New York is Thatta Way, Man: Just Another SaUD Miracle Review- May, 2010 (Part 5)featured
Okay…I suck at life…I know. This is taking way too long to get done, but I’ve been so insanely busy and these blogs take me hours to write. I know it’s not timely, but I hope you’ll all still find them interesting. If nothing else…I have pretty pictures! 🙂 And since we’re on the cruise portion (FINALLY! YAY!), I’ll start up a thread on Cruise Critic, so drop me a line there or in the comments section if you have a question or a comment…I love chatting with you all and I’ve been gone from CC for way too long!
So the morning of embarkation, we all woke up around 8:00 am. The plan was to leave by 9:30, and we knew it would take about 20 minutes to get there so we’d be in the terminal by 10:00 am. We ate up the last of the scones we had from Alice’s, got everything together and had the bellhop take the luggage down to the car, but between the bellhop taking FOREVER to get to our room and the fact that I take FOREVER to get ready, we didn’t actually leave the hotel until around 11:00am.
Unlike last year (when we were sailing during Fleet Week), there was no traffic going into the terminal and this time, we knew exactly what we were doing and where we were going. It took us about 20 minutes to get from the hotel in Jersey to the Port of Manhattan. And when we first saw the Miracle…it was like coming home again. I’m pretty sure our next cruise is going to be on the Miracle, too, which means half of our Carnival cruises will have been on this ship. While variety may make for the spice of life, there’s a nice comfort of coming back to something you know and love. And after our experience on the Freedom, we were kind of glad to get back to Old Faithful.
We paid the parking fee ($240, I believe, for the eight nights) as we went in, the dogs sniffed our car for bombs, the porters took our luggage and we quickly found parking and made our way into the terminal. I noticed there weren’t many people around…no group sitting…no crowds. Was everyone on the boat already?! This was the first time we’ve ever not been amongst the first people on the boat. We were VIP on our very first cruise because we were in a suite and we sailed in a suite on every cruise until grandma started needed a wheelchair, so at that point, we were put in special assistance.
So it was a very different experience for us to quite literally walk in, walk right through security, walk right through check in and then walk right on the boat. It was all very quick and easy and literally within a half hour of pulling up to the Port of Manhattan, we were on the boat. And we didn’t even arrive that late…I remember marking that we were on the ship at 11:30 am (which is long before most ships even BEGIN boarding, let alone have all zones loaded…snaps for the efficiency of the Miracle staff, the Port of Manhattan and US Customs). I think we’ll always arrive early because I like to maximize the amount of time I can spend on the boat, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace or have small children, you might want to consider arriving at the port a little later when things are more quiet and peaceful and you can take your time, avoid the crowds and just walk right on.
Our initial (and only real) worry about arriving late was the crowds. After our experience on the Freedom and the crowds EVERYWHERE, we were worried that we’d be forced to plead for a seat at a table with our fellow passengers (and that’s kind of always awkward, isn’t it?). But the moment we stepped on board, our worries were gone and the familiar sight of the Metropolis atrium…that innate cruise ship smell…nothing really mattered. We were finally on vacation. And despite the fact that this was our fourth trip on the Miracle (by the end of this trip, we’d spent over 30 days on this ship since it entered the fleet), I still get giddy every single time we step on board. I kind of wish there was a way to explain that feeling when you first step on a ship and begin your cruise…I wish it could be bottled (I’d be able to live on a cruise ship forever off the dividends, I’m sure)…but the memory of that feeling is what gets me through the wait in between trips.
Once onboard, we immediately headed to the aft elevators (and a perk of sailing on the same ship more than once…or at least ships of the same class…you already know the lay of the land and all the short cuts) to head up to Horatios, the Lido restaurant, to grab an early lunch. And despite the fact that all groups had been boarded before we arrived and they were doing open boarding, we found a table almost immediately. Oh Spirit Class ships, how I’ve missed you. There were a ton of people around, but I didn’t feel crowded for a second. And as I’ve said in previous reviews, the flow of Horatios is SO much better than the flow of the Lido restaurant on the Freedom and as such, even though there were many people, the lines for the various food stations were short and moved quickly.
