Carnival Breeze 2023 4-Day Caribbean Cruise Review
Day 1 Part 1 Galveston, Texas
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Click Any Photo To Make It Larger!
Day 1 Part 1 Galveston, Texas
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Click Any Photo To Make It Larger!
Waking Up & Leaving Early For Galveston:
I always have trouble sleeping the night before the cruise because I am so excited about going on vacation. The night before this cruise was no different and I only got a few hours of quality sleep. My alarm went off at 5:28am (this is my typical get up for work time) and I got up to shower & finish packing. By 6:15am I had eaten breakfast and had some time to watch the Carnival Breeze sail in to Galveston on the GalvestonWebcams. Our journey to Galveston began around 7:00am.
Traffic going to Galveston was a bit heavy in spots along Beltway 8 and in a few spots on I-45. Since this was a Thursday, I fully expected heavy traffic going towards Galveston since I was leaving during the morning rush hour time. The Lone Star Rally was also happening in Galveston around the Strand so I was also prepared for heavy traffic & street closures as a result of the event. Thankfully, the further away we got from Houston the better traffic got. There were a few street closures at the Strand in Galveston from the Lone Star Rally, but most of the roads I needed were open. The Carnival Breeze was docked at Cruise Terminal #28 (formerly terminal #2) in Galveston on this particular day.
I always have trouble sleeping the night before the cruise because I am so excited about going on vacation. The night before this cruise was no different and I only got a few hours of quality sleep. My alarm went off at 5:28am (this is my typical get up for work time) and I got up to shower & finish packing. By 6:15am I had eaten breakfast and had some time to watch the Carnival Breeze sail in to Galveston on the GalvestonWebcams. Our journey to Galveston began around 7:00am.
Traffic going to Galveston was a bit heavy in spots along Beltway 8 and in a few spots on I-45. Since this was a Thursday, I fully expected heavy traffic going towards Galveston since I was leaving during the morning rush hour time. The Lone Star Rally was also happening in Galveston around the Strand so I was also prepared for heavy traffic & street closures as a result of the event. Thankfully, the further away we got from Houston the better traffic got. There were a few street closures at the Strand in Galveston from the Lone Star Rally, but most of the roads I needed were open. The Carnival Breeze was docked at Cruise Terminal #28 (formerly terminal #2) in Galveston on this particular day.
Carnival Breeze at Cruise Terminal #28
|
Parking at the Port of Galveston's SMP Garage:
For this cruise we parked in the Port of Galveston's Shearn Moody Plaza Parking Garage. The parking garage is located across Harborside Drive from Cruise Terminal #25 and is very close to the street level crosswalk that cruisers can use to walk to Cruise Terminal #25 and #28. The Carnival Breeze was docked at Cruise Terminal #28 which was only a 5-10 minute walk and involved crossing Harborside Drive. When we arrived at the parking garage an employee was working the gate. He looked at our printed reservation confirmation and gave us a ticket to put in the windshield. This ticket was later used on debarkation day to get out of the garage. We were told to park in any open spots. The parking check-in process was quick and in less than 5 minutes we were parked. Since the parking reservation did not come with shuttle usage, we took our bags with us across the street. Crossing Harborside Drive took a couple of minutes due to having to wait for the crosswalk. |
Priority, Faster to the Fun, & Special Assistance Line
|
Arriving At The Cruise Terminal & Check-In:
The cruise terminal was packed with debarking guests waiting for rides or shuttles and a few embarking guests were beginning to show up. Terminal employees stood outside to direct us where to wait. Since we were Platinum and had priority boarding, we were directed to a line for Priority, Faster to the Fun, and Special Assistance. Since we arrived early, the doors to the cruise terminal were not yet open. The doors to the cruise terminal opened around 9:40am. Guests in the priority line were directed through one set of ropes and guests in the general line were directed through another set of crowd control ropes. Once inside, the priority, Faster to the Fun, and special assistance guests were split further into a line for Faster to the Fun and another for Diamond & Platinum. Although we were let inside early, we stood inside for about 15 minutes before the first checkpoint opened. The terminal employees were letting us inside because of the cold temperatures outside. As we stood we watched terminal employees setup and get their stations ready. The first checkpoint was a check of boarding passes & passports. This check was very quick! Once our boarding passes were checked we were sent to the security checkpoint. The lines were short and going through security was quick & easy. Next, we were sent through a checkpoint where a dog was checking for drugs. Guests were instructed to lower their bags for the dog to be able to sniff, but to keep walking. |
