Miracle Review 4/25 from Baltimore

[lnd331]

First, let me say that the Miracle is an amazing ship! I have been on the Pride and was not nearly as impressed with that ship as I was with the Miracle.

 

My husband and I left on the April 25 sailing from Baltimore, which I was told was the first Carnival cruise to ever sail from Baltimore. So, I guess we were a little part of Carnival history. We were thrilled that Carnival has finally come to our hometown and hope that they bring more ships up north next year (hint hint wink wink Carnival). We actually ended up on the elevator with the captain one day and he told us that he thinks more ships are coming even though nothing has been annouced.

 

Anyway, to my review. We booked a 7A guarantee and were upgraded to an 8H, cabin 8200, which was midship on the Panorama deck. This location was perfect! It was midship directly under the lido buffet. This was the first guarantee I have booked and maybe Lady Luck was just on my side, but I was very impressed with this upgrade and location. Our room steward, Oswald, was fantastic! He is the first person on any of my 5 Carnival cruises to ever learn our names.

 

We had the late dinner seating, table 349 in the Bacchus Restaurant. Ioan and Olga were our waiters and they we exellent as well. Ioan is quite the comedian. I thought all of the food in the dining room was excellent and maybe it was just my imagination, but it seemed to be better than my previous cruises. The lido buffet had tons of choices and I have got to kick the habit of eating 6 meals a day!

 

The decor of this ship is amazing. I personally liked it better than any other ship I have been on. Some people may find it gaudy, but I think that the outrageousness just adds to the fun. The Mad Hatter's Ball is just crazy, with giant rabbits jumping out of the walls. Dr Frankenstein's lab is another interesting room, with a huge Frankenstein on the dance floor and I loved the gargoyles on the legs of the tables and bar stools. These were my 2 favorite rooms, but the entire ship was wonderful. There were 3 pools on lido deck, the aft pool being adults only. Since I don't have kids yet, that was my favorite place on the ship. There was also a children's pool on the spa deck.

 

The activities on this ship also seemed much better than any other ship I have been on. Again, maybe just my imagination but I really enjoyed this ship more than others in the past. The shows were fantastic. I did not see the first show, Generations, but Ticket to Ride in fantastic and a must see! Even if you don't like the Beatles, this is a great show. There was a hypnotist one night and he was a hoot. There was a juggler, a sword swallower, several comedians. The talent show and the crew skits were hilarious and so was the crew comedy improv. We like the piano bar and spent a good bit of time there. Greg, the piano man is an exellent pianist. That was always a good time. The karaoke is always interesting to watch and Dr Frankenstein's was rocking until dawn. There is always something to do on this ship and if you are bored, something is wrong.

 

As for the ports, we chose this ship because it was sailing from Baltimore and not really because of its itinerary. We have been to Key West before and we did the Duval crawl this time. Key West is an interesting town and we had a good time. Probably drank too much, but it was fun. It would have been nice to have more time here. I have been to Nassau before, but my husband has not. We chose to go to Blue Lagoon, which was a great day. Very relazing. Coming back we were bombarded with everyone trying to sell us anything they could find to sell. I was asked 30 times in the 5 minute walk back to ship if I wanted my hair braided. Nassau is just as I remembered it from my last visit 6 years ago. I personally did not like walking around town during the day and everything in town closes at 6 except for Senor Frogs. I don't understand why we were in port here until midnight. The only place to go was Senor Frogs and everyone from the ship was going there. We decided to stay onboard and go to the deck party. We had booked the snorkel tour in Freeport, but it was cancelled because of the wind. So we walked around the shops in port and went back to the ship. There isn't much to do there and a lot of people stayed on the ship this day.

 

Even though I wasn't impressed with this itinerary, the ship itself really made for an excellent vacation! I would sail the Miracle again in a heartbeat and hope that Carnival does send more ships north to Baltimore. It was so nice not having to fly anywhere! It was definitely a different experience sailing in the Atlantic versus the Caribbean. The ship was really rocking some nights and if anyone is prone to getting seasick, make sure you take something. I still feel like I'm rocking and I've been home for a day.

 

Anyway, let me know if you have any questions. I envy anyone who is sailing on the Miracle and am ready at a moment's notice if you need someone to carry your bags!!!!!

 

Lauren

 

Celebration 7/99

Destiny 4/01

Pride 4/02

Destiny 3/30/03

Miracle 4/25/04

[robcool]

Thank you for the review! I appreciate it!

 

--------------------------

"Semper Gumby" - Always Flexible

12/01 - Victory (Victory Review)

2/04 - Fascination (Fascination Review)

 

It's a Miracle! Cruising on the Miracle 12/12/04!

 

( Miracle 12/12/04 Roll Call)

[jfritz126]

Great review Lauren!!!!! We are sailing the Miracle on Sunday out of Baltimore and can not wait!!!! It sounds like you had a great time. Thanks for taking the time to write a review.

 

Until the Miracle May 9, 2004

Until the Legend Party October 22, 2004

 

 

Holiday May 2, 1987

Imagination Jan 22, 2001

Victory Sept 13, 2003

Miracle May 9, 2004

Legend Oct 22, 2004

 

 

[Snowball]

Lauren - thank for the great review!!! Just a couple of questions - I heard debarkation took a long time - what time did you get off the ship? Did you go to Nick & Nora's? If so, how was it?

