Best cruise yet! Liberty 8/23-30...

[cruiseaddict05]

Background: DH and I were celebrating our 3rd anniversary a month late with our 4th carnival cruise!

Our first ever pre-stay before the cruise!:

August 22- We arrived at MSP at 4:30 for a 7:00 am flight. The NWA line was no wait at all and we were in the terminal by 5:00am. (Note: NWA waived our baggage fees with no problem thanks to my intense paperwork from our Midwest airlines involuntary transfer after the April luggage fee). Our flight left on time and we arrived in Houston for about a 45 minute layover with a 30 minute delay. We are lucky our flight did not leave any later because we probably would not have made it to FLL due to some turbulent weather in FLL. That being said, we arrived in FLL after a 45 minute holding pattern, got all 4 pieces of luggage, called our hotel and were picked up within in 5 minutes!

Hotel: We had pre paid for the Hilton airport at a very good rate and would probably do it again. The hotel pickup was incredibly fast and our driver even brought us on a detour to the gas station to get some pop (yes pop) for the cruise. Check-in was smooth except for they did not have a non smoking king available like we had reserved so we had to take a room with 2 doubles. To compensate we were given 2 continental breakfast vouchers. The hotel was very nice and our only complaint was the hours of the pool (8 to 7). It did not stop raining until 6:30 so we went out after 7 to see the hours. Us not being rule breakers we proceeded inside and ordered some room service, watched to Faye coverage and went to bed early.

Cruise day!!!! - We woke up by 8 am and were anxious to go. To our surprise our transfer called early and we were picked up by 10 am and on our way to the POM! We used SAS transportation and will definitely do it again if we need to! Very fast and reliable! We also met fellow cruisers on the van who we spent the week with;0) As we were driving up to the port I said “please do not park by porter 150 (thanks to CC)” and sure enough where to we land?! That being said it went fine…

 

And on our way into the new terminal! We got in to an almost empty terminal and were handed group 2. Check in was slower than it has been on our past cruises but we also got stuck behind a big group who pulled friends from a different deck line behind them. That is okay, we were on vacation! No hurry. Checked in by 10:45 we found a seat and waited… we did not get onto the ship until about 1:00 due to an assist to a coast guard rescue the day before. By the time we got on the ship the terminal was packed but as soon as we got moving towards our home for the week it was smooth sailing! We headed to the Lido deck for some food before we could go see our cabins.

 

After we dropped off our carry ones we found our new friends and headed to the dining room before 3:30 to change our tables. The maitre’ D was able to find a table to accommodate the 4 of us plus their 2 friends they were cruising with.

 

It was off to explore and wait to muster! Muster drill went off before sail away and was as painless as always. DH was annoyed that I went crazy with the pics but that is what I pay for;0)

For a sunny sail away DH and I used the secret doors on deck 10 to find an uncrowded area to enjoy it!

 

Since we had late dinner seating we unpacked when we got back to our rooms and got ready for dinner! Arriving at our table we found 4 people at a table for 8 when there were still 6 coming. We went to the Maitre’ D who handled it. (I think the one couple got moved and were not told. We felt bad but we also made 6 new friends the way it worked out). We met our server Marcim and had a great meal! It was then off to the welcome aboard show which was the same we have seen but F U N none the less. We were introduced to Karl with a K and his staff.

After a long day we hit the sack early to get ready for Half Moon Cay the next day! (This was our first cruise where the next day was not a day at sea…).

[mike91911]

Love to see reviews start with "Best Cruise Ever". Can't wait to read more!

[cruiseaddict05]

Day 2: Half Moon Cay

We woke up and headed to Emile’s for breakfast. We saw an overcast day but did not let that stop us! We headed to the Victorian Palace for our tender sticker and waited no longer than 5 minutes before we were headed down to the upbeat tender! On arrival to Half Moon Cay the sun peeked out more and more. We looked around the 8 local vendors and the one carnival gift shop. Nothing that special so we headed down to the beach. Although the sand was a workout we found the second beach which was not as crowded! DH grabbed his snorkel stuff and was off and I started to blow up my $2 mattress from wal-mart to lounge on. I finally convinced DH to rent a paddle boat ($49 for an hour on the S&S). Since I did not bring my watch we depended on the operators clock (I think we got cut a little short because they were out of boats but I did not complain-DH was not feeling well anyways).

After our “excursion” we headed up to get some food from the buffet. I must say it was not the best food I have had from carnival but it was food none the less. It was weird to see wait staff from the ship on land but it was fun to see them having fun in the sun too!

After lunch (by then the sun was out in full force) we ran into our table mates and changed locations to chill by them. By then DH and I had been on HMC for3 hours so he was getting tired and burnt so by 1:30 we were in line for the tender back. (Good thing we went when we did because our table mates went at 2:30 and had to wait).

It was back to the room and time for me to get changed to workout. I went for a run on the treadmill. It is a very nice gym facility!

After a quick snack at Emile’s I went to the cabin and took a nap before it was time to get ready for dinner!

Dinner was great… we continued our table tradition of “ands…” We all partook in 2 or more choices from each area of the menu! Especially the deserts! We were always one of the last groups in the dining room which made it tough to find good seats at the show.

Showtime that night was Tommy Drake (comedy) and Asad (hypnotist). We have seen Asad twice before but I do not remember Tommy Drake. Tommy was funny and Asad did the same thing but you never know what his victims will do so I like to check it out anyways! Note: I had my first encounter with an obnoxious drunk in the middle of the quiet hypnosis time. They came through our row very loudly and sat down just as loud. They eventually left but the party between them and me was pretty close to getting up to complain… I am fine with people having a good time (I do it to) but when you start to interfere with other people’s enjoyment it is time to stop…

After the show we headed to bed… I guess we are getting old!

[Handsome58]

I was on the cruise that did the rescue, I was wondering what time you all were let on since we were running late. Thanks

[cruiseaddict05]

Day 3: Day at Sea

No sleeping in for this girl… I woke up, went to eat some breakfast with a great view of the water and headed to my normal deck 10 aft position for some sun! There were only about 10 people back there, windy but quiet-that is what I like! At about 1:00 there was a 3 minute sunpour that scared us down to lunch. I had fish and chips. The line was very long thanks to a couple of “group” orders. I was getting pretty frustrated waiting for my 1 order of fish of chips when some parties in front of me had 10 items each!

After lunch I headed to the cabin to change for spin class! I shared this time of exercise with 8 others which surprised me because the last time I did it, it was just me. That being said it was nice to have some people to push me!

After sweat time it was time for a nap and then time to get ready for elegant evening. To my dismay, when I arrived back at the room I found a “pink slip” for our excursion we had planned since February. Since the shore excursion desk was closed we headed to the pursers desk and found a close replacement for less money (but less time). I was bummed but pleased with Carnivals promptness of finding a replacement. After that was fixed it was then nap time and time to get ready! We headed to the captain’s cocktail party and it was sooooo packed! This is our 4th cruise and 3rd captains party and it was so crowded it had to be extended to the piano bar and the other lounge! That being said, we got our free goodies just fine and were off to dinner.

Dinner was yummy, I got my pumpkin soup which made me very happy;0) Since we had already seen “A wonderful world” I went to our tablemates room (after changing into comfy clothes) to play cards while awaiting the adult comedy show of Tommy Drake at midnight. That too was packed and we started the sitting on the floor trend.

Day 4: St. Thomas

Since we were in the Bahamas already we had to clear customs. This process was so quick and painless! The only complaint I had is that I did not have time to get back to the room before our shore excursion. All they had us do was go along the promenade, through the arcade (where we met the custom officials) and off of the ship.

We ended up doing a catamaran sail and snorkel on the Castaway Girl. The excursion was fun and worth the $50 we paid but it was not the catamaran I pictured (with open netting in the front) and it was very crowded with the “guided” snorkeling. I did get to hold a sea urchin and a starfish though! On the way back we got free pretzels and rum punch. We also had to sit in on their 20 minute long overpriced T-Shirt talk which I could have gone without.

