Just off Carnival Miracle 9/5/2022 cruise review.

[cruisingguy007]

Just got off the Carnival Miracle on a short 4 day to Ensenada. I will just do a re-cap type review instead of a long drawn out one. 

 

Embarkation: Embarkation went much smoother than I anticipated, we left a bit late but it worked out perfectly. Dropped the fam/luggage off at the cruise terminal, proceeded to drop the car off nearby at the 80 Francisco street parking garage (ABM), this was pre-arranged by requesting parking there, inputting info and then waiting for a call to take payment. You park on the top two floors and everything worked out well and was smooth. No damage to my vehicle upon pickup as well. I was going to park at the pier right next to the cruise terminal but read too many complaints of damaged vehicles and went for the 80 Francisco street parking instead, it’s a very short walk back to the terminal. Once inside (around 11:15), it was a quick pre-screen for documents and then a trip to the counter for final check-in (we had a 10-10:30 arrival time selection) and then we walked right on board to get the cruise started. Quick and easy! You do have to wear a mask in the terminal though, so FYI to anyone leaving from SFO.  

 

 

Ship: The ship was in great shape, excellent shape considering her age. All of the public areas were clean and kept up, even the staterooms were in great shape with carpets and furniture in good condition. I was expecting some issues based on others' reviews of the same class of ship. I actually really like this class of ship, it never really felt crowded (except for serenity on sea days) and there is always somewhere to sit. Didn’t even see many chair hogs around the pools which was a refreshing change. I loved all the quirkiness and detail that went into the spirit class ships and the nice open and spacious flow. All the staff we encountered were great and in good spirits (as usual). Elevators were quick and navigating the ship was relatively easy since everything is pretty much consolidated on a few floors. It was so nice to have a sail away out of SF and it was memorable for us. The pools were kept nice and warm and my kids really enjoyed the waterslides, the green one in particular, we also played a round of minigolf which was fun. Passengers were well behaved for the most part, though we did have a group of unsupervised minors who were running through the hallways several nights and the obligatory boom-box boy who was blasting curse music while walking around on deck, luckily only one on this trip. 

 

Food: I thought the food was good, I’ve been reading review after review of terrible food but I found that, that was not the case for us, maybe I have low-class tastes buds lol but I enjoyed just about every dish I had, minus the overcooked (super dry) fried chicken dish my son and I ordered. There was also a nice selection each night and the menu rotated enough to keep us interested. They had various 50th birthday offerings on the menus as well and that was a nice touch. The service could be slow on formal night  but I could see that the staff was slammed at times and just relaxed and had wine between dishes, conversed with the fam and went with the flow. The service was excellent on all nights we dined, the dining room staff did an exemplary job even though it was very crowded and they had many tables. We had Ronald one night, Ricky Recardo two nights and a great team the first night but I forgot the gentlemen's names that helped us, they were fantastic though and offered drinks without having to ask, cleared plates and kept service moving. I was very pleased with the dining staff and service they provided.

 

Kids Club: The club 02 was sparsely attended on this cruise. A bit of a disappointment for the older kids, the other clubs had plenty of participation to make it fun for the kids. By day two my youngest was having a blast there and wanted to go to each session. He made some cool art and had a great time playing with the other kids and said the staff did a great job keeping them entertained. I did notice a large group of kids onboard that never went to the kids club but instead chose to roam the ship.      

 

Casino: The casino was fun and lively on this ship and there was a great casino bar that had a lot of seats. One big issue is that once agian (just like on Panorama), a few staff were overzealous with their anti-smoking policy and seemed to have made up their own rules. They have a huge clear sign on the casino bar that states “smoking is permitted for active players at gaming tables or machines only” but some staff were confronting active players that had already been playing (and smoking or vaping) for quite some time and demanding they only smoke at the machines, implying that smoking at the tables isn’t permitted while having a sign that states clearly that it is. They really need to have a meeting with management and get this clarified on all ships so that passengers can have a consistent experience. You have a few staff making up their own rules and then other staff saying something else. It only causes confusion and irritation. The casino bar staff did a great job of keeping drinks flowing even during busy times, and it was usually busy there. I didn’t find it to be too smokey and noticed a lot more folks vaping, rather than smoking, so I’m sure that helped. My clothes didn’t reek of cigarettes so that was nice. No luck at the tables or one arm bandits, all donations this trip lol. 

 

Club/bars/shows: I did venture down to the nightclub one night and it was popping, I didn’t stay long because it just felt too cividy for me lol. It was packed and it was hot (problem with AC I heard) but it was jumping and folks were having a great time. I wish they would have moved it out to the pool areas, these were mostly deserted after 10pm and they have DJ stuff there already and bars, lots of seats, plenty of space to dance on deck and most importantly, fresh air! The nightclub is a cool space to be sure, it’s just not the best place to jam folks into right now with current conditions/risks. We really enjoyed Alechemy on this trip, we had some great drinks and the two staff that we dealt with were great. I totally forgot their names (not good with names) but they were fantastic, very pleasant and did a great job even when it got overwhelming back there. The sports bar was a really cool space, very nice and spacious seating and a great place to grab a drink and catch a game or a replay. Red Frog Pub was also a great space to hangout, play games, and enjoy music or karaoke. They didn’t serve any food though on this ship and I didn’t see any happy hour specials either, I think they may have done away with that 50% off deal. We didn’t do any of the shows inside but did attend the parties on deck and they were lively and the cruise director did a good job of hyping up the crowd. 

