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Gina Robinson

Age: 31
Occupation: Cruise enthusiast
Number of Cruises: 3
Cruise Line: Carnival
Ship: Legend
Sailing Date: September 5th, 2002
Itinerary: Transatlantic: Harwich to New York via Iceland

Judy Dench is one of my favourite actresses and so I was very happy that she was chosen as Carnival Legend’s Godmother. We travelled on the Legend’s second cruise: the Transatlantic Crossing from Harwich to New York on September 5 2002. This is the newest ship that we have cruised on and it was with great excitement that we read of her progress at Finland's Kvaerner-Masa Yards. We looked at photographs of the ship posted at Kvaerner Masa Yards website and the ship looked beautiful.

To give you a bit of background: I am 31 and my husband is 33. This is our third cruise. Our first cruise was in April 2000 when we sailed on Celebrity’s Mercury from Los Angeles, north to San Francisco, Seattle and onto Alaska ending in Vancouver. This was a very special cruise for us as it was our honeymoon. We found Celebrity’s food and service to be absolutely 5 Star. In November 2001, we sailed on the Norwegian Sun from Boston, south to Virginia, South Carolina and onto the Eastern Caribbean ending in Miami. The Sun was a beautiful ship and we thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and shows. After our cruise on the Sun, we found ourselves thinking: where to next? We decided that we so enjoyed having carefree, relaxing days at sea that a Transatlantic cruise would be perfect for us. The Legend presented the perfect package: a brand new ship on a cruise line we had not yet experienced and which included stops in Ireland, Scotland and Iceland – three places we really wanted to visit.

The cabins on our previous two cruises have both been balcony cabins and we have found that the balcony is well worth the extra cost. Although the ships are all massive and we have never felt crowded, the balcony allows you a totally private moment to look out at the ocean and to experience the beauty and vastness and to savour it. We have also seen orcas and dolphins from our balcony which is truly awesome. If you would like the shortened version of this review, skip to the Summary at the end. Otherwise, it would be great to take you through our Transatlantic journey day by day.

Embarkation: Thursday September 5th We boarded the ship in Harwich (England). We arrived at the port at about 1pm after a train transfer from London’s Liverpool Street Station. Embarkation was smooth and hassle-free. Well done Carnival! The staff were friendly and professional and we were on board the ship within half an hour. First on our agenda after boarding is to explore the ship. Carnival Legend is a lavishly decorated ship. Everyone wandering around seemed to be wide eyed trying to take it all in. The ship is glitzy, “Las Vegas” style, yet it has been tastefully done. There are paintings everywhere, crystal chandeliers and intricate glass vases abound. This is a holiday paradise – a floating world of its own. The Legend left on time and we stood right at the top deck, listening to the brass band and waving to the well wishers at Harwich. This is always the best time: the start of a cruise. After exploring the ship and doing a quick tour through the spa and gymnasium, we went back to our cabin and found our luggage had already arrived – very convenient! Our cabin (8233) was, as I have mentioned, a balcony cabin on the Panorama Deck. The cabin was adequately appointed and we found numerous complimentary products in the bathroom. Packing space was not abundant though for a two week cruise. Certainly you will need extra hangers than the six per person provided. We spent some time unpacking, had a shower and then went through to the dining room, Truffles to find our table. Truffles is a stunning dining room on two levels. Our table (no 314) was on the upper level. I have seen reports of the food arriving cold if you are on the upper level, but this never happened to us. We met our waiter (Andras from Hungary) and assistant waiter (Judit also from Hungary) and both were friendly and attentive. After dinner we went back to our cabin and read through our Carnival Capers (the daily newsletter) before going through to the Follies Theatre – the main show lounge on the Promenade Deck. You can reach Follies from Deck 2,3 or 4. A game of Bingo was in progress. Follies is beautiful and features state of the art sound and lighting. Just be careful where you sit – because of the large pillars some seats have obstructed views of the stage. After the Bingo we met our cruise director John Heald from England. We had an amusing evening meeting some of our fellow guests and it was a good way to start off the cruise entertainment. Most people seemed tired and we certainly were. The next morning we would be docking in Le Havre, France and we had already read about the port and surrounding areas to decide what we wanted to do. I would really recommend that you do some research on all new ports you are visiting because it adds to the enjoyment of your visit.

