Wrigley80's Carnival Pride Photo Review with my Dad.....and my Mom too

[hlb76]

just found this review. So sad to see Photo Bucket is acting up. A Wrigley Review is just not the same without pics!!! I plan to keep checking back as I read along anyway!!

[kelkel2]

When I am cruising out of Port Canaveral I fly out of Rockford (RFD). It is very convenient for us. We are only about 20 minutes from the airport. Plus there aren't any lines to check-in or for security. It is wonderful to fly out of Rockford. When you fly out Rockford you will fly into Orlando/Sanford Airport (SFB). It is about an hour drive from Sanford Airport to Port Canaveral. Shuttles don't go to Sanford airport so you would have to rent a car (which is no big deal for us. We would do this even if we flew into MCO). The parking at Rockford Airport is free for the week. There are 2 HUGE lots right at the airport.

If you choose to fly out of Rockford there is only one flight a day. If you choose to fly out Midway Airport then I would definitely choose the earliest flight of the day (or at least the earliest one of the day that is the most reasonable). The lines at Midway can be very long.

 

For our cruise in December to New Orleans we are flying out of O'Hare (because I hate Midway). Too far of a drive for us. O'Hare is about an hour drive for us.

 

I hope that answered your questions. If I were you I would fly out Rockford to Orlando/Sanford, FL. And be sure to fly out the day before your cruise....don't put undue stress on yourself trying to make it to the Cruise Port on the day of embarkation.

 

Here is Rockford Airports website http://www.flyrfd.com

Thank you!!! I didn't even think to check for prices out of Rockford! I live in bloomington and our airport lost all of our good flights because Airtran is gone now and now flights out of Bloomington are just so expensive. I'll look at Rockford and see what they've got! How bad of a drive was it from the airport to the Orlando area? Are there toll ways?

[wrigley80]

Thank you!!! I didn't even think to check for prices out of Rockford! I live in bloomington and our airport lost all of our good flights because Airtran is gone now and now flights out of Bloomington are just so expensive. I'll look at Rockford and see what they've got! How bad of a drive was it from the airport to the Orlando area? Are there toll ways?

 

 

Rockford is wonderful to fly out of. It was a very easy drive from the airport to Port Canaveral. It was about an hour drive. And there are no tolls on that route.

[Luweez]

Hi wrigley

I came upon a review of yours in a desperate attempt to find a positive Sunshine review. Your reviews are great! I've been reading others as they are so entertaining. I wish that private messages were an option as I have a lot of questions I'd like to be able to chat with you about.

[wrigley80]

Hi wrigley

 

I came upon a review of yours in a desperate attempt to find a positive Sunshine review. Your reviews are great! I've been reading others as they are so entertaining. I wish that private messages were an option as I have a lot of questions I'd like to be able to chat with you about.

 

 

Thank You so much. I have a Sunshine review on here too. You will love the Sunshine...I know I did. Don't read into all the bad reviews. A cruise is what YOU make it.

You can ask your questions here and I'll do my best to answer them [emoji2]

[nadinenurse1]

Hi Briana, omg I think I spelled your name wrong which is strange as I just read all 37 pages, , loved your notes about the boat and the ports, can I ask about tendering> I have a wheelchair that I use for distances d/t a back injury, of course it folds it is a manual one, will it be hard for me to get on the tender? And the big question !!!, I cant tolerate smoke how bad was it ? We loved the Glory but all of the fun things were held in places that were smoking .. thanks in advance and thanks for your time and the great photos !

[wrigley80]

Hi Briana, omg I think I spelled your name wrong which is strange as I just read all 37 pages, , loved your notes about the boat and the ports, can I ask about tendering> I have a wheelchair that I use for distances d/t a back injury, of course it folds it is a manual one, will it be hard for me to get on the tender? And the big question !!!, I cant tolerate smoke how bad was it ? We loved the Glory but all of the fun things were held in places that were smoking .. thanks in advance and thanks for your time and the great photos !

 

 

Haha you did spell it wrong but most people just call me Bri anyway [emoji2]

 

You will be just fine on the tender for half moon cay. There are guys there to help you on and off. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

 

The only place I noticed the smoking is when we walked through the casino. Other than that it was fine.

 

Thanks for checking out my review. I'm happy that you enjoyed it

[hlb76]

Another Great Review!! I always love you take the time to do this for us!!

 

So I'm dying to know is your mom going to cruise with you more often??

 

Thanks for the review on the Behind the Scenes HMC tour. I had not looked into doing much there but I am very interested in this now and the price is great. The photo op's alone are worth it though I cant take a descent pic to save my soul. Can I ask what time your parents did the tour you mentioned it got very hot.

[wrigley80]

Another Great Review!! I always love you take the time to do this for us!!

 

 

 

So I'm dying to know is your mom going to cruise with you more often??

 

 

 

Thanks for the review on the Behind the Scenes HMC tour. I had not looked into doing much there but I am very interested in this now and the price is great. The photo op's alone are worth it though I cant take a descent pic to save my soul. Can I ask what time your parents did the tour you mentioned it got very hot.