After going through the drug dog checkpoint, we were directed upstairs. The check-in process was greatly condensed compared to my Carnival Breeze cruise in May 2023. Once we were upstairs we were directed to a priority waiting area for Diamond, Suites, and Platinum. While waiting I walked around and took a few pictures of the ship from the cruise terminal's circular windows:
Carnival Breeze - View From The Cruise Terminal
|
View Of The Gangway From The Cruise Terminal
|
Carnival Breeze's Front - View From Terminal
|
Boarding Process - A Technology Snag Stopped Embarkation:
Around 10:35am a lady came over the cruise terminal loudspeaker to announce boarding was going to begin soon. The announcements included information about how the boarding process would work as well as what to expect once on the Carnival Breeze. Boarding the Carnival Breeze is based on zones which are assigned after online check-in is completed and based on arrival appointment times. Guests sitting in the Priority waiting area were allowed to board first. The Diamond guests in the area were called first, followed by Suites guests, and then Platinum guests were last. For guests in other areas of the cruise terminal, special assistance and Faster to the Fun guests would be next before general embarkation started. General embarkation is then based on the zone number in order (A01, A02, etc.).
After Diamond and Suite guests were called, we stood up to get ready to line-up. As soon as Platinum guests were called we moved quickly to the lines to get scanned onto the ship. We were next in line when the man scanning boarding passes grabbed the crowd control rope in front of our line and closed it. We quickly moved to another line and the lady working also closed hers. Apparently the system to scan us onto the ship had stopped working. All of the terminal employees gathered in a small circle to try to get the technology back to working. After waiting a few minutes, the terminal scanners came back online and we were able to get scanned onto the ship. The creation of a bottleneck at the scanners allowed the gangway to be clear & open to us once we were able to start moving towards the ship. Below are a few pictures I took from the gangway of Cruise Terminal #28:
Around 10:35am a lady came over the cruise terminal loudspeaker to announce boarding was going to begin soon. The announcements included information about how the boarding process would work as well as what to expect once on the Carnival Breeze. Boarding the Carnival Breeze is based on zones which are assigned after online check-in is completed and based on arrival appointment times. Guests sitting in the Priority waiting area were allowed to board first. The Diamond guests in the area were called first, followed by Suites guests, and then Platinum guests were last. For guests in other areas of the cruise terminal, special assistance and Faster to the Fun guests would be next before general embarkation started. General embarkation is then based on the zone number in order (A01, A02, etc.).
After Diamond and Suite guests were called, we stood up to get ready to line-up. As soon as Platinum guests were called we moved quickly to the lines to get scanned onto the ship. We were next in line when the man scanning boarding passes grabbed the crowd control rope in front of our line and closed it. We quickly moved to another line and the lady working also closed hers. Apparently the system to scan us onto the ship had stopped working. All of the terminal employees gathered in a small circle to try to get the technology back to working. After waiting a few minutes, the terminal scanners came back online and we were able to get scanned onto the ship. The creation of a bottleneck at the scanners allowed the gangway to be clear & open to us once we were able to start moving towards the ship. Below are a few pictures I took from the gangway of Cruise Terminal #28:
Front View of Carnival Breeze From the Gangway
|
|
|
|
Finally Onboard The Carnival Breeze!