 

Just a few more days and I'll be boarding her! I can't wait!!!

 

Debbie

 

Click here to visit the Miracle Party Cruiser's Group Board.

 

Here is a link to the 5/9/04 Carnival Miracle roll call!

Click here for the 10/22/04 Legend CTN roll call!

 

Triumph (Eastern) 05/00

Destiny (Southern) 04/02

Miracle (Bahamas) 05/04

Legend (Nowhere) 10/04

[cruise*crazy]

lauren ,I am sailing with Debbie on may 9th and your veview is making it hard to work the rest of the weeKl LOL IT WAS A GREAT REVIEW !! . I have a question , you said that the ship was rocking were alot of people sick ? My sister is sailing with us and thinks she will be sick how was it once you were in Florida ?

 

Rick

 

Till I board the Carnival Miracle

 

 

Festival 1990

Tropicale 2000

Destiny 2002

Miracle 2004

[partman57]

Glad you had a wonderful time. We hope to take her from Tampa in January. I hate to inform you that you can look at my clock. We sailed out of Baltimore last year on Sister ship Legand to Bermuda. But you did get to be first on Miracle out of Baltimore....Happy cruising.

 

10/28 Legend

[bevrosecar]

Lauren, I have a question. Did you have alot of noise in your stateroom? Thanks for the great review.

 

Beverly

 

Imagination 5/97

Miracle 5/30/04

[tlynnie]

My parents came over the bridge yesterday and saw Miracle sitting there, I was hoping to see some reviews! I'm glad you had a good trip!

 

partman, that clock is just depressing me, that's half a year since the Bemuda cruise! I'm heading to Canada next and hoping the weather there is better than we saw on the Legend!!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Too many days since the Legend (10/03)

Looking forward to Victory...6/04!!!

[bevrosecar]

Lauren, sorry. I re-read my post. It didn't come out quite right. Did you hear alot of noise from the lido deck in your stateroom.

 

Thanks,

Beverly

 

Imagination 5/97

Miracle 5/30/04

[tlynnie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Did you have alot of noise in your stateroom? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Beverly... , glad you clarified for her!

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Too many days since the Legend (10/03)

Looking forward to Victory...6/04!!!

[bostonbabe]

Lauren --

Thanks for the great review! I'm sailing on the Miracle on 5/30, can't wait! I do have a question: How was embarkation/debarkation? Were the port facilities easy to negotiate? Thanks for any info!

 

Carnival Triumph '98

Eastern Carribean

Celebrity Mercury '01

Alaska

[cyndepet]

Lauren - thanks so much for writing the first review on the Miracle out of Baltimore! I'm sure there are many of us who have been anxiously awaiting this.

 

Since Baltimore is a new port for Carnival, how was the embarkation process compared to other ports? And was it easy getting to the port? Thanks!

 

Carnival Miracle 10/24/04

[SheilaInAL]

So glad to hear you had a wonderful cruise! I totally agree with you about this marvelous ship and I'm making plans to sail on her again out of Tampa next spring! Waaaaaaa Hooooooooo!

Thank you for the wonderful review!

 

Sailing on the brand new Carnival Miracle!

[seadays4me]

Beverly,

 

FYI, Was on the Legend last September. Room 8175 (upgrade) and did hear deck chair movement from the Lido deck. Also one late night the crew had a party. Sounded like they were having a great time, to bad we weren't invited.

[loops]

Hello Sheila:

 

I'm jealous, I want to sail her again too. Hey, maybe I can squeeze into one of your suitcases.

 

She was a bit on the rocky side when we sailed her out of Jacksonville, Fl in April. If you're prone to seasickness, start taking something the morning you leave. You can always get something from the purser's desk.

 

The Miracle is AWESOME!!

 

 

Miracle 4/12/04

Fascination 5/01/03

Ecstasy 3/15/92

[bevrosecar]

Tlynnie, Thanks!!! I would not want to accidentaly offend.

 

Seadays4me, thanks for the info!! Did it take away from your cruise experience?

 

Beverly

[kimberlys]

Hi Sheila:

I am also ready to sail the Miracle again.

If everything works out-it will only be 10 short months until we sail that great ship again! I can't wait!

-kim

[lnd331]

Embarkation was so easy. Perhaps this was because we were the first sailing and no one was getting off, but we were on the ship by noon. Debarkation, however, was a nightmare. They told us all to get up and be ready for customs by 7 AM. So we get up and the ship hadn't docked yet. We didn't dock until about 8 and customs didn't start until 9 and they started calling deck 1 though 8 in order. So we didn't get called until after 10 for customs. The line to get to see the customs officers was horrendous. People coming this way. People coming that way and fighting to form 1 line. The Carnival people kept saying we should bear with them because this was the first time they have done this in Baltimore. Well, I'm sorry, but regardless of what pier the ship is tied to, they do this every week. They told us to take our proof of citizenship to customs and we get up there and all the guy asks us is if we're US citizens, stamps our form and sends us on our way. What a waste of time. They didn't start calling people to get off the ship until 11:30 and we didn't get off until 12:30 and there were many people still sitting waiting to be called. I have no idea what time the next group was actually cleared to board the ship. I heard a lot of people complaining and swearing they would never cruise again all because of debarkation. It was just long and drawn out, but I was home yesterday around 1 and can't complain since that was the only downside to the entire trip.

