wemjam

Correct! TBD you can then add name later. If you have names right off the bat they want to charge you a change fee lol! A good PVP can sometimes get that waived though as long as it isn't too close to cruising. 😉

Yep you are all good, I think they always say good for 6 months is because they want you covered for an unexpected contingency. Say someone is seriously hurt and has to spend months in a foreign country/port before they are well enough to return home... that kind of thing.

OOO believe it our not, I can use that fanny pack. LOL. I just said the other day I need to get one. Bad disk in my neck now and when we go antiquing even a really small light cross body purse pulls on my neck and causes pain (and I mean literally like wallet and Chapstick and small hand sanitizer). Never thought I'd being saying this but.... come on fanny pack 🤞! (cruising in 3 weeks lol)

Go into your booking and see if they are listed as a cruise companion. If your bookings are linked they should be. If they appear there, then yes when you use the app to sign in for dinner you will be able to select the numbers of guests including them. If they are not showing in your booking just follows the steps to request to invite them to join you as a cruise companion.

While some think it unnecessary there are some benefits to cruise cash when using gift cards IMHO. If I am cruising and not using gift cards, just putting a credit card on file for my account, I likely would not do cruise cash. I always have gift cards though lol! But for gift cards I find there are many beneficial reasons. 1st: For me it is a security issue. I like knowing I have used the gift card and the money is in my on board account. Since I usually plan in advance and purchase gift cards months before sailing, I prefer to use them as I get them and not let them sit around. There have been many horror stories of people attempting to use their gift cards only to find out their balance was 0. Hackers figure out things all the time and I don't want to take the chance that while the gift card sits in the safe at my home for a few months, someone figured out the number combo and used one of my particular cards. I also always check the balance as soon as I receive them to assure it isn't a bum card that was sent to me. (I use AARP and one of Credit Cards to buy mine at 10% off). The last thing I want is the aggravation of fighting with someone to get my money back. 2nd: If you are using gift cards, you have to apply them once on board. You can do this at the desk or at a kiosk. I have tried the kiosk and it can be glitchy sometimes and won't work. Either way you have to take you "vacation" time to stop and do this. I like sitting in my Lazy Boy at home months before sailing, making a few clicks and knowing the money is there when I get on. Even though a kiosk can be fast, there can be lines for these and certainly at the customer service desk. Even as Diamond I find there is always a line (shorter then the normal one). 3rd: I have been told at the service desk that there is a limit to the number of gift cards I could use. I had made a jewelry purchase over $1000 and wanted to apply gift cards to my account I had with me, and the desk agent would only allow me to use $1000 worth and not any more. They advised me this was the limit that could be used (now I don't know if they meant at one time, and didn't push it further). 4th: Finally, for major "planners" like me, there is a sense of satisfaction when I look at my booking and see all my items there lined up and waiting for me (Excursions, drink package, specialty dinning, cruise cash, etc.). It seems to be an easier way to budget as well, a little bit here, a little bit there. Everyone has a different approach and no one is right or wrong it is just what you feel best with. Note: I believe there is a limit of $500 on cruise cash you can apply so keep that in mind. I recently tried to add above this amount for the first time and it wouldn't let me 😁

Doing the 6 day Western Caribbean cruise in December with my elderly parents. Want to surprise them with a night in a specialty restaurant, but not familiar with the Magic. 1st Night is night at Sea, then Cozumel, Belize, Costa Maya, then last night at sea again. So, mom HAS to have the MDR lobster formal night (don't even get me started on the merits of the MDR lobster night 🤣 and I know the steakhouse is better... but she will kill me if she misses the MDR night), so I want to avoid that night. Which night will be the formal night where they have the Lobster on the menu in MDR please. If I had to guess I am thinking the 1st day at sea? Also what will be the 2nd formal night (last night at sea maybe, or Costa Maya?) Any help is appreciated

THIS! That was my whole point in my post. They used to be around $300-$350. Then they jumped to $450 (so 50% price increase), now $700. That is a 100% increase in about a years time. Just commenting that it seems to far exceed the price increases on everything else. You expect 10-20-30% here or there. We have seen it on other "extra" options like specialty dinning, internet, etc. But not 100% increases. Seen comments that it isn't just cabanas going up either. I could even understand it on some excursions where you are talking about day long trips with buses, boats, gas, etc. But this is a building that is there. Doesn't cost them that much more now versus a year ago. A little extra in labor costs now for the servers, a little extra for the food they provide (which doesn't amount to much). Supply and demand like everyone says.. if people will pay it they will charge it.

I think a lot depends on the ship and the head chef too. There are ships that almost all the desserts seem outstanding and others where most are blah! Sailed a few times where the butter cream frosting on every cake tasted like you were eating straight whipped butter, no sweet at all. Same thing with the cheese cakes. Some are to die for anothers taste like cardboard. Never fail for me is the chocolate covered strawberries in the coffee shop. PS: My husband tried the peanut butter trick with his melting cake.... however, he finds he loves the butter pecan ice cream with his. He tried that one night and said its' the best.

As long as you buy the general Cruise Cash, you can use it ANYWHERE. Shops, casino, bars, etc. There is also Cruise Cash that is JUST for the BAR and Cruise Cash just for Photos, also for Build a Bear workshop too. So be careful which one you buy. While it is true if you don't take any action, if you have anything left you didn't use they will keep it. However, as I have mentioned already there are easy ways to get back any money you may have left on your account the last night of the sailing.

I agree totally. I found out the hard way a few years back too.

Yes, even when they initiate the change. Again, it all comes to down to booking codes. I wouldn't take the chance and loose the drinks on us without making absolutely sure. Usually it may just be you pay the difference and get the same room with all the perks upgrades they offer usually work that way, but better safe than sorry 😀

When you are in your booking, it will show you the price for the insurance as well as gratuities without "clicking" on the "add" button. Once you click "add" it is added to your booking and you are liable for it. While you have not actually paid for it, it is added to your booking and has been added to the amount you have to pay. The only way to cancel it now is to cancel the entire booking. The gratuities are different. You can add and unadd these, but insurance once added can not be removed. ICFT outlined why very well (I was going to do that in my original post too, but decided to skip it). Insurance covers people and only works because the odds are in the favor people won't need it. So everyone pays in regardless. They would not be able to stay in business if we could add it and have it for months "in case we needed it" then at the last minute be able to cancel it (after having the coverage for potentially months). The fact that you said you had added and unadded it multiple times is odd. I have always seen the option only to add. The minute it was added there was NO option to unadd (like the gratuities). Maybe you were confusing it with the gratuities. Even my PVP has told me once added they really can't remove it. They will make exceptions SOMETIMES. I had a booking that I literally had just added my insurance too and 24 hours later found out we had to move the cruise to a different date. First they told me I was SOL on the insurance, but I pleaded my case explaining it was a family situation that was forcing us to move it, and they removed it. It is NOT policy for them to do this normally though. Below is an example of one of my bookings I have not added insurance to yet (only gratuities). You can see it show the price insurance will be without having to hit the "add" button.

You need to be very careful and confirm specifically if that rate INCLUDES the R2U deal. Very often an upgraded offer may not. You do NOT automatically get all the same things (drinks on us, OBC, etc) with an upgrade offer that you had with your original booking, many times it is quite the contrary. Each new rate carries its own specific rate details and what is included or not included. Many people have "lost" a benefit of their previous booking not realizing this.

You will not be able to keep the room at the same price if the 3rd person that is leaving is who's special rate you used. Your question is not very clear, but here are the options. If you have 3 people in the room and it is PRIOR to final payment and the person leaving is not who the special rate is booked under, then just drop them and they will be refunded their part of the cruise and your rate should stay the same for the other 2 for the same room. If it is after final payment and the 3rd person is dropping off and it was not their special rate then your best option is for them to be a no show. Dropping them after final payment may cause the room to be repriced. Port fees, taxes, etc. will be refunded for them. If the special rate is the 3rd person who is not going then if you drop them before or after final payment, the room rate will change. The person who's special rate was used HAS to cruise to get it for all in the room. If this is the case, it is best to deal with it now and not last minute. Call Carnival and find out if they are dropped what the best rate is you can get for the room you are in for just the two of you and pay it now.

