Cali's Excellent Adventure - Paradise 12/18 through 12/22

[Calistar]

Hello All,

Well, it finally happened. We took our very first cruise last week and it was amazing. It was only 250 days ago that we (Me, My Wife, and 16-year-old Son) first booked the four-night Paradise Cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada. Each day leading up to the trip I would impatiently check the forum for information on the ship or read reviews.Thanks to this forum, I had some idea as to what was going to happen, but nothing could prepare us the experience of actually being onboard. Here is my review, it may turn out to be pretty l-o-n-g as I want to share information for "first time cruisers" as well as veterans.

I hope you enjoy.

 

We left the Sacramento Area on Sunday, Dec. 17th enroute for San Pedro -- which is on the north end of the Long Beach Port (just a few miles from the Queen Mary and the embarkation point for the Paradise). We had decided to drive up the day before our cruise to ensure that we weren't rushed or tired when it was time to get on the ship. Our hotel of

choice was the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro. This was our first time staying there and we were very pleased with the cleanliness and hospitality that we experienced. I don't know if the room was soundproof or if our neigbors were just especially quiet, but we hardly heard anyone the entire time we were there! Our room (#730) even had a partial view of the port and we could watch cruise ships come and go during our stay which just pumped us up even more. We booked the room from the hotel website and the total bill was $94 which we thought was a deal. The only downfall to our stay was that there was a LOT of construction going on in the area which made driving around a bit tricky...but it looks like they are trying to

improve the quality of buildings into a more inviting touristy type of place.

 

Embarkation Day! Finally the day arrived and we woke up fairly early (7:30am). We had discussed going to a local restaurant for breakfast, but we were SO excited that we decided to go down to the port just to look at the ship that we weren't going to be able to board until 11:30am at the

earliest. Driving down to the port early turned out to be one of the best moves we made all week! With all the construction going on, semi-trucks everywhere, and misleading street signs, we took two wrong turns and it actually took us about 30 minutes to travel five miles. For the first timer, getting to the Long Beach Port is plenty confusing and I would recommend to anyone, who has never been there, to check out the route early. When we finally got on the right track, we could see the Queen Mary in the distance. Wow...there it was, the legendary ship. And then we saw it, the Paradise was docked and passengers from the previous trip we disembarking. What a beautiful ship! Since this would be our first cruise ever and we were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary we decided to go first class and book a penthouse suite! From the dock we were able to count the balconys until we found ours (U89) on the 6th floor which is also called the Upper Deck. The excitment level was really high now as we were only a few hours from being able to board, so we decided to have breakfast on the Queen Mary in the Promenade Restaurant. Although the food there was overpriced and, frankly, was not that good...the ship was awesome. So much history there and great stores for window shopping. The service was excellent and we even took

a stroll on deck before heading back to the hotel to get our luggage.

 

We arrived back with our suitcases (four checked bags, three carry-ons) at 11:15am. We parked in the long-term parking ($12 per day) and carried/rolled our bags up to the dome where we found the beginnings of the VIP line. It was there that we realized that we were supposed to give our checked baggage to the porters at the garage.We dragged them back to the garage and I tipped the porter $1 per bag. In the VIP line, there were only five or six people. In the "wedding" line, there were about forty people and in the regular line there were about 150 people waiting to board. At about noon, a Carnival employee came by and checked

all our tickets and passports (we had birth certificates, but I understand that only passports will be accepted starting in '07)...it was also now that I remembered that we could have pre-checked at the Queen Mary...but at least I had done the Fun-Pass thing online. At 12:15pm the Wedding

Folks were led into the dome, followed closely by the VIP folks. We were led into a small room where each of our documents and photo IDs were checked again. Then we were issued our Sail & Sign cards. These cards would become our best friend (and worst enemy!:eek: ;) ) over the next five days. Once that was completed we were led to the front of the security check line (in front of a hundred or so people) and I immediately set off the alarm (dumb sunglasses). After that we were led to the other side

of the dome which is where we took the first of a gazillion photos. These ones in front of some palm trees. We also took security photos that would be matched up with our S & S cards. As we walked down the ramp towards the ship, it all seemed so surreal. Like we were entering a

