Pryd's Cruise review Legend 03/03

[pryd]

The cruise adventure started out with the Red eye form Vegas to Fort Lauderdale. Travelers were me and my mother (70 years old and uses a wheelchair and/or walker) We arrived at the FLL airport WAY too early and had to wait until @ 10:30 for a cab to even think about transporting us to the port. Once there....Also very early...We were able to check in and then wait in line for the embarkation. This went pretty smoothly even with my mom in the wheelchair. I noticed that others in chairs were wheeled up to the front of the lines after they started to board, so I just joined in on the processional of chairs and we were on the ship in no time.

The ship is very different from the other Carnival ships I have cruised on but I liked the Grecian/mythological feel of the ship and it was the by far the easiest to navigate than any other. We got to our room, dropped off the carry-ons and went right to the Lido deck for lunch. I thought that I was going to be on easy street for the whole cruise when a wonderful wait staff woman offered to help my mom get her items for lunch all I would have to do is find a table and relax.....That was the first and last time this happened. So just a reminder to those "Special needs" cruisers DEMAND Help or you won't get it. I guess I knew that I would be the designated food getter and assistant when I asked her to join me on the cruise so I really have nothing to complain about. We booked an obstructed blacony and were upgraded to a higher unobstructed balcony for free. When I asked about the wheelchair assisted cabin I was told it would cost a lot more...If any were available...I wish I had paid the extra $$ because the regular cabins a chair or walker won't fit unless they are empty of a passenger and folded up. The sight of me wrestling the cabin door, that needed a running push to open, then getting my Mother through the door then dragging the chair or walker would have made a great Americas Most Funniest Home Videos.

As for the XM satellite Radio. It worked until we were about a day and a half out at sea then no signal. So I will try it again in May when I do the Glory ("SOLO" this time).

We booked 2 of our excursions on line and 1 "Oscar Brown" through e-mail. The Belize City/Zoo tour we booked was cancelled after we got our tickets but the Panama Canal was pretty educational and neat. Another word to the wise....None of the tours were "Handicapped Friendly" if I was not there it would have been impossible for my mom to enjoy any tour offered either through Carnival or on Oscar's tour. I do have to give Oscar some credit for making his tgour the most interesting and diverse among out 3 excursions.

Our Wait staff and Beverage service guys were the "BEST" Nick and Orlando were our waiter and Team waiter and Lukas was our beverage/bar guy. Everyone was freindly but Lukas just had a sparkle and manor about him that made him stand out in our minds as the one we will rmember for a long time.

Treated my mom to a Manicure at the Spa and she loved it. She also liked the Buckets of Bud that they sold on the Lido deck. I was the official beer toter as well. The food in the dining room was always great and we even dined at the Goldfen Fleece twice....The food/service/ambiance there was above all my expectations.

All in all the cruise was a lot of work, but I figured...How many times will my mom ever go on such a beautiful ship and see such lush tropical places in her lifetime so the time and effort were well spent. Now, in May, however it will be Party Time for me on the Glory.

 

If you have any questions I will try to answer them as best as I can.

 

Also hello to Digie and Steve.. my fellow CC'ers on board with me

[AllenF]

Thanks for the review :)