LadyMac72

Ok I need some help! Im new to the GC thing. Why do you get them through AARP? Can you pay as you go on paying off a cruise? Gift card here gift card there?

Maybe Im missing something.. whats the Big Box store?

Any help would be appreciated..

Every 2 weeks I buy a couple of $100 gift cards from AARP. I get $200 for $180. I applied today's purchase to my balance (and paid for my FttF). I just have to figure out how to ask for Carnival gift cards for Christmas!

Looking at Alaska for my hubby's 40th birthday in 2020. Does anyone know (roughly) when Carnival releases its schedules? Want to book early so I can get my choice of cabins. Thank you!

That said, I saw many in the terminal at checkin who were made (by Carnival) to change their affidavit from SFTCP to P2P before they were given a visa.

We are on a Carnival cruise in March 2019 and intended to check SFTCP on the affidavit. The idea that someone from Carnival could make me change my affidavit (in order to get a visa) is disturbing.

How do people go about handling this situation? I have reserved a tour with a private company who tells me that their tour complies with the SFTCP requirement. Don't know if it complies with P2P though.

Does anyone know the attraction to cruising out of Norfolk? I called my TA today and asked her to book us a balcony on Triumph for May 2019. She said they have 7 ocean view and interior rooms left! That’s it!!! She even called a carnival rep to verify this. So we booked OV with the chance of getting an upgrade if any balconies become available....plus, the price for this 6 nite is more than most 7 and 8 day we go on out of Miami.[emoji15]

The reason we booked this cruise is we can drive....air fare has been insane the last 2 years.

 

 

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I live a half hour from there....that would be a huge attraction for me.

What kind of sweeteners does Carnival have on board for coffee - pink, blue or yellow?

Tip the room steward the VERY FIRST time you see him. Let him know who you are and in what cabin. You'll get better cabin attention then waiting until the end ....... We always do this and they are very appreciative. Cash on top of prepaid grats.

How much would you tip for a 5 day cruise?

Thanks all... .just so you know, my goal in life to eat creme brulee at every restaurant I visit. I better start my diet now so I can do it justice!

On my last cruise I enjoyed the WCMC - this time I will try with ice cream and peanut butter.

Celery for dinner tonight.

I'm cruising in March 2019 but have already booked my private excursion.... The email from the company said this:

"If you are an American citizen traveling to Cuba, please keep in mind that all the tours we run are focused on Cuban history, culture and interaction with Cubans. We can issue an itinerary complying with “Professional Research” or “Support for the Cuban People” which allows you to engage in travel in Cuba. All of our tours are run by local Cuban guides, so you will be interacting with a Cuban local for the duration of the tour. You will also meet other Cuban's along the way including street vendors, workers and many others going about their day to day business. You would be responsible for making sure that you keep records of these activities by means of pictures, etc. We can provide an “official itinerary”."

I will obtain an official itinerary and bring it with us just in case.

We have a group of 10 Americans traveling in March 2019, we would like to hire a private tour guide. What is the email for Blexie? We would like to travel in the vintage cars and do the Best of Havana, any information would help us prepare. Can you give me the cost? What were your highlights? Did you pay ahead of time?

 

 

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We're going at around the same time but I decided on a different private tour operator than Blexie (I won't hijack this thread to talk about it). But what I will mention is that the cost is significantly less than the cruise line. Our 6 hour tour is going to run 100 CUC for 2 people.

Crocs makes some wonderful sandals and flip flops that are comfortable and slip resistant. I have an annual pass to an amusement park and water park. I wear mine all over the place and have never had a problem with slipping on wet surfaces. Plus they give more support than traditional flip flops.

My Mom gets REALLY anxious when it comes to times for boarding - whether it's a cruise, a flight - or a trip to the movies! The idea of being late will cause a lot of stress. Our next cruise leaves at 4 p.m. and we will overnight in Tampa the day before the cruise and I'm going to purchase FttF to help keep her calm. Waiting in a line would be the pits for her and she would be ruined for at least the first day of the cruise.

I'll get us to the terminal early and onto the ship... that way we can get a table and a lunch or a snack and decompress. The whole point of a vacation is to relax and you do what you need to in order to relax. If your BF is stressing you out, please talk to him. I hope you have a great time (and that he gets bitten by the cruise bug and wants to go again!).

We stayed in Seward a few years ago and our favorite lunch place in Seward was Thorne's Showcase Lounge. The Bowl of 'But (halibat) was fantastic (Mom and I split the 12 piece bowl and kiddo had a chicken cordon bleu sandwich) and there was no wait for a table. This was in July. Great place.

