Miracle Dry Dock

[dallasdan]

Anyone currently on the Miracle that give us updates on what all was done during dry dock?  I have heard rumors about adding a Shaq's chicken.

[spencercoop]

Here's what goccl says was completed.

 

Completed During dry dock 10/16/22-11/16/22

• Routine hotel maintenance
• Cosmetic enhancements such as new carpeting, tile work, new furniture and new fabrics in lounges and public areas
• Casino expanded (removed Casino Bar)  
• New red, white and blue hull design and paint scheme

[cruisingguy007]

That sucks that they keep getting rid of the casino bars, oh well, keeps more money in my pockets. Going to go out of my way to avoid any casinos without casino bars. 

[dallasdan]

Not sure about why they are removing the casino bars.  Is it to reduce the people smoking?

[kwokpot]

14 minutes ago, dallasdan said:

Not sure about why they are removing the casino bars.  Is it to reduce the people smoking?

EXACTLY. People were specially going to the casino bar to smoke and not place one cent into gambling. 

[cruisingguy007]

47 minutes ago, dallasdan said:

Not sure about why they are removing the casino bars.  Is it to reduce the people smoking?

 

No, you already couldn't smoke at the bar, I was on Miracle not too long ago and there are signs all along the bar that say non smoking area; they prohibit smoking at the bar and the bartenders enforce it. It's about jamming in more machines, period point blank.   

Edited November 18, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[cruisingguy007]

31 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

EXACTLY. People were specially going to the casino bar to smoke and not place one cent into gambling. 

 

False. 

[mz-s]

I haven’t been on Miracle, but on Sunshine for example now that the Casino bar is non-smoking, it’s basically dead. There are people that stop there on the way to supper to grab a drink or whatever. And some people do sit and drink there still. But it’s not the gathering place it once was. No bandstand there so that has a lot to do with it I’m sure. That role has been filled by the Alchemy bar/Red Frog Pub/open lounge complex farther aft on Promenade on Sunshine.

 

So if they want to add more tables or machines, be my guest. There are plenty of other bars on Carnival ships.

[TxTeach79]

That’s surprising. I assumed she’d get a Bonsai and Big screen by the pool like the rest of the Spirit class. 
 

and yeah, in June the casino bar was NEVER crowded and non smoking. Also, the size and configuration of the casino bars on the Spirit class make it a really odd choice to move. On Vista class you could get away with it a little more easily, but this feels odd. It’s very strange they’re systematically ripping out casino bars while building new ones on the Excel class ships and Dream class auxiliary casinos. 

[cruisingguy007]

57 minutes ago, mz-s said:

There are plenty of other bars on Carnival ships.

 

On Spirit class ships like Miracle? Not really, it's a big deal if you are staying in a forward cabin and want a drink later in the evening. Everything closes up and the atrium bar is generally packed and hard to get a drink. Everything on lido closes early and is a ghost town, red frog closes early, sports bar closes early, gothem lounge closes super early, alchemy closes early. Basically, you had three choices in the evening that are open late, casino bar, nightclub bar, and atrium. The casino bar and nightclub bar were the only two late night options as even the atrium shuts down. It's a major change for those who imbibe and like to stay up late. Even more of a problem now that you can't get a bottle to your cabin. Trekking back and forth just got harder. I used the casino bar for all my drinks at night pretty much, I would have to traverse the entire ship each time now, no thanks.  

Edited November 18, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

No, you already couldn't smoke at the bar, I was on Miracle not too long ago and there are signs all along the bar that say non smoking area; they prohibit smoking at the bar and the bartenders enforce it. It's about jamming in more machines, period point blank.   

 

44 minutes ago, mz-s said:

I haven’t been on Miracle, but on Sunshine for example now that the Casino bar is non-smoking, it’s basically dead. There are people that stop there on the way to supper to grab a drink or whatever. And some people do sit and drink there still. But it’s not the gathering place it once was. No bandstand there so that has a lot to do with it I’m sure. That role has been filled by the Alchemy bar/Red Frog Pub/open lounge complex farther aft on Promenade on Sunshine.