 

The actual port facilities were easy to navigate, but we were there early and didn't have to stand in any lines. The port is easy to get to and there were lots of people there to direct us to the right place.

 

Snowball - We did not go to Nick and Nora's, so I cannot speak from experience but I did hear other people talking about how nice it was.

 

cruise*crazy - The only person I saw get sick was the girl who sat with us at dinner. The ship was really rocking bad on formal night and she got her dinner wrapped up and left. I didn't think it was so bad while we were down south. It only seemed to be while we were out in the Atlantic, but we were sailing at 25 knots through 30-40 mph winds at most times.

 

bevrosecar - I assume you are referring to noise from above and no, we didn't hear anything from above.

 

partman57 - I thought that there was another Carnival ship here last year, but everyone kept telling me there wasn't. Oh well. I just hope they keep coming back.

 

Lauren

 

Celebration 7/99

Destiny 4/01

Pride 4/02

Destiny 3/30/03

Miracle 4/25/04

[momofmeg]

I loved the Miracle and like you felt the food was tons better then usual. I felt the food was on par with my one Princess cruise which I felt could not be topped.

 

We sailed Miracle out of Jacksonville and Carnival is putting ships there now regularly but they are older ships. I personally wrote Carnival and suggested they do this again-put a great new ship with lots of great entertainment at ports that would be closer for those of us who hate flying. I would book again in a heartbeat.

 

We had just been on another Carnival cruise in Dec. just four months earlier and I felt Miracle was tons better in food and entertainment then Inspiration although Inspiration was a nice ship.

 

I have said before that if Princess offered the options that Carnival doesin the way of closer ports I would cruise Princess more as I loved everything about my Princess cruise but I can geniunely say my Miracle cruise was every bit as good.

 

Carnival Tropicale 10/15/98 Western Caribbean

RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/22/99 Bahamas

Carnival Fascination 09/23/00 Southern caribbean

HAL Statendam 05/20/01 Alaska

RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/08/01 Bahamas

Pacific Princess 09/29/02 Bermuda

Carnival Inspiration 12/14/03 Western caribbean

Carnival Miracle 04/09/04 Bahamas

[BigDoug]

I was on the Legend on the October 2003 sailing to Bermuda from Baltimore. Immigration is handled by the Customs Service & INS. We were required to go to one of the lounges with our ID and S&S card. Your card is then put through the system so that they know everyone has gone through immigration. It seemed if everyone had listened and brought the required items, the process would have gone much faster. Instead, only one family member would show up and then would have to round up the rest of the family. Also, on every cruise there seems to be several foreigners who don't go to immigration and slows up the process for everyone else. As for docking late, you can probably blame the Bay Pilots. The ship cannot go through the upper shipping channel without a pilot. We waited 45 minutes for the pilot to arrive at the end of our Bermuda cruise. Hope this helps explain some of the delays.

 

Beating the Winter Blues on the Legend

 

 

Tropicale 9/95

Sensation 9/97

Carnival Destiny 10/00

Fascination 3/02

Imagination 3/03

Carnival Legend 10/28/03

Carnival Triumph 3/13/04

Carnival Legend 3/19/05

[lnd331]

Tera821

 

The stingray tour at Blue Lagoon was cancelled the day we were there due to high winds, so I'm sorry I cannot be much help with that question. However, it was a very relaxing day at Blue Lagoon. We had about 3 1/2 hours there to swim and relax in a hammock. There were also kayaks and water bikes there that you could rent.

 

Lauren

 

Celebration 7/99

Destiny 4/01

Pride 4/02

Destiny 3/30/03

Miracle 4/25/04

[cyndepet]

Hi Lauren - another question...which nights were formal? I want to book Nick & Nora's 1 night and would prefer not to do this on a formal night. Thanks! Cynde

 

Carnival Miracle 10/24/04

[mysticalblues]

Lauren,

 

Did you drive yourself to the port and park there? If so, how was the parking, safe? How much did it cost?

 

6 of us are driving down from NJ for the 10/24 cruise.

 

Thanks,

Pam

 

Pam

1st time cruiser

[lnd331]

cydnepet

 

Formal nights were Monday and Friday.

 

mysticalblues

 

We were dropped off at the port, but I was told that parking was $7 per day and it looked pretty safe. I believe the lot was guarded 24 hours a day and you had to show cruise tickets to get past the front guard.

 

Lauren

 

Celebration 7/99

Destiny 4/01

Pride 4/02

Destiny 3/30/03

Miracle 4/25/04

[Tera821]

Wow, I didn't think to ask about parking...great question!!! I hope you have a wonderful first cruise. This will be my second and I can tell you that you'll want to get right back on the ship!!!

 

...until the Carnival Miracle October 3, 2004