Disturbing review on the Breeze

[Blk_Amish]

What I love is that her title is about Carnival cutting corners "to save a buck".

 

Yet, she is sailing on Carnival "to save a buck".

 

Whenever people complain about Carnival cutting corners....they really should remember why they chose Carnival over any other cruise line.

 

It was a good product and not necessarily cheap for everyone. Just 6 years ago, I had one of the best family vacations on Carnival. It compared to Beaches, most know is overpriced but incredible for families. That rate 6 years ago was inline with what I paid in 2013 but a much watered experience. The cheap cut of steak is not from the cruise getting that much cheaper but the fact the extra funds are bring diverted elsewhere. Maybe to the lovely and more welcoming decor. I do appreciate the decor, easy on the eyes.

 

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Edited November 10, 2013 by Blk_Amish

[Alegeeter]

I'm just curious to know what kind of entertainment is a hypothesis. Do you sit in the theater and watch scientists work on their research and experiments? :D

 

This review sounds like a troll wrote it. I read these for pleasure, not information. Whatever you choose, you'll love, especially since you said you aren't hard to please!

[Spaniel Lover]

I also booked a cruise with RCCL on the Allure on a balcony for next year for half of what Carnival wants for a 8 day.

 

I'm going to have to call BS on this claim.

 

I just did mock bookings on Carnival and Royal Caribbean for comparable balcony cabins for early December 2014. That's typically one of the least expensive times to cruise, as demand is low.

 

The cruise on Allure Of The Seas was $100 more than the cruise on the Carnival Breeze... and the Breeze cruise was 8 days versus only 7 days on the Allure Of The Seas.

 

Also, a balcony cabin on Carnival Glory that week was over $600 cheaper than Allure Of The Seas.

 

These were balcony cabins looking out over the ocean, priced for two people.

 

A further benefit of Carnival is that I would not be nickel and dimed every time I wanted a hamburger or burrito for lunch.

 

Riding a merry-go-round or seeing people do synchronized swimming holds no appeal to me. Getting a better burger at lunch time, and not being charged extra for it... that's fantastic to me.

[MsTabbyKats]

When comparing prices you have to keep in mind people finding sales, when a cruise was booked etc......

 

Last month I did an NCL....at a great rate. At the time of booking it was just about the same as Carnival for an almost identical cruise.

 

The NCL rate went up almost immediately (for the same category) by about 50%...while Carnival's price remained the same until the end.

 

So...I could say the rates were "the same"....but most of the other people paid a lot more for NCL than they would have on Carnival.

[CarnieAddict]

I disagree with your premise that Carnival is less expensive. I just got back from an 11 day Southern - Eastern Caribbean cruise with NCL for less than Carnival is charging for a 8 day cruise. I also booked a cruise with RCCL on the Allure on a balcony for next year for half of what Carnival wants for a 8 day. I'll continue to shop. I like paying $600+ for a Ocean View balcony on the Alllure. I used to like Carnival's pricing but now they seem to be trying to make up for their incidents and all those renovations they've embarked on. No more Carnival for me until their prices are back in line with other lines.

I totally disagree with you on saying Allure is cheaper then The Breeze? I would love to get the same price on the Allure that I got on the Breeze. I priced the same regular Balcony comparable state room. I got my breeze cruise for $2750 for 2. Show me a balcony on Allure facing the water on the 9th floor no obstructed view.

[Blk_Amish]

The Allure for September is only a couple hundred dollars more than what I paid for Carnival Magic in April. Any type of military discount or past guest rate could make it the same as Carnival sailing at peak time. Of course I can't cruise in September :o

 

Not everyone enjoys the cheap rate on Carnival but not everyone pays premium for RCl. I can't wait to retire :D Any day I can book the Allure for $600, I will walk to port need be. I don't need the view, just the boat.

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Edited November 10, 2013 by Blk_Amish

[RuthlessBoss]

I'm going to have to call BS on this claim.

 

I just did mock bookings on Carnival and Royal Caribbean for comparable balcony cabins for early December 2014. That's typically one of the least expensive times to cruise, as demand is low.

 

The cruise on Allure Of The Seas was $100 more than the cruise on the Carnival Breeze... and the Breeze cruise was 8 days versus only 7 days on the Allure Of The Seas.

