Anyone back from the Miracle new itinerary yet???

[tdgonzalez0406]

Can you send me the information for the Dream?

 

 

 

 

I just walked in the door. It was a good cruise with good weather. I wasn't real big on La Romana. We went to a resort for a beach day. There is nothing at the port itself. I think a crew member was hurt as we were a bit late pulling out. I heard a rumor that Carnival was only going to stop at Catalina Island from now on.

 

Aruba was great. We had a ceremony when we docked for Carnival's return. The beaches are beautiful and the interior of the island is very unique. We did a non-Carnival sponsored island tour and really enjoyed it. I loved the landscape there.

 

Curacao was also a great stop. I will warn you that Taxis there are very expensive. We had planned on going to a beach on the northern part of the island but they wanted $80+ for a ride (gas is really high there). We ended up taking a cab to Cabana beach which is part of the Sea aquarium beach. It was nice but a bit different. It is blocked off with rocks in the water to create the beach itself. When the sun was out it was HOT. The town is awesome though and really just a great experience to walk around in. There is a lot to see in the town and it is very pretty.

 

The cruise itself was nice. We had a great time and had a group of friends on the ship. The food was good and I really have nothing to complain about. We were in 4228 (aft wrap suite) and I could honestly live in that cabin.

 

Let me know if you have any questions. I will post some pics, etc in a bit. I am just now getting settled in.

[tdgonzalez0406]

I am taking this same itn. in December. What did you do in Grand Turk? If you could send me the info for the The Dream in La Romano that would be awesome. Thanks.

[UpstateCruizer]

For those interested in more information about Dreams here is a post from Tamara who organized our excurision there last week http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=26666527&highlight=#post26666527

[celticd1]

Great responses!

 

Keep it coming! :D

[barbc61719]

Thanks for all the info. We sail March 11 (130 days):)

 

Can you tell me when the formal nights are? Did anyone try the steakhouse or the chef's table? Can't wait for more reviews.

[Swann5]

My husband and I did the Bayahibe Beach Break last year (Splendor) and had an awesome time. We were not to happy with the times when we booked it, 9:00 - 1:00, thinking that all inclusive drinks that early in the day might be a bit of a waste. After a half hour bus trip, a short check-in and walk to the beach, we were blown away by the beauty of the water and the beach! The sun was HOT, the music was going, and soon we were in full island party mode! We had no problem obtaining a variety of beverages, enjoyed aerobics in the ocean, walking the beach to where the local vendors are next door (didn't browse, just said hello & walked back), enjoyed the pool (although technically not included, no one said anything) and 19 (small) drinks later, definitely had a good time! We had a wonderful afternoon back on board enjoying the ships amenities and watching the various types of watercraft coming and going from the port, often with returning excursion passengers. We have also enjoyed a day on Catalina Island (Millenium) that included a BBQ lunch; both were great beach days. La Romana has some of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches and water. We'll definitely go back again!

[celticd1]

My husband and I did the Bayahibe Beach Break last year (Splendor) and had an awesome time. We were not to happy with the times when we booked it, 9:00 - 1:00, thinking that all inclusive drinks that early in the day might be a bit of a waste. After a half hour bus trip, a short check-in and walk to the beach, we were blown away by the beauty of the water and the beach! The sun was HOT, the music was going, and soon we were in full island party mode! We had no problem obtaining a variety of beverages, enjoyed aerobics in the ocean, walking the beach to where the local vendors are next door (didn't browse, just said hello & walked back), enjoyed the pool (although technically not included, no one said anything) and 19 (small) drinks later, definitely had a good time! We had a wonderful afternoon back on board enjoying the ships amenities and watching the various types of watercraft coming and going from the port, often with returning excursion passengers. We have also enjoyed a day on Catalina Island (Millenium) that included a BBQ lunch; both were great beach days. La Romana has some of the Caribbean's most beautiful beaches and water. We'll definitely go back again!

 

That sounds like a great beach day! Thanks for the info. :)

[got_cruises]

Hi I was wondering how you reserved the golf carts? Is there a way to reserve one ahead of time?

Thanks,

Beth

[tiggerman101]

You don't really need to plan anything in Grand Turk. The beach is right off the pier. If you are into the whole giant pool party thing then Margaritaville is right there as well. The pool is immense and they play games,etc all day long. It is a great "chill out" port.

 

We did the steakhouse and it was incredible. We had a group of 10 people and everything was perfect. We always do the steakhouse on all the ships and this was one of my best experiences.

