mrlddst

I was curious about the milkshake prices but then remembered that we have "gourmet dessert" bar where I live and the starting price is $15.99 so RCCL isn't that far off. Its a beach novelty here and visitors line up for it, locals not so much.  Sounds like the right price point.

If you plan on being on board during spring break then its a god send.  The balcony (deck) with chair and swing are great to lounge on too but not necessary if the normal pools aren't packed or you don't need a quiet place to lounge. 

I wouldn't pick it. The crew area sits below thise cabins. People complained about the noise and smoke from that area. I don't think you have a direct view of the ocean either.

23 hours ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

Has anyone done the Corner Havana Suite on the MG?

I just came off a summer Mardi Gras sailing and the Havana was worth every penny to me. All of the pools were packed except the small Havana area pool by noon. Anyway, if you do Havana Interior avoid the rooms that are right over the theater if you are a earlier sleeper. Its not a big deal until you are trying to sleep while a show is going on 🤣. 

I'm sailing on the MG this summer and switched my havana to a cloud 9 ext balcony.  Are the spa discounts that you supposedly get any cheaper than the normal 15 - 20% off when you prebook online?  Just wanted to know if I should book something now or if its cheaper on board with cloud 9 room.  OR is it the same discount for everyone?

31 minutes ago, Aplmac said:

 

Interesting.

 

Cruise cards for cabin access

seems to have evolved in the mid/late 1980s.

The oldest cruise card I've even come across is 1986

and Jamman has willed it to me, I'm hoping!

See it below

 

At one point Royal Caribbean gave cruisers two cards.
One strictly for cabin access, the other card for purchases, etc.

 

I'm probably just mixing one thing up with another which would make my husband right 😭

Thanks for the info. We cruised Royal the same year and I remember having a key with a green tag for something. Maybe it was with Royal. Ohh well...

12 minutes ago, N7786W Flyer said:

A few more...

 

 

Wow! It looked totally different from what I remember. 

I love seeing pictures of the ships in the past. I was looking through my photos and found these from my one and only Carnival Fantasy cruise in 2005. I'm trying to remember if we had actual keys to get in/out of the rooms.  Can someone verify?  How did they verify that we turned the keys in? My husband thinks I'm crazy...anyway....feel free to add your own pics.

John's post: CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE SIGNS FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF NORFOLK
 
130,000-ton Carnival Magic to Become Largest Ship Operating from Norfolk,
 With12 Cruises and Nearly 50,000 Guests in 2021
 
 
MIAMI (Feb. 20, 2020) – Carnival Cruise Line today announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with the City of Norfolk to operate seasonal cruises from the Half Moone Cruise Center through 2025.
The announcement was made at a press conference by Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander who was joined by Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Nautical and Port Operations Terry Thornton. 
As part of the agreement, the City of Norfolk has agreed to make investments at the Half Moone Cruise Center to accommodate larger vessels and provide an enhanced guest experience including a new boarding bridge that will streamline the embarkation and debarkation process and a host of other improvements. 
At the press conference, Alexander and Thornton also announced that 130,000-ton Carnival Magic will become the largest cruise ship to ever sail from Norfolk when it launches a series of 12 cruises from the port in 2021 that will carry nearly 50,000 guests. 
“Norfolk has been a valued partner for nearly 20 years, and we’re delighted to expand upon this relationship with this five-year contract that will bring exciting new choices from the Half Moone Cruise Center,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Our cruises from Norfolk have been very well received by our guests, and this new agreement speaks volumes about our confidence in growing this market.”
Added Mayor Alexander, “This is an exciting announcement.  Carnival Cruise Line ships have become a welcome addition to our skyline. This commitment strengthens that partnership and solidifies Norfolk’s position as a true Mid-Atlantic cruise port.”
 
