Review of Carnival Pride 8/19/12-8/26/12

[daisitroy]

My Review of Carnival Pride (Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Freeport):

(8/19/12-8/26/12)

(Warning long)

 

Just returned from a wonderful cruise on the Carnival Pride to Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Freeport (8/19/12-8/26/12). Very relaxing and enjoyable. Some background: This was my seventh cruise, sixth cruise with Carnival, third cruise for this Itinerary. Earlier this summer I was on another Carnival Cruise and was a little disappointed with some of the service and the food quality, so I had some reservations regarding this cruise, but I have to say my faith in Carnival has been restored. We had fabulous service throughout the week and the food was fantastic. Please note I understand reviews are subjective-one person's likes may be another person's dislikes and vice versa. This is based only on my personal experience and other passengers on the same trip may have had a different set of experiences.

 

Embarkation:

It was very easy to get to the Port of Baltimore from Central NJ. Straight shot right down 95 South. We dropped our bags off with the porters, parked the car and proceeded to the terminal. It was a little crowded and took about a half hour to clear security but once through security we checked in and were able to proceed right onto the ship.

 

Room:

I had an ocean view room on the Riveria Deck. I was a little concerned because after booking the room I realized it was right below the Beauties Dance Club (my fault for not checking the room location), but I never heard any noise the entire week while in the room. The room was always clean and the room steward was very friendly. I could never remember his name, but he always remembered my name. I don't know how they do that with all the passengers they see each week.

Towel animals at night. We left a note everyday for the ice bucket to be kept filled, which it always was. All the stewards were very friendly and always greeted us and we walked through the hallways. It was always nice to return to a clean room and at night to return to the room with the bed turned down.

 

Emergency Drill:

Seemed a little more chaotic than on previous cruises. A lot of people were not paying attention and kept talking over the staff members. It was almost 20-25 minutes long, maybe longer and it was hot, but it is a necessary part of the cruise experience.

 

Dining/Dining Room Service:

Our wait staff in the dining room was wonderful. We were a party of 6 and after the first night, they remembered we always wanted Ice Tea and who wanted lemon and who liked to have extra bread, they really went out of their way to ensure we had a great dining experience. The food quality also seemed really better on this ship than on my earlier cruise this summer, even though it was basically the same menu. Maybe it was just what I chose to order this time, although I did try some of the same foods. High marks to the cuisine on the Carnival Pride. I know as with anything this is just my opinion and others may have had a different experience.

 

Ate lunch on the sea days in the main dining room. Food was great also. Nice way to meet other people. The sandwiches in the Deli were delicious, and enjoyed the salads from the buffet. There was enough of a variety to satisfy this fussy eater! Had breakfast every morning in the buffet. Loved the omelets. Sometimes it was crowded, but we were always able to find seating and we never waited more than 10 minutes.

 

Activities/Entertainment:

There were many activities on this ship. Lots of Trivia contests, bingo, casino, etc. Pool and the waterslide. The shows were fantastic. They even did a show one day during the afternoon. My favorite show was the Motown Show with Ron Joseph. He was amazing. There were also Karaoke and comedy shows.

 

Ports/Excursions:

Port Canaveral: I did the Airboat and Alligator Tour, which I would recommend. It was so neat how the airboats glided across the marshes and we did see some alligators.

Nassau: Having been to this port before and not being a beach person, I just walked around and did some shopping. The shopping market did seem a little frenetic but it was fun. The other members of my party went snorkeling and enjoyed it.

Freeport: Just walked around the market right at the port. Some cute items.

It was always fun to see other cruise ships docked in the ports at the same time we were.

 

Weather:

We had nice weather the entire trip. It did rain a little the last night. We were ahead of the hurricane as we came back up the coast. It was a smooth sailing.

 

Behind The Fun Tour:

I did the Behind the Fun Tour the last sea day. It was a great way to view the inner workings of the ship and to see what goes on a little bit behind the scenes. We went backstage to the dressing rooms of the shows; saw the galleys, and the engine control room. It was expensive, but since I didn't do any excursions in two of the ports, I substituted this as an excursion. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the details of ship life and what happens behind the scenes.

 

Ship Decor/Layout:

I have to mention the decor of the ship. It was lavishly decorated. Reproductions of different paintings. Murals, very rich in color and artistry. There were also lots of hidden nooks around the ship for relaxation. There were places to go if one wanted to be alone or if one wanted to be part of the crowd. The Serenity Deck was a nice place to visit if one wanted a child free zone. That tended to become crowded as the day progressed. There were many different lounge areas throughout the ship.

 

Disembarkation:

I did self disembark, it was easy, although we did wait to clear customs. That is just part of traveling.

 

Cleanliness:

Overall, the ship was clean. The staff were always cleaning off the tables in the buffet area. The lounges were always clean also.

 

Staff:

Staff was courteous and friendly. After meeting them once they would always seem to remember you and nod in greeting. The staff really seemed to go out of their way to ensure everyone was having a great cruise. I had an issue with my telephone in the room, and after it had been fixed, the guest services desk called to make sure it had been taken care of; I thought that was great follow through.

 

Bottom line:

Thank you for reading this review. I know it was long. I had a wonderful time on this vessel. My faith in Carnival has been restored and I would not hesitate to sail this ship again. It is scheduled for dry dock in 2013 so I will be curious to see what changes are made.

 

I would be happy to answer specific questions to the best of my ability. Hope this review is helpful!

