Carnival Radiance: 3/14/22 Brief Review (4 day, Mexican Riviera)

[Jayhawk]

Here are some of my random thoughts from our recent 4-day cruise to Mexico on the Carnival Radiance:

 

• We decided to take a last-minute trip with our technically adult daughters (ages 18 and 19) over spring break. Price was amazing probably due to the tail end of COVID, although flying to CA was not cheap.  Glad Spirit Air came through for us and arrived in LA on time as I know so many others traveling over spring break who had flights cancelled. 
• We chose COVID testing at the port. For $10/pp this was very smooth and took excess pressure off testing logistics as we went to CA 2 days earlier. We took an Uber from our hotel to port, checked in for testing, got tested, then went through normal checked in.  It was just over one hour from arrival to being on ship! The test results took about 20 minutes.  (NOTE: Get in line to show results while waiting for results if long.)
• Things have changed a bit in the cruise world.  So much is on your phone now! Daily activities, menus, etc. You pretty much have to have the app to do much. They have printed newsletters but you have to go and get them. We signed up for the online “text” app for $5 each which was nice as the girls were in a separate room. Wifi wasn’t the best but tolerable.
• We thought it would be pretty vacant but very crowded! They said 80% capacity on a ship with capacity of 2100.  There were no masks required (some wore but not many) except staff. No distancing and could get pretty crowded waiting for tenders or like sail away party. Was surprised to not see more hand sanitizer all over buffet, just near entrance.
• We had anytime dining.  Food was good,  not amazing.  Few other options outside of that our small buffet as most other restaurants closed at 5 (burgers, chicken, Mexican). Also, the food hours seemed odd. For example, got on board after time on Catalina Island at 3 and really wanted a light snack like salad or fruit, veggies, cheese, before dinner but nothing like that existed. It would have been nice to have something not so heavy before dinner. Pretty much all options outside of pizza, fried chicken, deli and hamburgers were closed from 2:30 until dinner (missed that timing on the last day as well because I had a late breakfast).
• Ports:
  • Day 1: Catalina Island: Don't be deceived that 9-10 is the only busy time to leave the ship!  We got line right about 10 for the tenders and what a line it was!  Took 75 minutes before we finally boarded the tenders, and so got on shore about 11:30. We had been there before and didn’t have defined plans like we normally do, but most non-ship excursions were sold out (parasailing, zip lining, etc.)  Normally you could get off a ship and figure out lots of last minute things to do. (We did this trip in Aug 15 and last minute went both parasailing and snorkeling.) I wonder if many operators shut down and now are not staffed to meet the massive crowds starting all of a sudden. On the plus side the girls were happy to not have me overscheduling everything. We shopped and walked, and then rented a golf cart for an hour to ride around the island which they liked.
  • Day 2: Ensenada: We also had no plans here before sailing. I’d been looking into an ATV to the hot springs tour and booked it through Shore Excursioner the morning before. Even though the web site said there was availability, they emailed me to say they were full and couldn’t accommodate us. So I did a bit of last minute research and found ATV Ensenada (http://www.atvensenada.com/) and I’m SO glad I did! Emilio said he’d be happy to do a trip for us and this was 6 pm the night before arriving!  It wound up to be private, just the four of us on 2 ATVs with Homer. It was a ~1.5 hour trip to the springs, and VERY dusty, but we had a blast. Do not wear nice clothes, although I think everything is eventually coming off our shoes and backpack and clothing. Upon arriving at the hot springs, we paid $8 each and spent about an hour there, very relaxing. Then another 1.5-2 hours back, stopping (per our request) to get local fresh fruit, as well as local tacos. We were this them from 9:30 to 3:30, which seemed pretty awesome for four people at $310 total. We saw no one other than locals at the hot springs and no other ATVs there or back, so it felt like something different and pretty secluded. (There is no toilet paper at the hot springs…Homer brought some and my daughter forgot it and it was taken, and then be bought us another one for when we were ready to leave.)
  • Day 3: Fun day at sea. We decided to do a deal on the 75 minute massage for $119, which we normally don’t do, but it was a relaxing start to the day. We just hung out, went to the pool, played some trivia, ropes course, time by the pool. The internet was down about 2 hours mid day which made it hard to communicate with each other. Last nice dinner and went to the second performance in the theater. The singers/dancers were amazing, we all agreed several of them could be on Broadway. Girls again went out to some of the bars (18 to enter but they technically can’t drink) and even some casino time.
• We decided to carry our luggage off the ship, so headed to breakfast at 7:30 and then back to grab luggage before being kicked out of the room at 8:30.  It all went pretty well and we weren’t in a hurry. It took a bit of time to get an uber but we were at the hotel by just after 10.
• All in all, great trip, amazing prices!

