Just off the Liberty

[Decpl]

We just returned from the Liberty Journey 12 Day Cruise. A short review. First, I am not a novelist or writer, I just wanted to past on some information on our cruise. Will be glad to answer any questions If I can.

Arrived in San Juan about 1:30 on the 6th, traffic was horrible, a little over an hour to get to the ship.

Embarkation was a breeze, one of the easiest and quickest we ever encountered. In less than 20 minutes we were on our way to our state room balcony. We were Mid ship on Deck 6 in the 6300’s. Room steward, Jose was very friendly and helpful. Had preordered flowers and water and they were already in the room. Room was nice, nothing special, showing its age a bit. Balcony was the smallest we ever had, and the door being hinged made it worst. You had to move the chair every time you wanted to go in or out. You can realy hear doors slamming all the time , early and late.Another note it you are a light sleeper, this deck area isn’t for you. Noise from casino could be heard clearly in the room and also in our friend’s room down the hall a little.

Food, Guys burgers and Blue Iguana was great, so was the pizza. The drinks were great from all the bars and we really enjoyed the Alchemy Bar with Annamarie and her staff. The drink service in the bars and pool area was great. Can’t say that about the dining room, terrible bar service outside of pushing their shooters.

Restaurants, we started in the Golden late sitting, the second night and service was awful, plus we had a super noisy and loud table next to us. Service was so bad, they were rushing us like crazy, taking dessert orders even before last person finished their meal. They even brought dessert before they cleared the dinner dishes. I am still waiting for the bar server to show up. After that we asked to be moved and went to the Silver late seating, what a difference in service, Head team waiter, Jose from Columbia was great and so was his team. This was Jose’s last cruise he worked for Carnival for 29 years and said he had enough. Food is always subjective, but as a consensus of the group was disappointing. Desserts, outside on melting cake were so so, Portions were really small, and on the lobster night the lobster was smaller than the 4 shrimp they gave you. Nothing really stood out on the dinners in the dining room. Went to the Steak House one night, and wow, it’s fantastic, you really have to try it. Also we had a booth in Silver dining room which made us feel like we were at a diner.

Shows were ok, 2 comedians were good, and 2 not so good. Variety shows were good and dancers had a lot of energy. The Juggler they had was good and so was a hypnotist. The bands playing on Pool deck and by casinos were way too loud. A couple of people next to us said they couldn’t take it anymore and left. At the Tequila bar they couldn’t hear my order and gave me a menu to point to what I wanted.

Casino, was OK, too noisy and way to smoky. Couldn’t stay long, all our clothes smelled of smoke when we went back to cabin. Was playing roulette and it had a banner playing that said it was non-smoking table and a lady comes up and asks for ash tray and attendant gave her one and she started puffing away between me and another gentleman so we both cashed in and left. This by far was the smokiest of any ship casino I been in. Definitely need better ventilation.

In conclusion, this was our first Carnival cruise and I would probably pick another cruise line next time, not that this was a horrible cruise, We just would like something different. We had lunch in the dining room with a couple of Carnival Gold and also in the hot tub with 2 couples Gold and Platinum and they both said they thought it was time to try a different line. They were saying it keeps dropping in quality experience.

 

Decpl[/size]

Edited March 20, 2016 by Decpl
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[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report.

[Clarea]

Thanks for sharing.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for the report and it's always good to try out other cruise lines to figure out which one(s) work best for you.

 

Keith

[Giantfan13]

We were on this same cruise. (I posted my own short review a while ago).

 

Funny but we had almost opposite opinions. We are vegetarians and only eat fish. We thought the fish was excellent

EVERY night. When we didn't like the main course, we ordered the salmon and it was also excellent. Don't really know why you thought the portions were small, basically the same we have always had.

As for the entertainment, the production crew might have tried hard but overall it was terrible. For a 12 day cruise we had 2 production shows and one was so bad it looked as if it was the f2irst time they were doing it. The rest were filled with Newlywed games, jugglers and guy blowing up balloons. Not really my idea of good entertainment.

 

We will agree about the casino and the loud music. Plus it so reeked of cigartette smoke, really made it impossible to spend any time there.

 

Overall though, a very good cruise and great value for what most paid.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[oldvato]

Casino, was OK, too noisy and way to smoky. Couldn’t stay long, all our clothes smelled of smoke when we went back to cabin. Was playing roulette and it had a banner playing that said it was non-smoking table and a lady comes up and asks for ash tray and attendant gave her one and she started puffing away between me and another gentleman so we both cashed in and left. This by far was the smokiest of any ship casino I been in. Definitely need better ventilation.

Decpl[/size]

 

I assume you are not a smoker. What can you tell me about the smell of smoke on the 5th deck (Promonade)? We were on the Triumph last year, about same layout as the Liberty, but a smaller ship, and the entire 5th deck wreaked of smoke. I have been on other ships before, such as the Magic and the Conquest which is very much like the Liberty, and the smoke was not that bad, mostly confined to the casino. The photographers took up all the sitting areas on the Promanade deck in the evening. The night club doors were kept open allowing all the smoke to escape out. I will never cruise on the Triumph again. I'm glad it's gone from Galveston.

 

Is the rear pool adult only, or is it open to everyone. Just curious. Thanks

[oldvato]

We were on this same cruise. (I posted my own short review a while ago).

