Carnival Victory - Cruise Review - Sep 11, 2005 Sailing

This was our second cruise. Our first was on the Norwegian Dreamward
(Norwegian Dream) about 10 years ago from New York to Bermuda.

First I would like to say that I will never book another cruise on a ship of
this size. While the crew was fantastic, it was rather difficult getting
into and out of places on the vessel with 3,000+ passengers aboard. The
worst part was port debarkations and embarkations where the lines were long
getting off and back on the ship.

We arrived in Miami on Saturday afternoon, September10th, from Tampa where
we spent a couple days visiting my daughter. The drive from Tampa to Miami
was one of the most boring drives I've ever taken. I-75 is definitely not
the scenic route to South Florida.

We spent Saturday night in the Holiday Inn near the Cruise Terminal.
Saturday night saw a lot of bad weather and we actually saw TWO tornadoes
moving in from the water to shore. One did some damage to some condos and
the other one roped itself out. Miami saw four tornadoes that night. The
following morning I awoke early to see the cruise ships returning to port
one after another. We were going to just check out the port and return
later to check in, however, you can forget about doing that. We got caught
up in the port traffic and were directed to our ship to unload our luggage.
I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my handicap placard,
parking was FREE. Well that savings was spent in the casino aboard ship in
short order.

I put my wife in line while I went to park my truck in the garage and
returned to the long line. She was just inside the building when I arrived.
It was very hot during the entire boarding process which included security
checkpoints. They were moving so many people through security so fast that
I don't think they would have caught anyone with a weapon. Processing was
efficient but hot and stuffy with so many people in line. This procedure
was far more complex than the first cruise out of New York, but it's
attributed to 9-11.

Our cabin was larger than our first cruise which was a sea view bay window
cabin. This cruise we were on Deck 10 with a balcony (Class 8). For once I
didn't have to first put soap on the shower walls to take a shower.

Like European trains, we departed the dock on time. Weather during the
entire cruise held up for us and it only rained at night. The seas were
never more than 5' and due to the size of the Victory, she barely rocked. I
didn't see one person that was seasick on this cruise.

I rate the food as average. Nothing spectacular or special. This is
compared to the food on our first cruise. Dining room service was the same
and our waiter Eugenio was great and funny. There were a couple entree's I
just couldn't eat. After the first two days we elected free style breakfast
instead of the open seating dining rooms. I didn't like the way they seated
you in the dining rooms for breakfast. If you saw someone you knew, you
couldn't just go over and sit with them. You had to follow the flow.

We took our lunch on deck and rarely used room service. The morning room
service coffee was weak.

Photography: We found the ship's photographers a bit pushy and I took most
all of our photos and even took some photos of other passengers to be sent
via email. I can do a much better job of taking photos and I have a better
camera. We purchased two photos we thought were worth the cost.

On board activities: All I can say is they are plentiful and run from
morning to midnight. Carnival is a party line. If you are one that only
wants to take a 'kick back' cruise, you should not sail via Carnival. There
were a lot of children onboard running the decks and hallways. I even
witnessed a kid climbing up on the rail without parental supervision. Had I
not told him to get down and stay down, he may very well have fell
overboard. Children should not be unsupervised aboard any vessel, and the
crew should reinforce this policy. I fear one day we will be hearing about
a child that becomes missing aboard a cruise ship in the near future if
things don't change.

Mr. Ponch....

Sounds like you did not enjoy your cruise...how were the ports of call and
where did you go?

Ed---> Enjoyed my cruise on the Victory out of NY to Nova Scotia in July
'04.