 

Also, a balcony cabin on Carnival Glory that week was over $600 cheaper than Allure Of The Seas.

 

These were balcony cabins looking out over the ocean, priced for two people.

 

A further benefit of Carnival is that I would not be nickel and dimed every time I wanted a hamburger or burrito for lunch.

 

Riding a merry-go-round or seeing people do synchronized swimming holds no appeal to me. Getting a better burger at lunch time, and not being charged extra for it... that's fantastic to me.

I noticed the cost thing too and questioned it. Not saying he didn't get that rate, but lets not mislead the readers here. That is not a typical rate for the balcony.

[Mysticks1]

I would think that the OP has already made a decision on their cruise since the original post was over 6 months ago. I have sailed on several different cruise lines and when researching each one I have always found those type of bad reviews. I chalk it up to someone who probably isn't happy with any cruise. I look for reviews that are well balanced and give both good points and bad. Those seem to be the "real" ones. It would be rare for everything to be perfect.

[CatlinSTJ]

I would think that the OP has already made a decision on their cruise since the original post was over 6 months ago. I have sailed on several different cruise lines and when researching each one I have always found those type of bad reviews. I chalk it up to someone who probably isn't happy with any cruise. I look for reviews that are well balanced and give both good points and bad. Those seem to be the "real" ones. It would be rare for everything to be perfect.

 

Exactly! Look for the average rating and discard the extremes - both high and low. (The outliers, if you will.). When reading what's left, look for consistent notes to identify potential items that could be issues for you. Not a lot of reviews complaining about the beds, many that do not care for the new shows, and overwhelmingly people love Guy's burgers. We saw the current shows on the Ecstasy and while not great, they weren't horrid either, but never a shortage of available entertainment.

[CarnieAddict]

I read that review and saw some valid points. But the problem is there were big errors also. The restaurant only blocks going through on Deck 3. You can get from the front to the aft on Deck 4. Also the tips are not Mandatory.

 

I think they were not happy and this colored their whole cruise. They found problems that didn't exist. I am not saying there are no problems, but those 2 do not exist. So like others have said, you have to take the reviews with a grain of salt.

 

I am interested in the beds. We will be finding out in less than 2 weeks. I have noticed on a couple of our recent cruises the beds have been firmer than they used to be. I personally didn't sleep as well on the firmer ones. But for others the firmer ones would be better.

 

Sharon

We found the bed on the glory hard. But our room sterard was great. He put four of those felt blankets under the sheets. It helped. You can request an egg shell foam but they are limited and have to ask right away for one.

[sonicbuffalo]

Please check out our review on the Breeze......and we'll be cruzing the Allure next September.....we'll do a comparison review at end of the Allure review!

[riedela]

We have been on CCL, NCL and RCL. We didn't like the Oasis because there was no places to enjoy without a mob. Moreover, the lowest open air deck was WAY too far off the water. Love the CCL Magic, Dream and the RCL Voyager class. Have fun!

[Jimmy Geegitz]

I don't think you can compare Oasis to Breeze. Tho both are nice Oasis is the largest cruise ship in the world. I'm sure it is hands down a nicer ship with a lot more options.

[Boozebabe]

I may have to agree with only giving entertainment 1 star. It was awful. We walked out of two shows in the big showroom. Singers were horrendous. The lack of Caribbean music while IN the Caribbean is absurd. BUT I would give everything else about the cruise a 4-5 stars. We have cruised the Breeze twice and will cruise her again.

 

If entertainment is really important to you then maybe a different cruise would be suitable. Otherwise its great.

[Blk_Amish]

I don't think you can compare Oasis to Breeze. Tho both are nice Oasis is the largest cruise ship in the world. I'm sure it is hands down a nicer ship with a lot more options.

 

 

One could argue if it's really a cruise ship:D:D

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Edited November 10, 2013 by Blk_Amish

[halos]

With or without that review, if your family wants to sail on Oasis or Allure, go for it! The difference between a cruise on the Breeze and one of the Oasis twins will be like night and day. It's absolutely amazing. We sailed on the Dream (Breeze's sister) and the Allure the same year, and the Dream was a nice cruise, while the Allure was a "Wow! This is amazing! Once in a lifetime" kind of cruise.

