Pride European cruisers, tell us all about it

[Clairescurtains]

How is everything with the ship, the ports, the food, everything?

We are cruising later in the summer and would love to know it all.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Clairescurtains
punctuation

[thekidsandi]

Yes, please! I will be on the Pride in 6 weeks and am anxious to see reviews from those that are sailing Europe before me.

[kwokpot]

Eating dinner on the Pride as we speak. I'm on my 2nd cruise on the Pride. Everything has been fine. People love to complain about things. We had a change in berths at the Livorno port stop and was positioned far away from the main port terminal. It wasn't ideal but it didn't faze us one way or another. People were incensed that they were charges 5 Euros rt for the shuttle bus. I agree it should have been complimentary but that's not going to ruin my holiday.

The ship is ok. It's spotlessly clean but very worn and needs a renovation. The buffet food is mediocre and the deli in the buffet opens too late. Main dining room dinner is ok to good. 

The ship is cold. I would say the temperature on the ship varies from 64-69 degrees depending on where you are.

Lots of single cruises and new to Europe cruisers. 

My advice is to be respectful of Europe and their customs. Europe isn't America, things are different. Just overheard someone saying at today's port stop in Gibraltar they went to Burger King for lunch because it was a known quantity. Gibraltar is a UK territory and everything is in English. Fish and Chips is the main food item in every restaurant. Don't come to Europe and go to eat at burger king. 

Edited May 31, 2022 by kwokpot

[tallnthensome]

How are staffing issues and service?

[melissy123]

I read something in another thread that in Europe, Carnival allows you to bring back wine/alcohol when in port, back to your stateroom.  Does anyone know if that is true now?

[kwokpot]

1 minute ago, melissy123 said:

I read something in another thread that in Europe, Carnival allows you to bring back wine/alcohol when in port, back to your stateroom.  Does anyone know if that is true now?

Yes, that is true. 

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

How are staffing issues and service?

The ship is definitely short staffed. Wait times for a table in the MDR for Your time dining haven't been bad at all, 30-40 mins at most for Elegant Nights less for regular nights but then you can tell there are small gaps in service. It's highly dependent on what team you get and how well the team works together. 

Guys Burger excellent as usual. Haven't tried Blue iguana so can't comment. I had one meal at the Steakhouse on last week's cruise and it was an enjoyable experience but again definitely short staffed. We both had ribeye steaks and they were very tasty and prepared as requested.

They removed the breakfast hangtags so you can't preorder breakfast room service;it's only available for call in orders the morning you want it delivered ( short staffing once again). 

[lennythenose]

Just to clarify, were you able to take wine AND alcohol to your cabin or check in for pickup when you debark?  Also was alcohol

 allowed at embarkation as well as ports?  We are hoping to purchase port while in Lisbon prior to our cruise but weren’t sure if we would be able to board with it. 

[logan25]

I never saw anyone relinquishing any beverage brought onto the ship from port stops.  I did not even see a “table” where such could be confiscated.

[let's go cruising]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

The ship is definitely short staffed. Wait times for a table in the MDR for Your time dining haven't been bad at all, 30-40 mins at most for Elegant Nights less for regular nights but then you can tell there are small gaps in service. It's highly dependent on what team you get and how well the team works together. 

Guys Burger excellent as usual. Haven't tried Blue iguana so can't comment. I had one meal at the Steakhouse on last week's cruise and it was an enjoyable experience but again definitely short staffed. We both had ribeye steaks and they were very tasty and prepared as requested.

They removed the breakfast hangtags so you can't preorder breakfast room service;it's only available for call in orders the morning you want it delivered ( short staffing once again). 

Thanks! We are scheduled for 9 days and 12 hours from now. We are thinking of Lido for meals and taking food back to the room. (Trying to avoid Covid before, during and after cruise.) With the staffing issues, that might be a good thing to do. (We already paid our tips, so our waiters won't be hurt.)

 

 

[charliesdad63]

Thanks for the review. I am anxiously waiting for my B2B2B to begin with the 7/10 sailing. How is the wifi? I've heard it is sluggish? I will have to do a few calls while on board. I've learned from previous cruises to work in the middle of the night when there are fewer users and that trying to work in the middle of a sea day is asking for a migraine.

Edited May 31, 2022 by charliesdad63

[sd63]

2 hours ago, lennythenose said:

Just to clarify, were you able to take wine AND alcohol to your cabin or check in for pickup when you debark?  Also was alcohol

 allowed at embarkation as well as ports?  We are hoping to purchase port while in Lisbon prior to our cruise but weren’t sure if we would be able to board with it. 

I was on the 5/19 to 5/29 sailing from Barcelona. We bought liquor and wine in different ports and took to room. Like someone else mentioned, no table for checking in liquor at ports like there is in the Caribbean. 

[AQW]

2 hours ago, let's go cruising said:

Thanks! We are scheduled for 9 days and 12 hours from now. We are thinking of Lido for meals and taking food back to the room. (Trying to avoid Covid before, during and after cruise.) With the staffing issues, that might be a good thing to do. (We already paid our tips, so our waiters won't be hurt.)

