redneony

I am glad someone else mentioned the rum punch on the See Antigua by Sea and the "over drinking issue". We went on this excursion last September and the catamaran was excellent. The crew was good. The food ok. Snorkeling not so much. And the little beach they anchor at is tiny with no facilities. But to swim or cool off the water was calm and pretty. But what made it awesome was the the circumnavigates of Antigua. That long ride to the snorkeling spot and tiny beach was well worth it.

 

But the rum punch and drinking was out of control. I can't drink because of a medical problem. My husband is a big guy and only drinks beer had the rum punch and we both could tell it effected him so he switched to water.

 

The worst part of this excursion were those who over indulged and or didn't realize how strong the rum punch was. They started throwing up all over. They were making out with each other and not always their partner. It was crazy. A seen from a spring break video.

 

I will say this was a mid September cruise and most of the people on our cruise were adults, groups of adults and couples. There were a lot of people who were very upset with the drinking and out of control party. We did manage to ignore the main party group and we took over one side on the front catamaran and turned our backs to the puking, making out and strip tease shows. Our "side" managed to have a lovely time by ignoring those who were out of control.

 

Did it ruin the excursion, no. But it put a damper on it.

 

We are doing the same itinerary in October on the CCL Breeze and I believe I may book the Lobster and Champagne excursion though I don't eat lobster or drink champagne because I am worried about the same thing that happened last year. It may be a fluke meaning the punch is so strong it catches people off guard but in the event it isn't I am worried to book it again through that ride in the catamaran was so scenic and beautiful.

 

Any thoughts or has anyone done both?

 

Thanks,

TA

It probably just depends on who is on the cat at the time. We didn't have an out of control party and I don't recall anyone throwing up, never saw any privates and no one was making out. It's probably one of those things that you get a certain few together and the whole thing just snowballs from there. :p

It did seem crowded at first. We were one of the last people to get on, so we were like.... wow. We're not keen on crowds at all, however, as the day went on, it didn't seem crowded at all. These tour operators are pros. Everyone was having fun together. I'm glad there were so many people because we had a blast! It's a HUGE catamaran. I'd say there were 30-40 people aboard when we went. There was plenty of food and booze for everyone, and all the beaches they take you to are private or secluded so the only people who are on the beach are the people who are on the cat with you.

Hey guys,

I'm a little late in reporting back. We sailed out on January 19th on the Breeze. I left a review on Carnival's site. I'ma copy and paste. :)

-----

After doing a lot of research, I booked this excursion based solely on the rave reviews it got. So here's another one.

I can't imagine what else you could possibly want from an excursion. Antigua is gorgeous with awesome beaches, and if you book this tour, you visit at least 2 of them for an hour each, and the beaches we visited were extremely private. We were the only ones there both times. On our tour, we also stopped a little ways off of an island for an hour and swam in the deep. Everyone was jumping off the cat and having a great time.

And, on top of the great beach and swim stops, this tour is actually a pretty nice tour. The catamaran is speedy and you see a ton of islands in a way that you just can't do properly on a land tour. We even putted through inlets leading to private residences to see how the other side lives up close (and we're SO jealous!!)

Now -- the lunch so amazing that it takes up half the excursion's title -- 'the deluxe lobster lunch'. It looks exactly as pictured on the site here. Same sides and everything. The sides need salt (IMHO) and their shakers don't work great, but who really cares when you're scarfing down the LOBSTER. For the record, I don't even care for lobster and this was one of the best things I've ever eaten. I don't know why people don't grill lobster more often. Hubby and I are still talking about it weeks later.

And, finally -- the booze. There is champagne, as the title indicates, but most people didn't even know it because they introduced it on the way back to the ship... after the rum punch. The rum punch. It is STRONG. You WILL have a good time on this tour, and if the awesome guys running it, the lunch or the beaches didn't make you giddy enough, the rum punch will seal the deal. And this is why a huge catamaran full of people is a good thing -- because rum punch makes you and everyone else super friendly (and, arguably, better dancers).

