Give me Your Legend Reviews-PLEASE

[Andoria]

I cruise in one month, 8 days and I NEED to read more reviews. Please post one. If you aren't a good writer, I don't care. If you take lousy pictures, I don't care. Just tell me about your experience!

[Surfwench]

I cruise in one month, 8 days and I NEED to read more reviews. Please post one. If you aren't a good writer, I don't care. If you take lousy pictures, I don't care. Just tell me about your experience!

 

Just Returned from Legend 7 Day Exotic Western Caribbean

Had a fabulous time. Wanted to share some thoughts, insights, observations that I think may help other cruisers.

 

Embarkation: No haters please; we live in Tampa so day of sailing we slept in a bit, had a leisurely breakfast, then drove to Channelside. We used Premiere Parking for $5.00 a day including shuttle service to and from the port. The parking lot was surrounded on all sides by office buildings so appeared to be relatively safe. We tipped both the parking lot attendant and the gentleman who drove the shuttle.

 

The embarkation process was very smooth. I had assumed electronic check in the night before was sufficient time to set up the sail and sign account, but it was not yet ready by the time we arrived. You should do the electronic check in at least a few days prior. No problem really since our Carnival representative went ahead and set it up for us there... approximately 10 minutes.

 

Our carry on bags were x-rayed. We had one rolling bag that held a 12 pack of bottled water, a 6 pack of diet coke, and a 4 pack of Red Bull. No security personnel stopped us or examined our drinks. Nor were they checking any of the other passengers. Total time from parking to making our way to the Lido for our first Drink Special of the Day.... under an hour.

 

Ship: The Legend decor is faux-Neoclassical and totally over the top. There is not a single surface that does not have ornate decoration. I thought it was fun, hubby thought it was gaudy. The ship is super clean, well maintained, no funny smells. It is also beautifully laid out. You can walk from forward to aft on all decks. We never experienced problems with crowding or lines. By the end of the cruise hubby and I both agreed we would take that ship and itinerary again in a heart beat.

 

Room: We had an aft-extended balcony on the 5th deck. The room itself was tastefully decorated, and in spotless condition. The bathroom had no faint, funny smell I've experienced on other boats, (Sensation, Fantasy, Something of the Seas). There was ample storage in both the cabin and the bathroom. Our TV was an old CRT, but we didn't care. We needed extra hangers and extra pillows which our steward promptly provided. We had a couch with a table. The balcony was heaven itself. The deck chairs were adjustable so you could lay back and put your feet up on the little table and make a lounge for sun bathing. We took a bungee cord and held the door open while we were in cabin.... there is a little sign that says the AC turns off while the door is open, but that was not our experience. We only glimpsed our neighbors if we both were standing at the rail, otherwise quite private. Neighbors above or below us seldom visible unless they too were at the rail. Sometimes, not always, there would be a fine coat of ashes on the chairs and railing in the morning. We used a towel to wipe down. Once, during a medi-vac, (more on this later), a beer bottle landed on our balcony from what I believe was helicopter wash not from a passenger. The location was ideal as it gave us quick access to Serenity Deck, Truffles Restaurant, and Unicorn Cafe. The location was VERY quiet. No outside passenger noise penetrated at all. There was a low vibration we found very soothing from the engines. The movement of the cabin was only slightly greater than at mid-ship. We were very lucky in our neighbors... they kept their balcony lights off and did not make much noise at all... the occasional door slam was the only indication anyone was there at all. One neighbor smoked ... the only reason I know this is because I'd see him at the railing when I was there. The smoke smell never crossed over to our balcony. My husband enjoyed a couple late night cigars... no one ever complained of us either. By the end of the cruise we considered ourselves aft balcony snobs.

 

Chogs: There was some chair hogging but not as much as we feared. The first time we visited Serenity we snagged a clamshell from a couple who was leaving. The last sea day we were able to secure a hammock which we used all afternoon. If nothing was available we sat at the bar and waited or sat on the edge of the pool and visited with other guests.

 

Passenger Mix: Ideal time to cruise if you wish to avoid college kids, teens or smaller munchkins. Do not believe we saw 20 kids. Ran into lots of honeymooners and retired folks.

 

Shows and Entertainment: Kirk was our cruise director. Very personable and funny. The music revue singers and dancers were pretty good and the production values were solid. Those shows were definitely rated PG... the dancers who wore thongs also wore thick dancing tights beneath so nothing was visible. The dancers weren't explicitly suggestive or anything, good clean entertainment. The comedians were as funny as the singers were talented.... good middle of the road stuff. The comedians were adult-oriented.... not appropriate for kids and they are quite upfront about that too before the show. The highlight of the cruise entertainment was a singer named Marcus Anthony.... awesome voice that sang anything from Motown to Country and everything in between. He really involved the audience and was hilarious to boot. I dubbed him the black Wayne Newton... do not miss Mr. Entertainment if he appears on your cruise. Comedy shows fill up fast so you need to be early to get a seat. If you sit up in the 2nd deck the drink servers don't harass you to order.