 

This is what I did on a recent Miracle cruise, and what I plan to do on the Pride in three weeks. No, it's not the same experience as pre-Covid, but there are definitely worse things than eating a meal (that I didn't have to cook) while lounging on my fabulous balcony, listening to the waves and watching the ocean go by. ♥️ I can't wait.

[melissy123]

Too bad the August 12 sailing of the Pride doesn’t go to any great wine growing regions. Hopefully the UK sailings follow the same protocol as to allowing alcohol/wine being brought on board. 

[Scatteredsasha]

Can you tell me about the entertainment onboard right now ?  How many different shows?

[freedom2009]

2 hours ago, charliesdad63 said:

Thanks for the review. I am anxiously waiting for my B2B2B to begin with the 7/10 sailing. How is the wifi? I've heard it is sluggish? I will have to do a few calls while on board. I've learned from previous cruises to work in the middle of the night when there are fewer users and that trying to work in the middle of a sea day is asking for a migraine.

Us too but only a B2B!!

[let's go cruising]

10 hours ago, AQW said:

 

This is what I did on a recent Miracle cruise, and what I plan to do on the Pride in three weeks. No, it's not the same experience as pre-Covid, but there are definitely worse things than eating a meal (that I didn't have to cook) while lounging on my fabulous balcony, listening to the waves and watching the ocean go by. ♥️ I can't wait.

What advice do you have for Covid-conscience cruising?

[Putting on the Ritz]

We are boarding 7/10. Thank you so much for sharing information. I love the shows but our last cruise on Carnival had very few offerings. What shows if any is this ship offering?

[amazonvet]

Can anyone tell me if there is a rowing machine in the gym on the Pride?  I’m hoping so, and I’ll bring my gloves and butt pad for it if there is. Something to do on sea days!

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, amazonvet said:

Can anyone tell me if there is a rowing machine in the gym on the Pride?  I’m hoping so, and I’ll bring my gloves and butt pad for it if there is. Something to do on sea days!

Yes there is. There are two rowing machines but one is out of order. I'll confirm the other one is working properly later today.

 

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, Putting on the Ritz said:

We are boarding 7/10. Thank you so much for sharing information. I love the shows but our last cruise on Carnival had very few offerings. What shows if any is this ship offering?

On last week's & this week's cruise there are three production shows, Getaway Island,88 Keys,80s to the Max. I saw two of the three. Getaway Island was a disaster but it looks like the two principle main singers were out sick and/or in quarantine and probably a backup's backup singer was substituted. He was clearly in over his head and it was awkward and actually an embarrassing performance. On the other hand 80s to the Max,which was later on last week, was EXCELLENT and I had such a great time at the show. The two main singers were not in the previous show and both were really good. The song choices were spot on and the overall choreography and production values were on point. There are also various headliner performers. 

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Yes there is. There are two rowing machines but one is out of order. I'll confirm the other one is working properly later today.

 

Yes, there's one working rowing machine! 

[Scatteredsasha]

2 hours ago, Putting on the Ritz said:

We are boarding 7/10. Thank you so much for sharing information. I love the shows but our last cruise on Carnival had very few offerings. What shows if any is this ship offering?

We'll be on that sailing as well and are wondering the same!  Love the entertainment, and wondered if it would simply repeat or there would be more.

[AQW]

16 hours ago, let's go cruising said:

What advice do you have for Covid-conscience cruising?

 

Do whatever makes sense to you for your personal level of risk acceptance, and ignore anybody who has an unsolicited opinion about it. 😉 

 

For me, I was masked at all times, indoors and out, with the exception of my own room and balcony, two outdoor meals in a clamshell on deck 11, and one indoor meal in a near-empty dining room. I attended one show in the main theater, sitting waaaaay in the back away from anybody else (theater was maybe one-third full). I spent the vast majority of my time on my beloved bowling-alley balcony, as well as people-watching on the open decks. 

 

I had a wonderful vacation. Again, it wasn't like pre-Covid at all, but it was a perfectly delightful, relaxing getaway. ♥️

[Aladdin22]

18 hours ago, AQW said:

 

Do whatever makes sense to you for your personal level of risk acceptance, and ignore anybody who has an unsolicited opinion about it. 😉 

 

For me, I was masked at all times, indoors and out, with the exception of my own room and balcony, two outdoor meals in a clamshell on deck 11, and one indoor meal in a near-empty dining room. I attended one show in the main theater, sitting waaaaay in the back away from anybody else (theater was maybe one-third full). I spent the vast majority of my time on my beloved bowling-alley balcony, as well as people-watching on the open decks. 

 

I had a wonderful vacation. Again, it wasn't like pre-Covid at all, but it was a perfectly delightful, relaxing getaway. ♥️

I don’t understand why you’d cruise and avoid others. Not my idea of a holiday