Recent Carnival Legend Travelers? HELP!

[ss75511]

Hi!

 

I have read some terrible reviews as of late about the Legend...I know I shouldn't let it affect me & my level of excitement but it's starting to a bit. Luckily this will be my boyfriend's first cruise so hopefully he will enjoy the experience since he has nothing to compare it to.

 

For what i'm referring to, feel free to browse the following two reviews (the most recent ones from CC)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=109260

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=109343

 

I guess I'm mostly nervous because it seems like the more time that goes by the worse the ship is getting...exponentially. We set sail on October 14th...only 16 days!! I haven't been able to contain my excitement lately but these reviews really make me worried about all of the money we've put into this! I'm usually a Princess cruiser but i've also cruised Holland America and Carnival in the past. Carnival was my first cruise and might have just been my favorite (probably because it was my first & was a new experience all around...but I loved it!) I thought that it would be a great line for my boyfriend to have his first cruise on but these reviews are making me feel like I should have spent just a little bit more money & gone with Princess or Holland.

 

Does anyone have any insight? Particularly people that have cruised the Legend in the past 6 weeks or so? I try to take reviews with a grain of salt---i'm naturally a VERY positive person, my boyfriend---not so much haha--but it seems like they just keep declining as time goes by as far as people's enjoyment, the quality of food, service, as well as the condition of the ship itself.

 

I would love to hear from someone who has recently cruised on the Legend---especially if you had a better experience BUT even if you had a similar experience as the two people above, I just want to be fully prepared either way!

[klmorg]

I didn't read the links but just wanted to say... the Legend is one of my top fave ships! Pay very little attention to reviews like that. You don't know these people. I am convinced some people seem to look for anything negative. And I know that poeple do have issues, it I'm sure they happen on every ship and every cruiseline, but don't let anyone elses opinion change anything. Go find out for yourselves!! I have never had a bad cruise or had anything greatly impact my cruise experience. Often times, it's all in the attitude. Cheers!

[CoasterJoe]

I've seen these reviews too and I'm cruising on November 4th. You always have to take the reviews with a few grains of salt and remember that some people just aren't happy until they're unhappy and have something to complain about.

 

Have fun on your cruise and don't sweat the small stuff.:D

[MrFunInTheSun]

Legend is a great ship, don't allow the reviews to influence your cruise. Reviews are great but one must take them with a grain of salt. We must remember they are the perception of the traveler at that time. None of us are them, we are not all alike. We have no idea what the sub was thinking at the time, what was going on in their life at the time, etc. Food and everything in general is so subjective.

 

Think positive, go in with a great attitude and don't nit pick and you'll have a great cruise.

 

Happy cruising.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse typographical errors.

[gcdanno]

My wife and I just cruised the Legend 9/16 - 9/23/2012, and we had a fantastic time. This was my 3rd Carnival Cruise (Glory & Fascination). Some people are just hard to please. My only complaint would be that it was too short!

 

Our steward (Bosco) was wonderful. He was always around, easy to work with and was happy to do extra for us (like getting us a lounge chair for our extended balcony).

 

Our dining room experiences were great too. Our wait staff were very friendly as well. "Win" was our waiter, and he also worked in the buffet during lunchtime and was always asking us if he could do anything for us.

 

James Dunn and the rest of the staff were very pleasant and very accessible as we chatted on a few occasions.

 

Great ship, great fun. Go and make memories. I'm already wanting to plan my next trip.

 

Danno

[moopig]

ss75511 - I am on the same cruise :)

I have also noticed the rash of recent poor reviews and I am a little worried too. I figure I will just notch down my expectations somewhat and hope for the best! Luckily, the people I am traveling with aren't complainers so I am pretty confident we will have a good time :)

[wrigley80]

I was on the Legend in December last year and we had an absolute blast. I loved the ship, the ports of call, the people, and the food.

You can't believe everything that you hear or read on here because no matter what happens on a perfect cruise.....there is always going to be someone who is going to complain about something just because they have nothing better to do.

Just forget about what everyone else thinks and just go on your cruise and have a great time :D

[dz63]

Hi!

 

I have read some terrible reviews as of late about the Legend...I know I shouldn't let it affect me & my level of excitement but it's starting to a bit. Luckily this will be my boyfriend's first cruise so hopefully he will enjoy the experience since he has nothing to compare it to.

