1313steve

Just know that at least one occupant of each cabin must be at least 21 ,at least on paper!!;)

Wash your hands, use some good common sense, practice generally good hygiene and enjoy your cruise. I've cruised with some who worry so much about what COULD happen, they seem to enjoy their cruise even less than if they actually caught the noro bug!!

Does anyone know if Select is in the upper or lower part of the dining room on S-Class ships? (Reflection in particular)

How many drinks had you already had when you tried to read that flyer??? :D

I think you read it wrong. At those limits, you could have about 6 drinks a day. If that was the limit, nobody would buy it!!

That being said...... 6pm is way too early and the late serving is way too late.

Ummm. I think you just answered your own question. Select Dining is for you!

I'd agree with the advice to upgrade. One of the biggest differences is with the Classic package, if you order a $9 glass of wine, you have to pay the entire $9, since it's over the $8 max covered by the plan. If you have the premium package, and order a drink that is more than the max allowed, you just pay the difference. Order a $13 martini, and you'd only have to pay $1.

Sorry to disagree, but you cannot smoke cigars or pipes on the Magic as per guest services and CCL funtimes....It is clearly stated and guest services confirmed it. Again CCL rep on phone said CCL website rules are OVERRIDDEN by ship rules..The word ONLY in Lanai is what is important, ONLY can be smoked there, NOT on balconies of this ship..

Read it however you want. I have no interest in arguing with you. All I know is when I was on Glory in October, I smoked cigars on my balcony. One evening while I was smoking, the cabin steward even commented on it, saying he was glad I was enjoying the cruise and our balcony.

I can't for the life of me figure out why you are trying to make such a big deal out of it. Oh well, I'm going to smoke a cigar!!!!:D

The confusion seems to be in which PUBLIC areas cigars can be smoked. The ships all have several areas for cigarette smoking, but often only one PUBLIC area that also allows cigar smoking. Balconies are OK for cigar smoking. That's consistent across the fleet.

I think what the person on the phone was trying to say is that ships rules regarding where cigars can be smoked in public area trump what may be on the web site. They do sometimes change the smoking areas when in port when they are bunkering (fueling).

This is straight from Carnival's website. As you can read below "Guests in balcony staterooms may smoke (including cigars) outside on their balcony."

Effective June 15, 2011, cigarette smoking in public venues will only be permitted in Carnival’s dance clubs as well as in designated areas within the casino and casino bar.

Smoking (including cigars) will be permitted in designated exterior open deck areas (starboard side) of all our ships. Additionally, smoking will also be allowed in the jazz clubs of the following ships: Carnival Destiny, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Victory, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory, Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Splendor.

* All Spa Suites and Staterooms, inclusive of the balconies, are an entirely smoke-free environment. Spa suites and staterooms are on the following ships only: Carnival Splendor, Carnival Dream, Carnival Breeze and Carnival Sunshine.

* Effective December 1, 2011, smoking will be prohibited in all guest staterooms. Guests in balcony staterooms may smoke (including cigars) outside on their balcony.

Guests who smoke in their staterooms will be assessed a $250 USD cleaning and refreshing fee on their Sail & Sign account. Information on this fee is included in Carnival’s ticket contract.

Note: Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are only allowed in the designated smoking areas.

Cash is always best. They work for money not trinkets or food. However, there still is two nice things you can do. Most importantly, write out the "make a difference" card or whatever it is called on your ship. It helps give the workers promotions, raises and special things like better positions or days off. It is put in their permanent record.

 

IF you really want to get them something in addition to cash and the note - you can always ask them if there is something in town that you could pick up for them. They don't always have a chance to shop or it could be that they just want a package of candy, a certain brand of nylons or a local favorite. The key here is what THEY want extra, not what you want to give them extra.

Great answer!! :) The last thing any ship employee needs is random stuff. They have very small cabins, most of them share, and storage space is limited. Plenty of posts here on CC about staffers throwing away the trinkets, etc. a "thoughtful" passenger gave them. Cash is king!