 

 

Thank you so much. I truly enjoy putting these reviews together. It is enjoyable and a great way to re-live your vacation. [emoji2]

 

Yeah my mom will definitely cruise again. She enjoyed it for sure.

 

My mom and dad aren't the type of people to sit out on the beach all day so they wanted to do something in Half Moon Cay. The behind the scenes tour was perfect for them. I booked it right onboard the ship. It was $19.99 per person. The tour lasted about an hour and a half. They did the 10:00 am tour. They wanted to go early so that they could still have enough time to enjoy the water when they were finished on the tour. The photos that my mom of the ship that day are just beautiful

[Orpheo]

Hi Brianna,

Just finished reading this review of yours:D

Very very beautiful pictures. Just loveeed them!

 

Marrie:)

[wrigley80]

Hi Brianna,

Just finished reading this review of yours:D

Very very beautiful pictures. Just loveeed them!

 

Marrie:)

 

 

Thank You so much. Happy to hear that you enjoyed my review. I'll have another review soon.....we leave on the Dream in 38 days

[fbe2228]

Brianna,

I just read your review AGAIN! We are leaving Saturday for Pride, and I wanted to refresh my memory on the ship. I've been looking at reviews for the past few days and yours is by far the best. Thanks again for doing it!

 

I'll post a short review of the 2.0 upgrades once I return, since it seems like a lot of people are waiting to hear how the ship is post-upgrades. It's a bummer that I won't get to read much about this week's first 2.0 trip since those passengers will be getting home when we are getting on the ship.

 

Paul

[wrigley80]

Brianna,

 

I just read your review AGAIN! We are leaving Saturday for Pride, and I wanted to refresh my memory on the ship. I've been looking at reviews for the past few days and yours is by far the best. Thanks again for doing it!

 

 

 

I'll post a short review of the 2.0 upgrades once I return, since it seems like a lot of people are waiting to hear how the ship is post-upgrades. It's a bummer that I won't get to read much about this week's first 2.0 trip since those passengers will be getting home when we are getting on the ship.

 

 

 

Paul

 

 

Thank you so much. It is a lot of fun to put the reviews together.

From everything that I have heard the 2.0 upgrades on the Pride look fantastic. I can't wait to hear about them first hand from someone who is cruising.

 

Enjoy your cruise. We still have 26 days until our cruise on the Dream is here

[shoppingfever]

Brianna I always love your reviews and this is no exception. We are looking at going on our second cruise and you helped me so much with our first one one The Legend last year that I knew I had to find a Pride review from you. Unfortunately the itinerary for March 2016 is only to Port Canaveral, Freeport and Nassau. But we loved serenity on Legend so much that we chose Pride because of the same layout!

 

Thank you for the great review and I loved all your pics! So glad your mom went with y'all this time!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wrigley80]

Brianna I always love your reviews and this is no exception. We are looking at going on our second cruise and you helped me so much with our first one one The Legend last year that I knew I had to find a Pride review from you. Unfortunately the itinerary for March 2016 is only to Port Canaveral, Freeport and Nassau. But we loved serenity on Legend so much that we chose Pride because of the same layout!

 

Thank you for the great review and I loved all your pics! So glad your mom went with y'all this time!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Oh yeah you will love the Pride. We were onboard just before the 2.0 upgrades were added. I love the Spirit class ships for that reason. The Serenity area at the back of the ship is so relaxing and peaceful.

Enjoy your cruise on the Pride

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Aelsantokie]

I thought I read all your reviews but stumbled on this after finishing your latest one. I think I missed it as I was traveling the entire summer in Hawaii and who wants to surf the web in HI right?

 

It was nice to see your mom joining you guys for a cruise, or should I say they letting you join them on their anniversary cruise? :p

[wrigley80]

I thought I read all your reviews but stumbled on this after finishing your latest one. I think I missed it as I was traveling the entire summer in Hawaii and who wants to surf the web in HI right?

 

 

 

It was nice to see your mom joining you guys for a cruise, or should I say they letting you join them on their anniversary cruise? :p

 

 

I paid for their anniversary cruise so of course I was going [emoji6]

 

 

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[slyman17]

After dinner we went to the Welcome Aboard show. The Welcome Aboard show is one of my favorite shows of the week

 

 

It is hard to see but I had to post this pic....those lights were the top of a submarine. After dinner I walked out onto the outdoor Promenade deck and we were passing a Submarine. That was very cool.

 

 

You have no idea how many times I pulled in or out of Port Canaveral (PCAN) or Ft. Lauderdale in the bridge of a submarine and saw a cruise ship on the other end of my binoculars and wished I could change places with somebody on board. If you were to ever sail out of Norfolk VA, you will pass right by the the Naval Station and see all the ships, carriers and of course the best thing the Navy has going for it, Fast Attack Submarines! Not as many there as there used to be back in the day, but should be a couple. I love your reviews and I'm glad I got to read this one. I am sailing her in June 2016. Thanks again!

