Back from the Breeze, a few thoughts

[PaddleAddict]

We are back from the 6-day Breeze sailing on Nov. 3. We had a few ups and downs but overall it was a really fun cruise. I'm not going to do a full-blown review, but I will just share a few thoughts:

 

The Breeze is a beautiful ship. I adored the decor, especially all of the wonderful outdoor spaces. I loved the spas on the side of the ship on deck 5, we used these frequently. Serenity was beautiful although I would have enjoyed a small pool. The aft pool near the pizza was another smaller, quieter space we enjoyed. Our cabin was aft, deck 9, which I don't recommend as it's right under the Lido deck. We were woken several times from people dragging chairs around, etc. on the deck above us. We booked this trip last minute and didn't have much selection in cabins so I expected this would be the case. One thing that was mildly annoying was an intermittent foul odor in and around our cabin. It smelled like a toilet. It was not all the time, but when it came we'd just look at each other and say "There's that smell again." What is up with that?

 

The weather started out not so great with 10-foot swells upon leaving the POM and rain, wind and more rough seas the next day (a sea day). I actually got super seasick the first night and was in bed all night. That was the first time I ever got seasick on a cruise ship. I was also sick the second day but since it was raining I just stayed in the cabin most of the day. The weather and seas improved on the third day.

 

We usually eat all of our meals in the main dining room and specialty restaurant when we cruise but because I was feeling queasy much of this trip we only ate in the MDR once. I was not impressed honestly, it was chaotic, our server never introduced himself, there was a lot of lag in between courses. I don't know if it was just this cruise or what but the MDR seems to have slid downhill. We had a reservation at the steakhouse but had to cancel due to me feeling seasick, total bummer but what can you do? DH ate at Bonsai Sushi three times and loved it. I'm only so-so about sushi and since I wasn't feeling great I skipped it but I had the miso soup and their side salad and both were very tasty. We had great service and it's a nice place to eat and people-watch, too.

 

I ate most of my dinners in the buffet which I've never done before but it was great on a cruise where I wasn't feeling 100%. I had a big salad nightly and loved the mix of greens and all the yummy toppings available. I usually also ate a bit of this and that and everything was fine, nothing really spectacular but it suited my needs. We had Guys twice (tasty but greasy) and burritos at Iguana which were OK. We wanted to try the BBQ (which was only offered once during this cruise because the first sea day was raining) but the line was just too insane.

 

I miss the old Carnival pizza so much. I really loved the old pizza. I don't like the new pizza as much and there was always a huge wait. I felt sorry for whatever employee was working t the pizza joint (usually just one person), they were working so hard and it was just impossible to keep up with the demand. I found the famous Carnival chocolate chip cookies for the first time. Holy cow, how had I never eaten these before! These are the best cookies ever, I probably ate like 20 during the cruise (from room service and the buffet).

 

On this cruise we saw three comedy shows. Two of these we stood near the bar, one we were able to get a seat because we came 30 minutes early. I loved the comedy and would have enjoyed more shows but the situation in the Punchliner is truly insane. I know it's been said here many times before but Carnival should really address this. The comedy is clearly one of the most popular shows yet it's held in a tiny venue. People are lined up in such a crowd before the shows that one night we couldn't access the stairs or elevator to get to our room. It's a complete mob scene and I know many people who would like to see the comedy shows cannot.

 

Other than comedy, we enjoyed nightly adult triva at the Red Frog Pub, and saw one show (the comedic juggler), which was fun. We also hit up the casino many nights. Tried the Thirsty Frog beer and enjoyed it. One night in the pub it was buy two, get one free so we scored a free beer.

 

One night we had an extremely fascinating conversation with an employee in one of the fun shops (the one selling the duty-free liquor, which interesting he told us in fact is not a Carnival-run operation but an outside company, which I did not realize). Anyway, he was aboard for the infamous Triumph fire and talked to us for about 30 minutes about the experience. It was very interesting to hear what the crew was doing during that incident and how everything was handled.

 

We played mini golf twice and did the Skywalk ropes course, which was really fun. We also went down both slides, again lots of fun. I wanted to try the Thrill Theater but with my stomach off for much of the trip I decided against it.

 

After our cruise we had a later flight so we booked a post cruise tour of the Everglades, which honestly was more fun that I expected. My expectations were pretty low, of course, but still I enjoyed it (got to hold a baby alligator too!) and it was far better than sitting at the airport for five hours.

