BK512

Thank you for those suggestions! Glad to hear you had a good experience with Rhythms of the Night in PV we are highly considering doing that.

 

Question...If you buy liquor like at Walmart in a port do they hold it till you debark at long beach or can you take it up to you room?

When we returned to the ship, they collected it, tagged it, and gave it to us the last night. I understand they might have a slightly different policy now, where you go retrieve it.

I sailed the Miracle this past February. It was mid winter break for my son, and there a good many families on board.

We hit a 'finally' week. The weather had been chilly, but warmed up that week, so it was around 80 each day.

The ship was full, but never felt crowded. Seating at the shows was not really an issue. On sea days, as usual, getting a seat on Lido or Serenity was sometimes challenging.

As for excursions, and this was just my experience, I did NOT enjoy my snorkeling experience in Cabo. The snorkeling area is very small, there are many boats on the perimeter, and a wicked current that didn't work in my favor. I was a competitive swimmer in my youth, and I struggled mightily against that. Plus they dropped us off outside the roped off area, and another boat nearly ran over my husband!

One I can whole-heartedly recommend is the Rhythms of the Night in Puerto Vallarta. The boat ride over is fun, the setting is stunning, good food, and a wonderful show, then a great boat ride back. (So long as you don't do what the lady in front of me at the show did, and complain that it wasn't in all English...after all, you're in Mexico. Most of it was in English, the lyrics of the songs were in Spanish. She was bitter.)

Also, if you have a balcony, take binoculars. Or even if not, just head to a railing. We saw whales all over the place once we got south of Ensenada. A spectacular show right outside your door!

Also, if you're buying liquor to bring back, there is a Walmart in PVR that has the best prices.

Have a great time!

or, just cut the label off the box and carry it separately?

My husband and I just returned from a getaway to Victoria.

Last night we were at an Irish Pub, and there was a table of rather rowdy men next to ours, drinking and having a great time. A few other men came by and asked if they were going to the crew bar later, which prompted me to tell my husband I thought they were cruise crew.

The Legend was the only cruise ship in port at the time.

The waitress came over to us as we were paying the bill and preparing to leave, and asked if we, too, were with the cruise ship, and I said no (But I wish I had been sailing on one!). She kind of nodded her head at the men and said "the ship leaves very soon"

We left the bar well after 11pm, and the men were still at the table when we left. I don't know how long it would take to get a cab and get back to the ship, but I know it sailed at 11:59, and since I could see it from my hotel room, I know it left on time........

PS...the day before there was a big Princess ship in port that had the ugliest 'bridge' across the back...definitely not my style

They disembark in the a.m.

If you self-assist, it's possible to be off as early as 8am.

That said, times vary, for a variety of reasons. Customs, weather, fog, etc.

But 9am is not an unreasonable goal, 10 would be on the late side.

I was off the ship, in my car, and at Walt Disney World before 10:30am when I did the Ecstasy in Port Canaveral.

On the Miracle in Feb, we had two chairs on our aft balcony. No loungers. And there were 3 of us in the cabin, so only two could sit outside at a time.

Thank you John. I really appreciate the feedback.

 

Did you book any shore excursions for Cabo or Puerto Vallarta? If so, were they through Carnival or an outside company?

I did a snorkel/sail excursion in Cabo, and was very disappointed. The snorkel area was very small, which was okay, but the current was extremely strong. Even though I swam competitively for 10 years (Granted, many years ago) and was wearing fins, I could BARELY make it going against the current. I ended up back at the boat, exhausted. I think I saw one fish. Once we moved on to the "sail" part (which had no sail...the boat had no mast for sails!), it was enjoyable

BUT>....In Puerto Vallarta, we did the "Rhythms Of The Night" tour. I can't say enough good things about this. The boat ride over to the resort was so fun, then we arrived at the resort, dinner on the beach by candle light, and a spectacular show. Then, another FUN ride back (Ask Assistant CD Emma about the "Greased Lightning" sing along...people were crazy) arriving in time for sail away. Expensive, but so, so worth it.

Enjoy! I want to go back now!

We were on deck 7. 7351. Loved it.

I was on the Miracle in February. As previously stated, easy to navigate (But I swear it took me 6 days to figure out forward vs aft when walking the length...I'd end up in the wrong place ALL the time! But all that walking just let me have another dessert with dinner)

We had an aft facing extended balcony on the Verandah deck. Loved the location, loved the balcony (whale watching!), and no noise from much of anywhere, other than engine noise. I recommend it.

I never felt crowded with passengers. We never had lines for shows. We had a great time. I'm sure that with the upgrades, you'll have a great time.

