Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Just Back from the Paradise. A tale of two cruises.

cruisecastle

By cruisecastle,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

Recommended Posts

cruisecastle

cruisecastle

Posted
Posted

This first review is my review based just on exactly how I felt the cruise was. The second review down below would be the typical cruise critic poster review.

 

First of all lets clear up all the confusion regarding early check-in once and for all. It is not cancelled and is up and running in full fashion. This is a very nice feature and allows you to be one of the first people on the ship. We were on at 12:00 and were the 5-13th people on board. Emabarkation was a snap.

 

Having never been on such a short cruise, this was the 3nt, I was a little concerned going inot this cruise. There was no need. Despite always wanting to stay on board longer it was a very good cruise. It has been rated the 2nd highest next to Elation for quite some time now from the customer questionaire score.

 

This was my first time in a Cat 12 suite and what a treat that was. Very nice.

 

The food was very good we had excellent gazpacho soup, vichysoisse sp?, prime rib and chateaubriand. Had a bit of a glitch on a couple of the lobsters as they were dried out. Asked for new ones and the 2nd ones were fine. The lido deck food was probably the best of any ship I've been on for the lido deck food.

 

The cruise director is probably the exact opposit of John Heald. He is barely seen and rarely heard. That's fine in my book even though I like Heald as well.

 

Ensenada was lots of fun and La Bufadora (the blow hole) was alot of fun. Habana Banana near the blow hole had great margarita's and excellent guacamole.

 

This cruise was not a party cruise but seemed to be very well balanced between partiers, Grandparents, and families. Since it's a short and relatively inexpensive cruise there are lots of folks celebrating things like 40th birthdays, anniversaries etc......I would not hesitate to bring children or a family on this cruise for one minute. There were 8 of us ranging from 5-70years of age and all had a good time.

 

Casino was good and the had a hold-em a table which stayed busy until 4:00am.

 

The Paradise is a very nice ship but seems very small if you have been on the liberty recently which we had last summer for european cruise.

 

Debarkation was easy.

 

Can't think of any negatives at all and had a really good time only wish it had been longer.

 

2nd review from a typical cruise critic posting point of view.

 

Embarkation was a real pain in the rear as I had to carry my microwave and coffee pot over 300 yds from early check in to the the terminal. While trying to balance everyting onto the ship I cracked my coffee pot on the steel siding of the ship. Why Carnival doesn't pad these I don't know! I quickly made a note to add this to my post cruise complaint letter to Bob Dickinison demading reimbursement for my coffee pot. When I finally got to my cat 4 inside stateroom I couldn't believe how small and dark it was. There was no room for my microwave so I had to keep it on the floor. This is unacceptable as Carvival should have microwave stands in each and every room.

 

After unloading all my stuff I went up to the lido deck. Man was it cold, 65 degrees vs the 80 degrees I saw last week. I can't believe Carnival did this to me on my vacation. I quickly made a note to add this to my complaint letter and demand a 50% refund for cool weather. I couldn't find a deck chair exactly where I wanted to sit in the first two minutes so I saw a chair loaded down with shoes, a walkman, and a book. A half full drink was also next to the chair. Since no one was sitting in the chair I gathered all their stuff and threw it overboard so I could sit down. Of course I kept the drink and it was mighty tasty. Hey a free drink you can't beat that.

 

After 5 minutes I was bored so decided to walk the ship. I was soon outraged as I saw a wet paint sign on a wooden bench right where I wanted to sit. Hey, I paid for the use of this ship and I'll sit where ever I please. So I moved the sign and took a seat. When I awoke from my nap my clothes were stuck to the bench and stained. The nerve of Carnival! Made a note to demand payment for my ruined outfit in my post cruise complaint letter.

 

After going downstairs to change into my jeans I headed up to the dining room. Wow! What a disaster. These morons gave me two many forks I mean who needs two forks! What a waste! Anyhow the gazpacho soup was cold. I told the waiter to take it back and bring me a hot bowl. What? It's supposed to be cold! Damn it I paid for hot soup I want hot soup. Overall the food wasn't good as I could barely finish my fourth entree.

 

Ensenada was crazy. I loaded up my back-pack with food before I got off the ship. I took the la bufadora tour and had to walk about a 1/2mile to the blow hole. That's an outrage I didn't come on this ship too walk. Then when I got to the blow hole that shoots water up 70ft in the air I got wet and my camera was ruined and all my food was wet.. Carnival never told me I could get wet on my tour so I made a note too put in my post cruise complaint letter that they owe me a new camera.

