Carnival Liberty - Feb. 8-15 Mini Review

[pianogal83]

DH and I just returned from our 5th cruise on the beautiful Carnival Liberty.

We have also sailed on the Sensation, Paradise (twice), Fantasy, Freedom, Miracle and Crown Princess but in our opinion, the Liberty tops them all in terms of decor, dining room and above all CREW! They are amazing and every time we travel on the Liberty we meet amazing friends among the crew. Now they remember our names! LOL

 

We arrived at the port about 10:30, handed our 2 checked bags to the porters, when through security straight to the Captain's Lounge. There was no line for Sail and Sign, so we immediately obtained them and relaxed in the lounge chatting with a delightful couple from North Carolina until shortly after 11:00 when they called us to board. Interestingly, we were not asked for our S&S card when boarding - I missed that first "DING" which is my official welcome aboard! LOL

 

We were in our cabin, 9201, by 11:20. I was uncertain about this cabin as it looks really small on the deck plan. I inquired and was told that it was a regular size cabin. This is NOT true. It is by the far the smallest cabin I've ever had on Carnival, rivaling the size of our inside cabin on Princess. We will never book this cabin again. There was no place to sit but the bed - not even a chair. Of course, no round table, either. In fact the room was so narrow that I only had about 12 inches between the bed and the wall on my side, difficult to get in and out of the bed during the night. Also, the dressing stool could only be pulled out far enough to slip sideways onto the stool which meant I twisted my knee and back constantly when getting up and down to do makeup and hair. The corner of the bed was only about 8-12 inches from the bathroom door! It is a TINY room!

 

By 11:30, we were on Lido. I enjoyed the Italian feast which I love on the first day, the vegetarian eggplant is my favorite, while DH enjoyed his first Guy's burger.

 

After lunch, we returned to the cabin to find our luggage had arrived (about 1:30) so we unpacked and took our first 2 hour nap. Waking just in time to hear the call to Safety Drill. We were among the last to arrive at our Muster station but made it in ample time and actually enjoyed being late. (We are usually some of the first in line). This time we were at the end of the line and in the front. No standing in the back, suffocating! AND we were some of the first to get to leave! LOL

 

Sail away was beautiful - and we enjoyed it from the top Serenity Deck. We were the next to last ship to leave the gorgeous Port of Miami. The party on Lido was hopping and we enjoyed the festivities for awhile before returning to our cabin to get ready for dinner in the Golden Olympian.

[pianogal83]

Dining on the Liberty is one reason I love sailing her! We had Your Time Dining but were always seated immediately at a two top. We know the assistant maitre'd, Ivan, from earlier cruises and enjoyed his warm personality and visits every evening. We were sad to hear he is leaving the Liberty in a couple of months but hope we will run into him on a Carnival ship in the future.

 

We had a different wait team every night - all excellent, personable and very fast. Michelle was a favorite server from our last Liberty cruise in November and was working as a hostess this time around. She has always been so thoughtful, remembering us immediately and taking care of our every need or desire.

 

Any issues with the new menu seemed to be worked out as service was prompt and our food was piping hot. The bread was AMAZING!!! HOT every night and so soft and fluffy. I usually skip bread, but I had to eat at least 2 slices every evening.

 

We tried the flat bread, calamari and Caesar Salad for the table. The flat bread was good, not amazing, but good. My DH LOVED the calamari. It was small but tasty and chewy, not tough. It was also NOT greasy - a big plus for me.

 

The Caesar Salad was good but DH really loved the Greek Salad offered several nights as a side on the American Table Menu. It was a 'real' Greek salad like the one served at our local Greek mom and pop restaurants - very little lettuce, rather peppers, cukes, onion, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and dressing.

 

DH skipped the lobster and ordered beef every night. Most nights his favorite, Flat Iron Steak with Peppercorn Sauce, but he also enjoyed the Filet Mignon and Short Ribs, Chateaubriand and the Beef Roast. I enjoyed the Mahi Mahi (YUM!) and one of my favorites from the old menu, Jerk Pork Loin. A new favorite is the Plantain Crusted Fish. It was HUGE - I could only eat about half but it was delicious! I also enjoyed the Prime Rib (perfectly seasoned and so tender) and Filet with Short Ribs.