What is everyone's experiences with these? Particularly on the spirit class ships. For example, If we would book one on deck six, do you think much movement or vibration would be felt?

I just had a deck 7 aft extended balcony on the Miracle last month.

I had been a bit concerned because people talked about how horrible the vibration was.

I experienced none of that, or if I did, it was so little I didn't notice it.

I loved that balcony. Just sitting there, watching the wake...mesmerizing. And it was great for whale watching, which we did plenty of!

Will be on Glory 3/21. I know it is spring break for south Florida. Not thrilled with children. Any suggestions on how to deal with them. Or avoid them.We did pick the late seating. Think that might help. Thanks.

We went in February, which is mid-winter break for many kids. There were lots of kids around, which was great for my 17 year old, who had many to hang out with--they tended to hang out in the Lido deck, in the teen club, or in the lido restaurants, go to shows, etc. They were, by and large, well behaved (Although I did overhear a couple of girls talking about which boy would be her 'cruise conquest'...)

We also picked late seating for the same reason...I hoped to avoid the little ones who tend to like to get out of their chairs and whose parents don't mind if little Johnny and Janie run up and down the aisles.

Well, we were seated between two families of 15+, complete with flying pacifiers landing on our table. Luckily, that was the first night, and the kids kind of settled down as the week went on. We enjoyed our dinner times every evening.

Please know that much of the time, the kids will be occupied with Camp Carnival. Yes, they'll be in the pools, yes, they'll be in the hot tubs, and yes, there will be large family groups everywhere. But that is when their time to vacation is, too.

Hopefully, you have booked a balcony cabin and will have your own private retreat.

But overall, your attitude will dictate the outcome. If you go in expecting to be bothered by kids, then you'll look for opportunities for that to happen. If not, well, maybe you'll have a great time. I hope so.

You can see the starboard side prop wash is almost non-existent. Port side working hard.

When I was onboard Miracle a few weeks ago, I rode in the elevator with an engineer of some sort. I asked about his day, and he said "Getting the ship ready for dry dock"

I said something to the effect of "I hope you can get the engine that is underpowered back up to full speed", and he looked at me surprised and said "What makes you think something is wrong with an engine?"

I said "By the wake. One look, and you can tell one side is wonky"

He just looked at me and said "I hope we get it fixed, as well"

When we booked our recent cruise, I booked online, but didn't have a PVP. I put a 24 hour hold on a cruise, wanting to talk to DH about the details before I booked. I had booked a casino rate, which was offered to me for reasons beyond my comprehension, as I might have gambled $50 in the casino on my previous cruise. I had picked my cabin--I wanted aft balcony, up high but not highest deck, etc....

Before the 24 hour hold was over, a PVP called me, but I was out and about, and asked her to call me in an hour when I was home. She not only returned the call, but saved me money (about $200 over all), got me the exact same cabin I had previously booked, and got me some OBC to boot!

She then called about 3 days prior to departure to wish us bon voyage, and called about a week after our return to see how everything went.

As a former travel agent, I appreciate the service.

I sailed the Miracle on Feb 14. We arrived at 11:30, and the registration line was very, very long. FTTF line was short, so we registered right away.

However, at noon, there were still passengers disembarking from the previous cruise.

They didn't start boarding people until 12:45, starting with B2B's and weddings. Priority boarding started around 1pm, and by the time we got through the scanners and on board, it was 1:15 or so.

The crew of the Miracle, last week, said they were going to SF.

I was just on the Miracle last week, and she'll be going into dry dock in a few weeks for some upgrades. You'll have a Red Frog pub and an Alchemy Bar as additions/changes, as well as a "new" sports bar.

They are bringing the Hasbro game shows and Playlist Productions. I'm not sure that this is an 'upgrade', as the Miracle live 7-piece band was fantastic. They are adding Seuss at Sea and Cherry on Top, too.

I enjoyed the Miracle. Easily navigated, lots of outdoor spaces to find a place to relax. I personally didn't care for the decor, especially the dining room, but I know others like it. But the food is good, the service is good, and well, if you get bored, that's on you.

Enjoy your cruise.

Wavesprite,

 

We will be sailing on the Miracle's Apr 4, 2015 sailing with our daughter and her family which includes some of our wonderful grandchildren. One such grandchild is Toria (age 5) and she loves to sing Frozen's "Let It Go."

 

Now my question: Do you know whether or not the Miracle karaoke venue has the music for "Let It Go"? Fingers crossed that it will be available!! Thanks!!

