Carnival Breeze Quick Review 6 day Sept 20th

[jcearth]

Hi everyone - I just wanted to give a quick review of my cruise last week on the Carnival Breeze for the 6 day itinerary to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

 

Embarkation

 

We usually drive from the Atlanta area to our cruise ports, but there were some great deals floating about for flights, so we flew Southwest into FLL and stayed at the Comfort Suites Dania Beach. The hotel was very new and nice, but there doesn't look to be much in the way of upkeep (a lot of things broken that weren't getting fixed), and could easily go downhill very fast.

 

The following morning we took a QLS shuttle to Port of Miami. Our plan was to get a shuttle between 10-10:30 and arrive at the port after 11am, check in with our FTTF, and board relatively quickly. The driver ended up picking us up early with no other stops, and we got to the port about 10:15. Boarding didn't start until a little later than we expected, and we didn't get onboard until 12PM.

 

Cabins

 

For our family of 5 (myself, wife, and boys aged 9, 6, and 5), we had connecting balcony cabins 10277 and 10279 on Lido deck. This was by far the best cabin location we have ever had on a ship. We were about 10 steps from the pool. The cabins connected indoors, and we were able to get the balcony divider opened as well, making for a nice sized balcony.

 

Ship

 

We had sailed the Dream a few years ago, but with all of the upgrades on the Breeze, it was hard to tell that these 2 ships were in the same class. By far our favorite area on the ship was the Red Frog Pub. My wife and kids loved all the games there (bean bag, foosball, darts, table shuffleboard, and some kind of swinging hooks game), and this became our hang out spot. The vibe inside the pub was very island inspired, with Caribbean music playing, and Jamaican bartenders wearing tropical shirts. I also liked the pub because it was so close to Ocean Plaza, so I could play trivia while my kids hung out playing games.

 

We really liked the water park, and the splash zone was a nice addition, although a warning bell for the dump bucket would have been nice. My 5 year old and I got a big surprise on our first trip up the steps to the slides! The Twister slide on the Breeze was the best Twister slide I have ridden on any Carnival ship -- it was very fast and had a lot of turns.

 

Another big upgrade on the Breeze is the SportSquare. The mini golf was good, and there was also pool, bean bag toss, foosball, a big screen TV that had video games and also showed football, the ropes course, a bar, and a hot dog cart open on Sea Days (which my boys really loved). One morning, my wife and I also participated in Adult Dodgeball, which was pretty fun.

 

Since our cabins were so close to the main pool, we were able to catch a few of the movies shown at night. I was a little surprised by the number of people that attended each movie -- my thought is you can watch a movie anytime, but the movies were very popular.

 

Shows

 

We caught 3 shows in the Main Theater during the week. My wife declared that 88 Keys was the best show she has ever seen on a cruise ship. We went early to get good seats, and for the 30 minute sing along with the piano bar player before the show began. We also attended Motown, which we enjoyed. I am not sure why so many people dislike the Playlist Productions -- I think that they are an upgrade from the old shows.

 

My youngest and I also caught the Towel Animal Theater show while the others went to (you guessed it) the Red Frog Pub. It's aimed at the younger set, but I laughed out loud a few times.

 

I also was able to catch 3 comedy shows (2 PG and one R). We took our oldest to one of the shows and sat in the front row -- well, he became the star of the show, and got a bunch of laughs in his interactions with the comedian (Thomas Brown, whom I have seen before and is great with the audience).

 

My wife and I tried to hang out in the Piano bar one night, but we didn't stay long due to a group of obnoxious, drunk people who talked over the songs, and distracted the piano player.

 

Casino

 

We played a little blackjack - there were a few non smoking tables, which was nice. There were usually only 2 $6 minimum tables (one blackjack which only paid 6/5 for a blackjack, and the other a Super Fun 21 in which the Kings were removed from the deck), and the rest of the tables were $10 minimums.

