Attn: Glory Cruisers

[KenMo]

Ok.....I'm outta here!!

 

Leaving in the a.m. for Orlando.....finally!!

 

I'll check in and let you know what ports we go to.

[KenMo]

The ports are as advertised:

 

KW

Sea

Cozumel

Progreso

Sea

Nassau

 

The ship is about the same as any of the other Conquest class ships. Just the decor is different.

 

The Red Sail Restaurant is really dark. They have red sails hanging from the ceiling.....it's hard to explain, but it really filters the light and the interior is pretty dark.

 

Finally met my cabin steward today. Left a note for him stating two things I would like. Didn't happen. But it's all straightened out now.

 

The aft pool area is entirely no smoking.

 

The aft pool is not adults only. The sign says "Children must be accompanied". Doesn't say accompanied by what but I'm assuming it's an adult...lol!

 

The aft hot tubs are adult only.

 

Didn't get off at KW....decided to enjoy the ship "to myself". It was pouring rain all morning, then cleared up for a couple of hours, then poured some more.

 

We docked at Outer Mole Pier. This is the Naval base and we aren't allowed to walk the pier. So the City of KW provided trolleys. We were to disembark by deck. They called 1, 11, 2, 10, 9, 8 then all the rest at once. They said to allow 2 hours for debark but they had all the decks called in about an hour. But I imagine the stairways and elevators were crowded for a while after that.

 

I wanted to sit out on Deck 10 starboard aft. The first 4 or 5 deck chairs I tried to use were broken. Finally, used a broken one.....oh, well.

 

That's all I can think of for now. I'll check back later.

[dj cruise]

Thanks for the update

we are on the SEpt 22 western with the same ports I have 1 question

Is the shipin good shape and how is the food so far?

thanks and keep us updated I can't wait to here how Progreso is I have never been there.

Have a safe and great cruise

[dj cruise]

let us no what nights are formal with the new ports

Thank again

[speedyx]

Hi KenMo,

 

Did you had a good vacations on the glory?

[KenMo]

Just got home a little bit ago.

 

Was not my favorite cruise....but that had more to do with the pax than the ship.

 

I still had a really good time though. It's still a cruise....right??!!

 

The formal nights were Monday and Thursday. Both Sea Days.

 

The ship seems to be in really good shape. I didn't notice anything obvious as far as wear and tear. The crew were always cleaning the inside and doing the outside while at port.

 

Our first day on board, DH had the roast beef from the buffet....he said it was pretty tough.

 

We ate in the dining room every night but two. I had salmon every night except lobster once and prime rib last night. DH is still raving about the prime rib.....it was excellent.

 

Some people at our table had problems getting their steaks right....but when it was prepared to their liking, it was good.

 

We went to the beach in Progreso and then stopped at a bar on the way back to the ship. $1 beers and free tequila.......man, I love that place!!!

 

I'll be writing a review later tonight or tomorrow.

[jhsieh]

Hi KenMo. Glad you had a good time and that you liked Progeso! What did you do in each port? Thanks for keeping us posted.:)

 

 

 

Jillian (anxiously waiting to hear every detail:D :D )

[dj cruise]

Welcome back

we are on the Glory next Saturday on the same trip you were on

Glad you had a good time.Was the staff good

Thank you can't wait untill your review.

[bguppies]

Just got back in yesterday.

 

Loved the Glory. (except the extremely poor layout of parts of the ship. Like people having to walk through the center of the cigar bar to get to the Platinum Dining room?!?!?!)

 

Ship is in great shape. (saw them painting, cleaning and replacing deck showers throughout the week)

 

Found the ship's activities to be extermely lacking, compared with our two Sensation cruises.

 

Also couldn't understand what all the raves for "Wee" Jimmy were for.

 

We barely saw him in person all week.

Just at the mandatory talks (debarkation, etc...) and big shows he hosted (and he somehow managed to run late with the Newlywed Game and rather poorly rushed through it.)and for about 30 seconds before each Main Lounge show.

 

NEVER saw him on the Lido deck or Promenade deck all week.

 

We wound up going to virtually every game or activity all week, as there were so few to choose from and never saw him at ANY of those either.

