Our Carnival Pride Spring Break cruise - 4/5/15 (with pics)

[NOSaints1]

I found it was to congested

[NOSaints1]

Only problem I find is you can't book Carnival in CDN dollars, with our exchange rate which sucks

[onthegotravel]

Thanks for such a great review! I am a bit new to the CC site but have really found it useful and I was so excited to see your review and all the details and pictures. Honestly it was like a novel I couldn't put down.

 

My daughter and I are going on the Pride in November for a "Thanksgiving" cruise and I am a little OCD about wanting to see and learn all I can about the ships I sail on. (think that comes from a disappointing cruise on an older RCL ship) This is my daughters second cruise and I am testing the waters of just her and I cruising alone. (she's 9)

 

Again thank you for all your time in putting these reviews up and I plan to check out your others to see where I want to go next.

 

Did have one question since you obviously cruise a lot...any real deals or benefits form booking next cruise while onboard?

 

-heather

[Jamman54]

Thanks for such a great review! I am a bit new to the CC site but have really found it useful and I was so excited to see your review and all the details and pictures. Honestly it was like a novel I couldn't put down.

 

My daughter and I are going on the Pride in November for a "Thanksgiving" cruise and I am a little OCD about wanting to see and learn all I can about the ships I sail on. (think that comes from a disappointing cruise on an older RCL ship) This is my daughters second cruise and I am testing the waters of just her and I cruising alone. (she's 9)

 

Again thank you for all your time in putting these reviews up and I plan to check out your others to see where I want to go next.

 

Did have one question since you obviously cruise a lot...any real deals or benefits form booking next cruise while onboard?

 

-heather

 

Thanks for reading! I'm glad that you find our reviews helpful and entertaining as well. The one benefit for booking a cruise while on a cruise is the OBC that you receive which varies depending on the length of the cruise you are booking.

[kelli550]

Thank you so much for all of the wonder pictures! Sailing on the Pride next March and couldn't be more excited than I am after reading your review! After sailing on one of the smaller ships, I'm really looking forward to getting back to a bigger one and all of the fun (and food) it has to offer!

[Jamman54]

Thank you so much for all of the wonder pictures! Sailing on the Pride next March and couldn't be more excited than I am after reading your review! After sailing on one of the smaller ships, I'm really looking forward to getting back to a bigger one and all of the fun (and food) it has to offer!

 

Glad you enjoyed the review. March will be here before you know it!

[NCTattoo]

Jamman -

 

What an incredible review. Thanks so much for sharing. We're headed on the Journeys cruise in January 2016 on the Pride for 11 days....our first sailing on the Pride. After reading your review, I want to leave now.

 

Two quick questions if you have answers -

 

1) We're taking the train to Penn Station and catching a cab over to the port. Because of our travel schedule, we either had to come early or late. We chose early. Based on what I've read, our cab should be reaching the port by 10:30 a.m. Is there a place to drop off people coming that early and be inside with our bags prior to embarking? Sounds like parkers had to sit in line until 11 or so, but I hope those that are being dropped off earlier have a place to crash and not be out in the cold. Any help on clarifying this would be greatly appreciated.

 

2) Do you know roughly what time the maitre d' performed? We have anytime dining (my wife doesn't do timeliness well for early or late seating), but I would like to at least be in the dining room to hear Sinatra. Hope you can narrow down the time range for me.

 

Thanks again for your review.

[Hribal]

Thank you SO much for such an elaborate and informative review. We are going on the Pride July/August 2016. We cannot wait. Looking forward to the Cabana I rented for our family. Is it July yet? :D

[Jamman54]

Thank you SO much for such an elaborate and informative review. We are going on the Pride July/August 2016. We cannot wait. Looking forward to the Cabana I rented for our family. Is it July yet? :D

 

Thanks for reading. I'm sure you will have a GREAT time on the Pride!

[Andoria]

Holy smokes, this was an amazing review.

 

I'm sailing on the Pride in a little over a month from now and I'm so looking forward to it after reading your review.

[xadidas20x]

Edited for wrong post

Edited March 16, 2016 by xadidas20x

[Jamman54]

Holy smokes, this was an amazing review.

 

I'm sailing on the Pride in a little over a month from now and I'm so looking forward to it after reading your review.

 

Thanks for reading and have a GREAT cruise!!

[5sonz]

Thank you SO much for such an elaborate and informative review. We are going on the Pride July/August 2016. We cannot wait. Looking forward to the Cabana I rented for our family. Is it July yet? :D

 

 

Where do you rent the Cabana? I have never cruised before and we will be on the Pride in Nov to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

I have seen others mention renting a Cabana, is that on the ship or an excursion.

 

 

 

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[Jamman54]

Where do you rent the Cabana? I have never cruised before and we will be on the Pride in Nov to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

I have seen others mention renting a Cabana, is that on the ship or an excursion.

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You need to book it online under shore excursions. They sell out quickly.

[mpdahmer]

Where do you rent the Cabana? I have never cruised before and we will be on the Pride in Nov to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

I have seen others mention renting a Cabana, is that on the ship or an excursion.

 

 

 

If you register your booking number on Carnival's site under the Manage tab you will then see that you can book excursions and complete your online registration. Under the excursions you can search by port and see all they have to offer. The cabana rentals are located here but don't delay as they can sell out quickly.

[5sonz]

Thank you. I will definitely look into it.

So much to learn...

 

 

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[mpdahmer]

Thank you. I will definitely look into it.

So much to learn...

 

 

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5sonz, Just a few words...

