!!! BREEZE !!! Western Caribbean ^_^ The Ultimate Review and Complete Pictorial Guide

[lfk60]

Sending prayers to you and your family. I hope the wonderful memories of your grandmother will give you strength.

 

God bless you all.

[JinxyB]

Thanks for a great review, Gambee! Count me in the minority of people who don't like the singing and dancing waiters. I find it embarrassing and humiliating for them. There are a few in the bunch who seem to enjoy it, but most seem to be going through the motions.

 

Going to have to catch up on your other reviews, especially the Disney one. Would love to take my son on a Disney cruise- he would love it! He is 3 and has already been on 7 cruises- I'm creating a monster!

[minerva78]

Gambee, I'm very sorry for the loss of your grandmother. You and your family will be in my thoughts.

 

I want to thank you for the best review ever! You really put your heart and soul into all of these fabulous pictures and videos, and everything you do is such a great benefit to us all. It was especially interesting for me since I was on this same trip with you, your review made me realize how many things I never got to experience on this ship! It seemed like I spent all my time either at the waterworks or the thrill theater, and there was so much I never saw. I hate that I only got to meet you once and never got a chance to hang out with you because you seem to be as wonderful a person in person as you have been on our roll call. Maybe next time I can catch you on one of your sailings without my kids, lol.

 

I'm so glad you loved the Breeze, because this was hands down the best cruise I have ever had. And yeah, the MDR food has gone downhill fast, it was so much better when we took our first cruise four years ago, but the lunch on the Breeze and the steakhouse made up for it. I know I will end up on the Breeze again, just so I can experience all of these things I never go to do, and because of your review it looks like a lot of people will try out the Breeze as well. :). Even some people who swore they would never try Carnival, which should indeed be high praise for you. Thanks again for all the hard work you've done, and I hope I can meet you again in the future!

 

Shavon

[Lipz]

 

 

Part 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than likely the children and food set up in the Marketplace/buffet that you saw was a kids club activity. The activities that the cruise line provides for the children often include using other parts of the ship besides the kids club area. For example we've seen children using parts of the ship for a scavenger hunt, the buffet area being used for children to make their own pizzas for a pizza party, and the basketball court being used as a place for the toddlers to ride motorized cars (Allure).

[celebrity]

I can only imagine the work it took to do the main grinder job with small arms, that must have been something else. On one occasion I lost hold of one of the handles and it hit me really hard on the hand. It was definitely and experience of a life time, I will most likely do it again. Not sure when though, if we go St. Maarten there are ton of things that we have to do prior that.

 

Great reading about your experience on True North. We did America's Cup in St Maarten and I was selected to be the Captain! I was a primary grinder too..all 100 lbs of me. Funny part is that there were 4 people chosen so 2 people at a time could switch on and off. Well guess who lasted the entire time? Yep, the 100 LB female. The big strong guys wilted out but I was like the energizer bunny and we won. Loved it but it was exhausting.

I purchased the photo they took of us as the "paparazzi" sped up on another boat as it came out so great. I have it hanging on the wall in my family room.

Edited May 31, 2014 by celebrity

[Eng23]

 

I would venture to say this is the Grandeur of the Seas. It is a Vision Class ship for sure though. Grandeur was just recently in dry dock for a refit and I know they added the duck tail on the stern of the ship which is very visible in the pictures. I know it is not the Enchantment as it is longer than this ship. Enchantment was the only Vision Class ship to be "stretched" by putting a plug section in the middle of the ship. You can tell where that section is placed by the bridge with the arched structure on the deck above the pool deck. There is no such arched structure visible on this ship in the picture.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Eng23

[Susie51]

 

I would venture to say this is the Grandeur of the Seas. It is a Vision Class ship for sure though. Grandeur was just recently in dry dock for a refit and I know they added the duck tail on the stern of the ship which is very visible in the pictures. I know it is not the Enchantment as it is longer than this ship. Enchantment was the only Vision Class ship to be "stretched" by putting a plug section in the middle of the ship. You can tell where that section is placed by the bridge with the arched structure on the deck above the pool deck. There is no such arched structure visible on this ship in the picture.

