paradiscroozin

I admit I will line cut for seconds if there is a huge gap in the buffet. I am also a vegetarian so I will always go around people getting tons of bacon or waiting for whatever meat they want. I won't cut if it is super crowed, just if there is a huge gap, which there usually is near the fruit station.

You save money AND get spa privileges????!!!! YES! I think it's worth it. We always stay on the panorama deck. we just walk up the stairs outside on lido. I like that better cause there is so much traffic on the lido deck. We had to walk to deck 12 to get to the serenity deck too. Either way it's still close to lido.

I always stay forward and I love it. The motion shouldn't be that much of an issue only being 2 decks up.

Depending on what time of day it is, there is direct sunlight on your balcony whether you have a covered one or not. Are you gonna be on your balcony a lot when the sun is out or will you be enjoying the lasso therapy pools that only few have access to in the Spa??? :D

SO IT'S KINDA LIKE A "I GOT ON BEFORE YOU" SLAP TO THOSE THAT WEREN'T "FAST ENOUGH" TO GRAB THE MERE 20 THAT ARE SOLD TO MAKE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE FEEL BAD WHILE EVERYONE WHO DID GET ONE GLOATS OR BRAGS. SOUNDS UNFAIR TO ME. AND FRANKLY KINDA NOSE-UP-IN-THE-AIR-ISH. WE ALL PAID OUR MAX AFFORDABLE TO ENJOY THE SAME CRUISE. WHY SHOULDN'T EVERYONE'S ROOMS BE READY AT THE SAME TIME:confused: WHY SHOULDN'T EVERYONE BE FREE TO DROP OFF THEIR BAGS IN THEIR ROOM AND ROAM THE SHIP THE MOMENT THEY GET ON OR JUMP IN THE JACUZZI OR POOL OR WHATEVER. OR WHY SHOULD EVERYONE ELSE HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE FOR ANYTHING? OH HEY....THAT'S LIFE!:rolleyes: CALL ME A POOR SPORT? IT'S CALLED SPEAKING THE TRUTH AND I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHERS. IT'S NOT FAIR NOR IS IT RIGHT TO THE REST OF THE CRUISERS.

Plenty of people get a chance to grab FTTF passes. They let them go up occasionally and about 20 spaces at a time. People have had success emailing Carnivals excursion department so they will be informed when the passes are going to be available.

How much easier can it get????

If you want your room to be available when you get on board just come late. The rush will be over and you can walk on and enjoy lunch and do the same things as the early birds. Some people like getting to the pier late and some like being early. Since I fly in, I prefer to be early, if I lived closer, I would drive there around 2.

No one gloats, I think it's just the excitement of grabbing one when they are available. Everyone has the same chance and they are often posted on the forums when they do become available. It doesn't seem snooty to me at all.

I use a lanyard but only on the ship. I am always in a bathing suit with a cover upon for most of the day and it's just convenient. When I get off the ship it goes in my tote bag.

I never bring the cruise towels off with me either.

I love seeing all the beach vendors bugging the cruise people and not the people without the towels. It saves me the headache just packing 2 beach towels of our own.

I have a room reserved for the Renaissance Hotel but we will be getting there early and may not be able to check in that early. Does anyone know if we will be able to go to the private island and lounge until check in time. I really don't want to pay the daytime pass rate if we are going to be staying there anyways. I don't know how they check to see if you are a guest or not when boarding the boat to go over.

Can someone help me out please?

Some people like it because they go to the front of the line at guest services. Then they can cancel thier tips quickly.

I actually used it because I needed an extra key to my kids room, I also asked where to book excursions,because I thought it was there. I lost my key once and had to get a replacement. I also lost my refillable, really cute tumbler cup and went there to check lost and found to see if they had it.

I think when people spend extra money on these types of things the last thing they want to do is "cancel tips"

Seems like the ones that bring up or noticing people cancelling tips are mostly the ones doing it. :cool:

What does getting your cabin and luggage "early" mean? Can someone give me an example of what time you may be able to have your room and bags with FTTF and without?

 

 

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I may have answered that in my previous post. but it means this. Usually rooms are available to enter after 1:30 pm or so. If you arrive early to the port around 11 or so and are able to board, your room is available as soon as you get on board. Your luggage will be delivered very soon after.

Without FTTF, you will be dragging your carry on stuff with you around the ship until your room is ready. The big/main luggage will be taken at the cruise terminal so you won't have that with you, just all the small stuff in hand.

For me, it is worth it. We carry a lot of carry on's; camera bag, tote bag, and luggage. I enjoyed it cause we were the first ones on and went straight to the room to drop everything off then headed to the lido deck and ate without having our luggage to lug around. While people were sitting on deck chairs or staying in the dining room trying to keep track of their luggage until the rooms opened up, we had drinks in hand and went to explore the ship, went back to our room to change and check out our balcony, then got into bathing suits and went to the serenity deck pool.