 

All in all, we had a nice time. If the weather and seas would have been a bit more cooperative we would have had an even greater time but there's nothing you can really do about that. I do see the areas where Carnival has cut back, especially in the main dining room and with the entertainment, but I still found the cruise enjoyable. It was very reasonably priced and I think we got a lot of value for our money. The Breeze is a great ship and I'd love to take her out for another spin sometime.

[jlb8710]

Thanks for your review. Sorry about you getting sick most of your trip.. I'm glad you felt little better before you got off the ship.. My husband and I are going on the Breeze this Sunday.. So we are so excited and we got our Bonnie with us just in case this happens!! :)

[KPfromCT]

Thanks for the review. We also loved the Breeze, and cannot wait to get back on her in April:D:D Sorry the seas were so rough, and you weren't feeling great:( But I only guess that it was better than being at work:D

Welcome home!

[lilmizz]

We are back from the 6-day Breeze sailing on Nov. 3. We had a few ups and downs but overall it was a really fun cruise. I'm not going to do a full-blown review, but I will just share a few thoughts:

 

The Breeze is a beautiful ship. I adored the decor, especially all of the wonderful outdoor spaces. I loved the spas on the side of the ship on deck 5, we used these frequently. Serenity was beautiful although I would have enjoyed a small pool. The aft pool near the pizza was another smaller, quieter space we enjoyed. Our cabin was aft, deck 9, which I don't recommend as it's right under the Lido deck. We were woken several times from people dragging chairs around, etc. on the deck above us. We booked this trip last minute and didn't have much selection in cabins so I expected this would be the case. One thing that was mildly annoying was an intermittent foul odor in and around our cabin. It smelled like a toilet. It was not all the time, but when it came we'd just look at each other and say "There's that smell again." What is up with that?

 

The weather started out not so great with 10-foot swells upon leaving the POM and rain, wind and more rough seas the next day (a sea day). I actually got super seasick the first night and was in bed all night. That was the first time I ever got seasick on a cruise ship. I was also sick the second day but since it was raining I just stayed in the cabin most of the day. The weather and seas improved on the third day.

 

We usually eat all of our meals in the main dining room and specialty restaurant when we cruise but because I was feeling queasy much of this trip we only ate in the MDR once. I was not impressed honestly, it was chaotic, our server never introduced himself, there was a lot of lag in between courses. I don't know if it was just this cruise or what but the MDR seems to have slid downhill. We had a reservation at the steakhouse but had to cancel due to me feeling seasick, total bummer but what can you do? DH ate at Bonsai Sushi three times and loved it. I'm only so-so about sushi and since I wasn't feeling great I skipped it but I had the miso soup and their side salad and both were very tasty. We had great service and it's a nice place to eat and people-watch, too.

 

I ate most of my dinners in the buffet which I've never done before but it was great on a cruise where I wasn't feeling 100%. I had a big salad nightly and loved the mix of greens and all the yummy toppings available. I usually also ate a bit of this and that and everything was fine, nothing really spectacular but it suited my needs. We had Guys twice (tasty but greasy) and burritos at Iguana which were OK. We wanted to try the BBQ (which was only offered once during this cruise because the first sea day was raining) but the line was just too insane.

 

I miss the old Carnival pizza so much. I really loved the old pizza. I don't like the new pizza as much and there was always a huge wait. I felt sorry for whatever employee was working t the pizza joint (usually just one person), they were working so hard and it was just impossible to keep up with the demand. I found the famous Carnival chocolate chip cookies for the first time. Holy cow, how had I never eaten these before! These are the best cookies ever, I probably ate like 20 during the cruise (from room service and the buffet).

 

On this cruise we saw three comedy shows. Two of these we stood near the bar, one we were able to get a seat because we came 30 minutes early. I loved the comedy and would have enjoyed more shows but the situation in the Punchliner is truly insane. I know it's been said here many times before but Carnival should really address this. The comedy is clearly one of the most popular shows yet it's held in a tiny venue. People are lined up in such a crowd before the shows that one night we couldn't access the stairs or elevator to get to our room. It's a complete mob scene and I know many people who would like to see the comedy shows cannot.