different world. As we walked onboard, we were informed that our rooms would not be ready until about 1:30pm and that we could get something to eat on the Lido deck if we wanted. The buffet on Lido Deck was pretty fair. Macaroni Salad, fish, crab, regular salad, etc. The weather was

beautiful, about 62 degrees and sunny. We sat out on the deck and had lunch...and were in awe of our surroundings. Our son set off to explore the ship and (as we found out) we would end up seeing very little of him on the trip. Our room was spectacular with a king size bed, living room, and full balcony! Since we were on the starboard side we were able to watch people embark for the next four hours. Some of the ammenities awaiting us in the room included: Shavers, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Energy Drink Mix, Milk Bath Moisturizer, Shower Gel, Frizz Control, and two Soap Dispensers in the shower. Two of our checked bags showed up at our room at 2pm, the other two at 3:45pm.

 

I went to the Normandie theater to see cruise director Micheal Mullins (sp?) give an orientation about the upcoming excursions and some information about the ship in general. This same orientation would be replayed on the room TV many times. And speaking of the TV, there were three channels promoting cruising and about 6-7 regular channels including

two stations from Colorado (got to see all the blizzard info) and one channel that showed a lot of movies (TBS? or TNT?...can't remember).

He is a great cruise director (and a talented singer) but he had a cold this week and we rarely saw him. The Safety Muster (the ONLY part of the cruising experience that I despised) was held at 4:45pm. We had to put on our very uncomfortable lifejackets and go to the Casino area for instructions on what to do in case of an emergency. I understand that those 35 minutes were important, but I was glad when it was over.

As the sun began to set, I just walked around the ship, had the DOD (Drink of the Day) and watched others do the same (Wow they really

push those drinks, especially on the first day...just show your card). Two Carnival errors on the first day. 1) as we entered the Suite, it was spotless except for the still damp towel that was sitting on the sink? and 2.) we had requested the early seating for dinner, but were assigned the late seating -- which actually worked out well as we really enjoyed our table

mates (Destiny Dining Room, table 212). Shaun and Family from Stockton, Ca. We really looked forward to dining with them each night. Our Waiter/Steward for dinner was Mikey, one of the more charismatic staff members. The food was EXCELLENT each night and we really enjoyed the Lobster! Prime Rib, Shrimp, Salad, baby-back Ribs, and deserts

like Tiramisu and Strawberry Cheesecake. I ordered an additional dinner each night for my son and I to share. At 9pm, my son left to go check out the CO2 club for 15-17 year-olds and did not return until 2am. His intention was to make friends and that is exactly what he did. Apparently on that first night, there were 35 teens that showed up for the dance and

games that team-leader Brandon held. My son said that he had a GREAT time and that the second night, at least 40 kids showed up. He ended up making friends with a group of about 10 teens that met every day to play ping-pong, shuffleboard, basketball, and attend the dances. As we returned to our room after dinner, the room was completely

made up and there was the famous towel animal on our bed (actually it was an eskimo!). that our steward, Noli!, had made. Everytime we left our room for the next four days, he would come in and inobtrusively make it up. The only thing I had to ask him for during our entire time was for some ice on wednesday, otherwise the service was excellent. All the Carnival employees we extremely plesant and always said hello as you passed them in the hallways. The only employee that I didn't care for was a dealer in the Casino who didn't seem to enjoy his job. Each time he moved to

a different table, the players would leave. I spent about 90 minutes that first night at the Roulette Table and won about $140! There were Texas Hold'em games going on, but since I am just an intermediate player I decided to stick to a game that I felt more comfortable playing. Also, Kareoke was in full swing and it was interesting trying to guess who had talent (and who didn't) before the song would begin. We spent some time on the balconey watching the waves go by and soaking in the sea breeze. We then went to two shows that first night. There first was the "Welcome

Aboard" show and those dancers/singers are extremely talented. I felt like we were in Vegas. The second show was the PG rated comedy of Lowell Sanders which was just OK. The best tip I can give is to get to the shows early and get a floor seat as the view from the upper deck is pretty resticted. The sound in the theater (and actually throughout the ship) was unbelievably good. Annoucements and music were crystal clear.

And we observed the crew CONSTANTLY cleaning...not just the rooms, but the bannisters and tables, etc.