 

For what i'm referring to, feel free to browse the following two reviews (the most recent ones from CC)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=109260

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=109343

 

I guess I'm mostly nervous because it seems like the more time that goes by the worse the ship is getting...exponentially. We set sail on October 14th...only 16 days!! I haven't been able to contain my excitement lately but these reviews really make me worried about all of the money we've put into this! I'm usually a Princess cruiser but i've also cruised Holland America and Carnival in the past. Carnival wa my first cruise and might have just been my favorite (probably because it was my first & was a new experience all around...but I loved it!) I thought that it would be a great line for my boyfriend to have his first cruise on but these reviews are making me feel like I should have spent just a little bit more money & gone with Princess or Holland.

 

Does anyone have any insight? Particularly people that have cruised the Legend in the past 6 weeks or so? I try to take reviews with a grain of salt---i'm naturally a VERY positive person, my boyfriend---not so much haha--but it seems like they just keep declining as time goes by as far as people's enjoyment, the quality of food, service, as well as the condition of the ship itself.

 

I would love to hear from someone who has recently cruised on the Legend---especially if you had a better experience BUT even if you had a similar experience as the two people above, I just want to be fully prepared either way!

 

We cruised on the Legend in August. We thought the Legend was a beautiful ship. I did not notice any signs of wear or tear and considering this ship carries over 2000 passengers, it amazes me how everything was so clean, it literally sparkled.

 

Yes, I did notice some Carnival cutbacks. There is no longer live bands playing music on the Lido Deck and there is not as much variety in the different evening showtime entertainment venues as their was in the past. But hey, you are going on a cruise and that is awesome!

 

I have written a detailed review with lots of photos about the ship and our vacation on the Carnival Legend. The link is located in my signature below. Check it out. You may just get a whole different perspective about the Legend! ;)

 

Don't worry. A cruise is what you make of it--you are sure to have a wonderful time!

[ss75511]

Thank you all so much for your uplifting responses. You're all right! I guess most of the people that write reviews are going to be the ones with problems, unfortunately not enough think "OH MY GOSH THAT WAS AMAZING LET ME WRITE A REVIEW!"

 

Although I can promise when I get back, I will! I think i'm pretty objective too! :) dz63--thanks for being an anomaly, your review was wonderful & definitely makes me feel better.

 

@wrigley, gcdanno, mr.fun in the sun, coasterjoe, & klmorg: yall have definitely all helped put the situation into perspective. We're very lucky to be going at all & no matter how much I notice the "cutbacks," I'm lucky that Justin (my boyfriend) won't. He doesn't have anything to compare it to so i'm sure the experience will be magical for him & i'll really enjoy seeing it through his eyes which will even moreso help me ignore anything that isn't up to par with past cruises.

 

@moopig---YAY! Nice to meet you!! I hope you have a fabulous cruise! How many cruises have you been on, any other lines besides carnival?

 

As for everyone else--I would appreciate any information you have on the Legend that you think I need to know! Certain meals that I definitely need to order...shows not to miss or to skip...anything else that you think might be helpful!!

 

Again, thank you all so much for the supportive words, it's definitely made me take the negative reviews with a grain of salt!

[cuyahoga11]

I dont normally read reviews but I just looked at the 2 you posted and all I can say is pffft. Sunday I will be boarding for the 3rd time on her and I have no concerns at all.

[tattoos]

I just returned from my great Legend cruise a week ago and I'm still going through withdrawals. We had a wonderful time, loved the Legend.

 

One of the areas we loved was the Taste Bar which was open most nights at 5:30 p.m. (located just outside Satchmo's on Deck 2 forward). They served some very tasty, complimentary hot hors d'oeuvres (loved the meatballs) and it was the perfect place to have a pre-dinner drink and they offered a different $5 drink special every night. The nights they are open will be listed in the Fun Times.

 

The Serenity deck area is huge, beautiful and was never really crowded. They have a great bar and bartenders there and served that delicious Thirsty Frog Red beer on tap, yum. For all you Thirsty Frog beer lovers, you can order it from any bar and even in the main dining room.

 

If you eat at the buffet for lunch, walk around all the different food stations before you make a choice...the carving station was particularly good and I loved the whole roasted turkey and super delicious baked ham and cheesy mashed potatos, wow, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. The sandwiches at the Deli are always good. I like the food layout in the buffet area...the stations are located in different areas and we never experienced a long wait for any of the venues.

 

We liked the Big Easy show in the Folies Lounge on Thursday night and we saw Jorge Solano in the Punchliner Comedy Club and he was great.

 

Lots of things to do on the Legend if you are so inclined and plenty of quiet, private areas on deck.