They do indeed have the music...my son said someone sang it during the teen karaoke event (which he didn't even tell me about until it was over :( )

Last week on Miracle, we took our unopened bottle to the MDR, intending to share with our tablemates. The tablemates never showed up. The Asst. Waiter grabbed the bottle, opened it, poured it, brought us an ice bucket....no corkage fee.

Of course, your experience may vary. This was just my experience.

I cruised last week with my 17yo son. He is, by and large, a rule follower. He met some great kids in the kids club, and they hung out all week. I'd walk through the Lido deck in the evening, and they'd be sitting out there, or in the buffet area, chatting and playing cards and such. He was allowed to hang out as late as 1am, and the last night 2am, because I know he isn't a drinker and has a level head. He was also given some guidelines as to expectations. Besides, 1am pizza on vacation? Sure!

However, on one of the sea days, I went in search of a quiet place to read. As I sat reading, a couple of girls and a younger boy sat near me. They were talking about another boy on board, and how cute he was. (not my son...they used a name). The younger boy said "Are you going to have sex with him?" and the girl replied "Not right away, but maybe later". The other girl said "What about your boyfriend at home?" and the girl said "One boyfriend here, one at home...they don't have to know"

When I related this conversation to my son, he knew exactly who the two girls were...he had avoided them for the most part all week.

So, bottom line, know your kid. Give them a realistic set of guidelines/consequences, but also remember that it is vacation. No going into cabins. No hanging out in the bars. Stay with a friend. Report back regularly...if you're not there, a post-it note on the mirror saying where you are is good. No getting off the ship without you. remind them that other countries have vastly different laws, and jails in those countries are ugly places to be. Encourage them to hang out with kids who aren't rule breakers. Or, get them one of those wrist leashes and let them be with you all week ;)

"The AC worked great, although I didn't think so at first, but I figured out that my hubby kept turning the thermostat to a warmer temp."

 

I have a question: Are the AC's on the Miracle the vents with the controls on the ceiling like the imagination and inspiration?

 

Also, did you feel a lot of motion while on the ship?

 

Thank you!

The controls were on the wall adjacent to the couch.

Easy operation

Yes, movement. My husband had a little trouble with it, especially if he was at the gym, but it never bothered me. Actually, I loved it when sleeping!

But I am sure it really depends upon the seas at the time.

And be sure to look for whales about mid afternoon on the first sea day, then all morning before you get to Cabo.

They had it on the Miracle last week. They also had the sign up all week, so I don't know if you couldn't just do it anytime?

Thanks for the review! I am sailing her this Saturday--her last sailing before drydock. You said Troy's last cruise was last week--does that mean Emma is going to be the CD?

They brought a younger guy in in Cabo....blonde guy, I never caught his name. He basically shadowed Troy and Emma for the rest of the week. He did participate in an epic impromptu rendition of "Summer Lovin'" from Grease on the boat back from Rhythm of the Night. I am sure that the people on shore could hear us all singing and dancing along with the music that night! He seemed like a lot of fun.

We just returned from our Miracle cruise yesterday. My second 'official' (There were two others, but they don't count) Carnival Cruise, my son's second, my husband's first. Here's a quick review.

Embarkation--All I can say is thank goodness for FTTF. We arrived at the port around 11:30, after our flight that morning. The line to check in was crazy long. Then I noticed the FTTF line, asked someone where to go, and 1 minute later I was checking in with Brandi. The process took five minutes, and we were sent over to the priority boarding area.

Boarding. Well, at 12 noon, there were still guests disembarking from the previous cruise. We waited, and 12:45 they called wedding guests, then B2B guests. Finally, 1pm, we boarded with all the Platinum and Diamond folks. They ran my backpack through the scanner, but didn't even look at the bottle of wine inside. We went straight to our room, then up to Lido for lunch. Safety check was 15 minutes, then sail away. So many dolphins! Lots of cargo ships anchored due to the work stoppage of the long shoremen.

Room--we had an aft balcony, which I loved. A bit cozy for 3 people, but we weren't all in there at once very often. The balcony had only two chairs, no lounger. Plenty of room for all of our stuff. Comfy bed. The AC worked great, although I didn't think so at first, but I figured out that my hubby kept turning the thermostat to a warmer temp. We saw a LOT of whales from the balcony, so I spent a fair amount of time standing at the rail watching for spashes!

Entertainment--We hit many of the shows. I liked the Beatles review show, and the generations. Well, I liked the dancing, and the male singer was great, but I really did not enjoy the female lead singer. The comedy was fun. Don't sit up front unless you want to be harassed. I didn't go to things like the marriage show...just not my cup of tea. The band (The Miracles) was fabulous. Really enjoyed that. The guy in the piano bar was just 'okay'. There were a couple of singer/guitar players that were very good.