 

Food

 

Breakfast was the same as any other Carnival ship. I did notice that the scrambled eggs in the buffet did not appear to be as runny as in the past. The omelets were good as usual, and the breakfast burritos from the Blue Iguana were great. We attended the Sea day Brunch, but were not impressed by the food at all. My steak and eggs were a definite thumbs down - steak was overcooked and tough, the eggs were undercooked and runny, and the potatoes tasted like they had been cooked the day before. We also never received our dessert (after waiting for 25 minutes, we gave up hope - also, my wife and kids needed to get to the Red Frog Pub).

 

Lunch was great as always. Guys Burgers did not disappoint (any of the 5 times I tried them). I also enjoyed the Tandoor one day (although whatever I ate was VERY spicy, so beware). We got to try Fat Jimmy's, and we really like the sausages, chicken, and grilled sweet potatoes, but the pulled pork was not very good.

 

For Dinner, we tried the Cucina del Capitaino on the 1st night, and it was pretty good. I had New York strip steak, roasted potatoes, fried risotto balls, and tiramisu. The kids meals were enormous - my son's 3 chicken tenders were each bigger than regular fried chicken breasts. We also received a free 1/2 carafe of wine for dining there on the 1st night.

 

Our other nights were spent dining in the Sapphire dining room with anytime dining (we always went at 5:45 when they opened). They dining staff did a great job each night of getting us in and out of there without much down town in between courses. My highlights were the lobster (get it while they still have it), beef tenderloin, and this amazing garlic sauce available each night. I think the biggest difference with the new menu is the lack of good desserts (unless you want melting cake each night).

 

Camp Ocean

 

I think that Carnival has really relaxed their age rules, which I appreciate. We moved our 5 year old up to the 6-8 (which was usually 6-11) group to be with his brother(s). We thought it was more appropriate for him than hanging out with 2 year olds. They moved him on a trial basis, and there were no problems, so he stayed there all week. We also gave our 9 year old the ability to sign himself in and out. He doesn't handle chaos well, so he was able to get to a nice calm place if the camp became too crazy. One thing I liked about him signing out was that they made him tell them where he was going, so we could track him down if we needed to (he usually just went and watched the movie on deck).

 

Ports

 

In Jamiaca, we went on the party boat Cool Runnings and climbed Dunn's River Falls. It was so much fun, and the excursion staff was top notch -- they made sure everyone was having a good time, kept people hydrated on the trip over, and kept the party going on the way back. The falls were great, and definitely something everyone should experience in their lifetime. We plan on going back and taking our boys when they get a few years older.

 

We went to the public beach (Seagrapes) in Grand Cayman. The beach was fine, but everyone was grumpy that day - so much so that I didn't get to go to Guy Harvey's shop like I wanted. Taxi there was $5 per person each way, and it was $15 for an umbrella, 2 chairs, and use of the facilities at Calico Jack's.

 

In Cozumel, we had a much better time at Playa Mia. We have been to this property a few times, and they keep making upgrades. Our boys loved the slides, and water park, and also the "Ninja Warrior" course out in the ocean. We did not enjoy the buffet (I didn't expect much, but it was still a bit of a letdown). The drinks flowed freely, however, and a good time was had by all.

Taxi fare there was $23 each way (for 5 people).

 

We did not check out the Thrill Theater, or the Spa, or Serenity deck, but if anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability.

[13cheermom]

So how ironic we will be doing this same itinerary on the Breeze in December, and will also be flying SW into FLL and using QLS shuttle service. Quick question, did you also use their service for pick-up back to the airport? We have used them before when we sailed on the Glory in June, but have heard the Breeze has different boarding and disembarking times than the other Miami ships. Trying to figure out a good time to schedule pick-up at the port at the end of cruise. Have seen posts on here that they are a little later since the Breeze is a larger ship. Any helpful info. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[jcearth]

So how ironic we will be doing this same itinerary on the Breeze in December, and will also be flying SW into FLL and using QLS shuttle service. Quick question, did you also use their service for pick-up back to the airport? We have used them before when we sailed on the Glory in June, but have heard the Breeze has different boarding and disembarking times than the other Miami ships. Trying to figure out a good time to schedule pick-up at the port at the end of cruise. Have seen posts on here that they are a little later since the Breeze is a larger ship. Any helpful info. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Sorry - can't help you there -- We ended up flying Frontier out of Miami on the return home. Miami airport is easy - taxi is $27 flat fee for up to 5 people.

