Review of our 2013 Spring Break Carnival Breeze Cruise

[poptart]

So happy to see your review. I've been away from the boards for a couple of years. No fun when you are landlocked. We had some illness in the family and needed to be near home, but everything turned out well and we have a cruise booked to celebrate.

 

Your family is amazing and the boys have really grown.

 

Now on with the review!!! :D

[rdler]

Thanks, Paul, for undertaking another review. I always look forward to them. I think they are the most insightful on the Carnival forum. And it is fun to trace your family adventures each year.

 

As a very experienced Carnival cruiser, do you and your family have any thoughts on the "enhancements" Carnival has been making over the past few years? Do they affect your experience?

[kansas kruiser]

Side comment-

 

When I joined CC several years ago, your reviews were always extremely helpful and fun to read.... It's hard to believe that the kids in your review now are the same kids in your avatar pic! Where does time go, ha!

 

Thanks again for doing these

 

-Josh

:cool: I agree!! Where is the like button??:rolleyes::D

[travlngrl1996]

I have enjoyed your reviews since becoming a member of CC as few years back. I knew that you were going on the Breeze and was so looking forward to this review. Thanks for writing.

[Kingisacruiser]

I am so excited to read another PaulMedik review. I look forward to your insights on the Breeze as I wait for my turn.

[Time2CruiseAgain]

Paul this couldn't have been better timing!! We leave in the Breeze in 23 days and our daughter is getting married on board!! Can't wait for the whole review!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[PaulMedik]

Thank you all for the kind comments.

 

Hopefully I'll get more accomplished tomorrow and maybe some on Saturday (I worked today, then tomorrow and Saturday so it just depends on the health of the community as to how much I can accomplish.

 

 

Side comment-

 

When I joined CC several years ago, your reviews were always extremely helpful and fun to read.... It's hard to believe that the kids in your review now are the same kids in your avatar pic! Where does time go, ha!

 

Thanks again for doing these

 

-Josh

 

 

Josh,

 

Thank you. I guess I should update that avatar, but I can't bring myself to do it; I'll always see them at that age. Time sure does fly!

 

 

 

Thanks, Paul, for undertaking another review. I always look forward to them. I think they are the most insightful on the Carnival forum. And it is fun to trace your family adventures each year.

 

As a very experienced Carnival cruiser, do you and your family have any thoughts on the "enhancements" Carnival has been making over the past few years? Do they affect your experience?

 

 

rdler,

 

Thank you.

 

I like the 2.0 enhancements which we got to experience last year on Liberty, but I must say that Breeze is everything I hoped that Dream would be; it's an actual change and not just a change in layout. Breeze has extra features that quite frankly we're going to have to cruise her a couple more times just to try them all out properly.

 

Breeze and Dream might be 'sister' ships, but Breeze has a different parent would be my way of describing her. She might even be adopted. The décor is strikingly different from previous Carnival ships, but there's obviously more thought to the passenger flow and what is required to maintain enjoyment for everyone simultaneously.

 

The staff on Breeze also seemed to be more in tune with what passengers expected and were able to anticipate better than on other ships. From simply things like a roaming drink cart in the Lido Marketplace where drinks are refilled table side to more prompt cleaning and clearing of tables. We could not set our food down and leave it to get additional items or they'd clear it. They also did a fine job of policing tables while we were still eating; empty or finished dishes were removed politely much like in the main dining rooms.

 

The layout of the main atrium is also better in that there are guide posts to control lines and make access to other areas remain open.

 

Photogs had out of the way areas to set up and take photos without blocking the hallways and creating log jams of people waiting and those just trying to get past.

 

Hopefully I'll be able to touch on more of the enhancements during the review. Suffices to say that Carnival Breeze has an abundant number of enhancements and given that we've sailed most of the new ships over the past few years, it's impressive that she was able to stand out so well.

 

Looking back I can say our previous sailings on new ships were simply sailings on new ships, but Breeze has raised the bar quite a bit. Carnival Liberty was our favorite and we sailed her in her maiden year and four times after then. Even though other ships we sailed were newer, Liberty was still our favorite, but Breeze has earned the title of our favorite Carnival ship and I can't wait to sail her again!

 

 

 

Poptart,

 

Welcome back! I'm glad everything turned out well and Bon Voyage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I think texting is the oddest addictive invention of the past couple of decades, but is it me or is it just becoming more widespread in the past couple of years? My sons have had cell phones with text capability for years, but now it seems they can't live without it. A 12 year old on South Beach can't find anything better to do than text?

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

At least he's awake which is more than I can say for Karen;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

And I did manage to get him out into the water;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

What did I do on South Beach?

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

 

Where would I find Spencer and Jade while we were out on South Beach? By the pool of course;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

[PaulMedik]

Paul this couldn't have been better timing!! We leave in the Breeze in 23 days and our daughter is getting married on board!! Can't wait for the whole review!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

 

Time2CruiseAgain,

 

I promise to do my best to get finished before you sail; I might fail in that endeavor, but I will try.