 

Dining: We were assigned early dining and found that was too too early because a number of our excursions did not get us back until after 5. Plus, there seems to be a seating shift in the main dining room.... far more booths than large tables now. Our first cruise we sat at a large table with 4 other couples... nice mix and very enjoyable. This time we were seated at a booth for 2 couples. Our fellow diners were lovely, lovely people but the enforced intimacy with strangers we found awkward. Next time we will request any time dining. Truffles restaurant is gorgeous... the decor is based on a famous china pattern. Our wait staff was attentive and efficient, no complaints. We ate the bulk of our meals, (including dinners) in the Unicorn Cafe. There were no lines, the food was piping hot, and we could grab a table by a window and enjoy the view.

 

Food: Do not order the Eggs Benedict. It is not as labeled. This was Micky D's version of EB. There was no tomato, no Hollandaise sauce. There was no escargot available. The salad bar in the Unicorn was outstandingly fresh. The pizza was not New York style, more of a Chicago style hybrid. The Chopsticks station was good, as was the Deli. Every morning they offered Bangers and Veg. The scrambled eggs were fluffy steamer table style eggs which being a business travelers I've come to enjoy. We had no trouble with food temperature, everything appropriately hot and cold. The desserts... well, they were numerous, rich, and yummy. Many, many healthy choices available on both the MDR and Unicorn menus. I loved the different fish offered, Tilapia, Corvina, Basa. More fusion type cuisine offered with Asian, Caribbean, and Indian dishes.

 

Chef's Table: Culinary highlight of our cruise. Met in the lobby bar and was escorted to the galley, (appetizer and pastry side), for champagne, appetizers and to meet the chef. That place is a machine! They prepare 9,000 meals a day, a truly amazing feat. The chef shared he ordered $250,000.00 worth of food each cruise.... and they buy in bulk amounts, the retail total would be closer to $750,000.00! Chef also demonstrated making their famous melting chocolate cake. The floor is slippery and uneven, please wear sensible shoes. The actual dinner was served on the disco floor of the Medusa Lair club. Awesome setting for a memorable dinner. The chef introduced all 7 courses and answered questions. We had the new menu which had some molecular gastronomy elements... tomato foam, and caviar made from parm cheese and balsamic vinegar... stuff I wouldn't ordinarily get to sample. One warning, do not eat the brioche. It is baked in a little clay flower pot and served with a topknot of roasted garlic. It is so rich and filling... I hit the appetite wall before the dinner finished and could only half finish my Wagyu beef dish. Those dishes are small, but they fill you up fast. If I had not eaten the bread I would have been fine. Also the wine server visits each diner with both red and white vintages... I misunderstood her when she asked me which I preferred. I thought I had to choose. In reality you can have both which is ideal as they have poultry, fish, shellfish, beef and game bird on the menu. I rate this dinner A+ and a steal at $75.00 per person. The chef presented us with a complimentary photo of our table at the end.

 

Serious Stuff: Buy Travel Insurance. This is the first cruise we did, (finally growing up after 50 years). My father in law was diagnosed with a serious illness 4 weeks prior to sailing.... we were grateful we didn't need to worry about our expenses while dealing with Dad's illness. Unfortunately, he passed peacefully just a few days after his initial hospitalization. Had the timeline been a little different we would not have sailed. You need the insurance for all the events you cannot predict, control, or foresee.

 

Travel insurance also covers medical evacuation expenses too! Our first day at sea around 11:00 am the Captain made an announcement over the PA system that a passenger had a medical condition requiring immediate evacuation and transport to a hospital. A Coast Guard helicopter was on it's way and the rescue would happen on the Serenity deck. We were asked to leave Serenity at once. I hate to report this, it really pains me, but I overheard a passenger complaining to a ship's officer that the forced evacuation was, and I quote, "ruining his vacation." I have a hard time believing such monumentally selfish and self-absorbed people exist. If you are reading this, "shame, shame on you!" The ship made a quick 180 and headed back at top speed towards Florida. About an hour later the Coast Guard helicopter showed up. I hate to admit it, but we watched the whole rescue from our aft balcony. We could clearly see the rescuers, feel the prop wash. The professionalism and bravery of the Coast Guard brought a little tear to my eyes. We all cheered and clapped when the rescue guy ascended the cable for the last time and flew off towards the hospital.