 

This website is great and there is plenty of good information that will help you get ready for your virgin sailing...but...take some of the advice with a grain of salt.

 

Stay away from the negative posts and read plenty of different views about a topic then take an average. Everybody is different and they all enjoy cruises differently. I was blessed to have my parents (40+ cruises before they passed) take my lovely wife and I on our 1st cruise for our 1st anniversary. We have been hooked ever since. I also had my parents experience prior to having CC.

 

The short list (OK maybe it's not so short):

 

1) Don't over pack, especially if you are flying. Some ships have a laundry rooms where you can do a quick load mid week.

2) Plan ahead, if there is an excursion you really want to do book it prior to sailing or day 1 on the ship. The excursion desk staff is always friendly and willing to help. Some of our best excursions have been last minute deals booked while on the ship.

3) Try everything, just like I tell my kids at dinner "how do you know you don't like it if you don't try it?" From food to daily activities you will find plenty of new things to try and see. Don't forget to try Guy's Burgers and Fries...

4) "The FOOD" I'm sure you have heard about the incredible amount of food on cruise ships. Well it's not like it was when I first started sailing with a midnight buffet every night but there is food available 24/7. We have been on the Pride 2 times with a 3rd time booked for this coming July. We finally learned on the last two cruises how to relax and fully enjoy our mornings starting with breakfast. On the Pride you have the option of the buffet, the breakfast burrito bar or the Main dining room for a relaxed sit down brunch. We started to go to the main dining room after years of rushing to the buffet, trying to find seats (usually sail with a large group) then waiting in line for the normal buffet fare. At the main dining room you will be seated (request a table by the window) and be treated like royalty. You should at least try this one time on your cruise.

Room service is great for when you return to the ship after a port day and want to come back to the room to relax and clean up before heading to the pool or bingo...

Oddities that you don't get at home - try the alligator fritters or the duck or one of the many soups, if you don't like it who cares just order something else or just go onto your next course. OK so the portions seem to be getting smaller over the years but again, who cares, just order a second dinner and eat what you can.

Anytime vs. Standard Dining - We prefer the late seating as this gives us plenty of time to relax by the pool after all of the early seating PAX have gone back to their cabins to get ready for dinner. Also on later port days you won't feel rushed to get back on the ship because of dinner. We also prefer the standard dining times compared to the anytime dining. With the anytime dining you may/may not have the same table every night. This means you may not have the same waiters and you could miss some of the nightly entertainment in the dining rooms (Love Ken the singing Maitre D'). It is really part of the cruising charm to have the same waiters every night. You will build an awesome bond with them and by the 2nd - 3rd night they will know what you do/don't like. Don't forget to try Guy's Burgers and Fries...

5) Don't over think it...It's your first cruise so you may forget some things. You already took the first step by reading up on your cruise. Take what you learn but don't feel you have to do everything you have read about.

6) ENJOY!!! - Enjoy every day on/off the ship as the week goes by way too quick. I hope you learn to love cruising as much as the rest of the CC family it really is the best vacation you can get for the money. And in case I didn't mention this...try Guy's Burger and Fries...

 

You will love the Pride, I think it is a great "1st Cruise" ship for anyone. For us, it is local enough to drive to (which saves us money on airfare) and it is not too big or too small for us. We sailed on her prior to her upgrades and again after the 2.0 and now we are booked for our third year in a row. In case you couldn't tell we Love this ship and all it has to offer (including Guy's Burgers)

 

Happy 30th and have a great Cruise!!!

[5sonz]

Mpdahmer

Wow! Thank you for that well thought out info.

 

We will be driving ( from Pittsburgh) the day before and parking for the week.

The excursions are my concentration right now, just trying to see what is a good fit for the money. If I read one opinion of an excursion, the next opinion will be completely different. Last minute deals sound intriguing!

I want to try everything! And then try it again!

I likely won't be hungry, right? I'm not picky as long as I can start my day with coffee on my balcony.

I honestly can not wait to be treated like royalty. Because that is a far cry from home where I am head cook and chambermaid.[emoji848]

 

 

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[5sonz]

Oh, yeah....

And I take it you are recommending

Guy's burgers?!

 

 

 

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[RHilla619]

A late thank you for taking the time to post all of this! Booked the Pride yesterday for NYE week and it was awesome to see what awaits me, 203 days to go!

[jimbo5544]

A late thank you for taking the time to post all of this! Booked the Pride yesterday for NYE week and it was awesome to see what awaits me, 203 days to go!

 

Come over and join the roll call!

 

Here is the roll call link.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2304906

Edited June 7, 2016 by jimbo5544

[Jamman54]

A late thank you for taking the time to post all of this! Booked the Pride yesterday for NYE week and it was awesome to see what awaits me, 203 days to go!

 

Thanks for reading. The Pride is our favorite ship. Can't wait to sail on her again next February!!

Come over and join the roll call!

 

Here is the roll call link.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2304906

 

Hey Jimbo!! We did a New Year's cruise on the Pride 5 years ago. We had a blast!!!

[cocacola86]

JW if anyone has pictures of the interior w French doors or thoughts on it

 

 

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[T2C]

Loving this review. Gonna miss the Pride this year as we're flying to FL to meet friends we haven't seen in 6 years, so it's Magic this summer

[Jamman54]

Loving this review. Gonna miss the Pride this year as we're flying to FL to meet friends we haven't seen in 6 years, so it's Magic this summer

 

Glad you enjoyed the review. We'll also be on the Magic for the first time next year. Enjoy your cruise!