Breeze 1/31- The Good, The Not So Good, The Ugly

[cactus73]

Carnival Breeze - 1/31/15 -

 

The Good, The Not So Good, The Ugly

 

We are four time Carnival cruisers. This would be our first cruise aboard the Breeze. We were looking forward to the Breeze as the past always had us gazing at the latest Royal Caribbean mammoth with cruise ship envy. The Breeze is Carnival’s answer to those of us with this type of envy - with Carnival’s usual twists of course.

 

This was an eight day cruise with three sea days and stops on St. Thomas, Antigua, San Juan, and Nassau.

 

The Good:

 

The Breeze is a beautiful ship in almost every regard. From the outside it has fine lines and looks like a ship should look. We were docked next to the Norwegian Epic when we left Miami and the Breeze actually looked like an elegant ship, not an oddly shaped top heavy oblong eye sore. They even rounded out the stern with a descending slope to complete its ocean worthy look. In short, the Breeze just looks right.

 

From the moment we stepped aboard and entered the third deck atrium, we had to do a double take and confirm that we actually boarded a Carnival ship. The colors were all neutral and very pleasing to the eye. It has a very similar layout to the Valor and Liberty which we sailed on recently, but with touches to improve traffic flow and ease navigation. For example, the fourth deck has a promenade that runs the full length the of the ship, so it’s no longer necessary to transit the smokey casino to get from one end to the other. Deck five also has an outdoor deck running both the starboard and port sides each with a whirlpool, deck chars, and card tables. We found this our favorite spot to lounge during sea days or for an after dinner drink.

 

Besides just size, the most visible changes from its smaller Conquest cousins are the amenities from the Lido deck and upwards. The Lido buffet is not only larger, but it’s broken up into smaller dining areas tastefully decorated with modern furniture and fixtures. The full Carnival Waterworks includes two massive waterslides and a smaller water park. The sports deck has a full running track and outdoor exercise stations reminiscent of Venice Beach. There is also a ropes course that requires the participant to navigate numerous bridges suspended above the deck. The mini golf spans two decks and provides quite the challenge. There is an outdoor hotdog stand near the mini golf but to our dismay it was never open during our cruise.

 

One oddity we did notice was the substitution of faux teak instead of real teak found on other Carnival ships. The fake wood surface got very slippery when wet. It also cheapened (which of course cost and maintenance savings we’re sure were the priority) the otherwise beautiful look of the ship.

 

We had a forward balcony cabin on deck eight. The room was tastefully decorated and there was amble space for my wife and two+ year old son. We were in cabin 8217. We wouldn’t recommend going any further forward or the bridge will block your view. Our cabin, in fact, was perfect in that we had a nice view into the bridge, yet we were far enough back to still have a fully unobstructed ocean and ship view.

 

The Breeze seemed to rock and roll a little bit more than its smaller siblings. We suspect this is due to the higher superstructure, but it could have just been the choppy seas. Rarely was the ship 100% smooth. Personally, we like the movement of the ship - helps us sleep at night and if we wanted a stationary platform we would have booked an all inclusive in Cancun.

 

The Not So Good:

 

People normally scoff at us for our loyalty to Carnival as we can afford alternatives, but in the past we loved them. They are perfect for families with kids and the food and service are on par or exceed what we found on Royal Caribbean pre child, until….

 

Unfortunately, the Breeze did not live up to our service expectations. It was hard to pin point exactly what was different, but the crew just seems disjointed, uninterested, and generally flat.

 

Our cabin stewardess never introduced herself and seemed annoyed if we didn’t leave our cabin early enough in the day for her to service our room. We received the same towel animal at least three times. I know this isn’t a huge deal but our son was looking forward to the hanging monkey or something different than the basics. On the last night we never received an animal - also a disappointment.

 

The CD Matt was nice enough, but he too seemed unenthusiastic and tired. The most we saw of his staff was one afternoon in the fitness center where they were all working out.

