1st timer Carnival Inspiration review with photos. Better late than never!

[mommytotwins]

I really enjoyed reading your review. Going to watch the video now. As far as the antibiotics go, we travel to Nicaragua twice a year and always stock up at the store in the airport. :)

[CruzerDeb]

Thanks for your great review!

[Silent Penguin]

Embarkation Day:

 

 

 

 

We began to make our way around the ship and explore what it had to offer. We were amazed at all the ship had and enjoyed the loud décor of the ship. The lights and the music in the background all added to the mood. We were quickly falling in love with the idea of cruising!

 

I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I'm already having so much fun reliving the thrill of the first cruise reading your review and looking at your pictures. I have that same dress in red. It's one of my favorites.

[crusinpsychRN]

Nice job! I've been on her a lot and may have been on this trip if it was the one that after debarkation it left for California.

 

You night pix of Lido were really great!

[New2Cruising24]

Great job, thanks for sharing. Please come back and post a review of the Destiny...we will be on the Destiny at Christmas! :)

[CRUISE4JANE]

I loved your review. It brought back memories again of my first cruise which was on the Inspiration. I loved it and would cruise on it again if given the chance. I just don't like to fly to a port to cruise. Maybe it will one day come back to N.O. Thanks for sharing. Your score is .

Edited July 31, 2012 by CRUISE4JANE

[dvdkndy]

Thanks everyone for your kind responses. I love reading reviews and hope that everyone enjoyed this one!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

David, thanks so much for taking the time to write a review. Better late than never! We're heading for B2B cruises on the Inspiration next week so I was excited to see a new review pop up and only slightly disappointed that it's from when she was in Florida. :p It was great to see some more pics of her. DD and I are really looking forward to it--we've never been on this class of ship and I'm thinking it'll be nice to be on a smaller one.

 

I'm glad you had such a great time! I appreciated your positive outlook. And good on you for trying escargots! :D

 

 

While we were at the safety briefing was when we noticed how many people on the ship had little kids. I do not mean little kids as in a 5 year old. I mean little kids as in babies. Why people bring little ones on a cruise is beyond me. Not only the extra costs but the inconvenience as well. Please don’t flog me for saying that because I love my kids but mom and dad need their own time too. Luckily for us, Pappy and Nana are always willing to take them off our hands. The only problem with this is we spend then next 4 months trying to fix all the bad habits that grandparents teach our children!

 

 

 

Just have to comment on this. And, no, I'm not going to flog you! LOL. We took our first cruise when DD was 21 months old. We had a fantastic time--the cost was so small and there was absolutely no inconvenience. I would have been miserable leaving her with her grandparents. I totally respect there are many people who don't take their children on vacation, and that works for them. But I wouldn't consider traveling without mine and definitely don't consider it an inconvenience.

 

My DD is 17 now and I can't imagine our cruises would have been anywhere near as enjoyable if we'd left her home for any of them. Now it's just DD and me and she's a great travel companion. :D

[erewhon]

You pretty much can get anything such as amoxicillin, zithromax, cipro, retina-a creme, etc. I always double check the dates on the bottles as well as making sure they are sealed. We have never had a problem with the quality or effectiveness of them either. I get upper respiratory and sinus infections quite often. It is the same song every time I go to the family doctor and it sets me back some coin. This way it saves me a trip to the doctor and Walgreens pharmacy which in turns saves me a lot of money. No prescription needed.

 

Thanks for your reply.

[dvdkndy]

We took our first cruise when DD was 21 months old.

 

 

I took my first cruise when I was 27 years old. I think my kids can just wait at Nana's house for their turn. :D One day when they are a little more dependent, their time will come.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I took my first cruise when I was 27 years old. I think my kids can just wait at Nana's house for their turn. :D One day when they are a little more dependent, their time will come.