"Poncho Liner" <poncholiner@> wrote in message
news:4inXe.115$G64.61@newssvr12.news... .
> This was our second cruise. Our first was on the Norwegian Dreamward
> (Norwegian Dream) about 10 years ago from New York to Bermuda.
>
> First I would like to say that I will never book another cruise on a ship
> of this size. While the crew was fantastic, it was rather difficult
> getting into and out of places on the vessel with 3,000+ passengers
> aboard. The worst part was port debarkations and embarkations where the
> lines were long getting off and back on the ship.
>
> We arrived in Miami on Saturday afternoon, September10th, from Tampa where
> we spent a couple days visiting my daughter. The drive from Tampa to
> Miami was one of the most boring drives I've ever taken. I-75 is
> definitely not the scenic route to South Florida.
>
> We spent Saturday night in the Holiday Inn near the Cruise Terminal.
> Saturday night saw a lot of bad weather and we actually saw TWO tornadoes
> moving in from the water to shore. One did some damage to some condos and
> the other one roped itself out. Miami saw four tornadoes that night. The
> following morning I awoke early to see the cruise ships returning to port
> one after another. We were going to just check out the port and return
> later to check in, however, you can forget about doing that. We got
> caught up in the port traffic and were directed to our ship to unload our
> luggage. I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my handicap
> placard, parking was FREE. Well that savings was spent in the casino
> aboard ship in short order.
>
> I put my wife in line while I went to park my truck in the garage and
> returned to the long line. She was just inside the building when I
> arrived. It was very hot during the entire boarding process which included
> security checkpoints. They were moving so many people through security so
> fast that I don't think they would have caught anyone with a weapon.
> Processing was efficient but hot and stuffy with so many people in line.
> This procedure was far more complex than the first cruise out of New York,
> but it's attributed to 9-11.
>
> Our cabin was larger than our first cruise which was a sea view bay window
> cabin. This cruise we were on Deck 10 with a balcony (Class 8). For once
> I didn't have to first put soap on the shower walls to take a shower.
>
> Like European trains, we departed the dock on time. Weather during the
> entire cruise held up for us and it only rained at night. The seas were
> never more than 5' and due to the size of the Victory, she barely rocked.
> I didn't see one person that was seasick on this cruise.
>
> I rate the food as average. Nothing spectacular or special. This is
> compared to the food on our first cruise. Dining room service was the
> same and our waiter Eugenio was great and funny. There were a couple
> entree's I just couldn't eat. After the first two days we elected free
> style breakfast instead of the open seating dining rooms. I didn't like
> the way they seated you in the dining rooms for breakfast. If you saw
> someone you knew, you couldn't just go over and sit with them. You had to
> follow the flow.
>
> We took our lunch on deck and rarely used room service. The morning room
> service coffee was weak.
>
> Photography: We found the ship's photographers a bit pushy and I took
> most all of our photos and even took some photos of other passengers to be
> sent via email. I can do a much better job of taking photos and I have a
> better camera. We purchased two photos we thought were worth the cost.
>
> On board activities: All I can say is they are plentiful and run from
> morning to midnight. Carnival is a party line. If you are one that only
> wants to take a 'kick back' cruise, you should not sail via Carnival.
> There were a lot of children onboard running the decks and hallways. I
> even witnessed a kid climbing up on the rail without parental supervision.
> Had I not told him to get down and stay down, he may very well have fell
> overboard. Children should not be unsupervised aboard any vessel, and the
> crew should reinforce this policy. I fear one day we will be hearing
> about a child that becomes missing aboard a cruise ship in the near future
> if things don't change.

Poncho Liner,
Thanks for the interesting review!...
I agree, these mega ships are really not for us either.
The ship's photographers have always been pushy on most cruise lines,
especially annoying at meal time..As soon as we see them heading our way, we
shake our heads, *no.* Even when getting off at ports of call, we just walk
around them..

Scary about the kiddo climbing the rails..but security cannot be a
substitute for a negligent parent(s). They are responsible for safety for
everyone while they are making their rounds, but cannot be everywhere as a
substitute babysitter. Glad that you were there to intervene!

One area, I have to disagree with you and it is my opinion and mine alone,
but there is no ship that you cannot kick back and relax on and I have been
on 31 cruises, ten of them Carnival...There is always somewhere that you can
get away and relax..
We have always found a nook somewhere! Even if it has to be your own
balcony! ;-)

Again, thanks for your review!
--Jean

Damn, damn, damn. I didn't finish this review yet ...... please disregard
until I say it's been completed.