 

Thank you for sharing the pic of Grandeur. I was on her in 1999 and your photo brings back great memories.

 

Gambee, I'm going to look for your Disney review now.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Susie51

[ttnc4me]

I started this review from a comment on mitsugirly's review on the NCL board and am so glad I did. We too have avoided Carnival with all of the negative aspects reported, even though like you, we are in FL and can hop on at any time. When going on the Pearl a couple of months ago, we were next to the Ecstasy and although it had a similar itinerary weren't really sold on the ship.

 

After reading this review, I can tell you that we are sold on the Breeze and it will now be our very first Carnival experience. Although, because you went in the child "off season", I anticipate a bit different atmosphere when there are hundreds of children on board (slide lines, dinner wait times, etc...). However, your review of the ship in general has me very excited to introduce my family to Carnival. We have RCI's Freedom booked for next year & I was going to cancel that one to do this, but now I think we'll just need to do both!

 

Thanks again for taking the time to write/post/edit and present a fabulous review.

[OurDogCisco]

Great review... Thanks for,taking the time to write. May peace be with you and your family during this difficult time...

[swim13]

To the "Great Gambee",

 

I am sorry to hear about your grandmother, thinking of you and your family. Perhaps she will now be with you and your mother, in spirit, on all of your future cruises! :)

 

Fantastic review, as always. I'm afraid I will no longer need to tell you this because it is already a given! The fisheye pictures came out great and I can tell you that lens will be on my christmas list this year! I am glad you enjoyed your cruise.

 

I do suggest not wasting your time and money on an older Carnival product. I think you will be greatly disappointed. You enjoy the new and big girls! My Victory cruise was the worst one I remember being on although my Dream one was awesome. I don't think they really figured out the perfect ship/experience combo until this class. Even Breeze had way more than the Dream! Just my suggestion, there are too many new and amazing ships to go on; Carnival is building a new ship for 2016!

 

Also I think the ship in the distance at night is the NCL Epic!

 

Thanks again for all of your time and effort! :D

[juneybugel]

Greetings from Winnipeg, Canada Gambee! It feels like I've been waiting so long for this review since it was a while ago you announced you have booked this cruise. As you can see from my signature line we've only cruised Carnival and loved every minute of it. Couldn't wait to read your thoughts. Glad to see you enjoyed Carnival as much as we do.

 

We are venturing out to Celebrity Eclipse in Feb 2015 and we can't wait. It was a great deal we couldn't pass up.

 

Thank you again for all your hard work on this review. The pics and videos are amazing as always. Keep the reviews coming!

 

So sorry to hear about your grandmother. May her memories help to ease the pain when you are missing her most.

 

Rhonda

[KrystalWaters]

 

Conclusion, Rating and Final Thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

Food 8/10

 

Scoring the Carnival Breeze is extremely hard for me, because I found that the ship was all over the spectrum. The ship had the most amazing options for lunch, I mean on a sea day intensive cruise there is no doubt this is the ship you want to be in. From Guy’s burgers, Blue Iguana, Cocina de Capitano, Tandoor, American, BQQ, Pizza, chocolate buffet, asian noodles and more, AND ALL FOR FREE!. If you don’t find anything in that list that you would enjoy, I really don’t know what to say. Not only are there a lot of options, but the lunch food is excellent!

 

The for a Fee restaurants are among the best I had at sea, and yes I know I compared the steak house to Murano on Celebrity. I kid you not that steak was absolutely fabulous and the lobster was so succulent, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. That restaurant hits a home run in my book. The sushi is also divine, the tuna dip tasted fresh and full of flavor, and the shrimp tempura roll was just exquisite.

 

On the other hand the MDR for dinner is just not up to par with the rest of the food offered on other cruise lines. They really need to rethink the concept or maybe improve the quality a little more. I think my final score is fair when adding all the pros and cons. I scored Breakaway the same and I also only ate in the MDR once. They are of course different ships, but overall it is a fair Score for the Breeze. Maybe the new menus would improve the score? I am not hard to please, trust me. Give me tasty food and I am happy, maybe the new menus accomplish just that.