Variety of Onboard Dining, Bar and Entertainment Choices
Carnival Magic introduced many of the line’s signature elements now featured across the fleet, including the Caribbean-themed RedFrog Pub, the Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant and SkyCourse, a suspended ropes course with breathtaking views to the sea 150 feet below.
The ship also offers hundreds of balcony staterooms and suites – perfect for watching the passing scenery – along with a complimentary children’s programs in three age groups, luxurious Cloud 9 Spa, the Ocean Plaza indoor/outdoor dining and entertainment promenade, a Serenity adults-only retreat and a WaterWorks aqua park with two massive slides, a tipping bucket and a kiddie splash zone.
 
Four- to Eight-Day Voyages to Tropical Destinations
Carnival Magic’s 2021 schedule from Norfolk offers vacationers a variety of options, from short getaways to The Bahamas and Bermuda to longer length voyages to the Caribbean, all departing from this convenient and centrally located homeport.
The schedule includes:
·       May 16 and June 5:  six-day cruises to Freeport, Nassau and the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay
·       May 22 and 31, June 11, and Oct. 4 and 30: five-day voyages featuring Freeport and Nassau
·       May 27: four-day long weekend sailing to Bermuda returning on Memorial Day
·       Sept. 29: five-day voyage to Bermuda
·       Oct. 9: eight-day cruise to Grand Turk, San Juan and St. Thomas
·       Oct. 17: six-day voyage to Bermuda
·       Oct. 23: seven-day sailing visiting Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau.
 
Prior to the start-up of its Norfolk schedule in 2021, Carnival Magic will offer a series of sailings in the Mediterranean and undergo a two-week dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, before repositioning to the U.S.

I was just watching my local news when they made the announcement. We will get a Carnival Ship for 5 yrs namely the Magic. 12 cruises at this point. Not sure of the exact schedule but I will definitely be taking a trip. 

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/life/norfolk-makes-a-five-year-deal-with-carnival-corporation/291-12573b7b-b5e2-4d71-b08f-c9a20cb64d66

2 hours ago, soonernstlouis said:

Here is another thought & someone else can chime in who has spent a lot of time in Havana area after 7pm:

 

have a lot of kids/teens (over 12 years) gone to that deck and worse have kids under 12 gone that should not?  Unsupervised kids definitely take away from the serenity & likelihood folks would repeat splurging on those cabins.

Yes, after 7 and especially around 9 or 10, it was the teen chill place but the tides pool is also open but it didn't seem to make a difference. 

No, the path near the cabanas had no foot traffic. I loved the area either way. I'm glad for the change. Regardless of how small the area is on the Mardi Gras, I hope they make the same change. I'm already booked for a cabin.

3 hours ago, shellster1 said:

I wonder this as well. From what I've read, the havana area doesn't get too crowded after 7:00pm since this is usually when people are eating, going to shows, etc..I have to wonder what the reasoning is to this. I've also read on the Horizon, it's already open to all ocean-suite guests, as well as they've expanded it to all aft-cabin guests. Iv'e read this hasn't been an issue though. However, opening it as a "pay-to access" area might make it too crowded. ??

I admit, I'm concerned. I just splurged on one of these cabins for a New Years cruise with my (now 12-year-old) son...specifically for the privacy, as it's always just the 2 of us. It's a dream to think of not actually having to battle for a spot in the hot tub or pool, or fight for 2 chairs together. The reviews from previous havana guests have been so incredible. I'm so excited to experience this. I would be so disappointed to find out I spent a bunch of extra money for nothing. I'll be following this thread for sure. Thanks to the OP for posting.

I was in a Havana on the Horizon this past August. It was packed after 7 every night. It was loud and boozy. It didn't bother us but we definitely didn't try to go back out to enjoy it after 7.

On 10/21/2019 at 7:21 PM, coevan said:

 

Mexico is a lot cheaper than Europe and a lot closer 😎

Agreed :)

Thanks for the responses!  I'm going to go ahead and finish booking. Worst case, he can gouge himself on sweets for 7 days. 

I'm in the middle of finishing my Mardi Gras booking for June 2021 and having a slight panic moment. I am bringing my son and two nephews who will all be turning 18 that year and just graduating. What activities are there for them to do? Will it be a waste of cruise fare? Would they be allowed in the teen club? They are all introvert game players but seem to be looking forward to crusing for the first time. I'm really nervous about doing this. Also, we are booking two rooms but tying my husband to one and me to the other since no one is over 21. Will it be frowned upon to put them all the teens in the same room when we board?