 

For the record, I did not dislike La Romana, it was just my least favorite of the ports. With the beach break I thought the resort was absolutly beautiful. I don't drink so I didn't really care about the availability of the bar, etc. I usually avoid Carnival beach break excursions because they never give you enough time. My main point about La Romana is that there is nothing at the port itself.

[bills blasters]

We reserved the golf carts by emailing nathanandlinda@tciway.tc . They will ask for a credit card, which they bill right away. I was a bit worried about doing that, but did read good reviews about him from others.

Claudia

[got_cruises]

We reserved the golf carts by emailing nathanandlinda@tciway.tc . They will ask for a credit card, which they bill right away. I was a bit worried about doing that, but did read good reviews about him from others.

Claudia

 

Thanks Claudia - I was kind of concerned about the credit card thing too but good to know it wasn't an issue.

Beth

[ferretface]

Loving all the info! We sail this route in only 454 days :D

[Joie]

We sail in March....can't wait....

6th Carnival but 1st time on Miracle

[LindaJSteele]

We sail in March....can't wait....

6th Carnival but 1st time on Miracle

 

We go in March, too. When are you sailing? We've been on the Miracle and loved it!

[purplwolf]

I have no idea about the rumor. I just heard it from a couple people. I wouldn't put much stock into it. Here are a few of my pics:

 

Bayahibe Beach, Dominican Republic:

 

 

leaving La Romana:

 

 

Aruba landscape near the old church:

 

 

Northern shore of Aruba:

 

 

One side of downtown Williamstad, Curacao:

 

Thanks for sharing. We will be on the same itinerary in 2 weeks. Can't wait. We haven't yet booked anything for DR. Is there anything near the port?

Marg :-)

[purplwolf]

Too late last night to finish so here’s my take on the other ports.

Aruba was ok. I had really been looking forward to this stop and it was the reason we booked this trip. We did a tour around the island which was around 50.00 for the tour (10.00 pp), drop off at beach and pick up and return to ship. The tour was informative and I enjoyed the cactus and desert like setting but I have seen islands I enjoyed more. The natural bridge is not there anymore and the explanation our driver gave was the lasers from the F 14 fighter jets and the vibrations of the jet engines that flew over during that “unfortunate incident” caused the bridge to collapse-we offered her no comment on that. We wanted to stop at Eagle Beach but she said the water was “too rough” and so we didn’t insist which I believe was a mistake on our part. Palm beach was nice though and the loungers we 5.00 each. She did return and continued our tour and then returned us to the trip.

 

Grand Turk was just the wonderful stop it always is for us. We spent a lovely day right at the port beach and pool, little shopping and back to ship at last minute. We had rented a car on a previous stop there and toured the entire island so we just hang out at Margaritaville now on return trips and love it.

 

Curacao was my favorite stop. What a clean, beautiful island and very nice people. We went to Blue Bay so had a nice ride 25.00 each way to the resort and and 8.00 admission. Well worth every penny. The beach was so beautiful, I loved it more than Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda. Admission includes loungers and palaypa(sp) Water was clear with gentle waves, some coral rocks but not a problem. It sprinkeled for 5 minutes but blew over quickly. There was a nice restaurant and bar and prices were around the same as previously posted – very reasonable. There is a snack bar for things like hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and fries or an outdoor restaurant with a more pricey menu. Can’t wait to go back to this island and stay so we can explore the rest of the island.

 

Now about the ship. We have sailed most other lines including Carnival and each has it's own identity. This was the first time on the Miracle. It is much like the Costa Atlantica and Mediterrania. The cabin - Verandah deck with extended balcony was great. The balcony was large enough for the 3 of us and we were able to have the door connecting to our friends opened which gave us a very open, airy place to hang out and relax. The cabin was spacious with more than enough storeage. Didn't even need the extra sorage under the sofa!!. Suitcases all fit under the beds, beds were comfortable, cabin temperature easily adjusted and bathroom was very roomy. I always bring extra dry cleaner (thin metal) hangers and these were necessary as few hangers and the wooden ones take up a lot of the closet space. Stewards were unobtrusive, very responsive and kept the cabin spotless. Hallways were wide and easy to walk through even if carts were in halls. Odd thing, the day we were to stop in Aruba at 12 noon, they chose to clean all the balconies between 9 and 12 and came thorugh even if you were in room having your coffee. Nice to have them so clean but might have been better on a day we stopped earlier in a port but no big deal.