 

We were really looking forward to Camp Ocean for our son as Carnival is one of the only cruise lines to accept children under three in their clubs. They will change diapers and feed your child if left during meal time. There was one guy, who was outstanding, but the rest of the staff didn’t seem to like their jobs, let alone children. The few times we checked in unannounced the staff was either yelling at some kid or no where to be seen. Not all of it is their fault as it appeared that Carnival understaffs this area which stresses those in charge of the kids. Towards the end of the week our son would cry when he saw the doors of Camp Ocean as we approached. Our son is normally a very social kid and he attends day care three days a week. So the fact that he really didn’t want to go in suggested to us that it was not a pleasant experience. For some reason, the club on the Valor had at least twice as many toys in stock. For sure, the lack of toys on the Breeze contributed to the boring experience for the kids.

 

We were also (initially) very excited about the Seuss at Sea program. On the second sea day we attended the kids parade with the characters followed by a story and stage show. This was nice and our son really enjoyed it. After the show CD Matt told everyone who hadn’t signed up for the Seuss at Sea Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast to line up and make a reservation. We were number five in queue and when it was our turn the crew member from dining said they were full and no longer accepting reservations. I was incredulous as was everyone else in line. She called her manager and he confirmed that they were at capacity. A few of us went to guest relations and magically we were all accommodated without a problem. This left a very sour taste in my mouth.

 

The breakfast itself was great and the decorations were well done. The problem was that there really was no program to go along with the meal. They really should have read the Green Eggs and Ham story to the kids during breakfast. We ate our food and left. The characters were available for pictures and there was one dance that resembled the evening show done in the dining rooms. The dining room seemed less than enthusiastic about having to serve. Our food took at least forty five minutes to arrive after ordering which is ridiculous when you are trying to keep a room full of children entertained. The long wait for food should have been expected as this was typical during our main dining room meals.

 

We’ll keep our comments on the entertainment short as when booking Carnival you already agree to lesser entertainment with the purchase. Carnival just doesn’t have a Blue Man Group or similar product but their prices reflect that so complaining isn’t fair. We attended the comedy shows which were generally not funny compared to the other Lopez sponsored shows we’ve been to on Carnival. There was seldom much laughter in the room for all three comedians.

 

Since our cruise covered Superbowl Sunday, we settled on the Red Frog pub for viewing. The CD canceled the evening show due to expected rain and ran showings in the main theater, the outside theater, and the Red Frog. We thought the pub would be the most fun and we met some fellow Bostonian’s and had a great time.

 

We liked the pub but when we went back during other times it seemed it was a hangout for the contract and officer level staff members. During many occasions, they had their work spread across tables and were punching away at their laptops. We go on vacation to get away from this, not have a beer in the middle of it.

 

The Ugly

 

Normally when we tell people the food on Carnival is as good or better than other lines, they scoff. The Breeze fits that scoff.

 

Except one night at the Sushi venue, we ate all of our evening meals in the MDR or Lido buffet. We had lunch on day at the C side BBQ, which turned out to be one of the few good meals on the ship other than the sushi. Guys burger’s and the Indian are also very good.

 

The MDR was a huge disappointment. The food quality was abysmal. All the soups were highly over-salted and the meats were either gamey or extremely tough. The bread and the Chocolate Melting cake were the only saving graces.

 

Although the crew cannot control the quality of the food, they could at least present it timely and with a smile. Since we do “my time dining” we got to sample different areas of the dining room each night. The service was poor throughout, which really surprised us.

 

Normally the waitstaff comes to the table and makes small talk or suggests menu items. Not on this cruise. Every single night, without fail, we would wait fifteen or more minutes and then someone would show up and ask if we were ready to order. They would then disappear and bring the first courses out anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes later. Entrees would run 45 minutes or more. On the second elegant night we waited over an hour for our entrees, which were stone cold by the time they arrived. We were so afraid dessert would take another hour - we went to the lido buffet for our sweets. In 10+ cruises - this was a first for us.

