ladylyn915

1 hour ago, jamscckmc said:

Our governor in VA is a little late to the party. He just today closed gyms and theaters and made restaurants takeout and delivery only. He did close schools for the rest of the year. On a personal note my daughter's long  planned April wedding is postponed indefinitely as is our retirement and moving plans. 

So so sorry to hear this -  your daughter must be so sad!  I hope you at least did not lose too much money.  But, this will pass and you all  can plan again... 

My husband and I are retired. We live in New Jersey where we have been told to stay at  home.  There is a curfew and all businesses are closed or open with very limited hours with a few exceptions like supermarkets, pharmacies, and of all things liquor stores!  Essential?  I guess after a month or two of this isolation, we will all need some alcohol.  We are fortunate that our income is fixed and we are not facing the problems of many Americans who don't know how long they will continue to get paid.   I can't even imagine how difficult that is going to be for families.  Since I am of a certain age (old-lol) and do have numerous conditions that make me high risk, I have hunkered down in the house for the last 12 days.  To say that I am bored is the understatement of the Century. Our local Stop & Shop supermarket has instituted senior hours 6AM - 7:30 every day for folks 60 and older.  This has been a blessing.  The store is fairly well stocked and my husband said it was all quite orderly.  Quite frankly, I do not believe all this will be over any time soon.  But, I need to find a hobby because the only one I have right now is eating - cakes, cookies, ice cream..... you get the idea?   Stay safe everyone,  we will get through this!!

Lyn

Excellent Review - We don't sail until August, but I am getting excited now that the Panorama is in service.

One of the best reasons to cruise on Carnival.  Walk in the first night - introduce yourself and tell the bartender to make something up.  For the rest of the cruise, the bartender will remember your name, keep making you different drinks or the same one if you loved it.  Hands down our favorite!  We go before dinner, after dinner, after a show and before the piano bar - also a favorite of ours.  go - you won't be sorry!!

4 hours ago, jbethel11 said:

Already discussed in numerous threads.

Sorry!  I knew there would be - I just couldn't find it.  My search was AARP Rewards for Good - so it should have come up.

3 hours ago, sassy~one said:

I have 9100 points and have tried for days to get Carnival gift cards.  Even 3 phone calls and no luck.  I really really wanted 900.00 gift cards.  Is anyone having trouble with ordering? Thanks

Be very careful when entering your shipping address and payment information.  I had to do mine three times before it would accept my information.  They have to be exact.  I had a period after my middle initial in one place and not the other.  Crazy.

I hope you get it resolved.  Good Luck!

I tried to do a search to see if this has already been covered and I did not see anything.  AARP Rewards for Good program that offers discounted Gift Cards is ending on September 23, 2019.  On September 24, 2019 the program will be AARP Rewards.  Your existing points will not be transferable.  You can use your points for two more days.

I was shocked yesterday when I went online to check on how many points I had.  Today, I used my 6000 points to purchase two cards even though my cruise is not until next summer.

The AARP website does not state what exactly the new program will be.

If everyone already knew this, I'm sorry for the duplication.

Lyn

Our cruise is not until August, 2020.  We have not even looked at excursions yet. I am not sure what the best date/time is yet.  If my daughter and I book massages now to use the discount, can we cancel or change the appointments later if we have a conflict?

9 minutes ago, fyree39 said:

You won't know the day until you board. I've made other dinner reservations and just cancel whatever conflicts with the Chef's Table. It's an imperfect system.

Wow - You think?  I may rethink doing the Chef Table.  Thanks.

Lyn

Dining reservations have opened for the Panorama August 1, 2020.  There is no option of day for the Chef Table.  Is it only offered one day on the 7 day cruise?  If so,  do they usually get back to you quickly?  I won't be able to make any other reservations until I know the Chef Table date.   We have so much time - a whole year!  But, I'm a planner and if the reservations are available, why not get them set up.

Thanks for any info ( I would just call Carnival- but this trip we booked through a travel agent- not my choice - and now I can't just call CCL)

Lyn

22 minutes ago, shof515 said:

no. everything is refundable until the day of the event

Thank you!  Then I guess we will speed up our planning and get our dinners booked!

