jabcruiser

Thanks. Will try Firefox and see what happens.

Jane

I know I am not the most computer savvy person in the world but I generally figure it out after awhile and, if not, my DH always comes to the rescue . But we can't figure this one out so am looking for help. No derogatory comments please as am looking for information relative to the new HAL website and yes I do hate it. Thank you.

Well, the problem I have encountered is that I like to download a copy of the Shore Excursions (EXC ) brochure for my particular cruise then I print out pages I want (I know, so 20th century) , or use it on tablet for quick referencing. Much quicker than signing into website each time I want to reference it and going thru steps on HAL site to get to it. So on new website go to EXC tours and click "download personalized e-brochure" and absolutely nothing downloads, or if it does sure can't seem to find it anywhere in my download files. Any info much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jane

We did guarantee several times but now pick our cabin. Last guarantee we got cabin far forward over showroom. Not only very far from most places we went and hubby had just had surgery so hard to walk that much. Also noise from showroom lasted at least until midnight every night. That cured us. Pick my cabin now. First two times did guarantee (balcony) all was good. But this last time not so much. It is a gamble.

Jane

Thanks for the info. I never even got an email (likely because I’m not priority or FTTF), so it’s good to know what’s going on.

We have a scheduled check in time for 11:30. I’m guessing that’ll still be fine for getting there on time then?

This is our first cruise and we are cruising for my birthday (on Sunday), so I’m very excited to get on board and start having a great time!

 

 

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The email said to add one hour to your appointment time so that would make you 12:30. But don't know since you didn't get an email. But you might have to wait outside for an hour or so. If so and you don't want to just wait outside, check out the aquarium just little way down the road I believe. Last time we sailed from Tampa it was, literally, just across the street but this terminal is a little further down. Happy Birthday on Sunday. We are celebrating our 44 wedding anniversary. Your first cruise is sooo exciting. Have fun and enjoy.

Jane

Thanks, Captain. Was wondering if that might be the case as read on another thread that customs/immigration can be more thorough(longer) when itineraries involve Belize and Honduras like this one does. Just disappointed even for the small delay in getting on- board and "getting to the fun". Looking forward to our return to the Miracle and to Carnival. Sailed on her to Hawaii exactly 4 years ago and loved it. Have been sailing one of your sister lines since then, but with Miracle now in Tampa and doing my favorite Caribbean itinerary decided to try Carnival again. Thanks again for the info. Sounds like we will try for 11:30 and hope wait not too long.

Jane

On the Miracle leaving Saturday 2/3. Just posted new thread as received notification embarkation will be delayed an hour for our cruise and wondering why. Hopefully not Noro.

Jane

Hi all,

Received email from Carnival that disembarkation delay is expected of previous sailing so add 1 hour to our Arrival Appointment. We have FTTF so had planned to be there 10:30 as that is when I understand embarkation normally begins. Guess will now plan to arrive around 11:30, maybe little before but no desire to wait hour in line to board. We are only 1 1/2 hour drive to port. Wonder why they expect a late disembarkation of current cruise few days in advance. Email was sent Tuesday so doubt if fog or something like that. Anybody know anything???

Jane

We are leaving on Miracle Feb 3rd. Cruised to Hawaii on her several years ago. Really like the size as not into mega ships. 2,000 range is what we prefer even without all of the specialty restaurants and such. Will see in a couple of weeks how we like it now. Have been cruising HAL last several years, but decided to try Miracle again now that she is back in Tampa (my favorite port and close drive). Will post when we return how we liked it.

Jane

We did same itinerary Nov 09 on Legend, as I recall. Scheduled for repeat on Miracle early Feb. Can't wait as this is one of my favorite itineraries. Love to snorkel and can do that at every port if we want. At Grand Cayman will snorkel close to where ship docks as have our own gear and only few block walk. In Cozumel scheduled for a AI Island Catamaran trip. Belize is snorkel/Starfish island boat trip. Roatan is Victor Bodden private tour. When we did this cruise before hit bad weather and Cozumel was total wash out with heavy rain all day. Roatan was rain also. So really Belize and Grand Cayman were the only ports we could do anything and snorkeled at both. Then a hurricane developed behind us as left Roatan and followed us most of the way to Tampa. Very high seas. Hope for way better weather this coming trip! I just love the Western Caribbean cruises.

Jane

OK. Going start checking every day now. Live in FL and retired so can drive to 4 ports in few hours or less on short notice. Hope to find something good someday. I didn't think these really existed but will see what happens.

