Carnival Breeze 2022 4-Day Caribbean Cruise Review
Day 1 Part 2 September 22, 2022 Galveston, Texas
Scheduled Departure: 3:30pm
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Day 1 Part 2 September 22, 2022 Galveston, Texas
Scheduled Departure: 3:30pm
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This part of the review is a continuation of my Day 1 cruise review of the Carnival Breeze. In the last part of the review I walked around the Serenity Adults Only Retreat on Deck 15. Click Here to go back to Day 1 Part 1's review.
At the front of the Serenity Adults Only Retreat is a sliding door that leads to a glass spiral staircase. I walked down the sliding staircase to Deck 14. The Carnival Breeze's Cloud 9 SPA is on Decks 12 and 14. I walked into the Relaxation Room at the front of Deck 14. This was a small room with a great view from windows. Infused fruit water, coffee, and some tea packets were available in this room. I found this room on my previous Carnival Breeze cruise's first day back in May 2022. The room was setup nearly identically to that cruise. Below are some pictures from this cruise:
While on Deck 14, I walked by the Carnival Breeze's Tepidarium. The door was closed and I did not enter. I remember in May, the room was hot & muggy and my camera lenses did not like the temperature. I took a picture from the glass door of the Tepidarium.
I went back to the spiral staircase and continued down to Deck 12. The Fitness Center is located at the front of the Carnival Breeze's Deck 12. Within the Fitness Center there are a variety of different machines and weights. A fitness instructor was advertising classes at the front of the gym, but he was busy selling to other guests so he did not bother us as I took some pictures.
I went back to the spiral staircase and continued down to Deck 12. The Fitness Center is located at the front of the Carnival Breeze's Deck 12. Within the Fitness Center there are a variety of different machines and weights. A fitness instructor was advertising classes at the front of the gym, but he was busy selling to other guests so he did not bother us as I took some pictures.
After walking around the Carnival Breeze's SPA and Fitness Center on Deck 12, I went back up the spiral staircase to Deck 15 to have another quick look outside. The WaterWorks was still not open yet, but I could see the deck chairs by the main Lido pool were mostly occupied.
After being outside for a little while, it was time for me to head inside to avoid getting sunburned. I walked down the front stairwell to the Promenade Deck (5). I walked from the front of the deck through the atrium and had a good view of Deck 3's atrium lobby below. It looked like very few guests were boarding at this time. However, the atrium lobby was crowded with several guests at the atrium bar and lined up at guest services. I will share atrium pictures in later portions of this cruise review.
On the other side of the Deck 5 atrium is the Winner's Luck Casino. The Winner's Luck Casino on Deck 5 has several slot machines & game tables, a large bar, and the cashier's station. At the time of this cruise, the Deck 5 level of the Winner's Luck Casino allows smoking when the casino is open & a guest is playing at a slot machine. Smoking is prohibited when bunkering (fuel operations) is taking place. A non-smoking casino annex is available on Deck 4.
On the other side of the Deck 5 atrium is the Winner's Luck Casino. The Winner's Luck Casino on Deck 5 has several slot machines & game tables, a large bar, and the cashier's station. At the time of this cruise, the Deck 5 level of the Winner's Luck Casino allows smoking when the casino is open & a guest is playing at a slot machine. Smoking is prohibited when bunkering (fuel operations) is taking place. A non-smoking casino annex is available on Deck 4.
After walking through the Winner's Luck Casino, I reached the Carnival Breeze's Ocean Plaza. The Ocean Plaza is used during the day-time for various events and activities. There is a mini stage and dance floor in the center of the Ocean Plaza that are used at night for music and dancing. The Carnival Breeze's Alchemy Bar and Coffee Bar are located right by the Ocean Plaza. For some reason the lights were all turned off in the Ocean Plaza despite guests being everywhere. The lights did come on until later in the afternoon.
Throughout the Promenade Deck (5) there are doors to lead to the Lanai outside. From the Ocean Plaza I walked outside to the Lanai. The Lanai wraps around the entire ship on Deck 5, but the front portion is closed to guests.
Throughout the Promenade Deck (5) there are doors to lead to the Lanai outside. From the Ocean Plaza I walked outside to the Lanai. The Lanai wraps around the entire ship on Deck 5, but the front portion is closed to guests.
