Hello everyone.  My first day back at the hospital from vacation.  Went down to the cafeteria to eat, I was looking for the buffet line and looking for the cloth napkins, boy was I disappointed when I had to wake up and come back to reality and foudn myself back on land.  Boy, I miss the ship, and miss vacation.  We really had a great time, my 13 year old and my 16 year old had the best time.  They want to go back again, now.  They made tons of friends and we had a hard time getting them to come and hang out with us old folks.  :)

We had a great time, except for my suitcase with all my stuff that was lost by USAir,  argh,  had to make a mad dash in tampa and buy stuff and try to remember what I had in the big suitcase.  The airlines just found my suitcase today in Kentucky and when we got it, it was taped up, the zipper was torn off and a hole in the front.  Since husband is an employee, we get no help with paying for losses. Really bummer for start of vacation, but when we got on the ship, the stress just lifted and the fresh air and the food, I finally relaxed. 

The dessert on this cruise was way better than the Valor last year.  Don't get me wrong, loved that ship, but was really bummed about the desserts, but the Legend really impressed. 

Let me know if you all set up a page for pictures, would love to put some of our snorkeling trips on there. 

I have been wondering where the cabin steward is to clean my room and make my bed, as well as when dinner is served. :)  

I had a good time overall, but wasn't really "impressed" with anything, as an experienced cruiser - first time on Carnival after two on Princess and one with Royal Caribbean.

I was actually rather annoyed by the lack of planning regarding crowd control - particularly the Lido Deck buffet lines and the horrid wait to get off and on the ship in Grand Cayman. But I thought disembarking went more smoothly than expected (given the previous week of lines and crowds).

Desserts didn't impress me all that much - other than the chocolate melting cake. :)

I couldnt agree with you more.  I was not impressed at all.  I thought the food was boring.  I wanted to eat things I cant get at home. Our steaks were either WAY under cooked or like beef jerky.  Our waiter said they were to thick for the chief to tell.

I hated those lines.  They were everywhere.  I made a MAJOR complaint the first port.  The line was a 45 min wait and in a hall way on level 1.  I got on the service phone and started screaming how it was a fire hazard and that they better get someone down there.  They did. The next day well assembled in the Follies lounge.

I spent 800.00 on pictures.  I was so pissed. They didnt offer any kind of discount... at first, they made small ones.  Then for the rest of the trip they made the 21.95. AND if you wanted them smaller, they would but only at the 21.95 price.

I think that lady Jen was to busy telling us where to shop! Instead of telling us what not to buy and what we werent able to keep. 

I also HATED the fact that even though there was a sign! by the pool stating no children with diapers in the pool, they were still in there without be told to leave..  It really upset me especially when the child crapped in it and his parents took him out THEN!!

Do you happen to remember the name of the store in the port of Belize that was the pharmacy with the American lady.  She asked me to pick up a handbag that I had bought here in the US.  She gave me her information, and I lost it.  I now have the bag, but no way to get it to her.  Can anyone help me out...

We too were upset with how the Disembarkment was handled at Gr. Cayman.  We purchased Shore excursions (pre-paid) for the 9:00am beach excursion to 7 Mile Beach.  We were in line 50 minutes on level one before getting on the Tender to meet our bus.  Well, we missed the bus by 5 minutes and they had us wait an hour to catch a later bus at 10am...our excursion was cut by an hour due to poor line management. 

We feel that this could have been handled better if the staff had designated lines for those who had pre-paid time committed excursions.  We were in line well before the suggested 45 minutes. It was horrendeous standing in line so long and jammed into a tiny hall way almost the whole length of the ship 2 to 3 people deep.  What were they thinking(????) we were treated like cattle. 

Main dining meals were touch and go.  And the Buffet was boring, I'll agree.  We booked 2 dinners at the Golden Fleece and cancelled the 2nd one.  Food was much better than the Main dinning room and the buffet but not worth the $60 extra per couple, the service was excellent however. 

The 24 hr pizzaria is a good idea, too bad the Pizza wasn't better. 

I do have to admit that the cleaning crews are very hard workers, the ship was always kept clean. 

We'll cruise again... however we're not sure it will be with Carnival next time....

Sorry, we didn't shop in Belize, so I don't remember the pharmacy.

The waiting in Follies lounge for Belize was planned in advance - it was already printed on our tickets. I don't understand why they couldn't do it in Grand Cayman as well. While it wasn't a perfect solution, it worked. I'm certain a big part of the problem was caused by Carnival haing *3* ships at Grand Cayman at the same time. I can imagine there weren't enough tenders to service that many ships (plus a Disney ship). So that was something Carnival could have planned far better through itinerary management.

Well, I for one enjoyed my time on Carnival Legend, but then this is my 3rd trip on the same ship in the last 15 months. Other  than the shows and some of the contests being different, I still found it amazing. As I see it, you make your vacation how you want it to be. I wanted to have fun, and so I did, no matter what issue came up. I do give kudo's to some of the crew. I was amazed that they remembered me sailing two months ago with them. I even had the same cabin steward as last time, even though I was booked on a different deck. It definitely made me feel special. :)

LadyWolf...We're offended by your comment "As I see it, you make your vacation how you want it to be. I wanted to have fun, and so I did, no matter what issue came up."   tsk tsk

Do you believe  there was anyone on that ship who didn't want to have a good time?  I doubt people would pay alot of money to expect a bad time on any vacation.  I wanted my shore excursion to Cayman to be fun, relaxing and exciting...I didn't pre-pay to be treated like I didn't matter and to have my excursion cut short by a third because of poor planning on Carnivals part. Come'on now 50 minutes standing in a small crowded hallway was NOT a good time, and sorry there was no way of making anything good come out of that.  It caused myself and so many others stress and worry (saftey issues) not to mention a loss in the cost of what was paid for the excursion because we did not get what we paid for.  Cayman should have been set up like Belize and Roatan.   All 3 of our shore excursions were pre-paid by the way.