 

Port/Excursions: We opted for the resort getaway in Ensenada and it was a nice excursion and worth the money IMO. They pick you up in an open air double decker bus and drive you to the Hotel Coral and Marina. It’s a short bus ride to the resort and then you get a quick tour of where to eat and what is what, a drink coupon and then you’re cut loose. The food there is outstanding! Some of the best mole & verde I ever ate, awesome seafood ceviche (so good!) and fresh squeezed orange juice. Lots of selections there too, from roasted lamb (right there on the spot), tacos, fried style tacos, various meats, chilaquiles etc (lots to choose from); it can be confusing because they have indoor seating with a small omelet station and some other dishes inside, outside, you have many more options and if did this again, we’d just sit outside and be closer to all the good stuff. It’s only a 25 yard walk back and forth but we opted to sit inside because it was hot/humid. With the food being so good, it’s totally worth the price. I would skip breakfast on the ship, eat first thing at the resort and then hit the pool. The pool is nice, clean and refreshing, they have a huge hot tub, a large shallow kids pool, some water loungers and another nice size pool inside plus additional hot tubs. Also shower facilities in the gym with nice rainfall showers. Poolside drinks at a reasonable price are also available and each person gets a drink coupon (you pay for any additional). It was very relaxing and a great way to spend the day in port. We were debating between this or getting day passes for the San Nicolas Hotel and Casino and we are glad we chose this in the end because the food was great. 

 

Debarkation: Debarkation went smoothly for the most part, some passengers didn’t listen and bogarted the exits out of their turn which slowed things down. Be sure to get down to eat before 8:30 (or whenever they say) because they do pull the food on time, I barely made it. If you wait your turn, it will be an easy walk off the ship. Dropped fam/luggage at pickup/dropoff and went to retrieve the car, swooped them up and we were on our way. Went very smoothly and we were home in an hour.

 

Final thoughts: I really liked this spirit class ship and would sail on one again without hesitation. My kids did miss the extra entertainment offerings on Panorama and having more kids onboard so we will probably stick to vitsa+ when sailing with them. The Mrs. and I would love to sail on this class again and thought it was a great ship. We had a great time and it was a very enjoyable vacation with no major complaints. It would be nice to have some more options on Carnival out of SF, it was very nice not having a long drive in both directions. We did opt for the drink package this trip and made great use of it. We both agreed that it did make the trip more fun and it was nice to try new things without worrying about a large bill at the end or having to keep track of every drink purchase. A lot of socializing happens at the various bars also so that is an additional aspect to consider. It kinda forces you to “get out there”. Not sure it makes sense on 7day+ cruises but for shorter 3&4  day cruises  we’ll probably get it from now on. If anyone has a question I’ll try my best to answer. Oh and we did make it back home covid free and free from illness for anyone who wants to know.             

 

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[cruisingguy007]

Some photos.

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[cruisingguy007]

More photos

[cruisingguy007]

Photos, having trouble with uploads for some reason. 

[JT1962]

Thanks for the detailed review and glad you enjoyed the cruise. I have taken three cruises this year, two on Carnival, and agree with you about the food. I found the selections and quality of the food to be good in most instances. It’s not gourmet food, but nothing was inedible and about the best you can expect when they are feeding thousands of people 3 meals a day. I’m not sure what the people normally eat that find the food on a cruise so horrible. 

[Top_of_the_Cube]

Beautiful photos, I especially love the first one in each of your first three picture posts.

 

[jerseygirlinAZ]

Thanks for the post and info.  We're cruising the Miracle out of Long Beach in December.  Appreciate your review!

[Guest BasicSailor]

Good to read your comments on the old girl (ship). 

[cruisingguy007]

14 hours ago, BasicSailor said:

Good to read your comments on the old girl (ship). 

 

She was a new girl for me but I really enjoyed the cruise on her. 

[Guest BasicSailor]

15 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

She was a new girl for me but I really enjoyed the cruise on her. 

Take any photos of Lido, or any other parts of the ship. 

[cruisingguy007]

15 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

Take any photos of Lido, or any other parts of the ship. 

 

I actually didn't because there are so many already out there and it's quite ubiquitous, didn't think anyone would be interested. Best pool set up of any class though to be sure. Only serenity had towel hogs and was crowded, the other two pools had plenty of space for anyone looking to enjoy the space. Plus there were people swimming and kids around and I'd rather not get close ups of people who are enjoying the space. Only at night was it empty (for the most part).  

Edited September 9, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[LaRue1975]

Thanks for the review and pics, glad to hear she is in good shape! The hubby and I will be on the Miracle for the 14 day round trip to Alaska from Long Beach next September. We have the Panorama next month and the four day Radiance in January. Thanks for the Ensenada Resort and casino info, it will be nice to have a bar in the casino. I am happy we  have the bigger ships with balconies sailing on the west coast now, especially for the shorter itineraries, just in time for our retirement! 

[ew101]

Thank You.  I did find the Snapseed app was good for making sure each photo was not upside down for uploading.