My last Carnival Cruise was two years ago on the Vista. I don't remember paying in advance.  But I do know we could not make the reservations more than 3 months out.  We are booked on the Panorama for August 1, 2020.  I see that I can make specialty restaurant reservations including Chefs Table now a year out.  Are we paying for the dinners at the time of reservation?  If so, what happens if we had to cancel?  Do we lose our money?  Perhaps anyone who has already made reservations could comment.  Thanks!!

Lyn

Hth - thanks for the response.  Because of health issues we had to cancel this cruise.  Before that happened I contacted Scootaround and the price was considerably less.  I only use a scooter on cruises because of the length of the new ships.  Purchasing one would be unnecessary and I would not want to travel with it.  I appreciate the feedback though.

Lyn

Once the show has started, I don't think the crew lets anyone in - reserved seats or not.  That may have been the issue.  He was late and they would not let him in.  It didn't matter if he had a "reservation".  At least that's what I always thought - you had to be on time for the shows.

Most enjoyable topic I've seen in a long time.....  Totally a hoot!

Reservations open at 120 days (130 for suites).

Thank you! I'm not sure where I read "90", but I will put an alert on my calendar four months out.

For certain, the wording on NCL's site can leave one with more questions than answers. The "various areas" of the ship where you will likely find more "dressy" apparel will be Le Bistro and the larger Main Dining room, as they require a little bit more refinement. When we eat in Le Bistro, we notice that "most" people dress better.

 

Another area will you see folks dressed-up will be in the atrium on the "Dress Up or Not" evenings, because, they are having their photos taken by NCL staff! Below, I've posted copy from NCL regarding clothing one might want to pack. I hope this helps!

 

 

 

What Clothes Should I Pack?

 

When it comes to what to wear, you can go resort casual or get decked-out and look your best - it’s your call. That’s the freedom of Freestyle Cruising. We even have special “Dress-Up or Not Night.” It’s the perfect opportunity to get your portrait taken with your family, that special someone or even with the ship’s Captain.Cruise Casual: the Freedom of Freestyle Cruising Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Be sure to pack a sweater — the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants.Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. Ready for Adventure: Shore Excursions Think about the shore excursions you'll be taking and pack accordingly, including comfy walking shoes. For kids and adults it's good to pack a pair of closed-toed shoes. All Decked-out: Smart Casual Dress smart casual in our more formal dining room or in our more upscale specialty restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants. Special Events: Theme Nights and Parties Our newest event, Norwegian's Night Out, is the perfect opportunity to get dressed up for an evening of cocktails, fine dining and great entertainment. You may also want to pack an all-white ensemble for our iconic White Hot Party.

Excellen. Thanks. Hopefully by the time we get to 90 days out I will know what night it is and we will plan on eating in Le Bistro.

Thanks again!

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It's however formal or informal that YOU want it to be. Tux? Sure, if you want. T-shirt? Sure, if you want (in most restaurants).

 

You can't get it wrong by dressing up "too much".

Thanks! So we will see folks "dressed up" someplace on board on a designated formal night? While I am not a fan of ripped jeans or cut-offs and tee shirts for dinner attire, I also don't relish being dressed up like a peacock in a sea of jeans, shorts and flip flops in the dining room.

Also, for all of you have cruised NCL, what areas are the NCL freestyle statement referring to?

I know I am hijacking this thread ( but it is very old anyway). I am new to NCL and after reading this lengthy thread I sought out NCL's attire policy. This is what I found.

Freestyle AttireFreestyle Cruising applies to the dress code on Norwegian ships. Guests have muchmore relaxing cruise vacations when they are comfortable. Resort casual is the norm throughoutthe fleet, so guests can leave their tuxedos and party dresses at home if they wish. For thosewho enjoy dressing up for dinner, there is one (two on cruises longer than seven-nights)completely optional “formal night” in various areas of the ship

My question is what does the last sentence mean? For those who actually like to dress up, what is an "optional formal night" and where are the various areas of the ship? Does this include men wearing suits or a tux? Women wearing cocktail/ long dresses if they choose? Or, is that too formal?

I have an 11 day Med cruise next year, and we like to get a photo or two while on cruises, so I thought maybe tea length for me and a sports jacket for hubby. I'm just trying to educate myself. Thanks

I'm sad that my cruise is over, but I do have a new one to plan for!

