Liberty 10-16/10-23 not my favorite!

[cbMcruiser]

This is my first post that is not in response to another posting. My wife and I sailed the Liberty out of Miami to Half Moon, St Thomas, Puerto Rico and Grand Turk. This was my 5th cruise (4 on Carnival) and Carol's 8th cruise (7 on Carnival). All in all it was my least favorite cruise.

 

We were detained from disembarking until about 5:40 pm. Don't know the reason, but unofficially the word was a Coast Guard clearance issue.

 

This was our first time to Half Moon, but we have been on the RCL island on a previous cruise. It seemed to be more confusing on the Carnival island. We decided to rent a "clam shell" to keep the sun off of us and it took me three sets of directions and walking about a mile to get to where I was supposed to go! A carnival employee told me that the rental place was back at the main entrance, then the main entrance person told me to go to the bar, then the bar person told me to go up the beach to the white shack. That was where it was, but it was quite a walk in 90 degrees!

 

St Thomas was nice, our second time there. Our excursion was cancelled because of rough seas, and that was fine with us! We like to have our safety be a priority. We were supposed to take a tour of St Johns, but they told us that it would be very uncomfortable and also very difficult to get off the tender.

 

Puerto Rico was a great stop! Our tour guide Oscar was wonderful. We took the 45 minute walking tour from the fort to the shopping district, he was very informative. I will hear his "My friends" echoing in my ears for a long time!

 

Grand Turk was also a tour in which our guide was very informative. We learned a lot about the island and its people. We went to the salt areas, the canals that were built were quite interesting to hear about. It was also very humbling to hear about mans inhumanity towards other humans!

 

Let me state that Carol and I do not go for the formal aspects of cruising. We did the first time (back in 2004), but decided that is wasn't our thing. So we do not pack formal clothes and we eat in the buffet or at the various grill/sandwich areas. Also, we do the sushi bar with a martini every night before dinner.

 

The negatives for this tour were:

 

1. An overall feeling that the crew was not on their best game. We encountered a lot of very sour people, especially in the buffet dining areas.

2. A cleaning of the balconies on the last day of the cruise that kept us from using them all day. We were on the port side of the ship and the cleaning was from 9:00 am until 1:30 pm, when the sun was on the other side. They claimed the cleaning was for our enjoyment, but it seems to me that the timing was to get it ready for the next cruise.

3. No molten chocolate cake in the buffet, EVER!

4. Very weird hours for the aft grill, it never seemed to be open!

5. We heard from several people that the MDR was having a lot of difficulties, especially in the 8:15 seating. Some people were not being served until after 10:00 pm! The prevailing opinion was that it had something to do with the anytime seating. It was a huge point of contention as several people were still talking about it on the plane ride back to Baltimore Saturday evening!

6. The over abundance of picture taking areas. By day three we decided that we would stay away from the third through fifth floors on both formal nights as it was impossible to navigate.

 

Finally, we were on a cruise that had two groups! We did not know this at the time and probably would have still gone, but it did impact the cruise. One group took areas away for their use that were favorites of ours, such as the 3rd floor bar area several nights. We always like to wrap up our nights with a drink listening to Summer Breeze or another act befreo we call it a night. The other group used the teen dance floor room on the 5th floor that was very close to the sushi bar. They were VERY loud and could not figure out how to keep the door to this room closed.

 

We will cruise again and we will cruise Carnival, but this one was just a little off from the normal great cruises.

[gone_cruisin]

I don't know if this has anything to do with your experience, but I also heard that the Splendor had a nightmare with customs and border protection for disembarktion yesterday.

[halos]

I'm sorry that your cruise was a bit disappointing for you :(

[SueG]

I was on the Liberty May of 2009 and it took forever to get on the ship that day also. I was in zone 1 and did not get on until 2:30. I have been on Half Moon Cay twice and Coco Cay (RCL Private island) once. I do not think CoCo Cay even compares. I just think HMC is so much nicer.

I have seen so many people have problems with those clam shells. Seems like they are not organized at all when it comes to helping people get those things set up. I would not have been happy walking back and forth either trying to get things in order.

[cyntil8ing]

Hi. Sorry your cruise wasn't your favorite. I felt the same way about our Valor cruise in June. It's not that it was bad, it just wasn't as great as we've come to expect.