 

I really liked being able to order sides from the new menu, finding the Green Beans, Roasted Broccoli, Ratatouille and Mashed Potatoes my favorites.

 

The only disappointment was the desserts. I did not find much I liked and expressed to Michelle that I missed Creme Brulee. The next night we were told the chef had prepared a special surprise dessert for us and then brought out the BEST Creme Brulee I have ever eaten anywhere! It was fresh and amazing!! Now you can see why I LOVE the Liberty crew!!

They told me that they will prepare it upon request - so if you love it, be sure to request it! DH ate WCC every night except Valentine's when they had prepared a special chocolate heart dessert and the Creme Brulee night.

 

Overall I LOVE the new menus. I hope they address the dessert issue. I like WCC but also like variety and do not want PIE on a cruise! LOL

[2 cruzen]

Great start..can't wait for the rest. Is cabin 9201 aft with the large balcony? We had an L shaped room on Breeze last year, and although we LOVED the balcony, did not like the room at all. Back to basic balcony for us!

Edited February 17, 2014 by 2 cruzen

[saltybones]

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[pianogal83]

Great start..can't wait for the rest. Is cabin 9201 aft with the large balcony? We had an L shaped room on Breeze last year, and although we LOVED the balcony, did not like the room at all. Back to basic balcony for us!

 

Hi cruzen. 9201 is a forward cabin in the front facing the 'private deck'. It is the only walkway view cabin on Lido deck that isn't handicapped thus the reason we booked it. We usually stay in one of the 4 front facing cabins on Upper Deck as DH LOVES that 'secret' deck. He actually prefers it to a balcony :) (Not me, LOL)

 

Our favs from the new menus were:

Appetizers:

Calamari (DH got it every night!)

Shrimp Cocktail (DH got one EVERY night!)

Ham Croquetas and Empanadas (Miami Port of Call)

Lobster Bisque (American Feast Night 2)

Chicken Pastelitos (Roatan Port of Call)

New England Clam Chowder (among the best I've ever had - even in Maine!)

 

Entrees:

Flat Iron Steak with Peppercorn Sauce (DH perpetual fav)

Filet Mignon (American Feast Night 2 - ok..not my fav but DH)

Grilled Mahi Mahi (Miami Port of Call)

Rosemary Braised Lamb Shank - totally amazing!!

Plantain Crusted Red Snapper - (Roatan Port of Call) Awesome and huge!

Jerk Pork Loin - A fav of mine from the old menus that Carnival kept!

Prime Rib - was the best Prime Rib I've had on Carnival

Savory Tart with Root Vegetables - this was the vegetarian option on American Feast Night 1. It was HUGE and delicious!

 

DO NOT get the Roasted Strip Loin served over Polenta! I don't know what it was supposed to be but it was thin slices of awful. The guests at the table next to ours got it as well and hated it.

 

Sides:

Greek Salad - DH loved it as there was little to no lettuce but chopped veggies, olives and feta

Roasted Broccoli - I loved it

Corn and Vegetable Succotash - Very Good!

Sauteed Green Beans - Yummy! With onions and almonds

Ratatouille - Yum!

Mashed Potatoes - Carnival makes some of the best!

 

Don't care for:

Mac and Cheese with Bacon - know some love it, to me it's nasty!

 

Dessert:

The only new dessert we tried was the Sticky Toffee Brioche with 4 toppings. UGH!!! Like a Dunkin Donuts HUGE donut with dipping sauces. Not impressed at all!

The only desserts we had were:

Special Request Creme Brulee, the WCC and the special Valentine's dessert. Nothing else sounded interesting or even good. Desserts were the only disappointment in the new menu for me.

 

I know some enjoy the cold soups. I think I saw 2 on the menu during the week but unfortunately don't remember the names.

 

Bed is calling...more tomorrow night!

Edited February 17, 2014 by pianogal83

[wantocruisemore]

Thank you so much for your review. We will be back on Liberty in May. I agree the staff there is wonderful.

