REVIEW: Carnival Liberty - Western Caribbean - 4/5/14 thru 4/12/14

[pghsteelerfan]

We then flew over Vienna, VA, with great views of Tysons Corner from there. Tyson’s Corner isn’t a sleepy little country corner anymore, it’s built up with several tall office buildings and looks more like a city. My very first job after getting married and moving to Virginia was in Tysons Corner and I could even see “my” building.

 

Tyson's Corner, VA and beyond Tyson's Corner is Falls Church, VA:

 

 

 

Tyson's Corner, VA (McLean, VA) and Washington, DC, can be seen in the distance:

 

 

 

Right after we flew over Tyson's Corner, we now over the Potomac River over Seneca Park, VA, then over the state of Maryland where we made our wide, left turn to align with the runway at Washington/Dulles International Airport. We had another jet flying parallel to us on our landing that was landing on the runway to the west and we probably landed right at about the same time.

 

Potomac River (divides Virgina and Maryland) over Seneca Park, VA:

 

 

 

Coming into Washington/Dulles as we flew parallel to another jet. The Blue Ridge Mountains can be seen in the distance:

 

 

[pghsteelerfan]

Right before landing at Washington/Dulles International Airport - view of the parking lot and the other main runway to the west:

This was just a second or two before we landed at Washington/Dulles International Airport:

 

 

The plane slowly taxied to the gate and I got the camera bag from under the seat in front of me and put “Rebel” away. Not long after arriving at the gate, we were able to get off the plane, making our way through the airport and the pushing, the shoving, the people not watching where they are going…back to the area we live and what we have to put up with in public situations regularly. It was sure nice to go on a cruise and get away from that. I read lot about “bad behavior” on cruises, but except for the group of people trying to cut in line while waiting for the tender in Belize back to the ship, we didn’t witness any of that. We finally got to baggage claim and didn’t have to wait too long for our luggage. Once we got our luggage, we had the long walk out of the airport. On the way out, we stopped at one of the automated machines where we were able to pay for our parking. After that, we made our way up the escalator and out the doors, where we made our way to the parking garage. We loaded the luggage in the car and drove the 20 minute drive to our home.

When we got in the door, three of our four cats, two are eight month old kittens, were there to greet us at the door. I was so happy to see them because I missed the little guys…our tiny terrors. Three of them are here…where is our little Lucas, our youngest and tiniest??? As I went through the door and down the hallway, there he was…ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER!!! Lucas, get down!!! Well, it looks like their vacation is over as well.

 

 

Jack (5 yrs. old):

 

 

 

 

Skate (5 yrs. old and Jack's littermate):

 

 

 

 

Freeway (8 months old - rescue kitten):

 

 

 

 

Lucas (aka "Tiny"; 8 months old - rescue kitten):

 

 

[pghsteelerfan]

We dumped all of our luggage in the living room, where I would unpack and sort laundry, which is referred to as “Mt. Washmore”. When we opened our suitcases to make sure everything we packed was still there, I found a notice from TSA inside mine that it been manually inspected. I sure hope they had a good laugh at the snorkel equipment, four coconut monkey’s wrapped in articles of clothing, two plastic Pirate Blue Fish cups, two Fat Tuesday’s “Attitubes”, a couple of Carnival funnel cups, the beach bag with things not allowed in a carry-on, and miscellaneous other stuff that I can’t remember that they found when they went through my suitcase. I always have a "checklist" with all of the items that are in the suitcase to prevent any "five finger discounts" (stolen items). The checklist is also very useful when it comes to packing as well. Yes, vacation is now over and it’s back to reality.

 

 

The TSA "Notice of Baggage Inspection" (In English):

 

 

 

The TSA "Notice of Baggage Inspection" (the other side, in Spanish):

 

 

 

 

Well, this is it for the main part of the review. I will be following up with a brief summary of our cruise and our thoughts shortly. I will also include the “Red Frog Rum Bar” and “Blue Iguana Tequila Bar” menus. For those like me who love Carnival’s souvenir drink cups, I’ll include pictures of each of those and what day of our cruise they were available and where you could get them. Some were mentioned in the “Fun Times” but I’ll add it anyway because it would be a pain to have to go back through each edition of the

"Fun Times" I've posted. Since we didn’t get receipts this time, I may not be certain of all the prices but I still have the prices from when I got them last year, so if they aren't still the same, the prices shouldn't be much more.

I'd like to thank all of you who have followed along in reliving our cruise with me and/or commented. If anyone has any further questions, please feel free to ask and I'll do the best I can to answer.

 

 

 

Holly (aka pghsteelerfan)

[blarko]

Thanks for sharing your Liberty review. This is the best review I have read about any ship, hands down. Your pictures are fantastic and your extremely detailed descriptions of every aspect of each day almost make it feel like I was on the cruise too! Reading this review has gotten me really excited for my upcoming Liberty cruise in September. I will be on the Eastern Caribbean cruise sailing out of Port Canaveral. 104 days to go!

 

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[bluejay555]

Wonderful review. I just spent a good hour reading through it. You take amazing pictures!!!

[pghsteelerfan]

Thanks for sharing your Liberty review. This is the best review I have read about any ship, hands down. Your pictures are fantastic and your extremely detailed descriptions of every aspect of each day almost make it feel like I was on the cruise too! Reading this review has gotten me really excited for my upcoming Liberty cruise in September. I will be on the Eastern Caribbean cruise sailing out of Port Canaveral. 104 days to go!

 

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Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed coming along with me. :) You will love Liberty. Which Eastern are you doing? We were on Glory in May 2010 and did the Eastern itinerary that went to HMC, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk. I noticed that Liberty will have a variety of Eastern Sailings, including some that go to Tortola. I haven't been there yet but would love to go. I hope you have a wonderful cruise, great weather and smooth seas.

 

Wonderful review. I just spent a good hour reading through it. You take amazing pictures!!!

 

Thank you! I took a ton of pictures but only posted the better ones. :) I'm still trying to figure out the one camera but I'm pleased with some of the results I've gotten from it.

[cruisetraveler2]

Thank you for a wonderful review. I appreciate all the time and effort that you took putting this together. I loved the details and photo's.

[pghsteelerfan]

Thank you for a wonderful review. I appreciate all the time and effort that you took putting this together. I loved the details and photo's.

