jallison8378

We sail the Panorama on the 25th and I'm loving your review so far! I just showed my 5-year old the pics of Camp Ocean and he shrieked with excitement. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to share!

We recently returned from the Serenade TA with our kids: 4, 7 and 9. They were three of only 17 kids on board. It was great! Kids club hours were definitely not limited. Club was open 9-12, 2-5 and 7-10 on sea days. 10pm+ for additional charge. Three or four days they offered an "Adventure Dining" dinner session (free) for kids in the the club from 5-7, I believe. On port days the club was open all day continuously, beginning with an "Early Bird" session at 6am.(!) My kids spent a ton of time in the club and never complained about there not being many other kids around. Often they were the only ones there, but the counselors kept them busy with games and crafts and they had a ball. I suspect there will be more kids on a TA crossing on a big ship like Allure. Serenade lacks all the bells and whistles but it was enough to keep my crew entertained. They had the water slide and rock wall all to themselves 99% of the time; we felt like we owned the place! 😀

We took The Blue Bus to Mendenhall a couple weeks ago. There are cheaper options, but I will pay a little extra for convenience any day. We walked off the ship on our own time, up to a tour kiosk, bought our tickets, climbed on the bus and were on our way within 10 minutes. The bus driver doubled and tripled as a tour guide AND a comedian. :D It was an enjoyable drive. We loved walking the trails and taking our time at the glacier, knowing that the Blue Bus returned for a pick up every 30 minutes all day long. We were there between 3 and 4 hours total. We had a different driver on the way back, who shared different information about Juneau than the first one did. All in all, I highly recommend The Blue Bus if you don't want to bother with calling for and waiting on taxis and ubers. After paying the entrance fee (which is included in the shuttle price) IMO the price difference is pretty negligible anyway.

Yep! Some things never change. That was also the rule of thumb back when I was cruising in my early teens. Even if your kid is severely introverted (as I was), do all you can to get them in the club on the first night. Everyone is excited for the cruise and looking for kids to hang out with, so even a super shy kid will have no problem being befriended by a more outgoing kid. I'm 30something now and am still in touch with a couple "kids" I met on board in the mid-90s. One just texted me yesterday, as a matter of fact, because he saw the news that there are wildfires raging in my neck of the woods and wanted to check in on me and my family. There really are lifelong friendships forming in the kids club...don't let your kid miss out. :)

They need to improve their technology...namely, having their different "systems" talk to each other! 3 quick examples from my most recent cruise:

1. Bought a spa treatment online with a coupon code, and when the "bill" came the total was completely different, made even more confusing by the masseuse herself not knowing whether the odd total included the tip or not. I was told that Carnival reimburses the spa company for the amount when you buy online and the "systems" don't link up very well. Huh? We got it sorted out but it was annoying.

2. Was wait-listed for any time dining for a while before receiving an email a month or two before the cruise that stated we had officially been moved to any time. Our online reservation even stated we had any time dining. We show up the first night and are told that we are scheduled for main seating (what we originally selected when booking the cruise)! We explain that we got the email confirming the switch and even the website stated so. We were told "the online system is different from the one we use on the ship." Huh??? They ended up accommodating us for any time, but as I later told my husband, "They should be using the system we put $4000 through!" Sheesh.

3. I am mind-range Gold level in VIFP, but just received an email welcoming me home from my cruise and congratulating me on my new RED status. I log in (using same email) and it correctly lists me as a Gold member...but doesn't show my latest cruise (it shows it on my husband's account though). Not a big deal but annoying nonetheless.

Be prepared with a can of spray or some wipes, but you may not need anything. Our only encounter with lots of bugs was when our float plane dropped us in the middle of a rain forest in Ketchikan... but even there, NO mosquitoes!

We only had about 4 hours in Victoria on the last night of our cruise and I'm SO glad we resisted the strong urge to stay on board. We picked up an excellent map at the port that outlined three different walking routes and headed for the Inner Harbour to see the Parliamentary buildings. It was 1-2 mile walk (each way) and we really enjoyed all the charming little homes and flower gardens on the way. (There are various transportation options readily available at the port if you don't want to walk.) The Parliamentary building lit up at 9pm and was absolutely beautiful! We walked around enjoying the sights and sounds (bagpipes! cellos!) for a while before heading back to the ship by a slightly different route through the neighborhood. We didn't buy a thing or step foot in a single business, but I feel we got a good taste of Victoria in the couple short hours we were there. It has a very peaceful, gentle vibe to it. It was my first time stepping foot in Canada and was the perfect end to our cruise!