 

Funny but we had almost opposite opinions. We are vegetarians and only eat fish. We thought the fish was excellent

EVERY night. When we didn't like the main course, we ordered the salmon and it was also excellent. Don't really know why you thought the portions were small, basically the same we have always had.

As for the entertainment, the production crew might have tried hard but overall it was terrible. For a 12 day cruise we had 2 production shows and one was so bad it looked as if it was the f2irst time they were doing it. The rest were filled with Newlywed games, jugglers and guy blowing up balloons. Not really my idea of good entertainment.

 

We will agree about the casino and the loud music. Plus it so reeked of cigartette smoke, really made it impossible to spend any time there.

 

 

 

Overall though, a very good cruise and great value for what most paid.

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

I'll ask you the same question. How was the smell of smoke on the Promonade deck, not including the casino. AS I said, we were on the Triumph last year and the entire deck wreaked of smoke. I've been on several ships, including the Conquest which is very much the same type as the Liberty, and I don't remember the smell of smoke on the Promonade being that bad. Except in the Casino, of course. Thanks in advance. I

[JaniceB]

Thanks for the review of your cruise.

[mizzoufinal4]

I'll ask you the same question. How was the smell of smoke on the Promonade deck, not including the casino. I

 

The smell of smoke was HORRIBLE! Just off the Liberty this past week March18-26th. You could smell smoke in the stairway 2-3 decks up! Seriously they need to figure out a way to get rid of all that smoke made 1/4 of the ship stink every night.

[oldvato]

The smell of smoke was HORRIBLE! Just off the Liberty this past week March18-26th. You could smell smoke in the stairway 2-3 decks up! Seriously they need to figure out a way to get rid of all that smoke made 1/4 of the ship stink every night.

 

Thanks for that info. I do appreciate it.

[evandbob]

The smell of smoke was HORRIBLE! Just off the Liberty this past week March18-26th. You could smell smoke in the stairway 2-3 decks up! Seriously they need to figure out a way to get rid of all that smoke made 1/4 of the ship stink every night.

 

I usually try to get a cabin on Empress Deck, and when I walked down the stairs that get you to the Java Cafe and the casino bar I could smell the smoke as soon as I started walking down from the 7th deck.

 

I've been on Conquest class ships over a dozen times, and the only time the casino smoke wasn't overpowering was recently on the Glory Journeys cruise in Jan & Feb.

 

They were testing air cleaners or smoke eaters and the machines actually worked! Probably removed 80% of the smoke and odor.

 

I commented positively to the casino hosts and on my post cruise survey.

[flower31]

Hi!

 

I just comeback from a Liberty cruise in Caribbean. It was on March 18, 2016.

I'm looking for someone I met there. I just have his first name and the city he is from. Do you have an idea of how I can find him?

 

Thanks!

[oldvato]

I usually try to get a cabin on Empress Deck, and when I walked down the stairs that get you to the Java Cafe and the casino bar I could smell the smoke as soon as I started walking down from the 7th deck.

 

I've been on Conquest class ships over a dozen times, and the only time the casino smoke wasn't overpowering was recently on the Glory Journeys cruise in Jan & Feb.

 

They were testing air cleaners or smoke eaters and the machines actually worked! Probably removed 80% of the smoke and odor.

 

I commented positively to the casino hosts and on my post cruise survey.

 

I'm an ex-smoker clean since 1991. I can say this from experience. A smoker is controlled by cigarettes so much that if they can't smoke, they won't cruise. They need their fix. Unfortunately the smoking areas are not confined to just there. The Casino is wide open, night clubs that allow smoking leave their doors open, and the smoking areas on the side of the ships, affect the balconies that are over the smoking areas. Not real bad, but sometimes you can smell it. I know they try to accommodate both, but it seems they are not doing a very good job of keeping the smoke confined to the smoking areas.

 

The irony is smokers won't cruise, and non smokers that want to cruise, have to deal with it.

Edited April 1, 2016 by oldvato

[meatloafsfan]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

Did you take part in any of the special "Journey cruise" stuff - crafts, crew connections, galley tours, 80s day, gala buffet, captain's celebration?

[wanttoBcruising]

Also on this cruise and think other posts nailed it: hit or miss, more on the miss side for me.

 

Food you had to work for it, find the best items - and yes Giantfan13 in the MDR the fish dishes were the safest choice to get something not overcooked and under seasoned. The rest you dealt w/ crowds for burgers, tacos, wok b/c those are the best things to eat.

 

The MDR service was terrible no matter when we were there, luck of the draw I guess but - and I emailed this to Carnival - it was obvious they have cut back staff too much when everyone runs around doing side work and prepping for the next meal service instead of taking care of the diners at the tables. This was breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. MMV.

 

Entertainment was lacking and poorly organized. Wish I'd have saved Fun Times to show it was all shopping, casino, spa etc w/ spots of trivia. Shows, we left and didn't go back. Even the Marriage show was a let down - ran too long, the CD kept all the jokes to himself w/ the audience being bored and in the end, no 'winner' was named. Some comedians were good, esp towards end of the cruise. though I was annoyed that the late adult comedy was pushed to 11:30 pm; we had late seating and would rather the 10:30 pm so as not to be out so late.

 

meatloafsfan Re: Journey stuff - did some but IMO it was poorly scheduled, often competing against other things I wanted to do when plenty of other times we were totally bored.

 

FWIW it's about overall value. Like the OP, it wasn't horrible .. just at this point, think I might want something different.