 

Thank you and I'm so happy you enjoyed it. There is time and effort in putting them together but they're fun and a great way to relive and even document our vacation. This one took longer than my last one because responsibilities around here kept getting in my way or when I'd sit down to work on it, something would come up. :)

[blarko]

Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed coming along with me. :) You will love Liberty. Which Eastern are you doing? We were on Glory in May 2010 and did the Eastern itinerary that went to HMC, St. Thomas, San Juan, and Grand Turk. I noticed that Liberty will have a variety of Eastern Sailings, including some that go to Tortola. I haven't been there yet but would love to go. I hope you have a wonderful cruise, great weather and smooth seas.

 

 

We will be on the September 13 eastern Caribbean leaving from Port Canaveral and going to Grand Turk, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and San Juan. I've been to both St. Thomas and St. Maarten before, but never to San Juan or Grand Turk, but chose this sailing due to being on a budget, and getting the most bang for my buck (with this one being 8 days). Excited to have the "extra" eighth day on this cruise. Now I just have to find a good price on a return flight (already have my arrival flight booked) and I'm checking prices every day, several times a day! Thanks again for the great review, which I will read again and again

 

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[pghsteelerfan]

We will be on the September 13 eastern Caribbean leaving from Port Canaveral and going to Grand Turk, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and San Juan. I've been to both St. Thomas and St. Maarten before, but never to San Juan or Grand Turk, but chose this sailing due to being on a budget, and getting the most bang for my buck (with this one being 8 days). Excited to have the "extra" eighth day on this cruise. Now I just have to find a good price on a return flight (already have my arrival flight booked) and I'm checking prices every day, several times a day! Thanks again for the great review, which I will read again and again

 

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That sounds like a great itinerary!!! I love some of the newer itineraries that Carnival is adding. We've been to all of those islands and we also LOVE San Juan and would actually love to go there for a week sometime. There is just so much to see and do. We did a zip-line excursion through Carnival on our Glory cruise but had a little time in Old San Juan. Last year on our Valor cruise, we flew down a day early and just spent the whole afternoon at the Isla Verde Beach, were our hotel was (20 minutes from the cruise terminal). The next day we spent a few hours at Fort El Morro and we really loved it, beautiful views from the top. We walked over to the other Fort, San Cristobal, but didn't go in. We went for the great views of Valor in port.

 

We were also in Grand Turk on our Glory cruise and really loved it. It's a very small island, so it's easy to do an island tour and also have time at the beach. The water there is so pretty, very clear. I'm sure you are going to have a wonderful cruise. I certainly wouldn't mind that itinerary, plus 8 days. We were on a budget on this cruise too but we were able to make the best of it and still do and see what we wanted. I hope you get a great price on your flight and I'm sure you will since they do seem to come down. That's happened to us in the past, after we booked. Again, I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[Dirkgun]

Loudoun Quarries - Sterling, VA

 

 

 

Great review again, I had to go back to the front and comment on this picture.... When I was a kid we lived in Sterling VA. So I recognize that area and really love Dulles airport. When I was a kid they were one of the places that the Concord (supersonic Jet) would land and take off from and since Dulles is very close to Sterling we would always see it. Virginia is such a pretty place. I will keep reading the review. Thanks again for doing it. and btw I about spit my Diet Pepsi on my computer from laughing at your description of "Gas Man" that was hilarious and so true.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Dirkgun

[pghsteelerfan]

Loudoun Quarries - Sterling, VA

 

 

 

Great review again, I had to go back to the front and comment on this picture.... When I was a kid we lived in Sterling VA. So I recognize that area and really love Dulles airport. When I was a kid they were one of the places that the Concord (supersonic Jet) would land and take off from and since Dulles is very close to Sterling we would always see it. Virginia is such a pretty place. I will keep reading the review. Thanks again for doing it. and btw I about spit my Diet Pepsi on my computer from laughing at your description of "Gas Man" that was hilarious and so true.

 

Hi Dirkgun! Small world!!! Sterling is just a straight shot up Rt. 28 for us, we're in Manassas Park. We really love Dulles as well, very easy to navigate not to mention convenient to get to. There are times that it would be cheaper to fly out of Baltimore but we pay for the convenience. I loved the Concord...and miss it. I think it had something to do with not enough flights being booked but I'm not sure. I have a few pictures of it somewhere but not digital. I have to say the neatest thing we saw come into Dulles was when they brought in Space Shuttle Discovery. They flew right over our house a couple of times (we're under the landing pattern to Dulles if the winds are coming from the north or northwest) and also took it on an tour of the whole area before they finally landed it that day. I got a lot of pictures of that, and all on digital. Virginia is very pretty way out to the west and south. They are really starting to overbuild the whole area and it's pretty much solid development all the way out to Haymarket to the west and Fredericksburg to the south. Beyond that, still beautiful.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed that part about "Mr. Gas" and thought it was funny. That was the intent but I have a feeling that some don't think it's funny. Oh well, too late for me to change it now. It's not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last - it's a reality of flying. It wasn't exactly funny then but now I can laugh about it.

[shawne71]

 

I'm guessing this is a sightseeing tour boat:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a tour of Star Island on this boat before our Carnival Destiny cruise. It was a lot of fun!

[pghsteelerfan]

We took a tour of Star Island on this boat before our Carnival Destiny cruise. It was a lot of fun!

 

I would love to do something like that if we have a Sunday sailing out of Miami and fly in a day early. I'd love to fly in a day early and I've always wanted to see Miami/South Beach area. Was the cost reasonable and how long was the tour? This really does look like fun.