Here are some pictures I took while walking around the back and sides of the Carnival Breeze's Lanai:
Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ:
The Carnival Breeze has a complimentary BBQ venue located on Deck 5's Lanai outside. Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ serves a variety of BBQ meats and sides at lunch on select days of the cruise. When I walked by around 12:30pm, there was no line at Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ. The crew members working begged me to take some food as I was taking pictures, but I still stuffed from lunch on the Lido Deck. I have eaten at Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ on previous cruises and love eating the pork butt, sausage, smoked beef, and collared greens. Below are some pictures of the choices available at Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ:
The Carnival Breeze has a complimentary BBQ venue located on Deck 5's Lanai outside. Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ serves a variety of BBQ meats and sides at lunch on select days of the cruise. When I walked by around 12:30pm, there was no line at Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ. The crew members working begged me to take some food as I was taking pictures, but I still stuffed from lunch on the Lido Deck. I have eaten at Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ on previous cruises and love eating the pork butt, sausage, smoked beef, and collared greens. Below are some pictures of the choices available at Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ:
When I finished walking around the Lanai, I went back inside. At the back of Deck 5 is the Carnival Breeze's Limelight Lounge. The Limelight Lounge is used for the Punchliner Comedy Club, karaoke, and smaller scale special events. The Limelight Lounge was empty when I walked in to take pictures.
The Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse is located next to the Limelight Lounge on the back of deck 5. On my past two cruises on the Carnival Breeze, I have had trouble getting good pictures of this venue due to crew working inside. I stepped inside and the hostess immediately asked if she could help me. I told her I just wanted to take a few pictures and she invited me to come inside. Below are some pictures I took of the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse:
The Liquid Nightclub is also located near the back of Deck 5. The nightclub is generally open late at night and into the early morning hours. During the day, the Liquid Nightclub is used to host art auctions & shows. While I was walking around the Carnival Breeze I noticed the nightclub was open so I walked in to take some pictures.
Self-Mustering On The Carnival Breeze:
After looking around the Carnival Breeze's Deck 5, I remembered I needed to head to my muster station for the lifejacket demonstration. My muster station was "E3" which was the Deck 3 level of the Blush Restaurant. The Blush Restaurant is the Carnival Breeze's aft dining room and is primarily used for guests with fixed dinner seating. A crew member was standing at the entrance of the Blush Restaurant. We both showed our Sail & Sign Cards and they were scanned in order to log attendance at this mandatory drill. The drill consisted of a lifejacket demonstration and some basic safety information. The drill lasted no more than 5 minutes and gave us a good reminder on how to wear a lifejacket & where we needed to go in the event of a real emergency. This Self-Mustering Drill replaced the old style Safety Briefing where everyone on the ship went to their muster station prior to sailing at the same time. The Self-Mustering drill allowed for social distancing. TIP: Your assigned muster station for the cruise can be found in multiple areas. Your boarding pass, Sail & Sign Card, the Carnival Hub App, and back of the stateroom door have your muster station letter/number printed. If you need assistance on the first day finding your muster station, crew members are stationed throughout the ship and can direct you to your assigned muster station. |
Cove Balcony Stateroom:
Staterooms opened for all guests at 1:30pm. Until this time the firedoors to the stateroom hallway were closed with signage asking guests not to enter until 1:30pm. My stateroom was a Balcony Stateroom located on Deck 6. The stateroom was located in between the middle and aft elevators on the starboard side of the ship. The interior of the stateroom consisted of two twin beds, a couch that could be converted into a bed at night, and a small vanity area. Around the stateroom's small counter space there were two 120V electrical outlets and a European electrical outlet.
Staterooms opened for all guests at 1:30pm. Until this time the firedoors to the stateroom hallway were closed with signage asking guests not to enter until 1:30pm. My stateroom was a Balcony Stateroom located on Deck 6. The stateroom was located in between the middle and aft elevators on the starboard side of the ship. The interior of the stateroom consisted of two twin beds, a couch that could be converted into a bed at night, and a small vanity area. Around the stateroom's small counter space there were two 120V electrical outlets and a European electrical outlet.
