BlerkOne

Almost 20% of cell phone users still use flip phones.

All the major cruise line stocks are seriously overvalued. Of the 3, CCL and NCLH are the easiest to obtain shareholder OBC.

Well, I'm seeing more "last" minute offers - for example $100 inside cabins on the Venezia transatlantic. Gamblers claim the casino pays Carnival something for the cabins so there's that. As Corp doesn't release numbers for individual cruise lines, good luck with that. I doubt everyone in the casino is cruising on a free cruise and the casinos don't take up the majority of space on a cruise ship.

What is the capacity of the casino compared with the capacity of the ship?

Just because someone has a blue card does not mean it is their first cruise. All cruise line have cutback and otherwise have some dissatisfied customers. The major cruise lines all have serious long term debt and the stocks are all seriously overvalued. Those pesky egos of many get bruised so easily. Any imagined cutbacks have nothing to do with marketing/loyalty programs. If Carnival didn't retain a target number of repeat cruisers, they would have changed the program years ago. The reality is that resources on cruise ships are limited and need to be shared by all. The existing number of P/D cruisers can easily overwhelm the available resources leaving nothing for people who actually spend money. Some P/D cruisers need to go to make room for more.

Carnival has said time and again they get sufficient repeat business, so yes, they should give whiny, me me me entitled cruisers the boot. This Diamond has many cruises and yes, I enjoy cruising on Carnival

Gamblers are not a large percentage of Carnival cruisers and filling unsold cabins brings in some onboard spend vs nothing.

Carnival wants cruisers who cruise for the brand and not for the bribes. Cruisers who sell themselves to the highest bidder are not worth fooling with.

The more noise casino players make, the more likely the rules will be applied equally and not in favor of the casino player. Do you feel lucky?

If you have already purchased an internet plan it won't let you select the hotspot, so yes, they have some bugs to work on.

Some airlines still use Verifly for international flights, but it isn't required.

With my cell phone plan I get 5gb of international high speed data/month anyway and I think it is $50 for 15gb more.

https://www.space.com/satellites-spot-largest-seaweed-bloom-on-earth.html

Last Carnival Alaska cruise we were on had Dirk. I fully expect there will be a naturalist on our Alaska cruise this year (and again next year).

I see it on a 14 day (6 port) non-Magic cruise and it still says $45. It does mention unlimited high speed, but also that speeds vary.

Doesn't sound like a bargain to me. There are a number of hotspots that will work in most countries. I have one that costs me about $6 per 24 hours - 1gb high speed and then unlimited at low speed, but only when I use it, so sea days need not apply. But it does sound interesting.

Maybe they realize it is more efficient. On some cruises, I have noticed the paper menu and the web based one don't always match perfectly.

You have to ask.

Yep. and the OBC came from Corporate. I think brilliant.

They usually contract months ahead. Perhaps the C word interfered. Must not be a bad life - alternating between Alaska, Hawaii, and sometimes South America

I doubt most Carnival cruisers own Carnival stock. Stock purchase benefits Corporate somewhat, but I'm not sure any goes directly to cruise lines. OTOH, deposits (shareholder or not) might. It seems to me the OBC, if used, might end up effectively being a transfer from corporate to the individual cruise lines.

Sunshine has the best Serenity, IMO.

and the booths may be half booths - I don't recall exactly on Horizon

I don't recall booths on Celebration. Horizon would have some booths, but I don't know about for 2. We often get booths for 4 for 2 people but we eat late.

Not really. Just never seen a chicken that small.