 

The planner in me grudgingly has to admit that the very BEST experience of our Alaska trip was a spur of the moment, unresearched jump into the unknown. At lunch, the day before our arrival in Skagway with nothing on the agenda DH and I are looking at the excursion flyer and I point out a helicopter glacier trip. Now I know DH hates heights and flying but he says "if you want to, we'll go." Just then, Bruno the concierge stops by our table, so I ask him about booking. He says it's booked up but will put us on the wait list. DH does a mental fist pump! Ha ha, we get back to our stateroom a couple of hours later, we had tickets waiting.

This was an experience of a lifetime for me. Overwhelmingly beautiful and amazing, both the flight and walking on a glacier in perfect weather. [ATTACH]429568[/ATTACH]

Beautiful! Looks like Hubby survived! Sometimes last minute choices are very rewarding!

Exactly. Tiny little medieval streets don't lend themselves to benches. Which is why I think this is a step too far. If they really want to make a differnce, limit the # of cruise ships, and eliminate turn-around in the port of Venice. 3 large cruise chips can equal 12k people. Add a turn-around, and that number becomes 24k trying to sightsee and then get on and off the island.

In my opinion this will never happen. The tourist revenue generated from cruise ships is too great to give up.

My very first cruise, I spent a lot time in the cabin sick w/ a nasty respiratory bug that I acquired day 1 of cruise. Post cruise, I read this tip about cleaning the cabin as soon as you arrive. Now, I always pack a pair or two of disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes and a small bottle of rubbing alcohol mixed w/water. When I get into the cabin, I wipe down the toilet, sinks, shower controls, door handles, drawer pulls, ALL smooth surfaces, phone and remote control just to be on the safe side. Call me nutty but so far it has worked for us 15 cruises later. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

I agree with you 100% and I do this as well - but just with the wipes. Do you use the alcohol because the wipes are not effective enough? I will add alcohol to my list. I know the stewards do a decent job cleaning - but I'm convinced - like you - toilet levers, drawer pulls, remote controls, lamp and wall switches and anything you can touch do not get disinfected properly.

I also never walk in bare feet in the cabin - either socks or flip flops. In recent years I do this in hotels as well. I know its a bit OCD, but I don't want to be sick on vacation!

YES!! Appreciate these great questions, comments and follow-ups. Very helpful sharing.

 

From the London/UK Telegraph today, they had this headline: “Venice considers alcohol ban to combat tourism” with these highlights: “Venice is mulling a ban on carrying alcohol in the streets in its latest bid to combat the impact of excessive tourism and disruptive behaviour that is infuriating residents. The city is considering fines for anyone found to be carrying alcohol after 7 pm - even if it is sealed in shopping bags. The move is designed to target drunk tourists who party throughout the night in squares or public places in the popular Lagoon City without a 'justifiable reason'.”

 

Full story:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/26/venice-considers-alcohol-ban-combat-tourism/

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

I have seen this first hand on the streets (and the canals-lol) in Venice. Think Times Square on New Years Eve meets Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. The population of Venice is dwindling. More and more Venetians have moved to the Mainland - those who work in the Tourism Industry commute back and forth.

Nighttime revelers are quite disorderly at times. And, between the bridges and the canals, the inebriated tourists have become a safety risk as well. Residents of Venice face a two sided sword. They depend on tourist dollars but despise the debris those same tourists leave behind when they leave - on their streets and more importantly in the canals.

So, does part of anyone's early planning include regularly checking NCL.com to see if pricing or promo offers have changed?

If so, how often do you check and how do you track it? Lemme see THAT spreadsheet brothers and sisters!

We booked about 7 weeks ago - the day the booking opened. I checked about 2 weeks later and the rate increased $200. After that I sort of forgot to check back again. I just looked now and the fare increased $400!

Sorry - I don't keep a spreadsheet for this- lol

I use packing cubes when I pack and throw in several extra empty cubes into them when they are packed. As I use clothes, I pack the dirty clothes back into the unused cubes. By the end of the trip all the dirty clothes are packed in cubes, and takes no time to repack at the end of the cruise. I use one cube at end of the trip for travel clothes, so when its time to depart all I have left is a travel cube with the last nights clothes in it and a toiletry bag to take off the ship and those go back into the suitcase for the flight home.

I like the packing cubes - I have them in every size. We have used them on our last 2 cruises. I thought about using them for dirty clothes but I was not sure they would wash well. How did they hold up to the washing machine?