My Miracle Christmas Cruise Review (VERY loooong)

Ok, so I am home from my long awaited first cruise on the Miracle! To start off I will let you know about the family. Dad (50), Mom (47), Sister (29 almost 30 :p ), me (27), brother (19), and daughter (6). This was mine and my daughter's first cruise. The others have cruised before.

The cruise we booked was supposed to stop in Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Belize, and Cozumel. We learned a few months ago that Costa Maya was out and Progresso was in. I was a little bummed because I have not heard very good things about Progresso, but we were just going to get off the ship and see what it was all about!

We got to Tampa a day before the cruise to eliminate any stress that flying in the day of may bring. Anyone that has every been to O'Hare knows that delays are a way of life here. And now that UFO's have taken interest in our airport I'm sure the delays will get even worse! ;)

Staying in Tampa the night before was worth it! We went out to dinner at channelside. Then hung out at the hotel room. My sister and I were like a bunch of kids before Christmas so we couldn't sleep at all! The next morning we were on the 11:30 shuttle to the port.

Getting on the ship: This was a pretty painless process. It took about 20 minutes from the time we got off the shuttle to when we were on the ship. Have your stuff ready though. Don't hold up the line shuffling through your purse! People will get angry and start to whisper things about you.... I know that's what we did!

We were in rooms 6263, 6261, 6265. All great rooms. A TON of storage and counter space. I can say that you do not need to bring any over the door type things to hold your stuff. There is a lot of room. The balcony room my parents had was "obstructed" in that when you look down you see a lifeboat - not ocean. Our room steward was very nice. I didn't see him that much though.

I think the Miralce is a gorgeous ship. I really enjoyed looking around to see what all the different themes are. I LOVE the Mad Hatters Ball. That was my favorite room. I also liked the Phantom Lounge. Even the dinning room was cool. It kept my daughter busy because every night she felt the need to point out every grape that had blown out from the night before.

The first day was a lot of fun - although that evening got a little rocky. The wind was strong and the boat was rocking. I felt it a bit more than the rest of my family.

The first day at sea came with ok weather and a rocking ship. There was still some chair saving drama though. Some woman freaked out on some men who had "taken" her "saved chairs". She called them the "ugliest rudest people" she had ever seen all while her son cried by the pool. Yeap - all this over a chair. Interesting! We got more involved in the trivia and ship activities that day.

MONDAY: The first day was Christmas and our first formal night. We got all dressed up, took some pictures, and went to the diningroom. I didn't make it too long though and headed back to my room. The motion of the ocean became too much for me. I spent that night in my room and ordered some room service. The rest of the family enjoyed the food and the show that night.

TUESDAY: This day was going to be our first stop in Progresso. The cruise director came over the speaker at about 7ish to say that we would not be stopping that day due to weather and high winds. They would give us a credit to use on the ship (we received $25/person) and would organize some more activities on the ship. I have to admit that I was not disappointed. I was still not feeling 100% and it was Progresso. Had it been any of the other stops I would have felt more disappointment. They did a great job of organizing other things to do for that day. My sister and I really got into the trivia contests. My dad and brother got REALLY into the casino. Kaylie loved Camp Carnival. Mom did whatever she felt like doing at the time.

I'm not going to get into every single excursion or anything because that would be a bit boring unless you are interested. I will let you know what I did though and if you have any questions I will certainly be happy to answer.

BELIZE: Tendering here was a breeze! We had a private tour, but since the ship ones were taking so long to get organized we got to get on the first tender. It was a piece of cake. (Unlike Grand Cayman).

My brother and sister did the zip lining excursion through Carnival. They said it was a blast and the best thing they have ever done!

The rest of us did the kid cave tubing through X-Stream. I was slightly disappointed with this one - it wasn't bad or anything, just a bit tame for my liking. I loved our guides though. They were very nice and funny. One guy was giving us the "tour" as we drove out and it was interesting to learn about their culture. They said that in schools in Belize the teachers are allowed to hit the kids. I am going to share that information with all of my students when I go back to school!!! :D

Belize was eye opening. Although I have traveled to other countries before, it was my first experience seeing such extreme poverty. We actually drove past a garbage dump with people (even little children) digging through looking for things. It is something you will never forget.

