Home from the 8 day Southern Breeze.

[klfrodo]

The following is my opinion only and in no way reflects on my wifes or other group/family members perception of their experience.

My background.

Mid 50's, 11th Carnival cruise. Platinum.

 

Overall on scale of 1 - 10 7.5

Not bad, but not wowed either.

 

Check in experience.

Got to port around 12:30PM. Wife and I went to Priority check in since we're Platinum. Son and DIL went the normal route.

Wife and I walked in and found we were in line with 100 to 150 people. No seats available in the Priority area.

WHY?

As the customer,,,, not my concern. I'm sure there are valid business reasons, but as a customer,,, none of them are acceptable.

Son and DIL beat us on the ship by 1/2 hour.

Our luggage may have been tagged priority, but was not treated nor delivered as Priority

 

Once on board the ship

Things started getting better. Met the cabin steward. Let him know our needs, wants, desires. Rarely ever saw him again. Cabin always clean, ice bucket always filled, towel animals always present. He and his assistants performed great.

 

The ship herself.

First non Farcus disigned experience for us. I liked it.

Ship was clean, crew always working hard.

 

Food - and of course this is always subjective

Guy's Burgers - To die for

Mongolian Wok - good

Sea side BBQ - OK, not sure worth the wait, but should experience

Bonzi Sushie - my spelling sucks. Great service, limited menu but they do great with what they have.

Blue Iguana - OK but have to try anyway

MarketPlace Buffet - great options and variations

Steak House - Great food - pretentious service staff. (It's a US Based Steakhouse. It's not French cuisine, we're not in France, the staff is not French, stop trying to be what you're not)

The Italian joint - Just OK

MDR - Fabulous and hard working staff. Maybe working too hard and too spread out. The entire staff works very hard to please their customers. However, I don't think the Miami Corporate staff really has a clue how hard these people try to do their jobs with the resources they are given.

Food and choices were hit and miss. Overall,,, just OK.

The Maitre D' was the best I ever experienced. The entertainment was enjoyable.

 

Casino - Treated me right.

Ben in the piano bar --- holy crap. Great entertainer.

 

Fellow Passengers - This is my biggest concern if I have any. I mean REALLY? What happened to common courtesy? Some peoples mommas need to smack their kids more. Fighting and pushing for a $2 piece of jewelery, stop pushing,,, everyone will get off the ship eventually,,,, people get off the elevator first THEN you can get on the elevator.

 

Overall, had an OK time.

I think it's time for us to experience another cruiseline next time.

[Topo Gigio]

The following is my opinion only and in no way reflects on my wifes or other group/family members perception of their experience.

My background.

Mid 50's, 11th Carnival cruise. Platinum.

 

Overall on scale of 1 - 10 7.5

Not bad, but not wowed either.

 

Check in experience.

Got to port around 12:30PM. Wife and I went to Priority check in since we're Platinum. Son and DIL went the normal route.

Wife and I walked in and found we were in line with 100 to 150 people. No seats available in the Priority area.

WHY?

As the customer,,,, not my concern. I'm sure there are valid business reasons, but as a customer,,, none of them are acceptable.

Son and DIL beat us on the ship by 1/2 hour.

Our luggage may have been tagged priority, but was not treated nor delivered as Priority

 

Once on board the ship

Things started getting better. Met the cabin steward. Let him know our needs, wants, desires. Rarely ever saw him again. Cabin always clean, ice bucket always filled, towel animals always present. He and his assistants performed great.

 

The ship herself.

First non Farcus disigned experience for us. I liked it.

Ship was clean, crew always working hard.

 

Food - and of course this is always subjective

Guy's Burgers - To die for

Mongolian Wok - good

Sea side BBQ - OK, not sure worth the wait, but should experience

Bonzi Sushie - my spelling sucks. Great service, limited menu but they do great with what they have.

Blue Iguana - OK but have to try anyway

MarketPlace Buffet - great options and variations

Steak House - Great food - pretentious service staff. (It's a US Based Steakhouse. It's not French cuisine, we're not in France, the staff is not French, stop trying to be what you're not)

The Italian joint - Just OK

MDR - Fabulous and hard working staff. Maybe working too hard and too spread out. The entire staff works very hard to please their customers. However, I don't think the Miami Corporate staff really has a clue how hard these people try to do their jobs with the resources they are given.

Food and choices were hit and miss. Overall,,, just OK.

The Maitre D' was the best I ever experienced. The entertainment was enjoyable.

 

Casino - Treated me right.

Ben in the piano bar --- holy crap. Great entertainer.

 

Fellow Passengers - This is my biggest concern if I have any. I mean REALLY? What happened to common courtesy? Some peoples mommas need to smack their kids more. Fighting and pushing for a $2 piece of jewelery, stop pushing,,, everyone will get off the ship eventually,,,, people get off the elevator first THEN you can get on the elevator.

 

Overall, had an OK time.

I think it's time for us to experience another cruiseline next time.

 

I was on the Sept 8th sailing and pretty much agree with what you said...pretty much! For me the Lido Market Place was so so..and I didn't hit the MDR so can't comment on that. Me too after 2 carnival cruises I'm so ready to go on another cruise lines.

[AmberTeka]

I was on the Sept 8th sailing and pretty much agree with what you said...pretty much! For me the Lido Market Place was so so..and I didn't hit the MDR so can't comment on that. Me too after 2 carnival cruises I'm so ready to go on another cruise lines.

 

They need to move the majority of their ships Out of South Florida.

 

Already Jacksonville and Port Canaveral have much bigger occupancy rates than those in S. Florida. During most of the year...the beaches are as nice...sea is as warm.....and when the few months it is too cold for us to swim............Folks from Up North seem to be not affected. Less crowded. Less expensive.

