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LittleMissMagic's 2014 8-Day Carnival BREEZE S.Caribbean Cruise - A Photo Review!


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What an awesome review! :D

 

Victoria, I must say that you and Max are such a cute couple. Congrats on winning the free cruise! You should have bought a lottery ticket too that day, haha. I wish I had been so lucky to get one of the free cruises.

 

I sailed the Breeze last year on the same itinerary. It was a fantastic cruise, but I had some of the same issues as you, such as slow service in the MDR the first couple of nights and an AWFUL DJ that played bad music. Check out my Breeze review in my signature once you're done writing yours and have some time. I wouldn't mind sailing the Breeze again, although I'm looking at her sister ship, Magic, for next year.

 

Keep up the good work! I'm loving your pictures and looking forward to reading more. I'll have to go read your other reviews when I'm done with this one. :)

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Thank you! I won't lie - a recent thread has me questioning the way that I write my reviews, but I hear from so many people who enjoy them that I don't think I'm going to take the suggestions in that thread too heavily.

 

I know of the thread you're referring to, which I found ridiculous. Anyone who doesn't want to know the "back story" of a cruise and its travelers can always just jump ahead, or go read the reviews in the "review" section of these boards. I enjoy hearing about all of the pre-cruise details as it heightens the anticipation of the rest of the review for me (unless the reviewer is a total jerk, I've read a couple of those reviews, too).

 

So yes, I am really enjoying your style and going along with you and Max on this trip. Thanks so much for taking all of us along!

 

Grins.:)

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I know of the thread you're referring to, which I found ridiculous. Anyone who doesn't want to know the "back story" of a cruise and its travelers can always just jump ahead, or go read the reviews in the "review" section of these boards. I enjoy hearing about all of the pre-cruise details as it heightens the anticipation of the rest of the review for me (unless the reviewer is a total jerk, I've read a couple of those reviews, too).

 

So yes, I am really enjoying your style and going along with you and Max on this trip. Thanks so much for taking all of us along!

 

Grins.:)

 

May I ask about that particular thread? My reviews are based entirely on a back story, personally I think that is why people like them. We come here to read and enjoy other's vacations so we can prepare for ours. A back story is a must to read 20+ page review, otherwise you will loose people very fast.

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What an awesome review! :D

 

Victoria, I must say that you and Max are such a cute couple. Congrats on winning the free cruise! You should have bought a lottery ticket too that day, haha. I wish I had been so lucky to get one of the free cruises.

 

I sailed the Breeze last year on the same itinerary. It was a fantastic cruise, but I had some of the same issues as you, such as slow service in the MDR the first couple of nights and an AWFUL DJ that played bad music. Check out my Breeze review in my signature once you're done writing yours and have some time. I wouldn't mind sailing the Breeze again, although I'm looking at her sister ship, Magic, for next year.

 

Keep up the good work! I'm loving your pictures and looking forward to reading more. I'll have to go read your other reviews when I'm done with this one. :)

 

Thank you, GAPearl! I'm actually *very* familiar with your Breeze review because it was the most helpful in helping me plan and get excited for my cruise on the Breeze! It's been a few years since I've been a regular on the Carnival boards, so I wasn't sure where to look for in-depth reviews - a search led me straight to you! Thank you for the time and hard work that you put into your review!

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May I ask about that particular thread? My reviews are based entirely on a back story, personally I think that is why people like them. We come here to read and enjoy other's vacations so we can prepare for ours. A back story is a must to read 20+ page review, otherwise you will loose people very fast.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2021759

 

I'll warn you that if read at the wrong hour, the thread can be incredibly discouraging. Apparently there are a lot of people who dislike back stories, pre-cruise stays, and bathroom photos. Then there are the people who will stand up for the pre-cruise hotel, but give advice on how reviewers should write the entire review before posting or write the entire review and then put the pictures at the end....

 

What's incredible to me is that of everyone complaining..... NONE of them write reviews (or at least have links to them in their signature).

 

Personally, I don't see what everyone is so offended by...

 

fountain1.jpg

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Interesting, honestly if I don't like how the review is going I simply ditch it and move to the next. Oh well, to each their own, let them complain if that is what they like, no one forces them to read anyway. Honestly it really does not matter to me, many people would beg to differs and the views show for it.

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LittleMissMagic, I love the way you write your reviews and think your photos are among the best cruise photos I have seen here on CC. I think you just need to cruise year round and write reviews and take photos full time! I can't wait to read all of your reviews!!

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http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2021759

 

 

 

I'll warn you that if read at the wrong hour, the thread can be incredibly discouraging. Apparently there are a lot of people who dislike back stories, pre-cruise stays, and bathroom photos. Then there are the people who will stand up for the pre-cruise hotel, but give advice on how reviewers should write the entire review before posting or write the entire review and then put the pictures at the end....

 

 

 

What's incredible to me is that of everyone complaining..... NONE of them write reviews (or at least have links to them in their signature).

 

 

 

Personally, I don't see what everyone is so offended by...

 

 

 

fountain1.jpg

 

 

Thank you for your review! Don't worry about the haters :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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HI all!

 

I saw that thread too & you know I'm a big girl, if I don't want to know about

what you did or ate before the cruise I skip ahead!;)

 

Loving your review & photos Victoria & seeing other great reviewers on this thread!:D gapearl when is your next cruise please?

