~Cynthia Cruz Pictorial Review OnBoard Carnival Miracle 2/22-3/1~

[cynthiacruz]

Hi Cruisers, This is my 1st time posting a Pic Review so please bare with me, I wrote a daily blog on my cell phone of each day on our sailing to PV/PV/Cabo in which we all it the 7 day Mexican Riviera on Carnival Miracle. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask, I save ALL my paperwork I took 2hrs scanning them last night. all I can say is how exhausted we were once we got off the ship yesterday (Sat 3/1/14) okay here I go,

 

Saturday Feb 22, 2014 - Embarkation

Woke up early today with excitement, today is the day we all have been waiting for, Embarkation Day!! before getting ready I cleaned my room & my daughters room she's only 12 and still doesn't know what Neat is lol. I signed on Cruise Critic & ABC 7 Long Beach Cam seen the Miracle docked and waiting for us to arrive, I also checked the Aft & Fwd Cam Along with a Satellite View The weather in Long Beach, CA was in the Mid 70's & Partly Cloudy

 

- Port of LongBeach

- FWD Ship Cam

- AFT Ship Cam

- Satellite View

[cynthiacruz]

Minutes before we left I made sure all our luggage was Tagged, We left our home in La Habra, CA at 12pm and arrived at Long Beach Port at Approx. 12:30pm We gave our bags to the porter and I reminded my husband (Cruz) to remove the wine bottle from his luggage in which it would have to be carried to avoid any breakage. As we proceeded to check in there were a Huge line, there are signs for FTTF, (Faster to the fun) for A Addl. Charge of $50 for your entire party, VIP (For Gold, Platinum & Diamond Guests that has 25+ Sailings) Special Assistance, & Zone Numbers (1-25) for First time Cruisers & Red VIFP Status Guests (24 & Under sailings). Since I have a heel spur I am not able to stand on my foot for long periods of time and usually it would take anywhere from 1-3hrs to board from the time you arrive, stand in line, go through the security screen process, & check in at the counter It takes a lot of time, before our sail date I faxed in a Dr's note from my foot Dr. & Physical Therapist to my PVP & Special Needs Dept. so when we got to port I went straight to the Special Assistance line to request a wheel chair, there was no waiting, and a check in counter right outside we checked in gave our boarding passes, Passports, took a quick ID photo for our Room Key & waited for about 30 mins since no one could board until after 1pm. at exactly 1pm a guy with a wheelchair came for us and we were escorted through the security screening, took a Bon Voyage Photo and were dropped off on Deck 9 - Lido Deck since our rooms were not ready until 1:30pm.

 

Our Bags Tagged

my daughter

Getting that wine bottle out

our wheel chair escort

Edited March 2, 2014 by cynthiacruz
none

[cynthiacruz]

At 1:30p we took our time eating inside the Lido Deck, I had Chicken Manchow Noodle Soup from ChopStix and it was delicious, I had a few other things from the Italian Buffet as well, At 2:30p we were done having lunch & took photos of a few things our way to our room on the Empress Deck Cabin #6134 Fwd Balcony and started unpacking until the Safety Briefing at 4pm.

 

Here is a our Bon Voyage Photo,

 

My Daughter Dancing to this female DJ Mixing

Female DJ Stephanie

Bottomless Bubbles Table

Here is what I had for lunch from the Italian Menu

- Grilled Sicillian Fish

- Broiled Chicken with sage

- Rosemary Scented Potatoes

- Medley of grilled vegetables

and a Ice water :)

[boaterette]

Nice start.

[SoCalKJ]

Nice beginning.

 

I have to comment on the heel spur issue, though...and this is because I can relate (or did relate when I had 'em bad about 7 years ago)....

 

I noticed in your wheelchair photo that you're wearing Converse All-Stars (or something similar). I have 2 pairs myself and absolutely adore them...if I could have a pair in every color, I would. However, I know that when I wear them, I run a colossal risk at aggravating my heels because there is ZERO heel support. None. The flimsy cloth heel backs of those shoes are just horrible for our feet...but the things we'll do for fashion.

 

My heel spurs were brought about for two reasons: being overweight for a time and for wearing crappy shoes that exacerbated the pressure on my feet/heels. Obviously, you're tiny so weight isn't an issue, but the quality of shoe and heel support is. I admit I'm guilty for still wearing bad shoes (Converse and all) on occasion to be stylish, but I definitely pay the price the next day as I'm trying to stretch out my heels and get the circulation going again.