 

But my main reason for posting was to say hi neighbor. We're just up Rt 32 in Gamber. It's always neat to see local people on these boards.

[jzygail]

 

But my main reason for posting was to say hi neighbor. We're just up Rt 32 in Gamber. It's always neat to see local people on these boards.

 

Another Marylander checking in; I'm a bit south and east of the other poster :)

[cyntil8ing]

Another Marylander checking in; I'm a bit south and east of the other poster :)

 

HoCo? I grew up and lived in Ellicott City and Columbia before moving up here.

[Handsome58]

I am in Maryland also........Cheverly right out side of DC.

[cbMcruiser]

Hi neighbor back at ya! Glad to connect with a local.

 

You know we really like leaving from Canaveral and we love the Radisson there. However, we have already been to all the ports of call several times. We also are a little concerned about the larger boat and the loss of intimacy. The crowded aisle issue concerns us. Maybe next time we will try one from Tampa. We love to go where it is already warm and where we leave and return in shorts!

[w8ing2cruz]

We were on this cruise too and had an absolute blast! It amazes me how two different people can have entirely different experiences. Such is life. Our dining room experience (early seating) was the best I have ever had in eleven cruises and I don't believe I have ever seen warm melting chocolate cake at the buffet - but then I never eat at the buffet. I thought there was plenty of shade at HMC and never considered renting a clamshell as there is not a lot of air movement in them. We had an AWESOME adventure in St. Thomas - eight of us took 'The Cat' on a snorkeling tour that was the best I've ever done. I plan on writing a review on that board soon. Segway tour in San Juan was great and Jack's Shack on Grand Turk met all our expectations. We were not affected (nor even noticed) the two groups that the OP mentions. Maybe one day in the middle of the day there was something going on in the Hot and Cool club but I wouldn't be in there that time of day anyway. All in all this was one of my better cruises - hope the OP's next cruise is better for you.

[blindrid]

I'm sorry that your cruise was a bit disappointing for you :(

 

Why? I don't think the OP was coming here for sympathy, just voicing his opinion of his cruise.

 

I was a bit curious about his excursion being cancelled due to the the tender. They don't tender to St. John's so I'm a bit confused as he was able to take the tender to St. Thomas.

[cbMcruiser]

I guess I chose the wrong words. We got a message in our mailbox (after we were already off the vessel) that the boat ride to St John's was cancelled because of rough seas. We were told that the ride over would be very bumpy and that getting off the boat could be difficult at the small pier at St John's. We did not tender at St Thomas, but docked at the pier

[cbMcruiser]

We were on this cruise too and had an absolute blast! It amazes me how two different people can have entirely different experiences. Such is life. Our dining room experience (early seating) was the best I have ever had in eleven cruises and I don't believe I have ever seen warm melting chocolate cake at the buffet - but then I never eat at the buffet. I thought there was plenty of shade at HMC and never considered renting a clamshell as there is not a lot of air movement in them. We had an AWESOME adventure in St. Thomas - eight of us took 'The Cat' on a snorkeling tour that was the best I've ever done. I plan on writing a review on that board soon. Segway tour in San Juan was great and Jack's Shack on Grand Turk met all our expectations. We were not affected (nor even noticed) the two groups that the OP mentions. Maybe one day in the middle of the day there was something going on in the Hot and Cool club but I wouldn't be in there that time of day anyway. All in all this was one of my better cruises - hope the OP's next cruise is better for you.

 

Thanks! Our prior Carnival Cruise they served the chocolate cake almost every night in the buffet. I had heard that they were cutting back, but I thought we might get it one night! We passed a lot of Segway riders during our walking tour in San Jan. Maybe we met already, but don't know it! :D

[w8ing2cruz]

Thanks! Our prior Carnival Cruise they served the chocolate cake almost every night in the buffet. I had heard that they were cutting back, but I thought we might get it one night! We passed a lot of Segway riders during our walking tour in San Jan. Maybe we met already, but don't know it! :D

 

 

Good to know in case I decide to skip the MDR some night - LOVE that warm melting chocolate cake!! We probably did pass each other - we were on the noon tour - as it was the first time I'd ever been on a seqway I was concentrating so hard I probably missed quite a bit ;)

[framerman]

Sorry things were not up to par for you............still no such thing as a bad cruise!!!!