As you can see from my signature, I've cruised a few times, but most of them were more than 5 years ago, until our Carnival cruise last October. Now that I'm back cruising on a regular basis again, I'm realizing that cruise fares seem to becoming more and more like airfares, where it seems that no two people have paid the same price.

Cruise prices change almost daily, the freebies and perks come and go,and it seems that people on the same cruise in similar categories are paying different rates and/or getting different perks.

I guess the cruise industry is getting better at applying the same type of algorithms as the airline industry!

...and the definition of formal wear is quite flexible.

.......but less flexible than on some of the other lines.

If the cancellation terms say you lose your deposit, that's exactly what you lose. Doesn't matter if your deposit is $1 or $1,000 or if your deposit amount is different than somebody else's.

Must be nice to be from Richmond, Virginia.

 

Can't get lobster at any restaurant where I live.

A few years back we went to some nice restaurant in Oregon where there was lobster. The steaks ran $18-$30, the lobster started about $45. That seems to be the norm on the West coast.

A quick Google search and I found lobster tails at Chandlers in Boise. Looks like the typical upscale steak and seafood house. The menu shows lobster tails for $36, a filet for $31 or a ribeye for $41.

Just remember -- cruise-ship lobster is essentially a mass-produced product that's been stored for several days. It's not going to compare to fresh lobster from a moderate to high end restaurant. Go ahead and try it, but know that it's not as good as it can be.

That's a great point! Maybe that's why I've never been much of a cruise ship lobster fan because it just isn't very good when compared to some of the fresh lobster I've had in great restaurants.

No good lobster available where we live. Not willing to pay $50 for a lobster dinner even if I could find it, and Red Lobster serves rock lobster which is not the same as what is served on the ship.

Isn't Cedar Creek just outside of Austin?? I've had great lobster at Eddie V's and Truluck's! :)

Why do so many people seem to make a big deal that lobster is being served one night in the dining room, usually on elegant night??

I love lobster, but I've never understood why some people think it's so special to have it served. It's available in any nice restaurant, doesn't cost anymore than a good filet, and certainly is easy to ruin by overcooking, (which I've found often).

"Lobster Night" has taken on a special status on cruise ships, and I just can't figure out why!!

Looks like those who want to sail from Norfolk in 2015 will have six opportunities. Carnival has announced the Splendor will be sailing from there several times between May and October, 2015.

Here's some of the details:

• A two-night cruise departing May 16, 2015;

• Three five-night Bahamas cruises calling on Nassau and Freeport, departing May 11 and 18, and October 12, 2015;

• A six-night Bahamas sailing stopping at Half Moon Cay, Nassau and Freeport, departing October 17, 2015;

• And a seven-night Bermuda cruise featuring a three-day visit to the country, departing October 23, 2015

Cruising on the Reflection in April. Usually choose Celebrity but haven't sailed with them recently. Do they still allow cigar smoking in a limited area?

Aft, Port Side, Sunset Bar. That's the only place for us cigar smokers! I know I'll be there every evening!

I've traveled extensively over the years for both business and pleasure. I've bought really expensive luggage and I've bought really cheap luggage. What I've learned the airlines really beat it up, no matter how much you paid for it. Now that I don't travel very much for business, I've started buying cheap luggage and almost consider it disposable after a few trips.

I needed to replace a larger checked luggage bag for our cruise in a couple of weeks and I bought a no-name, softside, 26" spinner at Burlington Coat Factory for $89. Even if it only lasts two or three vacations, I''ll still consider it a good value.

Once I board, I miss the pre-cruise anticipation that starts to build a couple of weeks before sailing. But that's easily cured by booking another cruise!! :)

After you settle into your cabin, you'll probably be glad the fourth person backed out. Four in a cabin is really, really tight unless you are in a large suite.

I was on the 2/22 Eclipse sailing and by the third to last day I had consumed all of the Macallan scotch that they had on the ship. :( For last 6 days they kept it locked in a cabinet in the Martini Bar. When a bottle was empty they went to another bar and pulled their bottle. That was fantastic bar service!!!!! :D

So it so sounds like Macallan was still available after you "consumed all" of it???

In either case, are you bragging or complaining????:D