[pghsteelerfan]

I was hoping to get this done last weekend, but as they say, life gets in the way. When I did my last review, I did a summary with my thoughts at the BEGINNING of the review, which I was planning to do with this one...but I just plain forgot. Here it is now. :)

 

Final thoughts and ratings (A - F):

Booking: We booked through Carnival’s website and it was very easy and we had no issues. I have my VIPF set up and before our cruise, I logged in to the “Manage My Cruise” section. That was where I was able to book our excursion for our day in Belize, the Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and River Wallace tour. I paid, using a credit card, through Carnival’s site. The tickets were delivered to our cabin before the day of our excursion. We were also in a cabin that could be set up with two single beds or a king sized bed, so I was able to select the option DH and I wanted, the king sized bed. It was set up when we arrived. That is also were we were able to pull up and print the downloads that we would be needing: our boarding pass, insurance & transfer to and from the ship to the airport (which we purchased), and the Carnival luggage tags, which will need to be attached before handing luggage off to the porters once you arrive at the ship. I think the booking process was very easy. My rating: “A”

 

Checking in: Since our Liberty cruise left out of Miami, FL, we flew into Miami International Airport. Carnival has a check-in desk set up right in the airport, near baggage claim: One is located at Concourse D (across from baggage claim 26) and the other is Concourse H (after baggage claim 6) and are open from 8:00AM – 2:00PM. This information was on our Carnival Liberty boarding pass under the Check-in Instructions. Check-in was very easy. We had to have our Carnival Liberty boarding pass and the photo ID. We used our passports for that and had our driver’s licenses in case we needed those also. We didn’t. ***If you are new to cruising, make sure you have the proper documentation. All passengers 16 years and older will need government issued photo identification and ALL guests must have proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate with the raised seal) and necessary visas. For specifics, it’s on Carnival’s website and look up acceptable travel documentation*** Once showing our boarding pass and passports, we had our pictures taken there, the ones that are tied in with your Sail & Sign card, not the ones available for purchase. When we were through checking in, we were given our Sail & Sign cards and a map of Carnival Liberty. The lady who checked us in also gave us instructions to keep our Sail & Sign cards, passports, and boarding passes handy, we’d be needing them once again when we arrived at the Port of Miami cruise terminal (all we had to do there was show them since we were already checked-in), then go through security then right onto the ship, after getting our photos taken. The lady also let us know that lunch would be available on the Lido Deck 9. Passengers for both Carnival cruise ships in Port of Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) are able to check-in here. Very easy and not very long of a wait. Love the fact that Carnival has a check-in desk at the airport. My rating: “A”

 

Transfer from the airport to Carnival Liberty then from Liberty to the airport once our cruise was over: It cost a total of $64.00 ($16.00 per person, each way). We feel it was worth it but a taxi might be quicker. We don’t know what the price for a taxi would be each way. Once we checked-in at Carnival’s check-in counter at the airport, there is a waiting area with seats available where we could wait. We had about a half out wait for our transfer. Transfers are available for both passengers of Carnival cruise ships in both Miami and Fort Lauderdale. If you don’t purchase transfer service through Carnival ahead of time, you can still do so at the Carnival check-in desk at the airport. The only downside with the transfer is the wait until they get a full busload of passengers. My rating: “B”

 

Port of Miami & boarding: Once we arrived at the Port of Miami, we dropped our luggage off with the porters and tipped them. There are two main lines for passengers to enter, one for those who still needed to check-in and the other for those who checked-in at the airport. We went through the one for those who checked-in at the airport. There is a counter with several staff members working. We got in the line for that counter where we showed our Boarding Pass, Passport and Sail & Sign card. The gal there instructed us to go through security then once through, to enter the main terminal and go up the escalators to the right to get right on the ship. Those who did not do the airport check-in got in the line in the main terminal for check-in. We went through security, which moved quickly. We just put our carry-on luggage through the X-Ray machine/conveyor belt and that was it. From there we went into the main area of the terminal where they have the long counter set up for the lines of passengers who still needed to check-in and followed the instructions to go up the escalators to the right. In the area at the top of the escalators is where our first Carnival photos are taken, the ones later available for purchase. After that we continued through until we got on Carnival Liberty. We felt the actual boarding process ran very smoothly. My rating: “A”

 

Carnival Liberty (her appearance, layout and décor): This is the third Conquest Class ship we’ve been on but the décor on Carnival Liberty is my favorite. Very nicely done. We had no problem with the layout since we were already familiar from our previous cruises on Carnival Glory and Carnival Valor. The biggest complaint I’ve seen about the layout of the Conquest Class ships is that on Decks 3 and 4, you can’t walk the whole length of the ship, due to the mid-ship dining room. On Carnival Liberty, that would be the Golden Olympian Dining Room, which is located mid-ship. If you’re trying to walk from one end of the ship to the other, you’ll need to take the stairs up to Promenade Deck 5, continue in the direction you’re headed, then go back down if you’re trying to get to an area beyond The Golden Olympian Dining room. You are able to walk the whole length of the ship on any of the other decks. We finally figured it out on our last cruise the easiest way from our cabin on Upper Deck 6 to the Silver Olympian Dining room, which is located at the back (or aft) of the ship, was to stay on our floor (Deck 6) and walk to the back and use the last sets of stairs/elevators. My rating: “A”

 

Our cabin: We had a balcony cabin (Cabin Category 8B) and really liked it. It’s the same type of cabin that we had on our previous three Carnival Cruises. There is plenty of room, and plenty of closet and drawer space to accommodate the two of us. We had the king sized bed and there is also another seat and table next to the bed. The bathroom is also exactly the same as on our previous four cruises and we’ve never had any problems with them. The only thing about our room this time that was different was that it was an adjoining room, with another door. We had no problem with that since we kept it locked. The only issue I had with that is that I am sensitive to many fragrances and someone in the room next door used very heavy perfume, so the scent from that was able to make it through the frame of that door, even though it appeared to be sealed well. For anyone reading this and being afraid of being in a room next to smokers, ALL cabins are non-smoking so that shouldn’t be an issue. My rating: “A”

 

Our Cabin Steward: We really liked him and he was a very friendly and nice guy and he did keep the cabin clean for us, but there were a few things that we thought would be automatic when servicing cabins that were forgotten and we had to ask for:

· Wash cloths: When servicing the cabin one of the days, he remembered to replace the bath and hand towels, but not the wash cloths.

· Liquid shower gel (soap): We had to ask for a dispenser refill of the liquid body wash soap that Carnival provides. We noticed there wasn’t much left when we got on Liberty, but thought it was an oversight and that he’d refill it later. That didn’t happen, we used it till it was empty (two days later) and asked if he could refill it. He forgot the first time and we reminded him again the next day, this time it was refilled. We ended up using the small bars of soap (two provided) until we got the refill. I may just bring a bar of soap from home the next time, just in case. On the past cruises we’ve been on where they have the soap and shampoo dispensers in the shower, they have always been filled when we first got on the ship and refilled daily after that.

· Toilet paper: We actually had to ask for this. Again, on all past cruises there has always been a roll on the holder and at least one extra roll in the little shelf under the sink and there was this time as well. This time once we had the spare roll on the holder, it was never replaced. By day four, that one spare running pretty low but there were no extra rolls left in our cabin, so we had to ask.