Our first port: Le Havre, France, Friday September 6th
We woke at 9am, had a good breakfast and we were ready to disembark at 10am. An information kiosk was set up by certain Le Havre tourism representatives close to the ship, and we found this very convenient and helpful. We had decided to visit the seaside village of Honfleur and found out that the first bus to Honfleur left at 1pm. We thus had the morning to explore Le Havre. A visit to the Musee Malraux was recommended. We both enjoy walking and did not take a taxi from the port into Le Havre. It does however take a good thirty minutes to walk so I would suggest taking a taxi if this is a bit much for you. The museum was very interesting (especially the older works from the 17th and 18th century). The museum also has some works by Monet. We visited Notre Dame Cathedral which is very old (16th Century) and was partially destroyed during the Second World War. Then we made our way to the bus station. Travelling on your own in France is a real challenge if you cannot speak French: it was quite a task to explain where we wanted to go to the bus station ticket salesperson. We established that the fare to Honfleur is 21 Euros return for two people, which is well worth the cost. Honfleur comes highly recommended by both of us. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It is picturesque and quaint and we enjoyed strolling through the cobbled streets and eating chocolat crepes at a charming French brasserie while watching the world passing by. You will also note that the water has many colourful small yachts and there are boat trips that you can take. Don’t miss browsing at the numerous small shops – many with a maritime theme. We spent most of the afternoon in Honfleur and then returned to Le Havre.

A good hot shower and dinner was exactly what we needed. We met our fellow diners (Brandy and Chad) who come from New York and were on honeymoon. We had a good evening chatting to them and enjoying our meals before going through to Follies for the evening’s show. Once again, Bingo was being played. We don’t appreciate this since it is extremely boring for those who don’t enjoy it. The show itself was very good. First we had Jean Claude, a juggler from France. He juggles with his feet and has some good surprises. Second was Happy Cole, a comedian who got us laughing very quickly. We enjoyed his comedy. We returned to our cabin at about 12:15am. I would caution against taking a cabin on the Panorama deck (Deck 8) because, unless you are a heavy sleeper, you will hear the trolleys being pushed above and people walking above your cabin in the Unicorn Cafe when you are trying to sleep.

Day at Sea and First Formal Evening: Saturday September 7th  
The Captain’s welcome cocktail party took place on the third day of the cruise. Plenty of drinks and delicious snacks were provided, but we found ourselves waiting in vain for the captain. We were rather disappointed because the captain only delivered his welcome speech and introduced his main officers at Follies later that night. (On previous cruises, we have also appreciated the captain having his photo taken with every guest - all 2000. This did not happen). Nevertheless the captain, Claudio Cupisti was very professional in guiding us safely across the North Atlantic. There seemed to be numerous guests worried about the Legend meeting her end in the same way as the Titanic. This was heightened by the fact that our next port (Cobh) was the last port the Titanic visited before her unfortunate end. We had a good evening and met a wonderful couple from Seattle, Paul and Rachel, who we really enjoyed speaking with. Dinner was delicious and I would suggest that you try the Flourless Chocolate cake when you see it on the menu – it is divine! The show “Take Two” at Follies was well presented with good special effects.

Cobh, (Cork) Ireland: Sunday September 8th  The next day we arrived in Cobh (pronounced “Cove”), Ireland. We caught the shuttle provided at the port (for 10 Euros return) into Cork and from there caught the bus to Blarney. This is a very easy trip to do and you will save yourself 25 Euros per person rather than taking the shore excursion. It takes fifteen minutes from the port to Cork and another fifteen minutes from Cork to Blarney. Buses are frequent and we were told that they actually increase the number of buses if a large ship is in port. The weather was cloudy, but warm and we set off for Blarney Castle to join the queue waiting to kiss the Blarney stone. It is said that you will receive the gift of eloquence once you have kissed the stone! It is however, not so easy to reach the stone since you have to climb up a narrow winding staircase to the top of the castle. You then have a short walk to the stone and you then need to lay on your back (over a narrow drop) and angle your head right back to kiss the stone. You will be assisted. All this took about thirty minutes; it was good fun though and the view from the top of the castle is striking. The gardens around Blarney Castle are lush with beautiful indigenous flowers and we enjoyed a short stroll there before moving on to Blarney Woollen Mills, This shop is a “must see” if you are looking for Irish curios – it has souvenirs to suit every taste. We bought sandwiches and snacks at a nearby shop and ate this “picnic style” in the main park area which was very special. Before returning to Cork, we went to a pub to sample the local beer. We spent some time in Cork walking along St Patrick Street which was surprisingly busy for a rainy Sunday afternoon. All in all a most enjoyable day in Ireland. We caught the shuttle bus back to the ship and fortunately, our Irish experience was not yet over.

