My 8 Day Semi Cruise from hell aboard the Carnival Breeze 10/26/13 - 11/4/13

[Gingee]

I love the chocolate melting cake. Yum

[Leo's Rule]

Check in at this hotel is unique. You stop at the front desk and once your reservation is verified, you're sent up to the 6th floor to check in. This is also where the bar is located as well as where you'll go for breakfast.

 

Our room was on the 12th floor. We had to use our keys to get to any floors higher than 6. If memory serves me correctly, they had to be used to go down as well. We put away our belongings and i took pictures of our room.

 

 

View from the entrance of the door

 

The bathroom

 

The room

 

Our beds

 

View from our window. Do you see the pool on the roof top?

 

We watched tv for a moment then we looked up nearby places to eat. Mom and I couldn't agree; I wanted seafood and she wanted her usual, yep, you guessed it; chicken strips. (If you've read my Victory review you know my pain). I had my heart set on going to Bubba Gump but I found a Chili's on my GPS and agreed to go there for lunch and we'd do Bubba's for dinner.

 

Our plan was to do a trial run with the rail to get to the airport, then we were to come back and eat, and do some sightseeing. Well, we didn't do the trial run, but we did head to Bayside Markert via the Metromover. It was maybe a 10 minute ride on the mover and a 10-15 minute walk from the drop off.

 

We took pictures along the way. Once we made it to Bayside we walked around and took more pictures.

[lukydog]

Enjoying your review! We're booked on the Breeze in September & are staying at the Hampton pre-cruise so anxiously awaiting your feelings on the hotel/area & how your ride to MIA on the rail went. Want to try that from MIA to Hampton & the metro-mover to Bayside also!

[Leo's Rule]

Though these pictures were taken in the evening; I'm still posting them now.

 

More hotel pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

I liked the carpet. Each floor had a different theme; or at least I noticed it on the floors I did go on.

[Leo's Rule]

 

 

 

 

 

[Leo's Rule]

This is one of the pictures taken on the way to Bayside Market.

 

Pictures while at Bayside

That's what I am; an Island Queen. LOL

 

 

 

 

 

There are more pictures but I will take a break for now.

 

While walking around I noticed what I thought was a car out of my peripheral and had to see it. It turns out it wasn't a car but some sort of massage pod. The guy who was operating it told us how much it cost and we promised to come back. I didn't commit immediately because I wanted to make sure there wasn't another person providing the same service for cheaper.

 

We found the Chili's and decided to eat. While eating we watched our Dallas Cowboys beat the Vikings. Who knew there were so many Cowboys fans in Miami? We outnumbered those who didn't like them. After eating I was full as tick but we make our way back to the massage guy and received heavenly massages for $2 cheaper than he originally quoted and we received an additional 10 minutes.

 

More pictures are coming up.

[Leo's Rule]

I entered the Disney Store to purchase something for my Godson and his sisters, but I ended up purchasing what you see on my head too. I'm such a kid at heart.

 

 

I wish I had one of these growing up

 

These were neat. These are light fixtures.

 

I fell asleep in here. I didn't want the massage to end.

 

Mom beat me; she took a picture with the guy running the Aqua Massager

 

This picture was taken while in Chili's.

[Leo's Rule]

I want one of these in my house.

 

I wanted this shoe; they actually had my size, but it ran small. I found it online, but can't find my size. Bummer

 

I took a picture of this because it made me think about the rapper O.D.B.

 

This was taken on the way back to the hotel

 

Also taken on the way back to the hotel.

 

Me on the MetroMover

 

 

It's nightfall and we're still at Bayside. I was supposed to go to Bubba Gump's for dinner, but I was still full, so I went for dessert instead. Yeah, I know; I was being greedy. The dessert looked like it was good, but I wouldn't know because by the time we made it back to the hotel the dessert was cold and wasn't the greatest.

 

On the way back to the hotel we took the wrong mover and to get off and catch the correct one. Then to top it all off, we got off 2 stops too early and to wait for another mover!

 

When we exit, we go to the area where the metrorail is and talk to an employee. (The metrorail and metromover are in the same location except they are on opposite ends and the mover is free). We wanted to verify we were in the right place for the rail and the employee assured us we were. He advised us to buy our passes for the rail that night instead of in the morning.