 

Thanks for the food opinions. That helps a lot. We too are disappointed about the dessert changes. Nice to know you can ask for and receive Creme brûlée. I always enjoyed that.

[WillWorkForCruz]

Enjoying your review.

 

We will be sailing on the Liberty in 102 days!!!!!

[rooster1961]

Thanks for the info

[pianogal83]

Josh Weitzman, aka Big Sexy, was our CD and as usual did a great job.

We skipped the Welcome Aboard Show but did see "Just Rock". Although we've seen this show before, this was by far the best performance of it we've seen. The guy/girl vocalists both had exceptional voices and were well matched, the dancers were much more in sync than usual and the sound engineer was right on top of the mix and all cues. The Liberty Band with Mike was amazing as always.

 

We also saw a Chinese Juggler that was entertaining. He was somewhat of a stand up comic but was a really amazing juggler. He must be new as we've never seen him before. I hope they keep him around.

 

The only other show we saw in the Main Theatre was the Love and Marriage Game which is always fun. All 3 couples were quite entertaining and as usual the oldest couple were a hoot.

 

We also took in a couple of afternoon Jazz sessions in the Atrium with a combo from the Showband (trumpet, alto sax, bass, electric guitar, drums and vocalist). They were swingin!

 

There were 2 bands that alternated playing in the Promenade by the casino. One was a Latin band and the other a rock band. Both bands were good but I would rate the Rock band as GREAT! One of the best I've heard. All had wonderful voices and "in tune" harmony. (Read..better than the original singers for the most part!) The keyboard player is unforgettable - not only in his skill but his overall stage "presence"!! If you ever see him, you will know what I mean! He must burn about a million calories each set! LOL

 

The piano bar was rockin' as well. Jonathan must be a new piano man for Carnival but I would bet he'll be around for a long time, unless he gets an invite to Vegas. He's that good with the whole package, INCREDIBLE keyboard skills as well as a great voice. He is a little too country for my taste so we didn't spend as much time as we would if he had a more varied repertoire. Hopefully, he will work on expanding his repertoire to appeal to a broader audience. If so, we would just stay in the piano bar every night!!

 

Last but not least, the 4 comedians we had throughout the week were hilarious (and I've heard some real sleepers!!). I had heard 2 of the 4 in recent cruises. Something new, was that there was actually a late night (I think 11:45) comedy show on the first night. I liked that!!

 

The few times we stepped into a Karaoke event, we couldn't stand it and left. I really don't get why Carnival still does this. There was never more than 10 or 15 people in the lounge anytime we went by.

 

We don't do bingo, or trivia shows, hairy chest contest, mixologist or movies on Lido so I can't speak for those. Of the activities we did attend (with the exception of Karaoke) EVERYTHING was first rate. Josh had the best lineup of talent I have ever experienced on a cruise. He batted a 1000 as far as I am concerned!:D

[pianogal83]

I addressed the dinner menu and service in the MDR in an earlier post so this post will deal with the other dining venues.

 

We enjoyed brunch on the 2 sea days. DH ALWAYS gets Filet Mignon and Eggs.

I got the Huevo Rancheros with chicken the first sea day and thought it outstanding. The chicken poppers that went with it were really good as well.

It was BIG! I couldn't eat but about 1/2!

 

The second sea day I got the Egg's Benedict and Cheese Grits. I LOVED the cheese grits! I also tried the warm chocolate brownie dessert for the first time (usually get the banana pie, which is yummy). I have found a new favorite! I think I liked it BETTER than WCC!!

 

The other days I either had a freshly made spinach, pepper and mozzarella omelet or just coffee, rolls and fruit. DH enjoyed the sausage from the buffet.

 

I usually do the Buffet for lunch as I get a raw veggie salad and some protein (chicken or fish). I LOVE the Bouillabaisse from the Fish and Chips bar so had to have it one day. Also had a late night pizza snack twice. Both times the pizza was freshly made and piping hot! If they could figure out how to make the crust a little less tough, it would be amazing! I love the Quatro Fromaggio!! Yum!!