[TortieGal]

I don't know if this has anything to do with your experience, but I also heard that the Splendor had a nightmare with customs and border protection for disembarktion yesterday.

 

Yes we did! We didn't get called until 10:30 and we were Zone 1. No idea what the problem was. Am hoping John Heald posts in his blog.

[hlb76]

We did this same cruise back in Jan. It was our first 7 day and we loved it. I am sorry to hear that it was not a special trip for you. I think we did have WCM cake on the buffet. We always had our fill in the MDR though.

 

I hope your next cruise meets your expectations more!

Happy sailing..

[nhraformula00]

The odds were in your favor that sooner or later your gonna have a bad one.Now that its over you have good times coming! The ride over to StJohns is rough when the seas are calm.Dont know why,but it just is.

[satbeachbill]

Cbmcruiser:

We were on that same cruise. I guess some people just go in with different expectations. 26 cruises so far, and this was ONE OF THE BEST. The service, entertainment, food quality, the entire staff, no over the top cruise director, drink quality, terrific CC group...............are you sure you were on the same ship?? It doesn't seem possible:rolleyes::rolleyes:........are you sure it was the Liberty last week? .......I'm glad we didn't meet up...just another grumbler.............is it what you make it bud.....we had a ball:D:D

[golfadj]

Were on the Liberty Oct 2 and had a great time and sorry you did not.

 

I would have asked for WCMC at the lido deck and you might have gotten it.

[wimsiecruise]

What a bummer that your experience on the Liberty was disappointing ! I'm going in December and hope it will be everything I ever hoped for (solo travelers pay a premium price, which makes cruising an expensive proposition, so I intend to enjoy it, willy-nilly).

 

I may not get another chance for a couple of years, so, Liberty sweetheart, here I come ! :)

[waykaylincruz]

We were also on the Liberty last week and it was one of the best cruises we have ever been on!! Never encountered the two groups on our sailing so I cannot comment on that. Also, we had early seating at dinner and never had any problems. Service was a little lack luster on the first two evenings but got better night after night from then on. Room steward was fantastic and everyone we encountered was so friendly. We commented to each (my husband and I) other that we never saw an unhappy crew member...to us that means a lot.

 

We went on this Carnival cruise and was a bit leary because I had been away from that cruiseline for about 12 years because the last one was not that great at all. But, this cruise was fabulous. When I boarded I found myself comparing everything to our favorite cruiseline so far, RCCL. But after the fist day, we were having such a wonderful time, I found myself forgetting that I was supposed to be comparing...haha!!!

 

Hopefully your future cruises will meet your expectations better. It is hard to pay lots of money for vacations and then come home feeling somewhat disappointed or not up to your expectations. That is what happened on my last Carnival cruise.

[jzygail]

HoCo? I grew up and lived in Ellicott City and Columbia before moving up here.

 

Yup. :) Technically, it's EC, but it's right on the line between EC and Columbia.

[jzygail]

I am in Maryland also........Cheverly right out side of DC.

 

I've looked at houses in Cheverly, because I work in DC--the commute would be SO much nicer! LOL. But my son and daughter-in-law live in Eldersburg and that would put me that much further from them. I'd move nearer to them, but then the commute would be longer. So I guess I'll stay where I am :D

[cbMcruiser]

Cbmcruiser:

We were on that same cruise. I guess some people just go in with different expectations. 26 cruises so far, and this was ONE OF THE BEST. The service, entertainment, food quality, the entire staff, no over the top cruise director, drink quality, terrific CC group...............are you sure you were on the same ship?? It doesn't seem possible:rolleyes::rolleyes:........are you sure it was the Liberty last week? .......I'm glad we didn't meet up...just another grumbler.............is it what you make it bud.....we had a ball:D:D

 

Again, we did enjoy ourselves for the most part, we always do! We also had a great cabin staff and steward. We loved the food and the drinks were made magnificantly! "Tommy" made the best martini's we have had in a long time! However, we are both cancer survivors and our itinerary has been adjusted to try and stay away from sun activities. We bring a travel scrabble board and books and like to sit on our balcony, the 3rd floor deck or somewhere on the 5th floor around the sushi bar! Not grumbling, just giving my opinion! Really glad that you had one of your best cruises, I look forward to our next being one of our best!