Now in his defense, he always looked very rushed. We could see that and although we did talk to him, we made sure we kept it brief because we didn’t want to get him behind schedule. I don’t know if he has an assistant working with him or not, but we never saw anyone else. On all of our past cruises, there has been at least one assistant who we saw. My rating: “B” (had he not been so nice and had we not seen how rushed he was, it would have been a “C”).

 

Food:

· Breakfast: We ate at the buffet every morning and it was decent. The eggs weren’t as bad as I was picturing but they’re also not the best eggs I’ve had either. They have two types of potatoes: little round hash browns and roasted potatoes. They also have cereal, yogurt, fruit, bacon, sausage, toast (wheat & regular), pancakes, French toast, and the pastries. I’m probably missing something. We never made it to the omelet station or Blue Iguana Cantina for breakfast this time. A few times I just had the cereal and one of the cinnamon pastries (love those) either because I wasn’t quite hungry yet or I was saving room for something else later. Next time I’m on a ship with the 2.0 upgrades, I WILL be trying the Blue Iguana Cantina for their breakfast and I’m kicking myself for not doing so on this cruise. My rating: “C”

· Lunch: With Liberty having the 2.0 upgrades and the addition of Guy’s Burgers, that’s where we ate every day except once. That once we were just too full from what we had to eat during the day. The Guy Burgers are the best! I am kicking myself now for not trying Blue Iguana because I’ve been reading other reviews and the descriptions and pictures of the tacos always make me hungry. Since lunch was at Guy’s Burger Joint every day that we had lunch, I can only rate that. My rating: “A+”

· Dinner: On all but two nights, we ate in the Silver Olympian Dining room and Liberty has the new “American Menu”. In the review I gave an in depth description of all that we had and really liked most of it. We weren’t crazy about the new “American Menu” since some of our favorites are not included. I was really bummed that Spaghetti Carbonara was no longer on the menu. I think that is my favorite, hands down, and was really looking forward to it. We did not eat in the dining room on the two formal nights, so I don’t have any feedback on the “American Feast” menu but do know that Lobster and Prime rib are offered on that. I’m not a big dessert eater so I really can’t comment on those, although I will say that anyone else like me can still order sorbet, even though it’s not listed on the menu. We did not try Harry’s Steakhouse but we talked to a few who did and they highly recommended it and said the food was good and worth the extra cost. On the two formal nights, we ate in Emile’s Lido Buffet. They seemed to mainly have the same things offered in the dining rooms but not all, just select items, and served buffet style. There will be no lobster in the buffet, so if you want that, go to the dining room on formal nights. The regular buffet line also has a large bowl of lettuce for salads and in the center area is a whole section with toppings and dressings to build your salad. On one of the nights, they also had a bowl of the already made Caesar salad. Although we weren’t fans of the new “American Menu”, I will admit that the things we did have were good. We’re just really missing some of the favorites from the past. My rating: “B”

 

Wait staff in the main dining room (Silver Olympian for us): The service wasn’t as fast or as good as we’ve had on past cruises but our wait staff were all were very nice. They were all really appeared to be “rushed” and we didn’t see anyone standing around twiddling their thumbs at any time. We all got the impression that they had too many tables to cover. The orders were always correct but everyone at our table that had something to drink with dinner, other than water, had to ask every night even if they had the same thing to drink. On past cruises those drinks were automatically brought out. My rating: “C”

***I’m listing all of the restaurants or other places to eat and their locations for anyone who may be interested:

Ø Silver Olympian Dining room: one of the two main dining rooms; located on Lobby Deck 3 and Atlantic Deck 4, very back (aft) of Liberty.

Ø Golden Olympian Dining room: the other main dining room and most of it is “Your time dining”; located on Lobby Deck 3 and Atlantic Deck 4, midship.

Ø Emile’s Bistro: Located on Lido Deck 9 and includes the buffet, deli, Mongolian Wok and Pizza Bar (Pizza Bar is located by the Versailles Pool, which is the adult only pool at the back of the ship).

Ø Guy’s Burger Joint: Located on Lido Deck 9 right by the main pool area, midship and on the right (starboard) side of Liberty.

Ø Blue Iguana Cantina: Located on Lido Deck 9 right by the main pool area, midship, and on the left (port) side of Liberty.

Ø Fish & Chips: Located on Panorama Deck 10, above Emile’s Bistro (toward the back) of Liberty.

Ø Harry’s Steakhouse: Located on Panorama Deck 10, midship, and above Emile’s Bistro. There is a charge to eat here.

Ø Jardin Café: located on Promenade Deck 5, just outside the casino area. Service specialty coffee drinks, pastries, and desserts. You’ll have to pay extra $$$ here as well.

Ø Sushi Bar: I’m sure there is one, and probably on Promenade Deck 5, but we never saw it or bothered to look for it.

 

Drinks & Bar Service: There are many bars on Carnival Liberty and you can get almost anything to drink. The bars we went to regularly were Red Frog Rum Bar (Lido Deck 9, main pool area midship, right side); Blue Iguana Tequila Bar (Lido Deck9, main pool area midship, left side); Versailles Aft Pool Bar (Lido Deck 9, back of ship); and the Promenade Bar (or Casino Bar) located on Promenade Deck 5 by the casino. The drinks were all very good, and we tried several, but the only gripe we have with the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar, the Red Frog Rum Bar, and the Versailles Aft Pool Bar were that there never seemed to be enough bartenders, so the waits were usually longer than we’ve experienced on past cruises. The Blue Iguana Tequila Bar isn’t always open, causing some overcrowding at times at the Red Frog Rum Bar. We went to the Versailles Aft Pool bar a few times because the lines were too long at the others. There was only one bartender working that bar each time we were there. Twice we had service right away and once it took quite a while to get our order taken and drinks, but we understood because it was kind of busy and there was only the one bartender. This was when Liberty was at sea, it wasn’t what I’d consider crowded but there were several people at the bar, like there usually is when the ship is at sea, so there should have been at least two bartenders. The Promenade Bar always seemed to have enough bartenders working and they were great. We also didn’t notice as many bar tenders walking around on Lido Deck 9 or Panorama Deck 10 as we have on past cruises. I’ll base my ratings on drinks and service.

