Mardi Gras, One and done for us.

[Ilovesailaway]

I am taking notes for my upcoming Celebration cruise. I'm not very good with waiting in long lines or for slow service so any little bit of info that can help me avoid that is truly appreciated.

[iria64]

My take on the ship is that there was nothing on the ship that made me go wow.  Granted I have only been on two other cruises but on both of those ship when you boarded you immediately were hit with an open space that was two or 3 decks high.  Walking on the the MG I just felt closed in.   Where you get on the ship may have been 3 decks high but you really could not tell.

 

Edited to add: While walking around the ship there was really nothing that jumped out at me saying "that would make a nice picture."

Edited October 18, 2022 by iria64
edit to add

[cruisingguy007]

21 minutes ago, iria64 said:

My take on the ship is that there was nothing on the ship that made me go wow.  Granted I have only been on two other cruises but on both of those ship when you boarded you immediately were hit with an open space that was two or 3 decks high.  Walking on the the MG I just felt closed in.   Where you get on the ship may have been 3 decks high but you really could not tell.

 

Edited to add: While walking around the ship there was really nothing that jumped out at me saying "that would make a nice picture."

 

This is the problem with the floating mall design that many of the new ships are copying, it removes you from the ocean going experience and that is precisely why many people cruise. I get the need for the wind screens in certain locations but you want to be able to see the ocean from everywhere pretty much.The closed design really takes away from that experience and it's harder and harder to find full decks to walk the ship from tip to tail. I much prefer the open designs over the floating mall designs. The more sky, sunshine and ocean the better. Outdoor space is important. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[sanmarcosman]

23 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

I don't think it will get much better in the future, the floating mall design seems to be all the rage these days and increasing passenger counts/capacity a major focal point. I expect the issue to only get worse moving forward, bigger ships, smaller cabins and less elbow room in public spaces.  

Yes and this is why I think the Spirit Class ships could all use a good "Radiancizing." I have been on both the Miracle and the Radiance recently. The same new, sleek design of the public rooms of the Radiance should be used to renovate and refresh all of the Spirit Class ships.

[Ilovesailaway]

5 hours ago, Ozzie26 said:

I will say Java Blue was a bright spot for us. We ate breakfast there every morning.

Thank you for the tip, I will try that for my upcoming Celebration cruise.

[tattoos]

I'm not surprised that the bartender didn't know how to make a Daiquiri because when we sailed on the Horizon in April, we sat at the aft bar next to the pool and ordered a Mojito.  It was so tart, I asked the bartender if he forgot to put simple syrup in it and he told me that Mojitos are not made with simple syrup.  I asked to speak to his supervisor and the supervisor also said that Mojitos are not made with simple syrup.  I went to Guest Services and filed a complaint which probably went into the trash bin or they hit the "delete" button on their computer.

[Retiredmedic]

1 hour ago, sanmarcosman said:

Yes and this is why I think the Spirit Class ships could all use a good "Radiancizing." I have been on both the Miracle and the Radiance recently. The same new, sleek design of the public rooms of the Radiance should be used to renovate and refresh all of the Spirit Class ships.

With Carnival trying the sell 1.25 Billion in bonds to pay the bills I doubt that will happen.

[Retiredmedic]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

This is the problem with the floating mall design that many of the new ships are copying, it removes you from the ocean going experience and that is precisely why many people cruise. I get the need for the wind screens in certain locations but you want to be able to see the ocean from everywhere pretty much.The closed design really takes away from that experience and it's harder and harder to find full decks to walk the ship from tip to tail. I much prefer the open designs over the floating mall designs. The more sky, sunshine and ocean the better. Outdoor space is important. 

Royal is sending one of their Oasis class ships to run & day cruises out of Galveston. If they leave one of their smaller ships here we might try a RC cruise.

[LatinaInTexas]

I have been on the fence to book one of the newest ships mostly because of the mixed reviews. I prefer big or newer ships but can't shake the feeling I won't like the experience on these mega ships.

I really like Vista class and still haven't sailed Horizon yet so it will either be Celebration or Horizon for next cruise just can't pull the trigger and book ughhhh.