 

We also like a glass of wine or beer with dinner but without fail the bar person would make his rounds (if at all) after the main course was already served which defeated the purpose. The waitperson selling prepared shots was always present, but that type of drink isn’t for us.

 

During our Sea Day Brunch, the waiter not only got our order wrong but it took 45 minutes just to get some egg dishes. Again, the wait for food and the lack of crew enthusiasm was prevalent throughout.

 

After the second elegant night - someone sent a note and a plate of sweets to our cabin apologizing for the long wait to get our table but said nothing of the waits we endured to get our meals each night.

 

In Conclusion:

 

We suspect there is something wrong in the management chain that is causing these types of service failures. My wife and I work in the service business and we both understand that more often than not what is experienced on the front line is more a reflection of those on the top than the average worker who is just trying to execute the product. The crew of the Breeze isn’t happy and there must be a reason. Maybe we just had an off week, but I suspect we didn’t.

 

Would we sail Carnival again? Maybe. Although we like a good deal just as anyone does, we never thought we were selling ourselves short by taking Carnival. This time was different. Good customer service can overcome many shortcomings and that is why we used to love Carnival. Their customer service was top notch. Our experience on the Breeze has given us pause and we’ll probably venture over to Royal Caribbean or some of the others as our son gets older.

 

We normally would have gladly paid the $35/pp up-charge for the steakhouse, but we opted out thinking it wouldn’t be worth it considering the general poor service found on the ship. This is where poor customer service directly impacts the bottom line.

 

Interesting to note; this sailing was a John Heald’s bloggers cruise. We were not part of the group - but one would have thought that with a high level executive on board, the crew would have stepped it up a notch. Sadly, this was not the case.

 

We had a great time on our vacation and we don’t have any regrets, we were just disappointed Carnival did not live up to our expectations.

Edited February 13, 2015 by cactus73

[skiracer0112]

That's disappointing to hear the negative parts of review, I am planning an upcoming cruise on the Breeze and am now having second thoughts.

 

I agree with you I missed the real teak decking and also found that the tile in the lido buffet is dangerously slippery when anyone gets water on it.

 

I have sailed on her previously and was very impressed with many of the things that you did not have a good experience with, except the kids programs since I don't have kids. We had a great dining crew on the sailing I was on, probably the best I have had on Carnival. The inconsistency is troubling, I might have to look at another ship instead if that's how things are currently on board.

 

Anyway, thanks for sharing your review!

Edited February 13, 2015 by skiracer0112

[SummerXU]

I LOVE the Breeze. I was on her for the first time last September and will be back for round two in May.

 

I appreciate reading your review though. I love her, but realize others may not. Everyone's experience varies, but I think you did a very good job providing an unbiased, balanced review.

[SMSACE6]

Thanks for your review. For me it only takes one poor experience such as yours to turn me off a product. These things would also make me reconsider ever taking another cruise with them. So far I have been lucky and had very good t excellent experiences, but what you experienced would leave me likely considering a different company for my next cruise.

 

I do hope that you were able to pass along this feedback to Carnival directly, either through their survey that they send you after the cruise, or to customer service.

 

Hope your next cruise is much better:)

[quickrate]

We have been on the Breeze 3 times and have never run into any of these issues. Have not been on her since Sept., crew turn over could be an issue. Also, Matt was amazing on all our cruises, does not sound like him at all! Maybe there has been a hotel manager change which could have created these problems.

Pat

[Indytraveler83]

In my own experience in customer service, I would say much of your problems had to do with this being the blogger's cruise, not in spite of it.

 

With lots of "beards" on board and the bloggers likely being the main focus of the staff, they were probably run ragged trying to be sure they looked good in front of those folks, then were too tired and stressed to serve as they usually do.

 

I work in retail management, and when we have our "beards" come in, the customer service level tends to plummet, as they demand all of our attention.