 

Your review is gonna be great and I'm gonna be on the Miracle in July so I can't wait to see all your pics. I just wanted to chime in with the heel perspective....with all due respect. :-)

[cynthiacruz]

At 4pm we met our room steward (Xavier) and went outside for the muster drill / safety briefing, it was a little cold but luckily it didn't take long, afterwards my husband & daughter went back to the room while I went to the Spa on Deck 9 for a tour & Raffle, of coarse I didn't win but I got a sweet deal for attending $149 a full body massage, a Facial, a Scalp Massage, and a body exfoliation scrub. I ran up to the room and asked (Cruz) if I can get it he said okay gave me $200 to put into my Sign & Sail Card since it is not only your room key its also a Prepaid Card you have to use in order to make purchases, I remembered I had the wine bottle and needed to take it over to the MDR to have it chilled, they do have a $10 Cork Fee as well, I than walked over to the Dreams Photo Studio met with a photographer named Karel Pancochar seen his work and was interested to book with him for Day 2 -Formal Night he suggested for us to do a sunset family fun photo shoot 5:30pm I signed the booking confirmation and headed to Circle C (12-14) yr olds to advise them that I had registered my daughter online and grabbed a Circle C Activities Schedule. I went back to the room at 5pm and we felt the ship moving so we went to the balcony as it sailed off slowly once it past the break water Jenisea and Cruz fell asleep and I started getting ready for the night, At 7:30pm Jenisea went to Circle C meet & greet so Cruz & I went to the welcome aboard trivia in the phantom lounge on Deck 2 it felt so empty it was over at 8p and we went to the MDR since we had anytime dining we checked in on Deck 3 Bacchus Restaurant our waitress was Iyonna she was great and quick she came out with our Wilson Creek Sangria Bottle opened & poured it right away, For apetitzers i had the shrimp cocktail Cruz got a Cesar salad & Southern Fried chicken, it was a bit over cooked I had the Broiled Fillet Atlantic Salmon Dish it was really good. We had 2 glasses of wine and dessert I had fruit, Cruz had the chocolate melting cake, we also got our picture taken once we arrived! at 10pm we went to the Casino for 2hrs we seen signs to change our clocked 1hr ahead at midnight I got hungry again and ordered room service I had a turkey sandwich, chips, cheesecake, & cookies :) at 1am we went to bed and Jenisea got back from Circle C.

 

 

Dinner menu on the 1st night

 

Wine Bottle

 

Shrimp Cocktail

 

Broiled Fillet Atlantic Salmon

[cynthiacruz]

boaterette - Thank you, its going to be a long day but im dedicating my time to blog EVERYTHING lol

[cynthiacruz]

SoCalKJ - your such a sweetheart <3 my heel spur is due to being on my feet all the time, I stand for about 15hrs a day due to my job as a security officer I also work as a housemen at a local hotel near Disneyland, and Converse are my favorite type of shoes we cant go wrong with that. . July will be here before you know it, how exciting. will you be going to mexico?

[SoCalKJ]

Alaska!!

 

We did the Mexican Riviera in 2004 when it still went to Mazatlan...and again in 2005 when Carnival went out of San Diego.

[cynthiacruz]

Here are more photos since I am only allowed to upload 6 at a time,

Bucchus Dining Room since we had anytime dining from 5:30p - 9:30p our table was on top.

Each night our room steward would leave a towel animal on Jeniseas Bed. I think she was his favorite our balcony cabin was a good size we had a king size bed and jenisea had a sofa converted type bed. we had 3 closets, stand up shower & sink with shelves on two ends, we had a fridge in which I stocked up with gingerale & cokes, I also bought a case of water from carnivals gift service but our steward had to empty it out the pre stocked stuff.

Jeniseas Bed with a towel animal

Our bed we had the balcony door open each night bring a bungee cord if you have a balcony cabin we used a chair to hold it open and at times the wind shut it closed. the Fridge, sometimes it made the cans cold I had to tilt it just a little to avoid it from having sodas get warm.

I really liked the double mirrors vanity

A map from our TV we were still docked in long beach on 2/22 @ 2:34pm ( Sorry im trying my best to post these in order but doing the best I could..)

Edited March 2, 2014 by cynthiacruz

[cynthiacruz]

Funtimes day 1, Embarkation

if you need me to email it over to you feel free to leave your email, once you receive it just please reply saying got it thanks!