Ø My rating for the Red Frog Rum Bar: “B”

Ø My rating for the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar: “C”

Ø My rating for the Versailles Aft Pool Bar: “B”

Ø My rating for the Promenade (casino) Bar: “A”

 

Ship staff: The staff seemed to be very rushed on this cruise but they were still very friendly and always greeted us with a smile and spoke, whether it was “good morning”, “good afternoon”, “good evening” or “hello”. I also noticed they were constantly keeping up with the cleaning. Even though service was slower in the dining rooms and the bars, the staff were very friendly and always smiled but we could tell that they were rushed. They really do work too hard and adding a few more to cut back on their workload would probably be a good thing. My rating: “A”

 

Pools/hot tubs: There were two pools on Carnival Liberty, the main pool that is located mid-ship (the Tivoli Pool) and the adult only pool, the Versailles Pool, which is located at the back of the ship. We did not go into the Tivoli Pool since it seemed to be the hangout for the kids and it was always full, when open. We didn’t go down the waterslide this time, but it’s the same as Valor’s and we went on it last year and really liked it. There is a smaller pool right by the waterslide that we didn’t go in. There are also hot tubs by the Tivoli Pool, which we did not try. On the first Sea Day, we were in and out of the adult only pool, the Versailles Pool, and also went into one of the hot tubs there. The areas always seemed to be kept clean and there was always music and plenty of activities going on. The only problem is that there never seems to be enough loungers on Sea Days, but that’s typical. My rating: “A”

 

Activities: There are always plenty of activities going on, even during the day on port days. There is always some kind of trivia going on somewhere on the ship. We don’t participate in too many activities but did try the Classic Rock Trivia that was held on one of the nights. It was during late seating dinner time, but was a formal night where we didn’t eat in the main dining room. It seems that there is something for everyone and there also seemed to be some type of activity going on during the day and evening. My rating: “A”

 

Entertainment:

· Shows in the Venetian Palace: We never went to any of the shows that were held in the Venetian Palace but there seemed to be something in there every night. We have yet to go to the Legend’s show and were considering it this time, but it was at 10:15PM on the last night of the cruise so we didn’t go since we wanted to be up at 4:30AM since we did the “Self Assist” debark. I can’t rate the shows because we did not attend any.

· Seaside Theater: Carnival also has the Seaside Theater where they’ll have movies under the stars on most nights. Our cruise happened to be during the NCAA basketball semifinals and finals, so they showed the games at the Seaside Theater those nights. We never did watch any of the movies, but they seem to be recent, popular movies. I did list what movies were playing and on which nights in the review. I can’t rate the Seaside Theater because we didn’t spend time there to watch a movie or any of the NCAA games.

· Punchliner Comedy Club: We only saw one comedian this time, Jason Blanchard. Out of all of the comedians we’ve seen on cruises, I personally think he is the best. The Punchliner Comedy Club is in the Victoria Aft Lounge, which is at the very back of Carnival Liberty on Promenade Deck 5. They don’t have the Punchliner comedy shows every night, but on nights they have it, there is a “Family Friendly” show with both comedians that starts at 7:45PM and three “Adult Only” shows at 10:00PM, 11:00PM, and 11:45PM, alternating between two comedians. Check the “Fun Times” for actual days and times, because they could be different. We saw the 10:00PM show with Jason Blanchard and were planning on sticking around for the 11:00PM show with Happy Cole. In the past, we’ve just stayed where we were sitting when one comedian was done and were able to wait until the next comedian came on. Carnival handles that a little different now, and it’s probably only fair. After a comedian is finished and the lights are turned back up, everyone has to leave the comedy club then get back in line for the next one. If you’re a Platinum VIFP member, you will not have to leave. We were going to get back in line to see the second show the night we went, but the line was too long and it appeared that by the time we got back into the comedy club (Victoria Lounge), it would be standing room only or filled to capacity. Carnival switches comedians during the week, so there are usually a total of four comedians on a 7 day sailing. The first two will get off the ship at a port and two more will be getting back on. Sometimes it will be the same port for drop off and pick up, but that’s not always the case. Well, wouldn’t you know it, the two comedians we were going to have for the second half of the cruise were to board Carnival Liberty in Grand Cayman…but we missed going to Grand Cayman due to weather conditions, so there was no comedy the last few days. We are very happy with the Punchliner Comedy that Carnival offers now. My rating: “A”

· Music on board: There was a variety of music whether it was a DJ, the singer/guitar player; bands (usually on Promenade Deck 5 right by the Promenade ‘casino’ bar). They DJ was very good at getting the crowd going and played the popular line dances (Cupid Shuffle/Wobble and others I can’t name). There are complaints that the music was loud, and it can get loud, but we were into it even though we don’t participating in the line dances. They also played a lot of popular music that everyone seemed to enjoy. The singer/guitar player usually entertained at the Red Frog Rum Bar in the late afternoons. He was a younger guy, probably in his 20’s and was good but not great. He really seemed to have an attitude (almost an arrogance about him). We noticed and a few others were commenting on the fact that even though the “Red Frog Rum Bar” was packed and passengers had longer waits to get their drink orders taken then their drinks, the entertainer would walk up behind the bar and get the bartenders to wait on him first. A few times when the bartenders were really busy, he went behind the bar himself and poured his own drink. I’m fine with going behind the bar and pouring his own drink…he is and employee…but don’t demand to be waited on immediately when there are a lot of passengers still waiting to place their drink order. The bands that play along the Promenade Deck 5 at night were pretty good from what I was able to hear. We didn’t spend a lot of time there just to listening though.

· Mardi Gras Party: This is a lot of fun. It starts in the atrium area of Lobby Deck 3 with the pre-party, then the dancing and beads (beads are tossed to the partygoers) then wraps up with the “Promenade Parade”, where everyone forms a line and heads to the Promenade Deck. My Rating: “A”

· Deck Parties: There was a “Sail away” deck party when leaving Miami the first day and they also had a “Red Frog’s Caribbean Beach Party” on one of the nights in which they have prizes and giveaways. We always love the “sail away” party and couldn’t think of starting a cruise any other way. At the “Red Frog’s Caribbean Beach Party”, we missed the prizes and giveaways since that was done before we got up there after our late seating dinner. No biggie though since we really don’t need more stuff. The parties are a lot of fun and there’s a lot of dancing for anyone who loves to dance. We don’t dance but we do enjoy the deck parties. My rating: “A”

 

Itinerary: The itinerary on the Western Caribbean sailings isn’t as scenic as those of the Southern and Eastern Caribbean sailings since most of the islands are flat, with the exception of Isla Roatan, Honduras, and there isn’t much to see when arriving/leaving port. However there is so much to see and do in each port and they are all beautiful and different.