Dinner was excellent and we highly recommend the tiger prawns and the pecan pie. The cruise director, John had arranged for a local Irish group to come on board to perform the evening shows in the Follies lounge. The group (The Irish Weavers) also brought along some young Irish dancers. We saw the most wonderful Irish show complete with traditional music and dance that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. What an awesome experience for those young dancers to perform on board this amazing ship. After a long and busy day, we couldn’t resist to sneak a peak at the late night buffet and indulge in a slice of strawberry cheesecake. Shortly after the show, the ship left Cobh for Greenock. It was really special to stand on the deck and experience the warmth of the Irish people as they bid us Bon Voyage. All along the way out of the port, people were waving and cheering and letting off fireworks. Thank-you to the people of Cobh, Cork and Blarney for all your hospitality.

Day at Sea: Monday September 9th
We slept late and ordered room service breakfast which was prompt and efficient. We then went to the gym. After a good Chinese lunch, we whiled away the afternoon on our balcony catching up on some reading. We also attempted to do some laundry (a definite requirement on a long cruise like this) but everyone else had the same idea! It was just fantastic to be at sea: stress-free and relaxed. We knew that we had a busy day in Scotland up ahead and so we took a quick walk through the midnight buffet at the Unicorn Café and then went to bed.

Greenock (Glasgow), Scotland: Tuesday September 10th After a good breakfast (you really must try the omelettes and watch how skilfully they are prepared), we disembarked. Scottish representatives were available at the port to assist with information on the area and they were wonderfully friendly. We walked to Greenock station and took the train to Glasgow. The return fare to Glasgow is £6.30. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk to the station from where the ship docks and the train journey to Glasgow takes about forty-five minutes. Glasgow central station (where you will arrive by train) is conveniently situated close to George Square which is the city’s centre. The city itself is very old and the buildings surrounding the square are very impressive. The city of Glasgow built its wealth in the 18th century and in the 19th century the port of Glasgow was the world’s leading manufacturer of ships. Glasgow is also a shopping mecca. You could spend hours and hours looking at the shops lining the streets or at either St Enoch’s shopping centre or Prince’s Square shopping centre. Our visit to Glasgow could not be that long since we had to return to the ship to take part in our shore excursion of the Panoramic Scottish Lochs. We thus returned to the ship by 1pm and ate a quick lunch. The tour left at 1:45pm, and our tour guide, Regina, was excellent. She offered all sorts of fascinating information about Scotland; telling us also about famous people like William Wallis, Mary Queen of Scots and Robert Burns to name but a few. We first made our way to the biggest loch in Great Britain: Loch Lomond. This is a freshwater loch and we spent almost an hour here, taking photographs and strolling around the town of Luss. Luss is quaint and attractive with small old houses, beautiful gardens and both gift shops and coffee shops dotted along its paths.

The trip then took us through spectacular scenery as we drove on to the viewpoint of “Rest and Be Thankful”. The lush greenery is something difficult to describe but the beauty of the area has ensured that we will one day return. This is another advantage of cruising: you get to sample so much and decide for yourself where you would like to indulge longer. Regina told us that glen means valley and that loch means lake and we carried along past beautiful glens and three more lochs (all saltwater: Loch Long, Loch Fyne and Loch Eck). The bus then travelled into Hunter’s Quay – the terminal of Western Ferries – for a twenty minute crossing of the Firth of Clyde. After the crossing we passed through the lovely seaside village of Gourock (on the west side of Greenock) before arriving at the ship. At this stage it was almost 7pm and time to shower and change for dinner. In the dining room, we had our Maitre d’ Ken Byrne singing Auld Lang Syne and had the traditional “Piping of the Haggis”. Haggis is made of sheeps’ intestines which are then minced and spiced and boiled in the lining of the stomach. Needless to say, none of our table were keen to sample it! A Scottish piper moved around the dining room in front of the chef who was holding the haggis on a platter. It was very festive. John Heald had organised “Music Scotland” to be on board the ship and they were excellent. Not only was there traditional Scottish singing and dancing but also a violinist who was superb. What a wonderful evening. And it was not yet over because the pipers, after leaving the ship, carried on playing as the ship departed. We stood on our balcony (and later on the deck) and waved to all the well-wishers as we listened to the music. They also played the Scottish national anthem (O Flower of Scotland). Best of all was all the people of Greenock and the surrounding areas who came to bid the ship farewell. It was just incredible: hundreds of cars parked in the streets with people shouting, waving and taking photographs. It was truly special and an experience like this is one that you cannot fittingly convey in words. This kind of “Bon Voyage” is quite rare today because the people who live near most ports are so used to seeing cruise ships and large numbers of tourists and so this is nothing new to them. But going to ports like Greenock and Cork are cruising in the very traditional sense of the word: first of all you will find that you can experience the city without thousands of other ship’s passengers making it crowded and secondly you receive the most amazing welcome and “Bon Voyage” that is just impossible to describe. Bearing in mind that this enthusiasm went on from 11pm when the ship departed until 11:45 when the ship was already far out from the port. Thank-you Scotland, or as some of the passengers were shouting: “We love you Scotland!”

