Carnival Pride Baltimore, Canaveral, Nassau, Freeport 11/2009 * Photo Review

[markmogil]

So I guess I'm the other Mark with a Pride review :) Mark Falkor's wildly popular and detailed review can be found here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1068189&highlight=pride+baltimore

 

For this review, I'll stick to a photo essay format and leave the editorial heavy lifting to the other Mark.

 

Housekeeping: Carnival Pride, Nov 1, 2009 from Baltimore.

Our traveling party was two families - My wife and our 3 kids, and another couple with their daughter. We all live in New Jersey, and drove to the port. Our cabins were 6315, 6317, and 6330 - baclony, inside, and aft baclony. Past cruises: Carnival Festivale '94, Carnival Victory '05, RCI Freedom OS '06, RCI Freedom OS '07, RCI Liberty OS '08.

 

I'll take my cue from Mark Falkor's review and apologize in advance for capitalization, spelling, grammar, and all manner of textual, technical, and posting protocol problems. I've lurked around CC for a couple of years, with only a couple of posts to my credit, so this will be a newbie effort.

 

Let's get started then,

 

Sail away from Baltimore harbor as the sun sets. Figured I'd start with high impact image. They're not all travelogue shots like this, but the photo credit is mine - lucky shot.

 

In actuality, our cruise began with a planned early breakfast at the Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood. We got there around 9:30 only to discover it was closed "due to a grill breakdown". This photo was taken before we got the bad news. The Blue Moon's awning is visible in the background. The big guy near the awning did not take it well. He drove from Jersey solely for the Blue Moon's famous Cap'n Crunch french toast.

 

 

Our next best alternative breakfast in Baltimore:

 

 

 

The Broadway Diner is relatively near the port, and worth a visit. Here are a couple of items we enjoyed

 

Western omlette burrito: 5* out of 5

 

Cheese blintzs also 5*/5. This stuff looked so good I took pictures.

[cantwait06]

Yay, another Pride review! Keep it coming, I love reviews!

 

BTW, that first picture is absolutely amazing! Beautiful work!

 

Thanks Mark!

[markmogil]

It's just as close as it looks, google map it: Baltimore Cruise Terminal.

 

 

Parking was $115 for the week for our minivan, which coincidentally is a Honda Odyssey like the one pictured. My pre-cruise research lead me to believe that parking would cost $65 for the week. I was wrong.

 

 

Embarkation was easy, and fairly quick. We parked at 12:00, and were on board by 1:40. In between:

 

Nondescript gangway blue tarp tunnel.

 

 

Parking lot people, here's your photo of the day:

 

 

 

 

 

The Port of Baltimore baggage handling is straight forward. Cars are queued up next to the baggage carts in the photo; porters load your bags from vehicle into the carts; tip and go. You are directed to self park stadium lot style.

 

I'm running out of editorial energy, so let's resort to bare photo posting for awhile. (I get sick of listening to myself type.)

 

[markmogil]

The Normandie Dining Room

 

[markmogil]

The Taj Mahal Theater

Cabin 6330 (aft balcony)

Cabin 6317 (interior)

 

 

 

Cabin 6315 (balcony)

 

[cantwait06]

wow, really great pictures! You have talent!

 

Thanks for the info about the parking lot, we've never parked at a port before, you answered some questions for me!

[DBBJR87]

i would have to agree, great pics. cannot wait for more of the review

[markmogil]

Before I sign-off for the evening, here's a look at your reviewer(s):

 

My family

 

Our travelling companions

 

 

The requisite Carnival Pride photo of David

 

 

This was a fun cruise, from a super convenient, non-fly port for North Easterners. We had a great time and took lots of pictures. I'll post the whole lot of them, as time permits.

[cantwait06]

 

The requisite Carnival Pride photo of David

 

 

quote]

 

oh my. where is this located exactly so I can avoid the "whats that Mommy?" question from my 3 year old?

[BUSYGIRL]

Mark,

 

Was the aft balcony one of the center rooms? I will be in 6264 in Dec and curious as to any details you can provide...noise?..soot? ..balcony?... I love your review and the pictures. HOw was the weather for your family? Was it warm enough at any point on the cruise to swim?

 

Jean

[iggy's mom]

Your pictures are wonderful, especially the first one!

[MedicKen]

Great pictures, thanks. My family and I will be joining Busygirl aboard Pride in 12 short days. I know we're all excited.

 

Cantwait06, the statue is in the supper club "Davids"

 

Mark, thanks again and keep it coming. Maybe I'll be able to add to the Mark(s) reviews when we get home.

[jbrambach]

Mark,

Thanks for the wonderful pictures! I love photo reviews; as they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

BTW, too bad about Blue Moon, their b-fast is DELISH! If you are ever back in Baltimore you should try it (that makes me think, I hope they have their grill fixed by Jan:eek::D)

[vavasmom]

Your pics are great. I am looking forward to more.

 

I am sailing the Pride (our first CCL) in June just after school gets out. I love driving to the port. Baltimore is a wonderful place to sail from. Were any of your kids in the 12 - 14 age group? Did they enjoy the activities?