 

Our disembartation on the Breeze tops yours. Sept 22,2013. It was a madhouse. Not only did we get a full lounge for the Priority boarded...we had seats outside and were darn lucky to get a seat there.

 

Getting off..........we were told to be in the Sapphire MDR at 7. We were. So was about 100 FTTF and HUNDREDS of self assist passengers...........flooding into the same room. Some were toting or pushing or shoving suitcases as big as twin bed mattresses. ( Pink , too) I cannot imagine how they got them down the escalator. They were getting off. We were not.

then after about 30 minutes someone came in and said priority had to get off. Well self assist did not take that well. They kept coming in..got right in line..and I was almost pushed down on the escalator. I was terrified. I have R.A. and a fear of falling anyway. I have written about that before on cruise critic..a long thread..with most on that cruise agreeing with me that it was a nightmare. dangerous. Getting off easily and early.........that was one of the Perks of being VIP but no more.

 

I did book again...for March..on the Freedom..but only after reading a review that said that passengers still did get VIP on and VIP off. I have sailed a lot to earn that PERK and Carnival has made it a joke.

[klfrodo]

Just thought of another thing that just ripped me to no end.

 

The ships on board accounting system. *** :eek:

 

OK negitive numbers means a good thing (credit to your account) No negitive is a bad thing (a charge to your account) Got it.

 

Viewing your account on your TV

Can only view the seperate folios. In my case, 1 folio for my wife and 1 folio for me.

OK, I kinda get it. But really, I'm on vacation, I've had a couple of drinks, I don't want to have to do math also. Have seperate folios if you must, but have a master account showing on TV.

Their answer,,, well, you can get the master information at the kiosk or at the front desk. Well, arn't you special!!! then provide it on the TV.

 

Next issue same subject.

On day 4 of the cruise, I wanted to pay down my S&S account. Went to the front desk and gave them my debit card for a 1 time charge of $500.

Daily max POS and Cash Withdrawel amount.

Viewed my account on TV the next day,,, No credit showing of $500 :confused:

 

Went downstairs to ask about this.

All I really got from it was some accounting mumbo jumbo of my debit account will be charged on some day with a 1 time hit of $500 and the rest on my main CC used at checkin.

I said NO, NO, NO,,, I expect my debit card to be hit now, not tomorrow, not the next day,,, I want it hit as a 1 time POS with the charge showing now.

Oh NO, that can't happen with a debit card. That can only happen in a "cash" transaction.

 

Now, fortunately for me,, it was not an issue.

However, I can see where someone might do the same thing as I did, but then need cash from the ATM or use their card for a purchase on the same day that Carnival finally gets around to running the earlier POS and someone getting hosed due to daily max limits.

 

To the Carnival Beards,

It's becoming apparent that you have forgotten what customer service is and where your bread and butter is.

In this instance, you have have made your on board accounting system easier for you (maybe, I don't really know) All I really know is that it is very confusing to me your client/customer and I don't like it.

Yes, it is a very small issue, but more and more small issues add up to 1 or 2 bigger issues and the next thing you know???

[allenee]

We'll be on the Breeze October 26th, please tell us the maitre'd's name.

[eileenfa]

I was also on the breeze on sept 28 for 8 days southern Caribbean . My husband and I enjoyed the ports and the aft room. The food in lido deck was good. Also, the Italian restaurant was ok. Did not like the wok place but, did like the sushi place a lot. The lime light lounge is too small for George Lopez show. Very crowded . Our swarded Eugene was very nice . We saw him every day. We had a 180 view of the back of the ship . Great view. The shopping on ship was ok nothing special. We loved how modern and new it was. I would recommend it to anyone

[allenee]

We were on it in December 12 and loved the ship. Can't wait for the 26th to get here. Who was your maitre'd?

[bibbysnow]

We were on the Sept. 28th sailing as well. I absolutely LOVED this ship!! This was my 33rd cruise, mostly with Royal Caribbean. We were on Carnival Dream in April and thought that since this is a sister ship they would be the same, but Breeze was better. The decor is awesome!! One of the things I love about Carnival is they offer a variety of food options. I would do this again in a heartbeat!!

[JaniceB]

klfrodo - thanks for your report. Sorry your platinum experience was not what you expected.

[allenee]

What was the name???????

[Ms. Fun Bunch]

I was on the Breeze August 31 and loved it! My favorite ship now!

[klfrodo]

What was the name???????

 

For the life of me,,, I don't know. I'm sorry.

I asked the wife and she doesn't know either. We do know that we were in the Blush (aft) dining room, 1st seatting.

[allenee]

Thanks anyway. We've met some great ones and was hoping it was one we met before.

[bobnfl]

We were on the sept. 28 cruise also and I have to agree with you 100%. The only compliant I have is with the accounting in the casino. I think they over charged me but there is no way I can prove it. O well , I will be more careful next time. Also the waiters in the casino did not want to bring me water because I only wanted ice water in a glass and not the high price bottle water.

There were 8 of us this cruise and we all loved it. We have all cruised with carnival before and will do it again and again and again.

[riclop]

People see things differntly even though they are on the same cruise.

[tampabrat22]

We were on it in December 12 and loved the ship. Can't wait for the 26th to get here. Who was your maitre'd?

 

Completely off topic ALLENEE...but I think it's pretty cool we both sailed on the same cruise last Dec and will be on board at the same time again this year!:D

[klfrodo]

People see things differntly even though they are on the same cruise.

 

Fair statement that I think we would all agree with.

What was your experience on this cruise?

[JaniceB]

Was it Ken Byrnes in the Blush dining room? He is fantastic.

[jimbo5544]

Was it Ken Byrnes in the Blush dining room? He is fantastic.

Ken was on the Breeze but moved on the the Sunshine.