I know there are lots of catamaran tours available in virtually all the islands (we took one in Tortola the day after), but this one is something truly special. All in all, it represented what the Caribbean is all about to me -- gorgeous beaches, breathtaking views, turquoise water, seafood, carefree good times with great folks, raggae and sun. We will DEFINITELY be booking this again the next time we visit Antigua.

TIPS

* DO WEAR SUNSCREEN. REAPPLY OFTEN. Can't stress this enough. Even in the Winter months the sun will bake you. I've never had such a bad sunburn.

* Don't fret too much about the weather turning sour. When we first took off, it was gray and raining. It only lasted a half hour or so. Then it was beautiful. Ask the locals and they will tell you, it never rains long on the islands.

* The bathrooms on the catamaran are located underneath and only accessible via an extremely steep set of stairs. And, after all the rum punch, the wait can be considerable. Also, the stairs up to the catamaran when being let off at beaches and swim spots are a tiny bit treacherous, especially when your feet are wet. Those with accessibility issues should consider booking a different tour.

* Sitting on the front of the catamaran while it's moving will ensure you will get wet. If this is not your thing, secure a spot elsewhere.

* The beaches are more on the rocky side, which we loved because there were lots of shells to hunt for. If you have sensitive feet, bring your water shoes.

* The operators tell you upfront that this is not a snorkeling excursion. If you have your heart set on snorkeling, this is not for you.

thank you so much for this!!! i am staying in the room next to yours when i go on breeze in the summer and was looking for more info on spa rooms. this was perfect!!!

do you have any pictures?

also, when you were out on the balcony, was it private? i heard that the way the breeze was made, when you are on the balcony there is a deck you can see under you. we like to watch people return to the boat. could you still do that?

Wondering this myself... I'll report back if someone else doesn't. We leave this Saturday. :D

Erin -

 

I wanted to reply to some of the questions of your original post.

We just returned from an 8-day cruise on the Carnival Breeze in cabin 11209 (balcony Cloud 9 Spa stateroom). We thoroughly enjoyed the spa cabin and definitely would consider this category on future cruises.

 

* Were they worth the extra cost? I was wondering how much people find themselves glued to Cloud 9 while aboard?

For us, it was worth the extra cost to have immediate access to Serenity Deck and Cloud 9 Spa via a less-commonly used "back" stairs/elevator that only services decks 11-12(Spa)-14(Spa)-15(Serenity) and right around the corner from our cabin. It is a slow elevator (hydraulic) but kinda cool to have this special treatment. Also the Thermal Suite and Thal Pool was very nice to have included (access cost for other passengers is $45/day or $279/wk) and that direct access brings you right into the spa/gym/Serenity Deck.

We were not "glued" to the spa, but that was an option if we wanted to use it. Besides the Thermal Suite and Thal Pool, everything will cost you. Of course, there were no shortages of "deals" either - embarkation special, port-day special, you-blinked-twice special (just kidding), etc.

 

 

* How much Elemis product would you get on an 8-day cruise? Should I still bring my own shampoo/conditioner/body gel?

Besides the classes and priority reservations, we also enjoyed the Elemis sampler products provided (bath gel-shampoo-conditioner-lotion). All sample sizes but our steward gave us new samples multiple times during the cruise when we requested. I LOVED the bath gel - it had a spearmint scent which was wonderfully refreshing. Of course, I understand individual tastes and allergies need to be considered. We are now looking online to see about purchasing the shower gel for home. Wish we would have pocketed a few of the shower gel samples to assure we were buying the exact same thing that was used on the ship.

 

* Was the sea sickness an issue?

Everyone has their own ways of dealing with sea sickness. Different approaches work for different people. Some use the patch behind the ear, others the wrist bands, others use a pill or natural supplement. On a ship of that size the movement is minimal but it still affects some people. Come prepared, but you may discover that you are perfectly fine.

 

* What's the noise-level like? Which cabins are best to avoid the noise?

Our cabin (11209) was comfortable from a quiet standpoint, I think. Sure, you have noise, but it's not constant. The gym is in the front of the ship, our cabin was beneath the fitness classroom and we were not distracted by any extra noises other than the waves crashing against the bow of the ship. We always stick a washcloth in the balcony door so we can hear the waves while we sleep. Better than any artificial "noise machine" you will find on land! :) Just be sure to close the door completely before room service comes with your morning coffee - for pressure reasons, the cabin door will slam closed if the balcony door is left open.

