Carnival Breeze - 8/14/12 Trip Report with Photos!

[mikefox2hotmail.com]

Amazing pictures and an incredible review. As if we were not already excited about sailing on the Breeze next month, you really got us amped up! Thank you so much for your review. If our pictures come out nearly as good as yours, we will have more material for the wall. Thanks again!

[monakayk]

Hi, I think you may be confusing the Breeze with the Sunshine. The Destiny is undergoing a refit and will be renamed the Sunshine.

 

The Breeze is a brand new ship that only went into service in June this year. Hope you enjoy the Med next year.

 

Oh Ok....thanks for the clarification.

[Big Tiger Fan]

Thanks, Alan, for taking the time to post your in-depth report on your Carnival Breeze cruise. We are on the Breeze in less than a month and have a similar itinerary. So, your comments were both welcome and helpful--particulary on Venice which is giving me some concern. After reading your comments on transportation in Venice I now know what we need to do.

Thanks again!

[Jenna1983]

Great review! This actually makes me so excited for my European cruise next August that I've forgotten about the one in six weeks to the Caribbean. lol

[Dancingtj]

We are sailing on the Breeze on Oct. 25th. One thing that nobody has addressed is the availability of public restrooms in the ports of call and the places our excursions might take us. What was your take on that. Are there public restrooms readily available? Thanks in advance for your response to this questions.

 

Terry

[Alan M]

We are sailing on the Breeze on Oct. 25th. One thing that nobody has addressed is the availability of public restrooms in the ports of call and the places our excursions might take us. What was your take on that. Are there public restrooms readily available? Thanks in advance for your response to this questions.

 

Terry

 

It was never a problem for us, all of the major sites we visited (Uffizi, Collosseum, Pompeii, Dubrovnik Ramparts, Doge's Palace) had clean restrooms although inevitably there was often a line for the ladies room. Elsewhere we found that virtually every shop, restaurant, bar or cafe we went into had clean facilities which we were welcome to use provided we were there as customers. Even if you didn't buy anything, a small consideration was usually enough to get you in.

 

According to Rick Steves there are public restrooms in Venice for which you have to pay. We went as far as buying advance tickets (yes I know, I know) but ultimately we never found the office to pick up the tickets nor any sign of public restrooms. It was no big deal, hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

Alan

[Dancingtj]

It was never a problem for us, all of the major sites we visited (Uffizi, Collosseum, Pompeii, Dubrovnik Ramparts, Doge's Palace) had clean restrooms although inevitably there was often a line for the ladies room. Elsewhere we found that virtually every shop, restaurant, bar or cafe we went into had clean facilities which we were welcome to use provided we were there as customers. Even if you didn't buy anything, a small consideration was usually enough to get you in.

 

According to Rick Steves there are public restrooms in Venice for which you have to pay. We went as far as buying advance tickets (yes I know, I know) but ultimately we never found the office to pick up the tickets nor any sign of public restrooms. It was no big deal, hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

Alan

Thanks for the information, that is one less thing to have to worry about.

 

Terry

[bigcraig]

WOW, what a great review that was, I am going to get a second job so we can do a trip like this next year.

 

I also want to drop 100 more lbs, I have lost just over 180 lbs since 3-21-12 and the next 100 should take about a year or less(I started at 600).

 

Thanks Alan

[dolphin2012]

THANKS for all your great tips, pics, and info! I just booked the carnival sunshine for almost the same cruise next summer. we are so excited. your info will be so much help.. i appreciate your time in the great details of your trip.. im a little scared of some of the ports but i think we will make it with the help of cruise critic members like you!! you have a wonderful family..

[heatherbelle]

Thank you for writing this fab review.

 

I love all the little tips. I've saved this, just in case I get to Venice one day!

 

Update, we've booked, your pictures sold the cruise to my DH.

 

We're sailing 28/7/13 from Venice.

[Alan M]

Update, we've booked, your pictures sold the cruise to my DH.

 

We're sailing 28/7/13 from Venice.

 

Congratulations! Hope you have a great time. Here's a few more from Venice that didn't make it into the original review.

 

Leaving Venice

 

If you want good pizza, go to the places where the police buy theirs. This officer was with the water police who were way cooler and friendlier than their land-based colleagues.

 

Not the most flattering view of St Mark's but it is what it is.

 

regds,

 

Alan

Edited October 11, 2012 by Alan M
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[Dancingtj]

Alan,

 

There are several of us here on CC that are sailing the Breeze on Oct. 25th and have read on other threads that people were allowed to purchase wines and other alcohol in the ports of call and bring them back onboard and allowed to keep them, (in other words they were not taken and held til the end of the cruise like all the caribbean cruises). Can you confirm or deny this fact for me/us?

 

Thanks Terry

[iluvdoxies]

I like the decor of the Breeze in general, but the OS on the current Carnival Ships has a more luxurious and spacious feel with the mirrored walls, the marble countertops and the crown moldings. The OS on the Breeze looks just like any regular cabin except for the larger size. Definitely won't be considering an OS when and if I book my Breeze cruise.

 

Yeah, suites on CCL are nothing to write home about - try NCL !

[Alan M]

Alan,

 

There are several of us here on CC that are sailing the Breeze on Oct. 25th and have read on other threads that people were allowed to purchase wines and other alcohol in the ports of call and bring them back onboard and allowed to keep them, (in other words they were not taken and held til the end of the cruise like all the caribbean cruises). Can you confirm or deny this fact for me/us?

