Our "Sweet" Suite Cruise--a Photo Review

[jaxstiles]

I think I just drooled a lttle over this picture..... great review and pics....thank you

 

I agree. I had to call my wife over earlier to show her the pics of the balcony, but just called her over again to show her this pic. We may have to have a shot tonight in honor of your great review!

 

Life is good!! ;)

Thanks for the great reviews!

[lastinga]

Thank you for taking the time to write a review-I LOVED it!. I need to do one for our July Legend cruise. It was awesome too.

[thephantomsgirl]

I really enjoyed your review, especially the cabin photos as I have #4230 booked in January!

[sailingawaysoon]

Awesome review! Thanks for sharing your vacation with us!

[lady_cruiser]

Awesome review and great photography! THANKS!!!

[Dorothysden]

I've really enjoyed your excellent pictures...thank you. I'm booked into this cabin for the August 26th sailing. I'd watched a video on YouTube showing #4228 several months ago but the quality of your photos greatly add to my feelings of anticipation. I haven't as yet found your full review of the trip but I'll eventually come across it and read it with interest. Kudos.

[Dorothysden]

I did find your complete review of your cruise. Thank you again. It was even more interesting as I'll be in the same Vista Suite on the 26th of this month. As for your pictures, they are so good I'm tempted to copy some of them....then I won't have to take my camera. I can go with only the iPhone 4 pictures! Double kudos.

[EMc&DrS]

I did find your complete review of your cruise. Thank you again. It was even more interesting as I'll be in the same Vista Suite on the 26th of this month. As for your pictures, they are so good I'm tempted to copy some of them....then I won't have to take my camera. I can go with only the iPhone 4 pictures! Double kudos.

 

We'd go back in a heartbeat--same cruise and definitely same room! Have a great trip!!!

[pcrum]

Loved your review. As a native of Tampa, I enjoyed the photos of the Sheraton Riverwalk. That hotel has changed names so many times over the years. I stayed there as a child in the 70s and it doesn't look like the back part over the river has changed much at all!

 

We are doing your same itinerary on the Liberty in Nov. I am really interested in the two excursions you did in Belize and GC. Did you feel the excursion in Belize was worth it? We had planned to stay on the ship that day, but yours is the second review I've read that mentioned Rendezvous Island, so I'm thinking it might be nice to try.

 

Also, would you recommend the resort for a day in GC. We've done the stingrays, hell, and 7 Mile Beach all before, but I'm thinking booking a resort for the day might be really relaxing. Do you mind my asking what the cost was?

 

Thanks so much. Loved the review and now I'm off to check out your Dream review!

[EMc&DrS]

Loved your review. As a native of Tampa, I enjoyed the photos of the Sheraton Riverwalk. That hotel has changed names so many times over the years. I stayed there as a child in the 70s and it doesn't look like the back part over the river has changed much at all!

 

We are doing your same itinerary on the Liberty in Nov. I am really interested in the two excursions you did in Belize and GC. Did you feel the excursion in Belize was worth it? We had planned to stay on the ship that day, but yours is the second review I've read that mentioned Rendezvous Island, so I'm thinking it might be nice to try.

 

Also, would you recommend the resort for a day in GC. We've done the stingrays, hell, and 7 Mile Beach all before, but I'm thinking booking a resort for the day might be really relaxing. Do you mind my asking what the cost was?

 

Thanks so much. Loved the review and now I'm off to check out your Dream review!

 

I had no idea the Sheraton had been there since the 70's. They've done a good job keeping it updated inside and out.

 

GC--Resort for the Day--absolutely! I was hesitant to book this because I had only read the one review, but the company was great. Responded to my request within the hour, and we were confirmed and booked within 24 hours. $149 for 4 people for the day--cheaper than most other excursions! We could have bought lunch, drinks, spa treatments at an additional cost and run up the bill, but the rain chased us back to the room just as we were thinking about lunch, so we ended up spending zero dollars on-site. Highly recommend this excursion for a day of relaxation away from the crowds. The only problem for you might be that your cruise is in November. Since ours was in June, the hotel was far from full. If you cruise during the hotel's peak season, they might not offer day passes to cruise passengers, so I'd book early.

 

As far as Rendezvous Caye- we liked it, but didn't love it like Goff's Caye the year before. With that said, I would still recommend this excursion if you are looking for a beach option while in Belize. (Goff's Caye was no longer offered when we cruised this year). The tour company did a really good job---better than the average cruise sponsored excursion. The people in Belize seem very proud of their country, and that really came through with the way we were treated during this excursion. We were pleasantly surprised at how un-crowded it was. Although the stock photo on the Carnival site made the island look crowded, I think there might have been no more than 40 people there the day we went.

 

Just in case--here's the link to our 2011 Dream cruise review (be warned--it's looooooong): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1434288

[pcrum]

I had no idea the Sheraton had been there since the 70's. They've done a good job keeping it updated inside and out.

