Carnival Pride tips and secret locations

[Rikiw111]

What is your favorite tip or trick on the Carnival Pride? What secret places have you found to hang out that is not overly crowed (not including your stateroom)? What is the best place to have fun late in the evening? Are the jacuzzi's open 24 hours? Is it best to have early or late seating and why?

 

 

Thanks..riki

[coolestwife]

HI!

 

We like the late seating because it gives you more time for the excursions...

[Rikiw111]

Is there still time to go to the shows if you go to the late seating?

[coolestwife]

I think they have 2 showings of the shows....

[blwms]

Our favorite spot on the Pride is the "garden" which is on both sides of the entrance to the main showroom. It is a narrow passageway all the way around filled with nice seating and many large portals looking out over the ocean. It is almost always empty...a perfect place to relax, read a book and then stroll around for an exercise break. The plants and flowers are artifical, of course, but nicely done. Think you will like it. Many people never even discover it!

[atlcple2]

The topless deck by the red tail of the ship, just above David's Supper club! No kids, very quiet, you don't have to be topless, but you can if you like. The servers come up there and take orders and bring them to you. What a life! ; )

[willbecruisin]

"Our favorite spot on the Pride is the "garden" which is on both sides of the entrance to the main showroom."

On what deck level is this? I've asked questions about secret doors and such on the Pride before and get few answers back. Maybe they don't have the secret doors on the Pride like the other ships do.

Thanks bunches!

[MrPete]

Deck 3, both sides, forward.

[coolestwife]

the "garden" area is pretty cool and very quiet....you actually have to really want that much quiet though....we walked through the both sides and we liked it, but honestly, we never went back. We like to be in the action! (i.e. casino;) ) If i had wanted that much quiet i could find in our cabin....

 

 

Hi Kel:) !

[Cyn874]

I found this "Garden" area when I cruised at the end of June. Its actually right on the way to the kids arcade or play area, so there were some kids in there playing games at the tables or walking back and forth.

 

The downside that kept me from spending any real time there, was for some reason it was really hot! Almost like that particular section wasn't air conditioned. :confused: It was like that for the entire 7 day cruise. The area was nice and for the most part it was quiet, but too hot to stay for more than a few minutes. No other areas of the ship felt that way..

[atlcple2]

Cyn78 is correct...the garden is a very neat area, but very hot. We were on the 3rd voyage of the Pride and went on her sister ship the Spirit last year. Here is what you have to look forward to:

 

The Pride has a beautiful decor. It isn't as "Las Vegas" looking as some of the others, which we liked. We went to David's Supper Club which was devine! I had the lobster and DH had a steak...no joke, the steak was so large that it hung off both sides of the plate! Of course DH could not eat it all, so he ate what he wanted and when they came around to pick up our plates, they asked him to take his time and eat it that the Chef would be offended...lol...he explained that he just couldn't eat anymore and they understood. Be sure to get the flourless chocolate cake...it comes in a small little tiny bowl...outside looks like any other cake, but the inside is warm liquid chocolate! Very yummy!

 

Room...We had a balcony room, top deck. The rooms are very nice and pretty good size, laid out very well and the bathroom was pretty large compared to an inside room on the Fantacy....there are shelves for you to put stuff and the vanity is pretty large...showers are the same as any other room...except suites. We enjoyed the balcony so much! With an inside room, I would agree that you don't spend a lot of time in your room. However, if you have a balcony room, you will spend a lot more time in there. We slept with the door propped open at night and it sounded like you were on the beach and the tide was rolling in...you could hear the ocean hitting the side of the ship...it put us to sleep every night! The beds were comfortable and our room steward not only cleaned our room and brought fresh towels several times a day, but she even neatly folded our clothes laying around our cabin.

 

Food...The dining room food was also excellent! We tried different things every night and it was always good. Deserts are wonderful too! As for the coffee...we are big coffee drinkers, and we LOVED the coffee! I got addicted to adding the hot chocolate in my coffee every day! Always plenty of lemonade, fruit punch, apple and orange juice, tea and coffee 24/7. The previous guest cocktail event was very nice...lots of food and drinks. We had the late seating for dinner as we usually get something to snack on probably around 2pm or so and then we enjoy a nap between like 4-6 pm so that gives us time to get ready for dinner after our nap. The buffet food was also very good. Different stations have different themed food every day...some things stay the same, like the deli, salad and fruit station..but the others were different every day..one day chinese, the next italian...there 4-6 different stations. Pizza is good as always. The Midnight Buffet is very pretty and the deserts are very good, though we didn't eat a lot at midnight.

 

 

Pool...As with all ships, getting a lounge chair right beside the pool can be challenging if you don't get up really early...which we don't. Several days we got a chair on the upper level and would walk down to get in the pool...no biggie. We liked the back deck, but if you aren't taking kids with you and want a quiet spot, the back is not for you. The water slide is on the back of the ship and it is hard to doze off with kids screaming as they slide down...I'm not complaining about it, we will be on a cruise with our kids in February on the Glory. It was just the 2 of us and we ended up most of the time going to the topless deck...just very quiet up there. You have to look for it though...if you are on the upper level above the pool, walk towards the back of the ship and right about in the middle of the tail sticking up (the dinner club is under that part with the red sky lights) there are some stairs (on both sides of the tail) and a sign that says "No children..." I don't think all of the staff even know it is there either. We had asked about it and were told they didn't have one. Only a few people were actually topless and you don't have to go topless either. Just a secret place to go for a quiet nap in the sun.

 

We don't do the shows on board, just not our thing. We did however to dancing almost every night at the club outside the dining room. They played great dance music and there was always a fun group there at night. They basically stay as long as people are there. Drinks...mixed drinks were a little more expensive than here at home...I'm thinking a Rum and Coke was like $6.00 or something with gratuity included. They use top shelf liquor and they are very strong...tip the bartender and you will get a nice stiff drink. If it is too strong, get a coke and split it...they are definitely strong enough to do that with. We got a couple of drinks of the day...well, more than a couple. We had a lot of Carnival cups to bring home. LOL The kids love the cups. Oh! Moet Champagne was about $48 for a bottle...of course worth every drop! Considering we can buy it here at home at Sam's for $30...it wasn't terribly expensive. We also pre-ordered a champagne package to be in our room when we arrived...it was there with the glasses and other stuff that came with it.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions, I'm happy to answer them. Also, the Spirit is almost identical to the Pride...a little different artwork, but for the most part, identical.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!! I would go on the Pride or Spirit again in a hearbeat!