 

Food is very subjective so I will just say we enjoyed our meals, always had more than enough choices and liked almost everything we had. We did anytime dining and only had a short wait on 2 nights. Loved the anytime dining and wouldn't have minded if we had to wait longer to eat when and with whom we wanted. Most of the service was fantastic. They did some dancing shows which we are not especially fond of but they were short and not too annoying. I personally loved the colors and lights in the Dining room. I know much is made of the "grapes" but I thought the decor there was great. Buffet was ok. Breakfast was good, lunch fair, dinner - didn't use. Grill was good and 24 hour pizza and ice cream very nice. Some trouble with ice machines not working on several days but did get corrected each time. Seats were available without much searching but traffic patterns are congested however we find this on most CCL ships. They still use the buffet lines rather than the small stations and the overall feeling is one of lines and crowding although the wait times were not long. It was nice that they come around and refill your drinks.

 

I felt the crew was efficient and polite but not as friendly or interactive as on other ships except in the dining room. We thought we would have a crew that was relaxed and renewed following their 2 days from NY and the run of the ship, but I did notice they seemed a bit "distant". In no way was this a negative just not what we are used to.

 

The pool area was not over crowded and we never had a problem getting a chair. I think the fact that there are no loose towels available goes a long way to keeping chair hogs under control. Most don't want to risk their towel disappearing at 22.00!!!!! Watch out for the slippery decks when pool in use. The flooring is very slippery and I saw several people fall. The material is not absorbent and the water pools. I wore my sandals to and from the chair to the pool because I was so afraid of slipping. Very few children around the entire cruise so this was not a problem by the pool. Music was very loud so I would usually move away from pool area when they played.

 

Entertainment was just so so. Ticket to Ride was nice and the Welcome Aboard was good but that was about it except for Kareokee and Comedy. Comedy was good and Ventriloquist was good. The comedy shows were repeated on different days and times so you could usually find one that fit your schedule. The Kareokee wasn't so good. I think they did a good job putting together an odd group for the last night talent show but I really would have preferred a ship show. They didn't have a good response to the audtions and the one Kareoke I watched was painful. The daily activities were ok but no interesting lectures/info shows. Tea the first sea day was nice but the second sea day it was very mechanical. Hot water was cool, had to ask for a second pot of water, asked for milk, didn't get it, had to ask again. Servers appeared bored. Announcements througout cruise were minimul which I did enjoy and I never felt bothered or bombarded about any selling/promotions/etc. I found that to be particularly enjoyable. There are plenty of nice quiet areas to relax and read or meditate. Card room is small - just 4 tables I think and very crowed if someone is sitting in there. Library is poor with a tiny selection and while I usually find the library a nice place to vist and relax a bit, this one wasn't. The promonade deck doesn't have any chairs for sitting in along the wall. This is something I enjoy on the other lines. Didn't miss it too much because of the balcony but would have if I had an inside or oceanview. I like sitting in the cool quiet shade, reading a people watching.

 

Just a few more observations and I will end this - sorry I didn't intend it to be so long.

Embarkation was long. We got to pier at 11:30 and porters were not easy to find but once baggage loaded up we got right in and filled in our infection control form and got on line to check in. The line was long and it took about 40 minutes. This was the longest check in we have every experienced so I guess we are usually lucky. The line did move and people were pretty laid back so the wait wasn't too bad except the air was stifling - fans would have been appreciated. The reps were friendly and efficient. By the way they did open our carry on and inspect it. We had 2 12pack sodas, a 2 liter bottle of soda and a small box of wine for the 3 of us. Once checked it was oked and we proceeded. They were spot checking. Anyone with scooter, wheelchairs, etc checked in at a different area. It was reported that this was not smooth and the people seemed confused. This took longer than the regular long line check in. Rooms were ready at 2pm. Safety drill was swift and usual. No jackets were needed which makes it better. Little TV choices but we didn't care about that. Casino was too tiny for number of people, few machines and little choice. Tables seemed to be popular and didn't seem over crowded. VERY Smokey, and uncomfortable at times. McGuire sports bar right next to it and opens into casino and that is a cloud of smoke. Of course between the playoffs and Sunday and Monday football kept it pretty busy. If they are going to have all that smoking perhaps better ventilation would help. I don't think any day was non smoking in the casino although I thought I heard they were going to be doing this. Because the entertainment isnt' up to par the casino was probably used more which added to the smokey crowds. The theater and Mad Hatter show rooms were non smoking. The seating was good and very comfortable with adequate leg room for the taller cruisers. I think it was one of the more comfortable show rooms I have encountered.