"Poncho Liner" <poncholiner@> wrote in message
news:4inXe.115$G64.61@newssvr12.news... .
> This was our second cruise. Our first was on the Norwegian Dreamward
> (Norwegian Dream) about 10 years ago from New York to Bermuda.
>
> First I would like to say that I will never book another cruise on a ship
> of this size. While the crew was fantastic, it was rather difficult
> getting into and out of places on the vessel with 3,000+ passengers
> aboard. The worst part was port debarkations and embarkations where the
> lines were long getting off and back on the ship.
>
> We arrived in Miami on Saturday afternoon, September10th, from Tampa where
> we spent a couple days visiting my daughter. The drive from Tampa to
> Miami was one of the most boring drives I've ever taken. I-75 is
> definitely not the scenic route to South Florida.
>
> We spent Saturday night in the Holiday Inn near the Cruise Terminal.
> Saturday night saw a lot of bad weather and we actually saw TWO tornadoes
> moving in from the water to shore. One did some damage to some condos and
> the other one roped itself out. Miami saw four tornadoes that night. The
> following morning I awoke early to see the cruise ships returning to port
> one after another. We were going to just check out the port and return
> later to check in, however, you can forget about doing that. We got
> caught up in the port traffic and were directed to our ship to unload our
> luggage. I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my handicap
> placard, parking was FREE. Well that savings was spent in the casino
> aboard ship in short order.
>
> I put my wife in line while I went to park my truck in the garage and
> returned to the long line. She was just inside the building when I
> arrived. It was very hot during the entire boarding process which included
> security checkpoints. They were moving so many people through security so
> fast that I don't think they would have caught anyone with a weapon.
> Processing was efficient but hot and stuffy with so many people in line.
> This procedure was far more complex than the first cruise out of New York,
> but it's attributed to 9-11.
>
> Our cabin was larger than our first cruise which was a sea view bay window
> cabin. This cruise we were on Deck 10 with a balcony (Class 8). For once
> I didn't have to first put soap on the shower walls to take a shower.
>
> Like European trains, we departed the dock on time. Weather during the
> entire cruise held up for us and it only rained at night. The seas were
> never more than 5' and due to the size of the Victory, she barely rocked.
> I didn't see one person that was seasick on this cruise.
>
> I rate the food as average. Nothing spectacular or special. This is
> compared to the food on our first cruise. Dining room service was the
> same and our waiter Eugenio was great and funny. There were a couple
> entree's I just couldn't eat. After the first two days we elected free
> style breakfast instead of the open seating dining rooms. I didn't like
> the way they seated you in the dining rooms for breakfast. If you saw
> someone you knew, you couldn't just go over and sit with them. You had to
> follow the flow.
>
> We took our lunch on deck and rarely used room service. The morning room
> service coffee was weak.
>
> Photography: We found the ship's photographers a bit pushy and I took
> most all of our photos and even took some photos of other passengers to be
> sent via email. I can do a much better job of taking photos and I have a
> better camera. We purchased two photos we thought were worth the cost.
>
> On board activities: All I can say is they are plentiful and run from
> morning to midnight. Carnival is a party line. If you are one that only
> wants to take a 'kick back' cruise, you should not sail via Carnival.
> There were a lot of children onboard running the decks and hallways. I
> even witnessed a kid climbing up on the rail without parental supervision.
> Had I not told him to get down and stay down, he may very well have fell
> overboard. Children should not be unsupervised aboard any vessel, and the
> crew should reinforce this policy. I fear one day we will be hearing
> about a child that becomes missing aboard a cruise ship in the near future
> if things don't change.
>
>
>

I saved that review aboard ship to be sent later after I finished it. But
it got sent anyway. It's not finished, however, I will add this...