Days at sea: Wednesday September 11th and Thursday September 12th  An excerpt from my diary. Today is a day at sea, 16C and very calm. We have had such calm seas – we are very lucky. Of course this is the first anniversary of September 11th and there has been a Memorial Service in the Follies lounge. The message of John Heald has been that we will remember those that died, but we will not let the events stop us from moving on and enjoying life to the full.

Days at sea:  We find that these are the days when we can truly relax, catch up on sleep and totally rejuvenate ourselves.

One of the best places to do this is at the Fountain of Youth spa and gym located forward on Decks 9 and 10. The spa is 14,500 square feet and really has state of the art equipment. My husband spent many hours there and I visited a few times as well. They have wonderful massages and other treatments at the spa. Just remember to book your appointment at the Helen of Troy hair salon early for formal evenings – it really gets busy. There are numerous activities arranged by John Heald and his staff like games and quiz shows, ice carving demonstrations, galley tours, cooking demonstrations and the list goes on... Don’t miss John’s morning show with Ralph which is screened on Channel 22 and really is good fun. If you do miss it in the morning, tune in later because it is repeated in the afternoon. Although the library is small (a large portion is taken up by the Internet Café), you will find some good novels. And now to mention our cabin attendant: Ramiro (from Colombia) always kept our room looking spotless and was always only too happy to assist us with any request. With his friendly smile and the cute towel animals he makes which he will then leave in your cabin, you can’t go wrong with Ramiro.

Reykjavik, Iceland: Friday September 13th
We did not book any of the ship’s shore excursions. Instead, we had done some research on the Internet and arranged a tour with a company called Reykjavik Excursions. It was great because we had a small group of twelve people in total and Reykjavik Excursions came and fetched us right from the port at 8am. Oushka, our guide, was fantastic – a wealth of information on life in this fascinating country as well as its natural wonders. Many villages in Iceland are built over hot springs which provide heat for both homes and greenhouses. Water and electricity are the only two commodities that are cheap in Iceland; everything else is very expensive. Our first stop was at a greenhouse in Hveragerdi called “Eden”. Here you will find a large souvenir shop as well as a nursery and restaurant. We then drove on to Kerid which is an extinct volcanic crater that is now a lake. The countryside was very green, but Oushka told us that it was because rain had fallen the day before. The rain causes the moss on the ancient lava fields to look green. Otherwise, if there is no rain, the moss takes on a grey hue. We carried on to the first of two waterfalls and then to Gullfoss the “Golden Waterfall”. It really is very impressive and beautiful. The busdriver dropped us off at the upper viewing level (where there is another souvenir shop) and left us thirty minutes to enjoy the scenery before collecting us at the lower level. You walk one hundred and five steps to the lower level and here you will hear the absolute might of the waterfall. Gullfoss is the most famous of Iceland’s waterfalls. On our way to Geysir (pronounced “Gaysir”), Oushka continued to tell us all sorts of interesting information on Iceland. The population is only 287,000 people. Most Icelanders have at least two jobs. In summer they have only three hours of darkness (21 June) and in winter barely four hours of light (21 December). Iceland only gained independence from Denmark in 1944. At Geysir, Oushka walked us around some of the many hot springs which are constantly bubbling and boiling. In some places there is a strong odour of sulphur. You can put your hand into some of the springs, but be careful because some are extremely hot. You will stand in awe and amazement to see the active geysir Stokkur spout. This happens about every five minutes, sometimes three times in a row and never the same height. It boils quite ferociously, yet you will still be stunned the first time you see the magnificent jet of water and the intense steam it leaves behind. This has got to be the highlight of the day. We found out just how expensive food is in Iceland when we each had a hamburger, fries and a drink and it cost a total of $22! The Icelandic beer was really good and very refreshing. I must say that the weather was so good to us; it was actually quite hot. The bus carried on through scenic mountains for about another hour and then we arrived at Thingrallir National Park. It is very peaceful and pretty here with blueberry bushes abounding.

