Posted on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 by Peter Knego
After attending the ship’s gala naming ceremony in Miami, Peter Knego sets sail aboard Carnival Cruises’ latest, largest ship, the 130,000 gross ton CARNIVAL BREEZE on an eight night voyage to the Caribbean.
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2013 Passenger Ships Desk Calendar by Peter Knego
All photos by and copyright Peter Knego 2012 unless otherwise noted.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Bermuda Triangle Blue and Lanai from 6412.
Our balcony overlooked the Lanai, a wonderful walkway that is cantilevered from the sides of the ship directly above the lifeboats. Not only does the Lanai fully encircle the CARNIVAL BREEZE like a traditional promenade, it is festooned with overhanging Jacuzzis and al fresco eateries, including Carnival’s new Fat Jimmy’s C-Side Barbeque featuring grilled chicken breast, kielbasa, Italian sausage, and Fat Jimmy’s signature item, pulled pork sandwiches, along with traditional sides like baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw and mini-corn muffins.
Ocean Plaza, facing port.
My first stop was the Ocean Plaza on midships Deck 5 for a quick muffin and a fresh cappuccino that I could take to the press conference in the Limelight Lounge, the ship’s cabaret style showroom on aft Deck 5.
The Limelight by day…
The Limelight seats 400 guests and is used for various functions and meetings by day. I particularly like the scoop chairs, which are reminiscent of some Eero Saarinen Executive-style chairs I have rescued from Alang.
Punchliners: the Limelight at night.
At night, the Limelight is transformed into the CARNIVAL BREEZE’s bona fide comedy club Punchliners, featuring George Lopez-vetted acts that offer a variety of family friendly and adults-only shows.
Atrial lanterns, facing up.
I didn’t bring my camera for our feast at the Mandarin Wok in the Lido Marketplace on Deck 10 but will surely include some shots from our favorite eatery on the CARNIVAL BREEZE later in this series.
Hasbro’s Connect 4 at sea.
At 3:30, Cruise Director Brad Begovich (a fellow Croat — his parents are from Korcula) hosted the first Hasbro At Sea game show during our voyage. Teams of four enthusiastic guests were pulled from either side of the audience (blue to port and red to starboard) to participate. Aside from the sets and technology, which rival that of a broadcast television game show, I was impressed that the winners would take home some rather elaborate prizes culled from the Hasbro electronic games catalog.
From the waterslide platform to the sea….
On the way to the gym, I decided to roam the upper decks and managed to climb the water slide platform for a bird’s eye view of the ship. Glad I did, as it would be closed for the next two days due to brisk winds.
Red Frog Rum Bar.
We all converged at the RedFrom Rum Bar near the pool at 7:00 PM for some rather fancy cocktails in the balmy breeze.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Cuccina del Capitano.
I spent the morning working in the cabin, then headed up to meet Lis at the Cuccina del Capitano, the CARNIVAL BREEZE’s 117-seat Italian eatery on Deck 11 overlooking the Lido Marketplace. For dinner, the place commands a modest cover of $12 per person for a massive, multi-course meal but for lunch, it is the setting for a splendid, no-charge pasta bar.
PK list.
Basically, you just fill out a menu form and hand it off to the waiter who re appears moments later with the order.
Lunchtime in Cucina.
In my case, it was a piping hot, al dente farfalle with pomodoro, sun dried tomatoes and eggplant with a Caesar salad and foccaccia bread. Carnival’s “does Italian” among the best of all the cruise lines, many thanks to its heritage of hiring Italian officers (some came directly from the Italia fleet in the 1970s) and building its ships at Fincantieri. The great Trieste-based ship historian Maurizio Eliseo contributed to the many beautiful vintage photos on display in Cuccina del Capitano, the only space in the Carnival fleet that pays homage to the line’s historic past.
Chef della Cuccina.
And here are the chefs della Cuccina at work.
Thrill specs.
One thing I appreciate about sailing aboard mega ships is that they often challenge me to try new experiences. For instance, I’m the last person to normally don 3-D glasses and sit through a Disney-esque fantasy on screen. But on the CARNIVAL BREEZE, I tried out the new Carnival Thrill Theater and came away not only impressed with the facility and experience but the movie, “Polar Express”.
Thrill Theater, facing aft.