[KmomChicago]

Thanks, where did you rent your golf cart on Catalina?

 

[mondello]

@Californian Here is a recent post for Radiance.

[Jayhawk]

16 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Thanks, where did you rent your golf cart on Catalina?

 

There were only 2 places we could see, one immediately after getting off the tenders, and one a block away.  First was $60/hour and second was $55. There were more that showed up on google but we didn't have much luck finding any others and we heard several have closed since COVID. You can drive the entire route in 1 hour if you don't stop much...if you do it could take more like 2 hours.

[Californian]

Thanks very much for your trip report.  I was thinking I might get the fruit plate and cheese plate in the main dining room or fruit from the buffet and take them to our cabin so that we would have snacks for when venues are closed in the afternoon.

[Buffettfan 225]

For room snacks: - needing cooling

Just off Radiance and if our “minibar”/ refrig had no condenser so basically a box with a fan. It had no cold at all whatsoever. amy husband pulled it out to check for control, checked with room steward-  no that is normal. 

So we used an ice bucket all the time..)

Next cruise we will be bringing the Carnival approved cooler- we have two that do not leak when ice melts. 
Hint: 1.)  soft side leakproof cooler

          2.) bring ziplocs (cookies or fruit) I also brought from Dollar Tree the box of precut foil. It helped me having a folded sheet in my tote as helped carry food to cabin or another part of ship. 

           3.) I brought a ziploc of sugar packets, salt & pepper.

It came in handy in cabin, at lido as sugar only in large dispensers at beverage station. They rarely had ramekins for putting sugar in, I used a cup. Hard to remember to bring sugar all the time. Put having ziploc in my crossbody came in handy a lot. 

p.s. snacks; I brought to cabin from breakfast : a muffin or banana bread slices, lunch: cookies

[Aosborn]

Are they doing room service still? 

[Californian]

8 hours ago, Buffettfan 225 said:

For room snacks: - needing cooling

Just off Radiance and if our “minibar”/ refrig had no condenser so basically a box with a fan. It had no cold at all whatsoever. amy husband pulled it out to check for control, checked with room steward-  no that is normal. 

So we used an ice bucket all the time..)

Next cruise we will be bringing the Carnival approved cooler- we have two that do not leak when ice melts. 
Hint: 1.)  soft side leakproof cooler

          2.) bring ziplocs (cookies or fruit) I also brought from Dollar Tree the box of precut foil. It helped me having a folded sheet in my tote as helped carry food to cabin or another part of ship. 

           3.) I brought a ziploc of sugar packets, salt & pepper.

It came in handy in cabin, at lido as sugar only in large dispensers at beverage station. They rarely had ramekins for putting sugar in, I used a cup. Hard to remember to bring sugar all the time. Put having ziploc in my crossbody came in handy a lot. 

p.s. snacks; I brought to cabin from breakfast : a muffin or banana bread slices, lunch: cookies

Great ideas!  Thanks very much for taking the time to share.  Bringing precut foil should work for the hot sandwiches from the deli at night.  And the pizzas!

[CRUISEWITHH]

I just got off the Radiance cruise just before you, March 11-14th.  Being a "well seasoned cruiser" (over 80 cruises on different cruise lines) I was more than surprised by the beautiful "dry dock" that changed it from the Victory into the Radiance.   All area's were very nicely done EXCEPT!!! the Liquid Lounge (formerly the Showroom) 

 

I can't figure out what they did to this venue?  It seems so much smaller and the stadium seating makes it feel like a stadium and not a showroom...

 

I miss the great shows that Carnival used to have with beautiful costumes and scenery and the comfortable lounge couches that had tables in front of them for your drinks. Now the seats on the floor level do not have a table or anyplace to put your drink down and if you are in the stadium seats, you might have to share the arm rest with someone who has placed their drink there, that is, if you don't knock it off when you move. 