· Miami, FL: We love sailing out of Miami and think it’s one of the prettiest places to sail from and like me, if you’re up early, sailing back in is just as beautiful.

· Cozumel, Mexico: There is so much to see and do in Cozumel and we chose to spend our day at a local, private beach club called Nachi Cocum. We were there on one of the few days where the water was rougher than normal, so the beach and water weren’t as pretty as they normally are. It’s an all-inclusive, so the food and unlimited drinks are included in the cost ($55.00 per person). The food and drinks are VERY good (A+). Nachi Cocum also allows only 100 guests per day, so it’s not crowded. They have a nice pool, hot tubs and swim-up bar that we didn’t use, but they looked great. We prefer spending our time at the beach. There are loungers under palapas which are located on the beach under the palm trees, so there is plenty of shade if needed. Loungers can be moved into the sun as well. They offer many activities, but there is an extra charge for those. We booked directly through Nachi Cocum’s website a month in advance because they do fill up early. We also spent some time shopping in Cozumel and also at Fat Tuesday’s, which I thought was a lot of fun. Our only complaint about Cozumel was that some of the vendors were extremely pushy and just plain annoying.

· Belize City, Belize: On our last Western Caribbean cruise, we did a “Beach Break” excursion that we booked through Carnival. That was on an island off the coast of Belize, which we really enjoyed, but we never got into Belize on that trip since we took a water taxi from the ship to the island and back. This time we wanted to do something different and see more of Belize. We booked the “Altun Ha Mayan Site and River Wallace” tour directly through Carnival’s website a month before the cruise and it was very easy to do. For this, we needed to take a 20 minute tender ride from the ship into Belize City. I thought the tender process was very well organized. For passengers who booked tours through Carnival, the meeting spot was in the Venetian Palace (Lobby Deck 3, front of ship) and we were given a colored sticker with a number according to the excursion signed up for. All others were directed to the Victorian Lounge (Promenade Deck 5, back of ship) to get their tender number. Once in Belize, we met for our excursion. We really enjoyed our excursion and our day in Belize.

· Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, Honduras: This was a new island for us and was the most scenic of the islands to sail into and out of because it is mountainous. There is so much to see and do in Roatan and we ended up booking the “Best of Roatan private tour” through Victor Bodden, a local tour group. The reason we did this was because it was a shorter port day since we were only there till 3:00PM and having to be back onboard by 2:30PM. We’ve been on other tours in the past where beach time or shopping time was cut short because part of the tour ran late, sometimes due to the excursion itself or waiting on other passengers. We really wanted time for a little shopping for small things, to see more of the island than just the cruise center, and also beach time and thought by doing a the private tour would allow us to take advantage of the short day. Because of the short day and the time it takes to get from place to place, we still felt very rushed and we wished that we could have stayed there till at least 5:00PM. The beach we went to was West Bay beach and it’s very pretty. The water was very rough the day we were there, so we didn’t get in. It was still very pretty though and is also popular for snorkeling, which we didn’t get to do because of the water conditions.

· Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands: This is also a tender port and we unfortunately missed going to Grand Cayman due to high swells and strong winds which would have made tendering too dangerous, so local authorities closed the port of Georgetown. Sometimes ships can tender from another spot in Grand Cayman called “Spott’s Bay” and Liberty was going to head there, but the conditions at Spott’s Bay were no better so our day in Grand Cayman was cancelled. However, we were there on our previous Western Caribbean cruise in March 2006 and really enjoyed our day there. We booked the “Stingray City” tour through Carnival that time and really loved it. If we’d have been able to make it to Grand Cayman this time, our plan was a beach day at Seven Mile Beach since we didn’t get to the beach the last time we were in Grand Cayman. We’ve heard so many nice things about Seven Mile Beach and how pretty it is, but I guess we’ll have to wait until next time until we can go there ourselves.

 

***I can’t really rate the itinerary because there are so many things to see and do on each of the islands and they all have their own beauty and a lot also depends on what you do while there as well. We also happened to be there a week when the weather wasn’t the most cooperative but since we’ve been to most of the islands on our Carnival Miracle cruise in March 2006, with the exception of Roatan, we saw these ports at their very best because we had great weather that whole cruise.***

 

Carnival Excursions: The only excursion we booked through Carnival this time was the “Altun Ha Mayan Ruin Site and River Wallace” tour. I highly recommend this. The whole tour was very informative. We thought the scenery while doing the River Wallace part of the tour, which is by boat, was very pretty and we really enjoyed it. This was our first time to see Mayan Ruins and there is a difference when you see them in person compared to pictures. We also loved our tour guides, Merlene & Therese, they were both very informative and had a great sense of humor and they were a big part of making it a fun and memorable day for us. My rating: “A+”

 

Fellow passengers: I have no complaints, whatsoever, about our fellow passengers on this cruise. There was a wide range in ages, from small kids to seniors. Because we went in April, there were a lot more kids on this sailing but they all seemed very well behaved and we didn’t witness any of them running wild, blocking stairwells, using outside voices while inside, crying, whining, or throwing tantrums. There was one time that all of the elevator buttons were pressed, but it didn’t inconvenience us and it was no big deal. It was when we got on an elevator after our late seating dinner and it was crowed but not packed like sardines crowded, with a mix of adults and kids. We had doors held open for us, twice, by teenage boys. One of those times was in port but the boy was a fellow passenger. We didn’t witness any adults that had gotten fall-down/obnoxiously drunk or out of control. The only line cutting we witnessed was for the tender from Belize back to the ship and it was a group of four adults who appeared to be in their 60’s. We didn’t have anyone cut in front of us at the buffet line at breakfast and we didn’t see anyone cutting in front of others. As far as what others wore in the dining room, I don’t pay attention and it’s really none of my business and how people dress really doesn’t bother me, as long as they have clothes on. Most people were dressed in what is considered “cruise casual”. Most of the people we had a chance to talk to were very nice and we enjoyed their company. It seemed to be a pretty laid back, fun loving crowd and that is one of the things we really like about Carnival and our fellow passengers. Fellow passengers, like the weather, can vary from cruise to cruise and we really had a great group of fellow passengers, well…except for the group of line cutters in Belize and those who hogged all those chairs on that last Sea Day but I’m sure that’s a given on every cruise.