COZUMEL: We did the dolphin swim through the ship excursions. We docked here so getting off was no problem. The excursion was well organized and went off without a hitch. When we returned we did some shopping (the shop workers are VERY pushy here) and then had some lunch at Carlos and Charlies. That place should be an excursion spot in itself! I would like to visit Cozumel again, but next time hit the beach. The water was a shade of blue this Jersey Girl has never seen! Amazing! I think a day of snorkeling/scuba diving/ swimming would be awesome here!

GRAND CAYMAN: This was the one stop I was really looking forward to and the one stop that was the most unorganized! My sister and mother both LOVE Grand Cayman so I was really excited. We docked late. It was supposed to be about 11:30am but ended up being more around noon. Then getting off the ship onto a tender was a mess. The line was super long and moved very slow. Not sure what was holding it up though.

When we got off we went to the meeting spot for our Hell, Turtle Farm, and Sting Ray excursion we booked through Carnival. Once there we waited about 25 minutes for anyone to get the show rolling.

I was disappointed that the excursion was running behind. The turtle farm and Hell were very rushed. The guide was very nice about it and we knew it wasn't his fault, but I would have liked more time at these places.

Swimming with the sting rays was interesting. You can't help but be a little freaked when they cruise past your leg and touch you! My daughter loved having the snorkeling gear on and swimming around. She wouldn't touch the sting rays though. She wanted nothing to do with them.

The last tender of the day was set to leave at 5:30. That wasn't happening. We didn't get back to the port until 5:45 and the line to get on the tender was sooooo long! At least ours wasn't the only late excursion getting back!

I was disappointed that we didn't get any shopping in. I would love to make it back to Grand Cayman some time to do more exploring and shopping!

FOOD: Before you read anything I write about this you should know that my taste in food is similar to a 5 year old. I don't like fancy things, sea food, red meat, anything I can't say, or anything mushy, squishy, chewy, or covered in fat! With that said - I was not liking the food in the diningroom too much. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my thing. The rest of the family really enjoyed it though - even the 6 year old. Our servers were great. They got it right every night. The bar guy was a little slow. I dont' think it was his fault - I think that they are given too many tables to cover! We ate there every night but the Grand Cayman night. We were so late getting back. My dad and brother went, but us girls knew we couldn't get ready in time. We did have the early seating.

We really enjoyed the dancing/music part of the dinner experience! It was awesome. A great way to spice up dinner and make it less stuffy!

With the exception of breakfast, I really enjoyed the Lido food! The sandwich station is a must!

CAMP CARNIVAL: My daughter went to Camp Carnival for at least a few hours every day. She really enjoyed it. Those camp councelors keep them busy too. Everyday she had a new project to bring back to the cabin! I did use the after hours babysitting as well. I'm so glad they have this program onboard and it is well worth the $6 an hour.

SHIP ACTIVITIES: I wish they had more trivia/game type things on board since that is the thing I really get into. We did the movie theme song trivia, Win Lose or Draw, The Battle of the Sexes, The Amazing Race. The social hosts were all very entertaining. The ACD Brad was hilarious! Go to anything he is hosting! He makes it fun. And he is pretty good looking too! We did the slot tournaments. I actually won the slot tournament the last sea day!!! I won $500 and a ship on a stick. So overall I was up from the casino!

I spent most of my nights in the casino or up on deck. I didn't go to the bars so I couldn't really comment on them.

GETTING OFF THE SHIP: Seriously people - when they say have your stuff out and in your hand just do it! Don't make other wait for you while you search through your Louis Vuitton purse for all your documents as your restless kid is screaming and stepping on my toes! :rolleyes:

It really wasnt' that bad. The line was long and there was a stall of some sort. But once it started moving it moved fast! Finding our luggage was a breeze since my luggage pattern is slightly loud. Customs was a breeze as well. The guy looked at my sheet and ID for about 15 seconds and then we were on our way!

We had a late flight so we went to the Florida Aquarium right across from the port.

