Crystal & Darren's 1-5-13 "Breezin' Through the Southern Caribbean" Review!

[bucks724]

First of all, please bear with me. We just got home and this may be a slow process. Also, forgive me in advance for the possibly poor picture quality - I'm NOT good at photographing food, nor am I a good photographer, in that I leave my camera in the room EVERY time I step out! But I wanted to share our vacation with you all and those of you thinking about booking the Breeze soon!

 

Background:

 

I am Crystal, 39, originally from Northern VA, but living in OH for the past 14 years.

 

My husband, Darren, is also 39, and originally from OH.

 

Our daughter, Chaya, is 15, and she came here to OH with me in 1999.

 

Darren will be creating an account to do this review with me and give his side of things, so we will offering differing points of view sometimes!

 

Travels:

 

We flew out of Columbus on Thursday, 1/3 to Orlando. One word of advice, SHOP AROUND. Flights from CMH to FLL directly were $1163 for the 3 of us at best for this trip. Our past 2 cruises were around the $700 range, but the National Championship was on Monday, and that drove prices up. We found a flight into Orlando for $740 and booked. At the time we booked, the flight to FLL was about $2100. We decided that money would be better spent on our S&S accounnt and a little extended Disney vacation!

 

We arrived in Orlando on Thursday night, got a FREE shuttle to our $80 hotel from the Magical Express, and arrived to check in around 9:30. Got a bite to eat and hit the bed. In the morning, we grabbed a small breakfast, got a free shuttle to the Car Care Center, and picked up our $50 car from National Car Rental.

 

We drove 3:20 to FLL, picked up my parents, and headed to MIA. Checked in to our hotel (Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon), where we were upgraded to a suite and had free breakfast and free parking. The hotel was clean, staff was pleasant, and they offer a free shuttle within a 3 or so mile radius, including the airport.

 

We went to dinner, grabbed our water, soda, etc., and settled in for the night. The next morning, we returned our rental cars and got the free shuttle to the POM at about 11.

 

Embarkation:

 

We arrived at POM at 11. Dropped off our luggage with the porters, got through security within minutes, and headed in to get our S&S cards. Within 20 or so minutes, we were on the ship! Amazing! By 11:30 or so, we were on the Lido enjoying some lunch.

 

Next up: Embarkation day lunch and a few ship pictures. Stay tuned!

[Breezy72]

Hey, us future Breezer's are anxiously awaiting your review so don't let us hang for too long! :p Details! We want details! :D

[bucks724]

Hey, us future Breezer's are anxiously awaiting your review so don't let us hang for too long! :p Details! We want details! :D

 

I know what it's like to wait, so I'll try to make it quick! I am waiting for my Photobucket to upload all the pics and I've had a long day, but I'll get to it ASAP! :)

[campdaan]

Great start so far !...

 

I'd be interested in a little more info on the Hampton Inn, Blue Lagoon.

 

We will be staying there soon.

[bucks724]

Great start so far !...

 

I'd be interested in a little more info on the Hampton Inn, Blue Lagoon.

 

We will be staying there soon.

 

Thanks!

 

Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon is a nice hotel. On the smaller side. It's difficult to get in and out of but you learn to "navigate". When coming off of 836 (or whatever), you go up the road and have to make a U turn to get in. That also means you can only make a right turn out. Free parking is up on the second floor, so you register in the lobby, drive around the corner, and use your key card to buzz yourself in and go up to park, then enter through the back.

 

Pool is up on the second deck, outside of the food area. Nice, quiet gathering place is there when no food is being served.

 

Very comfortable beds (I could be saying that because I had just stayed at a Disney hotel with a HORRIBLE mattress, so take that with a grain of salt). Staff was VERY pleasant and helpful, and whatever we needed was taken care of.

 

There is a Walgreens right out front in walking distance, with a McDonald's right next to/behind it, and then a little strip mall across the main street with a Publix and Burlington Coat Factory, and several other little shops, including a Starbucks. I also recall a Burger King and a gas station.

