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

[so_excited_to_cruise]

Here are just a few more shots of Bannister Island. The sand was not very deep, so I wouldn’t recommend walking around in bare feet. We also didn’t check out the bar or restaurant, but the gift shop wasn’t really anything to write home about.

 

 

 

It was then a short trip back to the ship – she's quite a looker:

 

 

When we got back on the ship, it was pretty early – around 12:30, and we were both ravenous. We had already decided to try a burrito from the Blue Iguana cantina – so we headed up to the lido deck, and since the ship was still mostly deserted, there was no line at all. I got a shrimp burrito with rice, black beans, lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo, guac, and sour cream. Chris had a beef burrito with cheese, rice, refried beans and sour cream. We decided to take them back up to our room and eat out on the balcony. MAN were these things tasty. I definitely recommend trying one at least once if you’re going on the Liberty!

 

 

The Burritos are on the right side and the tacos on the left. They do them up right in front of you so you can pick and choose what you want in it. Then you can choose to add to it from other salsas from the bar on the side.

 

My super-yummy shrimp burrito! (With a bite taken to show how awesome it looks)

I have LOVED reading your review. We are doing this same itinerary in June. Like you, I feel more comfortable booking thru Carnival. After your snorkeling you went to Banister Island. I noticed you said you were back on the ship by 12:30. Can you stay on Banister Island longer? Or do you have to go back that early?

[ch27088]

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.

 

I sailed the Pride when it was out of California for the Mexican Riviera cruise, and the Casino was pretty small. Did they expand the casinos with the 2.0 upgrade?

Edited April 12, 2013 by ch27088

[ch27088]

OK, so on to dinner. Now we have only done anytime dining on the Pride and loved it. Our table for 2 was always great and we only once had a wait but there was a bar right there where we just grabbed a drink. First off we had trouble getting to the dining room because you have to go to deck 5 and then all the way to the front of the ship to go to deck 3 to get into the Golden MDR. There's an entrence in the middle as well but they were only seating from the front. Whatever, we figured it out after the first day so no biggie. Now onto the seating situation. I've heard talk before we left of people complaining about sitting close to or with others during AT dining and it always confused me. Well first off we had a little wait along with 4 or 5 other couples and they just had us line up along the wall in a small area at the entrence. Eh, it was the only time we had to wait and it was only for a minute but I'd dread having to stand there longer than 5 minutes with no where to really go. So as we're walking to our 'table for 2' my heart drops to my stomach. We were in a row of 4 tables for 2 and I was sitting closer to the people to my left and right than I was my beautiful fiance. It just felt awkward. It's not that I don't like talking to people but we always looked forward to our own private table and a more intimate dining experience. It's also much harder to make a joke (usually inappropriate) with two others right there. I have to say I was completely turned off from this experience and ready to never go back to the MDR. We however did see a few couples sitting at random 2 person tables and made a note to give it one more shot for formal night but to be sure to ask for a more secluded table. Sorry for my rant but I thought it was worth noting for those who have only had one or the other experience.

 

Now time for some food porn!!!!!

 

The menu was basically the same as our last cruise with pretty much the same foods served on the same nights (including ribs on formal night :rolleyes:)

 

We both started tonight with the chicken tenders marinated with cucumber and lettuce. Now this has always been one of my favorite apps because the chicken was lightly breaded with a bit of seasoning. Not tonight. These were chicken fingers. The only difference I noticed in the MDR the entire cruise and my only minor complaint about any of the food.

 

 

For my entree I had the tender braised beef briscuit in gravy with whipped mashed potatoes

 

 

Cass had the sweet and sour shrimp

 

 

For dessert we both had the WMC (amazignly the only time we had it on the cruise).

 

 

Hi Chris - saw your review and thought I would stop by for a quick read. So far so good and I do appreciate all the info you are giving us. Regarding the Anytime Dining, I've heard nothing but bad reviews. Long waits, tables to close to others, waiters forgetting to come back with water or drinks. I would like to try it sometime, but with it still being pretty new, I think I'll wait another year or two. :(

[ready2cruzagain]

Hey Chris and Cassandra! I have been looking for your honeymoon cruise review but could not find it. Well duh, you leave tomorrow.:rolleyes:

 

Congrats on the wedding!!

[BrotherCraig]

Great review!!!!!! Best I have read. Thanks for sharing and hope you both are having a great time right now on the cruise. Congrats!