 

I'm learning from these boards to avoid special event cruises like the plague if you aren't actually a member of the special event. This seems to be the common feedback from most cruises where a certain group occupies the staff's attention.

[ajee622]

I'm sailing on the breeze next month. We did the dream before. We didn't have great service but I honestly think it's the size of the ship that ruins it. The service on the 2 smaller ships we did was great.

 

Personally I could care less if the room steward says hi to me.

 

I'm not really picky on the food because I just assume it's not going to be great because they have to cook for so many people.

[love my grandkids]

Interesting review. Never had anything like this in over 25 cruises but your review seems fair and balanced.

[ajee622]

I'm sailing on the breeze next month. We did the dream before. We didn't have great service but I honestly think it's the size of the ship that ruins it. The service on the 2 smaller ships we did was great.

 

Personally I could care less if the room steward says hi to me.

 

I'm not really picky on the food because I just assume it's not going to be great because they have to cook for so many people.

 

 

When I say food being good I'm comparing it meals I've had in vegas that were very expensive.

[Eileenfa1]

I was on the breeze a yr and half ago. Love the ship. Been on 5 carnival ships and one ncl before. This is my favorite because of decor and never seems full. I'm going on it again cause I like so much. My second favorite is glory.

[Mr305]

We were on the Breeze at the end of last year and the MDR was a train wreck as well. The steaks weren't good, either tough or inedible. The steakhouse on the other hand was superb, great service and the food was excellent. Sushi is definitely on of the Breeze's best and/or up there with their steakhouse. Cucina Del Capitano was mediocre and everyone in the group said the same thing, if we come back, not worth the money.

 

I'm hoping that once they go to the new American menu things will get better but I do agree that the MDR is a problem. As for the rest of the team, we found service to be good on our cruise and our room was kept spotless. As for the room steward, she always said hello and remembered all our names. If she overheard us saying something about the room, by the time we got back, it was taken care of. I honestly have to say, she was top notch and on top of her game.

Edited February 13, 2015 by Mr305

[Eileenfa1]

I agree with mr305 . Bonsai is great. I didn't not care for the Cucina del capitano at all. Can't wait to try the new menu they have coming.

[richfret]

I was on the same cruise and have sailed the Breeze once before that. In addition, I booked my next cruise while on the Breeze for the 1/16/2016 sailing and in the same cabin. We booked a mid ship Cove Balcony and have nothing but favorable comments about it.

 

I agree with some of what you wrote although I think the handling of the children was a real problem for you which we did not have to face. Although the ship was completely booked, I had heard that there were a couple of hundred less children than on some cruises when school is out. That may have had some effect.

 

This cruise was also different than some since it consisted of three parts: the Super Bowl, The Blogger cruise and a normal cruise. The first sea day is overwhelmed by the foot ball game. Some expected activities were either eliminated or delayed. Then Blogger events begin and some were great or not so great. Again, timing was affected. The last sea day was a catch up of some events and even the last theater show was a repeat for those who could not attend earlier. There was also no Bingo on that day. I like a more normal cruise.

 

Food is just so subjective that I hesitate to comment. Even my wife and I do not always agree on what is a good or bad meal. I would just say the food was OK and what I expected for a Carnival cruise. I still put on 3 pounds so that tells you some thing. My wife did not put on any extra weight and that tells you some thing also.

 

The ship has the best décor of any of the Carnival ships. You can always find a place to eat on the Lido Deck and they are pleasant surroundings. On this issue, I think we are in complete agreement. We did not have the problems you had with the crew although you had a different cabin and table and that could make the difference.

 

So thank you for the review. I always enjoy reading what others think about a cruise and I certainly respect your right to speak you mind. Maybe we will meet on the Vista and can compare notes.

[Casco Bay Kid]

I have too agree on the food service in the MDR. Our last 2 cruises painfully slow

 

Sent from my HTC One mini using Forums mobile app

[modes]

You missed the best part of the Breeze " Cucina del Capitano" It is the best meal bar none and only $12pp last year. Went there 4 nights because the MDR food was horrible.

