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Anyone back from the Miracle new itinerary yet???

celticd1

By celticd1,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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hazeleyez3

hazeleyez3

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I am also interested in anything about Altos de Chavon. There is no doubt we'll go there (am not a beach person). I love artsy type places so my thought is that it would be best to just explore it on our own (the Carnival excursion only gives you an hour to roam around yourself).

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matt690

matt690

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For those who have just returned:

 

-How did this cruise compare to other Carnival and non-Carnival cruises?

-How was the entertainment (production shows, comedy shows, and fly-on entertainers)?

-How was the live bands (was there a calypso duo or band, and how were they in terms of hours played and quality)?

-Any food recommendations? Anything to try or do onboard?

 

Thanks so much. Hope everyone had a great week.

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SheilaS

SheilaS

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Thanks for starting this thread, Debbie. I had forgotten that it was time for the Aruba cruises to start. :p

 

Love the pictures, tiggerman! They bring back great memories...I can barely wait until 2012 to make new memories! :D

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celticd1

celticd1

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Thanks for starting this thread, Debbie. I had forgotten that it was time for the Aruba cruises to start. :p

 

Love the pictures, tiggerman! They bring back great memories...I can barely wait until 2012 to make new memories! :D

 

Forgot??? How on Earth could you forget?? Sounds like you were busy or something lately! :p

 

I can't WAIT!!!!! :D

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celticd1

celticd1

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Hi everyone - I was on this sailing and plan to do a detailed review with lots of pics. I probably won't be able to start it until early next week though.

 

I loved the cruise - the itinerary is great.

 

I'll be watching for your review! :)

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island777girl

island777girl

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Our first time on the Miracle in two weeks, looking forward to the outside promenade for evening walks. We havent been on this class of Carnival ships before. We have done Aruba before, but rented a car and drove around the island. Someone told me the natural bridge is no longer there? Curacao is very pretty and there is a bridge that swings out thats fun to watch. We saw the school kids waiting to go over the bridge. Glad to see that everyone thinks the Miracle is a great ship.....

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UpstateCruizer

UpstateCruizer

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We just returned from this cruise as well. I can share what our experiences were on each of the ports but based on what I've read so far it seems to vary quite a bit. Please understand these are my opinions based on my preferences and yours may be different.

 

Grand Turk~ We've been there in the past and love Margaritaville. Quick and easy walk from the ship with a small shopping area before entering Margaritaville. Based on reading so much about Jack's Shack we decided to venture down the beach in the early afternoon. It was quite a walk in the heat but doable. We were expecting something more like Tom's Paradise Beach bar in Cozumel so we weren't impressed and decided to head back up to the ship. I did see several people using laptops so I'm betting there was internet access there.

 

Dominican Republic~ there was a TA in our group that researched Dreams Resort and arranged a driver to take us and pick us up. When we left the ship we headed out of the port to meet the driver. We had no problems walking out of the port and were not stopped or questioned. The ride to Dreams was less than 30 minutes. We were greeted at Dreams with a glass of champagne while paying for our day passes. A day pass is $60 and was payable at check in. This included unlimited drinks, use of the resorts towels, facilities and all non-motor activities as well as food. It was a gorgeous resort and we enjoyed our time there. They offered various activities on the beach which some of the group took part in. I was so happy we were able to experience this. The rates for taxis in this port were quite varied from the people I had spoken to after returning on board. Our cost for the driver was $20 each which was negiotated from a much higher rate. Many people reported that they had spent $35 per person and hourly rates on top of that. We also spoke to a couple on the elevator that hired a taxi driver for $35 each for the entire day for a private tour.

 

Aruba~ After exiting the port we grabbed a taxi with another couple and headed to the Amsterdam on Eagle Beach. The taxi was $13 and that covered as many people as you could fit in the van. The beach was gorgeous, water calm and the people were so friendly. We rented 2 chairs and a palapa for $20 total. There was a bar called Passions with great drink and food right on the beach. They also had bathrooms which were right near the bar. Some of the other resorts required you to walk back across the street to the resort for bathrooms. Late in the afternoon they started setting tables up on the beach near the water for sunset dining. It looked very romantic with torches and flowing table cloths. We grabbed the bus back to the port for $2.50 total cost for 2 of us. Many of the shops had started closing just as we got back. There was an outdoor shopping area that someone called a swap meet with typical tourist items. We purchased t-shirts there for $4 each. Great deals~!

