Miracle review 3/27-4/3

[lahoban]

We are a family of five. We are in our fourties and our kids our teenagers. We usually go to Disney World or just to florida for vacation. This was our first cruise. We had the time of our lives. It was one of the best vacation's we ever had.

 

Embarkation- We got there at 10:30 and there was a line. It moved rather quickly and we waited about 45 min. for our turn to get on the ship. No hassels here.

 

Ship- We loved it. There was so much to do. My kids found friends and were alway's busy. We ate dinner together every night and sometimes they wanted to see a show with us also. We loved the spa and gym. We used it everyday. The steam room is so relaxing. We were alway's able to find a chair by the pool. Everyone that worked on the ship alway's said hello or had a kind word to say. We were very impressed by this.

 

Room's- 7158/7160. We had extended balconies and loved them. Every morning we would order room service and go out there, have coffee and watch the other ships come into port. All I can say is wonderful! The room and bath were plenty big enough. Alot bigger then we thought they would be. We never heard any of the balcony door's slaming like other people have reported. The room seemed really quiet to us.

 

Dinning- We had early seating and liked that. Yes we had to rush some to get there but my husband and kids loved to have snacks later in the evening. If we had later seating they would not be hungry. Someone reported that the dinning room food was like a "friday's" chain or similar. We did not find that to be the case. We eat out alot. Sometimes at very nice resturants and we thought the food was great. Way above a "friday's". We ate all our breakfast's in the dinning room. Food was good, very quiet and a great way to start your day. Horatio's had so many choices. We could alway's find something to eat. Let me tell you we never went hungry.

 

Waiters- We got very, very lucky and got Jerome and Dieutuste. They were wonderful! They went above and beyond any thing we could have imagined. Carnival has two gem's here. I hope they know it.

 

Grand Cayman- We went to the Marriott Courtyard Hotel. The snorkeling was not very good. It looked like the reef was almost dead. Rented some chairs and cabana's. We stayed till about 1:30 and wanted to get back to the boat to eat lunch.

 

Costa Maya- We went on the Jungle Beach Break. Very nice beach. It was beautiful. It took us about 30 min. to get there. my husband and boy's snorkled. They said it was better than the Cayman's. The drinks were very watered down. If you go, your going for the beach not the drinks. When we got back to the peir we were very glad we went because it was very loud and kind of crazy at the little plaza. Our little beach felt a million miles away.

 

Cozumel- My husband and Boy's went to Dzul Ha to snorkle. They had a great time. Saw lot's of fish. It was about 4 min. away in a cab. They rented some vest's and bought some cokes. They also got a locker. Then they were able to use one of the tables there. They showed them where to go in, very easy. After about an 1 1/2 alot of the excusion boats showed up. They stayed a little longer and went back to the boat. My daughter and I went shopping all morning. We had lot's of fun. We went back to the boat to meet the guy's for lunch. Then we went back out and went to Senior Frogs two piers over. That was fun also.

 

Belize- We took the River wallace/ Altun Ha excusion. It was way to long. The boat ride was two hours and then we stopped at a craft market. They had something to eat but we didn't. We waited there 1-15 min. Then the bus came. The driver got out and went to eat. It was another 30 min. Then it was another 30 min drive to the ruins. This part we liked. We wish we had done just the ruins. The guides were great though. You could tell that they loved their country and it showed. They were very informative.

 

Debarkation- We went down and had breakfast in the dinning room. Then went to get our things from the room and got in line. It was not to bad.

 

Thoughts- I used Ginger Travel and I will use it again. The seas were very rough the last day and I just got quesy. I get very sea sick and this worked. My husband got sea sick and he did not take any thing. We could alway's find a chair. Pack your suit case and take 1/2 out. I mean it! You do not need all those clothe's. I wish I had listened to my own advice. Next time we will not get off at every port. Relaxing on a beach chair on the ship is just as nice.

 

Thank you cruise critic for all the advice. Hello to all my new cruise critic friends. It was nice to meet and see everyone. Thank you Carnival for a terrific trip. We enjoyed cruiseing so much we'll be back.

 

I would be glad to answer any questions.