Ship--I know the Miracle is going into dry dock soon, but really, she is in great shape. All the guest areas were well kept and clean. That said, there is some absolutely spectacularly ugly decor on that ship. The dining room is down right scary ugly--a "Trading Spaces" DIY project gone terribly wrong. The 'grapes' look like bathroom lights spray painted purple. I didn't care for much of the art decor on the walls throughout the ship, either. BUT...I wasn't going to let it influence my vacation.

Serenity deck--I love this area. Yes, it got crowded on the sunny sea days, but it was such a nice place to retreat to. The bartenders there were efficient. But imagine my surprise when I was lounging one afternoon (okay, I was asleep) and suddenly there was a DJ blasting music and there was a sail away party on Serenity! Now I like a good wobble dance, but I just didn't think Serenity was the place for that. It compelled me to order a fruity rum drink with an umbrella. Later, I learned that a guest had fallen and broken her ankle shortly after I left, which caused us to have a medical evacuation as we left port.

Lido poolside--honestly, I didn't spend a lot of time there. I never saw it overly crowded other than the very first sea day. Lots of kids in the hot tubs and pools.

Food--Here, I was pleasantly surprised overall. We didn't go to the steak house, but we did eat in the MDR with late seating 6 nights. The food was very good, it arrived at the proper temperature, and was pleasantly presented. My son has some dietary issues, but there was always something he could order and enjoy. Loved that there was prime rib 2 nights. Great desserts that weren't so huge you lapsed into a sugar high after eating them. Seafood was, on the whole, cooked correctly. The pizza was fantastic.

Club 02--my son spent most of his on-board waking moments with his new friends here. He enjoyed it.

Shore excursions--we did two Carnival excursions. In Cabo San Lucas, we did the Sail and Snorkel Fiesta. I'm a fairly strong swimmer, having swam competitively for 10 years. But the tour operator dropped us on one side of the snorkeling area and told us to swim to the other side, and he'd pick us up there. My husband was first off the boat, then the driver decided to try to move, and nearly ran him over. There were other boats (glass bottom, etc) everywhere in the area. I got in, and swam to the swim area, and the current kept dragging me back to where I started. Meanwhile, the boat driver moved the boat to the far side, and the rest of the snorkelers got off there. It took me the better part of 40 minutes to swim the 150 yards to the boat, as the current kept dragging me back to where I started. I was frustrated, mad, exhausted, and quite frankly, a bit scared. After the snorkeling, we drove out to the lands end arch, which was great. I'm not sure I'd recommend that excursion

The other excursion we did was the Rhythm of the Night in Puerto Vallarta. What a fantastic experience. The boat ride over was fun, with free flowing margaritas and rum punch. Then a fabulous dinner on the beach, followed by a spectacular show of dancing, acrobatics, fire dancing, and much much more. I totally recommend it!

Crew--so nice. Troy, the Cruise Director was fantastic, although this was his last cruise on the Miracle. Emma, his assistant, was great. The wait staff in the MDR was efficient and friendly. The staff at the buffet was very helpful, and when I asked if particular dessert had nuts in it, the girl didn't know, but she went to find out. The casino staff was friendly and fun. One particular black jack dealer was so funny, and made us dance if we won. It really made the game more fun.

Things I could do without--Okay, I understand that the photographs are what some folks love. But every night, up and down the promenade, blocking the flow of traffic, it got tiresome.

BTW...quick tip...our assistant waiter told us that if you pay cash the last morning, you can buy your photos for half price. I did not verify that, but thought I'd pass along the info.

One thing that surprised me was all the vaping. Everywhere. On Serenity Deck, in the comedy lounge, in the little bars around the ship. No one seemed to care, and they weren't trying to hide it. Now I don't care if someone wants to vape, but IMO it leads to "If they get to vape, I should get to smoke" mentality. Like I said, just my opinion, YMMV.

Disembarkation--from leaving our room to being on the sidewalk outside was about 35 minutes. We did self-assist. Not bad at all.

And the good news--hubby enjoyed himself, so he is open to going again sometime!

Okay, maybe not a QUICK review, but I wanted to get it up here while it was fresh in my mind.

I agree with the umbrella stroller for using in the airport and ports.

But anytime I've encountered a stroller onboard a ship, the 'driver' was, 90% of the time, oblivious to anyone else on board.

Big strollers are too cumbersome.

I have a question about the buckets of beer....

Do the bartenders open all 4 in the bucket, or can you have them leave 3 unopened for later?