 

If it wasn't for our TV in the cabin, we wouldn't have a clue what he was like.

Seemed to be a very funny, entertaining guy.

Just wished he actually mingled with the passengers.

 

Maybe he was having an off week?

 

I assume Wee Jimmy is in charge of planning the activities all week.

Which like I said were SORELY lacking.

There was literally NOTHING planned onboard on Port Days, for those who chose to stay on the ship. (which with two ports changed at the last minute, which apparently at line at check in, My Wife and I were the only people who knew about the change before arriving at the entrance to the terminal on Saturday, I'm sure many more people than usual chose to remain onboard in Key West and Progresso)

 

I plan on comparing our Capers from this week, with the complete set I saved from both Sensation cruises, to see how many more activities we had to choose from on 4 day cruises, than we had the entire 7 days of this cruise.:confused:

 

Embarkation at Port Canaveral was a breeze as usual.

(Thankfully we ignored the desk at the Radisson, who told us the Port didn't open until 11:30, so they didn't run a shuttle until then. We caught a cab over at 10:30AM and were checked in and boarding the ship around 11:30AM:D )

 

Debarkation was better than previous trips, with the new numbered system, instead of the old color system.

They called numbers 1-5 which were for people with early flights. (they were all off the ship by a little after 8AM)

Then they called people with their own luggage a deck at a time from the bottom deck to about Empress I believe.

Then they called numbers 6,7 and 8 one at a time. (in rather rapid succesion)

Then they called the rest of the people with all of their luggage, a deck at a time, until they were finsihed. (they were completely done by shortly after 9AM)

Then they continued the numbers, in order again from #9.

We were #12, so we were off in a few minutes.

Took just a few minutes once we got to deck 3 to get off the ship, then another 5-7 minutes to breeze through customs and another 5-7 minutes for all 5 pieces of our luggage to come around the baggage carosel.

Took a cab back to the Radisson and were in our car pulling out of the parking lot there at 9:31AM......

 

Much Kudos to Port canaveral and to Carnivals new debarkation number system.

 

The changed itinerary worked out great for my Wife and I personally.

We loved Key West. (except the debarkation process by deck which wound up pissing away more than an hour of our already short time there)

 

The day in Cozumel where we booked a day at Nachi Cocum was by far the best day of vacation either of us has had on any vacation in our lives.

Perfect doesn't begin to cover Nachi Cocum.

 

The day in Progresso was a nice change for us as we had booked a Mayan excursion in Belize and the ruins in Progresso are much better and bigger.

 

We wisely chose Uxmal over Chitzen Itza at the urging of many on the Progresso message boards and we can't thank them enough.

(as our group of 12 boarded a van for Uxmal, which we shared the entire place with less than 75 other people, while we watched 2 full busses of crew and at least 5 packed busses by the time we pulled out, all leave for Chitzen Itza, just from the Glory.)

We were able to walk through, in and on every portion of Uxmal, except the huge Magician's temple and the one ring left at the ball court there.

While those we talked to that night on the ship, walked behind roped off areas everywhere ay Chitzen Itza, while stnading in long lines to see everything.

 

In Nassau, since we have been there twice already this year, we chose to finally stop at Ardastra Gardens and Zoo and absolutely had the best time.

For anybody with kids, this would be a great stop.

Flamingoes and peacocks just wandering between the exibits along with the guests.

The marching Flamingo show was really good.

Getting to feed the Lorry Parrots was simply amazing fun.

 

The only downside to the cruise other than the lack of activities onboard, was the fact that someone on the far end of our Lido deck corridor came onboard with a cold.

By the second sea day (Thursday) about every 3rd person in our corridor from forward to aft, was coughing and hacking. (my poor Wife included)

Luckily I made it all the way to halfway home before it finally got to me.

(been up on the computer so I don't wake up my poor wife, who is finally getting her first decent night of sleep since Wednesday.)

 

I'll try to post a fuller review later if I continue to be unable to get any sleep.

I'll also try to answer any questions I can pitch in with or from the complete set of capers I came home with.