 

Go with an open mind and open heart, embrace it all and you will not be disappointed. Don't let minor inconveniences upset you....you're on a cruise, you don't have to shop, cook, or clean up...you're visiting exotic ports of call...life is good.

[kshees]

We were on the Legend in April and I know that isn't the last 6 weeks but we loved the ship and had a great time. My favorite ships so far are the Legend and the Miracle, it's sister ship. Before we went I noticed a lot of negative reviews also and I was a little worried, but the ship is real nice and the crew was great. I hope you have a great time.

[GeorgiaMomof4]

I can't help you as far as being a recent Legend cruiser because we don't sail until October 7th, but I can tell you not to put too much stock into what you read here. As others have said, everyone has their own opinion and you really just have to find out for yourself.

 

We went on the Dream last year in April and a lot of the reviews I read beforehand were negative...bad smell, too crowded, too many kids, bad food, on and on and on...We had a great time! I could not have asked for a better trip (except weather caused us to miss Roatan). I had no complaints, everyone was friendly and helpful and the food was awesome. Bands, comedians, shows - great.

 

I learned from that to go and have a good time. I truly believe your mind set when you board the ship very well can determine what kind of vacation you will have! It's all in the attitude - so go and have a good attitude and you'll be fine!

[Pink Bon Bon]

I am sailing on the Legend 10/28/12 and I also read the recent negative reviews of the ship. Glad to hear from other posters that they have had recent positive experiences on the Legend.

[CBCGirl]

I am sailing on the Legend 10/28/12 and I also read the recent negative reviews of the ship. Glad to hear from other posters that they have had recent positive experiences on the Legend.

 

I am sailing with you, so excited its almost our turn! My policy is I read the good reviews and ignore the bad ones. Then I'll form my own opinion once I cruise. I'm pretty easy to please so I'm sure I'll have a good time. Its all in what you make it.

[waykaylincruz]

We sail on the Legend in 8 days and are super excited. However, I find myself not reading any reviews of the ship I am going on in the few weeks leading up to my cruise. I tend to worry over those things I read about and most of the time, everything turns out wonderfully.

 

So, I do quickly browse over any new threads related to my ship only in hopes of learning something I might not have known.

 

But, unfortunately, as closer to my cruise gets, the less I get on cruise critic. I use it so much when I am planning my cruise and when I first book. However, the negativity that is on here will put a damper on my mood and excitement if I read too much of it.

 

Unless something major happens, I expect to have the time of my life on my upcoming cruise!!

[LHP]

64,000+ sail on Carnival every week.

 

Not everyone is going to be happy.

 

Some are legitimate, some are not.

 

Go with a Traveler's State of Mind and have a wonderful cruise!!

 

Can things happen, yes.... but only YOU control how you allow it to affect your vacation.

[MrFunInTheSun]

Hi!

 

I have a high level of excitement to cruise on the Legend. I can't wait!

 

Here are some things about Legend that may be useful and add to the excitement of your trip. Some of the quiet and hidden spots on the ship. Y'all are going to have an excellent time!

 

"the enchanted forest, and deck 3 aft are quiet spots."

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=48388

 

There are a couple "secret" doors on the Legend that I'm aware of. I posted pictures of them in my review last year. They are toward the back of the ship, I believe on deck 4: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=29380453&postcount=150

 

Go through the door and down the steps and you'll come to the aft promenade on deck 3. Hardly ever used and pretty quiet area. It's also a great place to take pictures of the wake of the ship. Just keep in mind that there are windows that look into the MDR on that part of the deck. :eek:

[Vidimom]

We got off the Legend last week and had a great time! Make sure you catch the comedians! We saw 3 out of 4 and they were all very funny! Get there early as it does fill up quickly. A little secret. Go to deck 1 to get to the lounge. If you go from deck 2, you will have to go down a spiral type staircase and it can be a little scary! The casino was lots of fun. Play the Grease machine! It paid frequently and quite well for a 60 cent bet. Earned lots of points on that and got my drinks on us card in 3 days:) The shows were ok. Not a huge jazz fan but entertaining. Food, all hot in the dining room. If you have YTD, don't go between 6-7pm. There were always lines then. We had early and loved being able to enjoy all the evening activities after dinner. Staff was super nice and would do what they could to please you. The new Taste Bar was very good! Tried a few different things and enjoyed them. We loved Honduras the best. We hired Victor Bodden's company and had a private tour. There were 4 of us and it was only $25.00pp. We added the monkey farm for $5.00 and it was well worth it! If you decide to use Victor Bodden, ask for Andrew! He was outstanding and gave us a great tour of the island and was very willing to answer questions.