I like having things set in place too, makes me feel good to know when I get on I have X amount sitting waiting to spend. So cruise cash works for me. My reason is more so because I also use discounted gift cards to buy it and don't like sitting on or holding the gift cards for long periods of time. You do not have to "forfeit" any unused portion. If I don't happen to use it all I cash it out in one of two ways. Either in the casino, or I go to Cherry on Top and buy a new gift card to use on my next cruise.

Yes, once you add the travel insurance it can not just be deleted and refunded. Insurance companies make their money by all the people who pay and don't use it. This is pretty standard policy for any type of travel insurance you buy. You can delete gratuities once added, but not the insurance.

YES!!! One of my favorites.

Man I WISH I could still do that. Hubby and I say we wish we could sleep like teenagers again! We still have normal jobs (not yet retired) and are up at like 5am. When you are in that habit it is hard to sleep in. For us, if we can make it to 8am we are sleeping in.

Please make sure you "inquire" about it if you do book. It is our experience that the venues are not always "offering" it to you as they should. The last few sailings in the steakhouse it was never brought to our attention we were entitled to the special offer. We don't drink wine so didn't care and didn't bring it up, but also saw it happening all around us too. Others may have enjoyed taking advantage if they had known. I think they are playing the don't ask don't tell game. Saves them a few bucks 😉

Great choice for a just OK port. We usually sleep in, get up and have a nice unrushed breakfast in MDR. I take pictures on the ship (cause like no one is around!). Then we take advantage of the uncrowded pool area sometimes (this is the ONLY time I will go to the pool on board is if we decide to stay on while in port). Also the trivia games came be fun. Have a nice lunch and TAKE A NAP! To me that is a luxury I get very rarely and an excursion all its own.

THIS! It is like they don't bake it quite long enough now. Used to be it would be semi solid all the way through. Now it is just solid on the top and very sides and super liquid (like just warm batter) in the middle. I don't usually order these anymore, still "taste" good, but I just always find a better choice on the menu for me. Years ago, I was watching a cooking show and she showed how to make basically the same exact thing. The recipe is so easy I ran and wrote it down from memory. I even went and bought the same little ramekins Carnival use and just make it at home myself a few times a year. I cook mine until it is semi solid in the middle like Carnival used to and so much better. Hubby still gets one once in a while when we cruise.

I am pretty sure other offers will not transfer with Carnival. I am not aware of any outside offer for anything being applied with Carnival. Carnival Corp doesn't even allow for perks, etc. to transfer among their own cruise lines.

I think you nailed it, the for "complex" the original situation the more room for error when someone is processing the refund. I had a small hiccup with a refund that I paid for part with a gift card and part with my credit card. I had a gift card that had like $15 left on it or something and used that and then used my CC for the rest. I received the CC refund but not the $15 at first, I called (and if I remember correctly I think I had to talk to 2 or 3 people when I did it to): however, I did get the refund in the form of a e-gift card. A LOT of it depends on the person you reach and how knowledgeable they are. The first person I talked to gave me a number to contact for the people that are the actual gift card company (which is NOT carnival by the way), the told me they had nothing to do with it and couldn't do anything about it. I knew that was the answer I was going to get when I called, and even asked the Carnival rep "are you sure, that doesn't make sense," but I did as instructed anyhow. I called and talked to my PVP and he said he was going to send and email, but even a PVP is at the mercy of the "correct" department at Carnival doing their job. Then I called back myself and got someone that knew what he was doing and he did email the "correct" department. Took about 2-3 days I think and I had the gift card email. So hopefully, you are at that point and will see a refund soon! I think in over 20 years cruising I have had maybe 2 or 3 hiccups like this, but as long as I stayed in communication they were always resolved to my satisfaction. Again frustrating, but humans make mistakes it is just a fact of life. 😆 PS: I was speaking to the fun shops each time, I knew normal Carnival reps would not be able to do anything.

I think totally worth it. I like having my own fridge and really comfortable lounge chairs. Plus the table and chairs are nice. We got get our lunch and come back and eat it in our space. Don't have traffic running around us or over us, plus a little cool air if it gets too warm in the sun. I LOVE having a shower right there to rinse off the salt water and sand. Free pop, water, and snacks is great too (but not the main reason we do it). Also take full advantage of snorkel gear and floats.

I feel your pain... we are all cheering you on. Just keep telling yourself: IT'S MY MONEY AND I NEED IT NOW. 🤣