 

So if they want to add more tables or machines, be my guest. There are plenty of other bars on Carnival ships.

It all points to the same thing. Previously the casino bar was ONLY crowded because it was a smoking spot. You do away with smoking, no one is going to hang there since there's plenty of other nicer places to hang and drink, so the casino bars are dead. Therefore, no point in having the bar there if noone is going to hang out there, so it's better to have more slot machines since the casinos are always busy on Carnival ships.  

[cruisingguy007]

Already plenty of empty slot machines to sit and smoke at if one were inclined. This solves nothing. Just makes the ships less entertaining and evenings more boring. The casino bars were the best place on the ship in the evening when they allowed smoking, I've enjoyed every subsequent cruise much less since they killed the fun. They should have at least recreated the space somewhere else away from the casino so folks could enjoy themselves in the same fashion. One smoking bar isn't too big of a ask for an entire ship and it was a very popular space with smokers and non-smokers alike.   

[cruisingguy007]

13 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

 

It all points to the same thing. Previously the casino bar was ONLY crowded because it was a smoking spot. You do away with smoking, no one is going to hang there since there's plenty of other nicer places to hang and drink, so the casino bars are dead. Therefore, no point in having the bar there if noone is going to hang out there, so it's better to have more slot machines since the casinos are always busy on Carnival ships.  

 

This just reinforces what a great space it was and how popular it was. There is no other "nicer place to hang", it split the party up, smokers are freezing outside in small groups and non-smokers won't go hang-out outside in the smoking sections because they feel strange and it's not happening like the casino bar space was. Carnival eliminated a great space and ruined the most social spot on the ship. 

[mz-s]

27 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

Already plenty of empty slot machines to sit and smoke at if one were inclined. This solves nothing. Just makes the ships less entertaining and evenings more boring. The casino bars were the best place on the ship in the evening when they allowed smoking, I've enjoyed every subsequent cruise much less since they killed the fun. They should have at least recreated the space somewhere else away from the casino so folks could enjoy themselves in the same fashion. One smoking bar isn't too big of a ask for an entire ship and it was a very popular space with smokers and non-smokers alike.   

 

I do think having an outdoor smoking area near a bar would be a good idea to give smokers a place to congregate other than the existing outdoor smoking section (which is usually pretty dreary).

[dallasdan]

I don't smoke and rarely drink but I liked hanging out at the casino bar when I wasn't gambling.  It was a good mixture of people.

[cruisingguy007]

1 hour ago, dallasdan said:

I don't smoke and rarely drink but I liked hanging out at the casino bar when I wasn't gambling.  It was a good mixture of people.

 

Exactly! And when they first got rid of them on vista ships, many many folks chimed in and testified to similar feelings/thoughts about it being the one place everyone was welcomed, many of those folks were not smokers and even some that didn't drink but liked the social aspects. Of course the anti-nonsmokers said they would "fill the void" but we see how that turned out now with empty casino bars. They killed a great space, my favorite place on the ships in fact and one of the reasons I got hooked on cruising, to placate a bunch of complainers who never showed up or even used the space previously anyway. The folks making these decisions must not actually cruise or understand the customer experience because that all-inclusive super-social space is what a lot of businesses (heck technology companies even) are trying to achieve and Carnival had it and simply tossed it away. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[crazycatlady82]

This was an issue for us on the NCL Star this summer. They would advertise bars that stayed open a lot later than they did, and it was only the pub and the nightclub bars that were open past 10pm. We’ll be on the miracle in august. 

[KKB]

On 11/18/2022 at 1:20 PM, cruisingguy007 said:

 

On Spirit class ships like Miracle? Not really, it's a big deal if you are staying in a forward cabin and want a drink later in the evening. Everything closes up and the atrium bar is generally packed and hard to get a drink. Everything on lido closes early and is a ghost town, red frog closes early, sports bar closes early, gothem lounge closes super early, alchemy closes early. Basically, you had three choices in the evening that are open late, casino bar, nightclub bar, and atrium. The casino bar and nightclub bar were the only two late night options as even the atrium shuts down. It's a major change for those who imbibe and like to stay up late. Even more of a problem now that you can't get a bottle to your cabin. Trekking back and forth just got harder. I used the casino bar for all my drinks at night pretty much, I would have to traverse the entire ship each time now, no thanks.  