Jane

Beach towels will be placed in your cabin the day before you dock. When you get back from the beach, place the beach towels on the floor in the bathroom and they will be replaced with clean ones for the next beach day.

Yes, normally placed in room. But on one cruise last year they did not place in room, but you had to pick up and sign out when leaving the ship and then return them when returning and make sure they marked your name as returned. Otherwise they charge some exorbitant fee. But agree, all other times have been placed in the room. Don't know why that one was different. May have been Westy, but can't remember for sure.

Did this cruise in Feb '14 and absolutely froze first two days/nights. After that, not as cold, but still needed jacket in evening. Didn't take enough warm clothes so had to go to Walmart when in a port to get sweat pants and jacket for return trip. Of course as you get closer to the islands it gets much warmer and on the islands totally tropical. So my suggestion, especially if you like to be outside in evenings or use veranda, is take several days worth of warm clothing. Layers preferred.

Jane

They haven't put this last sailing on my profile yet. None of the issues were worthy of using the guarantee.

 

Thanks so much for the positive responses. We all don't have to agree here. It's ok to have different opinions. Let's just be nice.

 

 

I am sure will receive negative comments on this, but I really don't care. It is amazing to me the rudeness displayed on the Carnival forums. Past few years have mainly followed HAL forums, as have been cruising HAL for few years now exclusively. Never saw these types of attacks on people expressing their honest views. Seems to be the norm for Carnival though. Has me worried since we are going back to Carnival next Feb after few years away. Hope this rudeness doesn't also carry over to ruin our experience on our cruise. Apparently Carnival cruisers have a tendency to this type of behavior which I have no desire to participate in. Apparently makes them feel important by bashing other people. Low life in my opinion, but apparently they feel it enhances their self esteem(which they have none of or wouldn't be posting these types of attacks on others). I fail to understand this thinking, but seems to be proliferating. Will see if this will be our last Carnival cruise of not.

We cruised the Miracle to HI Jan '14 and loved it. We really don't care about the "bling" factor and like the smaller ships. Scheduled to go on her again next Feb from Tampa. Hope she is still as good as our 2014 cruise. Glad she is coming to Tampa which is now our closest port. Have been sailing HAL last few years on same size ships (around 2,000). Will be interesting to compare the two lines. Don't expect food on Miracle to compare to what HAL serves, but hope it will be okay anyway. This is going to be kind of an experiment to see how we like Carnival compared to HAL. We will see, but hoping for the best.

Jane

Seven/eight years ago sailed Western Caribbean from Tampa first week November. Grand Cayman great, Cozumel rained(hard) all day, Belize great, Roatan rained all day. Then as leaving Roatan a hurricane formed behind us and followed us most of way back to Tampa. Seas about 20 foot. We loved having balcony cabin to just watch the sea. Rough doesn't bother us, but apparently most folks just stayed in their cabins or casino. Can't remember if dining room closed, but don't think so. Doing same cruise next year in Feb so hopefully will be much better weather. One cruise first night from Miami to Bahamas in January got very stormy/rough. Even the crew was sick. Boat was rocking! Didn't bother us though. You just never know. Make the most of it and enjoy.

Jane

Agree, Verizon expensive when we checked. So we never use them when we sail Caribbean. Hub sounds like the way we will go. Probably just do the $5. for week so can text each other on board. That will save many steps searching for DH and will be nice to have access to MDR restaurant menus.

Thanks to all. Will plan on 10:30 ish so can be among first to board. Love being on board before the crowds arrive! I am looking forward to returning to Carnival after a 3 year hiatus.

Jane

OK, I am thoroughly confused. Haven't sailed Carnival for several years so this is new to me. Cruising from Tampa Feb. 2018. Have purchased FTTF. Did on-line check in and there is no place to view or make an "Arrival Appointment". Is it too early to show up yet? FTTF info says you still have to make arrival appointment even though you get "priority" check in. So can someone please explain how this works and how to make an "arrival appointment", With FTTF does the arrival appointment time still apply and is it normally enforced. We are close to cruise terminal and always try to arrive around 11:00 to be on board by noon. Any clear explanation will be appreciated. Carnival provides very little information on their website.

Thanks,

Jane

Tell me about HAL. One thing I don't want is to have to dress up much and I've heard they do have stricter 'dress codes'(?).