 

 

I was curious about the history of the hotel, as I remember it being there ever since I was a child, so I looked it up. The photos you posted of the back part on the river look exactly as I remember, but I know the hotel has gone through extensive renovations. I was trying to remember the old name of it and it was Manger Motor Inn, then later Hilton, and so on. This is what I found:

 

Riverwalk Sheraton Hotel Sold

By TED JACKOVICS, The Tampa Tribune

 

Published: September 11, 2007

 

TAMPA -..."The Sheraton hotel property has undergone myriad changes in ownership and branding since it opened in 1968.

 

It opened as the Manger Motor Inn and became the Tampa Hilton Inn in 1974. It was sold in 1989 and renamed the Riverside Hotel-Tampa. In 1997, it became the Radisson Tampa Riverwalk.

 

DHM Tampa Hotel paid $17.5 million for the property in 2004 and it became a Sheraton after a short period of being called the Tampa Riverfront Hotel."

 

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817 or tjackovics@tampatrib.com

 

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=522638

Anyway, thanks for the input on the resort for a day and Rendezvous Caye. You have definitely given me something to think about for our upcoming cruise.

[esd087]

Of course, we had to take the obligatory photos of the ship passing under the Skyway Bridge:

 

 

]

 

Thanks so much for the awesome pictures! We are going on our first cruise a little over a week from now and I have been spending crazy amounts of time reading reviews like yours! I was also going to ask what camera you used - the pictures are stunning. Hopefully our Canon SX230HS will take fantastic pics as well.

 

Question - is it possible to get to the front part of the ship that is in this pic? That seems like it would be a great place to get pictures and feel the breeze.

[EMc&DrS]

Thanks so much for the awesome pictures! We are going on our first cruise a little over a week from now and I have been spending crazy amounts of time reading reviews like yours! I was also going to ask what camera you used - the pictures are stunning. Hopefully our Canon SX230HS will take fantastic pics as well.

 

Question - is it possible to get to the front part of the ship that is in this pic? That seems like it would be a great place to get pictures and feel the breeze.

 

Unfortunately, no, that area is for crew only. We did get to visit that area on the Dream, however, when we took the "Behind the Fun" tour, but even then we had to stay way back from the front. I will tell you, the breeze is strong from any of those front areas like the one where I took the photo.

[mbmbird]

What is your opinion of going to Mahogany Bay when there are two ships there? We are planning a trip to a caye, but I do worry about the time. By the way, loved your review. I'm not going on the Legend, but doing the same itinerary on the Liberty.

[EMc&DrS]

What is your opinion of going to Mahogany Bay when there are two ships there? We are planning a trip to a caye, but I do worry about the time. By the way, loved your review. I'm not going on the Legend, but doing the same itinerary on the Liberty.

 

What's the other ship? If it's a big one like Dream, I could see it being really crowded. We've only ever been there with 1 ship in port. For me, it would come down to the amount of time in port. If the day is short like ours was, I think I'd stay at Mahogany Bay, but I'd get off the ship ASAP to get a choice of chairs.

[mbmbird]

What's the other ship? If it's a big one like Dream, I could see it being really crowded. We've only ever been there with 1 ship in port. For me, it would come down to the amount of time in port. If the day is short like ours was, I think I'd stay at Mahogany Bay, but I'd get off the ship ASAP to get a choice of chairs.

 

The other ship is the Magic:( We are scheduled to be there 7am-3pm and will be the first ship to arrive (I hope).

[092306]

Great review and nice pics

[gambee]

Amazing pictures!

 

You are one of the reasons that I am considering carnival for my next cruise, nice cabin, but unfortunately I think I can't afford it. :D

 

thanks for taking the time to post the review, I know how time consuming they are.:)

[nessa0215]

Thanks for the review! I can't wait to sail the Legend in October!

[MrsKC08]

Ed,

I have truly enjoyed both this review and you Dream review. We are sailing on the Dream for the second time next May. Your photos are absolutely breath-taking. I have to ask...what camera are you using for your photos? I need a camera that takes those kind of photos! :)

[shoppingfever]

I feel like I stalk you. I followed your Dream review then booked the same room last year. We ended up having to cancel that cruise and now have booked Legend cabin 4228 for April 2014. It is my first cruise and I am sure that was not the best cabin to book for a first cruise because we will forever be spoiled. It is our 10th anniversary and we wanted to splurge though!

 

Thanks for your great reviews and allowing some of us to stalk you! :D

[ericadawn2001]

I think I just drooled a lttle over this picture..... great review and pics....thank you

 

I agree. I had to call my wife over earlier to show her the pics of the balcony, but just called her over again to show her this pic. We may have to have a shot tonight in honor of your great review!

 

Great pic and great review! Thanks for sharing with us! ;)

[Dallas Bengal]

What a GREAT reviw!!!! We love Grand Cayman and have talked about spending a week there. In your opinion would the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa on Seven-Mile Beach: be a good place to stay?

 

Thanks again for the great review..You have me wanting to make this my next cruise!!

[LaShea]

Ed,

 

Carnival B.V. now owns you a free canape tray on your next cruise! You just raised their canape sales 1000%!:D

 

Still leading the way to great cruising!

 

Yes he did because I had already purchased the strawberries but, I think today I will be ordering that tray also for our Sept cruise!:D

[flounder315]

I haven't had a tequilla shot in years, but boy does this picture make me want to do one...