glrounds

I cruised the PANORAMA a couple of weeks before shutdown, had another cruise in October cancelled on her, took the refund forfeiting the $600 OBC and then recently booked the PANORAMA for Nov2021. I frequently take my ex wife with me on cruises, but my ex has said she's not going to get vaccinated (thinks there is some plot to alter our DNA, which the vaccine does, incidentally). I point out the Saulk, measles, Rubella vaccines, but seemingly no avail. It's idiotic, IMHO, I'm 81 and she's 70, but won't budge. My question is, will Carnival allow me to cancel her because she doesn't want to take the vaccine without penalizing me ?  

12 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Not commenting on you personally or on your post or on your opinion. Just expressing my own opinion.

Turning my hard money into an FCC with or without additional OBC (with exorbitant amount of margin built into on board purchases) have no appeal to me. I'm not a loyal enough of a customer to float them a loan.

There are ways to get around the "exorbitant amount of margin built into onboard purchases" . . . calculate the tips that are taken out and put the remainder into a casino account. Ca$h in the casino account. Voila !

I'm with you, I seldom buy anything onboard (unless it's the last night at sea) and always collected my OBC this way, although there is talk of Carnival eliminating this way out, thereby NOT allowing you to collect all your OBC.

4 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Sorry, your cruise is on Carnival.  You can only cancel penalty free if it's done before final payment and with a refundable deposit booking.  Carnival does not have the "Cruise with Confidence" mantra that some of their competitors have, that lets you cancel at the last minute and turn your booking into a FCC.

Well then, when we get to the FINAL PAYMENT date, sometime in August, will Carnival be able and willing to tell me if those mask, distancing, tours conditions still exist ?

7 hours ago, St.Pete said:

321,333 JH followers and that's all he got?

Thus the expression, "Making a mountain out of a mole hill" 😂

I would have to concur on the 0% for April. I have a November2021 cruise booked on the PANORAMA and I'm not 100% confident of that date and I'm not interested in mask, distancing and ship-sponsored tours at all. Wondering if you could still cancel penalty free if those conditions were still on ?

I cruised the PANORAMA in January, just before lockdown, and had an Aug2020 cruise cancelled on this beautiful ship. Really frustrating trying to figure this all out.

Given Carnival's tenuous financial situation, I'm amazed they even keep building ships. They can't use the ones they have now !

6 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

Popular because at 85,000 grt they're neither too small or too big. We have a goal to sail all 4 in the class. Legend will be our 3rd after sailing the Spirit twice and the Miracle 4 times. These ships offer the most cubic feet of space per person in the public areas in the Carnival fleet. 

I've cruise all four of them and, without a doubt, my favorite class. The "GOLDILOCKS" class. Just the right size.

10 hours ago, Calnev1 said:

The only change to the federal, individual rates next year will be those already baked into the tax laws (e.g., adjustments for inflation).  The one exception is for those folks who have an AGI in excess of $400,000.   But even then tax rate increases for those with incomes in excess of $400k will only occur if Georgia goes blue on January 5, and even then those increases might not happen.

Yes, what a difference a couple of Senators could make !

22 hours ago, travelhound said:

Yup, nobody can pick the bottom, but at $10, already down from $50, it's hard to go wrong.  

Sometimes DEAD CATS don't bounce !

17 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Circuit City.

Blockbuster . . . 🙂

On 11/24/2020 at 8:49 AM, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

I think it will go a lot higher than $30 Today it hit $20 RCL is running great for me also.

https://www.cruisehive.com/royal-caribbean-puts-a-temporary-pause-on-longer-cruises/43540

I was going to take the monies in my cancelled AUG2020 cruise and put it toward a NOV2021 cruise and Carnival wanted MORE MONEY. They couldn't take my deposit from the cancelled cruise and apply it to the newly booked cruise. I just said forgetaboutit and send me a refund on the AUG2020 cruise. If Carnival is going to weather this storm they're going to have to use their OWN MONEY ! The next time I cruise will be without a mask or distancing or forced ship-sponsored tours. Most likely after the vaccine is distributed. It's kind of sad to think this all has to end after 34 cruises with Carnival, but that's life. If and when I return to cruising it will be after taking a hard look at all the other lines and what they have to offer. No more jumping on Carnival AUTOMATICALLY because I feel a sense of loyalty to them. 😞

Carnival sent me an email this morning . . . telling me that I could cruise with FREE Cheers. I'm not much of a drinker these days, but thought what to heck I'll see what they've got. To my amazement there was no port I could cruise from or to. Every possible choice blocked off ? with a big sign at the bottom:

Oh Snap ! there aren't any cruises with the details you searched for.