 

We feel asleep that first night to the sound of waves, completely exhausted from a great, great day.

 

 

End of Part I....Stay tuned for Part II.

[Family Man]

Great review so far. I look forward to Part II. I am glad you enjoyed your tablemates, but for future reference, a quick chat with the maitre d' probably would have you moved to early seating.

[socal cruzin]

ok stop holding out on us.:D

the review is great me and my faily will be on paradise early feb.

 

so please please give us more(lol)

[Calistar]

We awoke to brilliant sunshine and immediately realized we were stopped. We got up at 7am eager to start our day. This would be our first time to Catalina Island and had decided to play it by ear (and not book any excursions until we hit the pier and sized things up). Before heading ashore, we had breakfast on the Lido deck (scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes, etc). Even at that early hour, there was a general excitement in the most of the passengers that I saw/met. The Cruise Director had advised getting to the tender boats before the rush (9:30am), so we were there at 8:45am. Again, the weather was awesome. Sunshine and all you really needed was a windbreaker. Just GREAT for the middle of December.

The tender boat lasted about 3-5 minutes. We arrived on the dock and found a few booths where you could book excursions. After a brief discussion with my Wife and Son, we decided to shop, then do the Scenic Bus Ride adventure ($14 for a guided 1-hr trip). The shops were pleasant and we saw some unique stuff. We did that for about an hour and then saw a cart rental booth. We still had a couple of hours before a bus ride, so we decided to rent a four-seater. $40 for 1-2 hrs. Those carts a kick! They gave us a map of the island and gave us directions, but mostly we were lost. It was actually great fun zooming along and passing dozens of other carts/families that looked equally lost :) . The island is beautiful and there are hardly any cars (theres like a four year wait to bring cars onto the island and parking spaces are VERY expensive). So everyone owns a golf cart. We drove up to the botanical gardens and down to the Avalon Casino (where there is no gambling, by the way). Beautiful Sights and great fun. We watched the scuba divers do their thing in some of the clearest water I've ever seen. Lunch was at a place at the beach called Antonio's which featured standard food (Hamburgers, Chicken fingers, Sandwhiches) and birds that fly in an out of the restaurant freely. Mainly due to the fact that they serve peanuts there and everyone throws the shells on the floor. The Scenic Bus Trip was enjoyable,although the seats on the bus are crammed. Good luck getting any two above average size people in the same seat. A snug fit to say the least. The narration was good and we trammed all the way to the top of the island and had great photo ops of the ship in the bay. At 1pm we decided to head back to the Paradise.

 

We really enjoyed our Suite and glad that we had spent the extra money. I had heard the saying many times "why spend extra when you are hardly going to be in your suite?". Well, I think its a matter of preference. I believe that one of the main reasons we enjoyed our cruise so much was because it was centered around our room. Everyday, we took naps (so that we could stay up till 2am and wake up at 7am). The balcony was just so tranquil and invitiving. Many of the notes you are reading now, I took while reclining on the balcony. enjoying the seabreeze and sunshine. A full-size bathroom and shower was great. When we do our next trip (and we ARE already planning our next cruise) we are definately doing the penthouse again. By 3pm, the photos from the first day were being displayed in the atrium on deck 8? It was a little confusing finding your own photos, amongst the hundreds and hundreds of photos, but they were generally high quality and we would end up purchasing about $40 worth (just show em your S&S card!). Oh yeah, before I forget, our room had (3) outlets but I was still glad I took a power strip. My wife had packed some Christmas Lights strung them in the living room area. It gave the room a holiday feel. The best thing about being on the cruise was that mostly everyone we met was in a good mood! You could strike up conversations with nearly anyone. In fact, I met some of the nicest people in the....laundrette room while ironing my clothes (old Army habits die hard). One guy was a medic on break from Iraq and we had the best conversation. I would see him around the ship and we were fast friends. If I have any advice for first-timers, it would be to not be shy and talk to folks at the meals, on deck, on excursions, in the elevator, the laundry room, everywhere. You'll be so suprised how nice people are...especially those that are on vacation. We definately left our cares and worries on the mainland. And speaking of the elevators, they were a bit slow, so our strategy was to use them going up, and to use the stairs going to lower decks.

