Carnival Liberty Leap Year Review (2/25 - 3/3)

[wagzz21]

Great review! We have done this itinerary before, but this December will be our first time on the Liberty. It's nice to have an idea of where things are ahead of time! :-)

 

My husband is wondering what the 101 oz tubes of beer that are listed on the sign to one of the new bars are? Is it one of those "sharable" type tubes that you can pour beers out of a tap for multiple people, if you know? We've never seen those on our cruises before, but it seems like it would be a huge cost saver if you're with a group & all will drink the same beer. Did you try the Carnival Red Frog (??) beer? Do you know what it is closest to in terms of taste?

 

We are going to be traveling with our almost-13-month-old on our upcoming cruise, so drinking isn't going to play a big part (despite how much these questions point that way!! haha). BUT.. that said, I'm hugely interested in the Alchemy class. Was that done during the day and, if so, is it the type of "open" bar environment where a kid could in theory go in there during the day and drink a juice or something? How long did the class last?

[ardnassac79]

Great review! We have done this itinerary before, but this December will be our first time on the Liberty. It's nice to have an idea of where things are ahead of time! :-)

 

My husband is wondering what the 101 oz tubes of beer that are listed on the sign to one of the new bars are? Is it one of those "sharable" type tubes that you can pour beers out of a tap for multiple people, if you know? We've never seen those on our cruises before, but it seems like it would be a huge cost saver if you're with a group & all will drink the same beer. Did you try the Carnival Red Frog (??) beer? Do you know what it is closest to in terms of taste?

 

We are going to be traveling with our almost-13-month-old on our upcoming cruise, so drinking isn't going to play a big part (despite how much these questions point that way!! haha). BUT.. that said, I'm hugely interested in the Alchemy class. Was that done during the day and, if so, is it the type of "open" bar environment where a kid could in theory go in there during the day and drink a juice or something? How long did the class last?

 

 

Hi! Thanks for taking the time to read it, I'm glad you enjoyed the review :D

 

The 101 oz tubes are in a tall stand-up tube that has a spout at the end that people can use to pour individual drinks - so yes, it's shareable. We never did it, but I saw a few people that did. Chris and I aren't big beer drinkers, BUT we both really enjoyed Red Frog. It's like a slightly sweeter Yuengling... you being from MO may not know what that is... hmm, think an amber-colored/flavored beer with very low hoppiness. It's great! I think they would be willing to pour you a little taste to try it without getting a full glass if you wanted.

 

The Alchemy Bar - it's not in an enclosed area - but I don't think they would let kids sit down (I think that's a law since it's technically a bar). The class was offered on 2 of the days durig the week I think - mine was on the last day before debarkation. It was from about 3-330 to just before 5. BEWARE.. you will get more than a little tipsy. I barely remember packing up that night - and accidentally packed my S&S card in my luggage, so I had to get a new one from guest services so I could be debarked from the ship!

 

Hope that helps!

[sharecruises]

Great review, you are such a cute couple :)

 

I have often told people about the La Quinta East...hey it is NOT a vacation destination but compared to prices/logistics of other hotels in Miami , it is a very good deal, people who drive can also park car there for a week for free which is rare to find in Miami :) Just a tip : arrange ahead for the free shuttle time you wish

 

 

Loved the pics of Maya Key....was there years ago when it was "Fins and Flippers", before the "ruins" and animals...but very nice (back then was just $10 for their round trip shuttle boat and a la carte on the island

 

Did they still have the "Monkey La La" drink?? I remember that was yummy...also some sort of Honduras fondue..."Fundido" ? Beans and cheese and homemade chips...yum

 

Liberty is (IMHO) the prettiest Carnival ship I have seen...and the 2.0 looks great

 

Thanks for great review

[ardnassac79]

Great review, you are such a cute couple :)

 

I have often told people about the La Quinta East...hey it is NOT a vacation destination but compared to prices/logistics of other hotels in Miami , it is a very good deal, people who drive can also park car there for a week for free which is rare to find in Miami :) Just a tip : arrange ahead for the free shuttle time you wish

 

 

Loved the pics of Maya Key....was there years ago when it was "Fins and Flippers", before the "ruins" and animals...but very nice (back then was just $10 for their round trip shuttle boat and a la carte on the island

 

Did they still have the "Monkey La La" drink?? I remember that was yummy...also some sort of Honduras fondue..."Fundido" ? Beans and cheese and homemade chips...yum

 

Liberty is (IMHO) the prettiest Carnival ship I have seen...and the 2.0 looks great

 

Thanks for great review

 

Aww, thank you! We actually didn't drink any alcoholic stuff at Maya Key - just water while we were there. We knew it would be a long day and night, and wanted to make sure we didn't start too early, lol!