Spa pass is a must, purchased ahead of time with a 20% coupon code. ;) (Watch your inbox for Carnival promotional emails, as well as John Heald's facebook page for occasional promo codes.) That said, research your particular ship's spa beforehand to determine if it will be "worth it" for you, because they're not all created equal.

Bundles are only the best deal if you're looking to book early to "squeeze in" spa time around excursions and other activities. Otherwise, if spa time is a priority, I have found that prices don't get any better than port day specials booked on board (most often day-of). I always take advantage of one or two when we sail itineraries that we've done before and we're more about relaxing than sightseeing.

Also, if you book a full-price treatment for early in the cruise, you're bound to get an offer for specific discounted treatments, or a coupon for 20 or 30% off any full-price treatment, to use later in the cruise. I prefer using those discounts (which are roughly the same as when you bundle) because I don't like booking treatments way ahead of time. What I'm in the mood for while sitting at my computer weeks or months before I sail isn't necessarily what I'm in the mood for while I'm actually cruising. :)

Can I add another question? I sail in a week and a half and am wondering... which night is Chef's Table??

I have taken a 32" (length) suitcase a few times. Once I even had a porter comment that he'd never seen such a large suitcase, but it made it on board just fine and not another word was said.

I've never known the official policy until now. Looks like the 24" guideline is for the width, so your 28" (long) spinner will be fine.

Stellar review!! Only 36 days until DH & I board the Legend for our 10th Anniversary cruise to Alaska. We booked in December of 2016 and I can't believe it's finally almost here. I have read some of the same Alaska cruise reviews over and over; what a pleasure to see a new one.Your pics have made me even more excited. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

As others have noted, prime rib is an enormous standing rib roast that is cooked and THEN sliced to serve. It's not infused with marinade or rubbed with spice and then seared, as a steak that is cooked to order might be.

In my experience on Carnival, the prime rib in the dining room it is available "medium rare" or "medium well". Medium well always looks gray, and I agree, IMO it looks gross and unappetizing. Nothing unsafe about it, though.

On the other hand... I order medium rare, and cruise after cruise it is almost always too much on the rare side for me to enjoy. I'll probably skip it next time, too.

A FUN suit for a FUN ship! Love it!

On our last cruise on one of the elegant nights there was a guy wearing one of those retro powder blue tuxes with a frilly shirt. I'm not sure if the joke was on him or the rest of us, but I sure appreciated his effort to go above and beyond the dress code while still having fun. ;p

Will Panorama be doing the Hawaii itineraries too, ya think? Would love to book that for 2020...

Cancelling your friend in the eleventh hour like this could subject the rest of you to additional fees. I know this won't answer your question, but as someone who has had to deal with a couple similar scenarios in the last couple years, this is my advice: tell your friend you're going to miss her on the cruise, and that if she plans on making an insurance claim she needs to call the cruise line to cancel. Don't do it for her. If she actually follows through, be aware that you might be on the hook for extra charges, depending on all the variables involved. Other than that, do nothing--show up, check in, say you don't know when your friend is boarding (if they ask), and then enjoy your suite and your family time and have fun celebrating your daughter's accomplishment.

I can't bring myself to read this thread, so I don't know if something like this has been said already... but the most disgusting thing I have seen is a man wearing his sandals IN the thalassotherapy pool on the Splendor. WHY? I'm not a germophobe or I wouldn't be in a public hot tub in the first place, but the idea that he was walking all around the ship in those things (and who knows where else) and then steps right on in that lovely pool with them on.... ew. I was so grossed out.