 

After purchasing our passes we walked to the 7-Eleven across the street so we could have snacks on the plane. We get back to the hotel and I attempt to eat my dessert. Afterwards we head to the Business Center to print our boarding passes, research the times for the metrorail, and I check my email to see if my Dr's appointment was scheduled. The appointment was scheduled for 2 pm! We take more pictures and then call it a night.

[Leo's Rule]

The finale

We had an 8 am flight out of Miami so we had to be out of the hotel no later than 5:30/5:45 to make sure we were on the 6 am express rail. That morning I had a dream we were on the rail and we were sightseeing other areas of Miami, but the rail went a route it wasn't supposed to go. I didn't question it at first but the further we went I became worried. I asked the driver when we'd make it back to our originating spot and she told me 6:30 am! I panicked and jumped out of my sleep. I looked at my phone and it was 5:15 am!!! We've overslept! :eek:

 

I woke my mom and told her we had to get a move on. Thank God we had taken our showers the night before. Faces washed and teeth brushed, we head out the door (after getting dressed of course). I'm bummed because I couldn't get my waffles. The rail station is a 5 minute walk from the hotel. The train arrived by 6:05 am and it's smooth sailing. The airport was the last stop; it took maybe 20 minutes to get there.

 

One crazy thing that happened at the airport (You had to take the mover to get to the correct terminal for your departure/airline) was this guy walks up to me on the mover and asks me a question in some language I've never heard before. I just shook my head and told him I didn't understand. He said ok and then walked off. LOL I've been told I don't look American; I guess it's pronounced (my non American features) when my hair is braided.

 

Mom waiting on the mover in the airport

 

The flight is fine. We arrive in Houston on time. We wait for our shuttle and then we're dropped off at my car. I hit my alarm; nothing. Hit again, still nothing. I get closer to the car and notice the light for my alarm isn't blinking so I use my key to get in my car. I crank the car so we can leave and nothing! WTH??? I have 2 hours to get to my Dr's appointment and my car isn't starting!

 

The shuttle driver noticed I was in distress and offered assistance by giving me a jump. My house is an hour from the airport so I assumed having the car running for that amount of time would be enough time for my battery to recharge itself. Thank God my mom suggested we stop to get her car; she didn't want to chance my car not starting again once we left the Dr. Turns out my car wouldn't start again after I killed the engine.

 

We switch cars and I head to my appointment. I explained what occurred on the ship and my Dr. ordered a stool sample and an ultrasound. Both had to be completed at a later date.

 

I'll skip the part about me going to pick up my baby and getting my battery replaced on Tuesday. :) My ultrasound was 2 days later (Wednesday). I've had an ultrasound before and it normally takes 15-20 minutes to complete, but I knew something was wrong because this one lasted an hour! It hurt like hell any time the tech would press a certain area of my stomach.

 

After I was released, I went to talk to my Dr's nurse about needed documentation for my claim and I received a phone call while there. For those of you who guessed something was wrong with my gallbladder, you were right! It became inflamed on the cruise and it was still enlarged on the ultrasound. Who knew something so small could cause so much pain? That explained why my stomach would swell. There were times I'd look like I was pregnant. My previous Dr. never found anything; he kept saying it was due to my hernia. Anyhow, I digress. I was told there was a chance my gallbladder would have to be removed.

 

I met with the specialist a week later and he confirmed he was taking my gallbladder. I had surgery a week before Christmas and I'm all better now. If I could post a video that my mother took after my surgery, I would. She was so cruel for recording me. LOL

 

I was off from work for almost two weeks. This is how I spent my time at home when I wasn't sleeping like a newborn child:

 

That's my Eyore PJs. I went to the hospital in my Minnie Mouse PJs. I also have a leopard pair and a cow pair. Don't judge me. LOL

 

I would have worn my PJs on Christmas, but I needed to feel pretty, so here I am:

 

Me and my baby

 

Thank you all for reading. Hopefully you enjoyed my review and if you didn't; well, maybe you'll come across someone else's review that better suits your tastes.