 

At 4:30pm, the ship set sail for Ensenada.

 

That night we saw a "Here's Hollywood" show in the Normandie Theater by the ship's singers and dancers which was fun. They are very talented. The midnight "R-Rated" comedy show by Lowell Sanders was again, just ok. He's a likeable guy, very professional, but his jokes were a bit stale. It was worth going to, but not laugh-out-loud-tears-in-your-eyes funny.

My son, had left for the CO2 teen lounge and we would not see him again until 2am. They again had a dance, played cards, mini-golf, X-Box 360, and PS2. The CO2 club is a little hard to find, just a single unimpressive door on deck 9?. I think they do that on purpose, so that the younger kids won't notice it as much and try to get in. Once we were out to sea again, the Casino's opened back up and I won $40 on Roulette (cool, paid for the cart ride earlier that day). We also spent a little time watching the Kereoke in the Queen Mary Lounge which was a both funny, impressive,

and sometimes painful :eek:. Also, if you head that direction (towards the rear of the ship, near the Queen Mary Lounge and Destiny Dining Room, there are two massage chairs that I never saw anyone using (other than us!). They were AWESOME. A 5 minute massage for a buck...heck, I must of spent 10-12 bucks on those things during the week. Good thing they didn't accept our S&S cards! Check em out if you get the chance. Also, rather than having breakfast on the Lido deck, check out the Destiny Dining room. Better Food by far, superior servers, and you get to meet new folks from All over. We made at least a dozen new friends this way.

Oh, and one more thing about the Casino (sorry, I know I'm jumping around a bit). Watch for the seminars that they give on the different table games. I got to learn the basics of Craps and recieved a free $5 card to boot. The Rex Dance Club was where the younger set hung out. The twenty-somethings where in there shaking their groove thangs...The music was pumping, and it seemed to be very popular. There was also some good shopping to be hand onboard. My wife loved the fact that they had purses for sale for as low as $10. And the alcohol in the gift store had no tariffs, so it was cheap. We also, at one time or another, wandered by a candy counter (not free, but tempting), a suishi bar, the pizza bar (both free), and coffee counter (lattes, expressos, mochas).

 

Wow...it looks like I'm going to need to add a Part III. I didn't mean to write so much, but I have a lot of memories...

 

Stand by for Part III -- Viva Mexico!

 

Cali.

[SmooCruise]

great review so far! Can't wait to hear the rest and see what you did in Mexico!

[Calistar]

I uploaded some photos onto webshots. They kinda go along with the review. Check em out...

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/556756229fdWwDn

 

Cali.

[PeggySand]

Hi Cali,

 

Still patiently waiting for the remainder of your review!!!

 

I have enjoyed reading it so far, and would like to hear the rest!! We will be on the Paradise for the 4-nighter this Jan. 29th.

 

Thanks,

Peggy

[socal cruzin]

more please:D

[Normandie]

Would the golf cart acommodate 2 adults and 3 small children--ranging in age from 6-10 years old?

[SC LTC]

I JUST BOOKED THE PARADISE FOR 2/5/07 SHORT NOTICE :p JUST ME AND MY DAUGHTER, IT WILL BE HER FIRST CRUISE WHO ELSE IS GOING?

[Calistar]

My apologizes for the delay in posting part III...so much to do around here lately. Thanks to all who are traveling down 'memory lane' with me.

 

Day three I woke up around 7am and we were not moving. I got up and went over to the window and looked out...we were docked at Ensenada! Cool. I was very excited as I had never been to Mexico before (other than that one-day trip to Juarez back in 1978). Our balcony was in perfect position to survey the entire landscape on the starboard side. We could see the mountains, and city (which was only perhaps 1/2 mi away) and the beauty of the sunrise. It was a cool crisp morning and the dock workers were busy setting up the ramp in anticipation of cruisers departing the ship for a day on the town. I "accidently" woke up my wife and son by "accidently" turning the TV on too loud and by a series of coughs.;) I wanted breakfast and to go explore Ensenada, and perhaps purchase a few trinkets. Breakfast in the Destiny Dining Room again was tremendous and we got to meet a whole new set of very nice people.