[eli&coco]

wrigley80. Your photos are breathtaking! I am a native Baltimorean and I have never seen the city look so beautiful. I loved seeing the pictures.

Here is a link to some information about our state flag.

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/flag.html

We are going on the pride a week from today!!!

[wrigley80]

You have no idea how many times I pulled in or out of Port Canaveral (PCAN) or Ft. Lauderdale in the bridge of a submarine and saw a cruise ship on the other end of my binoculars and wished I could change places with somebody on board. If you were to ever sail out of Norfolk VA, you will pass right by the the Naval Station and see all the ships, carriers and of course the best thing the Navy has going for it, Fast Attack Submarines! Not as many there as there used to be back in the day, but should be a couple. I love your reviews and I'm glad I got to read this one. I am sailing her in June 2016. Thanks again!

 

 

I would love to cruise out of Norfolk to see that but since Carnival rarely if ever uses Norfolk as a port I guess I'll have to see it somewhere else

 

Thank you for your service to our country [emoji631][emoji631][emoji631]

 

 

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[wrigley80]

wrigley80. Your photos are breathtaking! I am a native Baltimorean and I have never seen the city look so beautiful. I loved seeing the pictures.

 

Here is a link to some information about our state flag.

 

http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/flag.html

 

We are going on the pride a week from today!!!

 

 

Thank you so much. I love different flags from other countries and states. While we were in Baltimore for the cruise I got a t-shirt with the flag on it.

 

Enjoy your cruise on the Pride and tell Jase (cruise director on the Pride) that I said Hello

 

 

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[MEcruisin]

Hi,

Just read one of your many reviews. This one was of the Carnival Pride out of Baltimore. First off, thank you so very much for all of your time and effort that you put into each review :). You mentioned that the Sleep Inn that you stayed at turned into a Best Western?? Is this possibly the one that Mitsuygirl stayed at in Elkridge or another ?? Trying to find a place to stay the night before that has shuttle from airport/to surrounding mall & restaurants/to & from port...... Was there a charge for shuttle $? You also mentioned that it was near Walmart for soda pop.

(We) the entire family are thinking of going on the Sept 20, 2015 Pride sailing out of Baltimore, MD. My Husband and I were on the Pride in December 2014 out of Tampa.

Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[wrigley80]

Hi,

Just read one of your many reviews. This one was of the Carnival Pride out of Baltimore. First off, thank you so very much for all of your time and effort that you put into each review :). You mentioned that the Sleep Inn that you stayed at turned into a Best Western?? Is this possibly the one that Mitsuygirl stayed at in Elkridge or another ?? Trying to find a place to stay the night before that has shuttle from airport/to surrounding mall & restaurants/to & from port...... Was there a charge for shuttle $? You also mentioned that it was near Walmart for soda pop.

(We) the entire family are thinking of going on the Sept 20, 2015 Pride sailing out of Baltimore, MD. My Husband and I were on the Pride in December 2014 out of Tampa.

Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Yes I believe that the Sleep Inn that we stayed at in July was being transformed into a Best Western. They were in the early phases of doing that when we stayed at the hotel so I am sure that it is done by now. This hotel provided a shuttle to and from the cruise port. If you choose this hotel and want the shuttle you will need to book the Park, Stay, and Cruise Package. We had our car so there are los of restaurants within a 5 minute drive from the hotel as well as a Wal-Mart.

I prefer staying at Choice Hotels so if this the hotel that was transformed over into a Best Western I would stay somewhere else if I ever cruise out of Baltimore again

[stevefrisco]

 

Here is a great story about this guy, Darwanta. When I sat down for breakfast he was across the table from me and he said to me "You look really familiar. Were you on the Carnival Dream in April???" To which I replied "Yes we were on the Dream for the repositioning cruise in April"

He remembered me by name. My dad hadn't arrived to the table yet (he was talking to the hostess). Darwanta said to me, "Is your dad with you this cruise?? Where is Mr. Rick???" I told him he was coming in behind me.

 

It is reasons like this and guys like him why we only cruise with Carnival. Now I'm sure stuff like this happens on other cruise lines but to remember you by name when they see 3,000+ passengers every week.....that is pretty AWESOME. This isn't the first time this has happened....it has happened on 3 other occasions where waiters or bartenders remember my dad and I.

 

Just finished this review and among lots of things, this portion really stuck out as something I couldn't agree with more. We have had this happen several times and I always wonder to myself how these people are able to remember everyone's names not only all week, but a year or so later.

 

It was very interesting to see how much the Pride has changed since it was updated. The sports bar having the video poker and the casino having pool tables jumped out at me as things I would have enjoyed, but I think most of the other upgrades were truly that, upgrades.

 

I hope all is well and your on the seas soon Wrigley!

[watermelonqueen99]

I got so excited when I saw this, I thought it was a new Brianna review! :(:D