Life, LIBERTY, and the Pursuit of an Awesome Cruise- Review 4/5-4/12 Southern Caribbe

[justme_85]

Saturday

 

 

 

Saturday morning we woke up early and made our drive to the Chicago airport. Despite it being a Saturday during Spring Break, getting there and through the various airport transportation was a breeze. As our bags were being weighed, we discovered our flight was delayed by about 45 minutes. We didn't care too much- we were on vacation!

 

 

 

Our flight left by 12:25 and by 6:15 pm, we were walking out of the San Juan airport. We had reservations at the Sheraton Hotel and Casino in Old San Juan. We chose it because it was in my expected price range, and mostly for location! It is right across from the pier Carnival docks at, in the heart of Old San Juan, and so close to so many great restaurants and both forts. Our taxi ride costs $24 (ride+$1 for 3 pieces of luggage) and took probably 20 minutes or so.

 

 

 

Our plan was to go to Barrachina's, which is supposedly the place where the pina colada was created. We'd been there before for the drink, and this time wanted to get in on the food.

 

 

 

The famous pina colada! So good that we even got one for the walk back to the hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last time we were in San Juan, we fell in love with mofongo. If you haven't tried it, you must! I went for the shrimp mofongo here and definitely was not disappointed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We'd toyed with the idea of doing more that night, but decided to go back to the hotel to relax. I think we wanted to go to bed just so that the next day would get there faster!

 

 

I am staying at the same hotel in a few weeks and also have reservations at Barrachina's for dinner after I arrive.

 

How was the hotel? I have read mixed reviews as loud and rude staff.

 

Also, how long was the walk to Barrachina's from the hotel? I can't wait to try that Pina Colada!

[funinthesun082611]

I am staying at the same hotel in a few weeks and also have reservations at Barrachina's for dinner after I arrive.

 

How was the hotel? I have read mixed reviews as loud and rude staff.

 

Also, how long was the walk to Barrachina's from the hotel? I can't wait to try that Pina Colada!

 

I thought the hotel was great. The rooms were large and clean, there was free bottled water in the room, the staff was helpful and friendly. We had no issues with noise whatsoever, and it was very busy. The staff was so nice, they made copies of our Carnival luggage tags because I decided to "check in" all of our bags.

 

The walk is about 10 minutes. Very easy to get to! Just remember that you're walking on cobblestone streets (in terms of shoes) and you'll be set!

[funinthesun082611]

We woke up Sunday, got everything together, and headed down to the pier at 10 a.m. I originally had planned on getting there a little later, waiting and boarding the ship, eating lunch on board, and then heading out into OSJ. I had looked at the forecast and rain was predicted by 3 p.m., so that idea was nixed. We decided to drop all of our luggage off, go get in as much sightseeing as possible, and then head to the ship.

 

After dropping off our bags, we were ready to explore!

 

We headed to Castillo San Cristobal first as we had gone to other last year. It took 15 minutes to walk to either fort from the pier and in between the two.

 

We were able to get in free as my husband is currently in the military. If you didn't know, this is an option. Make sure you get the discount and the card so you can use it at both forts.

 

We explore for about 1.5 hours. Most seem to spend about an hour. My husband loves history, so we look at everything!

 

 

We can see our home away from home!

 

 

I just love the views from these forts. So beautiful!

 

 

 

 

[funinthesun082611]

We saw no rain, so we decided to keep trucking along. We hadn't had breakfast, or lunch for that matter, so we stopped at a small restaurant across from El Morro called Cinema Bar 1950. The prices were reasonable. We knew we just needed to get something small to get through until we got to the ship. The appetizer fish tacos and a bottle of local beer hit the spot.

 

 

If you've ever been to El Morro, you know that the local families come fly kites on the front lawn. Ever since my first visit there, I've always wanted to join in on the fun. There's just something about seeing so many bright kites and families running around!

 

 

We decided to give it a go on our own. We had brought with us a cheap, very small kite. It flew, but not very high because of it's size. We decided to buy one there. They had them for $5-10. When we were done, we left it with a local family to continue using.

 

 

We were starting to get hot and could see the rain clouds start to come in, so we decided to make the trek back toward the pier.