The stateroom's bathroom was very similar to every other Carnival ship's stateroom bathroom that I have had. The bathroom consisted of a toilet, sink, and shower. In the shower, shampoo and shower gel were available in a dispenser.
My balcony was directly above the Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ. This meant that when I wanted to look down, instead of seeing the Lanai, I had a view of the top of Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ. This balcony stateroom was a complimentary upgrade from Carnival. Originally I was booked in a porthole stateroom on Deck 1 and due to that room being in a previous quarantine area at the time of booking, a Carnival representative moved my room up to this balcony for FREE! This is the first & only upgrade I have ever gotten from Carnival. Despite the obstructed view below, the balcony had a good view of the horizon. My balcony consisted of two chairs and a very small table.
Looking From The Front Observation Deck On Deck 9:
After looking at my stateroom and balcony I wanted to continue walking around the ship. At the very front of Deck 9 is an area above the navigational bridge that is one of my favorite places on a ship to look out. On both sides of the ship, this area overlooks the side of the ship.
After looking at my stateroom and balcony I wanted to continue walking around the ship. At the very front of Deck 9 is an area above the navigational bridge that is one of my favorite places on a ship to look out. On both sides of the ship, this area overlooks the side of the ship.
Around 3pm our cruise director, Jasper, came over the PA to let guests know that the captain asked all guests that had not yet completed the self-mustering process to attend. Jasper also used this time to go through safety information and the ship's general emergency alarm (7 short blasts & 1 long blast) was rang.
Sail-A-Way From Galveston:
The Carnival Breeze was scheduled to set sail at 3:30pm from Galveston. The ship was already untied and moving away from the cruise terminal at exactly at 3:30pm. We were in our stateroom when sail-a-way started and had to rush to get outside. I went to the very front of Deck 7 to watch sail-a-way. This area was directly below the navigational bridge, which is located above on Deck 8. Due to the location of the bridge in relation to the sunlight, this area was very shady for most of sail-a-way.
The Carnival Breeze was scheduled to set sail at 3:30pm from Galveston. The ship was already untied and moving away from the cruise terminal at exactly at 3:30pm. We were in our stateroom when sail-a-way started and had to rush to get outside. I went to the very front of Deck 7 to watch sail-a-way. This area was directly below the navigational bridge, which is located above on Deck 8. Due to the location of the bridge in relation to the sunlight, this area was very shady for most of sail-a-way.
How The Your-Time Dining Check-In Process Worked:
I had Your-Time Dining which means I could dine in a specific dining room from 5:30pm until about 9:00pm. Dining assignments are printing on guests' Sail & Sign Cards. My Sail & Sign Card indicated that for dinner I needed to check-in on the Carnival Hub App and then I would be assigned a table. Shortly before the dining room opened the Carnival Hub App began allowing guests to check-in. The check-in for dinner was easy and involved clicking a check-box for each guest that was going to be eating. Within a couple of minutes of checking in the app notified me that my table was ready and I selected that I was on my way. The app will hold table assignments for 10 minutes before cancelling a reservation. The Sapphire Dining Room is the Carnival Breeze's mid-ship dining room.
I arrived a few minutes prior to 5:30pm after checking in on the Carnival Hub App. One of the dining room hostesses recognized me from a previous cruise in May 2022 and she asked if I wanted the same table as the previous cruise. She remembered that we liked a table by the window and even remembered the section we sat in one the previous cruise. This was an awesome surprise! Carnival truly has some of the best crew members!
I had Your-Time Dining which means I could dine in a specific dining room from 5:30pm until about 9:00pm. Dining assignments are printing on guests' Sail & Sign Cards. My Sail & Sign Card indicated that for dinner I needed to check-in on the Carnival Hub App and then I would be assigned a table. Shortly before the dining room opened the Carnival Hub App began allowing guests to check-in. The check-in for dinner was easy and involved clicking a check-box for each guest that was going to be eating. Within a couple of minutes of checking in the app notified me that my table was ready and I selected that I was on my way. The app will hold table assignments for 10 minutes before cancelling a reservation. The Sapphire Dining Room is the Carnival Breeze's mid-ship dining room.