 

Our room was supposed to be a standard room, but we got upgraded to a suite, so we had a kitchen area, a sitting area with a sleeper sofa and a bedroom with a king bed and a nice sized bathroom with a separate dressing/make-up area outside of it.

 

Like I said before, the free shuttle is only to and from the airport and within a 3 mile radius, but a taxi to the POM isn't that expensive, so if you want to save yourself some trouble with doing what we did renting a car and returning it, that's another great option.

 

If you have any specific questions, please let me know. I'd be happy to answer. On a final note, one couple in our party stayed at the hotel we wanted to get, the Hampton Inn downtown near Bayside, and they said it was FABULOUS. They loved the nightlife scene and said they felt perfectly safe there as well.

[bucks724]

Like I said, I'm new at this, so forgive me. I'm going to try to post some pictures now, but I need to backtrack just a little.

First, let me say, I hate to fly. With a passion. Like Xanax and knee-popping (my husband's) are totally the norm. So this time, I decided "you know, I am going on vacation. God won't want me to die before I experience this. I'm not doing anything of the sort." I sat next to the window (a no-no), I left it OPEN (an even BIGGER no-no), and I didn't pop a pill. Or touch my husband's knee.

But, I saw the most beautiful site when I dared look out. A nice sunset over what I presumed to be maybe Georgia.

 

I am going to post this now and hope it worked, then I'll continue a little bit. And then I have to get to work since I haven't been here in about 15 days! :)

[bucks724]

Okay, okay, okay. One more. I'm hooked (and stoked that the picture posting worked). Granted, the next few pics are from my iPhone, but I'm nowhere as talented as ItalianFemmy with my pictures - as you'll see - so bear with me here.

 

 

So back to our hotel room. Hampton Inn Blue Lagoon. Just a few shots of that before we hit the ship the next morning:

 

Living area with all my junk thrown inside the door:

 

 

 

 

Kitchenette:

 

 

 

Dressing/Make-Up Area:

 

 

Bedroom:

 

 

 

 

View from the bedroom in the daytime:

 

 

Parking area:

 

 

As I said before, this is a nice, clean hotel with friendly staff. I would definitely stay here again. I believe the original price of the room I rented was somewhere around $189, but the Rack Rate on the room we were upgraded to was $919 (not that you'd ever pay that much). But it was definitely cozy enough for our family of 3 and could have easily slept 4.

[ciera123]

Great start, looking forward to more! We're on the Breeze May 25 and are very excited!!! :)

[bucks724]

Twist my arm!

Embarkation Day Continued:

We arrived at the port around 11 or so. Dropped off our bags with the porters, and did the typical drill, and were on the Lido enjoying our lunch by 11:30ish. I decided, after reading reviews on CC, to visit Cucina del Capitano on the first day before everyone found out about it. Good call. I had Bow Tie pasta with alfredo sauce, spinach, garlic shrimp and tomato. YUM!

Of course, no embarkation day is complete without a Funship Special. First and last. It was good, but strong, and then I moved on to bigger and better things (aka the Miami Vice - thanks GAPearl!).

We walked around a bit after that, waited for the party to begin on Lido for sailaway, and took a couple of pictures of the ship (nothing you haven't really seen before, but here goes):

 

 

[bucks724]

Last post and then I really need to get some work done, but a little bit of info for background sake:

I traveled and roomed with my husband (39) and daughter (15). We had a triple balcony cabin on Lido - 10256. In our group were: my friend Danica (39), her husband, LW (47) and their daughter, Kassidy (13) in 10258; Leonard (67) and Brenda (70), my parents, in 10262; Bobby (72) and Connie (50-something), my uncle and his girlfriend, in 10264; and Doris (70 - my mom's high school BFF) and her husband, Jerry (70), in 10266.

We also had a large group of family with us staying in all other areas of the ship, including several aunts, cousins, my sister and her husband, my brother-in-law's sister, etc. A total of at least 70.