 

 

The embarkation process was a breeze, I think due to the fact that you have the opportunity to board all day and not within a 4 hour time frame. It took all of 20 minutes for us to board the ship (around 3:30 pm).

 

We decided (and by we I mean ultimately my DH) to purchase the Cheers Program, so we did that right away. In a later post, I'll give my opinion on that.

 

We grabbed a FunShip Special (have to start my cruise with one!) and a burrito from Blue Iguana Cantina. My favorite!

 

We decided it was time to see our room. I had originally booked an inside cabin on the 7th deck. A couple of months ago, we were lucky enough to receive a 1 day offer to upgrade to a balcony for $200. We took it and ended up midship on the Lido deck.

 

 

We spent awhile on our balcony, and then decided to explore a little more before getting ready for dinner.

 

We headed to the Alchemy Bar (martini bar), which is one of our favorite spots on these ships. Tried a Cucumber Paradise- if you want a "beach martini", something light, go for this!

 

[funinthesun082611]

We went back to our room to see if our luggage had arrived before dinner- no such luck. Looks like we were showing up in the clothes we wore all day!

 

Before dinner, we headed to the Taste Bar (deck 5) where some nights they offer tastings of a couple of different things. It was our pre-appetizer!

 

That night they served Chicken, Avocado, and Lime Tortilla Soup with Roast Pork, Green Chili Salsa, Aged Cotija Cheese Tortilla.

 

 

This night, they had "anytime dining" in either dining room between within a few hours time frame. We headed to dinner in the Gold Dining Room. Dinner was good- I went with the Cream of Sun Ripened Tomatoes (soup), the Braised Beef Brisket with Baked Potato, and the ever famous Melting Cake!

 

 

 

 

We went back to our room, and still no luggage! My DH was getting worried, while I figured it would show up eventually. My DH expressed concern to our cabin steward, who said she would keep an eye out for it.

[funinthesun082611]

Although we had a balcony, I love the atmosphere about being on the Lido deck during sail away. The music, the people, the drink, the ability to have a 360 degree view. Perfect!

 

 

I tried to get pictures of El Morro as we passed it, but my silly point and shoot camera couldn't begin to capture beauty. It's always such a thrill until you officially pass the fort. Once you pass the fort, you know you're officially "on the sea" and the cruise has begun!

 

We stayed on the Lido deck for quite some time, enjoying the views, the dancing, and the staff aboard amplifying everyone's excitement.

 

We headed back to our room, with no luggage sitting in the hallway. We opened our door, and lo and behold there it was! Our room steward took the extra time to secure it inside. The staff consistently put in the extra effort all week long to make our cruise special, and this was just the beginning!

 

We.. well me :) unpacked our suitcases and went to bed. Before we knew it, we would be docked in St. Thomas!

[aztekpm]

Where were they held, what time and how long was the muster?

[Club Disney Chandler]

I'm so interested in hearing how the cruise staff went above and beyond all week. We are taking our first Carnival cruise on the Vista on 6/3/16. Thanks for posting.

[islandatsea]

Excellent start to your review, will be following :) !

[itchintocruise]

Following your review...thinking of going on this itinerary late May or early June. Thanks for your posts.

[mrpayroll]

Enjoying the start of your review. ( fellow Michigander ) :)

[Steftacular]

We plan on getting the cheers package as well - I saw that you can purchase it on day one or day 2 - what is the difference? I was told that you would pay for the full 7 days regardless, so it would make sense to do it on the 1st day rather than the 2nd. Is that the way it works?

[natdalton]

subscribing

[Bakers1720]

Subscribed

[starfish the second]

I" m in cant wait for your review

[jiggs]

I am staying at the same hotel in a few weeks and also have reservations at Barrachina's for dinner after I arrive.

 

How was the hotel? I have read mixed reviews as loud and rude staff.

 

Also, how long was the walk to Barrachina's from the hotel? I can't wait to try that Pina Colada!

 

I've stayed at the Sheraton a few times...it is what it is. I find most of the reviews to be a bit harsh.

 

It is a hotel that is packed on the weekends with cruise passengers, it can get very busy in their tiny lobby, but they seem to handle well. I'm gold with Starwood and scored an upgrade to a one bedroom suite, with a view...of the parking deck.