 

All in all I enjoyed our cruise very much and while I wouldn't seek out this particular ship I would definitely sail it again if the price/itinerary were good. Nothing we encountered would be a deal breaker but there are other ships we have liked more. I hope to read more about the various reactions to this new itinerary. Happy Sailing

 

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We sail on the 19th. We also have an extended balcony! We are looking forward to sitting and reading or relaxing, watching the world go by!

Marg :-)

[workn2cruise]

We were on this cruise with Mrs Blair - I know she's doing a full review but these are our highlights:

regarding embarkation, I don't think it was too bad but they don't have a large enough area for VIP embarkation, granted this was a unique cruise and there were 259 platinum guests. Since the Miracle had repositioned to Ft Lauderdale the days prior to sailing the crew was not quite ready for guests to board, but we were happy to be there!

 

We went to the steakhouse on the third night, after Grand Turk. There were 10 of us and we had a great dinner. We had an 8 PM reservation, but will make it earlier next time.

 

In Grand Turk we walked to Jack's Shack and had a great day playing in the water and watching Jack's dog Topher dig for crabs.

 

In La Romana, we also did the Bayahibe beach break. If you're interested in drinks, make sure you head to the right when you get to the beach, the bar that we found (there may be others) was in a large restaurant. The bartender only spoke Spanish but we were able to communicate a Rum and Coke Light with lime to her. A tip every now and then made sure we rum in our drinks. Our friends did parasailing and had a great time. It was a beautiful day.

Aruba - we took the public bus (#10 for Hotels) to the Radisson, walked through and found lounge chairs and umbrellas available. For a large umbrella and 2 chairs, it was $45 for a minimum of 2 hours. they also had $30 for a smaller umbrella and 2 chairs, minimum 2 hours. He had lower rates for shorter time frames.

 

Curacao - we briefly thought of going to Holiday Beach but it looked horrible from the ship. A friend of mine walked there and said the smell was horrible. We got a taxi for $3pp to the Hilton and bought day passes for $11. The beach area is small but there is also a pool and bar service on the beach.

[drosphot]

Has anyone done the cigar factory tour in DR?

[richfret]

When I first heard about these ports, I was very excited since I had not been to most of them and figured these would be very exotic. I have been on 13 Carnival cruises (3 times on the Miracle) all to the Caribbean and finding new ports is getting difficult.

 

After reading the reviews and these posts, I get the impression there is not much there unless you take a taxi and head to a beach or hotel. I have a pool and live in Florida near the beach so this really does not excite me. Talk about spoiled and too much of the good life!

 

In any event, I am a Cruise-a-holic and will make the best of what ever is there. Actually I have never been on a bad cruise so I hope the pattern continues. I like sea days and I will probably change my mind once we get these ports and actually see the sites. I just wish these ports had sites like the Piton mountains of St. Lucia, the Myan ruins in Mexico or the Panama Canal in Panama. Maybe I am wrong and when you read my review of my upcoming March cruise, I will give you a better answer.

 

Any one have the same impression that I do? Please, no flaming, I already said I was spoiled.

[dec2007w3boys]

When I first heard about these ports, I was very excited since I had not been to most of them and figured these would be very exotic. I have been on 13 Carnival cruises (3 times on the Miracle) all to the Caribbean and finding new ports is getting difficult.

 

After reading the reviews and these posts, I get the impression there is not much there unless you take a taxi and head to a beach or hotel. I have a pool and live in Florida near the beach so this really does not excite me. Talk about spoiled and too much of the good life!

 

In any event, I am a Cruise-a-holic and will make the best of what ever is there. Actually I have never been on a bad cruise so I hope the pattern continues. I like sea days and I will probably change my mind once we get these ports and actually see the sites. I just wish these ports had sites like the Piton mountains of St. Lucia, the Myan ruins in Mexico or the Panama Canal in Panama. Maybe I am wrong and when you read my review of my upcoming March cruise, I will give you a better answer.

 

Any one have the same impression that I do? Please, no flaming, I already said I was spoiled.

I understand what you are saying. I have only been on 3 cruises, but I haven't had this hard of a time before figuring out what to do. I will be happy with beach time (I live in Ohio - brr), but dh keeps asking what we are doing for fun (cave tubing in Belize, Zip lining in Roatan, Embero Indians in Panama). I am not finding that on these ports. That being said, I am so excited to go. I can not wait to see Curacao and we will have a blast!

