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Bullet style review, Miracle 7/1-7/9/12

asylum575

By asylum575,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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asylum575

asylum575

Posted
Posted

OK,

Let me try something new. Let's see how this work. I will list my thoughts in one liners, maybe two. If anyone one wants more specifics, post away.

I will post a full review in the member's review section within a week.

 

Please be forwarned, that some comments are sarcastic. Sorry, can't help myself.

 

Embarkation

1- Parking is $35/day at the port, we had a service take us and pick us up for $200 complete, fare, tax, tolls and tip.

2- We got there about 11am and were in group 4. We got through the check-in process within 10 minutes, but did not board until 12am.

3- Lunch is only served on the Lido deck #9. We prefer sit down breakfast and lunch, more on that later.

4- Safety drill is at muster stations without life jackets.

 

Food

1- Although the buffet stations on the lido deck moved along reasonably, I felt as though variety was limited.

2- The stations were as follows:

a- Pizza Pirate- Mediocre pizza and strange calzones without ricotta cheese and smothered in oil and pesto. I am originally from Brooklyn, so pizza is serious business.

b- Salad bar- It was OK, I hit it twice. C'mon, we don't cruise to eat salad.

c- Sandwich station- Pleasant surprise. The following were available:

Pastrami or corned beef, roast beef, ham and cheese, grilled cheese, salmon with cream cheese on a bagel(I'm from Brooklyn, so I'll give them an A for effort), Portabello and Mozzarella. You had a choice of rye, white, wheat, focacia, baguette and bagel. Everything will be heated in a sandwich grill unless you specify not to. Overall I thought it was good. You have to give them a little leeway as some of us New Yorkers are spoiled by our delis. Yellow Heinz mustard does not belong on an adult's sandwich( sorry, Brooklyn talking)

d- Daily specials- Nothing special

e- Asian cuisine- Changed everyday, OK. Once again I'm from NY.

f- Poolside- Burger(very good), Hotdogs(didn't try, once again, Brooklyn), Chicken tenders(very good), shoestring fries( they went quick, so they were normally hot), fixins included sauteed onions, sauteed mushrooms, chili for dogs, Nachos( shaped like a nacho, tasted like those noodles you dip in duck sauce, wierd), melted cheese for alleged nachos and slaw, potato/macaroni salad.

3- Dining room service was fair-good. Great guys, but from what I was able to get out of them is staff was reduced. One waiter gets two assistants, but more tables.

4- Dinners were good, that's it. I found it difficult to choose as nothing jumped out. Maybe after 15 cruises, I'm not impressed.

5- Breakfast was served in the dining rooms on two port days and the last day(disembarkation). Lunch was never served in the dining room(big disappointment)

6- Comedy Brunch- The brunch starts at 9am and the comedians come on at 10am and again on the hours. Get there at 9am and you will be done before the three minute show at 10am. What a joke. Personally, I think some beancounter determined this was more cost effective than serving three meals in the dining rooms.

7- The brunch menu was more breakfast, HOWEVER, you have got to try the steak and eggs(tenderloin), eggcellent. The chocolate chip pancakes covered in rich chocolate could cause a non-diabetic some health issues. We're talking death by chocolate. If I could pair those pancakes with the famous chocolate melting cake at dinner, I would not be writing this.

8- The chocolate buffet was on the last sea day from 12pm to 3pm. Really, In the middle of the day. Enough said.

I am a food lover, not a sweets guy. Overall the food experience was OK. Probably ranking 14 or 15 out of 15. Maybe, I just don't get that wow factor.

Entertainment-

1- Didn't catch much. We caught about three of the family friendly comedy shows. Same guys from brunch. Their shows were about 30-40 minutes.

2- If anyone has an opportunity to catch the hypnotist, I think his name was Assad. His show was great, he tries to hypnotize about twenty passengers and it works on about ten. Then he figures out which ones he can control the best and the games begin. Very, very funny.

3- Production shows were OK, nothing great

Ports

The weather was great everyday, around 85 degrees while we watched the news of the record heatwave that hit the country.

San Juan-

We walked over to El Morro and had some tropical ices on the way back. We experienced the daily late afternoon rainfall on the way back, so we rushed and missed alot.

St Thomas-

We did a little window shopping off the ship then caught a tour van for a 2 1/2 tour. We were with DS8 and DD4. No shopping in town.

Grand Turk-

Beach day

Disembarkation-

1- You have to clear the room by 8:15am.

2- Breakfast was served in the dining room from 7-9am(yeah)

3- We had zone 18, we got off at about 10:15

4- Roughly two hours of waiting,

5- The actual process takes about 6 minutes, the rest is waiting.

 

 

Well,

 

This review format may end up being bust.

 

We'll see.

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Jimmy Geegitz

Jimmy Geegitz

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1. New York Pizza..OK Nothing to write home about. Chicago better.

2. New York Hot Dogs...pretty much suck, Chicago blows them out of the water.

3. Asian? Ok New York wins that one.

4. Steak? No contest Texas, Chicago, Kansa City. New York not even in the top 100.

5.Salmon on Bagels.. New York hands down. I mean thats where the jewish people are right?