[swiss]

Wow, If I did not know better, your family sounds just like ours in everything you like. We are a family of 5 cruising on the Miracle in June (3 teens,2 boys and a girl). We are members of Disney Vacation Club, so we have done a lot of disney, but we also love cruising. Love the mornings on the balconies and usually use the gym every day. Your review got us excited about going. What kinds of things did the kids like about the ship? Did they go to activities to meet others? Where did you all stay precruise in Tampa? Our three kids will be in the balcony room next to us,did you think that the rooms were roomy enough for all three together?

 

Thanks for your review

 

Swiss

[Nicole721]

Thanks for the review! We leave in a month and eleven days I think (LOL!) and we're just absolutely psyched :)

 

We're booked on the Jungle Beach excurision in Costa Maya so I'm glad to hear it's a nice beach :) Do you remember if there were any hairbraiders there?

[lahoban]

swiss, the room seemed big enough. I had to make them try and keep there stuff in order though. That helped. They went to the first meet and greet and it took a couple of day's and they were all paired up with friends. They spent the whole week together. They all seemed to like going to the shows or comedy acts and then to the disco. Then they would just hang out at Horastio's and eat. There are so many port's that they really only saw the other kids in the evening. we were so busy doing excursions in the day time.

 

You will love the gym. I would go there in the morning on sea day's and work out then use the steam room and shower's. They are wonderful. And on port day's I'd go in the evening.

 

We stayed at my dad's in Fort Meyer's so we did not need a hotel. I think you will love the ship we did.

 

Nicole721, yes there were hair braiders. Do not remember prices though. They also have people doing massages. My daughter got one. It was 30.00 for a half hour. She loved it. They have plenty of chairs. Food also. Lot's of people were eating around us but we didn't. I worried about getting sick from the pina coladas but was fine. It was just a very relaxing day.

 

If you want to see our pictures send me and email. lahoban@yahoo.com

[kjunea]

Thanks for the wonderful review! I can't wait to go! It will be my husbands first cruise, so I am so excited for him! I hope he enjoys it as much as you all did!

 

June

[01Sweetpea]

Great review. We are going on the 7/3 Miracle and really looking forward to it.

 

We have booked the Altun Ha/River Wallace tour. Can you give me more info on it? Was it just the long boat ride you didn't like? How much time did you get at the ruins & were you able to climb any?

 

Thanks!

[serene56]

Climbing the ruins--oh mi gawd.. it was awesome. even though it seemed we were all ready to lay down and breath. Scarey coming back down.

http://community.webshots.com/album/281692440wjZLtD

 

are you doing this excursion from the cruise lines or a private vendor>?

[01Sweetpea]

Climbing the ruins--oh mi gawd.. it was awesome. even though it seemed we were all ready to lay down and breath. Scarey coming back down.

http://community.webshots.com/album/281692440wjZLtD

 

are you doing this excursion from the cruise lines or a private vendor>?

 

Serene - We booked thru Carnival. Belize is one of those ports with very limited time due to DST, so I felt more comfortable booking thru the ship.

 

I loved you pictures, can't wait to go.

 

Where do you see Jon & the boys? My sister & I went last year, she won tickets from a radio station and we go to GO ON STAGE!!! We were able to stay there while they sang 3 songs. My DH called it the groupie corral.

 

And now I'm going to sound like a teenager (which I am FAR from) ... While we were on stage... Jon came over to our side, and we got to TOUCH him! He shook our hands, smiled with those AMAZING blue eyes, he is more good looking in person that he is on TV.

 

I have some great pictures form the concert (we snuck the camera in), but don't know how to post them.

[serene56]

Where do you see Jon & the boys? I have some great pictures form the concert (we snuck the camera in), but don't know how to post them.

 

 

We have season tickets to the Philluy soul arena football. He is a part owner of the team--so he performs a free concert. (see him almsot every week hiding up in the press box too--lol

 

For our excursion we used- http://belizecruiseexcursions.com/ Picke dus up at the pier and had us back for an hour of shopping before we eneded to get back on the tender. Altun Ha ruins were impressive. But the carnival people came and went when we were there. Seemed we spend more time at the ruins then the cruise ship people. Had a wonderful guide too who knew his stuff. Carnival only dropped you off and you were on your own. Going in July- take misquito spray.

[01Sweetpea]

Thanks for the mosquito spray tip - I'll be sure to put it on my packing list.

[kjunea]

Hey Serene,

 

What time did your tour leave to go to Altun Ha? We are booked with them also, but I just changed the time to 7:00 AM Belize time as opposed to 8:00 AM. I'm hoping I don't have a trouble getting a tender to the Tourist village at that time, because the ship is 2 hours ahead of Land time when we go.