 

Other than comedy, we enjoyed nightly adult triva at the Red Frog Pub, and saw one show (the comedic juggler), which was fun. We also hit up the casino many nights. Tried the Thirsty Frog beer and enjoyed it. One night in the pub it was buy two, get one free so we scored a free beer.

 

One night we had an extremely fascinating conversation with an employee in one of the fun shops (the one selling the duty-free liquor, which interesting he told us in fact is not a Carnival-run operation but an outside company, which I did not realize). Anyway, he was aboard for the infamous Triumph fire and talked to us for about 30 minutes about the experience. It was very interesting to hear what the crew was doing during that incident and how everything was handled.

 

We played mini golf twice and did the Skywalk ropes course, which was really fun. We also went down both slides, again lots of fun. I wanted to try the Thrill Theater but with my stomach off for much of the trip I decided against it.

 

After our cruise we had a later flight so we booked a post cruise tour of the Everglades, which honestly was more fun that I expected. My expectations were pretty low, of course, but still I enjoyed it (got to hold a baby alligator too!) and it was far better than sitting at the airport for five hours.

 

All in all, we had a nice time. If the weather and seas would have been a bit more cooperative we would have had an even greater time but there's nothing you can really do about that. I do see the areas where Carnival has cut back, especially in the main dining room and with the entertainment, but I still found the cruise enjoyable. It was very reasonably priced and I think we got a lot of value for our money. The Breeze is a great ship and I'd love to take her out for another spin sometime.

So Sorry you got sick!! And sorry for the rain. I hope in January when im on the dream i have better luck with all. I really hope your next cruise is better than this for you health and weather wise. other than that it sounds like you had a good cruise? I also did the everglades tour before and the guy behind it all (trainer) is amazing! and the lil alligator is so cute!

 

Again, hope you to a better cruise next time around!!!

[Colorado Kat]

I hope the weather improved after the first 2 days. I'm sorry your stomach did not.

 

Thanks for the review.

[PaddleAddict]

Weather and seas were much improved on days three and four. I do wish I would have taken advantage of that opportunity and eaten at the steakhouse, but our reservation was for night five and by then the seas were getting rough again. I took Bonine pretty much the entire trip but I think starting off the first night VERY sick blew it and wasn't to able to get my stomach settled down well later on.

 

I did in fact enjoy this cruise! It was not my best due to the seasickness but still very fun and yes, much better than being at work! Plus we booked pretty last minute and got a great deal on a balcony so missing out on a few nights of fun while holed up in the room didn't bother me too much, I really enjoyed the times when I wasn't feeling sick.

Edited November 13, 2013 by PaddleAddict

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

Thanks for the review and I understand how sea sickness can tarnish a cruise quickly. Agree that the Breeze is visually stunning. Also agree on the aft cabin smell...we were on deck 7 aft and encountered this in the hallways often but not in the room. Also agree that comedy is in the WRONG venue. Why not have it in the main theatre? We however LOVED our MDR waitstaff. Basically everything you said I agree. :) would love to sail that ship again. Rarely do you see anything negative about Breeze. A lovely ship indeed. Wonder who the new interior decorator is? We all know have seen the works of Farkas good (Spirit) and horrible (Splendor). Here's hoping Carnival will keep the new designers for future ships...if they ever pull the trigger and order multiple. Seems like the other portfolio brands are taking priority in that department. But Breeze is a true winner. Our cruise savvy friends that we coerced into cruising Carnival had a complete shift of opinion after sailing on Breeze and are converts as a result and no longer rule Carnival out as an option. Thanks again! PS...not sure if you went to the jewelry store but the short guy there is a hoot! Really made the champagne event a good time.

[Vanessa L]

OP, glad you enjoyed your cruise, despite the seasickness! And thank you for the review :)

 

I've been reading about that "smell" since the Dream was introduced. Has anyone ever ascertained where it is coming from and why it is plaguing this class of ships? Just curious.

[PA Beachlovers]

We were just on the Breeze also, you said you missed the BBQ, believe me you didn't miss anything there. We were not impressed at all with it, if fact we are going on the Breeze again next year and will not go anywhere near it. Outside of that we enjoyed the ship a lot and can't wait to get back on the Breeze again next year to get to do some of the things we couldn't fit in this time!

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[Mizzouaholic]

Thanks for the review.