 

I wouldn't consider it loud in the guest rooms, but there is a lot of people moving around. If you were a late sleeper, I could see it being bothersome. If you were in SJU for a weekend and were not with the cruise guests, I could see the crush of people being annoying.

 

There is a pool on the top floor that overlooks the pier which is small but nice.

 

There is a casino in the lobby that is crowded. They play a very strange blackjack there where the dealer doesn't take a card until all players have acted. Drinks were free at the tables and some locals were even ordering food. As a non-spanish speaker it was a bit odd not understanding anything being said at the table between the locals...and for the record, they play decent amounts of money and the locals do not play by the 'book'...in fact there was no rhyme or reason to how they play from hand to hand. Much like playing on the ship at the $6 tables :-)

 

You can't beat the location. My son and I walked to the pier before daybreak and watched the ship arrive. That was cool, back to the hotel to grab breakfast and hit the pool for awhile as they unloaded...no problem walking back with luggage...there is also a CVS down the street that I walked back to after getting on the ship and getting the family settled.

[funinthesun082611]

We plan on getting the cheers package as well - I saw that you can purchase it on day one or day 2 - what is the difference? I was told that you would pay for the full 7 days regardless, so it would make sense to do it on the 1st day rather than the 2nd. Is that the way it works?

 

Cheers Beverage Program

 

You are able to purchase the program on day 1 or day 2. From my understanding, you will get charged for the entire duration of the cruise. If you purchased the program on Day 2 but purchased beverages on day 1 that qualified, then those would be deducted from your bill. I'm guessing this allows you to decide past the first night if you are interested in purchasing the program or if you think it will be worth it. And if so, it allows you to be "reimbursed" for those drinks on the first night that qualify.

 

My thoughts on the program: My DH and I enjoy having alcohol. At home, there's no way for 7 days straight that we drink up to 15 drinks a day on a regular basis. On vacation, it's very different.

 

From our calculation, if you drink 6 cocktail/mixed drinks a day, you will break even by buying the program. If you drink wine by the glass or martinis that are at the $10 mark, you only need 5. If you drink beer, you will need to drink more.

 

They do charge you initially 15% of the program cost per day additionally for tipping. We did not like this. From staff, we heard that supposedly all bar staff get that "automatic tip money" split. The bartender that actually poured your drink doesn't actually get that 15%. We found that while we didn't tip on every single drink, we found ourselves tipping to the bar staff that we saw frequently. It's to each their own, but at the end of our day we wanted to compensate those that took care of us specifically. By no means is it required to tip with the program.

 

Did I think it was worth it?

 

I would say that we broke even overall. We did not actually "make" anything off of using the program. We had decided to purchase it because the previous cruise we went on, we spent nearly the same and felt as if we were limiting ourselves.

 

Would I recommend it?

 

If you drink a substantial amount in a day, yes. If you drink a handful of "expensive" drinks near $10 a day, then yes. If you have shore excursions lined up (like we did) with unlimited drinks during your 7 hour tour, then no. We had multiple excursions like this where we drank a decent amount, came back onboard and found that by drink 3 or 4, we felt like we "had" to drink another one or two to make the package worth it.

[funinthesun082611]

Before I dive into the ports, I figure I'll cover the ship and food options.

 

The beautiful Carnival Liberty:

 

We personally found the ship to be in great condition. I feel like everything seemed to be in great condition- or maybe I had "vacation" eyes on where everything looks good. The only thing I noticed (on day 4 no less) was a few water stains on a lamp shade in our room. Beyond that, all main areas were very well kept.

 

The Lido Deck

 

 

Set up like all the rest, but still one of my favorite places to be. Love being close to 2 bars, live music often playing, and the people watching that comes with being around the pool.

 

The Punchliner Comedy Club

 

 

We frequented this place frequently. There are lots of spots, but every time I've gone it's plenty busy! Get there early and be open to making new friends as you sometimes have to be willing to sit with others.

 

The Venetian Palace

 

 

This is the place where all the nightly shows- dancing, Game of Love, singing, etc.- happen. This is the first cruise I've been on where I actually felt like the temperature was well controlled. Not once did I ever have to change into pants or wear a cardigan. There was always open seating somewhere.