Update: No toddler screaming this morning and no stroller sighting! 🥰🥰🥰

Thanks for the advice. The steward said he had his supervisor speak with them. Guest services said that the infant is allowed in the room but not in the Havana pool area. They told me to call them if the child is loud again and they will speak to them. Really confusing now because even the website says no one under 12 in the room......I will see how the morning goes.

Advice needed.....we are in a Havana room on the Horizon. We are booked beside a nice older couple who can't seem to say no to watching their grandchild in their room (Havana as well). We were woken up to the sweet screaming sounds of a 2 year old at 6am. And the stroller is clearly parked outside during the day so no afternoon naps for us either, we have been out during the day so it's not a big deal then. I was just really looking forward to sleeping in since my kids are home with my inlaws. We did speak to the steward but he seems to be scared to say anything. I thought you couldn't have anyone in the room under 12. He said they are platinum or something and are working around the rules. I didn't think it mattered. Any suggestions on what I should do? (As I type this, I can hear him yelling)

I am sailing on the Horizon this summer in a Havana Balcony and looking forward to it. We can not sail during the school year so we wanted to avoid the crowds at the other pools and just relax. I tried the serenity area before on another ship and didn't care for it. The hot tub was blazing and there was no breeze. I don't mind paying for the Havana area. To each his own.

I tried the search but came up with nothing. Has anyone, particularly Americans, had any experience with the Voom connections while in European waters?  I am on the Jewel of the Seas for a Greece cruise this summer and I am trying to figure out if Royal uses a North American IP?  Meaning, I can connect to netflix/hulu and not get a error that I am trying to access from international waters.  I am also trying to find out if I would be able to connect to my job's VPN as well.

22 minutes ago, elephant98 said:

On the Horizon now. With the value internet plan, web surfing and email (including corporate  Citrix virtual desktop on a MacBook Pro) work just fine. iMessage, regular text messages and internet calls work with value plan too.

 

With the premium internet plan, you can also stream video. So far, I’ve been able to stream movies on Netflix, watch the NFL draft on the watch ESPN app, and watch Game of Thrones on the HBO Go app.  Streaming works fine on deck as well as in the stateroom. Occasional stops for buffering, but not that bad. 

 

As for the pizza line, I can confirm that. the lines are generally short.  But that doesn’t mean there is actually any pizza to be had when you walk up. We have an aft room, so I come up to the lido deck at all times of day to get a drink and walk through the buffet. From reading this thread, I’ve done my own reconnaissance of the line. Hah! 

 

Most times, there are no slices of pizza ready. The entire round pizza (cut into four slices) fits on a regular plate.  So a lot of people just ask for the whole thing.  Even with a line of just 3 people, it will easily be about a ten minute wait for the (typically one) person to make the pizza and put it in the oven to cook. He is efficient, but it is a slow process.  So, expect a moderate wait. Not an eternity. We think the pizza is quite good. 

Thank you so much for this post. I emailed Carnival to ask if streaming was now available on the Horizon and they told me no. I didn't want to pay in advance and couldn't get my money back.

19 hours ago, mexico8 said:

We are a couple and will have two carry-ons and a small mobility scooter that  folds down.   If we want to use a shuttle to get to the port in Miami from FLL (like Jiffy Jeff or SAS) do we need to prebook or just look for a kiosk in the airport or a van outside the airport?  We will be in a  bit of a hurry to get to the ship and don't want to have to wait too long for transportation.   Not sure if we should use an Uber XL or a shuttle.  We have three hours from landing at the airport until the ship sails.    Thanks for any info.

I would probably prebook with SAS. All the other options involve finding a ride after you touch down. You can get an Uber but you won't know the rate until you get to FLL.

Unless things have changed dramatically since I last visited Secrets St. James (which is very possible), I would choose Secrets.