 

About the link to the review you mentioned, the poster does have some valid points but in my opinion, they are a bit exaggerated. Entertainment is definitely not as good (with more passenger participation activities and less professional entertainment) but you can still be entertained. Food selection is there (and there are still some excellent dishes) but they have cheapened out on others, so it is hit or miss. And the beds, while not as heavenly as they once were when the Comfort Bed System was introduced, are far from being rock hard.

 

Feel free to read and compare my two reviews below. Hope they help you decide.

 

I agree with your post.

Although I haven't sailed on Oasis or Allure, I can't blame the OP's friends/family for wanting to go that route, as the reviews on those ships are continuously very good and I wonder WHY the OP hesitates to try something new???????????

 

As for the review, it may be exaggerated, but like you said, the complaints in that review are not new ones and theet are valid. I share some of those same complaints, especially in the entertainment department.

Edited November 10, 2013 by halos

[halos]

When comparing prices you have to keep in mind people finding sales, when a cruise was booked etc......

 

Last month I did an NCL....at a great rate. At the time of booking it was just about the same as Carnival for an almost identical cruise.

 

The NCL rate went up almost immediately (for the same category) by about 50%...while Carnival's price remained the same until the end.

 

So...I could say the rates were "the same"....but most of the other people paid a lot more for NCL than they would have on Carnival.

Absolutely.

When booking NCL, timing is everything...meaning book early. NCL rates go up...seldom down, as time gets closer to sailing.

We never pay more for our NCL cruises than we would on CCL...we just book far out (which is how we always booked anyway)

 

Hi!

 

 

 

I have not read through all the responses yet, so I will apologize ahead of time for duplicating some things that others might point out. Here's what I see wrong with this review:

 

 

 

Carnival is "cutting corners to save money" by making the beds and sofas harder? Hmmm. How would they go about that, and how would it save them money? I wonder, how does the reviewer think they have accomplished this. Did they put boards under the formerly soft furniture? Did they throw out all the "good" furniture and buy new stuff? But...that costs money, so surely they haven't done that, because they are "cutting corners", right?

 

 

 

One of the shows was a hypothesis. Wow. That is a very new and different idea for a show. Did the CD just go up and write the hypothesis out on a whiteboard and then let the audience peruse it and come to conclusions or was there a game where everyone got to participate in proving or disproving the hypothesis?

 

 

 

The dining room menu was limited. Huh. Odd. Did they just up and throw out the "Always Available" section solely for this cruise? Because that, coupled with the numerous app and entree choices on every menu every night of every cruise makes for a pretty varied selection. What sort of menu was the reviewer hoping for? And those crazy cruise crews. Serving lunch at noon. What are they thinking?!

 

 

 

There was no evening entertainment. Oh, but that band played every night. But the reviewer didn't like the area that they played, so that means the entertainment did not exist. Oh yeah, and those nights that had no entertainment had ships singers and dancers. They don't count either, apparently.

 

 

 

Clearly, since they do not give you a towel when you get back on the ship, Carnival does not care about you. I mean, that is a clear and logical conclusion to come to based on the lack of a wet towel, right?

 

 

 

Did you notice that this reviewer had not one nice thing to say about the cruise other than that there was a lot for the kids to do? A person who wants to review their cruise fairly and accurately is bound to have some positives. A person who is a chronic Wendy Whiner with an entitlement complex is going to write a review b*tching about every single thing, including that there were no comment cards so he could b*tch on them, too. (I am sure the guest service desk attendant would have given the reviewer a card had he or she asked for one).

 

 

 

If you embark on your cruise with the expectation that you are going to have a wonderful time, chances are very, very good that you will. If you get on the ship looking for all the negatives you see in reviews, you will be missing out on all the really incredible stuff, and may set yourself up for a less than stellar time.

 

 

 

Your vacation will probably not be perfect. It's rare that anything turns out perfectly, right? But it will probably be awesome. I have read a lot of reviews (I read the dreadful ones for entertainment value) and have seen that many times people are on the exact same cruise and have completely opposite opinions reflected in their reviews. Too, many, many more people who have a negative experience will take the time to write a review than those who had a fantastic time.