I never "searched" for any "details" ! Makes bait and switch look good by comparison. Moronic, at best.

10 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I am curious if Carnival is struggling when it comes to future bookings. For awhile now they have had by far the most  enticing incentive in the industry offering up to $600 in OBC to rebook cruises. Now for the first time ever they are offering Cheers for free (don’t confuse this with casino drinks on us offers which is a completely different animal). Actions like these make me think bookings must be way down, not to mention ships are likely to cruise with reduced capacity when cruising resumes. These actions are definitely not consistent with a cruise line that continues to have ships booked close to capacity, whatever that may be, during this pandemic. 

I think they are. I recently wanted to book something before the 12/31/2020 deadline to get the $600 OBC, so I picked out a another cruise on the PANARAMA for a year from now. I jumped on that reduced deposit thing and at the bottom of the whole deal it still showed the standard deposit. I put it on hold while I tried to figure out why the discrepancy.

Son-of-a-gun . . . got a call the next day from a carnival rep asking me to go ahead with the booking. He explained that because of the particular PRICE I chose in my selection process, I couldn't get the REDUCED DEPOSIT. Not only that, the deposit I had on my Aug2020 PANORAMA cruise which was cancelled wouldn't play forward to this cruise. I would have to come up with more deposit money (loot). He then offered me an extra $200 over my $600 OBC as an added incentive if I took the higher deposit option ! As the conversation went on I was expecting him to throw in free drinks and two whores ! As a retired businessman I began to think there can only be one reason why such a giveaway on a cruise a year down the road. They need CASH and they need it NOW. Frustrated with this rep and just wishing to end this mess all together, I told him I want to get a refund on the Aug2020 cruise and I'll call later if I want to cruise in the future.

Then I read that Carnival just sold 1.5 BILLION in stock and everybody wets their pants ! That doesn't INCREASE Carnival's VALUE. It merely deflates the value per share of the current stock by spreading the value over more shares. It's simply like cutting a pizza into more PIECES. Still the same pizza. 32 cruises with Carnival and I loved them and I realize Carnival is in a fight for it's life, trying not to fail before NCL or RCL, but do they really think we're all schmucks ?

On 10/31/2020 at 8:06 AM, Calnev1 said:

As for offering the benefit to everyone, not just stockholders, I am not sure what you mean.   There are of course many cruise sales that offer extra OBC, but the shareholder benefit is above and beyond that.  It makes you think you are part of the Carnival family, an benefitting from that.  An illusion, maybe, but I think it works.

He was responding to those that are saying "it costs Carnival NOTHING". His logic, if that were the case, then why not offer it to EVERYONE without qualification. Of course it costs Carnival something. It's plain and simply revenue they wouldn't get on that cruise from that qualifying individual.

On 7/31/2020 at 12:13 PM, firefly333 said:

Are you looking at the PT category or the 1a category with port holes. I've stayed in both. I've had times it was a little rough. Vista was the worst, at least 3 nights of chop and about ever 90 seconds sounded like we hit a rock. ... took pills to sleep.

 

I've probably had these another 6 times and they were perfect and a bargain to see out at inside price.

 

The 1as are sofa bed and twin, dont push together the PTs have twins that push together. I consider them a great bargain. 

 

I've mostly had them on conquest, same class as what you asked about.

On 7/31/2020 at 12:25 PM, firefly333 said:

Lol yea I forgot about the sound of dropping anchor but since I'm up on port days didn't bother me. But experienced that too. But still for the money I'd rather see out than not for the same price.

These used to be a secret bargain for veteran solo cruisers. Now they are well known and you almost have to book a year in advance to even come close to getting one. I love them. I treat the waves slamming against the bow as a "grandfather clock" thing and try to predict when the next one will slam the hull until I fall asleep (I'm usually worn out and dead tired anyway). I get up early so bow thrusters and anchors dropping seldom affects me. Best kept secret IMHO.

On 10/14/2020 at 10:24 AM, ontheweb said:

They should hire the bad guys to find the holes in their security.

This is exactly what the FBI did almost 40 years ago with Frank Abagnale ("Catch Me If You Can"). Great one hour speech on Youtube with his entire history. He outlines the one of TWO things that must happen for someone to "get in":

Someone has to do something they weren't supposed to do, or someone failed to do something they were supposed to do. An interesting one hour with the character the movie was all about.