 

Looking forward to sailing the Breeze again then seeing what gambee thought of it later on. Don't forget your fish eye lens gambee, love that type of photo.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

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I think some people just want to be negative or see themselves in print complaining. I love your reviews - love gambee's - Norbert's niece ( hope I have that right) Trainman & Judith, Darthgrady, Radio.... Basically anyone willing to take the time to bring me along on the journey. I even had my fill one Saturday and wrote a post very early in on being on cruise critic applauding those who tirelessly answer the questions day in and day out. Who cares if there is a search button - doesn't work half the time. If the people are so nice to gladly offer up advice and answer the questions - that have been asked over and over, why do others care! Like gambee says - if I see a review stalling or a thread going negative I just abandon it. But I do take notice and smile when a long time member of cruise critic handles a newbie and answers without the "go search it" or "get the popcorn ready" shows a nice level of respect. People can be so mean and snarky sitting behind a computer!

 

Omg.... Kinda went off topic there. So basically - keep on doing your thing! You do it well. And yes I vote for a Victoria and Max Allure cruise.... You will love it! Ok sorry.... Back to Victoria.......

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As you might could tell by the sky, the weather wasn't too ideal for lounging on the beach. But we had just paid for the chairs, so despite the on and off sprinkles, we were going to sit in them! Finally, about a half hour before we had originally planned to return, we decided to end our battle with the clouds.

 

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We caught a van back to the pier for $5 per person. Then Max wanted to go looking for Duty Free stores...... didn't find any with large amounts of alcohol. I was certain there would be some in Aruba.... nope.

 

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I had asked Max earlier if he wanted to eat in the dining room or find a restaurant in Aruba. He said that honestly, he didn't want to skip the dining room because he didn't want to miss out on any of the food! :D

 

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You might tell from my lack of captions that I didn't take any notes or really remember the menu. What I do remember is that the cake pictured had a little heart by it for "healthy" and it was really bad. Took one bite, and I was done!

Edited by LittleMissMagic
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We did want to take advantage of being in port until late that night (scheduled to set sail at 11:30). Max had asked if I wanted to just walk around Aruba.... I asked if I could bring my tripod!

 

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Max definitely deserves credit for these photos. We would agree upon the composition, I would adjust the exposure, and Max would release and close the shutter.

 

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It was also ridiculously windy, so weighting and blocking the wind from the tripod was a challenge that I definitely couldn't have conquered on my own.

 

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Freewinds was already docked when we arrived, and Max was shocked that something so tiny could be a cruise ship. He kept cracking jokes about Freewinds. "That's where rich people send their teenagers when they've been bad. 'You missed curfew? Freewinds for you!' 'Failed your classes? You've been grounded to a month on Freewinds.'"

 

Well, I had to research the ship once I got home, and she has a very interesting and rather unfortunate history! It was actually original constructed as a ferry and then converted to a cruise ship. Her maiden voyage as a cruise ship was cut short as she hit an underwater cliff in the Stockholm Archipelago which breached the ships hull and fuel tanks. Today, Freewinds is owned by the Church of Scientology and used as a training center. It was also discovered to have blue asbestos in a 2008 drydock which is the most dangerous form of asbestos, but perhaps due to the expensive renovations needed to remove the asbestos, the Church of Scientology denies that blue asbestos is present on board. The Wikipedia article is very in-depth if you're interested - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freewinds

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Victoria,

THanks for the review and also the history of the Freewinds. I see her docked at odd intervals on the Port Aruba Webcam, but never researched the history of the ship.

 

Awesome review as always! I normally don't look at the Carnival boards, but followed you over from the Princess boards.

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Just wanted to say I love your reviews and you're writing style... Don't change! It's very petty to see others complaining about reviews on cc. That's what the scroll is for on your mouse... scroll past the stuff you don't want to read or just exit the review... I know I never have to do that on your reviews though. They are entertaining and resourceful. Keep up the good work!

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13705647075_1c8cefd894_b.jpg

 

Freewinds was already docked when we arrived, and Max was shocked that something so tiny could be a cruise ship. He kept cracking jokes about Freewinds. "That's where rich people send their teenagers when they've been bad. 'You missed curfew? Freewinds for you!' 'Failed your classes? You've been grounded to a month on Freewinds.'"

 

Well, I had to research the ship once I got home, and she has a very interesting and rather unfortunate history! It was actually original constructed as a ferry and then converted to a cruise ship. Her maiden voyage as a cruise ship was cut short as she hit an underwater cliff in the Stockholm Archipelago which breached the ships hull and fuel tanks. Today, Freewinds is owned by the Church of Scientology and used as a training center. It was also discovered to have blue asbestos in a 2008 drydock which is the most dangerous form of asbestos, but perhaps due to the expensive renovations needed to remove the asbestos, the Church of Scientology denies that blue asbestos is present on board. The Wikipedia article is very in-depth if you're interested - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freewinds

I was in front of a Scientology center in Ybor City here in Tampa one night even though all the lights were off in the office screaming "Bring out Tom Cruise" not surprisingly he wasn't there more surprisingly I was stone cold sober. :D

 

I hope the Freewinds is still in Aruba on October so I can re enact this moment in my life.

 

Great review by the way.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

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Loving your review Victoria!!!!

 

Would love for you to go on the Oasis/Allure and see what we are talking about. I have to agree; Carnival's pools are the smaller pools of all cruise lines I've taken and always crowded.

 

But just so you can give yourself the gift of being WOWED, please go on the Oasis/Allure. Being so young and active, you'd love it! Keep the good work!

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http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2021759

 

I'll warn you that if read at the wrong hour, the thread can be incredibly discouraging. Apparently there are a lot of people who dislike back stories, pre-cruise stays, and bathroom photos. Then there are the people who will stand up for the pre-cruise hotel, but give advice on how reviewers should write the entire review before posting or write the entire review and then put the pictures at the end....

 

What's incredible to me is that of everyone complaining..... NONE of them write reviews (or at least have links to them in their signature).

 

Personally, I don't see what everyone is so offended by...

 

Thanks so much for posting that link, Victoria. I couldn't remember which cruise line I had read it in.:o

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