We haven't had tender ports yet but we have used the faster customer service lines. Most times there was never a wait and always a long line in the regular section. I actually loved getting the stares when I walked right up and got service while people were still in line. I felt like a true VIP! :D

I have it booked for my upcoming June cruise. With that many people cruising in the summer, I'm sure it will be VERY worth it!!!

I live in Northern California and spending that kind of money on a cruise to Mexico isn't worth it. I would do an all inclusive land vacation. The water will be brown and cold. It is nothing like the pretty warm turquoise water of the Caribbean. Cancun has beautiful beaches and is very touristy but that isn't available with the cruises here. You might try Hawaii because that itinerary is more scenic. The 3 or 4 day cruises are jokes, they go to Catalina Island (kindof like Key West) and Ensenada, which is more like a pit stop with Senor Frogs and other tourist areas that keep Cruise passengers busy for the few hours they are docked.

I only do land all inclusives from here, and when I cruise, I fly to Florida.

For New Years around here, a lot of people head to Vegas since its a 8 hour drive. They do have a couple of cruises out of San Francisco but not with Carnival, so the prices may be even higher. It would definitely be cheaper to fly out of Ft. Lauderdale though.

I also bought my daughter 1 drink a day, In Mexico she bought her own drinks but while on board she just told me what she wanted and I got it for her. Since it was only 1 she wasn't walking around drunk but she would sometimes save the drink for having it in the club.

She never got hassled and no one said anything to me. We have traveled to other Caribbean countries as well and their motto is "If you're old enough to order a drink at the bar, then you're old enough to drink it"

That didn't fly with me when she was 16 but at 20 it held true ;)

I didn't even know they checked ID's until I was going in with my daughter who was 20 and they tried to card me too. I just told them "Are you serious? This is my daughter?" and walked right in. I don't know if they were serious or not but I wasn't about to trek all the way to my room to get an ID that I would probably lose while dancing. I was not about to punch a hole in my ID to wear around my neck either. :cool:

The CHOG secret is to buy a few bits from a local charity shop near port before you board, usually a 10c book or a $1 plastic purse and cheap pair of second hand Walmart sunnies to leave on the lounger along with a half empty bottle of water and a wet towel then your good to go for hours ;) :D:D:D

I'm gonna have to remember to dip the towel into the pool before I get in...lol..:cool:

I'm going on my 4th cruise in June and didn't even know the crew were supposed to know your name and use it. There were other times I met the person that cleaned my room after the first day, as long as it was cleaned, I didn't really care if I saw them or not.

Maybe I have low standards, but I didn't realize that getting to know the crew was part of my vacation. They are there to make a living and help out when needed, not to make people feel like movie stars and be recognized at every chance.

As long as they are polite, whether speaking or just smiling, I am happy.

These crews work long hours and always seem to be on the go or busy. I don't expect them to bend over backwards to me by calling me by name when I don't even take the time to remember theirs.

It's a shame that this could be something that can affect how you enjoyed your vacation.

I guess I can be considered a chair hog because when I go to the jacuzzis, I put my key card, swim cover up and towel on a chair that I can see. I will stay in the jacuzzi and switch back and forth to the pool for a couple of hours. I don't mind when people sit in the chair, just don't touch my stuff. I do yell out to them that it's my stuff on the chair. There are plenty of chairs all around the cruise ship. I don't understand why people get upset about others using the chairs while they are in the pool area.

I've even had people put their stuff on my chair, while I'm in the pool, and getting in the pool too. I don't mind at all.

She was one of 4 contestants....Her, two other girls and a guy....

 

 

I named this crew member "Pluto" Mars lol...

 

I was just on the Victory in January and remember this crew member......He could dance his ass off! We enjoyed watching him dance in all the contests and line dances. He had more rhythm than most people I know. :)

I'm also enjoying your review so far.......

I do roll calls to get information on the ports and transportation info. I don't do the meet and greets though. I am a private person and don't want to feel obliged to say hi to people that I met on board every time I see them. It just seems forced and awkward to me.

If I meet strangers and click with them that's different. I just don't feel like doing the "pretend you don't see them" when I'm on vacation. I'm naturally not very social, I have to warm up to a person to feel comfortable.

I guess I can be considered a chair hog because when I go to the jacuzzis, I put my key card, swim cover up and towel on a chair that I can see. I will stay in the jacuzzi and switch back and forth to the pool for a couple of hours. I don't mind when people sit in the chair, just don't touch my stuff. I do yell out to them that it's my stuff on the chair. There are plenty of chairs all around the cruise ship. I don't understand why people get upset about others using the chairs while they are in the pool area.

