Carnival Legend 11-17-13 Review - with lots of photos!

[erby2283]

Loving your review so far, thanks for taking the time to post it. Paradise Beach looks beautiful!

 

You're welcome and thanks for taking the time for your quick post to let me know you were reading/enjoying it.

 

It really takes a lot of time to upload/crop hundreds of pictures and then take the time to write a review. May not be as detailed as most but I post what I can remember off the top of my head.

 

When I am anxiously awaiting for a cruise, I love reading reviews which is why I choose to do one; to return the favor. Always amazes me to see how many people actually read the review versus actually posting a reply/thank you.

 

So thank you to all you who took a moment to respond.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Onceuponatime]

I'm leaving on the Legend on Sunday! You're review is holding me over until then! Sounds like you had a great cruise. Thanks for posting!

[erby2283]

I'm leaving on the Legend on Sunday! You're review is holding me over until then! Sounds like you had a great cruise. Thanks for posting!

 

Have a great cruise!!! I will do my

Best to finish before you leave.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[CruiseAwesome]

We boarded the Legend as you were leaving! I like your review so far! I always struggle with mine!!

[ch27088]

This cruise almost never happened for me and I was still reluctant to go as my dog was diagnosed with cancer for a 3rd time in June 2013, and what was supposed to be an easy surgery turned into months of chemo, weekly testing and well, as you can imagine, big time bucks. I decided since the Legend was going to be permanently moving to Australia and I had gotten such a good deal on our balcony, we would stick it out and take this trip and probably forego a cruise in 2014.

 

Southwest started flying out of Charlotte earlier this year so we no longer had to drive to Raleigh to get great rates on flights. However, there were no direct flights into Tampa and I really didn’t feel like flying through Houston and traveling for 8 hours the day before we set sail. So, I decided we would fly into Orlando and rent a car and drive to Tampa. The flight was uneventful and while waiting for our bags, I luckily overhead someone mentioning how incredibly long the lines can be renting cars at MCO. So while my BF waited for luggage, I briskly walked to the rental counter and got all that taken care of before our bags even arrived! FYI – while dropping off the car for our return flight, I noticed the lines to get rental cars was 100x worse than when I was there so I guess I got lucky. Picked out my Chevy Impala and off we went to Tampa.

 

After getting advice here on Cruise Critic, we booked the Double Tree in Rocky Point which overlooks the Bay. I made a reservation about 6 months in advance and was glad I did as it seemed to be completely booked well in advance of our sailing. I had originally booked us 2 double beds and at check-in, she upgraded us to a king and didn't even have to ask for the view! It was beautiful! After check-in, we dropped off our luggage and set out for a quick ride around town. Here are a few photos of our hotel room. The hotel is being renovated but we didn’t hear a single peep! For what I paid, I was really impressed with the accommodations!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your room was quite nice and the view was excellent!

[sheilb4]

Wonderful review and great pics!

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to do this... I leave on Sunday and always love to read recent reviews before I leave....

Adds to the excitement!! Great job Erby!! :)

[erby2283]

As I stated earlier, I watched the weather like a hawk the weeks leading up to our cruise and it was supposed to be horrible for us with rain everywhere! The second we boarded the tender in Belize, it started pouring and of course, I forgot my poncho in the room. Not to fear, the rain stopped 5 minutes later. The best part about our tender ride was that in addition to the two Carnival musicians who were sitting right in front of us, the comedian, Happy Cole, was also sitting to our right. One musician even gave me props on my loyalty to my Dallas Cowboys when he saw my tattoo on my ankle!

 

We could overhear the three of them discussing where they were headed to. One musician was heading home, one was headed to another Carnival ship and Happy Cole was headed to a show in Ohio. No one really noticed Happy the whole ride b/c he boarded last and kept under the radar until right before the tender docked and a woman asked Happy if he was in the one of the shows. Happy was trying to convince her that he was just a musician until my BF blurted out “No, he was the comedian!” The look on Happy’s face cracked me up. He just slowly turned to my bf and said, “Really?”