Blah blah blah.... I feel like I have been rambling on forever and I have probably forgotten about everything I really wanted to say! If you want to know anything just ask away.

I had a blast on the Miracle and didn't want to leave! I didn't notice any of the annoying things I had read about (cutting in line, kids playing in the elevators, long lines...) We were so jealous watching them set up for the New Years cruise! Christmas night I was miserable and ready to jump overboard, but the rest of the cruise was so amazing it overshadowed that night of seasick misery. I would go again in a heartbeat.

My sister and I are talking about taking a cruise for my 30th birthday in a few years. I don't know what ship to take because I can't imagine any being as cool as this one! Is there a ship out there that can top the Miracle experience for us?!?!?!!?

Great review! I sailed the Miracle a few years back, and loved it soooo much!!! Such a nice ship, and a great size IMHO. We did the Valor in August with my family, and everyone still liked the Miracle better!!! I'm thinking of booking her again next year!

Great review. So glad to hear that you enjoyed yourselves. We will be on that ship in June. :D

Great review! I sailed the Miracle a few years back, and loved it soooo much!!! Such a nice ship, and a great size IMHO. We did the Valor in August with my family, and everyone still liked the Miracle better!!! I'm thinking of booking her again next year!

The Valor was our other choice for this cruise. It came to the two. I still want to try the Valor - I just want to try the Eastern Caribbean! Do you think they are similar?

Great review. So glad to hear that you enjoyed yourselves. We will be on that ship in June.

I am so jealous.... It is such a nice ship. You will have a blast!!!

The ONLY thing I did not like is that the pools close at 8pm. I wish they were open later. But that is seriously the only thing I would change!

How is the upkeep and cleanliness of the ship? Do they have those hand sanitzers by the food areas?

Thanks for the excellent review! Glad you had such a great time. FYI the Miracle is switching itineraries this spring. Legend will be moving to Tampa and Miracle will do summer season from New York City and winter from Ft. Lauderdale. You might want to consider this for your birthday if you want to sail on Miracle again.

How is the upkeep and cleanliness of the ship? Do they have those hand sanitzers by the food areas?

The upkeep of the ship is excellent. It really is so beautiful! And it is very clean. They are out there taking your dirty trays and cleaing off the empty tables in no time. The floors were all clean and they made an amazing effort to keep them dry! I did not notice hand sanitizers by the food areas to be honest. Although at the buffet there were tongs for everything so there should be no need for anyone to touch anything with their hands. The bathrooms had these tissue holders by the door so you could grab one on your way out to open the door handle with. They came in handy since I can not tell you how many people would come out of the bathroom stall and then walk right out without even glancing at the sinks! :eek: Eeeewwww!!!!

FYI the Miracle is switching itineraries this spring. Legend will be moving to Tampa and Miracle will do summer season from New York City and winter from Ft. Lauderdale. You might want to consider this for your birthday if you want to sail on Miracle again.

I did hear the Miracle was switching! Do they rotate the ships all the time just to spice it up?

I loved the Miracle, but I think half the fun would be trying a new ship next time. My sister and I both agree that as much as we liked her it would be good to experience something new next time. I just need to do some research because my standards are pretty high now! ;)

I went on the Valor November 2005. I thought it was an absolutely awesome experience. I am booked on the Miracle for August 2007. I am hoping it is just as great as the Valor.:)

You got me with the UFO thing...what UFO's?

Hi! To answer your question about the Miracle vs the Valor...and please keep in mind this is just my own preference....

They are both beautiful ships!! We just found the layout of the Valor to be more difficult to navigate. We had a family member in a wheelchair, and there were certain floors that you can't walk through. Also, it was much bigger. I personally like the smaller spirit class ships. The lines weren't as long.

but...the Valor does have the fish and chips bar....which we did eat at several times!!! And we had the best waitstaff ever on the Valor!!! I'm glad we tried it...

Some gate workers and other employees saw what they insist is a UFO over O'hare Nov 7th.

Some United Employees claim they saw a UFO hovering over O'Hare Airport last fall. Here is the link to the article if you are interested in reading it.