 

Curacao~ I had read that you can head out of the port area and walk a couple blocks to Holiday Beach. Several vendors encouraged us to get a taxi saying it was a long walk. We decided to venture out and walk it. Along the way it got really HOT out and we saw lots of iguanas strolling across the walkways. Poor dh does NOT like them in the least so he had decided we'd be taking a taxi back to the port. We made it to the beach after passing through the lobby of the resort. I have no idea what the resorts name was but it's located right behind Denny's. There was a casino there as well. We found a couple loungers under a palpaya. At that point we did not see any other cruise ship passengers. There's an outdoor bar along with a resturant and a bbq buffet. We ordered a Margarita and a local beer. Our american dollar is equal to $1.80 in the local currency. Prices were cheap at this place with a Margarita being $5 something after a 15% tip that's automatically added in. Dh got whatever the beer for the day was in a bottle for $1.85 which included tip too. Food prices on the BBQ were great. For $4 you could get bbq chicken and fries, or a burger and fries ect. Really tasty too! We talked to the gal taking the money at the bar and was told they love having us (cruisers) spending the day at their resort. We'd love to go back and spend more time there. The conceirge called us a taxi and waited outside with us to make sure the taxi arrived and that we were taken care of. $6 got us a ride in a taxi that looked like something you may have driven as your first car. Door parts were missing and various ornaments were glued to the dashboard. It was comical but a reminder of how spoiled we are here. Our table mates at dinner had ventured out to walk on their own as well. They ended up crossing the bridge and finding endless shopping stores. Someone at the shops told them to take a bus to Mambo beach. The bus ended up looking like a van taxi with air and very nice interior. The cost was just a little over $1 each from the shopping area to the beach. We were laughing about our taxi ride vs their bus ride.

This itinerary was perfect for us and provided us with the lazy beach days we so badly needed on this cruise. We'd book this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

 

For the person who asked about entertainment on the ship...the comedians were awesome. Hal Spears was the funniest comedian I've ever seen on a ship. The comedy shows are a must see for us and we enjoyed them. Phat Kat and Jerry Godspeed were repeats for us but still enjoyed them.

 

The Phantom theater shows were good as well. Malcom's silent skit is one of my favorites. Music Unlimited was awesome in the various areas they played.

 

Here's the part that was most disappointing on this cruise (keep in mind we sailed this same ship the same week last year)......the other entertainment was "sleepy" at best. A guitar player rotated in various locations but never seemed to draw much of a crowd. There were two piano players who played in the atrium and Jeeves lounge but neither were notable. The piano bar was dead every time we went in and the player was very good but lacked the ability to draw the crowd into his act. Karoakee on this cruise was the worst in 8 cruises. The first night was dominated by obnoxious drunks who were vulgar and making poor attempts at rapping. Karaokee was shuffled in various locations during this cruise and poorly attended. The Legends show was still auditioning the night before the show.

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dec2007w3boys

dec2007w3boys

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We just returned from this cruise as well. I can share what our experiences were on each of the ports but based on what I've read so far it seems to vary quite a bit. Please understand these are my opinions based on my preferences and yours may be different.

 

Grand Turk~ We've been there in the past and love Margaritaville. Quick and easy walk from the ship with a small shopping area before entering Margaritaville. Based on reading so much about Jack's Shack we decided to venture down the beach in the early afternoon. It was quite a walk in the heat but doable. We were expecting something more like Tom's Paradise Beach bar in Cozumel so we weren't impressed and decided to head back up to the ship. I did see several people using laptops so I'm betting there was internet access there.

 

Dominican Republic~ there was a TA in our group that researched Dreams Resort and arranged a driver to take us and pick us up. When we left the ship we headed out of the port to meet the driver. We had no problems walking out of the port and were not stopped or questioned. The ride to Dreams was less than 30 minutes. We were greeted at Dreams with a glass of champagne while paying for our day passes. A day pass is $60 and was payable at check in. This included unlimited drinks, use of the resorts towels, facilities and all non-motor activities as well as food. It was a gorgeous resort and we enjoyed our time there. They offered various activities on the beach which some of the group took part in. I was so happy we were able to experience this. The rates for taxis in this port were quite varied from the people I had spoken to after returning on board. Our cost for the driver was $20 each which was negiotated from a much higher rate. Many people reported that they had spent $35 per person and hourly rates on top of that. We also spoke to a couple on the elevator that hired a taxi driver for $35 each for the entire day for a private tour.