When you say "early" or "super early"--what times are you saying?

[cruisingguy007]

1 hour ago, KKB said:

When you say "early" or "super early"--what times are you saying?

 

On lido, tequila bar closed at like 5:30 pm, Red Frog pub closed at around dinner time aprrox 8pmish, Gotham bar was closed at dinner time and only doing drinks for dinner service (and not open after) and Alchemy/sports bar/red frog pub was around 10. Basically, after dinner, you had atrium mid, casino bar forward and nightclub bar aft and possibly alchemy/sports bar/red frog for a bit if you went to dinner early. After 11 it is nightclub aft or casino forward, with no casino bar, the only one option is nightclub after 11pm.   

[KKB]

3 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

On lido, tequila bar closed at like 5:30 pm, Red Frog pub closed at around dinner time aprrox 8pmish, Gotham bar was closed at dinner time and only doing drinks for dinner service (and not open after) and Alchemy/sports bar/red frog pub was around 10. Basically, after dinner, you had atrium mid, casino bar forward and nightclub bar aft and possibly alchemy/sports bar/red frog for a bit if you went to dinner early. After 11 it is nightclub aft or casino forward, with no casino bar, the only one option is nightclub after 11pm.   

WOW talk about few options!

[jsglow]

I have never seen a Red Frog Pub closed at 10p or anything close to that.  Typically the band will be playing until at least 11 and beyond.  In all my years on Carnival I've seen the rock band's 'last song' exactly once and I remember that we were up super late for us (pushing midnight).  Also, the Piano bar is open quite late; I'm guessing something well past 11.

Edited November 23, 2022 by jsglow

[staceyglow]

7 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

On lido, tequila bar closed at like 5:30 pm, Red Frog pub closed at around dinner time aprrox 8pmish, Gotham bar was closed at dinner time and only doing drinks for dinner service (and not open after) and Alchemy/sports bar/red frog pub was around 10. Basically, after dinner, you had atrium mid, casino bar forward and nightclub bar aft and possibly alchemy/sports bar/red frog for a bit if you went to dinner early. After 11 it is nightclub aft or casino forward, with no casino bar, the only one option is nightclub after 11pm.   

According to this copy of Fun Times, Red Frog Pub, the Center Atrium Bar, Sam's Piano Bar, and the nightclub all have live music past 11, so one could safely assume they are still serving drinks as well

 

[cruisingguy007]

10 hours ago, staceyglow said:

According to this copy of Fun Times, Red Frog Pub, the Center Atrium Bar, Sam's Piano Bar, and the nightclub all have live music past 11, so one could safely assume they are still serving drinks as well

 

 

Well, you know what they say about assuming. Posting this as some proof of Carnival sticking to any kind of schedule proves nothing, they don't care what's posted and do whatever they want, leaving everything as "late" means "whenever we want" and I've seen stuff not open on posted times on literally every cruise. Depend on what's posted if you want, just be prepared with alternatives  when you actually get on the ships, especially post pandemic, the early random closings have only gotten worse. 

[BlerkOne]

I love it. We have a Journey cruise on Miracle next year. When you get free drinks in the casino, who cares if there is a bar?

[staceyglow]

12 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Well, you know what they say about assuming. Posting this as some proof of Carnival sticking to any kind of schedule proves nothing, they don't care what's posted and do whatever they want, leaving everything as "late" means "whenever we want" and I've seen stuff not open on posted times on literally every cruise. Depend on what's posted if you want, just be prepared with alternatives  when you actually get on the ships, especially post pandemic, the early random closings have only gotten worse. 

Have you ever been on a cruise where the entertainment did not perform as scheduled (except for illness of the performers)?  I haven't.  And they aren't going to play in a place where the bar is not serving drinks.

 

But if it is a random bar, of course they may close early if they have no customers. And that might have been more likely post-pandemic when they aren't sailing full.  But Carnival isn't stupid. They make huge money on drinks.  If people are buying, they are going to be serving.