Seasoned cruisers will know that you can get copies of the Capers at the specialty coffee kiosk on the Lido deck, so Stephanie and I went for those immediately so we could plot out our first night. I think there’s more of a sense of relaxation when you’re on a ship you’ve already sailed on because there’s really nothing to explore and discover. On the Freedom, we wanted to explore all the new features and try everything out and we kind of missed out on a lot of activities because of this. For us, we really have to learn how to balance that desire for discovery and participating in the activities around us. The first thing we noticed is that the format of the Capers had changed. They were much more user-friendly…it was easier to find activities and things were much better explained. And they were fun to read!
When the initial excitement wore down and we had perused the Capers for the day, we finally grabbed some grub. Stephanie headed immediately to the Chinese station because she had really missed it on the Freedom. I started at the Rotisserie and ended up at the Grill (I tend to like to try a little bit of everything instead of having a substantial portion of one thing). I thought the food quality and taste was much better than it was on the Freedom, but it was just generally unappealing and I ended up picking at it all. The Lido menus are pretty identical fleet-wide and we’ve been on so many cruises the past few years, that I just felt like I’d already had it all. Change it up, Carnival! New selections for 2011! We discovered they’d changed the hamburger buns at the grill to these whole grain ones, which I didn’t like. They tasted fine, but the texture of them was so dry that it bordered on stale. And I know people debate whether the cheese they use at the pizzeria is real or not, but the cheese they were using on this particular sailing was definitely the real stuff.
Some gratuitous lunch food pics…
After we had all eaten, we went back down to deck 2 to get some room keys. To take advantage of the senior discount (which is available for anyone over the age of 55, I believe), we had booked Mom in my room with Stephanie and me in Mom’s room with grandma. Getting extra keys? Easy peasy. No harm, no foul. Go to the Purser’s desk with someone from the other room, say you want keys to each others rooms and done. No big deal…people do this all the time…they’re used to it. I ran up to the Bacchus dining room to check on our table and as requested, we had a table for four, but this time, we were on the lower-level of the dining room, which was a nice change of pace since I’m pretty sure we’ve been on the upper-level of every dining room of every ship we’ve been on.
We headed to our rooms around 2:00 pm. Mom and grandma were actually in the same room they’d been in for our southern caribbean cruise and we were right next to the room we were in for that cruise, so we knew exactly where we were headed. Both cabins were 4K cabins, 4201 and 4203, with 4203 being a handicap accessible cabin. And let me tell you- after that crawl space we were in on the Freedom, being back in a room with a couch was like HEAVEN. I’m a girl who needs her space…and with all the extra luggage I brought because we had a bigger car…my luggage needed the extra space, too 😉 Now, 4K rooms have french doors that open up (but open to a ledge and lifeboats), but the accessible 4K rooms have a large window with a partially-obstructed view. No french doors in the accessible 4K rooms.
4201 (cat. 4K)
4203 (cat. 4K, handicap accessible)
The luggage came rather quickly and we were able to get some unpacking done before the muster drill. Being away from Cruise Critic for so long, I had no idea until right before we left that surge protectors (or a strip of multiple outlets that plugs into a singular outlet) had been banned and they were getting confiscated out of luggage like they were contraband liquor. One outlet for two girls getting ready for formal night? It will NEVER work for us. I brought my own blow dryer because I hate the Carnival ones, we both have flat irons and we both have cameras and phones that need charging (and then there was my laptop on top of all of THAT). So what we did was we put one surge protector in the front of Stephanie’s luggage (in the non-locked zipped part) and two small surge protectors (with three outlets) in her carry on luggage. She had no problem getting the smaller ones through security onto the boat and she was ecstatic when the large surge protector was there when she unzipped her suitcase.
Our room steward, Bodi, came by to introduce himself while we were unpacking and he seemed very nice. Mom wanted to leave for muster drill early (being Miracle vets, we knew exactly where we needed to be- the Jeeves Lounge is the designated area for special assistance) so we decided to go walk around decks two and three before muster. Unsurprisingly, we ultimately ended up in our favorite spot on the ship- Gatsby’s Garden and just sat there for a little bit.