 

Aruba~ After exiting the port we grabbed a taxi with another couple and headed to the Amsterdam on Eagle Beach. The taxi was $13 and that covered as many people as you could fit in the van. The beach was gorgeous, water calm and the people were so friendly. We rented 2 chairs and a palapa for $20 total. There was a bar called Passions with great drink and food right on the beach. They also had bathrooms which were right near the bar. Some of the other resorts required you to walk back across the street to the resort for bathrooms. Late in the afternoon they started setting tables up on the beach near the water for sunset dining. It looked very romantic with torches and flowing table cloths. We grabbed the bus back to the port for $2.50 total cost for 2 of us. Many of the shops had started closing just as we got back. There was an outdoor shopping area that someone called a swap meet with typical tourist items. We purchased t-shirts there for $4 each. Great deals~!

 

Curacao~ I had read that you can head out of the port area and walk a couple blocks to Holiday Beach. Several vendors encouraged us to get a taxi saying it was a long walk. We decided to venture out and walk it. Along the way it got really HOT out and we saw lots of iguanas strolling across the walkways. Poor dh does NOT like them in the least so he had decided we'd be taking a taxi back to the port. We made it to the beach after passing through the lobby of the resort. I have no idea what the resorts name was but it's located right behind Denny's. There was a casino there as well. We found a couple loungers under a palpaya. At that point we did not see any other cruise ship passengers. There's an outdoor bar along with a resturant and a bbq buffet. We ordered a Margarita and a local beer. Our american dollar is equal to $1.80 in the local currency. Prices were cheap at this place with a Margarita being $5 something after a 15% tip that's automatically added in. Dh got whatever the beer for the day was in a bottle for $1.85 which included tip too. Food prices on the BBQ were great. For $4 you could get bbq chicken and fries, or a burger and fries ect. Really tasty too! We talked to the gal taking the money at the bar and was told they love having us (cruisers) spending the day at their resort. We'd love to go back and spend more time there. The conceirge called us a taxi and waited outside with us to make sure the taxi arrived and that we were taken care of. $6 got us a ride in a taxi that looked like something you may have driven as your first car. Door parts were missing and various ornaments were glued to the dashboard. It was comical but a reminder of how spoiled we are here. Our table mates at dinner had ventured out to walk on their own as well. They ended up crossing the bridge and finding endless shopping stores. Someone at the shops told them to take a bus to Mambo beach. The bus ended up looking like a van taxi with air and very nice interior. The cost was just a little over $1 each from the shopping area to the beach. We were laughing about our taxi ride vs their bus ride.

This itinerary was perfect for us and provided us with the lazy beach days we so badly needed on this cruise. We'd book this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

 

For the person who asked about entertainment on the ship...the comedians were awesome. Hal Spears was the funniest comedian I've ever seen on a ship. The comedy shows are a must see for us and we enjoyed them. Phat Kat and Jerry Godspeed were repeats for us but still enjoyed them.

 

The Phantom theater shows were good as well. Malcom's silent skit is one of my favorites. Music Unlimited was awesome in the various areas they played.

 

Here's the part that was most disappointing on this cruise (keep in mind we sailed this same ship the same week last year)......the other entertainment was "sleepy" at best. A guitar player rotated in various locations but never seemed to draw much of a crowd. There were two piano players who played in the atrium and Jeeves lounge but neither were notable. The piano bar was dead every time we went in and the player was very good but lacked the ability to draw the crowd into his act. Karoakee on this cruise was the worst in 8 cruises. The first night was dominated by obnoxious drunks who were vulgar and making poor attempts at rapping. Karaokee was shuffled in various locations during this cruise and poorly attended. The Legends show was still auditioning the night before the show.

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of info I am looking for. I will copy/paste a few of these into my calendar plans for the week!