 

 

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We have done HAL primarily past 3 years but have done several Carnival cruises before that. A NCL cruise years ago was disappointing and will never do them again. HAL dress code similar to Carnival, but no shorts at dinner in MDR. So if you are a really casual dresser that may not work for you. Many people continue to "dress" for gala nights, but with the relaxed dress code, many do not. Really not much different than Carnival. Food way better on HAL (except Carnival Steakhouse way better than HAL's, and pizza also). Carnival entertainment better, except we LOVE BB King Blues Club on HAL. Level of service similar in our past experience with HAL being somewhat better. Still have "hot" room service for breakfast on HAL - but that seems to be changing so who knows how long that will last. HAL is definitely a step up from Carnival, but we are returning to Carnival for our next cruise to Western Caribbean because do not like HAL itineraries for that region. So, we enjoy both lines. HAL definitely an older crowd and way fewer children. We will do either but generally prefer HAL if rates are comparable.

Jane

Thanks for heads up on this. Was able to get the $100 OBC on our Premium Balcony room. I love Cruise Critic for the great information I have been able to find here. Just made our original reservation over the weekend so wouldn't have done a new price check without seeing this post. Thanks again.

Jane

We did 15 day few years ago on Miracle in Jan. A few suggestions for you. #1 - take warm clothing for first and last few days. It is cold! Had to stop at Walmart on Islands to get warm clothing for return as froze going over. Also got into big storm on way over and arrived 4 hours late so missed an independent whale watching excursion and money lost. Thought we had plenty of time after arriving (over 4 hours), but not! Rented car on most islands and was very easy(same as anywhere else in USA and easy driving) and cheap so you might check into this option, especially on Oahu if you plan on going to Memorial, and Big Island to drive to Volcano National Park. That way you can stop and do what you want, when you want. Your group could look into renting a van. Only paid excursion we had planned was the whale watching which obviously cannot do on your own. But all was not lost. We saw whales in all ports except one, right next to ship. Kauai was especially great as several whales cavorting right off ship. LOVED Kauai, so beautiful. But don't know if you go there on the 14 day cruise. All in all, we loved this cruise. The 5 sea days over and back didn't seem that long, as we had anticipated. Another suggestion. Join your Roll Call. We had a very active one and joined several organized activities especially during the 10 sea days. Have fun. This is a great cruise.

You do take your chances, but we have done several during hurricane season. Generally ships can alter itinerary to avoid them but you might miss one or two of your ports in that case. We were on Western Caribbean cruise once and got followed back by a hurricane. High seas which we actually enjoyed. But many people did not, I must say. So, you can take the risk or not. All depends on your comfort zone. These cruises generally carry a lower price tag which I am sure takes into account the risk of a hurricane. But the water will be much warmer than later in the season and we like that because like to swim and snorkel. So, for us actually prefer hurricane season sailings.

Just to add my two cents to this discussion. We always book thru USAA - Travel Insured. Have 30 days to purchase after deposit on specific cruise for pre-existing coverage. You just purchase for the deposit amount and then when you make final payment you call them to increase the amount to your total cost and they charge the additional amount due at that time. They have various options available. Basic, if I recall does not include pre-existing, but there are several levels offered above that which do include pre-existing, highest offered does include cancel for any reason as I recall, although we have never gone that route. We generally get the one in the middle which includes pre-existing, but not cancel for any reason. Anyway, coverage limits are very good and way better than HAL's and cost has always been substantially less than HAL's. So anyone in USAA should check this option out. Am sure Travel Insured offers non USAA policies also, but they may cost more and have different pre-existing requirements, just don't know. Have never had to actually use the coverage, but have always found USAA stands behind their products and have no concerns we would receive excellent service if we did have the unfortunate occasion to have to use it. Maybe someone else out there on CC has first hand knowledge about this. There is a 24 hour emergency number provided with the coverage.

Jane

We had one last year when booked "Guaranteed Veranda" and this was assigned to us. Veranda size was actually larger than standard size. Ended up, didn't really mind the steel rail. The Plexiglas ones generally so dirty can't see much through them anyway. Liked the larger size veranda. Bigger issue was being right above the showroom which made sleeping difficult until last show was over. Definitely had to use my earplugs and they didn't block noise completely. If you are early to bed this might be a problem for you.

Jane

On our last cruise on Zuiderdam Panama Canal, temps varied from very warm to very chilly with no rhyme or reason. You could walk down the hallway, encounter extremely warm temps and not 100 feet away cold temps. However, in general I find on all of our cruises showroom, lounge and restaurant areas tend to be on the cooler side. I always take a wrap or light sweater with me on the ship as just way too difficult to predict what the temp will be at the specific time I am there. And after 30 minutes of freezing, it can suddenly turn warm so off comes the sweater.

Doubt if Alaska will be any different.

Jane