[cruisegal11]

We (DH, DS14 and I) are on the same itinerary leaving this Sunday. We are SO excited! Thanks for the review!

[shdixon]

Hi everyone - I just wanted to give a quick review of my cruise last week on the Carnival Breeze for the 6 day itinerary to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

 

Embarkation

 

We usually drive from the Atlanta area to our cruise ports, but there were some great deals floating about for flights, so we flew Southwest into FLL and stayed at the Comfort Suites Dania Beach. The hotel was very new and nice, but there doesn't look to be much in the way of upkeep (a lot of things broken that weren't getting fixed), and could easily go downhill very fast.

 

The following morning we took a QLS shuttle to Port of Miami. Our plan was to get a shuttle between 10-10:30 and arrive at the port after 11am, check in with our FTTF, and board relatively quickly. The driver ended up picking us up early with no other stops, and we got to the port about 10:15. Boarding didn't start until a little later than we expected, and we didn't get onboard until 12PM.

 

Cabins

 

For our family of 5 (myself, wife, and boys aged 9, 6, and 5), we had connecting balcony cabins 10277 and 10279 on Lido deck. This was by far the best cabin location we have ever had on a ship. We were about 10 steps from the pool. The cabins connected indoors, and we were able to get the balcony divider opened as well, making for a nice sized balcony.

 

Ship

 

We had sailed the Dream a few years ago, but with all of the upgrades on the Breeze, it was hard to tell that these 2 ships were in the same class. By far our favorite area on the ship was the Red Frog Pub. My wife and kids loved all the games there (bean bag, foosball, darts, table shuffleboard, and some kind of swinging hooks game), and this became our hang out spot. The vibe inside the pub was very island inspired, with Caribbean music playing, and Jamaican bartenders wearing tropical shirts. I also liked the pub because it was so close to Ocean Plaza, so I could play trivia while my kids hung out playing games.

 

We really liked the water park, and the splash zone was a nice addition, although a warning bell for the dump bucket would have been nice. My 5 year old and I got a big surprise on our first trip up the steps to the slides! The Twister slide on the Breeze was the best Twister slide I have ridden on any Carnival ship -- it was very fast and had a lot of turns.

 

Another big upgrade on the Breeze is the SportSquare. The mini golf was good, and there was also pool, bean bag toss, foosball, a big screen TV that had video games and also showed football, the ropes course, a bar, and a hot dog cart open on Sea Days (which my boys really loved). One morning, my wife and I also participated in Adult Dodgeball, which was pretty fun.

 

Since our cabins were so close to the main pool, we were able to catch a few of the movies shown at night. I was a little surprised by the number of people that attended each movie -- my thought is you can watch a movie anytime, but the movies were very popular.

 

Shows

 

We caught 3 shows in the Main Theater during the week. My wife declared that 88 Keys was the best show she has ever seen on a cruise ship. We went early to get good seats, and for the 30 minute sing along with the piano bar player before the show began. We also attended Motown, which we enjoyed. I am not sure why so many people dislike the Playlist Productions -- I think that they are an upgrade from the old shows.

 

My youngest and I also caught the Towel Animal Theater show while the others went to (you guessed it) the Red Frog Pub. It's aimed at the younger set, but I laughed out loud a few times.

 

I also was able to catch 3 comedy shows (2 PG and one R). We took our oldest to one of the shows and sat in the front row -- well, he became the star of the show, and got a bunch of laughs in his interactions with the comedian (Thomas Brown, whom I have seen before and is great with the audience).

