Eli_6

If it is a government-issued official document, it is fine regardless of what it is called. The issue is when it is merely a "memorabilia" type "certificate" from a hospital and not an official document. Doesn't matter what it is called.

I am kind of excited about this. I have no qualms about looking like an American tourist with my fanny pack.

I cruise in Europe on a vista suite. I would skip the drink package and just carry on whatever alcohol you want or order it through the fun shops.

I may have to stop by the Alabama Coushatta casino on my way to my lake house if they are giving away free cruises.

After seeing a picture of Frank "The Tank" it definitely was not our cruise director from last year. Thank goodness! The director last year was MIA almost the entire cruise and the few times I did see him, he was yelling at people/rude.

Was he the cruise director last summer on the pride? Our cruise director last summer was horrible.

That story about NCL is not surprising to me. It sounds like they refused to refund until a full-blown stink was made about it on social media. If it takes that to get a refund, I am not giving them any "credit" for finally providing the refund. How many people have not been refunded for similarly terrible situations because their situation didn't go viral? I have found that when dealing with Carnival or Celebrity/RCCL, I have found that both cruise lines generally will "make it right" when there is a problem. You may have to go up the chain of command or wait until after the cruise and talk with guest services department at corporate, but someone will make it right. That has not been my experience with NCL. Frankly, I will never understand why Carnival has a worse reputation than NCL.

That sounds fun!

My favorite cruise was on the Splendor even though she was an older ship. I would expect that the people cruising to New Zealand (which I think is a longer sailing) would be a different group than those sailing out of Los Angeles.

Same. (Except I have seen people yell at other people and some general bad behavior, but it was never a physical fight.) Never smelled weed anywhere. I think maybe it is some of the 3/4 day cruises, spring break cruises and short cruises from New Orleans where this happens.

I have not noticed the weed smell on any of my recent cruises. Last three were: 5 day Breeze out of Galveston where most of the ship was 50+ and was mid-week in Feb., Pride to Europe, and Splendor to Alaska. Opt for non-party itineraries and times. However, the down side is the ship is hopping at 7 am and dead by 9 pm.

Not funny.

I don't think Pride has even entered dry dock yet. I am on that sailing as well and found it a little strange we were leaving so late as well.

I am bummed about no TA.

There are many things that the pride needs. More elevators isn't one of them. Converting the first or second floor of the night club makes sense, though.

Currently it is looking like May 2024, but there has not been an official announcement.

I can't speak to Norway, but I was on a UK cruise last year and I do not recall there being any issue with bringing alcohol back on board. I know my husband had some scotch he had purchased in port and we took home and I am assuming he just carried it on board in his back pack because we didn't have to retrieve it at disembarkation. We didn't even drink it on board, but took it home with us.

EDIT: Never mind. I clicked on the link above and the first sailings are 5 day so guessing they aren't a TA. Thanks for posting that it is on the Hub App. What is the May 2nd cruise? Is it a TA or just a cruise out of Long Beach? I am on my laptop and don't have the hub app...and the Firenze is not showing up on the Carnival website.

Maybe that's a new thing...Yanksplaining instead of Mansplaining. I know opinions differ as to whether Texas is part of the "south"...and I think most Texans are ok being considered just Texans rather than Southerners. Either way, we aren't Yankees and do say "Bless your heart." 🤠

That's a good description of the term. It actually isn't an insult like so many people think. I sometimes say instead "But for the Grace of God, there go I..." since so many people now think "Bless your heart" is an insult.

This! I worked as a commercial litigation attorney for over a decade and have no problem with confrontation. But the couple of times I have said something to people about rule breaking or being inconsiderate on a Carnival cruise (even really, really egregious things like am able-bodied person cutting in line in front of a paraplegic for the elevator), the ensuing scene (screaming and insults/threats) were embarrassing and even scary. And other passengers and staff often don't know who is to blame or who started it so you end up looking like part of the problem. People who don't follow the rules and behave badly in the first place do NOT react well to being called out on it. I honestly thing that this is why more staff DON'T intervene with rule breakers. They don't want to be verbally abused or threatened or have a guest complain about them just for doing their job.

I clicked into this thread hoping to hear about Firenze. So looks like there is still no news???

I have stayed on the 4th floor of the Pride and thought it was a very good location. They put the covid quarantine area on the first floor.

However, my experience on the Splendor may have been unique because I don't think they were quite at full capacity yet due to Covid and also it was the first sailing after school let out for my kids (and their school gets out early) and there were not very many kids on the boat at all.

When we were on the Splendor last May in Alaska, the Camp Ocean didn't have full hours because there weren't many kids on it. However, that may have changed. Seems like they had closer to full hours on our Europe sailing and there were a few more kids.