I've even had people put their stuff on my chair, while I'm in the pool, and getting in the pool too. I don't mind at all.

Smuggling and chair hogging are two different categories.

I have traveled to Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Bahamas without being on a cruise. I actually prefer going on a land vacation more than cruising. Land vacations, you can go and enjoy the beach at your leisure and plan excursions whenever you want. If it rains one day, you plans aren't ruined.

I started cruising because I thought it would be cheaper and I could see more islands like this but I really don't like staying for a half day, it seems so rushed and your opinion forms on a place that you've seen for just a few, short hours.

Will I stop cruising? No, because of the all you can eat, comedy shows, and all around relaxation of sitting on a ship. I like that you can run into the same people on a cruise ship, and that you talk with different people at meals.

I will do more land vacations though. I am currently booked on a Carnival Cruise because it was a free offer that I couldn't pass up but I initially was planning a Dominican All Inclusive land vacay.... Nothing beats having alcohol included.. :)

 

Man...somebody let me know if I am tripping or not...Is it just me or is the cheese sauce CRAZY watered down now? That picture of me on the plane knocked out on pg.1??....Yea..I was dreaming about the cheese sauce lol...I was so happy when I saw it I couldn't keep still in the buffet line as I crept towards it....I mean...I'm THAT guy....yea...the guy in front of you just ladling and ladling and ladling cheese sauce into a bowl until you get super frustrated and say " Sir...I'm just trying to get a chicken finger and get back to my son at the pool...Can you pleeease hurry up, or better yet just pick the whole damn pan up and take it to your table with you?"......Yea...I'm THAT GUY....So It hurt me deep down in my heart that Carnival is now serving CHEESE WATER:(....

 

Ok...I'm off the horse now...LoL.....On we Go.....

 

 

As I ate my Cheese Water fries, we flagged down a waiter for this....

 

I actually tried the cheese sauce on my trip in January cause I had never had it. I read your last review and had to try it. It was disappointing to me too. I was wondering what all your hype was about, so I'm glad to see it wasn't just me that thought it tasted gross. lol It barely coated the fries and was really thin. It barley even tasted like cheese...... :/

Great review so far! I love the DOF of some of these images, and the panoramas, vertical and horizontal! Really nice!

I pulled my kids out of school for my cruise in January and it wasn't excused. I told them we would be going out of state and the school didn't care. I was a little irritated but creating memories on vacation is way more important than just another school day.

I would still do it again in a heartbeat. The kids had all their work and got it done so attendance wasn't a big deal to me.

It may be a disappointment to your son though, if you told him you guys were going on vacation and now all the sudden he's not able to go because of a condition he has no control over and the possibility of the missed days. It could make him feel bad. Because he has a chronic condition, all his absences should be excused, especially with a Dr.s note.

If you guys haven't told him though, just say it's an adult vacation and you guys will take him next time. I go on vacations with my kids and without. They don't mind.

Doing a Disney Cruise will still be special because it's so different from Carnival.

You can compare the two and as long as the have different itineraries the kids can compare what stops they liked better and they get to see more of the world.

I actually just did this in January. We went on a 5 day cruise and then went to Disney for 5 days. We ended up rushing everything at Disney. The kids had a blast on the cruise and then when we went to Disney they were complaining about all the walking. We ended up doing a lot of park hopping and going late to certain parks just to go through all the rides.

It was an overwhelming trip doing both. You can always plan something for next year. We did both just to justify the cost of airfare since we were coming from California but it was exhausting. We were ready to come home because we were trying to fit so much in at Disney.

A cruise is so much fun. Why not do a Disney cruise? It's the best of both, they will be decorated for the holidays too.

If I buy a bottle from Bon Voyage can I fill a rum runner flask with it so I can mix a drink while out and about? Instead of having to go back to my room to make it

 

 

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Just bring an empty flask. A rum runner will look like you snuck alcohol onto the ship and may bring wagging fingers if your walking around the deck with it. A regular flask, every knows will have been brought on empty. But of course put the flask in your pocket or a towel.

I have a question about this, if we pre-paid our tips when booking our cruise. Do they still charge your S&S card once on board, even if they credit the S&S card with the pre-paid tip money. I would like to know, so I can know what to expect.

Sorry if this has already been answered! But yes, they will charge your cc $100 if you connect it to your profile/ sign and sail account for pre-boarding. It is just a hold for incidentals, if you want to use it to purchase anything on the ship. They will take out the money the morning of the cruise, before you check in. Choose the cash option and then just put $20 or so on each card or choose to put nothing on it, if your strapped for cash.

We always pre-pay tips and put cash because we use debit cards. With the holds from hotels already on it, we choose to go the cash route so it doesn't tie up too much money.