We steaked out a spot in the Jeeves Lounge about 10 minutes before muster drill was to begin and we read through the Capers a bit more to plan for our evening. There were SO many activities we wanted to do. After the lack of activities on our last cruise, we were super excited to have so many fun options to choose from.
Muster drill was different than it had been on cruises past. No more life jackets and this time, we got brochures on safety. It was much more well-organized than the muster on the Freedom, where the staff had no idea where to put the special needs guests or how to instruct us on in-case-of-emergencies. They did hold us a bit too long and we had to make a mad dash to the elevators before they were swarmed with non-wheelchair/scooter passengers.
We all went straight to deck nine aft, grabbed some chairs and set up for sailaway. Last year, it was raining as we sailed out of NYC and it made it difficult to enjoy the beauty of it, but this time, it was beautiful out- warm and sunny. And if there’s one thing you want to experience in your life as a cruiser, it’s sailing out of the Port of Manhattan. It is GORGEOUS. Breathtaking. Awe-inspiring. Picturesque. Unlike any other.
Malcolm, the cruise director, would come on the intercom and tell us when we were about to pass something interesting, which was much appreciated. We stayed out on deck, watching the large Manhattan skyscrapers fade into tiny dots in the distance, until around 5:30, when we went back to the rooms to get grandma settled for her nap and get ourselves changed for dinner.
Since our rooms were near the aft staircase on deck 4 and dinner was on deck 2 aft, we took our time getting there. I think we actually left our room at 6:00 pm so we could avoid the crowds. I never understood why people who have an assigned table line up for dinner. Why spend more time standing in line than you need to? Our new dining team was Orlando from Costa Rica and Gede from Indonesia and they were both SO SO SO nice. Really, over the course of the week, they were amongst the best dining teams we’ve ever had. They both made the Dream Team (Stephanie and I have this thing where we make the ultimate cruise staff based on our favorite staff members from all of our cruises). They were friendly, knowledgeable, always remembered our preferences and greeted us by name. We really have nothing but good things to say about both of them.
Dinner this night was really fantastic. Mom started with the Tropical Fruits (marinated with lime juice and a touch of tequila), the Caesar salad and a shrimp cocktail. Stephanie started with the Tropical Fruits (she said she couldn’t discern the tequila) and the Beef and Barley soup with Diced Root Vegetables (like usual, she loves the soups in the main dining room and highly recommends them). I started with the Heart of Iceberg and the Fried Chicken Tenders, Marinated Cucumbers and Lettuce (served with a zesty honey mustard sauce). I think the salad was bland and basic and I’d love it if they’d make it an actual wedge with some bacon and some gorgonzola, but I thought the chicken tenders were fantastic and much better than the ones they serve at the grill because they season the breading.
Tropical Fruits
Caesar Salad
Shrimp Cocktail
Beef and Barley soup with Diced Root Vegetables
Wedge of Iceberg Lettuce
Fried Chicken Tenders, Marinated Cucumbers and Lettuce
Mom was debating between the Barbecued St. Louis Style Pork Spare Ribs and the Pan Seared Filet of Tilapia (green pea fondue, vichy carrots, mac ‘n cheese). I told her to order both (the ribs are only available the first night, the last night and during one lunch), but she ultimately went with the tilapia. Mom really enjoyed the tilapia and thought it was nice and mild, very fresh tasting…not at all fishy.
Pan Seared Filet of Tilapia
Stephanie and I both ordered the Grilled Flat Iron from American Choice Beef (accompanied by three peppercorn sauce, vichy carrots and mac ‘n cheese), though Stephanie only ordered it because nothing else interested her and she just wanted the sides that came with it. I thought this was the best flat iron I’ve ever had onboard. It was soft and tender and so flavorful. And the macaroni and cheese was amazing. Stephanie wished she could make a meal of just the mac ‘n cheese.
Grilled Flat Iron from American Choice Beef
We all had the Vanilla Creme Brulee (baked vanilla cream, garnished with assorted berries). Mom had hers with a side of orange sherbert and Stephanie and I split a cheese plate on the side of ours. The creme brulee was perfectly flambeed, but it was soggy in spots near where the berries were. The berries were cut up into smaller pieces than I remembered, too…perhaps another Carnival cutback.