[Retiredmedic]

1 minute ago, LatinaInTexas said:

I have been on the fence to book one of the newest ships mostly because of the mixed reviews. I prefer big or newer ships but can't shake the feeling I won't like the experience on these mega ships.

I really like Vista class and still haven't sailed Horizon yet so it will either be Celebration or Horizon for next cruise just can't pull the trigger and book ughhhh.

Well next fall Galveston gets the Jubilee, we won't be sailing on it.

[LatinaInTexas]

Just now, Retiredmedic said:

Well next fall Galveston gets the Jubilee, we won't be sailing on it.

I was tempted since I can drive to port but I didn't want a Western Caribbean itinerary for my next cruise.

[BlerkOne]

3 minutes ago, Retiredmedic said:

Well next fall Galveston gets the Jubilee, we won't be sailing on it.

We might not either. Isn't having a choice grand?

[Knights on the Beach]

Clearly, I'm in the minority here because we love Mardi Gras and think it's a beautiful ship. December will be our 4th time and we can't wait. We like the Center Stage area a lot and have managed to find seats for the shows we wanted to see - Voodoo Moon is my favorite.

 

We didn't have long wait times for YTD except for the first elegant night for the MDR so after that, we checked in early and never had to wait for more than 10-20 minutes. We're definitely not fans of the MDR on MG but there are so many other options so we're fine with that. Our lunch and dinner Chibang were delicious. The Mexican side of the menu doesn't appeal to me (and ironically I love Mexican) but the Kung Pao Chicken for dinner and stir fry noodle bowl for lunch were both excellent. Cucina was my favorite place for dinner. I've had pasta and chicken parm there several times and it was delicious every time. We were never seated out in front of Bar Della Rosa (and probably wouldn't like it if we were), but we were seated outside the last night of our cruise in March. It was actually nice out there but I did prefer sitting inside as we've done four or five other times. The BBQ filet served on the first night at Pig & Anchor was delicious and our sides were fine that night. Other times we found the food at P&A to be inconsistent but we love the bar there so we usually eat elsewhere other than the first night. Big Chicken, Blue Iguana. Street Eats, Guy's Burgers and the pizza are all hits with us.

 

We thought the steakhouse on MG was just OK. Service was slow and the food wasn't as awesome as I'd remembered it. (We were just on Freedom last week and everything about the steakhouse - food, service and ambiance - was amazing.) Teppanyaki however was fantastic! Emeril's has been a mixed bag for us - food was OK to very good but something has been off every time. In December we have reservations at Teppanyaki and Rudi's. I'm allergic to shellfish so this will be interesting - steak for me.

 

We have not had any issues getting drinks on Mardi Gras - ever. But I think it's all about timing. We like the Red Frog Tiki during the day and usually manage to get seats at the bar. In December the upper RFT was always busy and we had no trouble getting seats at the lower bar. In March it was the other way around. In May, a little of both. If we couldn't get seats at the bar, we sat at a nearby table and ordered a drink there then waited for someone to get up from the bar so we could move over. At night it was surprisingly easy to get seats at Fortune Teller, Brass Magnolia, Center Stage  Bar and even Alchemy.

 

We just booked Celebration for December 2023 because it was over $700 less than the same week in the same cabin type on MG. I know a lot of our favorite crew members on MG will soon be on Celebration, I hope they're still there when we get on. But hopefully since no one likes MG anymore, the prices will drop and we'll get a good deal.  🤣  🤣 🤣

[BlerkOne]

This economy is certainly nothing new. There have been numerous recessions since WWII, including the Great Recession of 2007-2009 when oil and food prices soared.

[IntrepidFromDC]

1 hour ago, tattoos said:

I'm not surprised that the bartender didn't know how to make a Daiquiri because when we sailed on the Horizon in April, we sat at the aft bar next to the pool and ordered a Mojito.  It was so tart, I asked the bartender if he forgot to put simple syrup in it and he told me that Mojitos are not made with simple syrup.  I asked to speak to his supervisor and the supervisor also said that Mojitos are not made with simple syrup.  I went to Guest Services and filed a complaint which probably went into the trash bin or they hit the "delete" button on their computer.

I didn't think mojitos were made with simple syrup either.  A Google search turned up the original mojitos, from Cuba, were made with five ingredients and simple syrup is not among them.