 

 

We usually book one Carnival excursion when we cruise; and it’s usually one that is a tour that is far away from port. One that we are in fear of missing the ship and so we book with Carnival b/c we know it’s the safest route to go. We decided on the Altun Ha City View tour which was with Chukka. Last year, Chukka did our Horseback riding excursion in Montego Bay in Jamaica so I knew they would do a good job. We had a ton of people on this tour. I think we filled up 3 air conditioned buses. The first thing our tour guide told us was that it had been raining non-stop the past few weeks and that today was the first day they (Chukka) did not have to cancel a significant portion of their tours.

 

We drove through the streets of Belize and I snapped pictures of some of the nice homes we drove by. (I think people on other tours must have seen a different part of Belize b/c after seeing Roatan, I swore that Roatan was poorer than Belize but many disagreed). These are a few of the pictures of took during our ride through the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our tour guide advised us that they do not believe in welfare in Belize; that you go to school and get a job and that there are enough jobs for everyone. She also said that there is one cell phone company and they charge so much that people complain but at the end of the year, they give back to the community and provide services to schools so they are trying to complain less. We also drove by a new track and field facility they are naming after Marion Jones. Apparently, her mother is from Belize and in an Olympic games, Marion Jones held up a Belizian flag. She also made a donation to help build the facility and the government matched her donation. I just thought it was little, I’m not sure what the word is, but wrong to name an athletic field after an admitted cheater!?

 

I'll get to Altun Ha in my next post :)

[deepdish1082]

does anybody have the funtimes

[CrusieToy]

Great review love the photos. Looking forward to our 4th Cruise on the legend next mo.

[cruiseclues]

Thanks for your photo review...the food photos are especially great. :):):):)

[N.FL Cruisers]

I am enjoying your review. Thank you for posting.

[erby2283]

does anybody have the funtimes

 

Sorry, I didn't keep them this time. I have in the past but then I realized I never looked at them after the cruise. :mad:

[erby2283]

Thanks for your photo review...the food photos are especially great. :):):):)

 

I should have taken more but then the migraines started every day and I didn't feel like eating much less taking a camera to dinner.

[erby2283]

After a very long, slow and bumpy ride (about an hour), we finally reached Altun Ha. I had read on CC to be careful of the bugs and since it had rained non-stop the previous weeks, I was concerned about being eaten alive bc mosquitos love me. But I came prepared with 100% deet and wasn’t bothered in the least. However, I didn’t really notice anyone too bothered by any bugs so maybe it was the time of year and we got lucky? It was very hot and muggy!

 

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable in explaining about the different sites. Altun Ha was accidentally discovered during rock quarrying and they quickly realized these were not normal rocks. Since then, they have tried to excavate as much as they could. There really isn’t a whole lot to see, but the view from the largest ruin was beautiful. The one thing I took away was how off base the Mel Gibson movie "Apocalypto" was.

 

You really only get to spend about an hour there b/c the travel time to and from the ruins takes so long. Our guides told us about the shack that would be selling the local chicken and beans and rice (cooked in coconut water) that was located by the bus parking lot so me and my bf stopped in to get something to go. I just got the rice and beans and it was really good and he said the chicken was very good as well! Not to mention regular coke in a bottle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[erby2283]

When we got pack to the port, we did some shopping and picked up a lot of souvenirs for people. Some coffee, chocolate, key chains, Christmas ornaments, coffee mugs, t-shirts. You know, the usual stuff. We took the tender back, tipping our usual $2, and went to drop everything off back in the cabin.

 

As usual, I sat on the balcony with a soda and my book and waited for sailaway and the sunset. It was on this day that I captured, in my opinion, my best picture of the whole cruise. What a gorgeous sunset!

 

 

After sunset, we headed down to see Fernando and his staff for a dinner for two. As usual, great service. This was night that I asked what night mac-n-cheese night was to which he replied, "It can be tonight Ms. Elisa!" I will never forget that line from this cruise. He brought a side dish of mac-n-cheese with my dinner even though I didn't ask for it.

