Just got off Miracle - any questions?

[udog21]

I was on the Miracle 2 weeks ago. It was Duane's "the Piano Bar Singer" last week. I went almost everynight and was to impressed. It basically seemed like he had other people come up and sing for him so he could go and chain smoke.

[CruisinRin]

Much of what I saw of the CD was on the video that they had of the different events on the TV in my cabin that I watched as I got changed or relaxed.

 

I also just returned yesterday! We were with a group of 12adults and 4 kids. I went to the piano bar twice and the guy was OK. I can't remember his name, but he wore a brimmed hat, had a moustache, and acne scars. He was very friendly, but we only stayed in there for a couple of songs each night.

 

-Corinne

[Ltvscout]

Was the slide open? ;)

[Skinsfan1311]

Here I think the biggest factor was the time crunch that we were under since we were not on a 'Carnival' excursion. We were on the first tenders after the 'Carnival' excursions and we still only made it by about 15 minutes. If you are going to do the cave tubing, I would book it through Carnival.

Thanks for all of the great Miracle info! We'll be sailing her on June 26th I have a few "tender" question(s)about Belize.

1) What time did you actually get into port?

2)What was the ships time vs Belize time? (I've read several different versions ;) )

3)What was the procedure, for getting Tender tickets?

4)Can you offer any tips, for getting tickets, so that you can be on the first "non-Carnival" excursion?

Thanks! Rick

[dadofgage]

Was the slide open? ;)

 

Slide was open and being used - my wife loved it!

[dadofgage]

Thanks for all of the great Miracle info! We'll be sailing her on June 26th I have a "tender" question(s)about Belize.

1) What time did you actually get into port?

2)What was the ships time vs Belize time? (I've read several different versions ;) )

Thanks! Rick

 

1) I will have to look it up to be exact, but from what I remember, we dropped anchor about 6:30-7:00 ship time.

 

2) I believe that it was a 2 hour time difference. I just left my watch on ship time and went by it since that is what mattered.

[dadofgage]

3)What was the procedure, for getting Tender tickets?

4)Can you offer any tips, for getting tickets, so that you can be on the first "non-Carnival" excursion?

Thanks! Rick

 

Good question. According to the capers, the shore excursion desk would start handing out tickets at 8 am. They then called sucessive numbers to board the tenders.

 

Our group did not get tickets, but we got on the first 'non-carnival-excursion' tender. We had 24 people that day going on an excursion. Not sure if someone 'tipped' the right person or how it happened.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I was on the Miracle 2 weeks ago. It was Duane's "the Piano Bar Singer" last week. I went almost everynight and was to impressed. It basically seemed like he had other people come up and sing for him so he could go and chain smoke.

Thanks for the information!

 

Tom

[Ltvscout]

Slide was open and being used - my wife loved it!

Great! Glad to hear it. There's been a lot of reports of the slide being closed on the Spirit class ships.

 

Did you have any problems with finding lounge chairs around the pool(s)?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I also just returned yesterday! We were with a group of 12adults and 4 kids. I went to the piano bar twice and the guy was OK. I can't remember his name, but he wore a brimmed hat, had a moustache, and acne scars. He was very friendly, but we only stayed in there for a couple of songs each night.

 

-Corinne

 

I just discovered the name of the new guy in there "James Conn".

 

To have a really entertaining guy in there is the exception (only 1 or 2 times in many cruises...). First: they need to be able to SING ( :rolleyes: ). Second: they need to be friendly and interactive. Third: they should play a variety of music!

 

Thanks!

 

Tom

[takeyourmark]

Glad you had a good time...we leave next Sunday...can't wait.

 

Just curious what you did at each of the ports....

 

Thanks

We are going on the same tour with Nativeway. There are 5 of us so I guess that will make at least 13. See you next wee!

[patmeoh]

We're scheduled to go on the Miracle cruise in July. I read about the cave tubing experience. We booked through Xtreme also but now I'm worried. Was the time factor the only issue with Xtreme? Otherwise was the experience okay? Just out of curiousity. What time did your cave tubing excursion start?

 

Thanks for the info on Captain Bryan, I'll check it out. I've heard good reviews about Cap't Bryan's before.

 

We're taking kids, 11 and 15. Did it seem like kids kept busy?

 

Any info or advice you could give us we'd appreciate.

 

Thanks

Patmeoh

[dadofgage]

Did you have any problems with finding lounge chairs around the pool(s)?

 

Yes, get there early.

 

Having a group of 25-30 people at any one time was difficult so we decided on the first day to just use the topless deck. There weren't ever many other people up there and in a few cases, they were ship staff on their time off.

[dadofgage]

We're scheduled to go on the Miracle cruise in July. I read about the cave tubing experience. We booked through Xtreme also but now I'm worried. Was the time factor the only issue with Xtreme? Otherwise was the experience okay? Just out of curiousity. What time did your cave tubing excursion start?

 

Thanks for the info on Captain Bryan, I'll check it out. I've heard good reviews about Cap't Bryan's before.

 

We're taking kids, 11 and 15. Did it seem like kids kept busy?

 

Any info or advice you could give us we'd appreciate.

 

Thanks

Patmeoh

 

Well, Xtreme met us and quickly got us going on the trip. I did feel rushed through the time were were tubing on the river and I saw other groups that seemed to be much better of than we were.