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mrmet1986

mrmet1986

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1. New York Pizza..OK Nothing to write home about. Chicago better.

2. New York Hot Dogs...pretty much suck, Chicago blows them out of the water.

3. Asian? Ok New York wins that one.

4. Steak? No contest Texas, Chicago, Kansa City. New York not even in the top 100.

5.Salmon on Bagels.. New York hands down. I mean thats where the jewish people are right?

 

peter lugers in brooklyn is the best steak in the country. thats fact

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asylum575

asylum575

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Sorry about it being wordy. I tried to give enough info but not too long.

 

Lunch was never in the MDR. I couldn't believe it. I checked the Fun Times every day. No lunch.

 

The Brunch menu was breakfast with a flair, not a lunch. All eggs and batter breakfast variations.

 

I've never had a good hot dog on a cruise and I have given up trying them.

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MsTabbyKats

MsTabbyKats

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I liked your format....short and to the point. I generally don't care for those long detailed...minute by minute reviews....and I really don't care about pictures.

 

I'm from NYC too...I know what you mean about the deli, pizza and all of "our specialties". The Carnival versions aren't worth the calories. (We were on the Glory last Sept....and there was a 30 minute wait for the Mongolian Wok. Only a fellow New Yorker would understand why I was scratching my head over that.)

 

I was on the Miracle in May...and I agree about the brunch. From an entertainment point of view....there was no point to it.

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MOMofONE

MOMofONE

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sailing Miracle in September so your review is much appreciated.

I too am surprised lunch is NOT available in MDR. My boyfriend is a 1st time cruiser and I extolled the benefits of this for sea days...you know a romantic cruise together...sleeping late...when we finally come up for air...enjoying a table for two after skipping breakfast. ;)

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crusinpsychRN

crusinpsychRN

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Sorry about it being wordy. I tried to give enough info but not too long.

 

Lunch was never in the MDR. I couldn't believe it. I checked the Fun Times every day. No lunch.

 

The Brunch menu was breakfast with a flair, not a lunch. All eggs and batter breakfast variations.

 

I've never had a good hot dog on a cruise and I have given up trying them.

 

That brunch thing is not my idea of an improvement at all. I agree about the hot dogs. Yuck!

 

Loved your bullet style. Thanks.

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cv322

cv322

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I loved your format...well done!

 

As a New Yorker I totally agree with your assessment of certain food items (pizza, hot dogs, & mustard too...for heaven's sake!). While on my April Miracle cruise I had to ask the sandwich-making guy to please put more sauerkraut on my Reuben! 4 or 5 strands of sauerkraut just doesn't cut it!

 

And I totally agree about the Comedy Brunch...while the food was fine (breakfast-wise) the "show" was an incredible waste.

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djwood24

djwood24

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we were on in May....didn`t try the brunch...

But we did have lunch served....on non sea days...lol...no lunch on port days...so yes no lunch is served at all in MDR...sounds like we agree that it was cost cutting

 

 

I agree with your review....being from NY we can be quite critical of Pizza and Sandwiches

 

Great review

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asylum575

asylum575

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NY may not have invented it, but the New York/New Jersey area is where most immigrants landed for over 100 years at Ellis Island. These immigrants brought their delicacies ashore and introduced them to America. So, the NY area may not have invented some foods, but they were introduced here.

Don't get me wrong, I've had crappy Italian Food in Little Italy and poor Chinese food in China town.

 

The truth of it is, NYC has some of the best tap water in the country, maybe the best. The water is what makes certain food so good. There are places in the Jersey shore and as far as Florida that will ship NYC water to make pizza dough and bagels.

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asylum575

asylum575

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act as if they invented or perfected everything.[even crime..LOL]....slow down not every Pizza in NY is award winning or every Deli........I have family in Ny and am married to a New Yorker!

 

Real NY delis are just about extinct. I'm talking about the Old style Jewish delis with pickles and slaw served before you even order.

Italian style delis or Salumerias are where you can still get a good sandwich on good bread. They are starting to run scarce as well.

There are delis on every corner run by Carribean, Middle Eastern and Asian immigrants. Some are very good, most are marginal.

 

BTW, any more cruise questions.

The lack of three meals in the MDR was the biggest disappointment.

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MsTabbyKats

MsTabbyKats

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I loved your format...well done!

 

As a New Yorker I totally agree with your assessment of certain food items (pizza, hot dogs, & mustard too...for heaven's sake!). While on my April Miracle cruise I had to ask the sandwich-making guy to please put more sauerkraut on my Reuben! 4 or 5 strands of sauerkraut just doesn't cut it!

 

And I totally agree about the Comedy Brunch...while the food was fine (breakfast-wise) the "show" was an incredible waste.

 

Just be happy he didn't put mayo on it!

 

Here's what deli food is supposed to be like:

http://www.2ndavedeli.com/wp-content/uploads/menus/dine-in.pdf

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