 

My wife and I tried to hang out in the Piano bar one night, but we didn't stay long due to a group of obnoxious, drunk people who talked over the songs, and distracted the piano player.

 

Casino

 

We played a little blackjack - there were a few non smoking tables, which was nice. There were usually only 2 $6 minimum tables (one blackjack which only paid 6/5 for a blackjack, and the other a Super Fun 21 in which the Kings were removed from the deck), and the rest of the tables were $10 minimums.

 

Food

 

Breakfast was the same as any other Carnival ship. I did notice that the scrambled eggs in the buffet did not appear to be as runny as in the past. The omelets were good as usual, and the breakfast burritos from the Blue Iguana were great. We attended the Sea day Brunch, but were not impressed by the food at all. My steak and eggs were a definite thumbs down - steak was overcooked and tough, the eggs were undercooked and runny, and the potatoes tasted like they had been cooked the day before. We also never received our dessert (after waiting for 25 minutes, we gave up hope - also, my wife and kids needed to get to the Red Frog Pub).

 

Lunch was great as always. Guys Burgers did not disappoint (any of the 5 times I tried them). I also enjoyed the Tandoor one day (although whatever I ate was VERY spicy, so beware). We got to try Fat Jimmy's, and we really like the sausages, chicken, and grilled sweet potatoes, but the pulled pork was not very good.

 

For Dinner, we tried the Cucina del Capitaino on the 1st night, and it was pretty good. I had New York strip steak, roasted potatoes, fried risotto balls, and tiramisu. The kids meals were enormous - my son's 3 chicken tenders were each bigger than regular fried chicken breasts. We also received a free 1/2 carafe of wine for dining there on the 1st night.

 

Our other nights were spent dining in the Sapphire dining room with anytime dining (we always went at 5:45 when they opened). They dining staff did a great job each night of getting us in and out of there without much down town in between courses. My highlights were the lobster (get it while they still have it), beef tenderloin, and this amazing garlic sauce available each night. I think the biggest difference with the new menu is the lack of good desserts (unless you want melting cake each night).

 

Camp Ocean

 

I think that Carnival has really relaxed their age rules, which I appreciate. We moved our 5 year old up to the 6-8 (which was usually 6-11) group to be with his brother(s). We thought it was more appropriate for him than hanging out with 2 year olds. They moved him on a trial basis, and there were no problems, so he stayed there all week. We also gave our 9 year old the ability to sign himself in and out. He doesn't handle chaos well, so he was able to get to a nice calm place if the camp became too crazy. One thing I liked about him signing out was that they made him tell them where he was going, so we could track him down if we needed to (he usually just went and watched the movie on deck).

 

Ports

 

In Jamiaca, we went on the party boat Cool Runnings and climbed Dunn's River Falls. It was so much fun, and the excursion staff was top notch -- they made sure everyone was having a good time, kept people hydrated on the trip over, and kept the party going on the way back. The falls were great, and definitely something everyone should experience in their lifetime. We plan on going back and taking our boys when they get a few years older.

 

We went to the public beach (Seagrapes) in Grand Cayman. The beach was fine, but everyone was grumpy that day - so much so that I didn't get to go to Guy Harvey's shop like I wanted. Taxi there was $5 per person each way, and it was $15 for an umbrella, 2 chairs, and use of the facilities at Calico Jack's.

 

In Cozumel, we had a much better time at Playa Mia. We have been to this property a few times, and they keep making upgrades. Our boys loved the slides, and water park, and also the "Ninja Warrior" course out in the ocean. We did not enjoy the buffet (I didn't expect much, but it was still a bit of a letdown). The drinks flowed freely, however, and a good time was had by all.

Taxi fare there was $23 each way (for 5 people).

 

We did not check out the Thrill Theater, or the Spa, or Serenity deck, but if anyone has any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them to the best of my ability.

 

 

Thank you for your review. Can you recall which nights were the formal nights in the dining room. We want to book specialty dining but want to make sure its not in the lobster nights

 

Thanks