 

I think part of it was that the guides were worried abou getting us back in time, which they did.

 

I did like the fact that I didn't have to wear a life vest while tubing (or at least it was my choice) and that once we got to the river, we were able to jump in from the cliff - about 12 feet or so. It is my understanding that with the Carnival excursion, the lifevest was pushed more and that you couldn't jump at the beginning.

 

Now the question comes - would I recommend them or not - yes and no. To me, I would have felt a little better being on the Carnival excursion and not having to be rushed. But on the other hand, I liked the freedom to do the jump (and other things).

 

I thought the experience of cave tubing was neat - I enjoyed it. The rain forest was beautiful, the water was crystal clear and a nice temperature.

[MrPete]

We went to another show earlier in the cruise but I cannot think of the name of it right now, but it had dancers, singers, etc - a large production and it was very well done.

 

Generations?

 

And Mark Hawkins? They should put him in a powerless life raft with Brett Allans off the Legend, and send them permanently south.:eek:

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

[quote name='patmeoh']We're scheduled to go on the Miracle cruise in July. I read about the cave tubing experience. We booked through Xtreme also but now I'm worried. Was the time factor the only issue with Xtreme? Otherwise was the experience okay? Just out of curiousity. What time did your cave tubing excursion start?

Thanks for the info on Captain Bryan, I'll check it out. I've heard good reviews about Cap't Bryan's before.

We're taking kids, 11 and 15. Did it seem like kids kept busy?

Any info or advice you could give us we'd appreciate.

Thanks
Patmeoh[/QUOTE]

You aren't sailing on July 3rd by chance, are you?

Tom

[dotshub]

We are booked with X-stream too in June but also want a little time to shop at the pharmacy etc at the port area.
Will we have enough time for that? did you have time for shopping after the tubing excursion?

[tankersbabe]

[quote name='dadofgage']To answer with the first thing that came to my head - eh.

I guess that I found both he and his assistant (Karl) to just be making fools of themselves the whole cruise. Maybe that is what they are supposed to do.

Other cruises that we have been on, I have always met the CD and run into them on the ship many times throughout the cruise.

On this cruise, however, I never once ran into him, or even saw him except for one of the shows and the debarkation talk.

Maybe what I expected a CD to do and what happens in reality are two different things.

Let me also say this, my opinion on the CD is my opinion only. Others, I'm sure, found Mark to be great and do a good job.[/QUOTE]

When we sailed the Miracle, we had Carlo. I was told later that Mark was out on vacation and Carlo was filling in. I loved him! He was awesome...very perosonable, very friendly. Hubby and I took a couple of the dance classes and he taught those. Great guy. Karl drove me nuts, and outside of the ship, a real bore.

Stef

[01Sweetpea]

Great information! From what you've said I'm glad we booked a Carnival excursion for Belize (although not cave tubing).

Can't wait until 7/3!

[Flutterbugs]

DH and I were on the Miracle 2 weeks ago. We booked our cave tubing through X-tream. We had a wonderful time with them, and we got back to the port with 45 minutes before the last tender. X-tream had two different tours the day we were there. We were in the first group that left (our meeting time was 6:50 local.) I know the other group was behind us, but not sure what time they left. Our guide was Thomas, and he was very concious of the time. Just a note: The day that we were there, carnival had 5 buses of people cave tubing. We got to go through 2 caves, and they did only 1.

[dadofgage]

[quote name='patmeoh']We're scheduled to go on the Miracle cruise in July. I read about the cave tubing experience. We booked through Xtreme also but now I'm worried. Was the time factor the only issue with Xtreme? Otherwise was the experience okay? Just out of curiousity. What time did your cave tubing excursion start?
[/QUOTE]

Our guide(s) met us at the peir and then once we paid, we were off.

From there I would estimate at least an hour and fifteen minute drive to get to the destination.

After that, changing into our suits the hike up probably took another half hour or so.

The actual tubing time was in the neighborhood of an hour and a half.

Then we grabbed a bite to eat at the little restaurant there.

[b]TIP - order on your way up for them to have it ready when you finish. That way they won't run out of food (at least for you).[/b]

Same amount of travel time back.

[serene56]

I have a question re the CD- If we have a good time and there is soo much to do and not enough time to do it-- didnt he do his job well??
What is his job?
I thought it was to plan activities throughout the day. I guess I need a super CD so I can see the difference.

[dadofgage]

[quote name='dotshub']We are booked with X-stream too in June but also want a little time to shop at the pharmacy etc at the port area.
Will we have enough time for that? did you have time for shopping after the tubing excursion?[/QUOTE]

I would venture that you may have time - I know one person in our group did go and make a purchase at one of the shops in Belize before they tendered back to the ship.

[luv2cruise03]

[quote name='takeyourmark']We are going on the same tour with Nativeway. There are 5 of us so I guess that will make at least 13. See you next wee![/QUOTE]


I talked with Sharon tonight, and she said that we would be back to the port in plenty of time for the ship, not to worry.

So we have myself, husband, 18 and 15 year old daughters, my older daughters boyfriend and his parents and 23 year old sister.

I am sooo looking forward to this.

[F5Loar]

Did you go to the bathrobe party? And what was that like? What did you do?
You wear bathrobes and what else?