 

We absolutely loved the BBQ!

[PaddleAddict]

It's funny how some people love the BBQ and others not so much. It just goes to show you that no matter what is offered on a cruise (food, entertainment, decor, etc) some will always love it and others will hate it. :)

[stargate fan]

I found the famous Carnival chocolate chip cookies for the first time. Holy cow, how had I never eaten these before! These are the best cookies ever, I probably ate like 20 during the cruise (from room service and the buffet).

 

Only 20? I probably ate double that on our eight day Breeze cruise back in October. :D

 

Shhh, don't tell anyone...I took an empty plastic container and brought cookies home with me. They are in the freezer. So yummy!!!

Edited November 14, 2013 by stargate fan

[PaddleAddict]

I am dying for the recipe for the Carnival Chocolate Chip Cookies. Anyone have it???

[PA Beachlovers]

It's funny how some people love the BBQ and others not so much. It just goes to show you that no matter what is offered on a cruise (food, entertainment, decor, etc) some will always love it and others will hate it. :)

 

 

We are not hard to please when it comes to food, maybe that type of BBQ is popular in other parts of the country, definitely nothing we had ever had before. We noticed a lot of the pulled pork being left behind on tables, and that was what we thought wasn't good a all. The other sides and other food their were not anything special but very edible.

[thompsongunner06]

Sushi is now pay per roll. Guys burgers are so so,,,steam room is 209.00 per couple for trip(6 days) and only 50 couples will get to use it. People acted like they have never seen food. Waaaay too much spandex on board. Might look into RC next time

[psyllie]

Cookies? Cookies? Are these on the buffet, or where do I find them?????

[stargate fan]

Cookies? Cookies? Are these on the buffet, or where do I find them?????

 

Yes, they were at the dessert station every day except the Chocolate Extravaganza day. Don't know about dinner buffet but I did order them off the kids menu in the main dining room a few nights.

 

They were also found at the late night grill. And room service, of course.

 

This was my first meal upon embarkation on October 12.

 

[thompsongunner06]

Also be very careful. I found black mold in the bottom of a yellow plastic cup and forks still dirty! This can happen on any ship. We enjoyed sit down meals and the Tandori food on the rear of Lido,,there were never any lines and the food was great!

[kcwingwalker]

Also be very careful. I found black mold in the bottom of a yellow plastic cup and forks still dirty! This can happen on any ship. We enjoyed sit down meals and the Tandori food on the rear of Lido,,there were never any lines and the food was great!

 

Hope you took the cup and forks to Customer Service:)

[2bthereagain]

Thank you for the review. I too am sorry you were seasick. We are so excited to experience the Breeze on our upcoming June 2014 cruise. Can't wait!

[spikester]

I loved the Breeze. Luckily I didn't smell "the smell" anywhere. I also found the huge lines and the bottlenecks it caused around the steakhouse, disco, and Red Frog to be a little annoying. I ended up just going outside to get around. I love how there is so much outside on the promenade. I spent most of my cruise sitting outside by the Red Frog. It is a smoking area, so there was always someone around.

 

The steakhouse was awesome, too bad you didn't feel well enough to go. I thought the food in the MDR was ok, I think I only went 1 or 2 times.

[PaddleAddict]

The only place I really noticed the lines was comedy, buffet, BBQ and pizza (short but very slow). The last night actually it seemed like there were hardly any people around, it was like a ghost town.

[PaddleAddict]

There was one other thing I wanted to mention that I forgot to address earlier. All the past guest stuff has gotten really lame! We are gold so we each got a drink voucher that you can only use in the main dining room for brunch or lunch on sea days (REALLY??). DH never used his and I got a cappuccino with mine but it was a giant pain.

 

The past guest party was casual and held from 4:00 to 4:45 on a port day? LAME! I always enjoyed going to the past guest parties all dressed for dinner to have a drink and a few appetizers. We skipped it on this cruise, we weren't even back on board yet.

 

We got pins (which we left in our stateroom, we don't want pins).

 

RCCL treats us better even though we've had fewer cruises with them. I totally get that Carnival is keeping costs down but really?

Edited November 15, 2013 by PaddleAddict

[thompsongunner06]

Hope you took the cup and forks to Customer Service:)

 

 

Oh you bet I took it to a supervisor. He seemed to be receptive and sorry about it.