[momonthego17]

We were on Breeze over Thanksgiving 2014 and it was great! Room steward and asst were present but not annoying, did their jobs well. We had Late Dining and our wait staff was wonderful, which maybe was due to having the same team every night. The un-teak floors could be a bit slippery but not as bad as I read about in other reviews. Our CD was Wee Jimmy who was a hoot!

 

Food was great to me and my family. Maybe we were lucky.

 

Hope your next cruise is better!

[RFNHRA]

Sorry to Hear we love the Breeze..

[Fla Senior]

Thanks for the excellent review. It's always interesting to read different perspectives from folks. I was on the same cruise, but have a different perspective.

 

Our cabin steward was friendly, called us by name and gave us a different towel animal each night including the last night. Our MDR staff was friendly and the food was very good.

 

I think it's just the luck of the draw. We've been on a couple of cruises where we experienced the same concerns that you experienced.

 

Hopefully you're next cruise will be Super!

[Boozebabe]

We were on the Breeze the week before you. Did not have kids so can't comment on Camp Carnival. But the dining room service was horrible. This was our 3rd cruise on the Breeze and we were so looking forward t it. We too had long waits for our courses and when served it was too cool. Except for food temps the quality was about what we expected. I like all Carnival food except lunch in Cucina del Capitano. Lunch is just terrible. No flavor to their sauces whatsoever.

 

We are easy on cabin stewards. Our room is never messy. Just give us clean towels when requested and make the bed please. But this time I had one request. I have a bad knee that needs icing down a few times per day. I brought a small collapsable cooler that holds about one gallon. I asked for it to be filled in the morning when he serviced our room and again at night at turndown. That would be 12 times on our 6 day cruise. He remembered about half the time. I reminded him and he still forgot. My husband had to go to a bar and get me ice. He didn't need to make a special trip to our cabin. Just fill it when you clean. I reminded him a few times then I was pissed. Sorry no extra tip.

 

The rest of the crew all seemed like their dog had just died. No happy crew that week. The only really friendly people were the dealers in the casino. I did tip them well.

 

Drink service was pretty much non-existant. Half hour or longer waits for a drink after ordering was the norm. So, we didn't drink much.

 

Yes we enjoyed our cruise too but it certainly has made us wonder what else is out there. We're trying something new next time.

[LeisaH3067]

Thank you for your review. Hopefully we will have a better experience on the Breeze in June. We had a similar experience on the Liberty last year.

[Cruisegirl6]

I like to make some comments of my own and to the OP and others that made comments here.

 

When I cruise Carnival I know I won't be eating well (quality/selection/variety), in fact my last two maybe three Carnival cruises I have lost weight! The buffets to me are so very limited with items, the MDR offers you "edible" meats but certainly low quality that I NEVER would even eat at home. I expect this from Carnival and I certainly don't expect excellent service overall either. Carnivals service is either a hit or a miss, and yes OP, you NEVER can get a second cocktail in the MDR that cocktail server just never comes back and your lucky if you get one.

I don't mind "slow service" in the MDR in fact I prefer it this way than being rushed as if I am eating at a fast food establishment...when I go away on land based vacations I dine at 4/5 star restaurants (I always said Las Vegas is the dining capital of the USA) and trust me you NEVER get out of any of these restaurants before 2 1/2-3 hours dining time.

 

When I cruise Carnival, I always bring a cocktail with me from a bar before entering the MDR because I know that cocktail server may not even come once, its just a suggestion should you take another Carnival cruise in the future.

 

OP, you should of gone to the steakhouse trust me its amazing and its is like dining at a 4 star restaurant both in service and quality! When we were on the Dream two years ago, we ate dinner in the MDR the first evening, after experiencing horrible service (its not the staffs fault because they are given more tables and more people to take care of) and the food was just fair again edible and nothing more, we decided to eat at the steakhouse the second evening, let me just say we found ourselves eating there every night for the remaining of the cruise! The menu was very diversified and we always had something different to eat each night, truly worth $35 in a heartbeat, so next time, do go there.