 

In conclusion I have mixed feelings about the Breeze; the ship is huge and I didn't get to experience everything simply because I was sick. I need to give her another chance but I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity.

 

My cabin was on deck 1 and I can't do it again. Once the meds no longer had me doped, I could hear what I thought were waves crashing against the ship and it sounded like chairs or something heavy was sliding around outside. The sound was creepy and freaked me out, but to my surprise I fell asleep. My mom however didn't have peaceful rest on the ship; she said it sounded like that every night.

 

I also noticed a sewage smell in one area on deck 1. I must admit my nose is keen and I smell just about everything, but I don't think my mom smelled it.

 

Guy's Burger Joint was ok. The Blue Iguana breakfast tacos were awesome. I'm no longer eating at the Mongolian Wok on any ship and I must try the Red Frog Pub.

 

The shows were horrible, but I liked the Hasbro game. My mom didn't like Breeze at all and never wants to sail her again. She said the shows sucked and it felt unorganized on the ship. I'm wondering if she really felt that way because we sailed during Halloween.

[Leo's Rule]

There were some things I forgot to mention:

 

1) The night of Halloween, one of our dinner mates told us about this guy who got his butt whooped for disrespecting this lady. The guy let his children run up and down the halls late at night and they were loud. A lady asked the guy to stop the kids from running and her called her a female dog. Her husband heard the exchange, walked out of the cabin and Deebo'd the guy. You have to have seen the movie Friday with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker to get the reference. Basically, he knocked him out. What's funny is this was a couple of doors down from our cabin. I remember hearing the kids one night, but after that, I have no recollection. That might explain the note I saw on the cabin door, it read they had been moved to a different cabin.

 

2) A lady's cabin was ransacked. She left her room key in the door and someone entered her cabin and stole items from her. This was told to me by someone on that floor. The lady wasn't in the room when it happened, but it really is sad.

[tranquilreign]

Thank you for your review! I enjoyed your pictures with your mom. It personalized the review and it made me think of my mom so much. I wish we had cruised together.

 

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Forums mobile app

[S.C.]

Great review Thank you for taking the time to write it and post the pics. So glad you are feeling better and they found out what the problem was.

[put me on a ship]

The finale

 

In conclusion I have mixed feelings about the Breeze; the ship is huge and I didn't get to experience everything simply because I was sick. I need to give her another chance but I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity.

 

My cabin was on deck 1 and I can't do it again. Once the meds no longer had me doped' date=' I could hear what I thought were waves crashing against the ship and it sounded like chairs or something heavy was sliding around outside. The sound was creepy and freaked me out, but to my surprise I fell asleep. My mom however didn't have peaceful rest on the ship; she said it sounded like that every night.

 

I also noticed a sewage smell in one area on deck 1. I must admit my nose is keen and I smell just about everything, but I don't think my mom smelled it.

 

Guy's Burger Joint was ok. The Blue Iguana breakfast tacos were awesome. I'm no longer eating at the Mongolian Wok on any ship and I must try the Red Frog Pub.

 

The shows were horrible, but I liked the Hasbro game. My mom didn't like Breeze at all and never wants to sail her again. She said the shows sucked and it felt unorganized on the ship. I'm wondering if she really felt that way because we sailed during Halloween.[/quote']

 

Great review! We were on Breeze her first season out of Miami, she is my least favorite Carnival ship. Love the Dream, however! I must say, though, Red Frog Pub has some of the best food ever! And the beer is good, too!

Edited January 29, 2014 by put me on a ship

[smokesmom]

Enjoyed your review. I liked cruising on Halloween on the Legend. I've never been on the Breeze but there were people on the Legend who felt the same as you.

 

My DH had gall bladder issues which were hard to diagnose and would happen at random times so I understand what you went through. Hate that it happened on your cruise.

 

Hope the next cruise will be better. Will be looking forward to your next review.

[silvercrikhix]

Thank you for your review of the Breeze!

We loved the Breeze & are excited to sail her again some day,

we are not show going peeps though,

so maybe that's the difference of opinion catalyst?

 

My DD had the gall bladder attack and removal also,

so I know how much that hurts...sooo glad you got diagnosed & are better!

She has a lil Yorkie baby with a wardrobe ta boot.