 

DH loves Guys burgers (but limited himself to 3 during the week), did Fish and Chips a couple of times and buffet the other days.

 

We did not do the Mongolian Wok, Burrito Bar or Room Service nor did we purchase a drink program. Our bar tab usually runs about $100 bucks. I had a glass of wine with dinner a couple of nights and a drink in the comedy club 3 or 4 times. DH doesn't drink.

 

Overall, the food was acceptable, we certainly didn't starve. A few things were outstanding!

[pianogal83]

I turned Platinum on our previous cruise so knew what to expect for Platinum perks. In addition to expedited boarding and a nice, relaxing time in the Captain's Lounge, I received a nice cooler bag and a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. Unfortunately, the strawberries were not delivered until the next to last day and we didn't eat but one. They didn't seem really fresh, probably because it was late in the cruise. We got them earlier the last cruise and they were much fresher!

 

We did not take advantage of the free laundry (I like to do my own laundry) or the early tender perk.

[2 cruzen]

Hi cruzen. 9201 is a forward cabin in the front facing the 'private deck'. It is the only walkway view cabin on Lido deck that isn't handicapped thus the reason we booked it. We usually stay in one of the 4 front facing cabins on Upper Deck as DH LOVES that 'secret' deck. He actually prefers it to a balcony :) (Not me, LOL)

 

Our favs from the new menus were:

Appetizers:

Calamari (DH got it every night!)

Shrimp Cocktail (DH got one EVERY night!)

Ham Croquetas and Empanadas (Miami Port of Call)

Lobster Bisque (American Feast Night 2)

Chicken Pastelitos (Roatan Port of Call)

New England Clam Chowder (among the best I've ever had - even in Maine!)

 

Entrees:

Flat Iron Steak with Peppercorn Sauce (DH perpetual fav)

Filet Mignon (American Feast Night 2 - ok..not my fav but DH)

Grilled Mahi Mahi (Miami Port of Call)

Rosemary Braised Lamb Shank - totally amazing!!

Plantain Crusted Red Snapper - (Roatan Port of Call) Awesome and huge!

Jerk Pork Loin - A fav of mine from the old menus that Carnival kept!

Prime Rib - was the best Prime Rib I've had on Carnival

Savory Tart with Root Vegetables - this was the vegetarian option on American Feast Night 1. It was HUGE and delicious!

 

DO NOT get the Roasted Strip Loin served over Polenta! I don't know what it was supposed to be but it was thin slices of awful. The guests at the table next to ours got it as well and hated it.

 

Sides:

Greek Salad - DH loved it as there was little to no lettuce but chopped veggies, olives and feta

Roasted Broccoli - I loved it

Corn and Vegetable Succotash - Very Good!

Sauteed Green Beans - Yummy! With onions and almonds

Ratatouille - Yum!

Mashed Potatoes - Carnival makes some of the best!

 

Don't care for:

Mac and Cheese with Bacon - know some love it, to me it's nasty!

 

Dessert:

The only new dessert we tried was the Sticky Toffee Brioche with 4 toppings. UGH!!! Like a Dunkin Donuts HUGE donut with dipping sauces. Not impressed at all!

The only desserts we had were:

Special Request Creme Brulee, the WCC and the special Valentine's dessert. Nothing else sounded interesting or even good. Desserts were the only disappointment in the new menu for me.

 

I know some enjoy the cold soups. I think I saw 2 on the menu during the week but unfortunately don't remember the names.

 

Bed is calling...more tomorrow night!

 

THANKS for the break down of favs...funny you said stay away from the Strip Loin. I just asked DH last night, what is that? Beef or pork

 

Thanks so much for letting us know about requesting Creme Brûlée...I will absolutely do that the first night. :D

[saltybones]

Outstanding Job!

We are sailing her for the first time on May 9th, you are really making me feel good about this!

We have sailed the Dream three times and can't for the life of me figure out why Carnival has not brought her up to specks?

So looking' forward to this cruise! Thanks again for this review!

 

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[Engineerstar]

AWESOME REVIEW PIANOGAL.

Was it quiet surrounding your cabin area?