 

Also, it was great to meet the Cruise Critic members from our roll call on the first day. I would run into some of you on the cruise and others I didn't see again, but I hope everyone enjoyed their cruise!

 

Happy Cruising!

 

 

 

Dot:):):)

[vivavegas]

Welcome Back! Glad you had a good cruise! Thanks for taking the time to write a review and share your experiences with us!:)

[molsiesmom]

Thank you for your review... Glad to hear you had a great time!!!:)

[birdistasty]

I love seeing such positive reviews of the Pride! Makes me glad to see nothing's changed since our sailing last year :D

[KPfromCT]

We cruised on the Pride in April, and I LOVED it. I just wasn't thrilled with the "DECOR" of the ship, but by NO means, did it ruin our cruise. lol Absolutely LOVED the Pride. Welcome back! Glad you had a great time!!!:D:D

[Delta Dear]

We have not been on the Pride, but I am more and more interested in it since we live only 90 minutes from Baltimore. Thanks for your review.

[jimbo5544]

We cruised on the Pride in April, and I LOVED it. I just wasn't thrilled with the "DECOR" of the ship, but by NO means, did it ruin our cruise. lol Absolutely LOVED the Pride. Welcome back! Glad you had a great time!!!:D:D

We were on the Pride with you and it sure a great cruise. The Pride (Spirit class) is a wonderful class of ship. Might be our favorite cruise we have taken.

[nodogkisses]

Thanks for your Pride review, daisitroy. I'm glad to hear you had a good experience. Can you tell me what time you arrived at the port for embarkation? I'm cruising on the Pride in October and will also be driving in that morning. Thanks in advance.

[govgurl]

Thanks for the review. Did you have Any Time Dining, and if so, did you have to wait very long for a table?

[mousey]

We sailed on the Pride two weeks ago and had an awesome time!

 

We do this trip again too!

 

The best part was making new friends that I've stayed in touch with and who are going to come to visit us in CA in Oct.

 

The food, the service, the variety of places to eat and drink. Loved it all!

 

The staff was awesome and the comedy was funny. Would go back on the cruise in a heartbeat.

[cathyoo]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I will be on the Pride in 39 days. This will be my 3rd Pride cruise. From Philadelphia and I love the convenience of the port. I'm glad to hear the staff is still wonderful.

 

thanks again.

[sparks1093]

Thanks for the review. It is hard to believe that we are so close to sailing on her ourselves:).

[jedg22]

We'll be on the Pride on 9/16.....can't wait ! We live in S. Jersey and it only takes about 2 hours to the port. Soooo excited !!

[jeschwartz82]

thank you for your review! seeing such a positive review makes me even more excited for our upcoming cruise on her! :)

[daisitroy]

Thanks for your Pride review, daisitroy. I'm glad to hear you had a good experience. Can you tell me what time you arrived at the port for embarkation? I'm cruising on the Pride in October and will also be driving in that morning. Thanks in advance.

We arrived at the port about 11:45. Have a great trip!

Dot

[daisitroy]

Thanks for the review. Did you have Any Time Dining, and if so, did you have to wait very long for a table?

We had early seating dinner. I am not sure how the anytime dining worked. Have a great cruise.

[daisitroy]

We cruised on the Pride in April, and I LOVED it. I just wasn't thrilled with the "DECOR" of the ship, but by NO means, did it ruin our cruise. lol Absolutely LOVED the Pride. Welcome back! Glad you had a great time!!!:D:D

I must say it did take some time to get used to the "decor" of the ship. Very unexpected.

Dot

[daisitroy]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I hope all your future cruises are great also.

Dot:)

[dixieva]

Thanks for doing a review!

 

Could you tell me what time the ship got back into port after your cruise was over?

[RockstarDiva]

What a wonderful review!! Soo glad you have a great time. We leave on the Pride on Sunday...cannot wait!!!! :)

[cruise4929]

Thanks for the review. Did you have Any Time Dining, and if so, did you have to wait very long for a table?

 

We were on the same cruise and did Any Time Dining on the first elegant night and waited about 20 minutes to be seated. It was only two of us so that made a difference. The other nights we did dinner on Lido deck.

[Fuzzny]

My Dad and i were also on this cruise, as 1st time cruisers, and we are hooked! My Dad is blind and the staff was wonderful in assisting us when needed. We had anytime dining and the lines and wait did seem to get lengthly, but with other dining options, we didn't mind. Dinner at David's Steakhouse was fantastic! and the CD Kirk was great and made everyone laugh, especially during the love & marrage show!! i would recomend this cruise but its only my first so no other to compare... yet

[jimbo5544]

My Dad and i were also on this cruise, as 1st time cruisers, and we are hooked! My Dad is blind and the staff was wonderful in assisting us when needed. We had anytime dining and the lines and wait did seem to get lengthly, but with other dining options, we didn't mind. Dinner at David's Steakhouse was fantastic! and the CD Kirk was great and made everyone laugh, especially during the love & marrage show!! i would recomend this cruise but its only my first so no other to compare... yet

Congrats on your 1st post on CC. Kirk is a good guy.

[lovelife]

I'm so gad to read such a positive review and thanks for taking the time to do so. We are trying Carnival again for the first time in 20 years! Our first cruise ever was on Fantasy -- such fun.

[Mad Capn Bob]

The Pride's a easy ship to like, been on her twice so far. I've always enjoyed hanging out on the observation deck area...often I'm the only one there, and I can just imagine its me own ship. And I, for one, enjoy and appreciate the wallpaper in the "residential areas", which I find very...inspiring...