Carnival Glory Review

Carnival Glory - Eastern Caribbean

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Carnival Glory
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JPM
First Time Cruiser • Age 20s

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Sail Date: Oct 2007

We are in the Orlando area so travel to and from Port Canaveral is pretty easy for us. It was our third Carnival Cruise and the second out of Port Canaveral. The embarkation process was fine and pretty efficient. From arrival to getting into our stateroom took about 45 minutes. Luggage handling was not as smooth. We arrived at the ship at 12:00 and did not get our luggage until about 6:00. Getting underway was pretty standard but the muster drills can really be improved efficiency wise. Lot's of standing around waiting after the instructions and explanations. We had the late seating for dinner and it was fine. This is the first time we have traveled by ourselves on a cruise and while I understand the "community" nature of cruising there seemed to be many tables for two that were not being used and it would have been nice to have one of them. Dinner in the dining room was fine. The food was good and the wait staff attentive. The bar wait staff could have been a bit more prompt but it was OK; after waiting the first two time we went to wine which the waiter looked after. It seems to me like they have cut back on staff and it showed a bit. I think them reduced wait staff and increased photographers; more on that later! We chose to have dinner in the supper club (Emerald Club) three nights and that was wonderful. There is a material difference in the food quality and in the attentiveness of the staff. There is a bar there (Anne the bartender was a sweetheart!) also with a piano player most nights so we went to the bar and has a cocktail and then had dinner. There was a rather obnoxious group there one night (not bad but annoying) and we asked to have desert at the bar and they moved us to another table for coffee and desert. While three nights in the supper club may be overkill, it was a very nice experience, well worth the $30.00 per person up charge and you can have a leisurely dinner and don't have to make small talk with others. It is fine dining! For breakfast we went to the dining room, and here again is where you see staff reductions. On the first morning when we approached the maitre-d station everyone walked away. We stood there a bit then just walked in and selected a table. We were promptly told we needed to be "seated" and had to walk back to the entrance and then walked back to be seated.....at the next table. It was a table for 8 and the wait staff did not get attentive until all eight chairs were filled. The other morning it was a request for a table for two! The ports were ok....nothing spectacular but anyone who goes on a cruise to see the islands is making a mistake. The reality it is the island according to your cruise director an excursion desk! Nassau was OK and we chose to walk around. Unfortunately it was Sunday and while the tourist venues were open, some others were not. St Thomas has really grown and the pier is a distance from the shopping area so be sure you take a publico (group cab) if it is hot and it was when we were there. St Maarten was also OK. We took the tour of the island and that was informative and interesting. There were two formal nights on board that they were interesting. I think I saw my share of old prom and bride's maid dresses! We do dress for dinned but I did not bring my tuxedo nor feel compelled to go off the deep end dress wise; after all it is a vacation. We did have some pictures taken one night and this is where Carnival does not get it! They obviously make a killing on photographs. Part of the delay in boarding is the queue for the pictures so if you're not interested in buying them then bypass the wait! The same is the case when you leave via the gangway in port....Photographers posing folks on the gangway and no one else can pass! We had our pictures taken on one of the formal nights and they produced 8 X 10 photos. We would have bought a few if they were 5 x 7's for $8.00. The scam is they determine the size they take which determines the price you pay.....want a smaller one? You have to buy the 8X10 for 21.00 THEN purchase the smaller picture for 8.00. I inquired about this practice with the Pursers office and was told I needed to contact Carnival Corporate as it was a Cruise Line policy. I asked to have the Photo Manager call me and that never happened, instead I got a letter from the purser's office suggesting we contact Carnival. I did email them when we returned and am still awaiting a reply. Disembarking was ok, we chose the self assist thinking we might get off sooner and that was NOT the case; we actually got off about the same time and had to navigate with out luggage. Worth it to get off earlier, not worth it when there is no real time difference. We also had a difference in out credit card charge and the bill we received before debarkation. It was only $16.00 but I wanted to know what happened. I am amazed that Carnival does not offer to email a final bill IF the amount of what you were given and the final total is different. Our final charges were on the bill we got on board so why there was an additional charge I still am waiting to hear. Carnival could do a better job explaining to folks how the transportation, pick up, meet and greet works when you leave the ship. I had to assist a couple who were not from the US but were looking for their transportation to Orlando Airport. They left the ship in plenty of time but they were unable to locate their transportation, both numbers they has were not weekend numbers so they had to take a cab to the airport. I STRONGLY recommend that you understand where you will be met or picked up, and have a phone number that will be answered on the weekend! Be prepared! Overall a good value, the Cruise Director "Wee Jimmy" was good, the cruise is a good value and if you know how to navigate the process a great vacation!

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