 

The casino was a rip-off as I actually lost money in there.

 

The last day was sea day and after clearing a deck chair of some stuff left behind I was good to go for the day. But is was too cold again so again I'll note that in my letter. Good news though seemed to be alot of folks not watching their drinks so I got loaded on all the left behind drinks for free.

 

As I went back to my room drunk I tripped over my microwave and broke it. Carnival will be paying for that I thought.

 

Needless to say this cruise was a disaster and this is the last cruise I'll ever be taking with Carnival.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DebbyCruiser

DebbyCruiser

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the laugh this morning!!!!

 

And especially for the first review, as we'll be taking this cruise in 23 DAYS!

 

I think I'll leave the microwave at home...but do you think there'd be room for a rotisserie?? ;)

 

Question: Did you do the Carnival Shore Excursion to the Blow Hole or find it on your own? Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisecastle

cruisecastle

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Thanks for the laugh this morning!!!!

 

And especially for the first review, as we'll be taking this cruise in 23 DAYS!

 

I think I'll leave the microwave at home...but do you think there'd be room for a rotisserie?? ;)

 

Question: Did you do the Carnival Shore Excursion to the Blow Hole or find it on your own? Thanks!

 

 

I did the Carnival tour combined with the winery tour. It was very good and rather inexpensive. We had probably the best tour guide I've ever had. Belen was her name.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisecastle

cruisecastle

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Thanks so much....how was the winery??? Did Carnival MAKE you walk there as well? :D :D

 

 

Winery was great! The wines are excellent but aren't known in the US because they aren't exported to us. They had a cabernet that won gold in Brussels for 3 years straight selling for only $16. It was a $50 bottle if from the US. It's also the oldest wine in North America

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DebbyCruiser

DebbyCruiser

Posted
Posted
Winery was great! The wines are excellent but aren't known in the US because they aren't exported to us. They had a cabernet that won gold in Brussels for 3 years straight selling for only $16. It was a $50 bottle if from the US. It's also the oldest wine in North America

 

Thanks so much for the info...going to look into this excursion now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BlueHerons

BlueHerons

Posted
Posted

. A half full drink was also next to the chair. Since no one was sitting in the chair I gathered all their stuff and threw it overboard so I could sit down. Of course I kept the drink and it was mighty tasty. Hey a free drink you can't beat that.

 

.

 

Weren't you worried about germs?

 

Thanks for the laugh! Great trip report!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
caprcorn28

caprcorn28

Posted
Posted

:D ROTFLMAO!!!! :D

 

You nailed that one!!!

 

(I am blaming you first and then a poster on another thread from yesterday or the day before that named her thread something like "I woke up sick" and then Carnival for the fact that I am choking now...I have a cold/cough that doesn't allow me to breathe and laugh hysterically at the same time!! WHO is going to COMPENSATE me for oxygen right now?!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lewdog

Lewdog

Posted
Posted

70 feet in the air? really? More like 7 inches and make sure to take change for the restrooms!

 

That being said, BE SURE to eat tacos at the taqaureia right there where the buses park and the last one before the actual LaBufadora, OUTSANDING!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruisecastle

cruisecastle

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We want to do the Blow Hole and Winery combo tour too. Do you remember the name of the winery? Did you get a free bottle of wine at the end? If so did they take it from you when you got back to the ship?

Love your sence of humor!

 

The combo tour doesn't include a free bottle of wine. The name is Santo Thomas I believe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
beaming90

beaming90

Posted
Posted
This review was a scream!! Loved it. Glad you enjoyed your cruise, plus it gave me ideas. For instance I didn't realize we could shove unattended stuff off deck chairs;) . Too cool!

 

I didn't know it was ok to not only shove it off the deck chairs but throw it overboard. If they have sat there in the last 30 seconds, obviously they will not miss it. Tee hee hee:eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JustRambling

JustRambling

Posted
Posted

OMG!!! :D First, let me thank you for your first review on Paradise. My husband, two boys and I are cruisin' virgins. We are planning on taking the 4-day on Paradise this summer (July 10th sailing), and am always looking for new reviews on this ship.

Secondly, can I just say how HILARIOUS I find your 2nd review?? I'm pretty easy-going and take things with a grain of salt, so when I read "similar" reviews, I have to stop and think that maybe somebody just wasn't in the right frame of mind. I don't know, but you had me rolling! As caprcorn28 mentioned, I also have a bad cold/cough, and asthma on top of that, so am low on oxygen as well, I would like to join the class action suit against the named parties. ;) hehehehe!

Thanks for the laugh, and the first review.

Diana

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...