After the excursion we went to change before we caught a taxi $4 pp downtown to do some shopping. We started in the open air area to look for my knock off purses and worked our way downtown and back to where we started. Since we had been to St. Thomas before we were not after much except my Diamonds International Charm and a new t-tshirt and hat. When we were done there we took a taxi back to Havensight to do some shopping there and headed back to the ship.

DH and I got ready for our Harry’s reservation at 6:30. We were the first ones there and thought we were really special when we got some appetizers “compliments of the chef” until we saw everyone else get them to. Harry’s was an amazing experience that we will definitely do on every cruise if it is an option! The food was amazing and we were so full I had to get fruit for desert! After Harry’s we went to the dining room to visit with our tablemates and ended up having desert there too!

After dinner the 6 of us went to the piano bar with Laraine and had a blast! The piano bar is a must see in my opinion! We even met a couple of our carnival “legends”!

[cruiseaddict05]

Day 5- San Juan

DH and I got off of the ship by 9 am and were greeted by many taxis hounding us for a tour. We had planned on doing the Old San Juan walking tour so we headed to information a few blocks down to get a map. With that map being too confusing we ran into an information booth that happened to be just across the street from the ship where I asked about the free trolley to the forts that I had read about on CC. We waited about 5 minutes to get on an overcrowded trolley ride to El Morro. All I can say about the forts ($5 pp for both) was absolutely breathtaking! A lot of walking and stairs, but totally worth it! I think El Morro was my favorite. We took the trolley back to San Cristobal (not as crowded). All we had to do was show our receipt from El Morro and we were in to explore. This one was neat because we had some good shots of the ship…

After getting some directions from the very friendly and helpful staff at San Cristobal we headed past Christopher Columbus square to do some shopping. The streets are very narrow and the shopping was very touristy. We did not get to the upper end street but we were not out to spend that kind of money. We stopped at Mc Donalds for lunch and as we were leaving we got trapped in a demonstration for some union thing. We escaped to a side street through a store and were back off to the ship by 2.

It was nap time until 5 when we got ready for our busy evening! First up past cruisers party… it was held in the Venetian Palace which we have never seen before! It was packed… we were at the end of a row in the back and every time the drink tray came to us people came and grabbed their own drinks. It took 10-15 minutes to get everyone a drink and food but once it got flowing everyone was happy. Next was the Juggling/Comedy Show… The juggler as Dana Tison and was pretty entertaining thanks to the audience volunteer. Then came the comedy of Phat Kat which was very funny! Because their was a Mardi Gras deck party that night the show was before dinner for late seating. It was off to dinner which was delicious and of course we stayed there til we were kicked out of the dining room (not really but we were usually close to last). I did ask our server what he thought of open seating starting in Nov and he did not know what to expect. Personally I hope it does not last because I like having the same serving team!

DH and I were very tired so we missed the deck party (which apparently the whole ship went to but us!) and the Mexican midnight buffet…

btw-thanks for reading, I know I am a longwinded writer! It is hard to sum up your week and hope it is interesting to other people! I really appreciate well written reviews now!

[cruiseaddict05]

:) Day 6: Grand Turk

I woke up and went for a run around the windy funnel… it is a strange feeling to be running and being able to see water all around you at the same time. The neat thing was seeing a chain of islands (probably the Bahamas). After my run I hurried back to the room to catch the live morning show with Karl with a K, Melody and Alex. I was the 3rd caller and gave a shout out to DH. I finally got my ship on a stick!!!! Now I could get ready for a late arrival (11 am) to Grand Turk!

We got off of the boat to a beautiful sight! Blue water, sandy beaches and a nice island! I must say it looked like Costa Maya’s sister city. We met our excursion group for another catamaran sail and snorkel.