Check the "Relaxation Area" box where it gives you the option to refine your search of spa treatments. I seem to remember not being able to locate the spa pass when I went to book it several months ago, until I checked that box. If that doesn't work then yeah, maybe it's already sold out. :confused:

Nothing I've ordered off the actual Alchemy Bar menu has been very memorable. Enjoyable at the time, but nothing amazing that I ordered more than once. DH and I were actually mildly chastised for ordering off the menu by another couple at the bar... they insisted that "The Alchemy Bar isn't a place where you order off the menu; you're just supposed to tell the bartenders what you want your drink to taste like." I recall the woman asking the bartender to make her "something that tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry." Most people were ordering in that way, so I guess it really is more about the custom-made drinks.

My husband and I are "legit drinkers" (haha love that) plus we like a mocha every morning of a vacation, so we go back and forth with this decision every cruise. It usually comes down to the particular itinerary and how much time we plan to spend off the ship in port. Most often, we choose to mentally "set aside" the amount that Cheers WOULD have cost and just pay as we go on as much or as little as we're in the mood to drink. Once in a while we go over, but the vast majority of the time we come in under what we would have spent on Cheers.

I'm probably in the minority, but I actually feel a greater sense of freedom paying a la carte as opposed to paying in advance for the package. From all the threads I've read on this topic, the value of Cheers seems to come down to one's personality just as much as it does beverage intake.

As others have said, the included amenities depend on the ship.

No reason you can't just smile and say "hello" to the staff at the front desk of the spa, while walking on by as if you know what you're doing. :D Any steam rooms, etc. not included in your regular cruise fare will be obvious as it will require a special key/card for entry. Don't be afraid to explore. :)

No white party. There was an "80's Rock-n-Glow Party" and a "Mega Deck Party" (which didn't have any particular theme).

It was for adults only when we sailed last month.

Don't miss a thing!! DH and I had a couples pass to the spa on the Splendor a few weeks ago and it was a major highlight of our cruise. We loved it all--the thalassotherapy pool, the heat rooms and steam rooms (four in all), the "rain" showers, and even the flavored waters in the relaxation room. We made time to enjoy it all nearly every day of the cruise.

My ONLY disappointment was that there wasn't a lot of consistency in the thermal suites from day to day... the temperatures seemed to jump around, and the aromatherapy aspect (which I really enjoy) was completely nonexistent on some days. My husband met a gentlemen in one of the steam rooms who actually brings his own eucalyptus oil to add a drop to the fountains...I am so doing that next time! Also, a little tip--you are able to change the music in the thermal suites, as well as the volume (there are knobs right next to the door on the outside of each room), so keep that in mind. I adjusted each room to perfection whenever I was lucky enough to be the only one in a room at the time (which was surprisingly quite often!).

We weren't in a spa room so I have no insight on that, but I've always found the best prices on spa treatments to be port day specials, booked on board, and this time was no exception. I had a 75-minute massage that included hot stones and a facial for only $140 while we were in Puerto Vallarta. I also received a 20% off coupon to use on my next treatment (which I didn't end up taking advantage of, but boy was it tempting!).

My 7 year old filled an empty plastic soda bottle with sand in Mexico a few weeks ago and wanted to bring it home. I warned her that it might not be allowed back on the ship (because I sincerely don't know the "rules", but did remember people pontificating about it here on CC in the past), and not to be disappointed if it was taken away. We put it in our backpack and carried it back on board with no problem at all.

If he still wants everyone in 1 cabin, he can book the 5th person with the other family, but stuff that child into his own room, somehow. You do NOT have to sleep where you're booked!

Yes, this. We're a family of five who tries to convince another couple or family of 3 to cruise with us whenever possible so that we can take advantage of this scenario.

He should just let the family of 3 book his kid in their room. The kid will have to go with the other family to the safety drill, but that's it. Pack a sleeping bag (we have an inflatable thing called a "ready bed")in an air compression bag and have the kids take turns spending a night on the floor (unless 2 of them are little enough to be able/willing to share a bed).

This scenario worked especially great when my youngest was still in a crib...we'd just request a crib once onboard and voila! 5 beds in a 4-person room. We've done this in a premium balcony room as well as an inside room, which is definitely tight but totally doable.

Oh yeah, and we also tip the steward extra in cash for the 5th person, which has always been appreciated.

All that said, there are so many variables to consider before determining if this will work for their family. Ages of kids, length of cruise, type of room, how much time they spend in their room, etc.