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AngelKappie

AngelKappie

Posted
Posted
We just returned from this cruise as well. I can share what our experiences were on each of the ports but based on what I've read so far it seems to vary quite a bit. Please understand these are my opinions based on my preferences and yours may be different.

 

Grand Turk~ We've been there in the past and love Margaritaville. Quick and easy walk from the ship with a small shopping area before entering Margaritaville. Based on reading so much about Jack's Shack we decided to venture down the beach in the early afternoon. It was quite a walk in the heat but doable. We were expecting something more like Tom's Paradise Beach bar in Cozumel so we weren't impressed and decided to head back up to the ship. I did see several people using laptops so I'm betting there was internet access there.

 

Dominican Republic~ there was a TA in our group that researched Dreams Resort and arranged a driver to take us and pick us up. When we left the ship we headed out of the port to meet the driver. We had no problems walking out of the port and were not stopped or questioned. The ride to Dreams was less than 30 minutes. We were greeted at Dreams with a glass of champagne while paying for our day passes. A day pass is $60 and was payable at check in. This included unlimited drinks, use of the resorts towels, facilities and all non-motor activities as well as food. It was a gorgeous resort and we enjoyed our time there. They offered various activities on the beach which some of the group took part in. I was so happy we were able to experience this. The rates for taxis in this port were quite varied from the people I had spoken to after returning on board. Our cost for the driver was $20 each which was negiotated from a much higher rate. Many people reported that they had spent $35 per person and hourly rates on top of that. We also spoke to a couple on the elevator that hired a taxi driver for $35 each for the entire day for a private tour.

 

Aruba~ After exiting the port we grabbed a taxi with another couple and headed to the Amsterdam on Eagle Beach. The taxi was $13 and that covered as many people as you could fit in the van. The beach was gorgeous, water calm and the people were so friendly. We rented 2 chairs and a palapa for $20 total. There was a bar called Passions with great drink and food right on the beach. They also had bathrooms which were right near the bar. Some of the other resorts required you to walk back across the street to the resort for bathrooms. Late in the afternoon they started setting tables up on the beach near the water for sunset dining. It looked very romantic with torches and flowing table cloths. We grabbed the bus back to the port for $2.50 total cost for 2 of us. Many of the shops had started closing just as we got back. There was an outdoor shopping area that someone called a swap meet with typical tourist items. We purchased t-shirts there for $4 each. Great deals~!

 

Curacao~ I had read that you can head out of the port area and walk a couple blocks to Holiday Beach. Several vendors encouraged us to get a taxi saying it was a long walk. We decided to venture out and walk it. Along the way it got really HOT out and we saw lots of iguanas strolling across the walkways. Poor dh does NOT like them in the least so he had decided we'd be taking a taxi back to the port. We made it to the beach after passing through the lobby of the resort. I have no idea what the resorts name was but it's located right behind Denny's. There was a casino there as well. We found a couple loungers under a palpaya. At that point we did not see any other cruise ship passengers. There's an outdoor bar along with a resturant and a bbq buffet. We ordered a Margarita and a local beer. Our american dollar is equal to $1.80 in the local currency. Prices were cheap at this place with a Margarita being $5 something after a 15% tip that's automatically added in. Dh got whatever the beer for the day was in a bottle for $1.85 which included tip too. Food prices on the BBQ were great. For $4 you could get bbq chicken and fries, or a burger and fries ect. Really tasty too! We talked to the gal taking the money at the bar and was told they love having us (cruisers) spending the day at their resort. We'd love to go back and spend more time there. The conceirge called us a taxi and waited outside with us to make sure the taxi arrived and that we were taken care of. $6 got us a ride in a taxi that looked like something you may have driven as your first car. Door parts were missing and various ornaments were glued to the dashboard. It was comical but a reminder of how spoiled we are here. Our table mates at dinner had ventured out to walk on their own as well. They ended up crossing the bridge and finding endless shopping stores. Someone at the shops told them to take a bus to Mambo beach. The bus ended up looking like a van taxi with air and very nice interior. The cost was just a little over $1 each from the shopping area to the beach. We were laughing about our taxi ride vs their bus ride.

This itinerary was perfect for us and provided us with the lazy beach days we so badly needed on this cruise. We'd book this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

 

For the person who asked about entertainment on the ship...the comedians were awesome. Hal Spears was the funniest comedian I've ever seen on a ship. The comedy shows are a must see for us and we enjoyed them. Phat Kat and Jerry Godspeed were repeats for us but still enjoyed them.