[scarletfan]

Great pictures! I can't wait to see more.

[Duckie26]

You are off to an awesome start with you review!!! I can't wait to read the rest! Your pictures are just great.

 

I'm sailing on the Pride in....48 days!! OMG!!! :D

[markmogil]

 

The requisite Carnival Pride photo of David

 

 

quote]

 

oh my. where is this located exactly so I can avoid the "whats that Mommy?" question from my 3 year old?

 

The real one is in Florence Italy:

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(Michelangelo)

 

But there are copies all over the world, including David's Supper Club aboard the Pride. The statue is easy to avoid, since the Supper Club is located pretty well out of the way on decks 10 & 11.

[StillPooh]

oh my. where is this located exactly so I can avoid the "whats that Mommy?" question from my 3 year old?

It's in David's, the steakhouse. While it is fairly avoidable, there are paintings of naked Rubenesque ladies everywhere, much to the delight of all little boys young and old. ;) You'll be hearing lots of giggly "Boobies!"

 

I will be in 6264 in Dec and curious as to any details you can provide...noise?..soot? ..balcony?... I love your review and the pictures. HOw was the weather for your family? Was it warm enough at any point on the cruise to swim?

We were right next door in 6262. The noise wasn't bad other than the whoosh of wake if you leave the balcony open. We wiped our chairs off with a spare towel in case of soot, but it was never bad.

 

We went nearly 2 months ago now, so I can't address what the weather will be like for you.

[markmogil]

Your pics are great. I am looking forward to more.

 

I am sailing the Pride (our first CCL) in June just after school gets out. I love driving to the port. Baltimore is a wonderful place to sail from. Were any of your kids in the 12 - 14 age group? Did they enjoy the activities?

 

Yep, we had one each 11, 13 & 14 yo's, plus an 8 yo - non of whom spent much, if any, time in the Camp Carnival activities. They were content entertaining themselves, and dining separately from the adults on a couple of evenings.

 

If you are planning for your children to participate in the camp program(s), I would note that the Camp Carnival, Arcade, and Cricle C areas on decks 4 & 5 were not so easy to get to, smallish imo; and on the one occasion we visited (registration) uncomfortably crowded and hot. We weren't relying on the camp programs for our cruise, but checked it out opportunistically. It did not appear to be good opportunity for us. Not a cruise breaker, or even a bummer, just not a good option for us.

[markmogil]

Mark,

 

Was the aft balcony one of the center rooms? I will be in 6264 in Dec and curious as to any details you can provide...noise?..soot? ..balcony?... I love your review and the pictures. HOw was the weather for your family? Was it warm enough at any point on the cruise to swim?

 

Jean

 

Jean,

 

Our companions had the aft balcony, 6330. They did not mention any noise or soot problems - and they would;). I was on thier balcony a couple of times: It was the same width, but double the depth of a standard balcony. Big enough for 4-6 people to stand, or 2-3 to sit.

 

The weather, in the first week of November, was better than I expected, bordering on perfect. Day 1, at sea was cloudy cool & breezy, 65-70. The rest of the trip was sunny and 75-85. :)Warm enough to swim every day:) except the first - even the last sea day.

[markmogil]

Night time sail out. Fast moving naturally (low) illumated subjects. Why not? Sailing under this bridge is pretty dramatic:

 

I was trying to get the exposure right - so much pressure!

 

Even my 14 yo was struck by the experience, that's him on the left facing away.

 

OK, so I took a moment to compose the situation (and photo) and voila! This one came out pretty well:

 

[cantwait06]

 

The real one is in Florence Italy:

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(Michelangelo)

 

But there are copies all over the world, including David's Supper Club aboard the Pride. The statue is easy to avoid, since the Supper Club is located pretty well out of the way on decks 10 & 11.

 

 

Hi Mark, I do know about and have seen before the original Statue of David and that there are copies all over the world, I was just hoping to avoid a "whats that mommy" moment on my cruise with my 3 year old daughter. Not exactly ready to go there yet, I'm sure you understand.

[cantwait06]

Cantwait06, the statue is in the supper club "Davids"

 

 

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate it!

[markmogil]

A quick stop to check the pool before dinner.

The water was warmer than we expected, and wet & salty as expected.

 

Dining room attire for evening 1 was the typical "we didn't get our luggage yet" dress code. Our luggage was delivered to the cabins by 4pm in plenty on time for dinner, but our companions' wasn't in the cabin until 7:30. The Pride's luggage handling was totally seamless, easy and prompt. :)

 

Detail for the detail oriented: We had tables 134 & 136, two adjoining four tops - Parents at one, kids at the other. The photo above is from open seating, where we had a big round table for 8.

 

The Phillies still had a chance at this point. The series was even: 1 game a piece. Game 3 was that evening. Tom was excited.

 

So he took this picture.

[cantwait06]

A quick stop to check the pool before dinner.

The water was warmer than we expected, and wet & salty as expected.

 

.

 

So is this a sunbathing area to the pool where the water is only a few inches deep? I love how happy everyone looks in this picture!