 

 

 

Bed time now; 0500 comes way to early....:o

[cruises42]

Time2CruiseAgain,

 

I promise to do my best to get finished before you sail; I might fail in that endeavor, but I will try.

 

 

 

Bed time now; 0500 comes way to early....:o

 

Anxious to hear more. We sail in 9 days!:D

[Yankeegirl]

Yay!!! Subscribing...always love your reviews!!! :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[reganr3]

Can't wait to read your review...we will also be sailing in 22 days!!! :)

Edited April 19, 2013 by reganr3

[PaulMedik]

The Savoy Hotel is conveniently located just South of Lumus Park on South Beach and less than four blocks North of Government Cut where the ships sail from Port of Miami. Karen and I made the short trek down to watch the Thursday evening ships sail away and along the way we got to watch the trash collection truck in action;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

The iconic Jetty lifeguard tower on South Beach is a nice back drop for amateur photogs;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Professional Photographers flock to the area to capture the evening sunset light;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Getting pics of ships sailing out of the sun isn't the best angle and is in fact the worst angle, but nonetheless here I am waiting for the ships to come out of the sun;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

The Celebrity Constellation provided an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how difficult it is to shoot into the sun;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

Work is currently underway on the pier at the Mouth of Government Cut and the construction crew provided a site one would only expect to see at South Beach where you can see ANYTHING. A flying toilet;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

[PaulMedik]

I assume the contract specs called for the contractor to 'take their S*** with them at the end of each day?'

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

[quickrate]

I have to agree with everything Paul has said here about the Breeze. A wonderful ship! There were only 2 things I did not like. I really missed the adults only pool and I thought it strange in the atrium the platform they had the entertainers on. No interaction with audience as they are way too high. Kind of up there singing to themselves without feeling the feedback of audience. My husband is an entertainer and he says it was not a good design.

We would sail the Breeze again and again!! Look forward to the rest of this review.

Pat

[PaulMedik]

After our stroll to South Pointe Park AKA 'Mouth of Government Cut' I took a quick swim in The Savoy pool;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Then we rounded everyone up and headed North thru the bustling South Beach;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

The walkway in front of the hotels is normally packed in the evenings, but the cool air had crowds cut back quite a bit;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Sometimes I think they just set up random crime scenes to maintain a police presence;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

I wish I had used video instead of still images for this picture because this woman was working out VERY hard;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

[Shatima]

Loving this VERY Detailed Review.. Thank so much for doing one *=*, Cant wait for more.. 4.5 months left

[jkjmt]

Keep it coming!!!! Love it!!!

 

Your description of the Breeze being different and better than any other Carnival cruise really gets me excited for our trip.......I'm impatiently waiting.

[Thebosn1]

Nice job so far thank you! I sail on Breeze in one week! keep it coming!

[mum2bradley]

Can't wait to see the rest of the review as we are travelling at Christmas with our teenaged son! Great job!

[outtoseacruise]

Great review so far. Looking forward to the rest since we are sailing on Breeze next month.

[PaulMedik]

Our friends were staying precruise at the Hilton Downtown Miami and they were meeting us for dinner at Jerry's Famous Deli. A few years ago when we used to stay at The Royal Palm Hotel we always HAD to eat every meal at Jerry's Famous Deli because our kids loved it. Near the end of our 10 block stroll up South Beach Britt and I took a detour and arrived ahead of everyone else. Our destination;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

The stragglers were one block North by the time they came in sight of the deli;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

As you can see by the size of the menus, they have EVERYTHING at Jerry's Famous Deli;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Spencer ordered spaghetti and what he thought was a side salad. It's a little large for a side salad;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

It was also Spencer's 16th birthday and he opted for multiple servings of apple pie instead of cake. He had planned to take his drivers test on his birthday, but he was OK with being in South Beach instead;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

After dinner we all opted to walk back to our hotel so a line of 11 West Virginians strolled down the heart of South Beach's party district and for those who've never been, there are sights of all kinds along the sidewalk from snakes to;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

[PaulMedik]

These three wheeled rockets on wheels looked fast even when parked;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

Britt of course decided he'd like to have one;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

After we arrived back at The Savoy our friends Mike and Kimberly checked out the pool area and began looking forward to their post cruise stay at the Savoy;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

Marina had to check out the pool temp;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

 

During our tour of The Savoy the kids got together and demonstrated what weddings look like on the terrace of The Savoy;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

 

I should point out that Spencer and Taylor are NOT boyfriend and girlfriend nor are they legally married.

 

Permission was granted for the faux bride and groom to hug;

 

Carnival Breeze PreCruise by paulmedik, on Flickr

[MrsDannyNew]

Im loving the review its so well detailed I cant wait for more KEEp IT COMING:D

[DEERINH2O]

Love it can't wait to read the rest!!!

[Gingee]

Looks like fun as I am looking at them from the flooded Midwest.