 

* Spend the extra few dollars a day for the Spa deck or go for Panorama?

Our choice - we'd spend the extra bucks for a spa cabin ("S" category) again.

 

* I have heard that the Serenity deck is windy, as are forward cabins.

The Serenity Deck can get windy, but there are several partitions/walls that help break up the strong winds. But they are also nicer, padded deck chairs, cabanas, sofas, beds, and two double hammocks! There is also a whirlpool on each side of the ship in that area. Some complained of the noise from the kids climbing to get on the watersides, but we did not find it unbearable. We had a couple overcast cool afternoons/evenings but in those times it was cool in any open-deck area, not just the Serenity. You are at sea - you will experience wind. lol Plan ahead with clothing to match.

 

* Do you take your room towel with you to the pools and hot tubs, or are there special towels in these areas?

Great question for first-timer. Basic deck towels are blue throughout the ship. Spa cabins and Serenity Deck towels are yellow. These are different than the bath towels. You are given two towels in your cabin to use however you wish. Take them with you on-deck, on-shore, to the beach, as a pillow, whatever... or leave them in the cabin. If you use the towel, your steward will replace it. When you leave the cruise there should be two towels in the cabin. For each towel not there at the end of cruise, you will be charged I think it is like $25 per towel.

You do not need these towels in the Spa areas - white towels are provided there and left there. (SUGGESTION: When using the Thermal Suite, grab 2 towels to lay under you for the full length of the chairs - they can get hot - and grab a 3rd towel rolled up to place under your neck.)

On-Deck - you can go to the towel station and use their towels. You give them your cabin # and card - they mark you down in a book (and sometimes sign) for however many towels you take, then you need to return the towels to the same location where they mark the towels returned (so you are not charged for them).

 

* The "Welcome Ritual" - When do you need to show up, and where?

The Spa tours go on throughout the embarkation day up until the mandatory muster safety drill. Once you board the ship, just relax, have a drink, enjoy your vacation! When you are able to get into your cabin, drop off all of your stuff and take a look at the info provided in your cabin. Grab your S&S cards and head up to the Spa - any desk, any level. Tell them you want a tour. They will take you in small groups from room to room, telling you about all the treatments and services available to you. People in Spa cabin rooms will be given white wristbands and a special sticker placed on their S&S card and told of their benefits. During the tour they will explain discounts, specials, raffles, etc.

 

* The Relaxation Room - What kinds of hot teas are available here/elsewhere on the ship?

We didn't even know about the Relaxation Room until the last sea day. lol It is a room on the front of ship, great view, just outside the Thermal Suite and Whirlpool. Carpeted room with sofas, ice water, teas, coffee, just a place to be quiet and.... ...um.... ...relax! They have a wide selection of teas available in this area as well as all food service areas of the ship. I'm sure you can find a discussion giving you details of all the teas available.

 

* How crowded is the Thalassotherapy Pool and Tepidarium? When are the best times to go?

As with all spa/gym areas - most crowded days are Days at Sea. Least crowded are port days. Times of day can vary, but they are open until 11PM, which is nice. Enjoy the Thermal Suite and Thal Pool just before bed. They never seemed to be overly crowded. Always was a chair or space available to use.

 

* And, finally, do you get any kinds of discounts on treatments if you book a Spa cabin?

No special discounts for spa cabin people. Just priority booking. Also, if you enter the spa raffle on embarkation (do so during the tour), even if you don't show for the drawing, they will send you a discount offer.

 

I do hope you enjoy your trip as much as we enjoyed our recent cruise on the Carnival Breeze. As you can see, we've been cruising on many Carnival ships over the last eleven years and we kept saying over and over those first few days how "different" this ship was from all other Carnival ships. Decor is much more refreshing and soothing. Less neon and modern art and more comfortable, soothing color scheme throughout the ship - especially in the spa cabins. Shows were great, the layout of the Lido Marketplace and The Patio areas were a great change. Minor note - this is the first ship where the crew is in new uniforms. Even this small change seemed to make a difference in the overall "feel". From what I've seen for the plans for the Sunshine, it looks like this is the new look of Carnival ships. Almost identical places, themes, color schemes for that ship. Personally, I like it. Some don't.