Upon arrival back in Miami it took no less than three and a half hours to
get off the ship and then another hour in line on the dock BEFORE we
even got to our luggage. That tended to plunge an otherwise good cruise
into the trash can as a lesson learned about those super ships.
The crew agrees too. It takes too long to board and get off the ship and
tempers tend to flare up a bit, making the entire process miserable for
everyone else. Customs was a breeze as usual since I always flash my
retired military ID card along with my passport whenever I re-enter the
country. I've been pushed through newly opened stalls ahead of everyone
else. Most Custom's officials are also retired military and we tend to help
each other out whenever we can.

I'll finish the review when I finally get back home on Wednesday. We are on
the road back to Kansas from Miami.

"Jean O'Boyle" <j.oboyle@removefudged.> wrote in message
news:lYoXe.907$Ba2.676@newssvr27.news.. ..
>
> "Poncho Liner" <poncholiner@> wrote in message
> news:4inXe.115$G64.61@newssvr12.news... .
>> This was our second cruise. Our first was on the Norwegian Dreamward
>> (Norwegian Dream) about 10 years ago from New York to Bermuda.
>>
>> First I would like to say that I will never book another cruise on a ship
>> of this size. While the crew was fantastic, it was rather difficult
>> getting into and out of places on the vessel with 3,000+ passengers
>> aboard. The worst part was port debarkations and embarkations where the
>> lines were long getting off and back on the ship.
>>
>> We arrived in Miami on Saturday afternoon, September10th, from Tampa
>> where we spent a couple days visiting my daughter. The drive from Tampa
>> to Miami was one of the most boring drives I've ever taken. I-75 is
>> definitely not the scenic route to South Florida.
>>
>> We spent Saturday night in the Holiday Inn near the Cruise Terminal.
>> Saturday night saw a lot of bad weather and we actually saw TWO tornadoes
>> moving in from the water to shore. One did some damage to some condos
>> and the other one roped itself out. Miami saw four tornadoes that night.
>> The following morning I awoke early to see the cruise ships returning to
>> port one after another. We were going to just check out the port and
>> return later to check in, however, you can forget about doing that. We
>> got caught up in the port traffic and were directed to our ship to unload
>> our luggage. I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my
>> handicap placard, parking was FREE. Well that savings was spent in the
>> casino aboard ship in short order.
>>
>> I put my wife in line while I went to park my truck in the garage and
>> returned to the long line. She was just inside the building when I
>> arrived. It was very hot during the entire boarding process which
>> included security checkpoints. They were moving so many people through
>> security so fast that I don't think they would have caught anyone with a
>> weapon. Processing was efficient but hot and stuffy with so many people
>> in line. This procedure was far more complex than the first cruise out of
>> New York, but it's attributed to 9-11.
>>
>> Our cabin was larger than our first cruise which was a sea view bay
>> window cabin. This cruise we were on Deck 10 with a balcony (Class 8).
>> For once I didn't have to first put soap on the shower walls to take a
>> shower.
>>
>> Like European trains, we departed the dock on time. Weather during the
>> entire cruise held up for us and it only rained at night. The seas were
>> never more than 5' and due to the size of the Victory, she barely rocked.
>> I didn't see one person that was seasick on this cruise.
>>
>> I rate the food as average. Nothing spectacular or special. This is
>> compared to the food on our first cruise. Dining room service was the
>> same and our waiter Eugenio was great and funny. There were a couple
>> entree's I just couldn't eat. After the first two days we elected free
>> style breakfast instead of the open seating dining rooms. I didn't like
>> the way they seated you in the dining rooms for breakfast. If you saw
>> someone you knew, you couldn't just go over and sit with them. You had
>> to follow the flow.
>>
>> We took our lunch on deck and rarely used room service. The morning room
>> service coffee was weak.
>>
>> Photography: We found the ship's photographers a bit pushy and I took
>> most all of our photos and even took some photos of other passengers to
>> be sent via email. I can do a much better job of taking photos and I
>> have a better camera. We purchased two photos we thought were worth the
>> cost.
>>
>> On board activities: All I can say is they are plentiful and run from
>> morning to midnight. Carnival is a party line. If you are one that only
>> wants to take a 'kick back' cruise, you should not sail via Carnival.
>> There were a lot of children onboard running the decks and hallways. I
>> even witnessed a kid climbing up on the rail without parental
>> supervision. Had I not told him to get down and stay down, he may very
>> well have fell overboard. Children should not be unsupervised aboard any
>> vessel, and the crew should reinforce this policy. I fear one day we
>> will be hearing about a child that becomes missing aboard a cruise ship
>> in the near future if things don't change.
>
> Poncho Liner,
> Thanks for the interesting review!...
> I agree, these mega ships are really not for us either.
> The ship's photographers have always been pushy on most cruise lines,
> especially annoying at meal time..As soon as we see them heading our way,
> we shake our heads, *no.* Even when getting off at ports of call, we just
> walk around them..
>
> Scary about the kiddo climbing the rails..but security cannot be a
> substitute for a negligent parent(s). They are responsible for safety for
> everyone while they are making their rounds, but cannot be everywhere as a
> substitute babysitter. Glad that you were there to intervene!
>
> One area, I have to disagree with you and it is my opinion and mine alone,
> but there is no ship that you cannot kick back and relax on and I have
> been on 31 cruises, ten of them Carnival...There is always somewhere that
> you can get away and relax..
> We have always found a nook somewhere! Even if it has to be your own
> balcony! ;-)
>
> Again, thanks for your review!
> --Jean
>
>