Despite the technology malfunction, the process of boarding the Carnival Breeze was still easy. The gangway was not congested due to this issue and within minutes we were onboard. Guests entered the ship through Deck 3 in the atrium lobby. Crew members were standing around to direct guests to their muster station for the self-mustering process. I went to the front elevator/stairwell area of the ship and walked from Deck 3 to Deck 10 (Lido Deck). While cruising I try to take the stairs, when possible, to get some extra exercise and avoid having to wait for an elevator. |
Once on the Lido Deck (Deck 10) I walked across the atrium and was then outside by the main pool. Some crew members were cleaning the deck and there were many wet floor signs out. As I walked by each one welcomed me aboard the Carnival Breeze. Carnival's crew members are usually very friendly!
|
|
|
First Meal at the Blue Iguana Cantina:
The Carnival Breeze's Blue Iguana Cantina is located outside by the main pool near the Lido Marketplace buffet. There is a line for tacos and another for burritos at the Blue Iguana Cantina and all of the food from this venue was complimentary. I got two tacos and then visited the Salsa Bar. The Blue Iguana Cantina's Salsa Bar had a variety of salsas available as well as some extra lettuce, onion, tomato, and cheese for guests to top their meals.
The Carnival Breeze's Blue Iguana Cantina is located outside by the main pool near the Lido Marketplace buffet. There is a line for tacos and another for burritos at the Blue Iguana Cantina and all of the food from this venue was complimentary. I got two tacos and then visited the Salsa Bar. The Blue Iguana Cantina's Salsa Bar had a variety of salsas available as well as some extra lettuce, onion, tomato, and cheese for guests to top their meals.
Blue Iguana Cantina Salsa Bar
|
Blue Iguana Cantina Salsa Bar
|
Blue Iguana Cantina Salsa Bar
|
First Lunch Onboard In The Lido Marketplace:
By the time I arrived back at the Lido Marketplace, the buffet lines were open with some food. Please note, the Lido Marketplace and Lido Buffet are the same thing and I will likely use these terms interchangeably throughout this review. The Carnival Breeze's Lido Marketplace has four main buffet lines. At lunch, the two on the front half of the buffet served a different type of cuisine each day at lunch (i.e. Italian, French, Tex-Mex, etc.). The two main lines at the back half of the buffet served comfort food. The Carnival Breeze's Lido Marketplace also has a Mongolian Wok stir fry station open at lunch, a deli, and two dessert stations open for lunch. Guests could also dine at Guy's Burger Joint or the Blue Iguana Cantina which are located by the Lido Main Pool close to the buffet entrances on opposite sides of the ship. The Carnival Breeze's Pizzeria and Seafood Shack (costs extra) were also open for lunch on the first day and are located by the Tides Aft Pool.
By the time I arrived back at the Lido Marketplace, the buffet lines were open with some food. Please note, the Lido Marketplace and Lido Buffet are the same thing and I will likely use these terms interchangeably throughout this review. The Carnival Breeze's Lido Marketplace has four main buffet lines. At lunch, the two on the front half of the buffet served a different type of cuisine each day at lunch (i.e. Italian, French, Tex-Mex, etc.). The two main lines at the back half of the buffet served comfort food. The Carnival Breeze's Lido Marketplace also has a Mongolian Wok stir fry station open at lunch, a deli, and two dessert stations open for lunch. Guests could also dine at Guy's Burger Joint or the Blue Iguana Cantina which are located by the Lido Main Pool close to the buffet entrances on opposite sides of the ship. The Carnival Breeze's Pizzeria and Seafood Shack (costs extra) were also open for lunch on the first day and are located by the Tides Aft Pool.
Below are pictures of the salad bar toppings that were available for the first lunch. The salad bars located at the start of each main buffet line had identical toppings.
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
The front half of the Lido Marketplace was serving French food for today's lunch. Below are pictures from this line:
Lido Marketplace Salad Bar
|
Lido Marketplace French Line
|
Lido Marketplace French Line
|
Lido Marketplace French Line
|
Lido Marketplace French Line
|
The Comfort Kitchen buffet lines were located in the back section of the buffet and served comfort food each day at lunch (the options did rotate each day). I have found that I enjoy the Comfort Kitchen buffet lines so I also got food from this line. I had pepper steak, broccoli, mashed potatoes, and some fish (can't remember the exact name) that was pretty good.