 

Bill

[jhsieh]

Thanks for the review. You know it's funny, seems like EVERYONE has been saying that about Wee Jimmy since he's returned to the Glory. I wonder what the deal is. I feeling much better about Progreso. Everyone who's returned so far has had all good things to say. We are planning on doing Uxmal ruins tour. Do they have private tour operators hanging out by the dock to take people, or do you recommed taking the Carnival excursion? It's only 2 of us and I'm wondering if there are cheaper ways of getting to Uxmal besides the Carnival tour. Glad you had a good time and sorry to hear your wife got sick!

[bguppies]

I feeling much better about Progreso. Everyone who's returned so far has had all good things to say. We are planning on doing Uxmal ruins tour. Do they have private tour operators hanging out by the dock to take people, or do you recommed taking the Carnival excursion? It's only 2 of us and I'm wondering if there are cheaper ways of getting to Uxmal besides the Carnival tour.

I don't think there are any private tour operators, as the pier is seriously 6 miles long and it is guarded at the entrance.

 

It seemed that all the excursions were by the same company.

So I would guess they have an exclusive agreement for tours from the pier. (but I'll admit I'm not positive)

 

It happened to work out perfectly for us, as the Mayan excursion we had cancelled from Belize was also $69 per person.

So costwise it was a wash.

 

We left the pier about 30 minutes after docking and only got back to the pier with 30 minutes to spare, so I'd think I would be a bit leary of taking a non-ship excursion to either Uxmal or Chitzen Itza.( Which was supposed to be about 15 minutes longer each way according to our guide. Which may have been why they were literally taking people from line to the various busses to Chitzen Itza almost immediately and pretty constantly.)

 

Our guide kept calling back in and letting them know where we were and how we were doing timewise. (the chatter got a little frantic the last half hour, which worried me a bit, until we finally could see the pier.)

 

If you decide to take the tour, we both felt it was worth the money.

 

Just do remember to make sure and get some pesos so you can buy some snacks and drinks at Uxmal. NOBODY there would take dollars.

Plenty of Pepsi products, bottled water, an ice cream shop and candy and snacks at the various shops.

 

The "lunch" Carnival provided was just an apple, orange or banana, a PBJ or ham and cheese sandwich and a bag of various Fritos products.

If you even vaguely want to think about eating it, eat yours as soon as you get in. As when you park at Uxmal, the van sits in the heat for a few hours and the sandwiches, needless to say are worthless. (although a Scottish guy on our excursion ate his and his Fiance's ham and cheese sandwiches on the drive back. But they eat Haggus, so I wasn't shocked.)

 

Let me know if you have any more detailed questions.

 

Bill

[kimmimom]

we are staying at Radisson also, but also afraid about the shuttle a little, just that at 11:30 everyone will be waiting and it will be a lot later to get there. There will be 4 in our party. We thought about going to lobby at about 10:45 for the shuttle to make sure we are one of the first in line to get on first shuttle (our kids aren't going).

[DJ56]

Thank you for the Glory news from your cruise. I will be on the Glory this Saturday and am getting quite excited!! So nice to hear some positive comments coming in regarding the new itinerary. So many negative comments out there...hearing some positive ones is refreshing. I am just so excited to be going on a cruise. Anxiously awaiting more info from your cruise. THANK YOU :)

[jhsieh]

Hi Bill. Thanks for all the info on the Uxmal tour. I've been trying to find out the price through Carnival, but since Progreso's not on our official itinerary yet, we can't see prices online and no one awnsering the phones at Carnival had any idea. 70 bucks is just fine and we will definately take the Carnival tour. I think they can keep their delicious authentic Mexican lunch though.:rolleyes: Will be sure to get pesos from the purser's desk.

 

It is really reassuring to hear some positive comments about the new itinerary. I'm still disappointed and pissed off about Belize but I'm sure this new stuff will be a lot of fun, too. Thanks again for all the good info and I'm glad at least you and your family seemed to have a good time!:) :)

 

 

 

Jillian

[Patinthehat]

I was wondering if you could set up some webcams, and hook them up to a laptop, and feed them live to the message boards, so we can see what the ship is like first hand. I know it'll cost quite a bit for internet fees, but I'd really appreciate it.

 

Just kidding, how about you just have a great cruise!