Jean O'Boyle wrote:

> One area, I have to disagree with you and it is my opinion and mine alone,
> but there is no ship that you cannot kick back and relax on and I have been
> on 31 cruises, ten of them Carnival...There is always somewhere that you can
> get away and relax..

I hope you're right, Jean. I've just booked my second Carnival cruise
(on Miracle) and it does make me a little nervous when I read reviews
about Carnival ships being go-go-go. I'm prepared for the loud decor,
never-ending announcements, etc., but I do hope there will be a place
for some down time as well.

Lee

Poncho Liner wrote:

> I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my handicap placard,
> parking was FREE.

I don't know. That doesn't seem particularly fair, does it? What's the
basis for this policy?

Lee

"LeeNY" <leeschw@campmor.com> wrote in message
news:1127153858.392757.97610@g14g2000cwa. ...
> Poncho Liner wrote:
>
>> I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my handicap
>> placard,
>> parking was FREE.
>
> I don't know. That doesn't seem particularly fair, does it? What's the
> basis for this policy?
>

State laws in some cases.

"LeeNY" <leeschw@campmor.com> wrote in message
news:1127153858.392757.97610@g14g2000cwa. ...
> Poncho Liner wrote:
>
>> I was prepared to pay around $86 for parking but with my handicap
>> placard,
>> parking was FREE.
>
> I don't know. That doesn't seem particularly fair, does it? What's the
> basis for this policy?
>
> Lee
>

It's a conspiracy by the cruise lines so they will have money to throw away
in the casino.

--
Greg

"LeeNY" <leeschw@campmor.com> wrote in message
news:1127153747.586797.242200@g44g2000cwa. o...
> Jean O'Boyle wrote:
>
>> One area, I have to disagree with you and it is my opinion and mine
>> alone,
>> but there is no ship that you cannot kick back and relax on and I have
>> been
>> on 31 cruises, ten of them Carnival...There is always somewhere that you
>> can
>> get away and relax..
>
> I hope you're right, Jean. I've just booked my second Carnival cruise
> (on Miracle) and it does make me a little nervous when I read reviews
> about Carnival ships being go-go-go. I'm prepared for the loud decor,
> never-ending announcements, etc., but I do hope there will be a place
> for some down time as well.
>
> Lee

Lee, I can only speak for the Victory. I would think on any cruise ship,
there would be a place to get away from it all. Unfortunately on the
Victory with so many diverse passengers, it's hard to find such a place
except for your cabin. Most all public areas are crowded and so are the
decks. The library is probably the quietest place on the ship to relax.