We had the option of ending our trip in Reykjavik city instead of back at the ship and grabbed the opportunity. We had seen such beautiful photographs of the city with its many coloured buildings and wanted to see it for ourselves. We went to the HallgrimsKirkja and took the lift to the top for a fantastic viewpoint over Reykjavik. What a lovely city: small, neat, clean and so colourful! We strongly suggest you take a taxi back to the ship as opposed to walking back since it will take about eighty minutes to walk. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Iceland and if Oushka should ever read this: Thank-you Oushka – we appreciated doing the tour with you and hearing about your fascinating country.

Days at sea: Saturday September 14th, Sunday September 15th and Monday September 16th  After a busy day in Iceland it was great to have three full days at sea. It seems like a long time, and yes we did have the chance to relax; but three days go awfully quickly when you are having so much fun and enjoying your holiday so much. I will use this opportunity to discuss the following:

Photographs
You will find photographers located on Deck 2 most evenings to take portrait photographs. There are also plenty of “fun” photographs taken all over the ship and also when you disembark at the various ports. We found them to be professional and you can view the photographs on Deck 3 midship.  There is also various video tapings done of the daily activities and these videos can also be purchased.

Camp Carnival
There were very few children on this Transatlantic cruise. We did note some Camp Counsellors on board and they provide supervised activities for children age two to fifteen on a complimentary basis.

Club Merlin Casino
We are not gamblers and so we only went to the casino when we needed to walk through to get to the Follies lounge. The casino is very big and always seemed to be attracting plenty of people but that’s the only comment I can offer.

Legend Shops: Rodeo Drive
The shops offer (amongst other items), a wide variety of Carnival Legend clothing, mugs, magnets etc. They also run the usual specials like promotions on watches/rings. Live music There are a number of bands on board the Legend in the various lounges. Our favourite performers were the Allegro Trio (pianist, cellist and harpist) located in the Collosus   Lobby on Deck 2. Order yourself a cocktail and listen to their beautiful, serene classical music.

St John’s Newfoundland: Monday night September 16th and Tuesday September 17th  We were only supposed to arrive in St John’s on the morning of Tuesday 17th September. However, there was a medical emergency on board the ship: a gentleman had a heart attack on the Saturday afternoon. Captain Cupisti sailed at full speed and we arrived in St John’s on Monday 16th at about 10pm. The first thing that happened was that they got this passenger off the ship and straight into an ambulance. He seemed to be okay because he was waving to everyone on the deck. We since heard that he was doing well in hospital. The people of St John’s gave the ship a warm welcome (even at this late hour) and it was great to be out on the deck. We had booked a shore excursion called the “Bay Bulls Nature Cruise” which we were very excited about. The tour consisted of going through to the village of Bay Bulls and then boarding a Catamaran for a tour of the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve which is the home of tens of thousands of seabirds including puffins. Since we had never seen a puffin before we thought this would be a great tour. Our guide was friendly and informative about life in Newfoundland and we reached Bay Bulls after a half hour drive. We boarded the Catamaran and found that you can really get seasick on it – it really rocked around! Unfortunately we were in for disappointment because most of the seabirds had already left the islands in the reserve. We saw about twelve puffins and were then informed that the puffin season is June, July and August. We felt that this was not at all honest since they should have been upfront and informed us that the puffin season was over – we would then never have taken the tour. We did however have a brief sighting of a whale (but saw more from the ship anyway).