We get a kick out of it here. :p

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/airline-employees-say-they-saw-ufo/20070101154409990002?cid=2359

Some United Employees claim they saw a UFO hovering over O'Hare Airport last fall. Here is the link to the article if you are interested in reading it.

We get a kick out of it here. :p

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/airline-employees-say-they-saw-ufo/20070101154409990002?cid=2359

Ok, so I am home from my long awaited first cruise on the Miracle! To start off I will let you know about the family. Dad (50), Mom (47), Sister (29 almost 30 :p ), me (27), brother (19), and daughter (6). This was mine and my daughter's first cruise. The others have cruised before.

 

The cruise we booked was supposed to stop in Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Belize, and Cozumel. We learned a few months ago that Costa Maya was out and Progresso was in. I was a little bummed because I have not heard very good things about Progresso, but we were just going to get off the ship and see what it was all about!

 

We got to Tampa a day before the cruise to eliminate any stress that flying in the day of may bring. Anyone that has every been to O'Hare knows that delays are a way of life here. And now that UFO's have taken interest in our airport I'm sure the delays will get even worse! ;)

 

Staying in Tampa the night before was worth it! We went out to dinner at channelside. Then hung out at the hotel room. My sister and I were like a bunch of kids before Christmas so we couldn't sleep at all! The next morning we were on the 11:30 shuttle to the port.

 

Getting on the ship: This was a pretty painless process. It took about 20 minutes from the time we got off the shuttle to when we were on the ship. Have your stuff ready though. Don't hold up the line shuffling through your purse! People will get angry and start to whisper things about you.... I know that's what we did!

 

We were in rooms 6263, 6261, 6265. All great rooms. A TON of storage and counter space. I can say that you do not need to bring any over the door type things to hold your stuff. There is a lot of room. The balcony room my parents had was "obstructed" in that when you look down you see a lifeboat - not ocean. Our room steward was very nice. I didn't see him that much though.

 

I think the Miralce is a gorgeous ship. I really enjoyed looking around to see what all the different themes are. I LOVE the Mad Hatters Ball. That was my favorite room. I also liked the Phantom Lounge. Even the dinning room was cool. It kept my daughter busy because every night she felt the need to point out every grape that had blown out from the night before.

 

The first day was a lot of fun - although that evening got a little rocky. The wind was strong and the boat was rocking. I felt it a bit more than the rest of my family.

 

The first day at sea came with ok weather and a rocking ship. There was still some chair saving drama though. Some woman freaked out on some men who had "taken" her "saved chairs". She called them the "ugliest rudest people" she had ever seen all while her son cried by the pool. Yeap - all this over a chair. Interesting! We got more involved in the trivia and ship activities that day.

 

MONDAY: The first day was Christmas and our first formal night. We got all dressed up, took some pictures, and went to the diningroom. I didn't make it too long though and headed back to my room. The motion of the ocean became too much for me. I spent that night in my room and ordered some room service. The rest of the family enjoyed the food and the show that night.

 

TUESDAY: This day was going to be our first stop in Progresso. The cruise director came over the speaker at about 7ish to say that we would not be stopping that day due to weather and high winds. They would give us a credit to use on the ship (we received $25/person) and would organize some more activities on the ship. I have to admit that I was not disappointed. I was still not feeling 100% and it was Progresso. Had it been any of the other stops I would have felt more disappointment. They did a great job of organizing other things to do for that day. My sister and I really got into the trivia contests. My dad and brother got REALLY into the casino. Kaylie loved Camp Carnival. Mom did whatever she felt like doing at the time.

 

I'm not going to get into every single excursion or anything because that would be a bit boring unless you are interested. I will let you know what I did though and if you have any questions I will certainly be happy to answer.

 

BELIZE: Tendering here was a breeze! We had a private tour, but since the ship ones were taking so long to get organized we got to get on the first tender. It was a piece of cake. (Unlike Grand Cayman).

 

My brother and sister did the zip lining excursion through Carnival. They said it was a blast and the best thing they have ever done!