 

 

Not saying you should have brought them--just giving you my perspective on your saying it's "beyond you" why someone would bring their kids on a cruise. :D I took my first cruise when I was 38. :o

[dvdkndy]

Not saying you should have brought them--just giving you my perspective...I took my first cruise when I was 38. :o

 

Well you definitely waited and paid your dues! Why did you wait so long to cruise?

 

I appreciate your response and your opinion. Cruising with little ones just isn't in our bucket list as of yet. You never know though. I am sure though that when we take them on one, they will love the water park and all the other amenities.

 

One day it will come for them. I would have an easier time taking them if they were not so small and would actually remember the vacation later on in life. Not pictures either, but actually be able to bring those things back to mind.

[Kokopelli2]

Thanks for the review. Good pics and video! What program do you use to put your video together?

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Well you definitely waited and paid your dues! Why did you wait so long to cruise?

 

I appreciate your response and your opinion. Cruising with little ones just isn't in our bucket list as of yet. You never know though. I am sure though that when we take them on one, they will love the water park and all the other amenities.

 

One day it will come for them. I would have an easier time taking them if they were not so small and would actually remember the vacation later on in life. Not pictures either, but actually be able to bring those things back to mind.

 

 

To be honest, I'd never even thought of cruising. Spring Break was coming up and my then husband's ex-wife decided she wanted the kids that week. I went to a TA and said, we have $800, what's the best thing to do with it? She suggested a cruise and we were off the next week! That was along with our 21-month-old daughter. Even though it was a four-day party cruise over spring break, we fell in love with cruising and now it's always my vacation of choice!

 

Vacations are, of course, totally different with the kids vs. without. For me, it didn't matter if she remembered the vacation--I remember it! And I remember the looks on her face every time she discovered something new and driving her around Catalina in a golf cart and watching her reaction to things. And the way our steward and wait staff treated her like a princess. It was all wonderful. :D

 

That's what works for me. I know it doesn't work for everyone. :D

[True Texan]

Great review. It brought back so many memories of our first cruise. We were in our late 50's and have tried to cruise as much as possible since. We have researched other vacations but always come back to the cruise because of the value and just being on the sea. So relaxing! You

[dvdkndy]

We have researched other vacations but always come back to the cruise because of the value and just being on the sea. So relaxing!

 

 

After going on this cruise there is no way we would try anything else. We really think we found what our vacation calling really is. Mainly my wife because she needs not worry about dinner and making the bed! :)

[CarrotMiku]

Awesome review and photos of the Inspiration, which happened to my first-ever cruise. We ended up taking the 3-day fling from Long Beach to Ensenada back in January 2012. I loved your food shots as well. I'd only heard negative things about Carnival cuisine before I left, so I has very low expectations. But I have to admit, I was very impressed and pleased.

[sassyredhat]

Awesome pix and great review. We will be sailing Inspiration on Sept. 17th. Thank you. :)

Pat

[sailingawaysoon]

Great review! Thanks for sharing.

[dvdkndy]

Awesome pix and great review. We will be sailing Inspiration on Sept. 17th. Thank you. :)

Pat

 

We are sailing on Destiny on Sept. 2nd and I am always looking for someone to write a review close to our departure. Glad you enjoyed the review and you will most definitely enjoy the ship.

[dvdkndy]

15 days until our next cruise and I just had to go back and reminisce! Still love cruising 5 years later!

[ccw2891]

Awesome! We leave for our next one May 23 out of Los angeles.....Have Fun!!!!!

[Justwant2cruise]

great review :)

[louanne93]

15 days until our next cruise and I just had to go back and reminisce! Still love cruising 5 years later!

 

I was gonna ask you that! Glad you love it!!! We still love the Inspiration!

[dizzlepop]

I was gonna ask you that! Glad you love it!!! We still love the Inspiration!

 

Embarking tomorrow on Inspiration! Curious: the weather states 61 in Ensenada this weekend. Was it cool for you guys? Or was it warmer on the water?

 

I don't really want to wear pants!! LOL!

 

Thanks!