Carnival Glory: Cruising the Western Caribbean
by brianthetiger
First time on a cruise ... hmmmm ...
It was great ... and sometimes not so great .... but overall I found it more enjoyable that I had imagined, and that may have been because I was with 3 companions, I wouldn't have gone alone (although some people did) and I'm not sure I'd have picked this particular cruise to travel as a couple.
Carnival is one of the largest cruise lines in the world and this particular ship and 'theme' was all about 'fun'; the kind of fun that requires constant activity either on the boat or on the excursions when the boat lands. Although the excursions range from being as lazy as soaking in the sun on a western Caribbean beach in Mexico, Belize, Honduras or Bahamas, or as easy as sifting through the jewelry stores paying 50% of US store prices for precious metal and stone trinkets, or as effort intensive as kayaking down rivers and walking through ancient Mayan ruins.
The 'fun cruises' as they call them are not about peace and quiet ... especially if your cabin is surrounded by a family of New Yorkers (and I do not cast dispersions on an otherwise fine set of people); but this family was loud and would open their various doors so that the kids could run about between the rooms ..... but that, I've got to say was the only downside of an otherwise great week.
The service on Carnival Glory was fantastic .... there seemed to be a unique spirit and pleasantness from all of the people who looked after us whether they were cabin-cleaners, bar people, restaurant waiters or anyone else whose job included talking to or helping the passengers.
24hr pizza ... wow! Food was available all day in a number of restaurants (especially the buffet) but I had to try the pizza at 3am and it was great. And all food is included in the price you pay for the trip.
You don't carry money, unless you want to play in the casino, so everything you do and drink goes on a card. So you can keep the trip inexpensive by drinking little alcohol or rack up a nice big bill that just comes off your VISA at the end without you having to sign anything except all the drinks receipts that accompany every order .... but its all worth it.
Oh ... thanks John, I forgot .... you can't take your own drink on board ... you'll get into a bit of bother if you don't give any alcohol bought on those shore excursions to the purser for safe keeping until the end of the cruise.