The excursion:This is what I pictured when I booked a catamaran excursion. This was bigger than our St. Thomas catamaran and had the netting at the front! After a 20-30 minute ride to the snorkeling area we had a 20 minute review on snorkeling (I understand why but I wish they would let the non beginners get going…). We were then off to an amazing sight. Right behind the boat there was a shelf to a drop! We saw lots of fish and a jellyfish got a bit too close to DH and me! I am pretty sure it was touching the camera hanging from DH’s wrist… After a 45 minute snorkel we made way back on the boat and headed to a private beach where we anchored and we able to jump off the catamaran and hang in the water or head to the beach. Even better, the crew was in the water passing out rum punch!!! We found some sand dollars but they were still alive so we had to leave them there;0( We had about 30 minutes at the beach and then had to head back to dock. We had the Carnival video and the excursion company video to buy if we wanted…

Margaritaville: After the excursion we decided to go to Margaritaville and apparently join the rest of the ship! We had appetizers and found out they were out of wings. We also had some daiquiris and a loaded Land Shark (beer with a shot of tequila)… very good!

After our meal we shopped, if you want to call it that. The only thing we bought was a $10 t-shirt that in St. Thomas or Jamaica would be 3 for $10. IMO you could tell that the cruise lines have had a large part to do with this island. I am not complaining though, it was a great port and who needs to shop everywhere?!

It was back to the boat to get ready for dinner and the show! Dinner was great as always and we headed to the second Vegas style show, “Rockin down Broadway.” It was okay, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I would have known more of the sounds. That being said, the effects were amazing except for the Lion King number. It was the girl singer with a bare background… from what I have heard of the Lion King it is all about the costumes….

After the show we headed to Phat Kat’s midnight comedy show… again packed! We saw a booth with 2 people in it so I asked if we could sit there and she said yes. So we went to sit down and she said “no, someone is sitting here…” That happened a couple of times… I was a bit frustrated given many of the booths the savers did not look 18. We ended up finding a good seat with a booth of 4 in it already and had a good time. The show itself was very funny and dirty. I would definitely see Phat Kat if he were in the area.

[cruiseaddict05]

Day 7-Day at Sea

Again I found my spot in the aft of Deck 10 on a mostly cloudy day with sprinkles. I finally went down to the aft pool area and met my tablemates. At 12:30 (the worst time to eat) I went to the Mongolian Grill and waited in a 20 minute line for my food. It was good but by that time I was so over hungry that I was not that hungry to fully appreciate it. Just as it was getting nice and sunny I had to go get ready for spin class;0( In case I did not share it earlier, it was $20 for 2 classes. Prepaying for the second session is the only reason that I went. By day 7 a girl is tired and wants to relax in the sun!

After spin class I headed to the tunnel for On Deck for the Cure. I think we had over 300 people sign up but I don’t think that many walked. It was storming in the distance and getting closer every time we turned the tunnel. I must say I spouted some tears when the survivors raised their hands. It was a good way to spend some of my last day! Very rewarding.

Dinner was again great and our head waiter gave us the melting cake recipe for 1000 people. I did not take one because I am not the biggest fan but I am waiting to see how it works out for my tablemates. I was a little disappointed because we did not get the pictures of the ship placemats this cruise…

After dinner we headed to the carnival Legends show where there were some pretty good performers! Karl with a K put on a show as well! After the show we people watched at the casino. I gotta say the most addicting machine is the quarter one that pushes quarters off. I watched a few people blow a roll of quarters on that one! I also was happy to see security (well I guess it was just casino staff) do their job when a family came in and they told them kids were not allowed.

With our packing being done already, we went back to the room and went to bed… dreaming of staying on the ship of course!

Debarkation-

This was the first time we had a late flight so we did not debark until 9:30ish. We chose to self assist as well. Apparently a lot of people had late flights because we waited 20-25 minutes to get off of the ship after the line had just stopped and when we got to customs we waited a good 40 minutes. Normally I would not be “freaking” but our friends who we were shuttling with had a 12 flight out of FLL so we had to get through. Thankfully our friends in the line next to us whose line was moving explained our situation to the young guys behind them and we crossed the line. That being said, we got outside, our van was there and we were off!

Overall-

The ship- 10/10! The most beautiful ship I have seen! In great shape!

