wemjam

There used to be a published breakdown of how gratuities were divided, but I can't find it on their website. Essential though the $16/pp covers your room steward (and their assistants), the MDR staff, the Buffet staff. Certain specialty dinning will add the 18% automatically, others (like the steakhouse) it is included in the purchase price of the meal. Bar service always adds an extra 18%, and while in specific home ports there may be a local tax that is added (very small amount). Note, you can always tip more if you choose direct for great service (we do this usually with our room steward and steakhouse for sure).

Ya that's the kicker. A lot of people have changed not realizing if you do you loose ALL perks associated with your original rate. You don't get to keep pieces of the first rate and pieces of the new rate...

We've been handed $25 on all our cruises so far.

That works for something like beer served in a can that can be held until later. We are not beer drinkers, we do mixed drinks. That don't keep so well. 😁

You will pick an "arrival" time at the port. This is when you can arrive and check in. You can pick a time or it will assign one. With FTTF you can however arrive at anytime and use the priority line. Boarding is different, this is when you will actually be able to get on the ship. FTTF will board after Weddings/Suites/Diamond/Platinum - then FTTF.

Yes, you can make a lateral move or upgrade, they do not let you downgrade usually (at least without penalties). It also depends on your rate code (some do not allow changes at all without incurring penalties) Most times you can make a lateral move to the same exact cabin type (ex: 8A, 6C, etc.) at anytime regardless of rates, etc. as long as you are staying in the same exact cabin type you can just pick a different room number. Most times you can "upgrade" to a new higher cabin type as well at anytime. (ex you are in an 8A and want to go to an 8B, 8C, etc.) However, keep in mind that you will pay any difference between your current rate and new rates. You also potentially face losing an "perks" associated with the rate you are booked under. Example: You booked a rate that included $50 OBC, but when you decide to move to a new room that rate is no longer available so you could have to pay more AND lose your OBC.

Usually depending on the rules of the original booking you can change to a new rate if it is better and you are eligible for it. However, in all cases I have seen there HAS to be a room available at that rate. Meaning, you have to be able to actually see a room available and have a confirmed price at the new rate to use as a comparison. With no rooms available, there is really no way to confirm what the correct new rate would be under her casino offer, so nothing that can be matched. I hope that kind of makes sense.

So sorry, but yes if you are past the set deadline, not much you can do. It happened to me with airfare credit (we had like 5 cruise booked when Covid hit). Our airline allowed you to cancel and hold the value of your tickets as an Ecredit, but we were not able to fly enough to use up all the credit we had by their deadline once things broke loose, so we lost a little bit (not a lot, less than like $100). Look at it like this, at least it wasn't your money you lost. It was just a potential bonus from Carnival you didn't get. We lost money we had spent 🤨 PS: As far as a PVP you are allowed to use any PVP you want. If you already have one and decide you don't like them, you can be transferred to a new one (I did this - the PVP I had for like 10-12 years got promoted and I went through 3 before I found a keeper again). Since you don't have one, if your parents is good, I would get hooked up with them right away. Just call them and advise them they handle your parents and ask if they can take on a new client and handle you too. I always say, I can book cruises myself all day long, but a PVP becomes INVALUABLE when something goes wrong. That is why I use one. IF they do take you on, I would explain the situation to them and see IF they can help maybe. They might be able to bend the rules, but I wouldn't hold my breathe. A good PVP taking on a new client would try to help even if they didn't do the booking. I found my PVP was able to bend rules and make exceptions sometimes... so you never know.

Correct, if you rate is only $100 then you would get $25 Ya, I wouldn't pay more for the cruise just to get money back - if you cruise for $100 you are coming out way ahead already.

There's a reason they say you put on a pound a day when you cruise... and this thread just proves it 🤣 I have been watching what I eat for 2 weeks to make up for my cruise that starts Saturday lol!

It is based solely on your base cruise rate. NO taxes, port fees, fly2fun etc. The base cruise rate only you get your milestone percentage. And it is only on the rate for the person in the room that hit the milestone. So, like in me and my husbands case, I have a few more days at sea then him. I am getting ready to hit 50 and it will be for my base rate on the cruise only. Then when he hits 50 (3 behind me), he will get it.