During the Cruise Director's seminar the previous day, he had said that we had the option of riding the shuttle into town or to simply walk.

We chose the shuttle and I am glad that we did. It would have taken awhile to get to the center of town (Mateo Ave?) and the three bucks per person that we spent on the shuttle was well worth it. On the shuttle ride over, there was a quick "coaching" session from one of the bus operators. He advised us not to drink the water, always bargain for goods, try not to give the kids money, and always check for ".925" mark when purchasing silver. He said that lots of the silver being sold was genuine imitation and would turn the fingers, wrist, and/or arm green. We stepped off the shuttle downtown and made a mental note of how to get back to the shuttle.

As soon as we hit the street, dirt-poor children were asking for money or wanting to sell us Chic-lets. It was heart-breaking seeing all that poverty close-up.

 

Despite my best advice, my wife purchased some silver from the very first street vendor we saw (impulse buyer for sure). We had a quick discussion and made sure she understood that we would seeing 100's of deals that day and that she might want to be a little more selective and find the absolute best deals. EVERYWHERE there were venders, pan-handlers, desititute women sitting on the sidewalk holding their baby in one hand and a cup in the other. Purses, belts, Jewelry, Hats, Boots, Blankets, Trinkets of all kinds were for sale everywhere. It was basically one huge flea market. We could not walk one city block without being approached by literally 15 vendors. We spent the entire day just walking around and entering the shops that interested us. Some of the sellers there had some real novel approaches. One guy called to me "Pssst...hey Rockefeller, come in here".....and another notifed me that there was "absolutely NO CHARGE to come into his shop". We spent the day haggling and bargaining and towards the afternoon, we really only ended up buying three items (I was suprised that most of the deals weren't as good as I had hoped). My wife bought a Silver Prop. of Tiffany & Co. pendant (bargained from $35 to $20), a imitation Gucchi purse ($45 down to $25) and a Mexican Black Opal ($30 to $20). Not bad actually, but I had expected to purchase more stuff. In the afternoon, the wind kicked up and it got chilly so we decided to hit the world famous Papas and Beer before heading back to the ship. On a wednesday afternoon, the place was nearly empty. Not sure what I expected (is it too much to ask for a conga line?) but we had a nice meal there (the Chicken Enchelladas were great).

Our shuttle back to the ship was only interupted by a very serious looking security federally type who wanted to see all of our S&S cards and photo ID's. Yes sir! Before getting back on the ship, you had one last chance to purchase goods at the "panic store" on the dock. Definitely much higher prices. I bought a six-pack of cokes and went aboard.

At dinner that night, our great tablemates said that they had gone to the Studio Trip to see the Titanic stuff and were really disappointed. They said there was a lot of construction going on and not much else.

 

Day four was a fun day at sea. By this morning, you could see a lot of people walking around happy but tired. 24-fun was taking its toll and you could several instances of "pillow hair" and "suitcase wrinkled clothes".

 

In an effort to cover everything, I will list some notes/advice for you to consider:

* It takes awhile to get used to the sway of the ship. You'll be walking along and all of a sudden, whoa, you lose your balance for a split second. Plus once you are back on land, it takes about 24-hrs NOT to feel the sway anymore.

* We saw ALL the sing & dance shows onboard (recommended), all the comedy shows (Merl Hobb's R-Rated show was HILARIOUS). Bobby Borgia's magic show (hmm, ok).

* See the Hairy Chest contest! very funny.

* T-Shirts with the Carnival logo on them were 2 for $30.

* tell your family and friends before cruising that drink tickets make a wonderful gift! :cool:

* If you don't want your photo taken, just politely decline. They are fine with that.

* I was shocked at all the extra costs associated with a pre-paid cruise.

Once you get your final S&S bill (and you get up off the floor), you realize that cruising is not that cheap. However it is well worth it. This was one of the best vacations we have ever taken and we cannot wait to go again.

* Bingo's are held in the Normandie Lounge right before every show. You can win $250, $750, or a cruise to anywhere...depending on which game they are playing that particular day.

* Get your rest. I saw a lot of people trying to "do it all" and they were dragging by day four. Make sure you sneak in a nap or lay-out on deck or find a quiet spot to relax. It'll make the trip that much more enjoyable.

