Wayne Sahsltrom

Age: 50
Occupation: Real Estate Appraiser
Number of Cruises: 9
Cruise Line: Carnival
Ship: Paradise
Sailing Date: November 16th, 2003
Itinerary: Western Caribbean

Embarkation:
We had arrived in Miami at 6am the day before the cruise. Our hotel was the Riande Continental Plaza at the Port of Miami. However two days prior to leaving from Vancouver, Canada, we received (by regular mail) notification that Carnival had changed our departure port to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. This was to say the least mis-handled badly by Carnival , who I have sailed with 5 times. They did not offer any help in getting us to Port Everglades and the short notice left us no choice but to keep our original flight and hotel. This added an extra $55.00 US taxi fare to the start of our holiday. We arrived at the Port by 11am on Sunday, the ship was still unloading, so we had to wait with our luggage for about 45 minutes before a porter yelled at the line that we could bring our luggage over to a bin, he didn’t offer to carry any, just follow me. Of course there are no tipping required signs everywhere, but this rude porter was quite adamant about everyone tipping him. Because the ship doesn’t usually use this port I will skip the rest of the embarkation process, as it was really handled badly, the worst I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

The Ship:
This was our second cruise on the Paradise, the first was a year and a half ago 11 day trip. We like this ship mainly for the smoke-free environment. As I have had lung problems over the last 2 years it is not easy for us to cruise on other ships which allow smoking everywhere. We do find this ship doesn’t have much nightlife, so if you’re looking for a party until 5am, this probably will be boring for you. The karaoke was really good, there were probably 12 singers who were as good or better than the entertainers on the ship. They had karaoke about 6 times. Only complaint is they should have used the much larger Queen Mary lounge, which seemed to be empty most of the cruise. We found the ship a little bit worn, carpet stains, etc. since our last time on board.
Our cabin was U106 on the Upper Deck , this was a good location in the middle of the ship, and easy access to all other decks. The cabin steward was excellent . Our shower had zero water pressure and she had it fixed by the second day. We are always impressed with the towel animals and cleanliness of the cabin. The 2 level show lounge has some seats which get blocked by posts, so if there’s something you really want to see, get there early, you may have to skip dessert. Casino staff are friendly, they smile and joke while taking your money. Best bar service was at the United States bar located on the Promenade Deck. On the pool deck I was pleased to run in to a waiter from my first Carnival cruise. Elvis is on the Paradise. Hands down the hardest working, friendliest, waiter in the business. The fitness center is large and has a good selection of equipment, my only negative here was they need a sign up sheet for the elliptical trainers as they only have two. Each locker room has a sauna, steam room, showers, and a coed hot tub area.

As there seems to be an older crowd on this ship, there was never a problem getting a lounge chair on the pool deck, most people liked the tables in the shade.

Entertainment:
Piano bar was good, lots of laughs. Calypso band on the pool deck played the usual reggae hits and had some good moments. The shows with the dancers and singers, we have seen before on other cruises, and were disappointing to say the least. Bobby who plays acoustic guitar at the United States Bar, he was actually there a year and a half a go when we were on board, (must be growing roots), plays very mellow and slow songs which seem to lull everyone to bed early. The duo playing in the Rembrandt Lounge were good. The band in the Queen Mary Lounge never seemed to play, I am assuming there were no guests to play for? Overall, this was probably the poorest entertainment selection we have witnessed, as musicians we were quite surprised at how seldom these musicians, actors, and dancers had to perform.