Anyway, I'm happy that you felt  special because someone remembered you. Knowing our names made us feel special too as first time cruisers, but did you know that our stewards actually Study their passenger lists and learn their names the week before we board?  We liked our Room Steward he did a very fine job and he was tipped  very nicely at the end of the cruise as were those others who were special to US ie.. servers in main dining. 

We had a very nice time because of the company we kept- Carnival didn't ruin that for us :)

Happy Sailing!

Next long cruise -Royal Caribbean May 2010...

Short cruises - Celebration Bahamas

I'm sorry that I offended you Pepe, but it is only my own opinion and not anyone elses. I am entitled to my own perception of things as you are to yours. As for the crew remembering me. Trust me, it wasn't from a list that they studied. I had been on two months prior to my last cruise, and they remembered all the little details as to why they remembered me. I even had a wait staff from the Lido deck chase me down two flights of stairs because he remembered me...and I barely remembered him until he mentioned the singing he did for my daughter on the last cruise. My room steward was the same steward I had from the last cruise as well and I was on a different deck this time. There were two from photography that remembered my issues with pictures and proceeded to tell my husband in detail how pathetic I was about it. The cruise director who seen me on all three of my cruises sat and chat and informed me I needed to be her assistant since I've been on so many times. Then the bar girl who actually remember what I loved to drink from the cruise prior and brought it before I asked during the Captain's Reception (It's not a drink they carry on their tray for the reception). And last but now least, one of the entertainment director who poked fun at me the whole cruise and happens to be emailing my daughter since the cruise before (she informed him I would be there again but this time with my husband). So trust me, I really felt more than special.

I'm also sorry that your shore excursion didn't go well in Grand Cayman. It's really hard for the crew to control over 2,000 people who are in a hurry to get off, but I do know that the tenders were back to back in their process and the crew even opened the second doorway to expedite things by having two tenders filling at the same time versus one. Depending on the tender, they had them ranging from 100 to 340 people capacity.

ONE THING

no matter what you come across with  people that nothing make them happy, I'm been on the Legend twice and going on my 25th cruise and guess what prefer under cook or way to cook meals than me been home and cooking, Carnival do not make your vacation ITS YOUR ATTITUDE that make your happiness, Ann I'm so glad that you had a wonderful time , When we met on The Legend last march 8, 2009 was a wonderful experience and we had a great and awesome wicked times.They always look something to BMW(bitching,moaning and wining) and no matter what they prefer to look At the negative then the positive side of life.Good for you Ann keep having fun regardless So many people will settle for a bad cruise than staying home, We should be thankful that we can cruise

  ana

also why can you be upset for spending so much money in pictures nobody force you

Haha Ana, it wasn't the money I spent on pictures that I was pathetic at. I just couldn't find a darn one that I liked of me. I kept throwing them all away. Poor Teryn (who did the photos at the piano) finally did one of my daughter and I the night before we got home that I liked and bought. I was by no means upset with the photographers, they honestly did try their best, I just wasn't happy with the way I looked. Teryn told my hubby how bad I was with my grumbling about not wanting this or that showing...and I was bad. I'm surprised they wanted to go for a second round with me.  ROFL!  But..the cruise I came off a week ago with my hubby, I actually got 5 photos and a couple of them was from Teryn again. :) Besides, who couldn't love photos with my hubby in uniform..YUMMY!

LadyWolf

I didn't say we had a bad time in Cayman.. it was the 50 minute wait only to miss our bus for the excursion which cut our beach time short.  Crowd control could have been handled better, like I said in my very first post about this subject.  Carnival knows who has tickets to what, when and where since they print the tickets and deliver them to the room.

 And of course your entitled to your opinion as we all are.  However attitudes can change from excitement and elation to agony depending on situations that are beyond your control...plus we were just too dang tired from waiting in line all that time to jump ship and swim to our bus LOL

We had a great time on the cruise... miss all the fun and excitement and the wonderful new friends we made that we're keeping in touch with :)  

Penelope

Lady wolf I know is not you with the pictures some one else complain about how much money spend on the pictures (silly girl)

I complained about the pictures tooo..  I mean, no one forced me to buy as many as I did, but I did feel they were VERY expensive. And I didnt understand why they didnt offer some kind of package.  Like why would someone want ALL 8x10.  And for them to make them a 5x7 they said it was still the same price.  They also said that next year they are going up to $23.95.  The same price that Royal Carribean charges.

They can be expensive believe me my wedding pictures were 1000.00 dollars but still good deal comparing my niece wedding photos were ver 3,000. but you knew the price you bought them no complain or regrets later ,sorry for my honesty

 ana

I actually agree with Roseann...I wish they would make them into 5X7 instead of the big sizes. I just don't have much use for the huge size since I don't keep framed pictures on my walls.