 

The Real Mojito Recipe (with Video) (allrecipes.com)

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I didn't think mojitos were made with simple syrup either.  A Google search turned up the original mojitos, from Cuba, were made with five ingredients and simple syrup is not among them.

 

The Real Mojito Recipe (with Video) (allrecipes.com)

Reality bites back!

[IntrepidFromDC]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

Reality bites back!

I'm thinking of the best mojitos I've ever had and they were the opposite of syrupy.  They were subtly fizzy, which compliments the mint beautifully.

 

If you cruise to San Juan, stop by "Mojitos" and have an excellent mojito (they also have fresh fish simply grilled which is great).

[BlerkOne]

5 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

 

If you cruise to San Juan, stop by "Mojitos" and have an excellent mojito (they also have fresh fish simply grilled which is great).

Next year if I remember.

 

I think Bacardi knows a thing or two

 

How to make a

Mojito

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz BACARDÍ Superior rum
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 12 fresh mint leaves
• 2 tsp extra fine sugar
• 3/4 oz club soda
• 1 sprig of fresh mint

https://www.bacardi.com/us/en/rum-cocktails/mojito/

 

[IntrepidFromDC]

Just goes to show beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

 

Some folks like simple syrup in their mojitos, I LOVE the Mardi Gras.  In fact it's the ONLY ship I sail just for the ship. 

 

Playing Heads-up Hold'em while gazing out the huge floor to ceiling windows at the ocean, enjoying upgraded free food at dinner (anytime dining only), and so many great places to eat, most free (Shaq's chicken, Shawarma, gourmet hot dog stand, etc.) and pay (Rudi's!)...

Edited October 18, 2022 by IntrepidFromDC

[CruizinSusan70]

On 10/17/2022 at 12:59 PM, Ilovesailaway said:

I would be frustrated if I waited 30 min for a drink.

OP do you have another line you prefer?

Did 14 days on the MG in February and another 14 over Labor Day that had 6000 and 5700 people on it.   Never had to wait long for a drink at all, just need to flexible.  There are multiple bars to get drinks at during the day and if you like a certain bar at night, even the popular ones like Fortune Teller or the Alchemy, you might have to wait a few minutes for seats to open up, but once they do, you're gold.

[CruizinSusan70]

9 hours ago, Retiredmedic said:

Well next fall Galveston gets the Jubilee, we won't be sailing on it.

RCI is breaking ground on a new state of the art building there for embarking or you could sail on the new NCL Prima when she finally settles there next fall.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 10/17/2022 at 4:25 PM, mz-s said:

 If you're getting free cruises spill the beans on how!

Ever hear of the casino?

[CruizinSusan70]

19 hours ago, asalligo said:

Carnival is just bad at running large ships and I hope one day they will address that issue. Anything they have over 3500 passengers just ends in a week of waiting in line for everything. 

 

 

Have to disagree with you.  Did the Horizon in 2018 & 2019 and the Mardi Gras four times in 2022, and the last two times with 6000 and 5700 passengers.  Didn't stand in too many lines at all.   Currently have 5 reservations on the Celebration.   If the lines were so bad on our last six cruises, we would put Carnival in our rear view mirror.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 10/17/2022 at 2:11 PM, xraymomma said:

 I can’t imagine what it must be like at full capacity.

No problems whatsoever.   Did a B2B with 6000 and 5700 over Labor Day.   Did a previous B2B in February and currently have 19 days on the Celebration booked for 2023 and 14 on her for 2024.

[CruizinSusan70]

On 10/17/2022 at 3:28 PM, cruisingguy007 said:

 

I don't think it will get much better in the future, the floating mall design seems to be all the rage these days and increasing passenger counts/capacity a major focal point. I expect the issue to only get worse moving forward, bigger ships, smaller cabins and less elbow room in public spaces.  

How about the first of six ships with the introduction of the Prima from the Prima Class on NCL.   Smaller than their Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Class ships (142.5 K tons) with only 3100 passengers.  No floating mall like RCI or MSC. 

Carnival is trying to play catch up to their competition and they are finally coming out with mega ships with the 3 in the Excel Class, while NCL is going the opposite way and so is RCI with the Icon Class.