That's the problem when you can't see body language or hear tone in the voice. 😁

OMG!

Ya, doesn't seem to be rhyme or reason. Leave in 2 days and no email. January cruise no email. Now I did get them last year on the 4 cruises we did, seemed to have stopped after the start of the year for me.

Hubby always gets this and most certainly worth it. Keep in mind, everyone keeps mentioning sodas, but also includes juice too. So you can get the pineapple, cranberry, etc. juices at the bar. This is a great way to have "mocktail" A pineapple, sprite (which it is some other name I can't remember), with a shot of "cherry" in it is great. Cranberry and sprite, Pepsi with shot of cherry for a good cherry Pepsi, etc.

Very narrow minded statement "This is the most boomer thread I have ever read on this board." So, I am not a boomer (young 50) and I agree that loud, obnoxious, rude behavior is unacceptable. Again as I said previously I am a "you do you and I'll do me" kind of person, but when your behavior starts impacting me, then it is no longer acceptable. I don't go around behaving atrociously and ruining your vacation, please don't do it to mine. If I want to lay out and relax and enjoy the sun, I shouldn't have to listen to loud, screaming, obnoxious profanity. Just as a side note, my siblings and I span 20 years in age (30 - 50), and guess what not one of us would behave in this manner. It isn't about our age group. It's the fact we were raised with MANNERS and social etiquette. Something that is sorely lacking today. PS: Even at my age I don't swear in front of my mother, she would smack me in the back of the head if I did lol!

As bguppies said, not always a QR code. The QR code, emails prior to cruising and the hard copy letter in your room are all hit or miss. The only concrete definitive place to find this info is now on the website under benefits (which is why I started this post).

Not always. I think that is hit or miss. I haven't received an email on my benefits in the last 2 cruises. I received the "Know before you Go" info, but nothing about my benefits. I think they may not be doing this since it is now published and established policy. At best it is hit or miss. Which is why I started this post when I saw they actually had changed it on the benefits page. A LOT of people on another thread said they were not notified at all in any way.

It's not about the words, it's about the behavior. If they are being loud, obnoxious, rude... then they should be talked to. They are disrupting the enjoyment of ALL guests. Will Carnival do it, NO - should they, I totally think so. Again another persons enjoyment is fine, but not at the expense of mine.

I would take it for sure for $36. Two reasons, we REALLY like being on the higher floors. Most importantly you will KNOW what room you are getting and can be sure when you select it it is in a favorable area and not by something you don't want to be (EX: Too close to elevators, something above or below you that will be a noise issue, etc.) With a guarantee you might end up in a room that you aren't going to like. $36 is totally worth it if you ask me.

You can do it anytime once you have booked. I would call to make sure they are linked.

Yes to both, you get double the benefits. Just make sure you clarify when you call to order your chocolate delight you want one now and you will get the other later. And make sure you put the correct folio number on your laundry to allocate 3 to each of you. Hubby and I do it all the time, though I usually just get both chocolate delights at the same time. I eat the strawberries pretty much right away, and the other items he eats and we will just cover and save the rest if we can't get to for a day or so. There is only a couple pieces on each plate so it isn't much. We have even managed to eat it one sitting.

If you log into your account, go to Benefits. ALL your benefits will be listed there. It will also indicate where to "get" them if need be.

Which I always thought was stupid. I know "why" they do it (putting limitations on it makes it more likely to not be used and saves them $), but why not just give you the coupon and let you get it when you want. Also, I always thought the Gold was better, at least you didn't HAVE to be in the dining room for brunch to use it. I don't hardly drink let alone at 10am when I am having brunch LOL! Would rather be able to enjoy it in the evening the last day.

Yes, but the whole point of the OP's post was it was ALL of the above, Foul language that was Loud, Obnoxious and Rude. Taking a single heading line is not the full context of what they were saying needs to be dealt with.