 

 

Cabin 8/10

 

The cabin decor was very basic and simple, not quite my style. The same goes for the bathroom decor, it just looked kind of blahhhh. I also hated the fact that they are still using curtains vs a door for the shower. I honestly think that in the long run it is more economical and hygienic to use a door. The other downside was the balcony door, I did not care much for that style, much rather a sliding door. The doors on the Breeze are loud and very hard to keep open for those of us who enjoy sleeping with the door open.

 

On the bright side, the room is considerably larger than X, NCL and RCCL, that alone is a huge selling point for me. Size does matter ;), lol, no for real, size is important specially when traveling with a large group. And while this time around I had all that extra space for myself, this could be very convenient when I am with mom and possibly a new bf, hopefully ;-).

 

Another killer point is that for some reason I think this is the most storage I have ever seen in a room. Granted I never used not even one drawer, but there was so much storage in that room that I could see 4 people fitting their cloths comfortably for a 6 day cruise. Again space and size, make up for a blandly decorated room.

 

 

Cabin TV System & Internet 7/10

 

The TV system needs to be re-thought in my opinion. It would be great if the movie channels would always have a movie on and not a bunch of commercials. Maybe less news channel and more fun channels would be a great addition. I did like that they did show some newer movies like the “Lego movie, and Frozen” so movie selection was not that bad, the only problem was that there were long gaps with nothing to watch.

 

The internet was always strong and actually very fast. Midway through the cruise I figured that my email app was not functioning properly and once I figured that out I noticed I could be in and out under one minute.

 

 

Pools, Jacuzzis & Adult Only Area 8/10

 

Scoring this is kind of complicated. But I will try to be fair with it, honestly I think 2 pools are not enough for ship this size, but that seems to be a trend now days. Thankfully it is very rare that I use a pool on a ship, so no issues there for me. But as pointed out by other readers, the pools are really overcrowded. Reminds me of Norwegian Breakaway... Quite honestly I think this will become more of an issue in new vessels as capacity keeps increasing, and the same amount of pools are maintained.

 

The adult area is very nice and actually a nice size with everything fully padded and relaxing, but for me personally it is pretty much useless because of the lack shaded areas. Thankfully the lanai offers shaded jacuzzis but you just have to move around and play with the suns location. Not something I was thrilled of, but on the bright side there are plenty of large jacuzzis on this ship with a total of 8 of them. I never encountered problems finding one and the closing time is at midnight. I was pretty content with that.

 

 

Activities (for Adults) 10/10

 

If I gave the Breeze anything lower than a 10 here I would just be lying. This ship has something happening at all hours of the day! Not to mention, contests, rope course, mini golf, pool tables, water slides, water park and so much more.

 

It was ridiculous there was always something going on, and this ship is by far the ship that I noticed had the strongest positive energy out of all my cruises. Activities won’t be an issue when you go on the Breeze, it is a very active ship!

 

 

Shows 9/10

 

I am proud to say that this is the first ship that I actually review shows on. Before this one I have gathered the scores from other in my group, but for the first time it was me who experienced the shows. I loved the Hasbro show and I even enjoyed the other shows very much. Like I said Carnival is the only company who has managed to keep awake during shows. The only reason I am not giving carnival the full 10 points here, is because they should do something about that poorly decorated stage. It takes a lot out of the show, and nicely decorated stage could add a lot to the currently very energetic and fun shows.

 

 

Bars & Lounges 7/10

 

There are plenty of bars on the Breeze and service is fast. The main issues is that like NCL they count their liquor, I am not a fan of that. Also the bars seem to have a generic list throughout the ship. I tend to score ships higher here if they have special bars like the Allure rising tides bar, or celebrities amazing martini and molecular bar. But carnival really did not anything that stood out to my eyes as unique and impressive.

 

 

Ship Decor & Elegance 7/10

 

The ship decor is not bad, it is just bland in my opinion. While there are a few areas that stand out and gorgeous, the overall ascetics of the ship are just ok. I will not go further into details as this is something personal more than anything else. But I scored it in accordance with what I thought was right, just about average, nothing special. But then again you don’t sail the Breeze for elegance, you sail her some something much better than that ;)

 

 

Unique Area - Lanai & Waterworks & divided food court 9/10

 

I recall NCL claiming that Breakaway had a first in the industry with the Water Front, but you know in reality I think that Carnival beat them to it with the Lanai. And I absolutely loved this area on the Breeze because of the shaded jacuzzis and plenty of lounges to chill and relax.