 

The Atrium

 

 

 

By far the prettiest atrium I've seen. The pictures don't do it justice. During dinner time, it was always busy as they seemed to have some of the best musicians/singers in this area.

 

The Dining Room

 

 

We are used to this type of layout and like it. It was quick to catch on to the location of everything.

[funinthesun082611]

Overall, I was very happy with the food on board. My husband and I are not picky eaters in the slightest (just the opposite!), but we also know when something truly is "good". Not once did I order something that I didn't end of liking, and most of it was downright delicious! I'll cover the places/things that we happened to frequent.

 

MDR/American Table

 

We ate dinner in the MDR every night as I like to see what is offered and enjoy getting to know our wait staff. I did take pictures of all dinner menus (except the last night) which I will continue to post as I post on each day. Overall, I felt like there was a wide variety of options offered. Every night I could have easily been able to select more than one option for appetizer/entrée,/dessert, and we often did for the appetizer. The American Table menu still includes a consistent 4 options for entrees (like chicken breast) if you don't like the daily options. It also includes a Port of Call option, providing a drink, appetizer, and entrée that in some way relates to the island you were at that day. My husband loved the Port of Call and got at least some part of it the majority of the nights. They do now offer "fancy" options nightly, where you can order lobster etc for an extra fee in the MDR. We have only ever been at a table with just the 2 of us (we were supposed to have table mates but they did not show) so I can't speak on anything beyond that.

 

The wait staff in the MDR was fabulous- spending the time to offer opinions, checking to see if you liked what you received, etc. The timing for food arriving on the table flowed well- we were only ever waiting for food (not eating between courses) for 5-10 minutes, the perfect amount of time to enjoy the food, each other, and let it digest before the next thing.

 

We did eat breakfast here on the day we arrived back in San Juan. Service was slow initially but the food came quickly and was a good alternative for breakfast.

 

The Taste Bar

 

 

The Taste Bar was open a few times during our cruise during pre-dinner hours. They offer typically a "taste" of soup and an appetizer. It was fun to see what they had to offer and try it. And it was always delicious! We often would grab ours on the way to the Alchemy bar.

 

Pizza Pirate

 

 

The pizza is pizza, but it is something we always liked. It's just filling enough to eat as a snack or late night. There is always a long line, but we never waited more than a few minutes. You can just get a few slices quickly or you can put in an order for a whole pizza. They also have Caesar salads here.

 

Blue Iguana Cantina

 

This is one of our favorite food offerings on the ship- burritos at breakfast (with eggs and breakfast toppings) or at lunch/dinner. Love all the fresh toppings offered and the salsa bar is out of this world. Between breakfast or lunch, we had this nearly every day.

 

Guy's Burger Joint

 

This year we only split a burger once, but it's good! It is greasy, but it's good a time or two during the week.

 

Emile's (Lido Deck Buffet)

 

The buffet is the buffet. We only ate breakfast here twice. They have the typical offerings, most of which I don't find great but decent. They do have a made to order omelet station that we used that was really good. There typically is a long line at the station but if you catch it right, you don't wait long. They can make 4 different omelets at a time. We never had lunch or dinner here so we can't speak to what was offered.

 

Fish and Chips

 

 

This was my first cruise trying the fish and chips, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was good! On top of the typical fish and chips, they offered fried calamari/zucchini, ceviche, etc.

[lunagirl]

Thank you so much for doing the review and posting Fun Times and the first dinner menu. I leave on the Liberty on May 3 so it helps a lot!

[Kalaki]

Thank You posting the Fun times and for your reviews. Awesome!!

[Crusin Karen]

We were on a B2B cruise on Liberty in January and I FELL IN LOVE with the ship! Enjoying reading about your experiences!

[TJCrenshaw]

We leave today on her, flying out of Orlando, FL to SJU in 4 hours. Just a heads up to future cruisers, I received an email from Carnival yesterday that they were switching the stop at St. Kitts to Antigua. They've been switching it to Dominica, so this was new. Would rather go to Dominica, but oh well.

[BcIcemen]

Doing this cruise in November. When were the elegant nights?

[rocking-m-cruiser]

Doing this cruise in November. When were the elegant nights?

 

I think I read on her earlier posts that the formal nights are T and Th.