Miracle Review: Nov 15-22, 2014 Mexico: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta

[Kobayashi]

We made an additional stop by a theater where a group performed several dances by the various cultures of the Mexican people. This was a great event and the highlight of this excursion.

 

 

 

 

 

The tour continued to the Gold Zone – this is a restaurant and shopping area. We had the option of returning to the tour bus after our break or we could inform our tour guide that we would be leaving the tour and taking a taxi back to the ship since this was the end of our excursion. If I recall, the cost for the taxi ride was $10. Several members of our tour group opted out of the return bus ride.

 

This was my first time in Mazatlan and I’m not sure what the security was like prior to my visit but there was a noticeable security presence of police cars and armed security guards throughout the tourist areas. It felt completely safe.

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Here is the return to the port. There is a flea market with shops and food stands along the way. I intentionally ate a light breakfast and skipped lunch as tonight I would be attending the Chef’s Table.

 

 

 

 

Chef’s Table. You can read my review of the Chef’s Table here. I decided to write a separate review rather than to include the review in this thread as I felt it deserved a separate topic. Hope you enjoy:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2130964

[Kobayashi]

Wednesday – Puerto Vallarta

 

Here is our ship’s position as well as a copy of the Fun Times.

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Here is our ship docked at port with Wal-Mart right across the street!

 

 

 

 

Pictures from the excursion – The Best of Puerto Vallarta & Shopping Tour with images of the Malecon.

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

 

 

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

 

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Pictures as we depart Puerto Vallarta:

 

 

 

Pictures from the Lido Deck Party. A married couple of 52 years won the dance contest blowing the competition out of the water (second picture). I hope to be able to have those kind of moves when I reach that age!

 

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Thursday – Second Sea Day

 

Here is our ship’s position as well as a copy of the Fun Times.

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

After another Sea Day Brunch of steak and eggs I attended the Animal Towel Folding Demonstration and purchased the book:

 

 

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Here are my attempts at my new skill. Can you guess what these are?

 

 

 

 

After the towel demonstration I began walking to my cabin when I heard the dance team rehearsing. The second and third floor entrances to the Phantom Theatre were closed with a note stating “no peaking.” What the crew probably didn’t realize was the fourth floor entrance to the theatre was open so I walked up and watched part of the practice. I looked around and soon realized I was the only passenger in the theatre so I figured it was probably best to leave the area :).

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Later that morning I attended the Future Cruise Talk. This was probably one of the better presentations I’ve seen. The speaker was well spoken, articulate and knowledgeable about the subject material. She spoke for an hour and captured my attention the entire time. I wish I would’ve recorded the presentation as this was a very substantive workshop.

 

 

 

 

 

After the presentation I stopped by Horatio’s Restaurant to pick up something from The Sweet Spot and noticed another cruise ship on the port side.

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

This was the second and last elegant night of our cruise. My pictures of the food weren’t the best but I did include a few from that night. Also, the Jumbo Shrimp only had four shrimp so I asked my server for a double-portion of the meal. This wasn’t enough to fill me so off to the 24 hour pizza! Quattro Formaggi with Pepperoni.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

After dinner I made my way to the comedy club to watch the family edition. Afterwards, I walked down one flight of stairs to grab a seat for the final show of the week. The one that I’ve been waiting to see the whole trip, “Ticket To Ride, A Tribute To The Beatles.” Almost every seat was taken and part of the theatre was standing room only.

 

 

After the show I made my way back down to the comedy club. I enjoyed the layout of the Miracle as the comedy club and theatre were both on the forward side and only one floor apart. Tonight all the venues would be full – theatre, comedy club and casino. I was fortunate to find a seat and noticed a sign was posted at the comedy club entrance causing a line for the next show:

 

 

Here is the drink menu from the comedy club:

 

 

 

[Kobayashi]

A view of the casino on Thursday night:

 

 

 

My last stop for the night would be Dr. Frankenstein’s Dance Club. Even members of the crew were participating.

 

 

[Kobayashi]

Friday – Third Sea Day and Final Day of the Cruise

 

Here is our ship’s position as well as a copy of the Fun Times.

 

 

[Kobayashi]

I signed up for the Behind The Fun Tour since this was my first time on a Spirit Class ship. The cost of the tour was $95 and lasted 3 ¾ hours. We met at The Joker Card Room. No cameras were allowed as we visited secure areas of the ship that not even some crew members could visit (engine control room). If you’ve done a previous tour on another class of ship this tour was very similar.

 

We stopped by the theatre and talked to one of the stage crew and dance members. They informed us about the transition of new dancers for this cruise. We then had stops to the main galley, ships laundry, staff dining and lounge areas and Nick and Nora’s steakhouse. We walked by part of the crew’s quarters and stopped in the ship’s holding areas for food and beverages. Our tour guide was a training and development manager so we stopped in his office for a Q&A session. We also had stops in the engine control room and finally the bridge. We had a chance meet the captain and ask him any questions regarding sailing. We then had a group picture with the captain and then individual pictures with him. Later that night, copies of the pictures were provided to us in our cabin.

