Your thoughts?

cruisinmama · January 12, 2010

Ann~
Congrats on your booking! We always stay in Fort Lauderdale the night before a cruise. We also need to find one where we can leave our car while we're sailing. The Hampton Inn met our needs and had transportation to the port (I believe they were located on SE 12th St. - something like that). Clean, pleasant and continental breakfast in AM. We've heard the Holiday Inn Express across the street was also a good deal. Check them out also but can't remember the name of the street (Hampton Inn is off the main road). Others we checked out were more expensive. Good luck and don't take all reviews to heart...many people like to brag, while others like to complain. You're right....it is what you make it!

Shall check them out Thanks...

DebbieandJerry · January 12, 2010

When you say "southern", what do you mean? We did the back to back on the Miracle. First leg was St Marteen, St Kitts, St Lucia; second leg was Costa Rica, Belize, Panama. We loved all of the ports and had a blast doing lots of stuff that we planned on our own. Let me know if I can help.

Thanks, you guys, for the Hampton Inn and Comfort Inn suggestions. Will check both out

cruisinmama · January 13, 2010

When you say "southern", what do you mean? We did the back to back on the Miracle. First leg was St Marteen, St Kitts, St Lucia;

Yes sorry we have St Marteen, St Kitts and St Lucia....

Thanks for some ideas

cruisetarp · January 13, 2010

Ann - check your PM - I sent you info on St. Lucia which has now gone to #1 favorite Island in my book.

murr · January 13, 2010

Thanks Marylou for the idea..looks like my best bet budget wise..
Tim we are sailing on the Miracle and doing the Southern route.

I'm a little nervous as I keep reading reviews for this ship and itinerary not so great reviews. So decided to stop reading them as a ship and itinerary has to be really terrible for me to not like to be on a Cruise to anywhere.

Life is what you make it

Just thought you should know, The Miracle is only 4 of 22 Carnival ships to get a best of rating from the CDC. The cleanest most sanitary in the fleet. We went to Bermuda on her in April and loved the ship. Cheryl aka Gregswife is going in 2 weeks for a B2B. We are booked on her again for May 7 to the Bahamas for our wedding anniversary. SO, I don't know about the itinerary, but the ship is great, we loved it. Very wimsy and easy to manuever. One pool is out in the open and one has a cover. No long lines, GREAT Cruise Director Malcolm, WOO HOO!!! That doesn't mean anything to you now but it will, the WOOOOO HOOOOO part.

So just do like me and count down the days. 114 as of today. :thumbup:

DebbieandJerry · January 14, 2010

I loved the itinerary for the Miracle. Eight day cruise with lots of at sea time. St Maarten is one of our favorite islands. We hooked up with Shore Trips and rented "the rhinos" Basically think motorcyle for 2 in the water. We took a taxi to Simpson Bay, did the tour, visited a little bit and the taxi driver was back for us (he did a few fares in between). The excursion with Shore Trips was cheaper, lasted longer and went to a different snorkel site than the SAME EXACT ONE on the Carnival site.

Then the taxi driver took us to Orient Beach (totally naked). Marcy and I walked along the beach (with suits on) and laughed and giggled and about died with each fat, ugly, pierced and tatooed body that we say. I have nothing again a little extra weight but these folks were morbid AND naked. Now think male body parts that don't see the sun. Imagine them with piercings! Honestly. I tend to think I am liberal and quite open to lots of stuff. This however took me right over the edge.

St Lucia (townwise) was closed because we were there on a Sunday. Jerry and I were able to walk around the city and stop in at a beautiful church by a beautiful park. Then we took the catamaran party snorkel tour. One of the camera folks from Carnival was on our excursion. Needless to say, we were on a lot of footage on the ship's reel-to-reel. The excursion was fabulous. Even if you don't snorkel, a great way to see the island and hear the history.

St Kitts is beautiful. I know we did a snorkel excursion but I don't recall what exactly we did. I'll look in my scrapbook and hopefully can remember.

The Miracle was a nice ship; not spectacular. But, the price was right, the balcony cabin was spacious, the bed was deliciously comfortable. You have to overlook the purple and grapes in the dining room. We had a cozy booth for four (as did most tables). There was one dinner that none of us liked and we ate upstairs and brought the meal to our room. That worked out very nicely.

We must like Carnival as we are doing another back-to-back this November on the Glory.

murr · January 14, 2010

I loved the itinerary for the Miracle. Eight day cruise with lots of at sea time. St Maarten is one of our favorite islands. We hooked up with Shore Trips and rented "the rhinos" Basically think motorcyle for 2 in the water. We took a taxi to Simpson Bay, did the tour, visited a little bit and the taxi driver was back for us (he did a few fares in between). The excursion with Shore Trips was cheaper, lasted longer and went to a different snorkel site than the SAME EXACT ONE on the Carnival site.
Then the taxi driver took us to Orient Beach (totally naked). Marcy and I walked along the beach (with suits on) and laughed and giggled and about died with each fat, ugly, pierced and tatooed body that we say. I have nothing again a little extra weight but these folks were morbid AND naked. Now think male body parts that don't see the sun. Imagine them with piercings! Honestly. I tend to think I am liberal and quite open to lots of stuff. This however took me right over the edge.