Admission for the Thrill Theater is $7.95 per show but a weekly pass for unlimited showings can be purchased for $14.00. Be ready for a few surprises as you take a “ride” in the Thrill Theater and don’t wear anything you wouldn’t mind getting a little misty.
Fahrenheit 555, facing forward.
Carnival’s steak houses have some of the best food afloat. Period. Fahrenheit 555 is the extra tariff steakhouse ($40 cover charge) on the BREEZE, a handsome space with indirect lighting, warm soft fittings and gold leaf pilasters that seats 69 guests.
Fahrenheit 555 setting.
Table settings are particularly elegant with Riedel stemware, pressed linens and custom chargers.
Fahrenheit 555 offerings.
Various cuts are presented table-side for guests to select from. Orders are placed and then it all starts…
555 Amuse Bouche.
Two amuses bouches were offered, a beef carpaccio pyramid and the creamy potato leek soup, shown above.
Buffalo tomatoes.
I loved my heirloom beefsteak tomato and gorgonzola salad.
Lis’ fillet mignon.
For my more carnivorous readers, I conclude the evening with a look at Lis’ filet mignon. “Melts in your mouth”, she cooed.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Sushi at sea.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been to St. Thomas since my first visit aboard the BRITANIS in 1981. Normally, I get up early to witness arrival in this busiest of all Caribbean hubs but today, after a peek through the curtains, I ordained more sleep was mandatory. Long after most of our fellow guests had disembarked, I took advantage of the empty ship to begin my official documenting spree. One of several new venues on Deck 5 is the Bonsai Sushi, an a la carte eatery with offerings from a $2 miso soup to a $15 sushi “boat”.
Casino, facing forward/starboard.
Although Joe Farcus has basically left the scene, the Casino was somewhat reminiscent of his decor. During sea days, this space swarms with guests.
Midships Pool from starboard Deck 12.
Topsides, the CARNIVAL BREEZE has just about everything a modern ship can offer. The coliseum-like terraces around the midships pool are the perfect setting for al fresco bars, sun loungers and Carnival’s “Dive-In” Theater, where movies and sporting events are broadcast under the sun and stars.
Skycourse, facing aft.
The Skycourse is a ropes area that meanders above the miniature golf course at the base of the funnel.
LIBERTY over BREEZE.
As I worked my way aft for a view over the Tides Pool and bar on Deck 10, there was the CARNIVAL LIBERTY, looking resplendent in the St. Thomas sunshine.
Deluge at Charlotte Amalie.
After lunch, we headed ashore in search of a rich cup of cappuccino and a strong wifi signal. It took a few starts and stops to find the Barefoot Buddha, where we spent the greater part of the afternoon loading photos and blog posts. When we emerged, I raced off to catch some photos of the two Carnival ships from the waterfront and got caught in a deluge that would rival any Gujarati monsoon.
CARNIVAL BREEZE and CARNIVAL LIBERTY at St. Thomas.
Hopefully, it was worth risking the cameras. I might as well have swam back to the ship.
Ken Byrne, the famous singing maitre’d.
After dinner in Blush, “the singing maitre’d” Ken Byrne sang a couple of tunes to a cheering and napkin-waving crowd. He is actually quite gifted as well as being camera-friendly.
End of A Mighty BREEZE, Part Two
Special Thanks: Martin Cox, Jennifer de la Cruz, Vance Gulliksen, Lis Kemp
Joseph Sturges
December 12, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Great coverage, Peter.
The interior designers of BREEZE excercised wonderful restraint and good taste, unlike a number of other earlier Carnival ships. The photos show that BREEZE has a very upscale feeling to its decor, yet there are a plethora of features to appeal to any age segment of the cruising public.
Well Done Carnival!
Joe Sturges
Gary Morgan
December 12, 2012 at 10:38 pm
I never thought I would ever say this, but based on your marvellous photos, I prefer the decor on Carnival Breeze to that of Celebrity Reflection.
Gary
Clive Harvey
December 13, 2012 at 2:03 am
Well, I’m probably one of the very last people to ever want to take a cruise with Carnival but having just read your part two of the Breeze report and having looked at the photos I just felt that I wanted to go and have dinner in Fahrenheit 555. My reaction to the main photo of the room was “Oh, that’s lovely.”
I’m fascinated by Carnival’s new direction in choice of decor. From your pictures so far it seems that in some places they may have played too safe but in many instances it looks very stylish and smart – not words that we are used to applying to a Carnival cruise ship! It will be interesting to see how the cruising public takes to this alternative look.
Joel
December 13, 2012 at 6:32 am
Wow! I’m really impressed with how understated the Breeze is (at least in comparison to the Joe Farcus designs). The dining room looks more like something you’d see on Celebrity. Also glad they seem to be getting away from the peach/flesh tones in the cabins. They were nice, but that color just always made me feel a little uncomfortable.
Kenneth Eden
December 13, 2012 at 8:26 am
Some of the expressions on the faces on board the BREEZE look a bit like those found on tile works in Pompeii, pix from part one and two. Scarey Movie Part One and Two!
I am particulary amused by the servers expression as caught on camera in “Fahrenheit 555″ a pix that could mean many things.
OKAY – some of the decor as shown in Peters second installment is not really that bad, but………
Clive! Such frisky statement. I know you won’t take the BREEZE, neither shall I.
Peter, I too can not remember the number of times I have been to St. Thomas either, me, a little earlier, first visit, a land trip, in 1969, then on the QE2 in 1970 and on it goes, some cruises I have taken have not called there.
Gotta love the Skycourse, that mini funnel is fabulous, I want one for Christmas, to place by our garden pond.
Glenn L.
December 13, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Great report Peter. I’ve never been loyal to any particular brand and have cruised over 30 times, with that said, up until 5 years ago, I did not try Carnival because of pre-concieved notions about Spring break like atmosphere, sub par cuisine etc. The opportunity presented itself for a convienient cruise with a very good price, It was a spitit class ship that had a very nice flow and a higher pax /space ratio than the newer classes in the fleet. We had a great cruise and was impressed by the staff, cuisine, cabin and overall cleanliness of the vessel, the Steak House was second to none on land. After enjoying this cruise, we’d eventually tried Carnival’s other classes with mixed results. Experience on Carnival goes ship by ship and should not be judged by a single ship. My only problem with Carnival is that the ships lack an observation lounge such as the Crow’s Nest on HAL. The Farcus interiors can be dizzying but that certainly wouldn’t make or break a cruise for us. We’ll be taking our 5th Spirit class voyage in 14 days and our 8th Carnival.
Hank
December 14, 2012 at 12:03 pm
I plan to be travelling Cunard in 2014. However it probably won’t be like, a bi-annual thing or anything due to the costs of travelling across to Europe. That said, I would also like to take some Carnival cruises as well. And now that I’ve seen the interiors for this new ship, bigger incentive. My one complaint is the great amount of decks over the bridge. However they pull that off better than NORWEGIAN EPIC. And the wrap around promenade is wonderful. And for all the nay-sayers who cut down Carnival and say they will never travel Carnival, I have something important to say. This company just came out of Vegas style…would you like to drive them back into Vegas style? Take a Carnival cruise. If Peter can do it, you can do it. Lavish yourself with a bargain. Even if it is a “you get what you pay for” line. That is what people want. Now they’ve made a change to something new.
Clive Harvey
December 15, 2012 at 2:16 am
Hank, What curious logic you have!
In order to stop Carnival Cruises form fitting out future ships in what used to be their customary (highly decorated) style we must all take a cruise aboard Carnival Breeze?!!!!
Lavish yourself with a bargain – surely ‘lavish’ and ‘bargain’ are opposites?
Even if it is a “get what you pay for line.” That is what people want.
Sorry, but if we all accepted that then we’d be down to the lowest common denominator with regard to everything. Carnival Cruises is a mass-market line and for many years they have provided a large segment of the cruising public with what they want and continue to do so. However, even the executives at the Carnival Corporation don’t follow your logic, otherwise they would have never bought companies that operate at the upper end of the cruise market.
The reason that Peter took a cruise aboard Carnival Breeze was in order to report to us what the ship and on board product is like. He was therefore doing this in a professional capacity rather than merely reporting on his latest vacation!
So sorry but even if I find some of the public rooms and cabins aboard Carnival Breeze to be attractive I know that a 7-night Carnival cruise is not what appeals to me. Forty years and around 70 cruises is enough experience to me to be confident in that assertion.
Kenneth Eden
December 15, 2012 at 4:43 am
I believe Peter is the true professional here, and for him to take and review and toatlly deck out a ship, any and all, is his profession.
Enough said here, however, I am actually looking at the BREEZE in a different light than have ever in the past, so, Peter has done a stellar job here.
My biggest problem with this product is the Las Vegas at sea concept, as I abhor the idea of Vegas at any level.
Someone told me that the “Spirit Class” ships offer better food over the other carnival ships. Any truth to this?
For me, two, usually, Cunard sailings annually, plus one or two with another line is our usual limit. With air travel so horrendous, we opt for transatlantic crossings.
Hank
December 17, 2012 at 10:03 am
Yes Clive,
I’m well aware of your experience. But not all of us can afford nice cruises you know. Now granted, my family has a lot of oil money, but we don’t go around spending it. My grandmother has the money. But my parents keep telling me she is slowing down. Then she proves us wrong and jumps in the car and goes on a vacation to New Mexico. We are planning a Cunard transatlantic voyage on QM2, but taking voyages bi-annually? Forget it. Unless I get a job with a lot of money, or a dual citizenship with the United Kingdom and United States, I highly doubt it. I think Carnival is okay. I don’t care for their design style, but the CARNIVAL BREEZE makes me want to go. Although it is just as likely that I would hop on CARNIVAL PARADISE out of Long Beach. I can also hop on board in Galveston Texas, which is in driving distance and take a cruise from there. And I would love to try HAL, Princess, and Celebrity, but I don’t have control over finances. My parents and grandmothers do. And then God is ultimately in control.
So a recap of upcoming cruises:
Cunard maybe (2014)
Carnival whenever
Hank
December 17, 2012 at 10:04 am
And I’m perfectly happy with that.
Hank
December 17, 2012 at 10:12 am
Life rocks! Now I need to go watch Rear Window. Lol
Kathy B
December 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm
@Kenneth Eden – We’ve sailed Carnival many times and I’ve never found the food to be different on Spirit-class as opposed to other classes of ships. Many folks who sail on Carnival prefer the Spirit-class ships because they’re not huge and are easier to navigate. I love the steakhouse space on Spirit-class ships – two levels, under the glassed-in portion of the funnel.
We sail with kids (okay, now they’re teens and the oldest is an adult). Carnival has a great kids’ program. Someday a Cunard Transatlantic will happen, but probably not until the kids aren’t sailing with us anymore. (I priced a 5-day cruise on the QM2 against a 7-day cruise on Carnival Pride for the same week, and Pride was half the cost of QM2.)
Husband and I are not “party-hearty” types. We’ll probably be in bed by 11:30 at the latest. However, we’ve found that Carnival suits us just fine in that regard. You can do as many or as few activities as you want. We’re not into hairy-chest or similar contests, so we don’t go. Sometimes we go to the evening shows, sometimes we don’t. We’ve never been in the disco. Heck, we’re not even much for casinos. We go for the chance to sit on deck (or our balcony) and watch the sea go by, attentive cabin stewards who know our schedule, and good food. I’m sure the higher-priced lines provide a higher level of service and REALLY good food – someday, we’ll get there.
Scott
December 17, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Peter,
I have some shots of the Breeze coming into St Thomas last week. Including a great one with a rainbow. Didn’t realize it was it’s first trip there, which explains the helicopter’s that came out to greet the ship as it entered the harbor to take pics.
Let me know where to send the pics and you’re happy to view/use them.
Scott
Kenneth Eden
December 24, 2012 at 3:12 am
Kathy B
A very belated thank you for the insight. We are seriously – really – considering a cruise with the BREEZE, perfect for our grandson, so, we shall sea (LOL)
Thanks,
Ken
OPITO Training
January 21, 2013 at 11:11 pm
Can I just say, you are living the good life. You just inspired to put “Take a cruise” in my bucket list. Considering that I live in the Philippines and going on a cruise is only for the privileged, I firmly believe that in the future, I will be able to afford it through hard work, focus and determination. Your pictures and stories are enough inspiration to save up for it.
Peter Knego
January 21, 2013 at 11:14 pm
Thank you so much — I’m so happy that you enjoyed the blog and wish you many happy cruises in your future!
– Peter
Stanislav Palapeshkov
February 12, 2013 at 4:29 am
The Bonsai Sushi on DEck 5 -I was so curious to see it
?
All looks ok , I am planning to go on a Costa-s ship, hope will be similar to that.