The rest of us did the kid cave tubing through X-Stream. I was slightly disappointed with this one - it wasn't bad or anything, just a bit tame for my liking. I loved our guides though. They were very nice and funny. One guy was giving us the "tour" as we drove out and it was interesting to learn about their culture. They said that in schools in Belize the teachers are allowed to hit the kids. I am going to share that information with all of my students when I go back to school!!! :D

 

Belize was eye opening. Although I have traveled to other countries before, it was my first experience seeing such extreme poverty. We actually drove past a garbage dump with people (even little children) digging through looking for things. It is something you will never forget.

 

COZUMEL: We did the dolphin swim through the ship excursions. We docked here so getting off was no problem. The excursion was well organized and went off without a hitch. When we returned we did some shopping (the shop workers are VERY pushy here) and then had some lunch at Carlos and Charlies. That place should be an excursion spot in itself! I would like to visit Cozumel again, but next time hit the beach. The water was a shade of blue this Jersey Girl has never seen! Amazing! I think a day of snorkeling/scuba diving/ swimming would be awesome here!

 

GRAND CAYMAN: This was the one stop I was really looking forward to and the one stop that was the most unorganized! My sister and mother both LOVE Grand Cayman so I was really excited. We docked late. It was supposed to be about 11:30am but ended up being more around noon. Then getting off the ship onto a tender was a mess. The line was super long and moved very slow. Not sure what was holding it up though.

 

When we got off we went to the meeting spot for our Hell, Turtle Farm, and Sting Ray excursion we booked through Carnival. Once there we waited about 25 minutes for anyone to get the show rolling.

 

I was disappointed that the excursion was running behind. The turtle farm and Hell were very rushed. The guide was very nice about it and we knew it wasn't his fault, but I would have liked more time at these places.

 

Swimming with the sting rays was interesting. You can't help but be a little freaked when they cruise past your leg and touch you! My daughter loved having the snorkeling gear on and swimming around. She wouldn't touch the sting rays though. She wanted nothing to do with them.

 

The last tender of the day was set to leave at 5:30. That wasn't happening. We didn't get back to the port until 5:45 and the line to get on the tender was sooooo long! At least ours wasn't the only late excursion getting back!

 

I was disappointed that we didn't get any shopping in. I would love to make it back to Grand Cayman some time to do more exploring and shopping!

 

FOOD: Before you read anything I write about this you should know that my taste in food is similar to a 5 year old. I don't like fancy things, sea food, red meat, anything I can't say, or anything mushy, squishy, chewy, or covered in fat! With that said - I was not liking the food in the diningroom too much. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my thing. The rest of the family really enjoyed it though - even the 6 year old. Our servers were great. They got it right every night. The bar guy was a little slow. I dont' think it was his fault - I think that they are given too many tables to cover! We ate there every night but the Grand Cayman night. We were so late getting back. My dad and brother went, but us girls knew we couldn't get ready in time. We did have the early seating.

 

We really enjoyed the dancing/music part of the dinner experience! It was awesome. A great way to spice up dinner and make it less stuffy!

 

With the exception of breakfast, I really enjoyed the Lido food! The sandwich station is a must!

 

CAMP CARNIVAL: My daughter went to Camp Carnival for at least a few hours every day. She really enjoyed it. Those camp councelors keep them busy too. Everyday she had a new project to bring back to the cabin! I did use the after hours babysitting as well. I'm so glad they have this program onboard and it is well worth the $6 an hour.

 

SHIP ACTIVITIES: I wish they had more trivia/game type things on board since that is the thing I really get into. We did the movie theme song trivia, Win Lose or Draw, The Battle of the Sexes, The Amazing Race. The social hosts were all very entertaining. The ACD Brad was hilarious! Go to anything he is hosting! He makes it fun. And he is pretty good looking too! We did the slot tournaments. I actually won the slot tournament the last sea day!!! I won $500 and a ship on a stick. So overall I was up from the casino!

 

I spent most of my nights in the casino or up on deck. I didn't go to the bars so I couldn't really comment on them.