* Meet new people. Sometimes all it takes is a "Hi, where are you from" or "have you done this cruising thing before" and you'll become fast friends. I met the nicest people and it added immensely to my cruising experience.

 

Day 5 Debarkation Day - Back to reality.

The morning we got back to Long Beach, there was a nasty storm going on. Where did all our sunshine go??? The trip was really over! and it was time to get off the ship. We had decided the night before to do the self-assist thing and carry all of our own bags off the ship. But first we had one final breakfast over at the Destiny. We bought some photos and a book to place all our memories. As we walked off the ship, we all spoke of the GREAT time we had. Even going through the immigration line and security checks, nothing could damper our mood. It was FUN! We enjoyed ourselves Sooo much. We experienced things and met people and traveled places. We are already planning a longer trip for next time. Possibly the Mexican Riviera or the Bahamas. A 7-dayer should be just about right. Anyway, thats my review. I hope you enjoyed the ride and that all of your cruises in the future are great.

 

Cali.

[Calistar]

Would the golf cart acommodate 2 adults and 3 small children--ranging in age from 6-10 years old?

 

I don't think that will be an issue. They have different size carts. Our cart was meant for four adults (two bench seats) and you and your family should fit nicely. I *think* I saw a six person cart (two in front, two in back, and two in the very back facing the opposite direction) The carts are fun, eventhough the island is not that big. Just remember that the driver must have a valid liscense, be over 25 years old, and you cannot change drivers mid-way. Plus, make sure you study the map so that you don't get lost or go on the roads that are off-limits to carts.

 

Have fun!

[Calistar]

Would the golf cart acommodate 2 adults and 3 small children--ranging in age from 6-10 years old?

 

I don't think that will be an issue. They have different size carts. Our cart was meant for four adults (two bench seats) and you and your family should fit nicely. I *think* I saw a six person cart (two in front, two in back, and two in the very back facing the opposite direction) The carts are fun, eventhough the island is not that big. Just remember that the driver must have a valid liscense, be over 25 years old, and you cannot change drivers mid-way. Plus, make sure you study the map so that you don't get lost or go on the roads that are off-limits to carts.

 

Have fun!

[Calistar]

Would the golf cart acommodate 2 adults and 3 small children--ranging in age from 6-10 years old?

 

I don't think that will be an issue. They have different size carts. Our cart was meant for four adults (two bench seats) and you and your family should fit nicely. I *think* I saw a six person cart (two in front, two in back, and two in the very back facing the opposite direction) The carts are fun, eventhough the island is not that big. Just remember that the driver must have a valid liscense, be over 25 years old, and you cannot change drivers mid-way. Plus, make sure you study the map so that you don't get lost or go on the roads that are off-limits to carts.

 

Have fun!

[cathyz]

Thanks for the review! My husband and I were on the same cruise in October and also had a great time! And we're on the Pride next month with 30 of our closest friends for my DH's 50th birthday and I think we'll have even MORE fun!!

[mcbor]

Thanks for the review. I was looking at this cruise for myself and 2 DDs. I had read other reviews that said it was a real party boat. Did you find it to be that way?

[Calistar]

I did not find the Paradise to be a party boat...at least not the cruise I was on. In fact I only saw a few people who were obviously drunk the entire time I was onboard. Perhaps it was the weekday cruise that I was on, as opposed to a weekender. Or maybe the time of year (mid-December), but the vast majority of people that I saw or met were just happy to be there and not really over-doing it. Mainly everyone seemed to want to relax and enjoy the sunshine and excursions.

 

Cali.

[AQW]

Thanks for the trip report - seven days and counting before my Paradise adventure begins! I've taken note of your tips, and appreciate you sharing them. :)

[DaytonCruiser]

Great review. The left coast cruises dont get enough love on these boards :)

[boaterette]

Just got off today. Another tip is that you can order coffee in the morning by putting out the card on your door the night before. If the cards aren't in your room ask your steward or the pursers desk.

[ladywhitezen]

THANK YOU for such a great review. We are taking our very first cruise 2/12 and had so many questions...was gret to find you and your experiences, as we are taking the same cruise and in our 60's, celebrating our 3rd anniversary, so excited. Thank you again!