 

I have been on many many cruises and I always considered Carnival to have the best dancers/singers and elegant presentations on their BIG, SPACIOUS stage. 

What a disappointment! 

 

That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the great improvement of the Casino and the dining venues and bars. 

 

We ate at the 555 Steak House and it was excellent, both food and service.

 

Disappointed in the Serenity area.  They added 2 people lounges and not enough single lounges and not a shady area for people to sit under unless you were lucky enough to get the 2 person lounge.  It definitely cut down on how many people can enjoy this area.  Also, the time I went it seemed that there was no one enforcing the OVER 21 restriction.

 

 

[Jayhawk]

On 3/20/2022 at 1:31 AM, Californian said:

Thanks very much for your trip report.  I was thinking I might get the fruit plate and cheese plate in the main dining room or fruit from the buffet and take them to our cabin so that we would have snacks for when venues are closed in the afternoon.

That would be a smart idea....just something before 2:30. I missed the chocolate fondue bar too.

 

[Jayhawk]

On 3/20/2022 at 2:04 AM, Buffettfan 225 said:

For room snacks: - needing cooling

Just off Radiance and if our “minibar”/ refrig had no condenser so basically a box with a fan. It had no cold at all whatsoever. amy husband pulled it out to check for control, checked with room steward-  no that is normal. 

So we used an ice bucket all the time..)

Next cruise we will be bringing the Carnival approved cooler- we have two that do not leak when ice melts. 
Hint: 1.)  soft side leakproof cooler

          2.) bring ziplocs (cookies or fruit) I also brought from Dollar Tree the box of precut foil. It helped me having a folded sheet in my tote as helped carry food to cabin or another part of ship. 

           3.) I brought a ziploc of sugar packets, salt & pepper.

It came in handy in cabin, at lido as sugar only in large dispensers at beverage station. They rarely had ramekins for putting sugar in, I used a cup. Hard to remember to bring sugar all the time. Put having ziploc in my crossbody came in handy a lot. 

p.s. snacks; I brought to cabin from breakfast : a muffin or banana bread slices, lunch: cookies

Great ideas too. I also bring ziplocks for those purposes. I saw you comment about bringing a cooler and wish I would have done so but I didn't connect the early closing times with it.

 

[Jayhawk]

On 3/20/2022 at 6:59 AM, Aosborn said:

Are they doing room service still? 

I think so but not 100%. It was so short, we didn't think we'd need it.

[Jayhawk]

5 hours ago, CRUISEWITHH said:

I just got off the Radiance cruise just before you, March 11-14th.  Being a "well seasoned cruiser" (over 80 cruises on different cruise lines) I was more than surprised by the beautiful "dry dock" that changed it from the Victory into the Radiance.   All area's were very nicely done EXCEPT!!! the Liquid Lounge (formerly the Showroom) 

 

I can't figure out what they did to this venue?  It seems so much smaller and the stadium seating makes it feel like a stadium and not a showroom...

 

I miss the great shows that Carnival used to have with beautiful costumes and scenery and the comfortable lounge couches that had tables in front of them for your drinks. Now the seats on the floor level do not have a table or anyplace to put your drink down and if you are in the stadium seats, you might have to share the arm rest with someone who has placed their drink there, that is, if you don't knock it off when you move. 

 

I have been on many many cruises and I always considered Carnival to have the best dancers/singers and elegant presentations on their BIG, SPACIOUS stage. 

What a disappointment! 

 

That said, I was pleasantly surprised by the great improvement of the Casino and the dining venues and bars. 

 

We ate at the 555 Steak House and it was excellent, both food and service.

 

Disappointed in the Serenity area.  They added 2 people lounges and not enough single lounges and not a shady area for people to sit under unless you were lucky enough to get the 2 person lounge.  It definitely cut down on how many people can enjoy this area.  Also, the time I went it seemed that there was no one enforcing the OVER 21 restriction.

 

 

True on all counts. I thought the musical shows were great, but what is up with no drink holders? On the way out the second night my 18 year old tripped and snapped a glass drink someone left on the floor (one of those fancy ones with a big top and small neck)....did I mention she was in sandals? Parts shattered in small pieces. That is an accident waiting to happen.