 

June

[serene56]

By reading these boards lately I can only imagine the mess those time changes are gonna cause.

Who did you book your tour with?

You are arriving in Belize at 7:30 (5:30 am port time) tender takes abuot a 20 minute very fast ride into the port. nothing at all like grand cayman.

 

If you are using belize cruise excurions they will wait for you at the pier for your excursion. Our tour picked us up at 8:30 port time which was 9:30 ship time- we were only one hour behind island time when we went.

 

belize cruise excuriosn web site has a wonderful instant chat with the vendors. and I spend countless hours on the computer with them until I understood what was going on.

[kjunea]

By reading these boards lately I can only imagine the mess those time changes are gonna cause.

Who did you book your tour with?

You are arriving in Belize at 7:30 (5:30 am port time) tender takes abuot a 20 minute very fast ride into the port. nothing at all like grand cayman.

 

If you are using belize cruise excurions they will wait for you at the pier for your excursion. Our tour picked us up at 8:30 port time which was 9:30 ship time- we were only one hour behind island time when we went.

 

belize cruise excuriosn web site has a wonderful instant chat with the vendors. and I spend countless hours on the computer with them until I understood what was going on.

 

We are booked with the same company. I had originally booked for the 8:00 AM departure (10 AM ship time), but have since gotten a little leery about that and am now scheduled an hour earlier at 7:00 AM (9:00 AM ship time).

 

I am more worried here than GC about the time difference, since at least with GC you don't tender in far and I know there have been a lot of lines lately waiting for tenders (We are with Capt Bryan on the 3 hour snorkel/stingray). And I can see the ships from practically anywhere on GC! Tendering in that far out at Belize is a little scary, but I didn't want to do the Wallace river boat ride (or pay those prices!!) by booking it with Carnival.

 

June

[serene56]

June: I would say not to worry- THe tour companies that you are using are very aware of times that you have to be back to the tender- they dont need bad reviews which could kill their business. (1 bad review can go a lot way further then 9 good ones) Using the tour people we were back to the tender with 1 hour to spare- plus we stopped somewhere along the way to have a quick bite to eat-- chicken with rice and beans for 5 bucks.. awesome.

[kjunea]

Thanks Serene! I'm still going with the changed time anyway. I feel like if we miss the early time, we could probably still make the later time and still get back, just with no "looking/shopping" time. Or as my husband says, I have to touch half of the things in the store!

 

June

[serene56]

Talk to the people using the online site. I'd hate to see you head on over there and wait for an hour before they show up- DId they say that they could do your time earlier then what was set?

[kjunea]

Talk to the people using the online site. I'd hate to see you head on over there and wait for an hour before they show up- DId they say that they could do your time earlier then what was set?

 

Yes, they said they had an earlier time and they have switched me to it. It might be that these are people from another ship (can't remember how many are in port with us that day!). Belize Cruise Excursions has sent me another confirmation and everything!

 

Now I just know the weather won't cooperate and we won't be able to stop there! After all I've been through!

 

Thanks for caring Serene! You are awesome!

 

June

[lahoban]

01Sweetpea, We did not get that much time at the ruins. Maybe an hour. My husband and my kids got to climb one. I stayed back and took pictures. It was a carnival tour. The ruins were the best part of the tour. My family loved climbing them.

 

Here is why we did not like it. We live on a lake so traveling on the water for 2 hours was nothing new to us. We saw one iguana,one monkey, a couple of dolhins and that was it. It was just long and boring to us. Then we had to wait so long at that craft village. It was hot and we just wanted to get to the ruins. Then we had to wait on that bus for thirty more minute's while the driver went in and ate. It was very hot on the bus. Then it was another thirty min. drive to get to the ruins. Once we were there we walked around for an hour and had to drive another fourty five min. back to town. It was just to long with nothing to see. Then you have to tender back to the ship. We were really tired when we got back.

 

We did see other small tours there and they looked fine. I was just worried there and booked the Carnival tour.

 

When the ship left I think I saw the little island they take you snorkling to. It looked awsome. Next time we will do that. It was just to long off the boat. Serene is right about the tenders. They are pretty quick. Theres lot's of them. Nothing like Grand Cayman. That was a mess!