 

Waterworks is fun for all, it is actually a really neat area that I wish I had enjoyed more. This is a great area for kids.

 

And I think one of the most unique things about the Breeze is how they divided the buffet area into mini stations. This is just perfect to spread crowds and to really get to experience different types of food throughout your cruise. I loved it!

 

 

Service 10/10

 

I have to say that I cannot give Carnival anything lover than a 10. While I did experience a couple of slow dinners, we never waited for a table. Everyone on board was a pleasure to deal with, I have never felt like this on a ship. Well I lie, Disney also did an amazing job in this department. But you have to give it Carnival, they really make you feel welcomed and they make you want to come back. The staff and crew aboard the Carnival Breeze is absolutely fantastic! Well done!

 

 

 

Total Score and Conclusion 83 out of 100

 

I LOVED THE CARNIVAL BREEZE!!! So now I will come out and say it. I have been purposely delaying traveling in Carnival, why? Well, numerous reasons, bad reviews, bad media, skeptical of the product and other reasons along that train of thought. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by their product. The Breeze is an amazing ship, and one that I want to sail again. Most likely doing the southern Caribbean cruise with my mom, she has always wanted to sail that itinerary.

 

There is so much that this ship has to offer, that 6 days are just simply not enough to experience it. I fully endorse the Breeze, what an amazing experience that I had. And whats more important is that I want more of it, not many ships can claim that from me. I think it is mainly a combination of price vs experience, it is just a very good product for the price paid.

 

Just something to note is that I review ships, not cruise lines. Cruise lines variate greatly from ship to ship, so that is why I am recommending the Breeze. I am not sure how I will do on a smaller older Carnival ships, but I guess Ill have to try out and see how it goes. I will say that I am not particularly a fan of Carnival’s decor on the older ships, but I have now traveled enough not to judge by how a ship looks. After all that is only 1/10 part of my review score ;), there is so much more than that to make a cruise an amazing one.

 

If you have been thinking of trying out Carnival, but you’re skeptical about them, here is my suggestion for you. Go ahead and book a cruise on the Breeze, it is very likely that your experience will be a great one just like mine. You know what they say never judge a book by it’s cover.

 

 

 

Just a quick recall of scores

 

Disney Dream 89%

Allure of the Seas 86%

Breakaway 78%

Silhouette 77%

 

What you really have to realize here is the Breeze managed to deliver a 83% at a fraction of the cost of my Allure of the Seas cruise. That in itself speaks magnitudes, mainly because of the accessibility of the ship and the ability to sail more often that I would on the Allure.

 

I can come out and say that the Breeze is the first ship that I would be interested in sailing again. I am not entirely sure why, but I can speculate. For starters I want my mom to try out the ship, because I know she will love it. Another reason could be because of all the different itineraries available and some of which we have yet to try. And add to that a reasonable price and you have a product that screaming at me for more! more! more!

 

Currently we are playing with the idea of a MSC Divina cruise for August, but I will say that I much rather be aboard the Breeze. But the prices are just not there for that week, MSC has some unbeatable prices right now. But we will see how everything develops, nothing is written on stone.

 

 

Thank you everyone who was a part of this review.

 

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to read and comment throughout the review. I had a lot of fun with this review and trying out Carnivals flag ship.

 

Critics will come and go, and we are each entitled to our opinion. But this critic is here to stay, and I want to personally thank Carnival for a great vacation, and the opportunity for more of them in the future.

 

 

 

 

Until Next time! ^_^

 

 

 

Dedication

 

 

 

This review is written in the Honor of Grand Mother amazing's life! She has been an amazing woman who struggled to raise 5 wonderful children, who I now adore so very very much. I can not say this enough, family is everything, and God has provided me with the most phenomenal family of them all. My grand mother is such a great person, I want to thank her being there my entire life and for helping my mom to raise me.