 

 

 

Have a fantastic cruise, and come back and do a photo review so I can get a food porn fix, will ya?

 

 

 

OK...Breeze is a newer ship. No they did not replace soft bedding with hard bedding, they just built the ship and put bedding in that was cheaper than bedding they have on older ships. This isn't rocket science.

 

 

 

 

AS far as where the bad plays, I totally get this. On my last CCL cruise, there was ONE fabulous band. They had them play in the smallest venue on the ship,. They were the only thing worth seeing most nights, as entertainment was lacking or missing due to rough seas (yes, NO Singers and dancers) , so the majority of passengers went to hear them play and the venue was so small that passengers could not all fit in there and were spilled out in the hall area, outside the bar. So yes, I understand her point. You would think that if the CD or anyone else that mattered on the ship, noticed that the band was a big draw and the venue was too small, they would put them someplace else...but no. Every time they played, they were in that small space

 

NO plan B...I think this is one of my biggest pet peeves with CCL. They do not make adjustments according to their passenger demographic. Because this was a 15 night Hawaii cruise and the passengers were mostly older, they could have put this band in the empty-every-night disco and pulled the DJ that played nothing but hip hop to an empty room.

 

 

Yeah, CCL does not give a wet towel. Is it vital? No. But those small things make a difference and if there are a lot of small things, (which there are) they add up. So, having that cool towel is nice. Not having it isn't nice.

Edited November 10, 2013 by halos

[morganboys]

my parents are back from the ecstasy in the last couple weeks and what they have said hits that review pretty well. in five nights they only ate in the dining room twice due to poor food. only had shows on two nights. ordered room service a couple of times but never seen room service. their excursions at two of their three islands were canceled. mom says carnival never again. now was it actually as bad as she says or was it just not as good as her last three cruises were?

[dclark]

We have been on CCL, NCL and RCL. We didn't like the Oasis because there was no places to enjoy without a mob. Moreover, the lowest open air deck was WAY too far off the water. Love the CCL Magic, Dream and the RCL Voyager class. Have fun!

 

Did you actually sail on the Oasis or are you making that up? Care to define "mob"?

I was on the Allure and never saw more than maybe a dozen people in the football field size central park area.

The pool area was never crowded,I was even able to always find a chair a few feet away from the pool in the middle of the day. Think you can do that on a CCL ship? Ever seen the pool area of a Conquest class ship on a sea day in the summer? That is much more crowded than the pool deck of an Oasis class ship.

Ever been in line for the CCL "Comedy Club"? That is more crowded than anything on RCL which gives tickets because they think people rather relax and come to a show a few minutes before than arrive 45 minutes before start and stand with a few hundred other people desperate for some sort of entertainment.

[halos]

my parents are back from the ecstasy in the last couple weeks and what they have said hits that review pretty well. in five nights they only ate in the dining room twice due to poor food. only had shows on two nights. ordered room service a couple of times but never seen room service. their excursions at two of their three islands were canceled. mom says carnival never again. now was it actually as bad as she says or was it just not as good as her last three cruises were?

Sadly, they are not isolated complaints. As for your last question, Does it really matter? They lost her as a customer.Carnival set a bar and THEY no longer meet that bar. Some may try other lines and go back to CCL after deciding the other lines weren't what they wanted, but in our case we found ourselves much happier elsewhere and we know others that have as well. I also no longer recommend CCL like I used to. If I am asked about CCL, my response is usually a hesitant, "Ummm, it's OK."

 

Did you actually sail on the Oasis or are you making that up? Care to define "mob"?

 

.

 

I have yet to be on either of those ships, but I have yet to see anyone complain about crowds. Supposedly Royal ships are fabulous at making you feel like you have tons of space, so like you, I questioned that comment as well.

Edited November 10, 2013 by halos

[dclark]

 

 

I have yet to be on either of those ships, but I have yet to see anyone complain about crowds. Supposedly Royal ships are fabulous at making you feel like you have tons of space, so like you, I questioned that comment as well.

 

There are 1000's of pics of the big RCL ships on the net. Look them up and you won't see crowds of people. Look up pics of CCL lido deck and you will see a very, very crowded pool deck. On sea days, there is very little to do on a CCL ship outside of pool. The ccl cheerleaders will say stuff that have very little appeal, like sit in the library, go to the casino (ie; lose money in unregulated slot machines), or stare at the ocean (I have never seen one do that for hours and if I did, I'd think that they were contemplating jumping!)do a search on chair hogging and you'll see a lot of threads about it on CCL.

