Carnival Breeze Review
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My husband talked me in to taking a cruise between the holidays to unplug and get a break from work and.. the holidays :) After some quick research, we booked an Eastern Carribean cruise on the Breeze based on the cost, date, and generally positive reviews. Also, booked in early December when rates were still low but risk of bad weather was also low unlike early fall. I could not be happier that he talked me in to taking the trip!
The Breeze - We thought the ship was fantastic - there was more than enough room to sit and enjoy the view, sun or shade, all around the ship from top to bottom. We never were at a loss for a beautiful seat and view, which was very different than the crowded Carnival Imagination where we had to stake out seats in the early morning hours. Food was fantastic, I was pleasantly surprised by the burger bar, the pizza was fantastic and available ALL THE TIME, and the buffet food was always hot, fresh and delicious. The layout was easy to navigate and get used to after a day or two, really just two main decks (Lido and Promenade) to get used to to access all public areas. The decor was very easy on the eye, the atrium truly stunning in height and decor, and overall just a great experience.
Ports & Itinerary - Outlined in more detail the port reviews below but we could not have imagined a better itinerary - was impressed that the cruise lines gave us a map (granted, it was a 'shopping' map sponsored by Diamonds/Tanzanite international) to help us navigate each port. Grand Turk was a great surprise in that you could walk right off the ship and to a shopping, beach, pool or Margaritaville. The beach chairs, access, and pool access were all FREE which blew our mind, We did a snorkeling excursion there (Ultimate Snorkel) that was well rated and had a great time, super clear water, tons and tons of fish, a nurse shark, and reasonable quality equipment and helpful crew. San Juan was gorgeous and also loved that you could walk right off the boat and just start exploring Old San Juan - El Morro fort is one not to miss, and any of the local shops with mofango are worth a visit for the food, mojitos, and quick free WiFi break to back up your pictures. St. Marteen took our breath away - extremely beautiful, mountainous landscape with a beautiful beach just a $7 and 5 minute water taxi ride across the bay, with great beach bars (we hit Lizzy's because of the 2-for-1 noon drink happy hour and amazing singer performing incredible reggae versions of every popular song I'd ever heard in my life from under an umbrella in the sand). It was only about $15 for two beach chairs and an umbrella, but you could wander in to the sand and ocean without paying a dime. St. Thomas was the only place where we did some shopping at the Pier Hastings? Mall (found a lot of things that weren't just Diamonds International or really cheesy junky souvenier shops), but also took an open-air safari cab ride to Magen's Bay on some coworker's recommendations - it was peaceful and beautiful beyond belief, highly recommend!
Cabin Review
We chose to stay in a room with a balcony on the 9th floor of the ship. There were only 2 of us, but the room was actually quite roomy for 2. We found the room had more than enough storage space for the overabundance of clothing we brought, and the bathroom was a smart and convenient layout with great storage for toiletries. The bed was amazingly comfortable, the blanket was soft and pillows were perfect. If the weather had been bad any day, I would have had a hard time getting out of bed! The balcony was also beautiful, we had not had one before but the chairs were very comfortable, however we could also see in to some of the interior rooms on our floor and these looked plenty large as well, so that could be a great way to save if you are considering it on the breeze. It overlooked the BBQ restaurant that was open on days at sea, but I liked the smell of the BBQ. It also looks over a hot tub down on the 5th floor, and a few days this was noisy but not a problem in our minds.Location on the ship: One of the best part was that the room was about halfway between two sets of stairs and elevators, so it was easy to get up one deck to the Lido deck for pools, drinks and food just steps away. That is my biggest recommendation -- pick a room that is just one floor up or down from either the Promenade/dining deck or the Lido, this was tremendously convenient but kept things pretty quiet. Hall Noise: The room was across the hall from a service pantry and we hear our neighbor complain about the noise but hadn't noticed anything until the last night, and that evening it was very loud. We are heavy sleepers and only noticed one night, and the staff was great, I'm sure if we'd said anything they would have taken care to shut the door or keep the noise down, but mostly I just felt bad they were working in the middle of the night so I went back to bed.