As a matter of interest Carnival did refund us 25% of the tour cost, but we still feel that they should not offer tour excursions that do not fulfill what is described. Where possible do your own research and make your own arrangements. We prefer making our own arrangements and it really is far more enjoyable. After a disappointing morning, we went into downtown St John’s to walk around the main streets: Water Street and Duckworth Street. Most of the souvenir shops are in Water Street. Be sure to take a photograph of the war memorial in Duckworth Street since it is a really good photo opportunity. Most of the pubs are in George Street. Visit “Trapper John’s” and take part in the “Screech-in” ceremony – it is a lot of fun. Screech is rum and you will drink a shot of rum, repeat some phrases in “Newfinease” and kiss a puffin (find out where). You will then be knighted and receive a certificate which certifies you an honorary Newfoundlander. The ship was leaving at 6pm so we returned at about 5:20pm (the town of St John’s is within easy walking distance). We once again had an amazing Bon Voyage from the local people. You will think that I am exaggerating, but we have photographs that show the people were waving from the streets, from their houses and the buildings and this carried on way out as the ship sailed past the hills; many people were standing and waving from the hilltops. Other ships were blowing their horns and it is something I will never forget. My arms were tired from waving so long. St John’s is known as the City of Legends: Goodbye to the City of Legends from two passengers aboard Carnival Legend.

Days at sea: Wednesday September 18th and Thursday September 19th. We used these two days to just relax and we really thought that we would feel ready to disembark in New York. However this was far from the case and there was a feeling of melancholy on board: passengers felt sad to be leaving their “home”. On a cruise this long the people on board become more than just passing strangers and it is hard to say your good-byes. The only thought that makes you feel better is the opportunity of planning your next cruise.

New York: Friday September 20th
Arriving in New York was special because the ship cruised in early (5am) and it was still dark. The Statue of Liberty and the city of New York was lit up and looked spectacular and peaceful. A more appropriate first port of call in America for Carnival Legend would not be possible: New York a grand and awesome city and Carnival Legend a grand and awesome ship. Enjoy your brand new start in New York and may you carry many more happy passengers.

In Summary:
Let me start with the bad points because they are far outweighed by all the good points and this cruise deserves heaps of praise for ports visited, delicious food and wonderful crew.

The “Not so Good”
1. The first problem you will find is that there is a shortage of hangers so bring some of your own. Six hangers provided per person is definitely not enough. Perhaps this has now been rectified.

2. I would caution against taking a cabin on Deck 8 below the Unicorn Café because there is plenty of overhead noise.

3. There is no observation lounge on board the Legend. On previous ships there have been lounges located high up on the ship with plenty of glass that gives you a panoramic view of the ocean. This we missed on the Legend.
4. The water is heavily chlorinated and very unpleasant to drink. Put plenty of ice in it to make it slightly palatable. It is preferable to buy bottled water, but I really think Carnival should provide water purifiers for drinking water.

Plus Points
1. I have to say this first: the desserts and cakes on board Carnival Legend have got to be the absolute best. You will go a long way to beat them. Whether you are sampling them at the Unicorn Café or at Truffles restaurant, they are fabulous.

2. The variety and amount of shellfish is excellent. If you are a shellfish lover, you will be spoilt for choice on the Legend. You will get to taste everything from tiger prawns to lobster to snow crab.

3. The Unicorn Café is a wonderful buffet restaurant and we loved the layout. There are different foods at different stations wherever you look and you never get bored (even on a fifteen day cruise).

4. Well done to John Heald the cruise director for his great ideas (like bringing onboard Scottish and Irish groups at the respective ports) and for creating a wonderful atmosphere on the Legend. Thanks also to Ralph (one of his assistants) for always making us laugh and for the morning shows with John – they are VERY amusing!

5. The service by the crew was top class and the only time we had a problem was with shore excursion staff who had a “nose in the air” attitude. We can only heap praise on diningroom staff (particularly Andras and Judit and Nancy and Sona). Our cabin attendant, Ramiro was excellent.

6. Maitre d’ Ken Byrne has got to be the best Maitre d’ at sea. He always has surprises in store in the Truffles restaurant and sings beautifully (just like Frank Sinatra).

7. The Golden Fleece restaurant is an absolute must. This is a reservations only restaurant (located on Deck 9 midship) and has a cover charge of $25 per person. This is well worth it because you will truly have an evening to remember. Ask for a table by the window and remember that this venue is suited to a romantic evening so don’t go in a group. You can have a very leisurely evening taking to the dance floor in between the different delicious meals that are served to you. We highly recommend the shrimp cocktail, stone crabs and crème brulee.

8. Lastly: if you are booked on a Carnival Legend cruise you are in for a wonderful time. Look forward to your holiday and when you board the ship, savour every moment because holidays have that nasty habit of passing by so quickly!

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