Carnival Liberty / Southern Route Questions

[natdalton]

We did this cruise on the Victory and are booked for it again in May on the Liberty. Can't wait. I have a pretty detailed review of this cruise in my signature that will discuss all of the ports of call with plenty of photos. I hope this helps. Have fun!!

 

Loving your review.. your pics are awesome!!! Thanks for directing me to it.. I wouldn't have probably found it on my own.

[cowgirlsrock]

So sorry it is going to SJ. As we don't like the port . I will say Puerto Ricans can party . So Carnival will be sure to keep as they always have a great latin band!! These are party people and it will now be in there home port!!!

 

Awesome ship we love the Liberty .

[lunagirl]

My husband and I did this cruise last spring and I am doing it with a friend again this year.

 

Couple of notes...

 

St. John on your own is totally doable and you get a lot more time on the island. Get off the ship as soon as the ship allows, take taxi (fixed price) to the ferry. I believe they leave on the hour, so make sure you hussle off that ship. Once we got off the ferry, we hopped on an open air taxi (also fixed price) and went straight to Trunk Bay. There were exactly two people at Trunk Bay and it was amazing. We were there for several hours before it got "crowded" and then we went to get some food and amazing fresh fruit smoothies while walking around the island. It was a great day and I can't wait to repeat it!

 

Barbados: We did Calabaza with sea turtles, reef snorkel, and shipwreck snorkel. The experience was nothing short of fantastic and I would repeat it without blinking if my companion liked to snorkel. I have heard you can do it cheaper and I am sure you can but Calabaza was worth every cent and more.

 

St. Lucia: Spencer Ambrose boat tour to Jalousie Beach. We fared much better on the boat ride than our counterparts who took road vehicles. I was handing out motion sickness meds to them on the beach. Snorkel, food, and drink was great. We will probably repeat this one because the beach experience was fun.

 

St. Kitts: We did a beach day here. Hopped on a fixed price taxi that stopped at a few scenic overlooks and pointed out some things on the way...Our experience was nothing to write home about, so we will try something a bit different this time...although seeing the wild monkeys was unique

 

St. Maarten: Bernards Tours if this is your first time....Also, don't leave the island without guava berry rum....I haven't seen it anywhere else, definitely not in the States, and it is YUMMY

 

 

San Juan: There are restaurants and taxis galore in the port area. Carnival does also offer precruise and postcruise transfers via motorcoach. We went in a day early and loved it. Mofongo rocks, home of pina colada, and want to try Café Mallorca and maybe the biobay tour by boat on this trip

 

As you can see...We loved it! There is definitely a reason why people repeat this itinerary even though it is a bit exhausting.

 

I hope this helps!

[rocking-m-cruiser]

We did this cruise on the Victory and are booked for it again in May on the Liberty. Can't wait. I have a pretty detailed review of this cruise in my signature that will discuss all of the ports of call with plenty of photos. I hope this helps. Have fun!!

 

Thanks for the review. We will be going May this year. It's a celebration for my son college graduation. We are so excited. We have not been on this ship before. I see you are going as well. I wonder if it is the same cruise? Thanks again.

[trippingpara]

Thanks for the review. We will be going May this year. It's a celebration for my son college graduation. We are so excited. We have not been on this ship before. I see you are going as well. I wonder if it is the same cruise? Thanks again.

This cruise is for our daughter's college graduation too! We're going the last week of May. How about you?

[rocking-m-cruiser]

This cruise is for our daughter's college graduation too! We're going the last week of May. How about you?

 

He graduates May 15th and our cruise is May 17th. He will finally be done. :D

[mrpayroll]

Glad to read all the good reviews of this itinerary. We will be on Liberty May. 3rd.

[farmer6]

Hello, Merry Christmas! :D

 

So on our cruises, the question has always come up, especially after we all fell in love with San Juan, "Why don't we try the cruise from San Juan?" So, the main present to ourselves was the cruise the week before Easter (Love cruising on holidays) on the Carnival Liberty from San Juan!