 

Unfortunately it has come time to say goodbye to the very root of our family. I ask you to keep us on our prayers and thoughts. I am truly sorry to end an amazing review this way. But I have never shied away from sharing my life you all. And after all this review is a dedication to her long and prosperous life.

 

God bless you all, until next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gaaaaaaaaammmmmmbeeeee! What an awesome review as usual:p! Loved the pictures and commentary. Heck I loved the whole thing:D

I wanted to wait until the end to comment. Going on the Breeze myself in October. Celebrating hubby and I 10yr wedding anniversary.Crossing some things off the bucket list. We are doing the Southern. Super excited about visiting Curacao. I so can't wait to do the rum tour. Free booze! Lol

 

Also I wanted to express my deepest condolences on your lost. I know family is important to you but I'm sure she left you with a lifelong memories and lessons. Will keep your family in thought and prayer. ((Hugs))

[dpcmh]

WOW - another amazing review!!!! Read all your reviews, and it helped me break my fears to try cruising. Took our first one last month, and LOVED IT!!! Can't wait to plan more, and your reviews make it feel like being there!

 

I appreciated your honesty with concerns on trying Carnival. I think your review will contribute to many attitudes changing toward the positive.....

 

A few questions.....

As a newbie - and smoke is a MAJOR health matter for me - so I've tried to look at lines that have begun to prohibit smoking on balconies. We found we like to spend our afternoons there and keep the door open at night. I read your comment smoke wasn't a problem for you, and the cove balconies look amazing. I'm still nervous with the luck of the draw of having smoke nearby.....but I'm also wondering about the clubs. I thought I read you can smoke in them ??? We like to dance and wondering if you have any insight?

 

Also, regarding your comment on Grand Cayman and attitude toward gays. I've been VERY nervous about booking a western carib trip for my partner and I for this reason - many seam to stop there and Jamaica. I think my partner and I would choose to stay on the ship in Jamaica for reasons you pointed out, but your sting ray tour looks wonderful! I also want to go to Labadee someday....wich typically requires a western on RCI. Would you recommend your Grand Cayman excursion for gay couples? What about other excursions there? Most people get that we are couple, so it's not like we can really mask it.... Would love your wisdom on this subject!!!

Edited June 1, 2014 by dpcmh

[cruzin2010]

Gambee

 

I loved loved loved your review and your photos are absolutely amazing.

[ctop59]

Gambee,

Fantastic review and pictures as usual. I loved traveling with you on this and your other cruises.

I am sorry for the loss of your grandmother. My prayers go out to you, your mom and your family. It is great to have a close family in times like this. She will always be with you in spirit.

Connie

Edited June 2, 2014 by ctop59

[starsnlights]

Wonderful review Gambee, I really enjoyed reading it, felt like I experienced it with you! :)

[gambee]

WOW - another amazing review!!!! Read all your reviews, and it helped me break my fears to try cruising. Took our first one last month, and LOVED IT!!! Can't wait to plan more, and your reviews make it feel like being there!

 

I appreciated your honesty with concerns on trying Carnival. I think your review will contribute to many attitudes changing toward the positive.....

 

A few questions.....

As a newbie - and smoke is a MAJOR health matter for me - so I've tried to look at lines that have begun to prohibit smoking on balconies. We found we like to spend our afternoons there and keep the door open at night. I read your comment smoke wasn't a problem for you, and the cove balconies look amazing. I'm still nervous with the luck of the draw of having smoke nearby.....but I'm also wondering about the clubs. I thought I read you can smoke in them ??? We like to dance and wondering if you have any insight?

 

Also, regarding your comment on Grand Cayman and attitude toward gays. I've been VERY nervous about booking a western carib trip for my partner and I for this reason - many seam to stop there and Jamaica. I think my partner and I would choose to stay on the ship in Jamaica for reasons you pointed out, but your sting ray tour looks wonderful! I also want to go to Labadee someday....wich typically requires a western on RCI. Would you recommend your Grand Cayman excursion for gay couples? What about other excursions there? Most people get that we are couple, so it's not like we can really mask it.... Would love your wisdom on this subject!!!

 

I am not sure if you can smoke on the club, I dont think it smelled like smoke. I am very sensitive to it and I would had noticed, maybe they just have a very good filtration system.