 

The only other scheduled event I attend this day was the Q&A session with our cruise director. This was a one hour session to ask any questions about cruise life. He would answer any question with the exception of two topics. He wouldn’t discuss the security of the ship or the financial compensation of the crew. Everything else was wide open. I posted a link in the first post about a day in the life of a cruise director. During the session I asked him about this article and how his role as a cruise director has changed in the past thirteen years.

 

 

Later that evening I ate at Nick and Nora’s. A few minutes after arriving our cruise director was seated next to me. We exchanged pleasantries and we finished our meals around the same time. I then walked over to his table and he invited me to sit down with him. We discussed Carnival and his job as a cruise director. I appreciated his feedback. The Chef’s Table would have been the highlight of the cruise for me. However, the opportunity to sit down with a senior member of the ship’s staff for an extended period of time in a one-on-one discussion is a rare opportunity and so for me, this was the highlight of my trip and what a great way to end it.

 

 

Saturday – Disembarkation

 

We’ve arrived back in Long Beach after traveling 2,320 nautical miles!

 

I began writing both the Chef’s Table and this review long before our return. I hope you enjoyed reading this adventure as much as I enjoyed writing about it. I’m sure there are some details I have forgotten from my notes. Hopefully some members from our sailing will also share their memories and pictures along the way. I didn’t post many pictures of the ship during my initial tour and will post some of those in the following posts. Thank you for joining me on this adventure and until the next one…..Bon Voyage!

 

[alrichards4003]

Great review and pictures.

 

Thank you.

[joeyancho]

Sounds like you had a great time.

[MrsPhoenix91]

Kobayashi, can a request be made to Carnival staff to remove everything from the fridge so that space can be made for one's own pop and juice?

[mips]

Thank you awesome review and we will be on the same cruise in a few weeks. A question though, what time was tea time? I cannot spot it on the fun times my eyesight not your pics at fault. I am so very happy that they have Strongbow for passengers now not just the crew :)

[tracyvansmith]

Thanks for the great review.

 

We will be on the ship Jan. 4 and Jan. 10 for a b2b. Our Jan. 10 will be the same one as this one.:)

[TravelDan99]

Great review and outstanding pictures! I was also on this voyage, and I will only remark, that during our stop in Mazatlan, a crew member pointed out to several of us from the Lido deck, that "Carnival paid the local police to keep their police car's lights on and flashing and patrol extra heavy throughout the tourist areas". It did seem extraordinarily safe.

[thepauls93]

Thank you awesome review and we will be on the same cruise in a few weeks. A question though, what time was tea time? I cannot spot it on the fun times my eyesight not your pics at fault. I am so very happy that they have Strongbow for passengers now not just the crew :)

 

I was on the same cruise. Tea time is at 3:00pm on sea days in the dining room.

[PathfinderEss]

Nice review and photo's.

[Kobayashi]

Great review and pictures. Thank you.

 

Thanks!

 

Sounds like you had a great time.

 

Great cruise that I hope to sail again next year!

 

Kobayashi, can a request be made to Carnival staff to remove everything from the fridge so that space can be made for one's own pop and juice?

 

Hopefully others will chime in here as well. I don't have any experience with this only what I've read on CC - the best bet is to go to Guest Services or ask your Cabin Steward about this.

 

When I opened the fridge it wasn't cold as others had mentioned on here. If you do want to keep your own pop and juice cold, ask your cabin steward at the beginning of your cruise to keep an ice bucket in your room so he can empty it and fill it each day.

 

Hope you have a great cruise!

 

Thank you awesome review and we will be on the same cruise in a few weeks. A question though, what time was tea time? I cannot spot it on the fun times my eyesight not your pics at fault. I am so very happy that they have Strongbow for passengers now not just the crew :)

 

 

I was on the same cruise. Tea time is at 3:00pm on sea days in the dining room.

 

Looks like CC member ThePauls93 responded that 3:00 is tea time. I haven't experienced that yet on a cruise but will try for the next time. Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

Thanks for the great review.

 

We will be on the ship Jan. 4 and Jan. 10 for a b2b. Our Jan. 10 will be the same one as this one.:)

 

Hope the review helped and Bon Voyage!!!

 

Great review and outstanding pictures! I was also on this voyage, and I will only remark, that during our stop in Mazatlan, a crew member pointed out to several of us from the Lido deck, that "Carnival paid the local police to keep their police car's lights on and flashing and patrol extra heavy throughout the tourist areas". It did seem extraordinarily safe.

 

I was wondering about this. All the police cars in Mazatlan had illuminated their head lights and strobe lights.

 

Glad you also had a great time!

 

Nice review and photo's.

 

Many thanks!

 

More ship photos to come.