 

Debarkation: We did the “Self Assist” debarkation, meaning we kept our luggage with us and had to carry it off ourselves. It was DH’s decision to do this and it was for the convenience of having the main suitcase with us. We both had items that we needed that night/next morning that are restricted by the airlines in the carry-on luggage and to avoid the hassle of having to get them out of the carry-on and put in the main suitcase before arriving at the airport. On the last day of our cruise we received our “Debarkation Information” sheet that has the detailed debarkation instructions in addition to the times passengers are called to debark. We also received the blue debarkation luggage tags that have a “zone number” on them in case we ended up doing “Relaxed” debarkation. We didn’t need them since we were doing “Self Assist”. On the “Debarkation Information” sheet, the debarkation times were listed, with “Self Assist” being one of the first groups off the ship and that is done by deck number. Since we were Upper Deck 6, our scheduled debarkation time was 7:05AM. The “Relaxed” debarkation groups are called by “zone number”, the number on the debarkation luggage tags. Our only issues with the debarkation process were that they were not making any announcements that morning. The time of 7:05AM (our listed debarkation time) came and went and we were basically clueless. Did they call us and for some reason we did not hear or maybe the announcement couldn’t be heard in our cabin? We had no idea and started to wonder if we should just go down or wait and decided to wait. About an hour later is when we got our first announcements, and shortly after the actual debarkation started. It would have been nice for a “heads up” announcement, even if it was just to let us know that the ship was getting clearance by U.S. local authorities and to listen for further announcements for debarkation. Once we were called, things ran pretty smoothly from there. There was a line to get off of Carnival Liberty, but it wasn’t too long and the line moved. Everything seemed to be pretty organized once off Liberty and where we went through customs. We were able to see the luggage of those who did “Relaxed” debarkation and it was marked by zone numbers so it could be easily found. My rating: “B” (would’ve been an “A” if we’d have gotten some kind of announcement to prevent that confusion).

 

Next up: Since I know that I’m not the only one who likes collecting Carnival’s fun souvenir cups, the next (and last) part will be when and where those cups are served and I’ll include pictures.

[JKirkN]

I thought you might like these...These are screen captures from a webcam mounted on the top of the El Cid resort by the port in Cozumel on the day you guys were there. Ever since we went to Cozumel (and even before) I've been saving these...

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2014 by JKirkN

[shawne71]

I would love to do something like that if we have a Sunday sailing out of Miami and fly in a day early. I'd love to fly in a day early and I've always wanted to see Miami/South Beach area. Was the cost reasonable and how long was the tour? This really does look like fun.

 

It was $24 per person and a 1.5 hour tour. Great way to see the sites from the water!

[pghsteelerfan]

It was $24 per person and a 1.5 hour tour. Great way to see the sites from the water!

 

That's it, $24 per person? That would definitely be worth it. That is something I'd love to do. Thank you!

[pghsteelerfan]

I thought you might like these...These are screen captures from a webcam mounted on the top of the El Cid resort by the port in Cozumel on the day you guys were there. Ever since we went to Cozumel (and even before) I've been saving these...

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for attaching these!!! That was definitely our day. We were getting ready to get off Liberty when they announced that the gangway was closed for about 15 minutes while Caribbean Princess was tied in. We were on Panorama Deck 10 watching as she came in. Once we were off Liberty, we saw Elation coming in.

 

I really appreciate you attaching these, it's so nice to have them. :) Thank you again.

[pghsteelerfan]

Thank you rubberband1293!!! I really appreciate that great feedback. I've read many great reviews on here starting in 2010 and I just hoped that I'd do half as good a job as theirs. I went a lot more detailed with this one since I took into consideration that there are many others coming here to Cruise Critic doing research who are planning a very first cruise or contemplating booking one for the first time. I sure wish we could take another cruise next month! We buy a Mega Millions lotto ticket twice a week and sometimes Powerball. If we ever get lucky and hit that, I'd be going on a cruise as often as possible. Until then, we have no idea when we'll be going again. I am so glad you enjoyed this one and it's the nice comments that really make it worth it...and the fact that I get to relive the cruise. :)

[CoasterJoe]

pghsteelerfan,

 

I have problems with motion sickness that seem similar to yours. I have had great success with the combination of ginger root and Meclizine. It seems make me less tired then the "Less Drowsy" Dramamine, which I think is worse then the regular. . . I'm actually able to take it on sea days in the morning and function just fine.

 

Hope this helps and thanks for a great review. It had many of the interior pictures that I was looking for.

[pghsteelerfan]

As I promised, I'm now following up with Carnival's Fun Souvenir Cups, when and how they are available and the cost. Last year when we were on Valor at the beginning of May, we got receipts for our drinks and I held onto those and was able to give exact prices of each drink. This year we did not receive receipts for our drinks out on the deck but I did get receipts for the cordial shots (you get to keep the shot glass) during dinner. For the others, the prices were about the same, so the prices I'll list are what we paid on Valor last year.

To start out, I noticed that many people ask about the "Cheers" program. We did not get the "Cheers" program but we did keep the information on it that was provided to us, in our cabin, the first day of the cruise. I know many question whether it's worth it and what's included, so hopefully this can be used as a guide.

Carnival's "Cheers" program:

 

 

 

The next part I'll cover is the "Suite Mini Bar" which we assume are the beverages that come already stocked in the small refrigerator in the cabins. This price list was also provided in our cabin when we first got on Liberty on the first day of our cruise:

Suite Mini Bar price list:

 

I've noticed many other comments here on Cruise Critic about the former "Hurricane" plastic cups that the Drinks of the Day used to regularly come in. On Valor last year, we did have them on the very first day with the "Funship Special", which is always the first "Drink of the Day" on Carnival. These were not available on Carnival Liberty and we also noticed that in the "Fun Times" that they were no longer referred to as the "Drink of the Day" and are now called the "Daily Special" where you get $1.00 off. When we first went to the Lido Deck 9 for lunch and a "Funship Special", we didn't see any of the bar waiters carrying them around on trays, so we went to the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar and ordered them and they came in the regular bar glasses.