Those RCL extra's that ccl cheerleaders swear that they'll never use, help spread out the people,the kids that would normally fill up the pool are playing basketball, flowriding, rock wall climbing, skating, etc, they just are not around you. I didn't see a 3d movie on RCL, I just didn't have time. During the day, they did have a water show, promenade parade, I flo rode, was at the pool, wish I had time to zip line. Oh that's right, CCL doesn't offer any daytime shows, florider, rockwall, zipline or free 3d movie! They do over chair hog wars, who's up for that?

There is a big reason why the 8 day Breeze is 60% cheaper than the shorter 7 day Oasis around xmas- it is because RCL gives a 60% better cruise. That's what the market says, the people have voted.For entertainment, people would rather see a full production of the show "Chicago" than sit on a lounger and watch the 12 year old movie on a jumbo screen with dead pixels- imagine that!

[riclop]

Cant compare the Breeze with the Allure/oasis.

[Lady N Red]

give it a rest lady. Carnival is like southwest airlines without the safety record.

They enable you to get from here there at a price that enables you to go from

here to there. I like carnival, and all i ask is halfway decent food and to get me

there and back safely. Every cruise i go on i hear this constant litany of complaining

about this are that. Someone is taking you around, making your bed, cleaning

your bathrooms,feeding you and keeping you safe for probably less per hour than

you spend on your laitees and still you got to do the boo-hoo boogy. Cruise ships are

studies in the efficient use of space. How else do they get a small city on a confined

floating surface. I personally thank heaven when the elevators don't work cause then

i will have an opportunity to walk off some of that excess food i've been eating.

Really life is too short to be complaining that the sun's too bright. As my mother use

to say .. If that person had been at the last supper they would have been asking of

ham and eggs. With a little luck there will be one less b*%#@tcher on the boat.

 

Thank you carnival for bringing the cost of cruising down to the level that i can afford

to enjoy it.

 

Jt

 

amen

[Jabba20000]

We just returned from the Breeze and we had a great time. We did close to everything and always had a great time. It was a last minute decision but we didn't feel we settled in any way. We enjoyed everything from the dining room to the juggler to the piano bar and the karaoke too. I would recommend it to anyone that wants a fun vacation with lots to do.

[Windy56]

My husband and I cruised on the Oasis the first summer it sailed the Caribbean itinerary. It was an amazing ship with tons of activities, many of which you had to book in advance. This meant that you had to structure your days around those events. All of a sudden the carefree vibe of cruising changed for me. I was now on a schedule. Those shows that we booked, in the end, despite the obvious talent of the performers, skaters high divers, were not all that memorable.

 

I will tell you what was memorable - the musicians and they were everywhere. They performed in the bars, in the lounges, in the open areas in Central Park and boy were they amazing - from jazz ensembles, to salsa bands, to pop bands, to cello/violin duos and even a bagpiper! They weren't isolated on elevated platforms, either. I have never been exposed to so many talented musicians, in such a short period, in my entire life and I was in heaven when I was just listening to them while I enjoyed a drink or when I was dancing with my husband. I am certain that no ship offered the caliber of musical entertainment that the Oasis did and I really hope that RCCL has maintained that level.

 

Yet when it came time to book a cruise this coming winter we went for the Breeze. We could have chosen to cruise on the Oasis class again, ( I forget if it was the Allure or Oasis for February in the Caribbean), but the one thing we really, really missed was the wrap around deck. Cruising on the Oasis made you forget that you were on the water and isn't that the point of cruising - being surrounded by the sea? It felt like we were in a huge hotel during the week we sailed on the Oasis. When I did my research on the Breeze I was thrilled to see the open promenade type deck and the sleek traditional lines. It reminded me of the Sovereign of the Seas, the very first ship I cruised on, twenty years ago!

 

I think that a cruise, is like so many things in life. It is what you make of it. I am really looking forward to our B2B cruise on the Breeze in February, despite some of the not so favourable reviews!

Edited November 11, 2013 by Windy56