2 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Noteworthy is Carnival reported a less than expected loss. The doomsday prophets are likely disappointed.

. . . and the cheerleaders are uplifted with, hopefully, less cancelled cruisers asking for a refund and electing to keep their "gold" in Carnival's pockets.

On 9/28/2020 at 8:45 AM, kwokpot said:

A smart elevator is one where you enter the floor you want to go on into a central keypad which then tells you which elevator cab to go into. So instead of each elevator stopping on every floor it groups people that's going to the same floor into the same cab. Horizon has it. The technology first appeared in office buildings and hotels. The elevator cab has no buttons so you have to make sure you use the keypad otherwise if you go into any cab it may not stop on the floor you want.

Edit: Does Panorama have it?

Yes, PANORAMA has it. I thought they were brilliant. Took a little while for some of the guests to catch on to them, but getting in an elevator and have it NOT stop at the floor you wanted will educate you fast. 🙂

1 hour ago, sanmarcosman said:

This worked for us on Carnival Panorama in February for YTD and yes the special after show cast performance of Celestial Strings presented in the main atrium was excellent!

Yes, this was my experience also, although it's fair to think many changes will take place during post Covid cruises. The Rock Revolution and Celestial Strings were only being done on the PANORAMA at the time, and again, no reason to believe these shows will still be around when we return. Both were absolutely TERRIFIC !

I'm sold on YTD dining these days. Go early and you won't miss the shows. Hard to get preferential seating however with the new Showroom seating configuration, however. Guests tend to "camp out" there very early.

14 minutes ago, Tapi said:

I’m a bit confused by the wording of this headline. Who gave Miami and Port Canaveral the green light to resume sailings? Do they mean by this headline that Carnival has announced that when they resume cruising, it will be from these two ports, which is what we’ve known for a while now? 

Me thinks, OP isn't paying daily attention. 🙂

On 9/23/2020 at 9:07 AM, bafinegan said:

 

Officially, no.  But being a retired nurse, I know the routine.  The placebo is normal saline (sterile salt water) injection.  That typically burns at the site for a minute or 2, then goes away.  The shots I got felt like a nail being driven into my arm with pain at the site 3-4 days afterward.  This reaction is very similar to the reaction I have with the yearly flu vaccine.  When I mentioned it to the nurse ( who I know BTW) she kinda grinned at told me she thought I would figure it out.  I really believe I got the trial vaccine.  Plus I was told NOT to get any further Covid19 vaccines for the next 2 years...I was told I will have access to the bloodwork ( hoping for the Oct 2 results).  That will tell me.  If the antibodies are elevated and antigen is negative, then I got the vaccine.

 

baf

Yes, just got my 2nd flu shot and pneumonia shot for the season, and I was amazed at how much my shoulder hurt for such a long time (3-4 days). I don't remember this pain in the past when getting a shot. Weird, I thought.

4 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Well, don't plan to visit London in the next six months - Boris Johnson has indicated the new lock-down rules could last that long.  Pubs close at 10pm, no ordering at the bar, only sit down table service.

 

I think this is going to linger on far longer than a lot of folks are hoping...

Germany or Spain is on the bubble right now, but won't be for at least a year. In the middle of buying a condo in Bullhead or Laughlin. 🙂

2 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

You might be waiting a long time.  Everything I have read and heard about vaccines at work (I work in the medical field) indicates initial vaccines are likely to be more like flu vaccines. It will take years, if not longer or possibly never, for a vaccine to be developed that will eradicate this virus. In the mean time COViD guidelines like social distancing and wearing masks are likely to be with us for a long time. However, guidance like these will likely also change over time as scientists, doctors, etc. learn more about this virus. 

"long time" is very subjective. I am, however, plotting and scheming for another trip to Europe. Loved my London trip several years ago and looking forward to something in the future sans cruising. Too many cruises apparently as I must be jaded. Not going to play the early cruising rules that will most likely be in place. Just not cruising to me. 🙂

On 9/21/2020 at 7:53 AM, stellarose said:

I have no issue with doing the cruise ship only excursions.

34 Carnival cruises; have never done a ship-sponsored tour or excursion, so I'm probably a no-no for cruises in the near future. If I can't mix with the locals and go my own way, I'm just not interested. Masks and distancing would eliminate me anyway.

I'll wait for an efficacious vaccine, show proof of it and walk on board.