 

I don't know what it is about cruising but I am just so wiped out by the time I finish dinner that I have no energy for enjoying the night life on board ships anymore. I used to live for the shows, and comedy and karaoke. But now, it's just back to the cabin and watch tv or sit on my balcony listening to the waves go by. And I'm only 39! Maybe it's because I don't drink. lol!

 

[erby2283]

We boarded the Legend as you were leaving! I like your review so far! I always struggle with mine!!

 

Did you have a good cruise? I heard the weather was not so good. :(

[erby2283]

Enjoying your review including the photos.

 

Keith

 

Thank you Keith.

[erby2283]

Wonderful review and great pics!

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to do this... I leave on Sunday and always love to read recent reviews before I leave....

Adds to the excitement!! Great job Erby!! :)

 

 

Thanks Sheilb4. Hope you have a fantastic time!

[erby2283]

I had researched some private tours and almost booked with Victor Bodden but decided to book with a man name Juan Carlos instead. He used to work for Victor Bodden and I found some favorable reviews for him here on CC . I found some other roll call peeps interested in joining me for the tour and we ended up with a total of 7 people.

 

Most people prefer to just go to Carnival's beach which is within the port area. It has tons of shopping as well.

 

 

 

All private tours are not allowed within the port area so you have to walk outside and up a hill and then down the hill. A lot of people were on the right hand side of the street with signs and mopeds, etc but Juan Carlos was by himself on the left hand side with a sign, just like his instructions read. He walked us to his van, which he kept running so it was nice and cool when we got inside. A few on our tour were hesitant to book privately bc they had never done so before so I was glad they decided to join us for Juan Carlos' tour!

 

 

View from atop one of the scenic stops. Juan Carlos said if you cruised in on another ship, this is where you would have docked.

 

[erby2283]

Our first stop on the tour was a monkey farm. This was NOT Victor Bodden's monkey's. It was a different place; I want to say it was called Maya Eden or something like that. It was a $10 per person entrance fee and the second we jumped out of the van, a monkey named Jake jumped on our friend Matt's head, and from that second, the bromance was on. Jake and Matt were inseparable!

 

 

The monkey farm also had an enclosed butterfly farm.

 

 

 

 

Look at cute little Jake!

 

 

Jake refused to leave Matt's arms - even when his handler called him!

 

[erby2283]

More Monkeys:

 

 

 

 

 

And my favorite....he was sleeping so securely in the arms of his buddy!

 

[erby2283]

After the monkey farm, we stopped and did a little shopping for about half an hour and picked up some more souvenirs and were able to pick up some drinks at a grocery store located below the shops.

 

Juan Carlos then drove us around Roatan and showed us some beautiful spots where more locals hang out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Hi OP!

 

Wow I love your Roatan photos! Its like I'm there again! One of our favorite ports, especially the west end dive hippy area. I also agree that Belize when we were there (2011) was the more depressed, compared to Roatan.

 

FYI, I know what you mean about eating dinner and falling asleep. I have since learned that I must keep walking around and going all over the ship after dinner. To this end, I have figured out that main or early seating is NOT for me. The reason is that you go eat all that rich food and then you sit down for a show. If I sit down, I'm asleep soon after and down to my room I go. Pretty much done by 10. On our last cruise, our party selected second seating. You sit down to the show first, walk around the ship or lounge on veranda (nice pics btw!) and then you go eat dinner around 8, and afterward you go to games or karaoke or deck dance parties or whatever. If I do that, I found some nights we stayed up past 2am!

 

So that's my suggestion. After you eat, don't sit down! And you may discover that you have all your energy to par-tay back! And as for drinking, believe me, that can put you to sleep faster than anything. After dinner coffee, and then stroll around the ship?

 

Try it! You'll thank me later.