[ardnassac79]

I have LOVED reading your review. We are doing this same itinerary in June. Like you, I feel more comfortable booking thru Carnival. After your snorkeling you went to Banister Island. I noticed you said you were back on the ship by 12:30. Can you stay on Banister Island longer? Or do you have to go back that early?

 

Hiya! Sorry it's taken us a little bit to respond, we just got back today from our honeymoon cruise on the Liberty again - this time the other itinerary :p

 

I couldn't remember, but Chris said he remembered that if we were with the Snorkel group, we had to leave with them, we weren't able to stay with the other group that just did Bannister Island as their only stop.. hope that helps!

 

I sailed the Pride when it was out of California for the Mexican Riviera cruise, and the Casino was pretty small. Did they expand the casinos with the 2.0 upgrade?

 

Well, not sure... we have been on the Pride, but she hasn't gotten a 2.0 upgrade yet (I think it's scheduled for early 2014) - so not able to compare there... our first time on the Liberty, which is a different class of ship, was with the 2.0 - and the layout on the Liberty is different, and certainly feels larger. If it actually is or not, I can't say that with 100% conviction, but it feels that way!

[ardnassac79]

Hey Chris and Cassandra! I have been looking for your honeymoon cruise review but could not find it. Well duh, you leave tomorrow.:rolleyes:

 

Congrats on the wedding!!

 

LOL! Yep we will probably start the Honeymoon review in a few days :D Thank you!!!!!

 

Great review!!!!!! Best I have read. Thanks for sharing and hope you both are having a great time right now on the cruise. Congrats!

 

Wow, thanks! We had another great time, new friends, and adventures. More to come soon!

[ardnassac79]

Hi Chris - saw your review and thought I would stop by for a quick read. So far so good and I do appreciate all the info you are giving us. Regarding the Anytime Dining, I've heard nothing but bad reviews. Long waits, tables to close to others, waiters forgetting to come back with water or drinks. I would like to try it sometime, but with it still being pretty new, I think I'll wait another year or two. :(

 

I know the Anytime can get a bad rap... I will say we were prepared this time around to know to ask for a more "private" table for two, but I know the times you arrive there are 100% hit or miss with waits... we have more on that with our honeymoon review we will start in a few days, but the pros for us still outweigh the cons!

Edited April 21, 2013 by ardnassac79

[lookout2194]

Waiting for your Eastern review!!!

[ready2cruzagain]

Okay Chris and Cassandra, the honeymoon is over...where is your review for your honeymoon cruise?:p

 

Actually, we are looking at the Liberty for December but I have some questions. What shows did they have and were there any live bands?

[ardnassac79]

Okay Chris and Cassandra, the honeymoon is over...where is your review for your honeymoon cruise?:p

 

Actually, we are looking at the Liberty for December but I have some questions. What shows did they have and were there any live bands?

 

Waiting for your Eastern review!!!

 

LOL! I think we may be starting it this weekend... at the latest next week. Real life came too fast! haha! We have the fun task of re-sealing our deck this Saturday, and then have family coming over, so maybe Sunday :D

 

Shows - not too sure, I think they had the standard live-orchestra productions in the main theater... there was a really good band in the casino some nights... I forget their name, but I have the Fun Times and I'll be posting them - and there were 2 guitarists that I heard pretty good things about - we heard one of them from the other side of the Lido deck one night, but weren't close enough to see who it was... sorry!

[CruiseFlicks]

This area on deck 4 is also where all the photos are. We had a photo coupon from our previous cruise that someone who shall remain nameless forgot to bring. They never expire so I guess we'll be using it on the Breeze. There was nothing else to see from here on deck 4 as it either leads to the dining room or the main lounge.

 

A quick shot of the main atrium lounge from above

 

 

We headed up to 5 which is the main deck for all the shops, casinos, bars. Here's the first of the 2.0 upgrades, Cherry On Top. We went in later and checked it out but there wasn't really room with all the other great food available.

 

 

 

A shot of the other shops. I liked the way these were laid out on this ship much more than the Pride. It was much more open, or at least felt like it. Granted, if you've been in one of these shops, you've been in them all.

 

 

I took a couple of photos right about the same areas! I will be redoing my review later this week - am working on it. We were on the Liberty's western caribbean itinerary March 22-29th.

 

PS: I came to this thread after reading one of your other (more recent) reviews. Love your reviews and photos :-)

 

PPS: Congratulations on your marriage. All the best!

Edited May 23, 2014 by CruiseFlicks