerary

3-25 Miami

3-26 at Sea

3-27 Grand Cayman

3-28 Roatan

3-29 Belize

3-30 Cozumel

3-31 Sea day

4-1 Miami

In Grand Cayman we have done the Sting Ray City, Hell, And Turtle farm. We've been to seven mile beach. We wanted to, this time, go back to sting ray city and we chose the Rum Point beach combo tour through Carnival.

This tour a few of my group is joining me. I'm looking forward to snorkeling at both places!!

In Roatan, most of my group wanted to just stay at the free beach in port. I really wanted to go to Little French Key. I have read so many reviews that it's now on my bucket list!!! But, again the husband really wanted to do FREE and we are staying with the group in port at the free😊 Beach.

Next time we go we will go to LFK!!!!!

In Belize we love Mayan Ruins and have been to all of the. Except Lamanai. As far as offered excursions anyway. I'm sure there are more Ruins sites but not offered through Carnival.

I don't have an issue with private tours but in Belize, you need a ship sponsored tour to see Ruins. The length of the tour is the issue. We had a tour once where the bus broke down and they had to walk to the nearest town for a part!!!! Yup!!! Instead of sending a new bus!!! Well we got back a bit late but they waited for us!! This was in Barabados.

In Cozumel we had been there so many times this is where we wanted to do the group excursion. We all chose the cozumel bar hop private tour. You get an island tour as well and it takes you to the east side of the island. You go to 4 bars and get a free shot at each place, plus you get a free t shirt from the tour company. The bus is party bus so it'll be, I'm sure, totally fun!!! They play great music to get you in the party mood!!!

So there it is all of our plans!!!!

Ship.............

The ship just got out of dry dock and I'm chomping at the bit, dying to see pictures!!!!

So the ship is doing away with the free fish n chips!!! In place is the seafood shack and located in the aft pool area. It's all for an added fee and el cheapo says no to added cost things. Well I have $175 onboard credit so I'm buying a lobster roll!!!! If he says anything I won't share with him!! Lol ( we've been married 21 years..we have an amazing marriage.)

They're also adding a waterworks which has been a controversial issue lately as they started construction early and caused issues with passengers currently sailing and it's not yet finished, so the two cruises right after dry dock can't use it. It will be operational and ready for our cruise so we'll see. I probably won't use it anyway.

They also will be freshening up common areas with new paint and carpets, etc.

the ship will be amazing I'm sure. I can't wait to see it!!!!

I'm halfway packed and we leave in 6 days!!!!!!

Following.. Hoping to see tons and tons of pics before 4/22.

Subscribing. My first ever cruise will be on the glory in August and reading reviews is helping my impatience with how slowly the days are counting down (156 to go). I have a question about transport that I hope you can help with as you have stayed at the holiday inn that we are booked at... how easy is it to get a taxi/ shuttle from the hotel to the port? We dont have anything booked to get us there as our Ta said its quite close, but there are 6 of us with a lot of luggage (we are coming from the uk via New York for a wedding) and do you know roughly how much it would cost? Thanks and cant wait for the rest of your review as your sailing should be the first where everything is fully up and running after her drydock.

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Fish N Chips which was on Deck 10 has been gone since like November I think and a BBQ took it's place.

Subscribing. My first ever cruise will be on the glory in August and reading reviews is helping my impatience with how slowly the days are counting down (156 to go). I have a question about transport that I hope you can help with as you have stayed at the holiday inn that we are booked at... how easy is it to get a taxi/ shuttle from the hotel to the port? We dont have anything booked to get us there as our Ta said its quite close, but there are 6 of us with a lot of luggage (we are coming from the uk via New York for a wedding) and do you know roughly how much it would cost? Thanks and cant wait for the rest of your review as your sailing should be the first where everything is fully up and running after her drydock.

 

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The port is literally a ten minute ride. I can't remember the cost. I think we gave the driver a $20 bill to include a nice tip. The hotel got us a taxi, so we could leave when we wanted an didn't have to wait for shuttles.

Fish N Chips which was on Deck 10 has been gone since like November I think and a BBQ took it's place.

I read that too. Like a sea side BBQ they have on other ships. I can't wait to try it

Following.. Hoping to see tons and tons of pics before 4/22.

I plan on getting most of my review finished by then. I usually get it all written in a few days.

Following also. We're on the April 29 sailing so I'm looking forward to your posts. Love your sense of humor already :-)

Looking forward to your review as well! We are sailing on May 27th and this will be our first cruise with Carnival. We are very excited and I am a little obsessive about planning as well!!! Hope you have a great trip!

Fish N Chips which was on Deck 10 has been gone since like November I think and a BBQ took it's place.

Probably a good idea. I was looking forward to Fish N Chips and found it disappointing. I bet the BBQ is much better.

Tell the Bar Hop staff Carol says hi.

Wow love reading it all we are on the Glory in August!!

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Should be great getting a post-dry dock review. Looking forward to it.

Sounds like you are an excellent cruise planner, can't wait to read about your trip.

How far out were you able to book your hotel? I have the Glory booked for 2018 Spring Break, which is March 31 time frame.

Leaving tomorrow for the March 18th Glory cruise - hope all is 'okay' onboard! LOL

Me too!!!

Following.. Hoping to see tons and tons of pics before 4/22.

Subscribing. My first ever cruise will be on the glory in August and reading reviews is helping my impatience with how slowly the days are counting down (156 to go). I have a question about transport that I hope you can help with as you have stayed at the holiday inn that we are booked at... how easy is it to get a taxi/ shuttle from the hotel to the port? We dont have anything booked to get us there as our Ta said its quite close, but there are 6 of us with a lot of luggage (we are coming from the uk via New York for a wedding) and do you know roughly how much it would cost? Thanks and cant wait for the rest of your review as your sailing should be the first where everything is fully up and running after her drydock.

 

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Forums mobile app

We've stayed at the Holiday Inn pre-cruise 2x and each time used UBER car service. We requested a car when we were ready to go to the port and they came within minutes(I think they wait by the hotel or the Bayside Marketplace). It took less than 10 minutes to arrive at the port and they drop you off right in front of the terminal. The cost was approx. $7-$9 both times. Easiest transportation I've ever encountered:D On the way from the port to the airport we did the same thing and they were there to pick us up again within minutes.

Thanks for the review.

Can't wait to read your review, we will be cruising on the Glory April 15th. It'll be our first time on this ship and we're super excited about waterworks and really hoping it's up and running and that our son is tall enough for the slides, he's 7 almost 8 so he should be good to go!

Great preview! Looking forward to your review.