 

If you are traveling far from the ship, book your excursion through Carnival. We were 45 minutes past sail time returning from our excursion to Tulum. If we had not booked through Carnival they surely would not have held the boat! How wonderful it was to stroll along the pier while our fellow cruisers lined the decks and balconies yelling at us to hurry!

 

Cozumel: We opted for the Carnival sponsored excursion to Tulum. The ferry ride over to the mainland might be challenging to anyone sensitive to sea sickness. If you are make certain you are well medicated prior to leaving. The bus ride went very quickly because we were lucky enough to have "Juan, your Mexican Tour Guide" as he called himself. He was part Mayan and very passionate about his heritage so the bus ride and tour was like an extended lecture from a talented professor. His knowledge was encyclopedic. Tulum was built in the most idyllic setting imaginable, one of the best ruins tours ever. I'm from Florida, but the humidity at Tulum had me sweating and uncomfortable. There is a fair amount of walking, quite a few stairs, some steep. A couple of people had a rough time of it. At the end of the tour we had lunch at Mr. Frosty's Mexican restaurant. We ordered two bottled beers and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were covered with fresh produce .... but they looked so good we went ahead and ate them.... no problems. The rustic hand made salsa is outstanding with lots and lots of heat. We spooned that on our tacos and had a feast. The vendors were aggressive, but I've found if I close my eyes, shake my head, and wave them off with my hand they leave me alone. We tipped Juan, of course, also the bus driver, and the ferry operator.

 

Belize: We took the Zip lining and Crystal Cave Tubing excursion. Belize is a very poor country, the people are very poor in things, but not in spirit. The first sight to greet us when we drove through the city was groups of school children in neat uniforms. Our tour guide David Martinez informed us proudly that Belize has a 93% literacy rate. The people of Belize feel that education is the best way to lift their economy and improve their future. The cruise terminal is located next to the better part of town. When you leave the gates turn right towards the lighthouse. After viewing the city from the bus, I would not hesitate to travel on foot. I wouldn't wear jewelry, or look the part of the rich American, but every ordinary Belizean we met was open, friendly, and shy-proud of their struggling country.

 

The excursion by Chukka Tours was very professionally run. The equipment was in good shape, and the guides were very safety conscious. The difficulty level was harder than indicated. There were a series of very steep stairs to climb at substantial heights and paths to walk in the caves that had slippery pebbles. You need to be in pretty good shape. I started walking 2.5 to 3 miles a day in preparation for this trip.... I should have been climbing stairs instead! The tour itself is in an incredible jungle setting in the mountains of Belize. The caves were kept in darkness unlike cavern tours in the US. That was much more dramatic, you felt like you were back in Mayan times. After the tour we had dos cervezas mas fria por favor plus very tasty rice with red beans, plantanos and chicken. Some of the best tour food I've ever had. They are spiced with coconut, curry and other caribbean spices and are very good. We tried the national wine, Cashew wine. It is actually quite good, but it is not a wine at all.... more like a sherry. It would make an excellent apertif before dinner. They rent lockers and water shoes for $1.00 and $4.00. There is no need to schlep special shoes if you don't wish. We tipped our zip lining and cave guides, (there is a box at the office for that), our tour guide David Martinez, and our bus driver.

 

Mahogany Bay: Heaven on earth. We took the ski lift ride to appreciate the view. We reserved a clamshell with snorkel equipment and had a very enjoyable day that flew by. The best snorkeling is off the pier to your left as you face the bay. Swim straight out from the end of the pier a few hundred yards and you will run into a minor reef with lots of colorful fish. There is a mild current, nothing to worry about if you are a competent swimmer. I understand there is the occasional crocodile in the mangroves so we steered clear of the shore. We had a frosty drink from Fat Tuesday and a cheeseburger in paradise for lunch. Next time we want to explore the island, but felt we needed a day of rest mid-week this time. We tipped the gentleman who took us to our clamshell, plus the drink and food servers.

 

Grand Cayman: Scuba Diving! This has always been on hubby's bucket list so we signed up for the beginning scuba lesson through Carnival. The dive center is only a few blocks from the port, but they do provide bus transportation if you don't wish to walk. Our trainers were safety first and quite informative. They weren't just conducting an excursion but were obviously trying to communicate their love of the sport to us. If you are a competent swimmer and not prone to panic attacks or claustrophobia you will be fine. The only physically challenging part was walking with my full gear out to the end of the pier.... that stuff is HEAVY... close to 70 lbs. I turned myself upside down in the water so my weights fell out of my pockets and I was experiencing bouyancy problems, but my guide took me by the hand and pulled me down about 35 feet into this beautiful reef. We were broken down into very small groups, only 3 or 4 of us in a group so we received a lot of individualized attention. We had such a good time we are exploring the possibility of going through PADI training here at home. I highly recommend this tour. We tipped our dive guide. There are lockers available for a small rental fee.