 

If you have any questions, please let me know:)

[mawwrenn@yahoo.com]

I am sailing with you, so excited its almost our turn! My policy is I read the good reviews and ignore the bad ones. Then I'll form my own opinion once I cruise. I'm pretty easy to please so I'm sure I'll have a good time. Its all in what you make it.

We are sailing on Oct. 28th. Our group is called "The Island Hoppers". We can't believe how close it's getting. I've met many people on posts here on cruise critics. Lots of us going on this cruise are also doing some chatting on Carnival.com forums. you should go there and click on the Legend Forum. We would like to meet all of you before or on the cruise. Can't wait.

[kait17]

We were on the Legend last year and had a great time. The ship was very clean and the setup is nice. When we were going, we read a lot of reviews and threads regarding the ship and it was a favorite among a large number of members. Have a wonderful time!

[thankful2]

We were just on the Legend last week (for the 2nd time) and loved it. Just to address a couple of the "issues": The graffiti that was mentioned in the reviews was just where someone scratched some words into the shiny metal doors of the elevators. It was barely noticible and nothing to complain about. We just thought how inconsiderate it was for someone to do it...not a negative for the ship or Carnival. There is lunch available for much longer than a couple of hours as stated in the review. The main lunch buffet is opened from 12 to 3:30. Other options are available from 11:00 to 6:00. So never fear, there is plenty of food available...too much actually. :p

 

The ship may be showing a little wear but it is super clean and seemed to be well maintained. Our room steward was fantastic...the best we have had. Our room was always clean and he kept our cooler iced. We thought there was a good selection of food on the Lido and we ate there most nights. The service in the main dining room was good. There is usually a team of three assigned to each table. Can't say we won in the Casino but it was fun...smokey, but fun. We did not notice the smoke anywhere but in the Casino. We put out the door hanger for breakfast to be delivered 3 mornings and it always arrived at the time we asked for it. It was nice to have a quick bite before heading out for a day in port. We never noticed any noise from the hallway and we actually retire early and get up late on sea days. My DH loved the temperature in the common areas but I thought it was a little cool sometimes so if you are cold natured you might want to bring something with long or 3/4 sleeves or some type of wrap.

 

Don't worry or let a few complainers steal your joy. You will have a GREAT time!!!! Enjoy!!!:)

[pshortie265]

I was on the Legend mid-August (I guess that was about 6 weeks ago now! :() I glanced through the reviews and didn't agree with either of them. We VERY MUCH enjoyed our trip and are still talking about it nonstop!

I noticed both reviews talked about the decor- I guess I don't notice/care about that sort of thing.

And the cutbacks- the only ones we noticed were that last year as past guests we were invited to a small party hosted by the CD with free drinks and apps, there was no past guest party this year (since we don't have enough sailing days for gold status). Also they had a farewell party with more free drinks and entertainment staff dancing last year on the Glory, not offered this year on the Legend. We expected this going in and not a make or break deal for us.

 

Recommendations for the Legend- get to know the staff you see every day in the dining room and the room stewards. They have great stories about their lives on the ship and lives back home, and I think they get a lot of rude guests sometimes so they really appreciate it when you are their friend.

Same for your fellow passengers- our favorite thing about this cruise was the people we met, and that was partially due to the smaller passenger capacity of the Legend, we met people in port and in the early days and then saw them at shows and dinner and in port, and everywhere!

We found the most entertaining shows were the audience interaction ones, even the smaller ones like Game Show Mania had us laughing.

 

Have fun!

[grgsgrl]

I , too, was on the 16th -23rd adventure and can not say enough good thing about this.ship. it was fun. It was crazy and we had a blast. U

I had 2 favorite stops. Roatan & grand Cayman. My one piece of advice would be to remember ship time versus island time. Can get very confusing. This was my 10th carnival cruise and my 2nd favorite. (The victory has my heart) . I agree with that rest. Go, have a wonderful time, live life to the fullest, and say pfffttt to the naysayers.

[CBCGirl]

I just went and looked at all of the current reviews, here is what I saw, on 9/12 there were a total of 8 reviews for the Legend. 4 of the got 5 stars, 1 got 4 stars, 1 got 3, 1 got 2 and 1 got 1. So to me that says a lot. I wouldn't worry about a couple of bad reviews.