[jerrymac]

When I first heard about these ports, I was very excited since I had not been to most of them and figured these would be very exotic. I have been on 13 Carnival cruises (3 times on the Miracle) all to the Caribbean and finding new ports is getting difficult.

 

After reading the reviews and these posts, I get the impression there is not much there unless you take a taxi and head to a beach or hotel. I have a pool and live in Florida near the beach so this really does not excite me. Talk about spoiled and too much of the good life!

 

In any event, I am a Cruise-a-holic and will make the best of what ever is there. Actually I have never been on a bad cruise so I hope the pattern continues. I like sea days and I will probably change my mind once we get these ports and actually see the sites. I just wish these ports had sites like the Piton mountains of St. Lucia, the Myan ruins in Mexico or the Panama Canal in Panama. Maybe I am wrong and when you read my review of my upcoming March cruise, I will give you a better answer.

 

Any one have the same impression that I do? Please, no flaming, I already said I was spoiled.

 

Hey neighbor we are 30 miles north of you, so understnad about being spoiled and looking for things other than beach or resort! We are going on a b2b on the Miracle starting Nov 27 and the second leg Dec 5th. When are yoou going?

 

Thanks everyone for the great info!

 

Jerry

[gargoyle999]

I really like to research and plan for my cruise and what I am going to do in port. But the Dominican Republic has been frustrating.

 

There is so little info out there. I tried to setup an independent excursion but apparently they have to port locked down so only cruise ship excursions can even get near it. I'm not in love with the Carnival excursions. I'd do their scuba excursion except they want $150/pp.

 

So at this point my idea is to take the shuttle I read about at the port to Altos de Chavon. But I can't even find out what the "entry fee" is to go there and I've read from $5-$25. I'd pay $5 or maybe $10 each but I'm not paying $50 for DW and I just to be allowed to walk around.

 

I hate the idea of not getting off the ship there and going outside of the port but really is that worse than "forcing" myself to do something just to do something? :confused:

[uffdafla]

Afternoon all. We made it back from the B2B. Week one. Grand Turk: found the Carnival power snorkel to the wall. Not what I expected, visibility was poor. But talking with divers at other sites. They had great visibility. La Romania D.R.: The speed boat to the national park area was my favorite. Waste deep water, picked up starfish, unlimited Columbus rum, then off to a beach so relaxing. Clear water, shade from palm trees, and many new friends. Aruba: went to De Palm Island, A water park. Lunch, snorkeling, banana boat ride, loungers. Curacao: just walking around into town. WEEK TWO: hurricane = rerouted revisited Grand Turk. Much better the second visit.

[purplwolf]

I really like to research and plan for my cruise and what I am going to do in port. But the Dominican Republic has been frustrating.

 

There is so little info out there. I tried to setup an independent excursion but apparently they have to port locked down so only cruise ship excursions can even get near it. I'm not in love with the Carnival excursions. I'd do their scuba excursion except they want $150/pp.

 

So at this point my idea is to take the shuttle I read about at the port to Altos de Chavon. But I can't even find out what the "entry fee" is to go there and I've read from $5-$25. I'd pay $5 or maybe $10 each but I'm not paying $50 for DW and I just to be allowed to walk around.

 

I hate the idea of not getting off the ship there and going outside of the port but really is that worse than "forcing" myself to do something just to do something? :confused:

 

 

We are with you in this struggle. We all wanted to do the hookah snorkeling....but as you said, the port is locked down to the cruise excursions. :( We hate the thought of paying for an excursion, just to say we went on an excursion. None of the Carnival excursions so far being offerred on line excite us in the least. We are going to wait to see if anything else pops up on the website or once on board. Otherwise, we may just use this as a 'day off', and relax in the sun or on the balcony. :cool:

Marg :)

[bills blasters]

I found this website with info of Altos de Chevon.

http://www.igougo.com/review-r1161739-Beyond_Alluring_Postcards_of_Altos_de_Chavon.html

 

It states in here that admission is free. We were there a couple years ago. We took a carnival excursion there. It was a beautiful area, but I wish we had just gone on our own and not spent the $49 per person. It is not that far away from the pier. Maybe a 10 minute drive. I think you can take a shuttle from the pier, but not sure of the cost.

Not much else to do there if you are not into water sports. If we ever go again, I think it will be a good day to stay on the ship.

Claudia