 

Miscellaneous: Saw only one tux on elegant night.... suits predominated. The ladies wore everything from cocktail dresses to mother-of-the-bride formals. The drink of the day was replaced by the Daily Drink Special. They were served in the tall plastic hurricane glasses. On our last Sea Day they had the Funnel glasses available for drink specials too. The piano bar is a lot of fun... I'd never do Karaoke, but I'll sing along with a group. Port vendors much more willing to take credit cards now when compared to our last cruise in 2005.

 

What We Did Wrong: Over packed. Took sufficient cash, but only brought $20's. As you can tell from my review, all the times I mentioned tipping, needed many many more singles, five's and tens.

 

Summation: When is our next cruise? I want to thank all the posters who freely offered good advice on this board. It really helped to enhance our cruise. I'm happy to return the favor in a small way.:)

[jules1121]

Been on the Legend twice and its my favorite ship though I don't have any actual written reviews at hand to share. If you do a search on here there are a ton of them though.

 

Have a great time. :)

[jobell]

I have a review at the link in my signature and also a more indepth review at my blog (also in link). We were on the Legend a year ago and loved it.

 

Enjoy!

[cbMcruiser]

I cruise in one month, 8 days and I NEED to read more reviews. Please post one. If you aren't a good writer, I don't care. If you take lousy pictures, I don't care. Just tell me about your experience!

 

This was my first cruise on this Class of ship and I thoroughly enjoyed it! We went to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman. The group was our two grandchildren (11 & 15), our daughter and her husband. Went in January 2012, weather was great! Sat on the beach in Cozumel at an all inclusive. Went ashore at Belize and just walked around the fenced in area. Went to a nautre park in Roatan and to a Turtle Farm in Cayman.

 

Our grandson has minor CP but had no issues geting around with his walker or wheel chair. Everyone was VERY accommodating and understanding. People got OFF elevators to allow him on. It was great.

 

I loved the setup on the Lido deck. Plenty of seating, some with shade. One side of the ship was smoking. We got the "G Man" to take care of us and he did a great job. Look him up, he is wonderful.

 

Great cruise, Carol & I are thinking about doing it again this January by ourselves!

[Andoria]

Surfwench, you surpassed my expectations! Thank you for the review!

[Andoria]

This was my first cruise on this Class of ship and I thoroughly enjoyed it! We went to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman. The group was our two grandchildren (11 & 15), our daughter and her husband. Went in January 2012, weather was great! Sat on the beach in Cozumel at an all inclusive. Went ashore at Belize and just walked around the fenced in area. Went to a nautre park in Roatan and to a Turtle Farm in Cayman.

 

Our grandson has minor CP but had no issues geting around with his walker or wheel chair. Everyone was VERY accommodating and understanding. People got OFF elevators to allow him on. It was great.

 

I loved the setup on the Lido deck. Plenty of seating, some with shade. One side of the ship was smoking. We got the "G Man" to take care of us and he did a great job. Look him up, he is wonderful.

 

Great cruise, Carol & I are thinking about doing it again this January by ourselves!

 

Thanks for the review! You just went recently? Were there other teens on board. I'll be cruising with my almost 14 year old and he's afraid he'll be the only teen.

[Andoria]

I have a review at the link in my signature and also a more indepth review at my blog (also in link). We were on the Legend a year ago and loved it.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

I believe I've read all the amazing reviews of the Legend on CC. I was hoping to get the posters that are intimated about writing a review.

[cbMcruiser]

Thanks for the review! You just went recently? Were there other teens on board. I'll be cruising with my almost 14 year old and he's afraid he'll be the only teen.

 

We went January 2012, there were some teens on. They had enough for the various "kids programs." There are a decent amount of people home schooling their kids (my wife home schools our grandson) so that there seems to be kids on every cruise no matter the time of year. Our grandson (15) is disabled and spent a lot of time in his room, however he did go on all the excursions and to dinner every night in the MDR. Our grand daughter was 10 at the time and she "hooked up" with a group of 7 other girls and had the time of her life. They all cried the last day as they thought about going their separate ways.

[cincycruisincouple]

You're more than welcome to read my review if you like. It was last year but I can't imagine that much has changed since then.