I arrived a few minutes prior to 5:30pm after checking in on the Carnival Hub App. One of the dining room hostesses recognized me from a previous cruise in May 2022 and she asked if I wanted the same table as the previous cruise. She remembered that we liked a table by the window and even remembered the section we sat in one the previous cruise. This was an awesome surprise! Carnival truly has some of the best crew members!
First Dinner On The Carnival Breeze In The Sapphire Dining Room:
After being seated our table's headwaiter and assistant waitress came by to introduce themselves. Our waitstaff team came by and started to pour water in our cups. I asked for iced tea. Our waiter brought the iced tea as well as sweetener packets & lemon. Since the Covid-19 restart Carnival does only has paper menus available by request in the main dining room. Guests are expected to use a QR Code on the table or the Carnival Hub App to view the menu (a paper copy can be requested if needed). Our waiter took our order a few minutes after we arrived! After our order was taken the waitstaff came by with a big basket of bread and asked which bread we would like. They served the bread to us using tongs. Our choices for tonight's bread were baguette and multigrain cranberry. I asked for both. I ordered a caesar salad and quesadilla for my appetizer. Both tasted great. For my main course I ordered the Sweet & Sour Shrimp. This will probably be the last time I order this main course due to the side of rice having a seasoning that I do not like the taste of. However, the shrimp & sauce tasted great. For dessert I ordered a banana split, which is on the Kid's Menu. The banana split consisted of a scoop of neopolitan ice cream, some sort of whipped cream, banana slices, a cherry, and sprinkles. Everything was great and our waitstaff did an excellent job! |
The dining room menus for the night were able to be viewed prior to the start of dinner through the Carnival Hub App. I took screenshots of the menus that were posted to the app to share on here with you. For those on the ship without the Carnival Hub App, the menus were posted outside the dining room each morning. Menus are no longer provided to everyone in the dining room unless specially requested. Guests are asked to use their phones to view the menu. Here are my screenshots of the menus from this night of the cruise:
Here are some food pictures from the first night's dinner:
After dinner I stepped outside on my balcony to take some pictures of the sunset. Before I forget to mention, I picked up the liter bottled water from the casino bar on Deck 4 and also went by the photo gallery to pick up my Platinum pin & koozie gift.
Ovation Theater - Bingo Session
At 7:15pm in the Ovation Theater a game of Welcome Aboard Bingo was taking place. The Bingo host for this cruise was Lucky Lizzy, who happened to be the same bingo host as our May 2022 Carnival Breeze cruise. Bingo on Carnival's ships costs money to buy Bingo cards, but there are cash or other prizes for winning. Sometimes prizes are cash, but other times could be jewelry or a free cruise depending on the game of bingo that is being played. After dinner when I arrived in the Ovation Theater the game of Bingo was about to start, but had not yet started. I did not play bingo, but watched the game because I wanted to be in the Ovation Theater for a good seat for the Welcome Aboard Show. |
Welcome Aboard Show:
The Welcome Aboard Show was scheduled to start at 8:00pm in the Ovation Theater. When the show started our cruise director, Jasper, came on-stage to introduce himself. He let us know that his job was to inform & entertain us during the cruise. Jasper introduced the Carnival Breeze's Fun Squad team members. These crew members host various trivia games and activities throughout the cruise. Instead of doing a game on-stage, Jasper made the whole audience stand up and split the audience down the middle. He led the theater in a clapping exercise which ended up creating the beat for the song "We Will Rock You". After Jasper finished speaking it was time for the Playlist Productions performers to do a quick 10 minute intro show. However, the Playlist Productions performers' piece was cut short very early on and the curtain closed unexpectedly. Jasper came back on-stage and told us that due to technical issues the show was over. This was very odd! |
Even though I was disappointed the Welcome Aboard Show ended early due to issues, I was tired from getting up early and wanted to get to sleep soon. I walked up to the back of Deck 5 to look out, but did not stay outside long. Before going back to my stateroom I went up to the Lido Deck (10) for some water. Below are some pictures of the Lanai on Deck 5:
Our stateroom location was terrible for hallway noise (although noise can technically happen anywhere on the ship). Several guests were using our hallway as a cut through after the nightclub closed in the early morning hours. After several loud groups of guests went through the hallway, I heard a stateroom neighbor step outside to yell at the loud people. I did not get much sleep due to the constant noise!
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