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Lido Marketplace Comfort Kitchen Line
|
My Plate From The Comfort Kitchen Line
|
Funfetti Cheesecake
|
The Carnival Breeze's Lido Marketplace has a dessert station that serves a variety of sweets including cakes, pies, cookies, and more. The exact desserts offered will vary by day. For the first day's dessert options, Carnival had a variety of cakes, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and some fresh fruit. Funfetti Cheesecake was on the buffet for today's lunch. I've had the Funfetti cheesecake each time it is offered on my recent cruises and once again it was very good!
There were cakes available at each day's lunch, but the flavors generally were different each day. If you see a dessert on one day of the cruise that you want, you should probably get it then because it likely will not be available another time. Below are some pictures from the dessert from the first day's lunch:
There were cakes available at each day's lunch, but the flavors generally were different each day. If you see a dessert on one day of the cruise that you want, you should probably get it then because it likely will not be available another time. Below are some pictures from the dessert from the first day's lunch:
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
Dessert Station
|
After eating lunch I was ready to start walking around the Carnival Breeze. I went from Deck 10 to Deck 12 at the back of the ship. The very back of deck 12 is home to the Carnival Breeze's SportsSquare which includes the basketball court, mini golf course, ropes course, jogging track, and some outdoor fitness equipment. The basketball court was not yet open and was locked, but was open later in the afternoon.
Deck 12 - Jogging Track
|
Deck 12 SportsSquare Outdoor Fitness Equipment
|
View of Galveston From Deck 12
|
View From Jogging Track Towards Galveston
|
Basketball Court Seating Area
|
Basketball Court
|
I walked from the back of Deck 12 towards the front of the deck. As I walked I passed by the mini golf course and ropes course. I didn't take a picture at this time because there were already several groups using the mini golf course. When I do these cruise reviews I try to avoid taking pictures with people's faces just to protect the privacy of the other cruisers on the ship. After passing by the mini golf course I was then by the area of Deck 12 close to the main Lido pool. I was able to see many guests walking across the main pool area towards the Lido Marketplace. As the temperature was cooler (I think in the mid-50's) there were not many people using deck chairs on the Lido Deck or on Deck 12.
Deck 12 - Approaching the Mini Golf Course
|
Deck 12 - Looking Towards WaterWorks
|
Deck 12
|
The Carnival Breeze's WaterWorks is located on Deck 12. Carnival Breeze's WatreWorks is home to a Twister Waterslide, Drainpipe, children's mini racer slides, and a spray park. The Twister Waterslide and Drainpipe waterslide have entrances on Deck 15. As it was early on the first day, the Carnival Breeze's WaterWorks was not yet open.
WaterWorks
|
WaterWorks
|
From Deck 12, I walked up to Deck 15 using outside staircases. Deck 15 at the front of the ship is home to the Serenity Adults Only Retreat and stairwell entrance to the Carnival Breeze's WaterWorks Drainpipe and Twister waterslides.
Chairs Near The WaterWorks on Deck 12
|
View From Deck 15
|
WaterWorks Entrance
|
While on Deck 15, I walked into the Carnival Breeze's Serenity Adults Only Retreat. This area is for guests 21+ in age and Carnival generally enforces the age requirement. Despite the word "adult" being the name, guests that are 18-20 are not allowed to use the area. The Serenity has padded deck chairs, clamshell chairs, hottubs, and a small bar area. At this time of the afternoon the Serenity Adults Only Retreat was mostly empty except for a few occupied chairs.
Serenity Adults Only Retreat
|
Serenity Adults Only Retreat
|
Serenity Adults Only Retreat
|
Serenity Adults Only Retreat
|
Serenity Adults Only Retreat
|
Serenity Adults Only Retreat
|
|
Please Follow On Social Media!
I will occasionally post cruise review updates as well as other cruise related content. Facebook: www.facebook.com/rygscruiseguide Instagram: www.instagram.com/rygscruiseguide/ |