Dining:
We had late seating in the Elation dining room. Our table was a booth for six. There was only the four of us at dinner all week. We found the food has improved on the Paradise, although still not as good as the Pride which we were on in May. The portions are much larger too. Most nights I had two entrees, and once I had three. It’s sometimes impossible to decide between prime rib and salmon, or filet mignon and tiger prawns. The service was not up to standards. Our assistant wait person was invisible most of the week. She also worked up in the buffet for breakfast and lunch, so she was probably new to the main dining room. Dinner usually lasted for 2 full hours, which made it hard to find a seat at the show. We were going to adjust the tips for the poor dining room service, but I feel everyone can have a bad week, and these people are not treated very well and are really overworked. The buffet is where we ate breakfast and lunch, had the usual fare, nothing stood out. The grill on the pool deck always beckoned with the aroma of grilled onions and burgers cooking. Pizza is available 24 hours in the buffet area. It was pretty good, but the staff there aren’t very happy people.

Ports:
Belize City we found the people very friendly there. The shopping is not too bad right at the pier where the tenders drop you off. If you walk further into town there really isn’t much too see, poverty, dirt, dogs, lots of traffic. Wish now we would have gone to a beach or snorkeling. We thought it might be the best shopping port, so that’s what we did. The cold Belikan beer for $2 was a nice change from what you pay on the ship.

Roatan we have been to before and really like. However, we did notice it has changed quite a lot in 3 years. There are at least 5 times as many taxis when you walk off the ship and quite a bit of hustling to get you in one. This is done by the English speaking residents who haggle the price with you and then take you to a car with someone who can’t speak English. The price to the beach has also doubled in 3 years. We kept walking and found the price can come down. The most popular beach here is West Bay. We go to one called Halfmoon Bay which isn’t quite as far. They wanted $40 round trip but we got it down to $30 for the four of us. This beach has good snorkeling as a reef protects the bay. The corner store sells Honduran beer for $1 a can. There are also a growing number of shops, and cafes here now. But the beach is the best part and the water is very warm and calm. Check it out, you won’t be sorry.

Grand Cayman: we arrived here late due to spotting a flare the night before and spending 2 hours looking for the source. Also it was too windy to tender in at the main dock, so they tried to unload 3 cruise ships at one small pier. We wish we wouldn’t have got off the ship, it was pure bedlam, longest lines I have ever seen to return to the ship. So we only had two and a half hours on land, so more shopping. This is probably the most expensive port for shopping. I have been here before and if you have time check out the snorkeling and the beaches, the turtle farm, or stingray city, before spending your time in the shops. Also watch the prices, as some stores have them in Cayman dollars which will add another 25% to the price if you pay in US dollars.

Cozumel: This being my 3rd time to this island we did my usual. Taxi to the beach for a few hours of sun, snorkel and beers, return to the ship, shower and pizza, return to town for shopping and dinner. The new Carlos and Charlie’s with Senor Frog’s upstairs is where all the crew and passengers seemed to be going. What a rip-off!! The watered down drinks start at $7 and the special glass you can keep is $12. The food was so-so and also over priced. Come on people this is Mexico! With 9 cruise ships in town that day, I guess they’ll always have business, but not from us, ever again. Once again this is a good island for beach and snorkeling. Rent a jeep or moped and explore on your own is also good here. The taxis all have posted flat rates to beaches and attractions. Last time here we had a good meal and drinks at the Hard Rock Café and also say a very good band, so too bad we didn’t make it there this time.

At Sea:
The two days at sea were the usual pool games, trivia, hairy chest competition, and the like. If you haven’t seen them I guess there still fun, but after 9 cruises it’s way boring. Elvis kept the buckets of beer flowing to us and the sun was baking and the band was playing, now this is a holiday. Next time maybe not so many ports and more days at sea.

Debarkation:
As we had early flights from Miami (Noon), we picked up luggage tags at the Purser’s desk to enable us to debark with the first group off. The luggage was easy to find and we were in a cab and at the airport in 20 minutes.

Overall:
If you too are disgusted with the smoking on board other cruise ships this is worth a try. However, if you are in your 20’s or 30’s, travel with a group of friends because most people are in bed by 11pm. There was always a group up late in the disco, but not many. I always say a cruise is what you make it, so keep an open mind and be very friendly to the staff and they will treat you well. On a scale of 1-10 I would rate this cruise a 7.