 

I didn't see any beans and cheese stuff either... perhaps the food has changes since it was Fins and Flippers. It was still very good food!

[nursldyjen]

Heading to the Liberty on Saturday cannot wait and the pics are great

I love reading reviews and learning the in's and out's before the trip

Thank you

[ardnassac79]

Heading to the Liberty on Saturday cannot wait and the pics are great

I love reading reviews and learning the in's and out's before the trip

Thank you

 

Thanks! I'm so jealous! I'm sure you'll have an excellent time :D

[Tahmay]

 

The illusive Vault machine. I don't know how many times we were about 1/16th of an inch away from winning the $500 and eye pad but it got pretty frustrating

 

 

It's funny that you mentioned "The Vault". My husband spends a lot of time in the casino and he was talking about how all week everyone spent so much money and time at something called the Vault? On the last sea day he brought me down to try it, which I really didnt want to do, because I am not very good at crane games. Sure enough on my 3rd try, I got it!

 

I thought to myself, "wow that was easy. If I really thought I could win I wouldve gone for the ipad"!! So at that point I thought I was the shiot! $20 dollars later with a huge crowd of people around me later, I realized that I wasnt! :(

 

I hate that there will be one on the Liberty, because I am sure I am going to have to try for that ipad again when we go next April!! lol :D

 

[Atomic911]

Great review! :D

[christinalvt]

It's funny that you mentioned "The Vault". My husband spends a lot of time in the casino and he was talking about how all week everyone spent so much money and time at something called the Vault? On the last sea day he brought me down to try it, which I really didnt want to do, because I am not very good at crane games. Sure enough on my 3rd try, I got it!

 

I thought to myself, "wow that was easy. If I really thought I could win I wouldve gone for the ipad"!! So at that point I thought I was the shiot! $20 dollars later with a huge crowd of people around me later, I realized that I wasnt! :(

 

I hate that there will be one on the Liberty, because I am sure I am going to have to try for that ipad again when we go next April!! lol :D

 

congrats! What did you win?

[ardnassac79]

It's funny that you mentioned "The Vault". My husband spends a lot of time in the casino and he was talking about how all week everyone spent so much money and time at something called the Vault? On the last sea day he brought me down to try it, which I really didnt want to do, because I am not very good at crane games. Sure enough on my 3rd try, I got it!

 

I thought to myself, "wow that was easy. If I really thought I could win I wouldve gone for the ipad"!! So at that point I thought I was the shiot! $20 dollars later with a huge crowd of people around me later, I realized that I wasnt! :(

 

Wow the $1000 smackers, that's excellent!! (And better than the iPad IMO!!) Congrats! Honestly we didn't pump too much money into it - probably around $15 total. Good Luck if you do try it on the Liberty!

 

Great review! :D

 

Thank you!

[luv4cruises]

From the sports bar we proceeded through the casino. It's hard to tell if this casino is that much bigger than the Pride's but it certainly never seemed full. There was almost always a spot at a table or a couple seats at the slots.

 

 

 

The illusive Vault machine. I don't know how many times we were about 1/16th of an inch away from winning the $500 and eye pad but it got pretty frustrating

 

 

Casino Bar

 

 

 

OK, that's all for now. Will hopefully be back on later tonight.

 

 

Great Review so far! We will be on the Liberty in a few weeks and were wondering which nights are the formal nights on the Western Caribbean itinerary? Usually they are the sea days, but the second sea day is the evening before disembarkation. I have never been on a cruise that had formal night on the last night of the cruise. I called Carnival and the agent did not know.

 

Thanks. Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[ardnassac79]

Great Review so far! We will be on the Liberty in a few weeks and were wondering which nights are the formal nights on the Western Caribbean itinerary? Usually they are the sea days, but the second sea day is the evening before disembarkation. I have never been on a cruise that had formal night on the last night of the cruise. I called Carnival and the agent did not know.

 

Thanks. Looking forward to the rest of your review.

 

The second formal night was the evening of the Grand Cayman stop - we skipped it because we didn't feel like dressing up and used it as an excuse to have another Guy's Burger :p Hope that helps!

[luv4cruises]

The second formal night was the evening of the Grand Cayman stop - we skipped it because we didn't feel like dressing up and used it as an excuse to have another Guy's Burger :p Hope that helps!

 

Thank you! Happy future cruising!

[pyroguy]

Wow...I don't know how I missed your review before now, but I just read the entire thing.

 

Chris - I'm glad my review helped you out with our impossibly long name ;)

 

Thanks for bringing back our Liberty memories. My wife and I enjoyed her so much we booked her again next November.

 

Thanks!

[Andoria]

Yikes I killed two hours reading this amazing review. You've almost convinced me to book on the Liberty for 2013.

[ardnassac79]

Wow...I don't know how I missed your review before now, but I just read the entire thing.

 

Chris - I'm glad my review helped you out with our impossibly long name ;)

 

Thanks for bringing back our Liberty memories. My wife and I enjoyed her so much we booked her again next November.

 

Thanks!

 

Yeah, we came home and booked her again for April 2013 for our honeymoon! (Nothing like planning a wedding around the vacation haha!) We're splurging on an Aft - can't wait!

 

Yikes I killed two hours reading this amazing review. You've almost convinced me to book on the Liberty for 2013.

 

Awww do it!! :D

[cruiseclues]

You have a good eye for photos...and a great review...we really have enjoyed it. :)

[ardnassac79]

You have a good eye for photos...and a great review...we really have enjoyed it. :)

 

Aww, thank you!

[gambee]

Thanks for posting your review, I am in th middle of planning our next cruise and I can't seem to decide. Your review surely did help, thank you!

[ardnassac79]

Thanks for posting your review, I am in th middle of planning our next cruise and I can't seem to decide. Your review surely did help, thank you!

 

Great, I'm glad you found it! I'm glad we could help too! :)

[hockeyguru32]

From here as we made our way to the back of the ship (or Aft if you prefer). The new EA Sports bar was to the right and the casino straight ahead. We spent a fair amount of time in the sports bar on the Pride so we were excited to see this new upgrade. First off I'll say that it is definitely much more pleasing to the eye than the old sports bar. Definitely a place I would want to chill and watch a game. There is a new sports bar drink menu as well with a wider selection of beers and other mixed drinks.

 

A few jersey's of recent EA sports cover athletes.

 

 

My favorite of them....KANER!!!!! I tried to steal this on several unsuccessful occasions.

 

 

A shot of the big screens that some hottie got in the way of

 

 

You can see in this pic that the bar leads into the casino (I think this is pretty standard).

 

 

 

OK, now for the negatives. First off, there were a lot less seats which was fine now but I can't imagine trying to grab a seat during football season. We always like to chill for a bit in the sports bar and play some video poker but as you can see there are no machines at the bar. And I was disappointed to find out (especially after JH had posted on FB) THERE ARE NO WINGS (at least yet) in the sports bar. There were a couple of afternoons when they had chicken fingers or hot dogs but it was not every night.

 

PLEASE CARNIVAL, add buffalo wings to the menu here!!!! I'd gladly pay a few bucks to eat some wings while Cass has her sushi (I don't do seafood:o)

 

OF COURSE you had to have Kane why didn't you get a good Canadian boy like Toews. World Juniors Kane vs Toews in the shoot out,,,,,,, I know his Jersey was probably to expensive to put in that ship LOL:eek:

[hockeyguru32]

Great review and your photos are fantastic! I am so impressed they have a Kane jersey in the sports bar (although if they had to pick a 'hawk I would rather see a Toews or Sharp) since hockey is rarely represented. So cool!

 

Reading this is making me so excited for my trip in July!

 

Careful Kristi Chris might call you Scum too LOL:eek:

[Anung Un Rama]

OF COURSE you had to have Kane why didn't you get a good Canadian boy like Toews. World Juniors Kane vs Toews in the shoot out,,,,,,, I know his Jersey was probably to expensive to put in that ship LOL:eek:

 

Toews is actually my favorite player though Cass has a Kaner jersey that she got in Chicago. And they have Kane's jersey up there because he was on the cover of the EA NHL game that year.

 

Careful Kristi Chris might call you Scum too LOL:eek:

 

The Wings are Scum, not their fans :p. Well not all of them anyway

[bstringer]

Great Review, I really enjoyed it

[ardnassac79]

Thanks!