The cabin- 8/10 We had an interior which we always have. The beds are not super comfortable to DH and I (we have a sleep number). The mini fridge is storage…

Service- 9/10 - As I mentioned our head waiter Marcim was great! Our steward Jaya was there but was not as good as we have had in the past. This is the first time we did not get a towel animal every night and he did not “read us” like other stewards in the past. I am not saying he did not do a good job but he did not exceed my expectations like carnival expects as explained when we were filling out our comment cards. Maintenance came through at 3 am when our sink clogged! Pursers desk was helpful and efficient when they were fully staffed but they only had one person working on the last night and I waited in line for 40 plus minutes.

Food- Harry’s was a 10! Dining room was a 8.5 and buffet was a 7…

Entertainment- 10! Karl and his staff did a great job and it really helped that we got out there and did more (like the piano bar) than just going to bed! Of course, I do wish they could cycle the entertainment and shows more frequently but I know it is hard to do that and not everyone cruises that frequently!

[sirebors]

That really was a wondeful review. I was curious what 2 nights were the formal nights? I believe the first was on the 2nd night after the Bahamas. Was the second formal on the 5th or 6th night? After San Juan or after Grand Turk? I would like to know so that I can make my Harry's reservations. Also, would you happen to have a copy of the capers you could post or email to me. Thanks in advance.

[seafun]

Thanks for taking the time to post it all! And remember, there's no such thing as a review that is too long for someone who is between cruises, lol. :D

As usual, I learned things from your review that will help me in my future cruises (I just love the Caribbean -- Eastern, Western, Southern; they all are great!)

I'm glad you had such a good time and were able to overlook the little annoyances. ("it's okay, I am on a cruise!")

I admire your dedication -- the closest I've come to Spinning Class is after too many adult beverages... :eek:

Happy Cruising!

[cathyoo]

Thanks for your wonderful review. The Liberty is one of our favorite ships.

[cruiseaddict05]

Sirebors, the first formal night was after on the 1st sea day and the 2nd one was after Grand Turk. We originally had Harry reservations on the a formal night but as our tablemates reminded us, the food is usually better in the dining room so I would recommend changing your reservation to a non formal night!

 

That really was a wondeful review. I was curious what 2 nights were the formal nights? I believe the first was on the 2nd night after the Bahamas. Was the second formal on the 5th or 6th night? After San Juan or after Grand Turk? I would like to know so that I can make my Harry's reservations. Also, would you happen to have a copy of the capers you could post or email to me. Thanks in advance.

[cruiseaddict05]

Seafun! The funny thing about your last line is that I did have a couple adult beverages before class number 1! Mexican Mamas, a mimosa, a rocky boat and a narrow, high bike make for an interesting 45 minutes!:D

 

Thanks for taking the time to post it all! And remember, there's no such thing as a review that is too long for someone who is between cruises, lol. :D

 

As usual, I learned things from your review that will help me in my future cruises (I just love the Caribbean -- Eastern, Western, Southern; they all are great!)

 

I'm glad you had such a good time and were able to overlook the little annoyances. ("it's okay, I am on a cruise!")

 

I admire your dedication -- the closest I've come to Spinning Class is after too many adult beverages... :eek:

 

Happy Cruising!

[cruiseaddict05]

That really was a wondeful review. I was curious what 2 nights were the formal nights? I believe the first was on the 2nd night after the Bahamas. Was the second formal on the 5th or 6th night? After San Juan or after Grand Turk? I would like to know so that I can make my Harry's reservations. Also, would you happen to have a copy of the capers you could post or email to me. Thanks in advance.

 

Sorry, the capers did not make it home with us... we debated on it and decided not to but next time we will have to try to remember:) But if you have anymore questions feel free to ask, I usually have a pretty good memory!

[cruiseaddict05]

Beware of internet time... I knew to expect a chunk of change but it cost us $16 dollars to print out our boarding passes and check our vital emails (maybe 10 minutes). It costs $4 just to set up an account...

Besides that! I still had the best time yet!

[E Heffa]

I'm sailing on the Liberty tomorrow! Your review really got me excited!!!

 

Thanks!