Vanilla Creme Brulee
Assorted Cheese Plate
There was Funship Trivia in the Phantom Lounge at 7:30 pm, so Stephanie and I ran there right after dinner while Mom went back to her room to check on grandma and get her ready for dinner. We lost like whoa. I guess my vast knowledge of useless crap isn’t vast enough.
We met up with Mom and grandma after trivia up at Horatios. Grandma was having a corned beef sandwich and a caesar salad for dinner (she loved both) and I noticed they expanded the desserts they offer up there. Along with selections from the main dining room (MDR), they also had various other desserts, including these delectable whipped selections that grandma absolutely LOVED and had every night.
We all went outside to the aft pool area to watch the sunset. Since we didn’t have balconies this trip (the first May trip we’ve ever gone without!), we found ourselves out here a lot to watch the sunset. It was windy and Mom was concerned that it would be too cold for grandma, but grandma was fine…she really loved this little bit of family time we all had together every night.
We all went down to the Phantom for the Big Screen Challenge and Game Show Mania, but grandma got sleepy right before Bingo, so Mom took her back to the room while Stephanie and I watched people flail over Bingo. We never play ourselves because our luck is *never* that good.
The Welcome Aboard show…I hate to say it…but I was kind of bored. It’s been six years. Spice up the routine, Carnival. Maren, the female singer, was insanely talented but she lacked chemistry with the male singer (Jason), who just kind of rubbed me the wrong way. There was just something about him. Maybe it was the faux hawk. That’s just never a good look on anyone. Malcolm was hilarious and very energetic, but I cringed every time he went WOO HOO. Bad memories of Felipe Couto haunted me every time those two syllables came out of Malcolm’s mouth.
We ducked out right before the comedian and went up to the late night bistro. The late night food service was more like hors doerves and small snacks on the Freedom, but thankfully, it was still the late night grill on the Miracle and I could get my late-night fry fix. The new buns, though…man they killed the flavor of those cheeseburgers. I only got a few bites in before I pushed the cheeseburger away in favor of the fries. The new buns would grow on me…eventually.
Stephanie and I walked around the ship for a bit afterwards, popping in and out of various activities. I found myself constantly popping into the sports bar to check the sports ticker. We went to the casino to get our room keys punched and get lanyards and since it was the first night, they just had people walking around doing this instead of having to wait in line for the casino hosts. One thing we noticed, though, was that the casino wasn’t busy! And in the parts of the boat where there would normally be traffic or crowds, we still haven’t felt crowded. Not once. It was a nice change of pace from the Freedom. The “Fun Patrol” (CD Malcom, asst. CD Sparkles, Julie Bean, Allie-Oop, Buttercup and Smithy) were all around the ship meeting guests and having fun and this was seriously one of the most energetic, personable, accessible and all-around FUN cruise staff’s we’ve ever had.
We ended up in our room around 1:00 am and finished our unpacking. Stephanie ordered some room service. I had my usual strip loin and brie sandwich with a veggie plate, chocolate milk and some apple juice and while the veggie plate was fantastic as usual, I’m pretty sure the sandwich was smaller. And that’s fine…I’d eaten plenty and I only ordered it because Stephanie was already ordering room service, but I thought that was note-worthy. We sat down to watch some TV and noticed…all the local channels were out! What a bummer! No American Idol this week, no Glee, no Grey’s Anatomy. And there were no movies on that we liked, so we watched random ship stuff while we munched and unpacked.
I wish I could say these were ALL our shoes, but they’re really just mine. Yeah. I have a problem.
When Nancy Grace came on, we switched to that (she is our onboard TV staple…we watch Nancy Grace almost every night before going to bed while we’re on cruises) and Stephanie went to sleep while I grabbed my laptop and started journaling the day’s events. Our fellow passengers seemed like a fun group and the entertainment staff was just a total contrast to that of the Freedom. I was super psyched for a fun eight days on board and finally crashed around 2:30 am.
Today’s Lido lunch menus
Today’s Lido dinner menu