 

The new "Funship Special":

 

 

During the Sail Away from Miami Deck party, the bar waiters were making their rounds with trays full of "Funship Specials" in....The Funnel Cups! These were about $9.00 each (I'm pretty sure it was $18.00 for both).

The Funnel Cup. I took the picture to show how they come. The top part is a screw on top and the actual drink goes into the base. The one on the left of the picture shows the top off and the one on the right is the whole cup:

 

 

In the main dining rooms during dinner every night, they bring trays of cordial drinks to the table usually at the end of dinner and before dessert. The drinks themselves are pretty good and my favorite is the B52, which is Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua, and Grand Mariner, equal parts and layered. They had this the second night, which we skipped since it was formal night. The first night was just as good and this is all I can put of the name on Cruise Critic "Buttery ******" (our drink waiter wouldn't even say it, but I've had them before and knew what it was). It's half Bailey's Irish Cream and half Butterscotch Schnapps and is very good. These cordial drinks are $8.50 each and you get to keep the shot glass. These are actually made out of glass and they came in five different colors this cruise. Blue, white (clear), green, yellow, and a blue/green. They all have "Carnival" carved in the clear part of the glass at the top. Last year we just bought the shot glass for one of the nights we missed and it was $4.75 for just the glass. If you miss a night in the main dining room, no worries. During the week they'll bring all the colors so if you miss one, you'll be able to get it one of the other nights.

 

Cordial shot glasses served between dinner and dessert in main dining rooms for $8.50 each (you keep the glass). If you want just the glass, we were charged $4.75 for it last year on Valor:

[pghsteelerfan]

Day 2, our first Sea Day is when the Bluefish Cup was served. It was listed in the "Fun Times" under the "All Kinds of Deliciousness" section as "Today's Lido Special": "Pirate Punch" (the drink) served in a souvenir Glass Pirate Fish". The cup itself is plastic and is about 10 inches tall. The top half (the fish's head) comes off and the actual drink comes in the bottom half. They did not have these on Valor last year since this is the newest of Carnival's souvenir cups. I'm thinking it was either $12.00 or $14.00 (might have been $12.95, but not positive) with the drink included. They had them up on the Lido Deck 9 (bar waiters also made rounds on Panorama Deck 10 with trays of them).

 

Picture of the Bluefish (or Pirate Fish) Cups. The cup on the left is shown with the top part off (in front) and the bottom half (back) which holds the drink. The whole cup, together, is on the right in the picture:

 

 

Cruise Day 3, our first port day in Cozumel, was supposed to be the Blowfish Cup, but we never saw them. In the "Fun Times", it was mentioned under "All Kinds of Deliciousness" as the "Blow Fish Souvenir Cup" and it would be available during "Blue Iguana's Mexican Fiesta". There was never any mention in the "Fun Times" as to when the "Blue Iguana's Mexican Fiesta" was going to be held and it wasn't listed in the daily schedule of events under the "Fun Times" "Have a Great Time" section. It was only mentioned that the fiesta would be held on Lido Deck 9. Now we already have Blow Fish Cups from our Valor cruise, which I'm attaching a picture of, so we really didn't need them. If this is something you want, ask the bartenders if they are going to have them and when. this can be done for any of the Souvenir Cups. We paid $12.95 last year on Valor for them, drink included.

The "Blow Fish Cups". These have a screw off top, which is the top part (fish's head). It comes with a plastic cup/lid with a hole for a straw and that's what the drink will be in. In the picture of our two "Blow Fish Cups", the one on the left is apart with the plastic cup also out so you can see it. Again, this plastic cup fits nicely into the bottom half of the "Blow Fish Cup" and the top half screws on top. The whole "Blow Fish Cup" assembled is the one on the right in the picture:

 

 

On Cruise Day 4, I don't remember seeing any souvenir cups nor did I see any mention of them in the "Fun Times". This was our day in Belize and the Mardi Gras party was held this night, but I didn't notice any souvenir cups.

 

 

On Cruise Day 5, after Roatan, they served the Coconut Monkeyhead Cups at the "Red Frog's Caribbean Deck Party" which started at 10:00PM on Lido Deck 9. I can't remember the exact cost but last year they were $14.95, which was the same price that we paid for them on Carnival Glory in May, 2010.

Picture of the Coconut Monkey Head Cups. With these, the lid flips off but is tied on at the back. A plastic cup (no lid) that holds the actual drink fits nicely inside. The Coconut Monkey Head Cup on the right shows the lid off and the cup:

 

At the Red Frog's Caribbean Beach Party, they also served shots inside the Flashing Shot Glass.

 

Flashing Shot Glass. There is an on/off switch at the bottom (a little white button) that will turn it off (or on):

 

Edited June 9, 2014 by pghsteelerfan

[PathfinderEss]

Enjoying your review and love you photo's, thanks for posting them.

[pghsteelerfan]

Cruise Day 6, Grand Cayman...or supposed to be Grand Cayman but turned into "Unexpected Sea Day", there were no souvenir cups available.

Cruise Day 6, Sea Day (and last day of cruise), the "Disco Ball Cup" was available. Again, this was in the "Fun Times" under "All Kinds of Deliciousness" as "Disco Ball" then mentioned that it was available that night in the nightclub (I'm guessing the Hot & Cool, which is located on Panorama Deck 5, back (aft) of Liberty). It was also advertised as $2.00 off the original price. We didn't get this one because we never spend time in the night club but would have gone if I didn't get one of the Disco Ball Cups on Valor last year. The picture I'm attaching is of the one I got last year when on Valor. It was $12.95 last year so I don't know if the $2.00 off would make it $10.95 or not.

The Disco Ball Cup:

 

The Disco Ball Cup has a screw on top and comes with a plastic cup/lid with a hole for a straw that fits nicely inside the bottom half of the cup:

 

 

If you'd rather hang it instead of use it as a drink cup, check inside the bottom half, under the plastic cup...there is a string with a little plastic "plug" which you can use to hang it. Just stick the string up through the straw hole in the top, keeping the plug on the inside section (underneath the top). I did not notice the string last year UNTIL I got home and was washing it. It didn't take me too long to figure out what that string with a plug on the end was for.

Attaching a picture of the string (with plastic plug) and where I found it). It's not the best picture but you can still see the string: