Review of our Spring Break cruise on Carnival Legend

[gail811]

I was just kidding Paul....but I remembered your great tip on opening the dividers on the Glory and used it last year; my son used his car keys too. First stop on the Miracle was the pursers desk at noon, and even with one of us from each cabin looking rather pitiful and begging they would not open it. Next time I am taking your pictures with me, then they have no argument that they "can't be opened for safety reasons"!

[PaulMedik]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

 

If I missed answering a question, please repost; I meant to answer them all.

 

I apologize for not being able to complete the review in a more timely fashion. I am back to work now and unable to copy and paste from multiple windows at work like I can at home. I work 7p - 7a and have about an hour drive to work each way so that leaves me just an hour or so to post.

 

OK, back to sailing away from Cozumel;

 

The X ship and Ruby Princess;

 

 

 

While we were at Paradise Beach, the family sailing on Ruby Princess that sat beside us said they had an engine fail and lost all power just as they prepared to sail from Grand Cayman. They were actually scheduled to leave a half hour before we did, but they were still anchored when we left. He said they were advised they would be late arriving to Cozumel due to their top speeding being 20 knots. He said there was some talk of their cruise being cut short because they were the last Caribbean route prior to Ruby Princess heading to Europe. I hope they got to complete their itinerary without additional delays. Cozumel was our last port with them so I didn't find out how they fared.

 

Karen and I ordered BLTs and fruit salads from room service that evening. I don't recall what was on TV that had her attention, but as you can see she is easily distracted;

 

 

 

For some reason they didn't toast the bread on our BLTs. I think they misunderstood her request for untoasted bread for Britt's PB&J sandwhich that we also ordered. At any rate, it was still a good BLT;

 

 

 

We enjoyed a relaxing sunset on our balcony as we sailed toward Belize;

 

[4evercruiser]

Keep up the great review. I feel I'm really getting to know this Legend-ary ship!:D. My question for you is: Are the aft staterooms more prone to feeling the motion of the ship? My fiance and I booked in a cat 11 suite aft balcony on deck 5. We have never had an aft cabin before. Our previous staterooms have always been midship. Any feedback you may have would be appreciated. BTW, thanks for showing the pictures of your balcony. We also have a wrap-around balcony booked.

[PaulMedik]

............. Next time I am taking your pictures with me, then they have no argument that they "can't be opened for safety reasons"!

 

 

Gail,

 

I agree. The 'can't be opened for safety reasons,' is a lame argument.

 

I wore my Cruise Critic hat when I spoke with them. Maybe that did the trick. ;)

 

Later in the week we also stopped by and requested to adjust our tips. We doubled the tips for our room steward Carlos. He was doing such a great job with our cabins and I saw him cleaning other cabins as we'd walk by and seeing someone scrubbing ceilings every day lets you know that he's not just tidying your room up; he's cleaning thoroughly. I don't recall ever seeing stewards scrub the ceilings. Carlos also brought items we would hang to dry on the balcony back in the cabin and fold them and put them away. We've not had a steward do that before either. We tipped him additional in cash during the cruise, but I counted on our doubling his auto tip as being more likely to draw attention to his outstanding work, and perhaps being more of a reward than the cash value of doubling his tip. We also left the other auto tips in place.

 

It was funny when the girl was adjusting the tips; she first had to remove the tips for each one of us and print out an a slip for me to sign. As I recall, it was the third day and she had a slip for each of us, for each day to sign and as she was gathering the slips together for signatures I noticed that each one was for a removal and I said 'whoa, wait, stop! I want the tips doubled, not removed.' She apologized and said she was doubling them, but the only way she could double them was to first remove them and then enter each amount again for each day. She said they didn't have a procedure for doubling tips in place and that it was not an option on the auto entry system. After we signed the removal slips, she then generated slips for each day for us to sign to double the tips.

 

When she was finished she asked if she could ask who the steward was that I felt did such a great job. When I told her 'Carlos,' she smiled and said she guessed that it was him because he receives a lot of compliments and he does a great job. She said she enjoyed working with Carlos. I enjoyed hearing her compliment a fellow employee and was also impressed that she knew him. They have a thousand employees on board with new ones each week coming and going, so her knowing him by name was impressive to me.

 

 

 

 

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I think sunset is when the balconies look the biggest;

 

 

Speaking of Carlos, after the sun had set, he came to clean our room and stepped out on the balcony to ask if it would be OK for him to clean;

 

 

 

Carlos noticed I had my camera and asked if we'd like him to take a picture of us together;

 

 

Later that night, Karen and I took a stroll around the Promenade deck. Outside of a dinning room window we found a large bone;

 

[gail811]

Great tip on doubling tips through the pursers desk Paul! We had a wonderful steward this trip as well, and he was relating to us that his number of cabins had almost tripled! He was always visible and always cleaning too....we rewarded him and his assistant with cash, but I like your idea too. I mentioned them in my letter to Carnival too as being great at their jobs.

[rebeljohn]

Enjoying your review, Paul..............

We cruised the Legend back in Feb................wonderful ship and crew.................

[PaulMedik]

Keep up the great review. I feel I'm really getting to know this Legend-ary ship!:D. My question for you is: Are the aft staterooms more prone to feeling the motion of the ship? My fiance and I booked in a cat 11 suite aft balcony on deck 5. We have never had an aft cabin before. Our previous staterooms have always been midship. Any feedback you may have would be appreciated. BTW, thanks for showing the pictures of your balcony. We also have a wrap-around balcony booked.

 

 

4evercruiser,

 

You are welcome.

 

In my opinion, no; For whatever reason, I always feel more motion when I am on lower decks near the center. I've never had a cabin low or in the center, but in public areas I feel more motion low and center. Aft cabins do have more vibration for sure. Conquest class ships have more vibration than Legend. In fact, I'd say conquest class ships have a lot more vibration than Legend.

 

Being at the front or rear of the ship you do actually move greater distances than you do in the middle, but the changes of direction are less perceptible to me when fore or aft, than when in the center.

 

 

 

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After we found the bone on Promenade, I got a closer pic. The bone was right outside of a window where people were eating dinner. When I snapped the picture below, a young girl was watching and her eyes got huge when she saw the bone;

 

 

I hope I didn't cause her to not enjoy her meal, but I'm afraid I might have. Her reaction was funny and sad at the same time. Funny that she reacted, but sad that she saw a bone like that while eating dinner. I hustled back to where Karen was standing and told her I seemed to have scared that girl and hoped I didn't mess up her dinner.

 

We discussed how odd it was to find a bone that size laying around. Our conclusion was that it was for a service dog that might be on board since they use that deck as their poop deck. On a previous cruise with John Heald as CD, he mentioned that service dogs use the deck under the life boats to 'do their business,' so they called it the poop deck.

 

When we returned to our rooms, we found an animal laying on Bryson's bed;

 

 

We also found Spencer who had just returned from the deli with a night time snack;

 

 

 

On our bed we found the capers for our next port of Belize;

 

[PaulMedik]

Our day in Belize began with a brilliant sunrise;

 

 

 

Belize was our third port in three days and our boys were showing signs of tiring from the early mornings. We were scheduled to arrive at 8:00 AM then the ships tours were scheduled to leave at 9:15. Since we had a private tour booked with Cavetubing dot com, we planned to get up early, eat breakfast, and take the first tender ashore at 8:00AM to beat the morning rush that would occur ~9:15 when the ships tours were scheduled to begin and tender tickets would then be required. Can you tell they aren't happy campers in this pic;

 

 

 

They may have been sleepy with getting up so early, but they apparently brought their appetites with them. Can you believe they actually ate all this for breakfast?;

 

 

 

After eating our breakfast, and that of ten other cruisers, we hurried to deck A to catch the 8:00AM tender;

 

 

At the bottom of the steps near deck A we encountered a ship's dancer who had the job of preventing anyone without a ticket from getting near the exit. I reminded him that the capers stated tender tickets begin at 9:15, not 8:00AM. He countered that everyone has to have a ticket or they can't get off. I asked him why I would need a ticket when the tickets didn't start until 9:15 and since it was 8:00 and a tender was there, we should board it and leave. I also told him I had a tour booked and was to be there early. The dancer was then joined by a fellow employee equally oblivious to the procedure listed in the capers who also stated that tickets were required at all times. I told them we had been to Belize before and that tickets were not required until peak times and that this was not a peak time because NOBODY else was there. One of them said tenders wouldn't start until 9:15 and I told him that was bull because we watched them coming alongside from our balcony and could hear them right around the corner from where we were. They insisted that we go to the theater and get a ticket. I asked why I should get a ticket an hour and a half from now when they aren't required now.

 

It was a futile argument for us when they were simply doing what they were told to do even though it made no sense.

 

We reluctantly went up to the theater and discovered the entire ship was there too;

 

[PaulMedik]

We then got our tickets and sat around forever waiting for the ship's tours which didn't begin until 9:15 to all be escorted off before us. People would arrive long after us and get an early ticket simply because they were on a ship's tour.

 

Sitting around waiting to get off a ship when you should already be on shore sucks;

 

 

And it's quite boring;

 

 

Britt managed to fake a smile, but Bryson and Spencer were like me; they were thinking of making a dancer walk the plank;

 

 

After what seemed like an eternity, our number was called and we headed for our tender. On the way there I got a pic of the dancer that apparently knew he would be infamous so he turned away from the camera;

 

 

Nobody looked happy on the tender;

 

[PaulMedik]

Carnival really needs to fix their Belize tender procedures. When a ship's tour reservation is booked, there's no reason not to put a tender time on the ticket and have them report to the theater at that time to board together. Having them all meet and sit around and wait is crazy, boring, and not conducive to starting a day out right.