[kimberlys]

Hi Le Ann,

Great review! Can you believe just a few short weeks ago we were on the Miracle? It seems a lot longer than that! I'm glad you and your family enjoyed yourselves. I e-mailed you a few days ago to see how you were doing. It was so hard to get out of that vacation mode and go back to work.

It was great meeting everyone from the boards.

Kim

[Cruzenbabe2]

I was just wondering if the ship had a basketball court? We were on the Spirit last year and it didn't have a court.

 

This was a bummer for my son who is 14 and likes to play basketball. I know the Miracle is one of Carnivals newer Spirit Class ships. Just wondering if it had a basketball court.

 

Also was the slide open?

[01Sweetpea]

01Sweetpea, We did not get that much time at the ruins. Maybe an hour. My husband and my kids got to climb one. I stayed back and took pictures. It was a carnival tour. The ruins were the best part of the tour. My family loved climbing them.

 

Here is why we did not like it. We live on a lake so traveling on the water for 2 hours was nothing new to us. We saw one iguana,one monkey, a couple of dolhins and that was it. It was just long and boring to us. Then we had to wait so long at that craft village. It was hot and we just wanted to get to the ruins. Then we had to wait on that bus for thirty more minute's while the driver went in and ate. It was very hot on the bus. Then it was another thirty min. drive to get to the ruins. Once we were there we walked around for an hour and had to drive another fourty five min. back to town. It was just to long with nothing to see. Then you have to tender back to the ship. We were really tired when we got back.

 

We did see other small tours there and they looked fine. I was just worried there and booked the Carnival tour.

 

When the ship left I think I saw the little island they take you snorkling to. It looked awsome. Next time we will do that. It was just to long off the boat. Serene is right about the tenders. They are pretty quick. Theres lot's of them. Nothing like Grand Cayman. That was a mess!

 

Thanks for the info. Since we aren't on a lake I think (hope) the kids will enjoy the boat ride. Is it a leisurely ride or a speed boat ride?

 

I really appreciate your honest review. I'm the same way as you, worried about getting back in time. (Seems to be going on alot with this planning).

 

Thanks again!

[lahoban]

01Sweet pea, it is a speed boat but he usually goes slow. Hope this helps.

 

Kim, hello. Yes I got your email I just need to reply. I am the same as you I just can't seem to get in the swing of things yet. I've been worn out. I think 12 day's are to long to be away. I think I crossed the point of never wanting to come home. I want my waiters and my steam bath back. Talk to you soon. Le Ann

[stlrboo]

Thanks for the great review!! :) So far, most all recent reviews of the Miracle have been on the positive side, and I feel like I've already been on her. And I will, very soon!! ;)

Also enjoyed the info on the Altun Ha/River Wallace tour, as I have booked it through Carnival.

I couldn't imagine doing the 'ruins' for a long period of time with an 'iffy' back and 'fear of heights', so thought the river part would be enjoyable. We live on Lake Erie and have a boat we enjoy immensily, so look forward to the boat ride as much as the 'ruins'. Have also heard that the chicken/rice snack for $5.00 is really good at the 'craft tent', or about half way through the excursion.

Hoping we aren't tired after the excursion as we are hoping to do Nick & Nora's that evening..

1st anniversary!! :D Have heard it is definitely worth the extra $25.pp for the supper club!

Any comments or other help are appreciated..

[lahoban]

Cruzenbabe2,there is a small place to play basketball. My kids said another boy had some how broke something in the beginning of the cruise and they closed it. The slides were open some of the time.

[bandtaxi]

We enjoyed this tour. I know each individual has a different experience. We rode the boat first (I think this was the best because later in the day it was hot and we were on the bus ride back while others were on the open boat.) We saw several manatee, iguanas, crocodiles, monkeys, etc. Our guide was just very informative and had alot of passion for her people and island. The stop at the craft village was almost too quick for us. Joyce had said it would be 45 minutes, but we guessed it was 30 minutes or less. We shopped a little, got a coke, went to the bathroom and were off. We got on the bus and headed out to the ruins. This ride is bumpy on a one lane road most of the way. The ruins are awesome, but it was HOT here. Our guide had us under a tree to talk to us. . .again she had alot of passion for the indian ancestry here. We then climbed to the top, took pictures and then left. The ride back was around 45 minutes, but we were in an air conditioned bus and could relax. We loved it!