 

I'll never do early dining again. I'd rather grab a slice or chicken tender at 5, watch a show after I'm pooped from swimming all day, then go eat a nice dinner, and then check out all the night life from here on out. Even if my friends beg me! No more early dining for me!

[erby2283]

Hi OP!

 

Wow I love your Roatan photos! Its like I'm there again! One of our favorite ports, especially the west end dive hippy area. I also agree that Belize when we were there (2011) was the more depressed, compared to Roatan.

 

FYI, I know what you mean about eating dinner and falling asleep. I have since learned that I must keep walking around and going all over the ship after dinner. To this end, I have figured out that main or early seating is NOT for me. The reason is that you go eat all that rich food and then you sit down for a show. If I sit down, I'm asleep soon after and down to my room I go. Pretty much done by 10. On our last cruise, our party selected second seating. You sit down to the show first, walk around the ship or lounge on veranda (nice pics btw!) and then you go eat dinner around 8, and afterward you go to games or karaoke or deck dance parties or whatever. If I do that, I found some nights we stayed up past 2am!

 

So that's my suggestion. After you eat, don't sit down! And you may discover that you have all your energy to par-tay back! And as for drinking, believe me, that can put you to sleep faster than anything. After dinner coffee, and then stroll around the ship?

 

Try it! You'll thank me later.

 

I'll never do early dining again. I'd rather grab a slice or chicken tender at 5, watch a show after I'm pooped from swimming all day, then go eat a nice dinner, and then check out all the night life from here on out. Even if my friends beg me! No more early dining for me!

 

Thank you so much for you reply! We did ATD though so we eat when we're hungry, and my BF eats ALL THE TIME! Not sure he could do the structured time but I do hear what your saying. Going back to the cabin after dinner is pretty much a guarantee of not leaving the room!

 

When we have cruised with friends in the past, we found we stayed up later b/c we actually did things together with them. Even if it was just hanging out on the deck watching them drink and dance.

 

I think the thing that really bothered me about Roatan versus Belize was all the homeless dogs I saw! OMG!!!! Broke my heart seeing them on top of garbage cans scrounging for food. Our guide in Belize said that the majority of the dogs I saw there were not homeless; it was that so many people work long hours and it's so hot, that they leave the dogs loose so they are able to get food and water all day/night and stay in the shade.

Edited December 12, 2013 by erby2283

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Thank you so much for you reply! We did ATD though so we eat when we're hungry, and my BF eats ALL THE TIME! Not sure he could do the structured time but I do hear what your saying. Going back to the cabin after dinner is pretty much a guarantee of not leaving the room!

 

When we have cruised with friends in the past, we found we stayed up later b/c we actually did things together with them. Even if it was just hanging out on the deck watching them drink and dance.

 

I think the thing that really bothered me about Roatan versus Belize was all the homeless dogs I saw! OMG!!!! Broke my heart seeing them on top of garbage cans scrounging for food. Our guide in Belize said that the majority of the dogs I saw there were not homeless; it was that so many people work long hours and it's so hot, that they leave the dogs loose so they are able to get food and water all day/night and stay in the shade.

 

With ATD, that makes it even easier than. You can eat at 7 or whatever and not be tied to a time. Just be sure and get those feet moving. That caloric intake is a sugar coma! If you use the energy, you won't fall asleep. Now go out there and have some fun! :D

 

Oh my goodness, my mom won't hardly get off the ship in Jamaica because of that!!! I guess we were fortunate because we came in on a snorkel catamaran and bussed the back way through roatan. Maybe we missed a lot of that. :( I think that is the case in almost all those depressed countries (and the children aren't much better either) :( . In St Maarten, they had where you could buy a Tshirt and proceeds went to the local animal shelter. Yay! So there is some effort.

 

Maybe next time you can try a catamaran and not see the doggies. It does stink. A downer for sure. If we didn't support the local economies, it would be even worse though! At least we help a little bit. :(

Edited December 12, 2013 by TwinPrincessMermaids