 

Not allowing anyone to tender for the first hour and fifteen minutes is just plain stupid. Why have a posted time for tendering to begin and a posted time for tendering with a ticket to begin and a CD stating that the time to board without a line will be 8:00AM and then turn around on the morning of the port arrival and not allow tendering at all until 9:15?

 

The time window for those with privately booked tours was completely eliminated by the procedure they followed. If they plan to do it that way, they should make it clear in the capers and in announcements and have activities available on the ship for that day, because many will choose not to get off the ship.

 

We will be in Belize again next April and won't be sitting around in a theater listening to other dancers bark out numbers while dancers secure the tender area for Carnival booked excursions. We will enjoy a Fun Day Anchored at Sea if they do not allow early tendering.

 

The aggravation of the tendering process was quickly thwarted by the scenery on the way in to Belize;

 

 

 

 

The long tender ride does afford an opportunity to catch up on some lost ZZZZZZs;

 

 

After arriving at the pier, we met the Carnival Photogs;

 

 

We then headed across the port area;

 

[PaulMedik]

As we exited the rear of the port area we found the CaveTubing dot com sign with Paul A listed on it;

 

 

We were then directed to our bus where our tour director David described the areas of Belize we were traveling through;

 

 

I don't recall whether this was a sunken ship or simply a boat;

 

 

Belize has many scenic vistas affording magnificent views of both man made and natural wonders, they also have areas that are less attractive;

 

 

David discussed the growth of the cashew plant and how it was harvested and used for various foods and drinks. He also passed around freshly passed Cashews;

 

[PaulMedik]

Later on David passed around samples of cashew wine. It was tart, but tasty nonetheless;

 

 

 

Belize has some demonstrative billboards;

 

 

 

Part of our tour information included the detail that we would be near the worlds largest jaguar preserve and reminders not to wander off in the jungle;

 

 

 

Our first stop was at the ATV part of our excursion;

 

 

The group ahead of us was just about to leave as we arrived;

 

[beach410]

Enjoying your review and picture, you have a lovely family! We have 3 boys too!

[Lovetosail09]

I am also enjoying the review, we thought the port of Tampa was easy to get to and we get direct flights into Tampa. Cant wait to hear more!!!

[crusinpsychRN]

Awesome review! I can't wait to see the rest. 6 more months and the S&S crew takes her over for a week :cool:

 

6 months! That's hard to fathom...Can't wait.

 

Great review Paul. Love your pics and commentary.

[crusinpsychRN]

Yes the aft deck/bar/whirlpool area should work for us....LOL

We do not throw Saints overboard....We convert them.....Mwahahahahaha.....

 

How the heck are we all going to fit into that hot tub??? 150+ of us???

[minniem64]

This trip review is a real treat!! I have a year to prep for my first Carnival Cruise on the Legend. The pics are great!!:) Thanks so much for your review.

[2plus2]

What a great insight! We just booked a Spring Break 2010, leaving march 14. Our first on Carnival. Our last cruise was on Disney. Absolutely loved it but a bit pricey. Have heard alot about Carnival. We are the type that do not know how to have a bad cruise anyway. Thanks for this insight. Now finish it. LOL.;)

[Kcarp]

Hey PaulMedik,

 

Great review! We been enjoying it from day one. Also, looking foward to playing the Mountaineers in Tiger Stadium in 2010.

[MDSue]

I can't wait to see your cave-tubing pics. I agree the tendering process as it is now makes for a really short day in Belize. We just ended up doing a short ship sponsored tour, because it was obvious we weren't going to have time to do what we had originally planned.

[getmeontheship]

What a great reveiw.Can't wait to hear more.

[seniorladycruiser]

Paul, my DH and I are sailing on Carnival for the 1st time in June. We will be on the Legend and are really enjoying your review, getting a feel for the ship as well as the ports. Your posts are so informative and your pictures have helped greatly. Your sharing your family and vacation with us is such fun and we appreciate it. I am always looking forward to your next post.

 

I would love to get your cabin but it is booked, however 4235 is available. You show a picture of that cabin from the outside going down the stairs, and mention something about wanting a bigger balcony instead of the stairs. Am I correct to assume that 4235 has a regular size balcony? It is available and on the deck plans, the cabin does look larger than the others above it. You were in it. Was it any larger?

 

Thanks again for your great post and any info you can give me.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Excellent review Paul, we are really enjoying your pictures. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us, cannot wait to read the rest :D

 

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[TakeMeAway1001]

Loving this review! Seeing the pics of the ATV part of the tour brings back great memories, we had an awesome time on the ATV excursion :)

[CMM]

Thanks for the detailed review.

 

I am very interested in your opinion on the best way to attempt the tendering process in Belize. We too plan on cave tubing.com and wonder when you suggest to arrive etc. Is it possible to get the tendering ticket, then go have breakfast and return for the tender?

Thanks!