 

So I have 3 groups of questions, "Carnival Liberty", "Southern Route" and Miscellaneous". If you have any information on anything, please feel free to share opinions, stories, pictures, outside and YouTube links, etc.

 

Thanks in advance!! :D

 

Carnival Liberty

 

- I have cruised onboard the Pride, Glory and Freedom. Is it identical to the Glory and Freedom (Didn't go on it as 2.0), or it is anything different?

 

- Is it hard to find a chair? On Freedom the crew began opening new chairs over the public decks around 2:00 PM, all passengers onboarrd at 3:30 PM in Key West, because they wanted to make sure there were enough chairs out for the sea day. Glory, not so much.

 

- Anything important / helpful to know about Liberty/ I always hang out in the ship atrium, so can anyone please describe it?

 

 

Southern Route

 

-St.Thomas: REALLY enjoyed St.John on my last visit, but I don't want to only spend 2 hours there for $75 a person. I wouldn't mind taking a public ferry over to Cruz Bay, and then a cab from Cruz Bay to St.John. Is this a good plan or ??

 

-Barbados: Don't know much about this island, what are the must-do's?

 

-St.Lucia: How are the reefs here? Considering making this our snorkel destination. Any good Carnival excursions,m particularly involving water and sight of the Pitons, that will make a memorable day?

 

-St.Kitts: Again, don't know much about this place. Suggestions?

 

-St.Maarten: I've always expressed interest in St.Maarten. How is the beach with the airplanes? Which side has more culture, French or Dutch? I find one of the coolest aspects of a cruise interacting with local people and occasionally wildlife :p) is one of the longest lasting feelings.

 

-San Juan: Okay, so when I talked to the Carnival rep, he told me a flight that lands in San Juan at 5:00 PM is okay, and that I will even be able to make early dinging. I'm on a direct from BWI to SJU. Does Carnival operate shuttle services? How much are cabs? Which are quicker? If we stay in dinner from 6:15-7:30, or even skip dinner and exit the ship around 6:30, is it even worth getting off to go get some ice cream or something, or go catch some ship pics? Will they even let me off? Once I return, will there be any cabs/buses there by the ship entrance? On Glory last time in Miami we took a chance and everything went fine.

 

Miscellaneous

 

-I remember I was in Nassau in 2011 the day the Magic came into Nassau for the first time, and they had a band playing, and i don't know if it was the fact that there were 6 ships, or that Magic was there, but prices seemed lower that usual. Will they have any special recognition in Barbados, St.Lucia or St.Kitts for the Liberty? Or a better question, will things be a mess onboard/in port since it's Liberty's fist cruise from San Juan? I was on the Freedom's last cruise before drydock and while it wasn't as hectic as I thought, I surely noticed the difference in usual business.

 

-Please send pictures from any of the places or ship if you can!

 

THANKS GUYS!!! :D:D:D

 

It looks as if we will be getting on the Liberty the day you get off the Liberty.

 

We have taken this cruise twice and this is our third time. (Tells you a lot, this is a great itinerary.

 

Barbados: Barbados Sailing Catamaran and Captain Ron...wonderful!

St. Kitts: Royston Tours, there is a lot on this island and they take you to see it and then give you a beach drop. Meal and beverages included.

 

We have arrived in San Juan day of the cruise. 1st time we did not get there until after 6:00 pm. We took the Carnival Transfer. It was perfect for us and easy.

2nd time we took a direct flight and arrived at 2:45. We took the Carnival Transfer again and then dropped our stuff on the ship and got back off and went into Old San Juan and walked around. Loads to see and things to taste and drink. Little Pina Coladas (coconut milk and pineapple juice) and a guy who is peeling oranges.

 

This time we have a family f 8 and a Carnival transfer is NOT the most economical route to go. In the past we have paid 16.00 one way and that is feasible for 2, but are looking for taxi van this time.