We found the service to be excellent on board. Captain Volpi is very visible (i.e., often during his arounds of the ship he converses with the passengers, listening intently to what they have to say). His genial approach is also followed in the dining room by Maitre D' Tom; he and his staff aim to please.
We had table #209 with waiter Gabor and his assistant Zoran, who were friendly and intent on pleasing passengers with their light hearted manner. We found the food to be good, but not on par with the Glory, Triumph, or the Liberty where French Chef Georges Blanc has made many improvements. The Carnival Legend did not offer the Blanc novelties, and the menu reminded us of the former standard Carnival fare.
In the Golden Fleece Supper Club, the upscale restaurant ($30 per person), the menu was much different than the Truffles dining rooms, especially the entrees. Hostess Ivana was very nice and the waitress Marina served us elegantly on Versace plates. This room is stunning and sits high atop the atrium. Appetizers were chef's chilled tomato soup, california roll, and Carpaccio with Parmigiano Reggiano shavings; salad was spinach, bacon bits and Bleu Cheese dressing. The veal chop was cooked to perfection, as were the lobster tail and fillet Mignon in the Surf & Turf entree, and the best side dish was the sautéed mushrooms. The special dessert was a spectacular caramelized crepe with thinly sliced apples, pistachios and almonds. The only problem is this dessert was so large that it would have been best served as a whole meal. The ambiance in the Golden Fleece was lovely. The live music provided by the duo of singers Patti and Dale was truly wonderful.
Food was good all over the ship. Of course, the best meal on board is always at the Captain's table. This cruise we dined with Captain Volpi, his dear childhood friends and the Senior Officers of the Legend: Staff Captain Luca Lazzarino, Environmental Officer Nicola Tonelli, Staff Engineer Giuseppe Seccia and Chief Engineer Nunzio Priolo who, at a passing mention that it was cold in the Truffles Dining Room, immediately called his office and got a quick adjustment to the desired temperature. He invited Vincent to visit the ship's control room, where Vincent was astounded to see the amount of precise information available to the engineers. Mr. Priolo even checked our cabin #6273 and told Vincent it was a comfortable 72 degrees. Yes, service is "Legendary" on board.
Entertainment on the Carnival Legend
Cruise Director Brent Mitchell has a very big job on his hands, but he is surely up to the task. There are tournaments in the Club Merlin Casino: Slots, Texas Hold them Poker, and Blackjack. There is Trivia, Pool side Antics, Golf lessons, Arts & Crafts, Bridge Games, Bingo, Art Auctions, Dance Classes, Tea Time, Sushi Time, Party Music in Satchmo's Club (a beautiful under used area of the ship --- that would make another great alternative dining, i.e. a New Orleans Restaurant or buffet). Show Time is in the theater every night, and Teen Dances, Adult Comedy shows and Late Night Disco are ongoing for the night owls. There is plenty to do on board and when in port there are all kinds of tours.
Carnival Legend Ports of Call
Day 1. Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Depart 4:00pm
Day 2. At Sea
Day 3. At Sea
Day 4. St. Maarten Arrive 7:00am Depart 4:00pm
There are some interesting shore excursions on this island: Several Snorkeling and Snuba diving tours for those who love to see a great variety of coral, sea creatures and shipwrecks; a couple of tours with Jeeps and ATVs for convoy style driving through the island; a tour by Land & Sea of St. Maarten first on a catamaran and then on a Swiss Army Jeep; and an easy tour on the Macarena Choo Choo party bus.
Day 5. Barbados Arrive 12:00pm (usually) Depart 10:00pm
Our arrival time here was at 2:00pm, due to the delay for the medical emergency the evening before, thus some tours were canceled. Several combination tours are available: a Safari ride in Zebra striped Land Rovers with visits to the Ocean Park and the South Coast Beach, combined with a refreshing swim at the beach; a Safari ride to the wildlife reserve with the Green Monkey Encounter; a catamaran sailing to a site where one can snorkel to view a shipwreck and exotic coral and marine life combined with a convoy type tour of the island on 4x4 vehicles; and other tours to a Plantation House and Rum Factory, etc....
Day 6. Martinique Arrive 7:00am Depart 2:00pm
A few shore excursions are available here: A visit to the Botanical Gardens where a great variety of tropical plants and flowers can be seen; a Sailing, Sun & Fun tour of the coastal waters with swimming and snorkeling; and St. Pierre Island Tour, a scenic bus ride around the island up the mountains and through the tropical forest, a close view of the famous volcano, Mt. Pelee, and a visit to the Depaz Rum Distillery, etc.
Day 7. At Sea
Day 8. At Sea
Day 9. Ft. Lauderdale Arrive 7:00am Debarkation 8:30am
Debarkation from the Carnival Legend
If you wish to carry off your own baggage, then early debarkation is for you. The ship was cleared by officials at 8:30am and we debarked at 9:00am. It took just twenty minutes from our cabin to the pier. Ms. Kashanipour had a steward come to our cabin to help with the wheelchair. It made everything easier. Thanks! This eight day cruise ended on a Thursday and the I-95 traffic was so heavy, that it took us almost two hours to drive the usually one half hour trip. But, we are safely home at last and with happy cruise memories.
Page 3 > > More of Carnival Legend Cruise Review > >