 

[cynthiacruz]

2/23/14 Day 2 - SEA DAY / Formal Night

 

I woke up at 06:30AM (shiptime) 1 Hr ahead of CA time and had Room Service

- Wheat Toast,

- Orange Juice

- Fruit

 

at 07:00AM I went to the sunrise stretch class in the gym on deck 9

there was only 2 others their class was 30 mins, since I had a 8am spa appt

I hung around and sat in the spa holding area.

 

I seen the princess cruise who was going the same route as we were

 

At 8am my therapist Michelle called me in, asked me a few questions and had me get ready for my Body Exfoilation scrub, scalp and full body massage, and facial it took 1 hr and 30 mins she did a great job of coarse she tried to sell me some things but I said no thanks even though there was once thing that caught my eye a gel that was good for stress and seasickness. the total was $149 + a 15% automatic gratuity was $171.00,

 

I went back to the room and woke up cruz & jenisea to get ready for seaday brunch in the MDR, its open seating on Deck 2. I had steak & eggs & I Loved it! my daughter had macaroni & cheese with bacon and a mango smoothie using her free drink coupon, cruz had the eggs benedict he liked it. our waiter brought some pastries.

Yumm Steak & Eggs

Mango Smoothie

[lbfluffy]

Thank you for the great pics and review. We will be on Miracle this Saturday. We got FTTF. Am I correct in reading boarding started at 1? We are planning to arrived at 1030. Is that too early?

[cynthiacruz]

After brunch my daughter went back to the cabin and slept while cruz and I roamed around and explored the ship.

[cynthiacruz]

IBFLUFFY - we got off at 11:30am we were tag #17 they don't let anyone on the ship until 1pm everyone has to be out of their cabins at 8:30am. and wait until your number is called, you can go early just to be in line, as far for FTTF goes to be honest I didn't feel the need for it in PV you get right off the ship fast since you just walk down the gangway there was never a wait, for tenders either in cabo there were 6-8 tenders coming back and forth

[aawheat]

hi could yu email the un times jrcab@msn.com thanks:)

[lbfluffy]

IBFLUFFY - we got off at 11:30am we were tag #17 they don't let anyone on the ship until 1pm everyone has to be out of their cabins at 8:30am. and wait until your number is called, you can go early just to be in line, as far for FTTF goes to be honest I didn't feel the need for it in PV you get right off the ship fast since you just walk down the gangway there was never a wait, for tenders either in cabo there were 6-8 tenders coming back and forth

 

Trying to figure out when you got on?

[cynthiacruz]

we got on at 1pm there was no wedding party so special assistance was on first, then the Gold Platinum & Diamond, VIP, FTTF, we arrived at 12:30p took and waited 55 mins for a wheel chair and we were on the actual lido deck at 1pm.

[cynthiacruz]

hi ill be posting up the funtimes on here for each day, I will also email you a copy of the full 7 days too.

[ccruisequeen]

Where was your balcony? We had a 4K 4155. It was great!

 

 

[cynthiacruz]

Empress Deck Cabin 6134 Fwd it was nice but we felt more movement than usual we were always on midship level in the past cruises.

[hello]

Cynthia, you are doing a GREAT job!! Thank you!!

[cynthiacruz]

Thank you sweetheart, I aint feeling to great today I got hit with a bad migraine I think its because today is Monday, ill be posting more tonight...

[cynthiacruz]

As Cruz and I were exploring the ship I wanted to show him the Serenity Deck, we NEVER walked through this in our past cruises its always so crowded, Cruz didn't like it much he didn't see what all the hype was. his thought was why go way out here if we can do this from our balcony. in which is true but i'm a girl I like these things :) boys will be boys lol.

 

[cynthiacruz]

I checked the funtimes at I seen something that i was interested in doing, it was the 11:30AM cooking demonstration at Nick & Noras Steakhouse,

Cruz and I are always willing to learn how to make our home cooked meals taste better lol, so we went and got samples of what they were demonstrating for FREE and even though i wasn't much hungry i forced myself to try it, all i can say it was phenominal how ever you spell that. i even scanned a Menu that i got as well. they first served a mushroom cappicino but i didn't take a photo of that for some odd reason. oh its because we walked in 5 mins late.

 

Baby Leaf Spinach Salad with mushrooms

-

Broiled Supreme of free range chicken (Delicious)