 

 

GETTING OFF THE SHIP: Seriously people - when they say have your stuff out and in your hand just do it! Don't make other wait for you while you search through your Louis Vuitton purse for all your documents as your restless kid is screaming and stepping on my toes! :rolleyes:

It really wasnt' that bad. The line was long and there was a stall of some sort. But once it started moving it moved fast! Finding our luggage was a breeze since my luggage pattern is slightly loud. Customs was a breeze as well. The guy looked at my sheet and ID for about 15 seconds and then we were on our way!

 

We had a late flight so we went to the Florida Aquarium right across from the port.

 

Blah blah blah.... I feel like I have been rambling on forever and I have probably forgotten about everything I really wanted to say! If you want to know anything just ask away.

 

I had a blast on the Miracle and didn't want to leave! I didn't notice any of the annoying things I had read about (cutting in line, kids playing in the elevators, long lines...) We were so jealous watching them set up for the New Years cruise! Christmas night I was miserable and ready to jump overboard, but the rest of the cruise was so amazing it overshadowed that night of seasick misery. I would go again in a heartbeat.

 

My sister and I are talking about taking a cruise for my 30th birthday in a few years. I don't know what ship to take because I can't imagine any being as cool as this one! Is there a ship out there that can top the Miracle experience for us?!?!?!!?

Jersey I agree with your review. I might have been on your excursion in Grand Cayman. Also sure we were in the casino together. It was a good time and I did relax, and that was my main goal.

Do you know why they switched Costa Maya to progresso? We were there on the ELation and really enjoyed it, but don't want to go again, prefer to see Costa Maya...

Lisa

Thanks so much for the review, we love reading all the great reviews of the Miracle!!

It was just a one week thing. I have no idea why though. The whole schedule went out of order though and the times in each port were changed. Something about the number of ships in Grand Cayman for one day was too much so they made that our last stop. Not sure about the cause of the rest of the switching. I would prefer to see Costa Maya as well. I am a little disappointed we missed that stop. But overall with the first port being Progresso that got cancelled and not one of the others I have no complaints!

Do you know why they switched Costa Maya to progresso? We were there on the ELation and really enjoyed it, but don't want to go again, prefer to see Costa Maya...

Lisa

What cabin were you in...or did i miss that in your earlier post?

Bringing my 10 yo son, and he is so very excited to go...me too!

Lisa

SOrry, didn't think first post went through. What is wrong with these stupid boards today...SLOOOOOOW!

Lisa

We had cabins 6265, 6263, and 6261. It was a great quiet location. I was very happy with the room we had. I hope your son enjoys Camp Carnival as much as my daughter did.

We did the slot tournaments. I actually won the slot tournament the last sea day!!! I won $500 and a ship on a stick. So overall I was up from the casino!

 

I spent most of my nights in the casino or up on deck. I didn't go to the bars so I couldn't really comment on them.

 

 

Guess what.. this is too funny.. Mike won the slot tournament on Christmas... So CC members won both..

Chris:p

Really? That is awesome! I tried to qualify on Christmas but didn't. We went back for the raffle but didn't make it then either! It's strange. I'm sure I saw you 100 times and never even knew it!

Did he hang on the cash or donate it back to the casino?

Guess what.. this is too funny.. Mike won the slot tournament on Christmas... So CC members won both..

 

Chris:p

Really? That is awesome! I tried to qualify on Christmas but didn't. We went back for the raffle but didn't make it then either! It's strange. I'm sure I saw you 100 times and never even knew it!

 

Did he hang on the cash or donate it back to the casino?

Still got it....that HDTV is looking a whole lot better..:)

Join us for the Miracle southern nect October....we just did the Western and are going back.......it would be different, yet like an old friend that you're glad to see again.

Jersey Can you tell me more about the Cave Tubing we are on RCCL in Mar and I have booked the Kids X-stream Cave Tubing, My Kids are 14, 8, 6 how was the hike with you DD and how did they handle the kids and group while in the water ( were you linked or set adrift like I've heard about so many of the Cruise excursions ) any Information on this one would be great. Also what was the time differance from Belize and the ship and was there ever any worries about not getting back to the Port? What kind of Vehicle did X-stream use. I have looked for reviews on them what I have found has been good but very minimal. Thanks for any Help.:)