 

So many things to mention, but a couple "must do's":

During lunch - walk up to the Cucina del Capitano. This is a pay restaurant during dinner but during lunch they do a build-your-own-pasta-dish. It is wonderful. And it was not busy at all when we tried it. I think some people think you have to pay even at lunch - but you do not.

 

Have a burger from Guy's Burger Joint - they are just REALLY good!

 

Enjoy one of the movie nights at the Dive-In Theater (2 movies every night). Get some popcorn from the bar to enjoy while your at it.

 

Best wishes to you on your wedding. I hope you enjoy a wonderful honeymoon on the Breeze.

Wow... thank you so much for answering all my questions! :D I posted them forever ago and most of them I know the answers to and some of the questions I know are kind of silly because I think I had JUST found out about all this when I posted it. But awesome, I'm so glad you had a great time and I know we will too! We ended up booking room 12038. My PVP at the time (he has since disappeared?) told me that room would be best because it was more midship and didn't have the noise from the gym and didn't have as much motion, and the foot traffic in front of it would be minimal because it is behind the wall to the elevators... or something. We'll see. I'm not too worried about it :D Great tip about using the facilities at night. After we booked, our sailing was declared John Heald's blogger's cruise so it looks like some of our mornings will be busy anyway. Anyway, thanks again! Awesome awesome awesome reply.

Erin has not been back since August..

 

how odd for someone going on vacation next month on the Breeze,

 

but I thank you for updating the information

I lurk. :cool: For 6 months my life was abducted by a project at work (and getting married in the middle of it), and, since our sailing was declared BC6, I haven't been on the forums as much as a Facebook group of our roll call and they pretty much answer all my questions, but I've been back here a lot more lately as the trip gets closer.

This is kind of a stupid question, but at Bonsai Sushi, the sushi ship comes with $4 california roll and a $6 Bonsai Triple E roll... does anyone know if you can substitute a roll of the same value in place of another?

Really stupid random question. :)

Yay, we booked this last week for January 2013! Can't wait!

Some fun stuff I found this morning, I think you all might appreciate! :D

CruiseRadio discussing all the new Breeze features with Gerry Cahill

http://cruiseradio.net/podcasts/carnival-breeze/

The first YouTube channel to show real cruiser footage of the Breeze

(includes favorites such as Serenity, Waterworks, Lido, Hasbro and more)

http://www.youtube.com/user/cruiseandblog

Sometimes, when I'm having a long, boring day at work, I'll flip over to YouTube and watch me some Pier Runners.... :p

This sounds like the same tour we took with Celebrity in March. If it is, don't miss it. It was one of the best tours we have ever been on. I believe it was about 6 hours long - took us to 2 separate beaches to swim and while we were at the first beach they set up the grill on the deck and grilled lobsters while we sailed to the second beach. I believe it was a little over $100 per person but worth every single penny.

Ugggggh... that sounds so nice right now. Vacation is too far away.

We've decided we're definitely doing this. Unfortunately, I won't have any feedback until next January. :D

The only clue I get from Carnival's site is that the catamaran's name is Mystic.

This is the best review of the Chef's Table I have yet to find. Your photos were excellent... I didn't have any questions! (and that just doesn't happen...)

Great job! You have confirmed my decision to try this out on our first cruise and honeymoon next January. :D

Fellow Fort Wayner! :) Thanks. I will keep this in mind. The reason I asked about this excursion is because there are three things we want to do in Antigua and are having a hard time picking what we want to do out of those three. Antigua is just so FUN :eek:

Hi all!

Just wondered if I'd get lucky enough to find some people who have taken part in this excursion through Carnival.

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/411035

It sounds amazing - it's a 6-hour-long catamaran party with a terrific-looking lobster lunch, open bar, champagne and 2-3 private beach stops. There is only one review on the Carnival website, which raves about it...