 

Okay, now for the big question.....what is your mama's secret?

Do tell... PLEASE :)

She looks young, young, young!!

Lovely 2nd formal night and Christmas dresses, very nice.

I LOVE your PJ's....saweeeeeeettt !

Edited January 29, 2014 by silvercrikhix

[shoppingfever]

Thank you for a great review!

[hunkahunka]

Thank you for taking the time to write this candid, up close and personal review. I enjoyed the pictures. The closeness you and your mother share is wonderful. Glad you are well again. I will be watching for your next review.

[Leo's Rule]

So sorry you got sick but at least you got a little fun right?

You and your mother are like my DD and myself (sisters):)

 

I'm sorry too, but I did enjoy 10/31/13 a lot.

 

Lol...we hear it often (sisters).

 

 

 

 

I love the chocolate melting cake. Yum

 

 

:thumbdown: Lol

 

 

 

 

Enjoying your review! We're booked on the Breeze in September & are staying at the Hampton pre-cruise so anxiously awaiting your feelings on the hotel/area & how your ride to MIA on the rail went. Want to try that from MIA to Hampton & the metro-mover to Bayside also!

 

 

I really liked the hotel. I would've stayed there pre cruise too, but I refused to spend $200 for one night. MIAs public transportation system is awesome IMO, it runs circles around Houston's. I don't think you'll have any problems at all. Research your route beforehand.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your review! I enjoyed your pictures with your mom. It personalized the review and it made me think of my mom so much. I wish we had cruised together.

 

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Forums mobile app

 

 

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. Don't bring me to tears again.

 

 

 

 

Great review Thank you for taking the time to write it and post the pics. So glad you are feeling better and they found out what the problem was.

 

 

Thank you for reading it. And I'm glad too.

 

 

 

 

Great review! We were on Breeze her first season out of Miami, she is my least favorite Carnival ship. Love the Dream, however! I must say, though, Red Frog Pub has some of the best food ever! And the beer is good, too!

 

 

I'll be on Sunshine next...so I will try RFB. I don't drink beer, but I want to try theirs. Now I'm hungry.

 

 

 

 

Enjoyed your review. I liked cruising on Halloween on the Legend. I've never been on the Breeze but there were people on the Legend who felt the same as you.

 

My DH had gall bladder issues which were hard to diagnose and would happen at random times so I understand what you went through. Hate that it happened on your cruise.

 

Hope the next cruise will be better. Will be looking forward to your next review.

 

 

I'm hoping the next cruise will be great!

 

Is your husband able to eat his normal foods again?

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your review of the Breeze!

We loved the Breeze & are excited to sail her again some day,

we are not show going peeps though,

so maybe that's the difference of opinion catalyst?

 

My DD had the gall bladder attack and removal also,

so I know how much that hurts...sooo glad you got diagnosed & are better!

She has a lil Yorkie baby with a wardrobe ta boot.

 

Okay, now for the big question.....what is your mama's secret?

Do tell... PLEASE :)

She looks young, young, young!!

Lovely 2nd formal night and Christmas dresses, very nice.

I LOVE your PJ's....saweeeeeeettt !

 

If the shows continue to be horrible, I will stop going to them.

 

Please post a picture of her dog. My baby has a limited wardrobe. My favorite item of hers is her coat...it has a faux leopard fur collar.

 

As for my mother's secret; it's in the genes. My great grandfather was 102 when he passed & he looked every bit of 80.

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Forums mobile app

[Thebosn1]

Thank you all for reading. Hopefully you enjoyed my review and if you didn't; well' date=' maybe you'll come across someone else's review that better suits your tastes.

 

In conclusion I have mixed feelings about the Breeze; the ship is huge and I didn't get to experience everything simply because I was sick. I need to give her another chance but I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity.

 

[/quote']

 

 

Thanks for that great review, it was quite a story! My wife and I took that same cruise on the BREEZE, and we had an amazing time, and we loved the ship! So far I have to say she is my favorite, mostly because the crew was amazing.

 

Glad you are feeling better, your review brought back lots of great memories! Thanks again!