 

The Phantom theater shows were good as well. Malcom's silent skit is one of my favorites. Music Unlimited was awesome in the various areas they played.

 

Here's the part that was most disappointing on this cruise (keep in mind we sailed this same ship the same week last year)......the other entertainment was "sleepy" at best. A guitar player rotated in various locations but never seemed to draw much of a crowd. There were two piano players who played in the atrium and Jeeves lounge but neither were notable. The piano bar was dead every time we went in and the player was very good but lacked the ability to draw the crowd into his act. Karoakee on this cruise was the worst in 8 cruises. The first night was dominated by obnoxious drunks who were vulgar and making poor attempts at rapping. Karaokee was shuffled in various locations during this cruise and poorly attended. The Legends show was still auditioning the night before the show.

 

 

Thank you so much for your review!!!! ;)

Helps a lot!!!

We might end up at Dreams Resort, sounds nice! Don't really want to spend that much money, BUT sounds much better than the beach break though Carnival!!!!

 

I see you are from Upstate NY! We are too!!!!! :D

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UpstateCruizer

UpstateCruizer

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When does he do this skit?

 

 

It varies on each sailing. One of our comedians wasn't able to join the ship as he had been stuck on the Destiny with their purpulsion issues. They had to cancel one of the 9:45 shows so Malcom did his skit right after Jerry Godspeed's performance. He did the skit after the early show and again for the late show. When you see him on board ask him when he is planning on doing it. He's my favorite cruise director and the most approachable, funny and entertaining CD we've sailed with so far :) Enjoy your cruise.

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UpstateCruizer

UpstateCruizer

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Thank you so much for your review!!!! ;)

Helps a lot!!!

We might end up at Dreams Resort, sounds nice! Don't really want to spend that much money, BUT sounds much better than the beach break though Carnival!!!!

 

I see you are from Upstate NY! We are too!!!!! :D

 

The Dreams resort is well worth it. The drinks are great and they have several bar servers that are strolling the beach ready to serve you. There were 2 walk up bars as well so getting a drink was never an issue. We had lunch at one of the resturants and was impressed with service and quality. I had been on the fence about the Carnival excursion and didn't like the limited time at the beach. If you plan on going to Dreams you can get there by 10 am and stay til 3:30pm and still have plenty of time to be back on the ship early.

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USA41018

USA41018

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I, too, just returned from this cruise. It was amazing. So different from any cruise to date. Really interesting the welcome back activities at the pier in both Aruba and Curacao. We booked our excursions through Carnival and looking at the reviews here, we didn't do too bad on price and everything was included.

 

La Romano, we booked the Bayahibe Beach Break. A great day at the beach with all inclusive drinks, pool and beach (towel, lounge chair and umbrella). Transportation both ways.

 

Aruba, Jolly Pirates which was fantastic. A sail on a schooner and stops at 3 snorkling sights. Open bar. Very interesting crew who mingled and talked with the guests. Finally the ride back to the ship as the sun was setting was so much fun. An open bus with music blaring driving through the hotel, casino area. It was awesome. I would recommend this to everyone.

 

Curacao, Cas Abou Beach Break. Cas Abou is a natural beach on the west side of the island. Open air bus and a 45 minute ride to the beach included alot of interesting narrative on the island and it's history. The beach was on par with Half Moon Cay as it was crystal blue water. The only difference was the rocky bottom. Snorkling was amazing. I had never seen so many fish congregated in one area. The bus guide was amazing and knew her stuff. 2 hours at the beach and then another 45 minute ride back on a different road with narrative. We absolutely loved this excursion.

 

I guess you could explore on your own, we usually do this, but the Carnival excursions are so good, why not go for them. We did and felt we got alot for our money.

 

Any questions?

 

I will be doing a review.

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AngelKappie

AngelKappie

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If anyone has Fun Times they can scan and post someplace you will have my unending gratitude! :D

 

Andrew someone posted earlier today or last night can't remember under Carnival thread! The only down fall is they posted on Webshots! Don't like looking at pictures on Webshots! SOOOOOOO much advertising on there! :(

 

Looked interesting though!!!!

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