... just curious. :) I'm going on my first cruise for our honeymoon on January 19th, 2013 on the new Carnival Breeze, and Antigua is one of our ports. I don't know anything about cruising or excursions outside of what I've read about on the website and in the forums, so any guidance would be greatly appreciated. :)

Thanks!

Erin

Once again, I don't know anything about cruises yet, except for what I've extensively researched, but I have to agree with Scott. Carnival has a low-price guarantee. I've tried to prove it wrong, but so far, I can't. My friends called someone at Carnival and they said to book on the phone as opposed to the web because they can sometimes get you better discounts over the phone that you don't get on their website. More and more savings! Whee! Also, as is classic for hotels, if you book through a TA or some other outside means, Carnival will be even less inclined than they already are to address any concerns you may have regarding your room, neighbors, etc. once you are on board. I've heard of people who booked through outside means and then had a complaint and Carnival basically told them there wasn't anything they could do for them because they didn't book through them directly. Crappy, but hotels do the same thing.

Thanks Scott :)

Yes, I want to swim with the sting rays too. Still trying to convince future hubby that we won't end up like Steve Irwin.

As it looks, we'll be sailing right after you next year. Our cruise starts on January 19th. :)

And thanks so much for the input on the port room. There must be some truth to it, because most the rooms on the port-side spa deck have already been booked, and I didn't know what the reason was, exactly. I thought it had something to do with noise and foot traffic, but it's probably because of the view of the islands. I think I'm going to try to get 12001, I think it was? The one port-side at the very front on the spa deck. My best friends will be in the room next to us... hopefully they'll both be available when we sit down and book together... it'd be nice to be able to open up the divider between our balconies and have an extra large one without paying the extra large price...

Hello all!

As you might notice, I don't have a fancy signature boasting all the cruises I have taken (or a signature at all, for that matter), and for good reason - this is my first post on Cruise Critic and I am a first timer STARVING for information about EVERYTHING before I book this beast! :D

So I have some questions for you fine veterans, the first one being, my cabin choice. I sort of have my heart set on booking a spa balcony on the new Carnival Breeze for our honeymoon, January 2013.

I was just curious of how many people have booked a spa room, in particular, a balcony, and what they thought of them?

* Were they worth the extra cost? I have never even gotten a massage before, but I'm so sore and I'm a new parent, so I'm exhausted and I was wondering how much people find themselves glued to Cloud 9 while aboard?

* How much Elemis product would you get on an 8-day cruise? Should I still bring my own shampoo/conditioner/body gel?

* Was the sea sickness an issue?

* What's the noise-level like? Which cabins are best to avoid the noise? (I'm guessing you want to stay away from the cabins closest to the WaterWorks, elevators and underneath the Fitness Center... but that's not leaving me with many options).

* Spend the extra few dollars a day for the Spa deck or go for Panorama?

* I have heard that the Serenity deck is windy, as are forward cabins. Has anyone ever not liked the windy conditions in the spa balconies, or has anyone actually preferred them? Does it get very cold or does it feel kind of nice?

* This might be a kind of general question, but do you take your room towel (in this case, a special white Spa towel) with you to the pools and hot tubs, or are there special towels in these areas?

* The "Welcome Ritual" - I've heard it exists and I've heard that it doesn't. I think it probably exists, and those people who don't think it does just haven't figured out when to go. I know it is a tour of the spa and it's where you can make your priority appointments - so, when do you need to show up, and where? The Relaxation Room?

* The Relaxation Room - I've seen photos of fruit and teas... are there really fruit and teas? Those are my favorite things, as dorky as that sounds. I'm especially interested in relaxing with a nice, hot herbal cup of something yummy. What kinds of hot teas are available here/elsewhere on the ship?

* How crowded is the Thalassotherapy Pool and Tepidarium? When are the best times to go?

* And, finally, do you get any kinds of discounts on treatments if you book a Spa cabin? I heard some people say they did, but others haven't mentioned it, except to say you get discounts on port days (and we plan to be M.I.A. on those days... I am on a totally cliche mission to pet a dolphin).

Any information at all, even if it seems redundant, would be so greatly appreciated! :p As evidence of my n00bness, I am an obsessed information sponge!

Thank you!

Erin