[najnelle]

Thanks for sharing your review! I enjoyed it. I am so glad you are feeling better now. Vacation is not the time to be sick! :)

[rob6465]

PLEASE tell me there is no sad story on your dog...please. I own 2 dogs and would hate to read about anything happening to your dog.

Edited January 29, 2014 by rob6465

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Wow, I just read thru this entire thread and it is quite entertaining. Nice trip review, Leo's Rule. I know I have had some similar experiences just before a cruise that you had when you were already onboard. It seems like you did have fun once you were feeling better and I am glad to see that you didn't let it completely ruin your trip. And don't pay attention to people who rip your reviews. It takes time to write good, detailed reviews and unless you want to sit down for 24 hours straight (nobody's got time for that lol) and type until you are completely cross-eyed, it cannot be done all at once. I know it took me the better course of a week to write each of my reviews, and I didn't even have a lot of pictures to include in either one.

 

Now, I remember I got a horrible flu about 2 days before a cruise I took in October of 2009. The Wednesday before, I was very tired. Thought nothing of it. I got dinner that evening, got a horrible pain in my stomach, and shortly after, I was sicker than I could remember being since maybe 1997 when I had the chicken pox. Laid in bed the next day, unable to move much. Had to work the next day because I was flying out that evening and I cannot call out and then fly but whatever. Was so sick then. My folks actually thought I was getting appendicitis. It coincided with the H1N1 outbreak of that year, so in hindsight, it was probably that. It wasn't the most pleasant trip down to FLL that afternoon and evening, just believe that. I was better but sore by Saturday, embarkation day, so were good to board. I had a hard time eating for the first day or two of the cruise but other than that, I was fine. It would have devastated me to miss out on a family cruise that was in the works for about a year. I couldn't imagine being as sick as you got while onboard though. I have heard that apples and ginger ale do help cure upset stomachs while at sea. I have eaten at the wok tons of times and never had a problem. I just make sure that the guys cook the meat all the way through when I go there and it's all good.

 

I was on the Sensation at Halloween of this past year. I don't think the costumes were quite as elaborate as what you described on your sailing but there were decorations throughout the ship and some people, including crewmembers, did don interesting costumes. Kudos to you for going all in with the costume choice though. It seems you had a lot of fun with it. I am too reserved a person so I am not sure I could do something like that but it is something that lots of people really enjoy.

 

I also have been by that Bubba Gump's at the port plaza in Miami. It was years ago but I have a picture of myself sitting on the bench out in front of the restaurant laying around somewhere. I think I stayed at the holiday inn (it might have been something else - I don't remember) right off Biscayne Blvd before a cruise once also. I actually prefer to stay out of the beaten path when I go and get a cab or bus into town as it is not as expensive but there is plenty to do in that area of Miami for sure.

 

It is interesting what the ship crew does to try to contain illness outbreaks though. I never really knew about the quarantine rules until just recently and knock on wood, I will never have to see the inside of the infirmary on a cruise ship.

 

So, anyway it was a blast living vicariously through your review. :) Thanks again for posting.

Edited January 29, 2014 by FlyingCruiserNJ

[Godiva@Sea]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It was a good read on this icy day.

[seasidehuny]

Thank you for the great review, Leo's Rule.

 

I got sick after I got home from my first cruise in 2009. I was very sick with high fever and vomiting and diarrhea for three days. I am sure it was Noro. At least it hit AFTER the cruise. I also caught the cruise bug. I don't think I will ever get over that bug. :D

[Shaded Lady]

I went on a Red Hatter's cruise years back without DH. I always accused him of jinxing me because I left him at home. Day of embarkation I had a tickle in my throat that by day 3 was a full-blown bout of bronchitis. On day 2 my 'friend' showed up after almost a year without one. Day 4 I woke up with a swollen eye, I thought I had pinkeye but it was gone the day we arrived home). Same day, tripped and bruised a kidney. I figured I really pee'd in God's corn flakes that week- He really paid me back in spades! It was the most miserable cruise I've ever been on, health-wise.

 

BUT as miserable as all of that was, I would go through it all again rather than deal with what you went through, Leo! I hate nausea and diarrhea worse than anything which is why I live in fear of getting Noro on a cruise.

 

Good for you that you made the best of it!