We do this trip every other January in the odd years, typically in the same week. The next trip is being selected now, just to give you an idea of how it works.

Danica's family and my family are all from Ohio. Bobbie and Connie live in Colorado Springs, CO, and the rest of our group is from the DC/MD/VA area (which is home to everyone but Danica's family).

[Donna - dsw]

Love your review - but more important - - - how special is that - - - a family that actually does something together and I mean the whole family!

[pinkiesue]

Great review so far. Can't wait to read more when you have time to do it. :)

[celticd1]

Looking forward to more! :)

[4hunters]

Great start! Looking forward to the rest. ;)

[bucks724]

Love your review - but more important - - - how special is that - - - a family that actually does something together and I mean the whole family!

 

Thanks! It is very special. I live far enough away now that I don't get to do the routine gatherings with them, so it's nice to know that every other year, we'll see each other in a nice, relaxed setting. It's not quite the "whole" family, but close enough.

My brother was in the Navy and refuses to PAY for a ride on a ship. LOL. But his fiance is breaking him down slowly but surely. Luckily for me, we live 15 minutes apart, so at least I don't miss seeing him because he misses the cruise.

[Delta Dear]

Like I said, I'm new at this, so forgive me. I'm going to try to post some pictures now, but I need to backtrack just a little.

 

First, let me say, I hate to fly. With a passion. Like Xanax and knee-popping (my husband's) are totally the norm. So this time, I decided "you know, I am going on vacation. God won't want me to die before I experience this. I'm not doing anything of the sort." I sat next to the window (a no-no), I left it OPEN (an even BIGGER no-no), and I didn't pop a pill. Or touch my husband's knee.

 

But, I saw the most beautiful site when I dared look out. A nice sunset over what I presumed to be maybe Georgia.

 

 

I am going to post this now and hope it worked, then I'll continue a little bit. And then I have to get to work since I haven't been here in about 15 days! :)

 

That is absolutely STUNNING. It belongs on a magazine cover.. Wow, you did an amazing job !

[bucks724]

Darren's going to kill me because he hasn't even created his CC account yet, and I'm posting like a mad woman and he wanted to do this together. But anywho.....

Sailaway:

No cruise on Carnival is complete without the sailaway party. Part of our family was on the Liberty (they opted for a 7 day rather than 8, and chose a ship we went on before - strange but true). So we went up to wave at them, then headed back to our spots to watch the festivities.

Our CD on this cruise was Butch Begovich. Let me say. I don't remember the first CD we had. The last one was Goose. Who was nice but rather annoying (constant announcements). We LOVED Butch. From beginning to end. His assistant, 6-3, was also pretty freakin' awesome. They put on a little show for us and we had a good time taking pictures. Butch even busted me taking a picture of him shaking his booty.

Shots of Miami from the ship

 

And the "booty shakin'" by Butch and crew:

 

 

[Purplehaze21]

What a great start!! I can't wait for more LOL I may be a tad excited! :D

[rhcpchika1]

Loving this!!! Awesome you cruise w that big group :)

[Delta Dear]

Keep it up, Mad Woman ! We'll be on there in 46 days. YAY

[got2shop]

lalaLuV'n this....keep it going! Thx

[re-re]

Enjoying the review, can't wait for more, i got a zillion days before i go on the Breeze.:)

[happy cruzin]

Enjoying the review, can't wait for more, i got a zillion days before i go on the Breeze.:)

 

I remember THAT feeling..... ;)

[bucks724]

I remember THAT feeling..... ;)

 

I remember it too. We typically book about 20 months in advance. Talk about waiting games...

 

More soon. Darren is picking up the dog and I'm doing some laundry, then I'll get him set up with a CC account and start uploading his iPhone pics to my Photobucket account and he'll start adding his $.02 as well!

[sallyb]

Thanks for the review, helps keep me from going insane while I wait.:cool: