A travel agent ship inspection on the Carnival Miracle - April 4, 2015

As you know (or may not know if you've just started reading my blog), I have been moonlighting as a travel agent for almost 18 years.  Technically, since I recently "early-retired" from my high-tech job, I could say I AM a travel agent, but that's just one of many hats I wear so it wouldn't be entirely accurate.  Anyway, about 5 years ago, I decided to go through CLIA's "Cruise Counsellor" certification; I might as well get recognition for my breadth of cruise knowledge, a means to advertise to first-time clients that I know what I am doing. ;)  Clients that book cruises with certified Cruise Counsellors can have a better experience compared to agents with no cruise education or experience since they know more of the ins and outs and can offer tips and perks to make your cruise vacation go smoothly.  I also thought that having bonafide Cruise Counsellor status under my belt would make me more marketable in case I wanted to switch jobs from high-tech to something in the cruise industry. 

I achieved "Accredited Cruise Counsellor" (ACC) certification back in 2013 and was now working towards my "Master Cruise Counsellor" (MCC) status, which needed to be finished by early October 2015*.  One of the requirements was to do three inspections of ships different from the ones submitted for ACC.  You can't just get on any cruise ship in port and look around; the cruise line will offer specific dates which agents register for.  The event is usually free or for a small fee.  Agents tour the ship to learn about the cabins, amenities, dining, entertainment, etc.  Usually the ship inspections occur in the few hours during turn-around between sailings. 

Unfortunately I do not live in Florida so did not have an abundance of ship inspections to choose from that wouldn't cost too much to attend. I had to keep an eye out for any inspections that were offered on the West Coast that fell on a weekend day (since I was still working full-time).  Eventually I saw that Carnival Cruise Line was offering a ship inspection of the Carnival Miracle in Long Beach, CA on April 4 so I registered for the event.  I was going to make a day of it:  fly in, do the inspection, fly out same day.

I flew non-stop to Long Beach on JetBlue Airways.  Eating Terra Blues chips is a nice departure from the usual peanuts or pretzels.

I then took a taxi to the Long Beach port, as Uber was not allowed to pick up at the airport.  Wanting to avoid the passengers disembarking the ship, instead of getting dropped off at the cruise terminal, I went to the Queen Mary instead, which was located right next door.  The taxi fare from Long Beach airport to the Queen Mary was a fixed $30, gratuity extra.

It was a short stroll to the cruise terminal.  Tucked away from the main entrance was the registration desk for the ship inspection but the signage wasn't obvious; all it said was "Special Events Registration".  

about 100 agents attending the inspection

The staff member checked my ID and found my name on a list.  She also gave me some printed material as well as an individually-numbered access badge for the duration of the inspection.

The inspection was supposed to start at 11am but it took longer to clear the ship of the previous passengers, so we didn't enter the cruise terminal until after 11:30am.  There happened to be a wedding on board as well, so the bride, groom and guests were boarding ahead of us.

these passengers will be waiting for a while too

Side note:  having a wedding on a cruise ship is a great time-saver in terms of planning and the costs can be much less than your standard land-based event.  The ceremony and reception can be fit in during the few hours when the ship is in home port.  The catering is easy with an army of cooks at your disposal!  Usually the bride and groom remain on board for their honeymoon; guests can disembark the ship after the reception or come along with you on the cruise to continue the celebration!

Our ID's were checked once more before entering the cruise terminal.  Once inside, we waited again.  Good thing I brought a granola bar and a mini bottle of water to tide me over until whenever meal time would be.  It seemed a few of the travel agents were getting "hangry".  The wedding party however was full of excitement and laughter despite the delay!

While we were standing in line, one of the business development staff members told us what to expect on the ship inspection and that we could explore the ship on our own or if we wanted to go on a guided tour with him, to meet him in front of the elevators.  Since this was my first official ship inspection, I planned to take his tour to see what it was like.

At last, we could get on board.  Everyone went through security, then walked up the gangway to the ship.

hello Carnival Miracle!

Many agents opted to explore the ship on their own; it seemed they were in their own groups, perhaps from the same travel agency.  The ones who took the tour with the staff member seemed to be attending solo, like myself.

Since new passengers were right on our tails checking in, the staff member decided that visiting the cabins first was the best plan of action.  Once a cabin was occupied, we could no longer tour it.

Here are some shots of a standard balcony room:

balcony room

room set up for 3 guests

Here are a bunch of photos of the Vista Suite:

Vista Suite

what a celebration!

large wraparound balcony

a hallway to your bedroom!

separate bedroom all decorated

walk-in closet

large bathroom

large vanity (I'm in my "travel agent" garb)

the "suite" life!

I had never seen an accessible stateroom before, so this was informative:

accessible stateroom

accessible bathroom

bottom of doorway has an angled ramp

Ever wonder what "fully obstructed" and "partially obstructed" cabins look like?

fully obstructed by a lifeboat

partially obstructed

You can see that "partially obstructed" views aren't too bad as you can still see out to the horizon.  These cabins can go for much less than a similar one with no obstruction, so if you don't mind the view, money can be saved by selecting this category.

An example of a Grand Suite:

king bed

bar area

large sofabed

balcony

bon voyage gifts from friends

a bidet!

This is an Ocean Suite:

inspection rooms are labeled

king bed

sitting area and balcony

large bathroom

good size vanity

After all the rooms were inspected, we walked around some of the public areas, especially parts that were updated as Carnival Miracle recently got out of drydock.  The pub and the bar smelled like brand new paint and upholstery.

conveniences

I'd like one please

I'd also like a slice of this

Red Frog Pub

live music in pub

board games too

shuffleboard

screens galore at the Sky Box Sports Bar

moving ticker

play games at your table

pretty large casino

colorful art deco atrium...

...spanning several stories high

get a "prescription" for your ailments at the Alchemy Bar

It was then time to have a late lunch in the colorful and vibrant Bacchus dining room, with unlimited red and white wine being poured - makes for happy agents!  After the waiter took our orders, my tablemates introduced themselves - many of them were independent contractors like myself.

Our food arrived pretty quickly.  The portion sizes were huge; I could hardly finish my pasta or main entree.  I've sailed Carnival thrice (7 nights each on the Valor and Liberty, plus a 3-nighter on the Inspiration) and I've always found the food to be decent.  Their "Warm Melting Chocolate Cake" is the best!  (Kaleb and I got to see it being made in the galley during our Chef's Table experience)  I also love the entertainment given by the dining room staff after every meal.

decor celebrating the God of Wine

special menu for us

open seating

fruit carpaccio

spaghetti carbonara

redfish filet

signature chocolate melting cake

After lunch, the business development staff gave us a pep talk ("Go sell Carnival!") and then the entertainment ensued. (11-second clip...click here if you cannot see the preview below)

"...I wanna know-whoa-whoa...if you'll be my girl..."

Then it was time to get off the ship as they were getting ready for the next sailing, so I didn't get a chance to check out other parts of the ship like the pools, fitness center, spa, buffet, etc.  I walked back to the Queen Mary and used the Uber app on my phone to request a ride to the airport, as drop-offs were allowed.  Richard picked me up and we chatted during the journey about being an Uber driver.  The ride only cost $15 total, but it ended up being free as I had a "free ride" referral in my account.  (Thanks Nishank!)  Uber is very convenient to use.  The app shows the name of the driver picking you up, the car's description and license plate so you know who to look out for, and how long it'd be until arrival.  You can see an icon of the car on a map heading for your location, updated in real-time.  Richard even texted me that he was on his way.  And paying is a breeze...had I not used a referral credit, it would be charged to the credit card on file.  The cost includes tip too.  No need to wrestle with cash.  If you haven't tried Uber, click here to sign up and get a free ride (up to $15).  I get one too if you use your ride...thanks in advance!

Last time I was at Long Beach airport, there was a lot of construction going on and the gates were in temporary trailers.  The new terminal is definitely nicer.

Whew, what a day!  I don't know if I would do another one day ship inspection like this.  For the money I spent parking, flying, and getting to and from the port, I could pay a little bit more and go on a short cruise and have that count as a ship inspection.  I did need two more ship inspections for my MCC application...I might just do that! ;)

In the meantime, I still had other requirements to fulfill to achieve Master Cruise Counsellor status; one was sailing a 7-night cruise on a ship I had never experienced.  So join me on my next multi-blog-entry trip report on an Alaskan cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas...coming hopefully sooner than later!

* as of this writing, I had completed my MCC requirements and CLIA approved my application...I am now a bonafide Master Cruise Counsellor!  Come see me for all your cruising needs.  Referrals and new clients always welcome!

mission accomplished! :)

***

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