 

The grand Cayman question, well it really depends. You have to realize that this is still a very homophobic island. The captain and his crew seemed pretty relaxed, I dont think that should be a problem with them. It also depends about what kind of pda your doing, personally I shy away from that so people would just think that I am with my friend. You could also try contacting them and asking them. I have done that in the past, with other shore excursions. Their customer service is excellent! I am sure they will be traight forward with their answer.

[gambee]

Thank you for all the kind words everyone, they are hard times indeed and we are just working with the flow of things.

 

 

[Cajun Sailor]

First off I want to send my deepest condolences to you and your family on the loss of your grandmother. I loss my grandmother almost 9 yrs ago and there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her. I'm sure your grandmother was a great lady and will truly be missed. I will pray for strength and peace for you and your family through this difficult time. On a brighter note, once again you nailed another review. You had me hanging on to every word, picture, and especially those wonderful videos!! Just wanted to say thank you!! Like I said earlier in your review, I'm a carnival newbie sailing on the Dream in 34 days and now I am confident that I will have an amazing time and wonderful comments to say as well. However, I do hope to sail on the Breeze in the near future. Looks like a fantastic ship!!

[chadman]

Gambee loved your review and pics. will be on breeze in Oct. Sorry for your loss.

[CruiseIreland]

Hi Gambee.

Great to see you back with another great review. I am now interested in sailing Carnival, from whom I won this ipad! Unfortunately, I will have to cross the Atlantic to do so. Well, I think I might.

 

I was really sorry to read of your loss of your gran. Please accept our condolences. I never knew my grandparents so I can only imagine the depth of your loss.

 

Good luck with the studies. I look forward to your review of MSC as we are sailing MSC Preziosa in September. I often think I will do a decent review but I could never reach the quality of yours and some others on here.

 

All the best from Ireland, Ken.

[missholly24]

Thank you for the review Gambee! Lots of hard work in this one. You have a sweet spirit that is magnetic. You capture the magic of cruising. When people ask me why I am addicted to cruising, I will have them read this review.

 

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forums mobile app

[travellink]

First of all, my prayers go out to you and your entire family on the loss of your grandmother. Secondly, I enjoyed reading your review and seeing your beautiful photos. Thank you for all the time you spent on another great review and I'm so glad you really enjoyed your solo cruise !

[my3cees]

WOW!!!!, I'm not changing. We had actually booked for the Breeze, but had to move up our time frame, couldn't get the same stops, but after your review the Breeze is on our bucket list. As always fantastic job.

 

 

 

Ok, so lets see I think this is a good time to talk about Guy’s Burger. The venue is nicely located in the Beach pool area. I never really experienced a long line there, although I saw some lines at peak times, however they seem to move very fast and with no issues. The burgers are really good! One very important thing for me is that the burgers are not too thick and then they break apart when you eat them. Guy’s are just about the perfect thickness. You can add lettuce, caramelized onions, mushrooms, pickles and some other condiments and sauces.

 

I have to say that the appearance of the burger is rather lousy, it just seems to be thrown on a plate and thats it. Oh, by the way the plates are conveniently made of thin metal, they actually work really nice as they are wider and can fit a lot of food in there. So anyway, I guess in conclusion, they are great burgers that look kind of bad in opinion. I think they are definitely on my top 5 burgers, and this is coming from a burger snob :D. Maybe that is why I been getting fat lately, lol. Oh, the fries were just ok, I think most of the time I got old batches and that is probably why I did not care much for them.

 

Anyway, I got in line and then I noticed on of the CC members walk by me. I said hi introduced myself, and he told me were the group was.

 

 

 

 

 

I fixed up the burger the way I wanted it and headed toward the table. I met a few of the CC members there, I have to say this is the best roll call by far! Everyone was so friendly and nice, I had a great time with everyone every time we saw each other.

 

Please don’t mind the bite mark on the burger, I forgot to snap the picture.

 

 

 

That’s it for now, I have to go get ready. Just water to launch the review before heading out =).

 

[casandbliz]

Have read through all of your other reviews and love them. Am on post #300ish so far, and have a question that I hope hasn't already been asked...what was the song that accompanied the sail away in Miami? It's very catchy!!