 

I don't feel it is the "size" of the ship, meaning, the larger the worse service you get, I been on the gorgeous and most amazing ship Allure of the Seas this past May, she carries over 6k passengers and never felt crowded not even once on the week long cruise and ALWAYS EXCELLENT SERICE throughout the ship, but RC is known for excellence in service. Don't let the size of the ship fool you, don't assume other cruise lines with mega size ships are the same because they are not, that goes for Princess also.

 

Ajee62, we can't compare the quality of Vegas restaurants to any cruise line because I don't know of a cruise line that can compete with all the excellent and high rated restaurants that are in Vegas...we need to separate what dining is like on cruise lines and from land based restaurants, its not fair for the cruise line as they are providing food for thousands of people the same time. Cruise dining is just different.

 

Honestly, I have to agree with some posts here, the quality of beef on Carnival surely is the most downgrade of other cruise lines...for instance, Carnival offers Flat Iron Steak where other cruise lines offer maybe a sirloin the minimum but many offer NY Strip too, I never seen any cruise line offer flat iron, meatloaf, fried chicken, pot pie, etc!! Its Carnival.

 

And after 10pm to find food is lacking for sure, just your basic room service (if I have to sit in my room for an hour or so to wait for a snack I be nuts) and pizza...other cruise lines offer mini sandwiches on all types of rolls, cupcakes, cookies, pastries, salads, cheeses etc. Carnival surely needs to offer something more here even if it were bags of chips, chips n dip with salsa or queso...something more than just pizza...and if you go for pizza trust me you wait and wait for a slice, they only have one person working and they just don't keep making the pizzas like other cruise lines do....Carnival needs to improve here because it doesn't take much to do this.

 

Now for the positives....I never had any bad bar service, perhaps its because I always tip extra for each drink...the casino treats people very well, probably the best of any cruise lines, if you play a certain amount even just on slot machines you can earn the drinks on us card, the casino sends gifts such as chocolate covered strawberries, pastries and such to our room, along with giving us bottles of wine for dinner and they send casino offers yearly to us including premier casino offers, they are wonderful in this area.

I never had a bad cabin steward, I do keep my stateroom clean as I do my house I make sure everything is always put away and neat.

I also find the staff to always be friendly, I enjoy speaking to them about their families and where they come from, maybe its my personality because I never had any issue with any staff member on Carnival. These people work hard and long hours and they always have smiles on their faces, you walk by in the hallway and pass a cabin steward to always be greeted somehow or something nicely is said to me by them all.

 

I never have a bad Carnival cruise and I HOPE I DIDNT JINX MY NEXT ONE! :eek:

Edited February 14, 2015 by lyndamr

[jaixrx]

We were on the same cruise and had a great time. Third time on the Breeze/2nd Blogger's Cruise. I really don't see how the Blogger events impacted anything else going on throughout the ship. There were one or occasionally 2 events/day for an hour or 2 usually held early in the morning in the Limelight Lounge or later at night.

 

We found Matt to be great as a CD. I was always one who really didn't pay attention to who the CD was, but he was great about getting people involved and really showed interest in people he met.

 

My kids were in the older Carnival club so I can't comment on the younger clubs. They really had a lot of fun and still communicate with the friends they met. I have to say there were not many kids on board at all (which we enjoyed!)

 

The one negative we had was trying Anytime Dining for the first time. It was a train wreck. We have always enjoyed early seating in the past and will definitely go back to that. We were in the dining room on average over 2 hours a night. We tried to plan to go see certain shows but never got out in time. We began playing a game on how long it would be between our courses. The average was about 30 minutes. It was crazy. We still made the best of it and enjoyed actually having conversations with our teens since they were held captive LOL!

 

We had great experiences in the Red Frog Pub. The bartenders there were fun and engaging.

 

Overall it was another great family cruise for us.