CARNIVAL LEGEND Southern Caribbean Nov. 8 - 16, 2006 By Mary & Vincent Finelli
This was our second cruise on the Carnival Legend, sister ship to the Spirit, the Pride and the Miracle. Thus, we know our way around the Spirit class ships, which were built in cookie cutter fashion and all have the exact same layout. It was three years ago, when we first sailed on the Legend and we are happy to report that under the very amiable Hotel Director Ms. Shahnaz Kashanipour, the ship is just as pristine as ever! Captain Roberto Volpi commands her with special grace. He places the passengers safety and well being above all. When leaving the beautiful island of St. Maarten, he made a U-turn and returned to the island to disembark a very sick passenger who required hospitalization. We were surprised, when watching the patient's transference, that it was the same elderly gentleman who felt ill in Ft. Lauderdale, just before departure. Commandant Volpi makes sound swift decisions: a trait to be admired in the head person on board. This review will be brief and to the point, since we have already published a review on this ship (see Carnival Legend, March 2003) and furthermore, this is a holiday week and only a few days before our next cruise on the Norwegian Jewel.
EMBARKATION Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, FL is very handy for us, only one half hour from our home in Boca Raton. For a Wednesday or mid week departure I-95 had more traffic than usual, but still no long delays. Boarding Passes were given out on Pier 21 and then security was done inside: 5 minutes for the passes, 5 minutes for security and then a ten minute wait for the elevator to the second floor. Wheelchair passengers and VIPs were sent on ahead to a waiting area. Twenty minutes later the ship was cleared and we were aboard -- a total of 40 minutes. Excellent.