 

Thanks Terry

 

Terry,

 

We brought wine at Barcelona but it was within the limit so I don't really have a definitive answer for you. We did buy lemon liqueur in Capri (one liter bottle so they could hardly have missed it) and nobody said a thing. Other posters have noted that Carnival are much more relaxed about bringing alcohol on board in the Med than in the Caribbean. Also, we bought a bottle of vodka in the on-board Duty Free three days before the end and they just gave it to us, did not hold until the end. Prior to that we just paid the Bon Voyage price for alcohol in our room, still saved a lot.

 

Alan

[Dancingtj]

Terry,

 

We brought wine at Barcelona but it was within the limit so I don't really have a definitive answer for you. We did buy lemon liqueur in Capri (one liter bottle so they could hardly have missed it) and nobody said a thing. Other posters have noted that Carnival are much more relaxed about bringing alcohol on board in the Med than in the Caribbean. Also, we bought a bottle of vodka in the on-board Duty Free three days before the end and they just gave it to us, did not hold until the end. Prior to that we just paid the Bon Voyage price for alcohol in our room, still saved a lot.

 

Alan

Thanks for the info Alan.

[Cricket63]

Alan, thank you so much for sharing your family vacation!! Your review and pictures were fabulous!!!!

[OhtoRetire]

Thanks very much for the great review and pictures. We are booked on the Breeze Dec 22 and are really looking forward to it.

 

After being so inspired by your amazing pictures, I have been reading Ken Rockwell and have a few questions. Did you use a Hoya UV filter on your lense and did you do presets on your camera or was it set to Auto?

 

Thanks very much and best regards,

Don

[Shatima]

Thank you SOOOOO much. For taking time out of UR day.. To Post a Review AND pix... YOU rock...

[Alan M]

Thanks very much for the great review and pictures. We are booked on the Breeze Dec 22 and are really looking forward to it.

 

After being so inspired by your amazing pictures, I have been reading Ken Rockwell and have a few questions. Did you use a Hoya UV filter on your lense and did you do presets on your camera or was it set to Auto?

 

Thanks very much and best regards,

Don

 

I do use a UV filter but only to the extent that it is a cheap and convenient way of protecting the lens without having to keep on putting on and removing the lens cap. I dont mind scratching a $10 filter over a $1200 lens. (By the way, the Nikkor AFS 18-200mm lens absolutely transformed my camera into a device that I completely trust)

 

Most of my pictures used the Auto setting. The sunsets were all done with the "Sunset" or "Dusk" presets. Sometimes it gets a bit fiddly when I want to suppress the flash or if I want to use fill-in flash. Then I have to go to Program Mode. On vacation, I have found that there is seldom enough time to properly plan a shot, work on your composition, get the lighting right, figure out exposure, depth of field and all that stuff before the moment passes so that's why Auto mode works best for me most of the time. It's lazy I know but I take pictures for fun, not trying to be a pro.

 

Can I offer you a piece of advice? (I think Ken Rockwell may have said something similar). Take loads and loads of pictures with your camera and try all the presets. Eventually you will start to get a "feel" for what works. Mostly it will be the "Auto" setting.

 

One of these days I am going to take a proper photography course .....

 

Alan

Edited October 23, 2012 by Alan M
Spelling

[OhtoRetire]

I do use a UV filter but only to the extent that it is a cheap and convenient way of protecting the lens without having to keep on putting on and removing the lens cap. I dont mind scratching a $10 filter over a $1200 lens. (By the way, the Nikkor AFS 18-200mm lens absolutely transformed my camera into a device that I completely trust)

 

Most of my pictures used the Auto setting. The sunsets were all done with the "Sunset" or "Dusk" presets. Sometimes it gets a bit fiddly when I want to suppress the flash or if I want to use fill-in flash. Then I have to go to Program Mode. On vacation, I have found that there is seldom enough time to properly plan a shot, work on your composition, get the lighting right, figure out exposure, depth of field and all that stuff before the moment passes so that's why Auto mode works best for me most of the time. It's lazy I know but I take pictures for fun, not trying to be a pro.

 

Can I offer you a piece of advice? (I think Ken Rockwell may have said something similar). Take loads and loads of pictures with your camera and try all the presets. Eventually you will start to get a "feel" for what works. Mostly it will be the "Auto" setting.

 

One of these days I am going to take a proper photography course .....

 

Alan

 

 

Thanks very much Alan ... I still have some time before our Dec cruise for lots of practice.

[p_mori7]

OUTSTANDING review with great pics !

 

Fully agree about Eddy C & Cool Breeze Band...

 

Singer's name is Regan, from some small town in the Plains states.. Iowa I think... she's got Pipes !

 

Sigh... We were aboard on the sailing just prior to yours... So much to see, wish I could have stayed for another go around !

[DEERINH2O]

Only got to read partial here at work. subscribing for reading at home later

 

SO far its great!

 

Kathy

[hukelberry]

:D wow thanks for that intensely thorough review! I feel like I was there! you just saved me $20,000 I'm sure! ;) I am going on the breeze in November, Caribbean, not Europe, but I feel like I was just there! you have a beautiful family. thanks again!