I admit it... I'm a planner. I already have next year's cruise reserved and am already thinking ahead to 2020. My BF turns 40 in February 2020 and he's never been on a cruise. He's one of those people who loves cold weather - you can imagine the A/C settings in our house! If penguins lived in my house, they'd have to don sweaters.

So I want to take him on a cruise to Alaska. I have been there before (Anchorage/Seward/Denali/Fairbanks) but have never cruised there. It looks like May-August is cruising season, but given that he prefers cooler weather, is there any line that runs any earlier than that to Juneau/Skagway/etc any earlier? Another consideration for us is that (no offense to anyone) my BF does not like children. We would prefer a cruise that doesn't have rug rats running amok.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

My sailing prices went up slightly

Mine did too.

I prefer early dining. But that's mostly because I like a bit of ice cream before bed on a cruise (a treat I don't usually enjoy at home) and if I eat too late, I won't be hungry enough to truly enjoy it.

This is terrible. I cannot imagine anything that would cause people having fun to come to blows. I hope the instigator is charged with mayhem and be forced to make little ones out of big ones (rocks) for a long time.

Haven't read all replies so excuse me if this is a repeat. But I suspect large quantities of alcohol was involved.

Strawberry Bisque. All the cold soups are really good and so are all of the rare finds!

I totally agree - I found a recipe online for a strawberry bisque after my last cruise and made it for a wedding I was catering. It was a hit.

Also loved the chocolate melting cake and the creme brule.

My son is a big fan of the mac & cheese.

We brought a 12 pack per person and didn't purchase the bb plan. We did buy soda to drink at dinner in the MDR and they poured hot can of soda over a full glass of ice, no tilt, which caused flat, watered down soda at $2.50 + 15% grat. The best way for us to go is to bring our yeti cups and soda and get ice on lido.

Does it have to be in cans or could I bring bottles? I dislike soda out of cans (but would drink it in a pinch).

March 2nd

 

 

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Me too! We're already getting excited.

Received this email immediately after booking Cruise to Cuba next March. Is this normal? Is there much to be worried about ? Is this a way Carnival tries to scare into one of their own excursions ?

 

 

• Each guest must have a passport that is valid for at least six months after the return date of the cruise. Birth certificates and passport cards will not be accepted.

 

• Each guest must provide a travel affidavit documenting which category of approved travel he or she will be utilizing. This form must be provided at embarkation, and the guest will be responsible for maintaining a copy for his or her records.

 

• The Cuban government requires a tourist visa, and Carnival will facilitate this for each guest, at a cost of $75. This fee is not included in your cruise fare, and will be applied to your onboard Sail & Sign account. You will receive your visa at embarkation.

 

• Special visas are issued by the Cuba Consulate. Cuban-born guests and any guest traveling to Cuba for any reason than the standard people-to-people activities may need a special visa. Such guests should contact the Cuba Consulate to determine the documentation needed and to pay the applicable costs. Alternatively, guests may choose to use a company that offers Cuban visa-processing services (e.g., ABC Charters, 1-866-4ABC-AIR; or VisaCentral , 1-877-535-0688). Please note: The processing time for this documentation may take three months or longer.

 

• As of November 9, 2017, the U.S. Government issued revised regulations regarding travel to Cuba. All guests who booked their cruise on or after June 16, 2017 are required to participate in a group people-to-people program either sponsored by Carnival or a third-party U.S. sponsored organization. Those who booked prior to this date may still travel under the self-guided people-to-people authorized category of travel. Please visit Carnival.com to view the wide variety of qualified people-to-people tours and book early to secure your preferred excursions.

 

• The revised regulations also prohibit all visitors from engaging in direct financial transactions with certain entities in Cuba. We encourage you to review the “Cuba Restricted List” released by the U.S. State Department before your cruise.

 

Guests who do not provide proper travel documentation (affidavit, passport and visa) at cruise embarkation cannot board the ship.

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I got the same email - and I'm still booking a private cruise and I intend to mark "Support for the Cuban People" on my affidavit. We're on the cruise ship out of Tampa next March.... is this the cruise you booked?

I'm cruising early next year and have been thinking about purchasing FttF for the trip - it's me and my 75 year mom who gets horrible anxiety when it comes to getting to places on time. She's the sort of person that if the ship leaves at 4 p.m., will worry herself to death if we're not at the cruise terminal by 10 a.m. We've cruised before and I didn't buy the FttF for that one and the stress on both of us was enough to make me resolve to get it for our next cruise.

$80 is a small price to pay for my sanity.

What are the non-alcoholic options at the show? As a recovering alcoholic I no longer drink. Unless I could bring the unopened bottle of rum back as a gift for someone else. Since I'm travelling on a cruise ship, however, it might mean a visit to the naughty room.....