Titan_Cruiser

Last week on the Mardi Gras we went to our muster station. The guy scanned our cards and said "Do you know how to put on a life jacket?" We replied yes. He said you are done, have a nice day. It was about 20 seconds total for 4 of us. Way better than 45 minutes crammed on deck 4 with 3000 other people. 

You can put your CPAP in your luggage if you want to but it is at risk of being lost. It will work. I have done it on both an airplane and a cruise but I don't make it a habit. (I can sleep with out it for a few nights if I had too and I have a second machine that is brand new just in case.)

I always get the Social Media wifi package so we can text with our sons back home. We have used the wifi calling via WhatsApp several times and carried on 15-20 minute conversations with our sons. There is a little delay and it may drop the call on occasion but it works. That is in on the slowest wifi package so I would think the premium package would work much better. 

Thanks all for the info. I completely missed the "official" policy on the Carnival website but it is very clear. For our case two of us live in same house so we would definitely be close contacts. The other two live in other towns. Other than the two that live together no one will have seen each other since Christmas. Hopefully everyone is negative when we test and we won't have to think through the possibilities. 

Thanks but as I said I am not in the situation I am just curious. I have heard horror stories about hours on hold with Carnival customer service recently. I don't want to clog their lines up (nor wait on hold) for a hypothetical question. I did email my PVP and asked how 1 positive would affect the group. He very briefly responded not to worry that if we had a positive test we would all receive a 100% FCC. His response really didn't answer my question. I want to know if we have to take the FCC and all reschedule or can the other 3 cruise and the 1 get the FCC. Just looking to see if anyone has hit this scenario. 

Has anyone experienced the situation where one person in your group tested positive within two days of your cruise? How did it affect the others in the group for the cruise? 

Say there is a group of 4 that are booked to cruise together but they do not all live together. Acutally they will not see each other in person for 6-8 weeks prior to meeting at the airport to fly to the cruise port. Then one of them tests positive 2 days prior. Can the other 3 still go on the cruise? Or is Carnival's policy that everyone is cancelled with a 100% FCC?

I have looked through their covid policies and protocols but I can't find the answer. I am not in this situation. I am just wondering what will happen if it does turn this way when we hope to cruise in February.

For those that have been on Mardi Gras recently I have a question. We are a group of 4 that will be on MG in a few weeks. We spend a lot of time each cruise playing cards. If we find a secluded table maybe in a corner away from traffic flow will we be forced to keep our masks on while playing? I don't mind wearing one at all when moving around and passing other people but if we are out of the way with just our bubble of people can we unmask? I guess my question is how strict are they enforcing the mask policy for cases like this. 

On 1/10/2022 at 8:24 AM, iamsteph said:

What's the turnaround time on these kits now? I ordered from Optum on the 4th and haven't received any kind of shipping notification. They did charge my card on the 5th though....

I would contact Optum to check on your order. I ordered late afternoon on 1/10 and had a tracking number by 8:30am on 1/11. My tests just arrived on 1/13.  They came all the way from California to Tennessee.

5 hours ago, BasicSailor said:

They could ask you to retest before boarding. Enjoy your cruise.

Just curious. Why would they have to re-test? You have to have a negative test within 2 days of your embarkation day. Just because you get on and back off does not change the result of the test you took two days ago. It would still be within the requirement window. 

Is the testing requirement part of the Conditional Sail Order? If so will the testing requirement go away when the CSO expires on Jan 15? 

Has anyone stayed in an interior connecting cabin on the Mardi Gras?

Everything is so tight in the pictures and videos I have seen that I can't figure out where they would put the connecting door (I can't find a picture or video of a connecting cabin). Do you lose some of the closet space for the door? 

Also do you hear noise from the adjoining cabin? 

I believe I saw something a couple of months ago about the specialty restaurants on Mardi Gras being free for a while. Does anyone know if this is still being offered? If so how long did they announce it would be for? Thanks.

I 've been cruising long enough to know not to expect a big discounted price but this is almost $500 more if you click their "sale" link for the same thing. Nothing extra at all. Actually the fact that they pick your room location makes it worse. 

I have gone through the booking process for the same cruise using the Unwrap Fun deal and also not using the deal. 

Carnival Pride out of Tampa 1/23/21

With Unwrap Fun 2 people in an interior room. They get to pick where it is. There is no OBC or reduced deposits. Total $1099.06

With the "sale" 2 people in an interior room on deck 7. Total is $621.06

So what would I be paying the additional $478 for? For them to pick my room under the lido deck or above the galley????

This is a great link that tells all eating options and which ships they are available. 

According to this all ships have Guy's and Blue Iguana (except Splendor does not have Blue Iguana)

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4252/~/for-your-eating-pleasure...

Thanks

The link Carnival provided to the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test is for a two pack. 

That means my wife and I could order the two pack and both test correct? 

I ask because a friend who used this said the telehealth rep asks if you are "the owner of the kit".  If you are not you can't use it. The person who made the purchase is "the owner" so either I would be the owner of both kits or my wife would be the owner of both. 

This sounds like a really stupid question but this testing crap is stressful. I don't want to find out two days before my cruise that all of the prep work I have done is worthless over a technicality. 

18 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I did speciality restaurants and sea shack and the sushi restaurant dont take any chances and add a separate charge for gratuities. Steak house and oriental you add what you want on vista.

 

Not sure which is better, I would have added more to the sushi place if they hadnt added it. Sea shack its messed up, the amt added.,

 

Different ship, but some places will add it. I bought the coupons.

 

Where do you buy these coupons? 

40 minutes ago, newpherchris said:

I've said this on a couple of other threads but better to be safe than sorry - please consider researching a Plan B in advance. CVS cancelled our rapid antigen appointments in the Richmond, VA two days before the scheduled date. we had booked two weeks in advance and scrambled to find available appointments elsewhere (Walgreens 25 minutes away).

This is my concern. You can make appointments and try to be prepared but if the day arrives and they don't have any tests then you are out of luck. It just seems like a big gamble. Between the cruise cost, flights, hotel, transfers, and coordinating vacation from work there are a lot of ducks to line up for it to all hinge on a simple test that may or may not be available. Luckily I have 10 weeks until we sail so hopefully things will peak soon and be better before late October. If I was scheduled to cruise in Sept I would be very concerned. 

I probably missed something but I thought the at home test was not acceptable to Carnival. 

This is my worry for my Oct 31 Magic cruise. will I be able to find a test to take 3 days before boarding? 
 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/as-the-delta-variant-rages-across-the-us-its-getting-harder-to-find-covid-19-tests/ar-AANx9iZ?li=BBnb7Kz

Clemson Cruiser thanks for all the info. 

We really enjoy being seated with others in the MDR and getting to know our tablemates during the cruise. Are they seating cruisers from different cabins together or are they keeping you separated?

1 hour ago, Brad1972 said:

it does not work on the social plan.  you have to have the value plan or the premium plan to make Wifi calls.

I have never purchased anything other than the social plan and I have made and received several wifi calls via WhatsApp.

Last fall Carnival began rolling out a new Seaday Brunch menu. Does anyone know what ships have the new brunch menu? 

2 hours ago, bambiying said:

This is my first time on Carnival with my CPAP.  I've been on Norwegian and Celebrity and they have provided distilled water free of charge.  Are you saying that Carnival charges for it?  If so, where do I buy it?  Is it something I do ahead of time, or where on the ship?  Thanks!

You order it from room service. Call as soon as you get to your room. On my last cruise they ran out.