St Lucia (townwise) was closed because we were there on a Sunday. Jerry and I were able to walk around the city and stop in at a beautiful church by a beautiful park. Then we took the catamaran party snorkel tour. One of the camera folks from Carnival was on our excursion. Needless to say, we were on a lot of footage on the ship's reel-to-reel. The excursion was fabulous. Even if you don't snorkel, a great way to see the island and hear the history.

St Kitts is beautiful. I know we did a snorkel excursion but I don't recall what exactly we did. I'll look in my scrapbook and hopefully can remember.

The Miracle was a nice ship; not spectacular. But, the price was right, the balcony cabin was spacious, the bed was deliciously comfortable. You have to overlook the purple and grapes in the dining room. We had a cozy booth for four (as did most tables). There was one dinner that none of us liked and we ate upstairs and brought the meal to our room. That worked out very nicely.

We must like Carnival as we are doing another back-to-back this November on the Glory.

You're lucky the Glory is going into dry dock in Feb for a whole lot of upgrades.

Who was your cruise director on the Miracle, Malcolm or Big Sexy.??

cruisinmama · January 15, 2010

I loved the itinerary for the Miracle. Eight day cruise with lots of at sea time. St Maarten is one of our favorite islands. We hooked up with Shore Trips and rented "the rhinos" Basically think motorcyle for 2 in the water. We took a taxi to Simpson Bay, did the tour, visited a little bit and the taxi driver was back for us (he did a few fares in between). The excursion with Shore Trips was cheaper, lasted longer and went to a different snorkel site than the SAME EXACT ONE on the Carnival site.
Then the taxi driver took us to Orient Beach (totally naked). Marcy and I walked along the beach (with suits on) and laughed and giggled and about died with each fat, ugly, pierced and tatooed body that we say. I have nothing again a little extra weight but these folks were morbid AND naked. Now think male body parts that don't see the sun. Imagine them with piercings! Honestly. I tend to think I am liberal and quite open to lots of stuff. This however took me right over the edge.

St Lucia (townwise) was closed because we were there on a Sunday. Jerry and I were able to walk around the city and stop in at a beautiful church by a beautiful park. Then we took the catamaran party snorkel tour. One of the camera folks from Carnival was on our excursion. Needless to say, we were on a lot of footage on the ship's reel-to-reel. The excursion was fabulous. Even if you don't snorkel, a great way to see the island and hear the history.

St Kitts is beautiful. I know we did a snorkel excursion but I don't recall what exactly we did. I'll look in my scrapbook and hopefully can remember.

The Miracle was a nice ship; not spectacular. But, the price was right, the balcony cabin was spacious, the bed was deliciously comfortable. You have to overlook the purple and grapes in the dining room. We had a cozy booth for four (as did most tables). There was one dinner that none of us liked and we ate upstairs and brought the meal to our room. That worked out very nicely.

We must like Carnival as we are doing another back-to-back this November on the Glory.

Thanks so much for all the ideas and reviews of the tours you did. I picked the 8 day with more sea days so dh can get a real feel of a Cruise...I love going to Ports but enjoy the sea days to really just relax and enjoy things.

Thanks again :biggrin:

cruisinmama · January 15, 2010

Thanks Marylou for the idea..looks like my best bet budget wise..
Tim we are sailing on the Miracle and doing the Southern route.

I'm a little nervous as I keep reading reviews for this ship and itinerary not so great reviews. So decided to stop reading them as a ship and itinerary has to be really terrible for me to not like to be on a Cruise to anywhere.

Life is what you make it

Just thought you should know, The Miracle is only 4 of 22 Carnival ships to get a best of rating from the CDC. The cleanest most sanitary in the fleet. We went to Bermuda on her in April and loved the ship. Cheryl aka Gregswife is going in 2 weeks for a B2B. We are booked on her again for May 7 to the Bahamas for our wedding anniversary. SO, I don't know about the itinerary, but the ship is great, we loved it. Very wimsy and easy to manuever. One pool is out in the open and one has a cover. No long lines, GREAT Cruise Director Malcolm, WOO HOO!!! That doesn't mean anything to you now but it will, the WOOOOO HOOOOO part.

So just do like me and count down the days. 114 as of today.

Thanks Tim...I'm not that worried I stopped reading reviews as I think a Cruise unless its a disaster with the ship or illness its all about what you make of it!! I plan on making this Cruise fun and relaxing and full great memories for us both.

I shall keep WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO in the back of my head and look forward to knowing its meaning lol :wink2:

cruisinmama · January 16, 2010

One of the people I am cruising with sails from there often and highly recommends the Comfort Inn Airport/Cruise Port South. It's on Stirling Rd in Hollywood Fl.

Thanks so much I booked our pre and post stay there this morning..Now just airfare that should be fun..lol.. Then I can decide on Tours and such as I can take my time for that.

Thanks again :wub: