xitappers2bx

IF <--(and that's a big IF) I understand correctly, when you price match you are essentially dropping the first booking and re-booking at the new rate - and that includes all special offers. So you lose the on-board booking offer because you are no longer booking on-board but you gain the new deal (lower price, OBC whatever it offers).

 

So they say always check to make sure the new offer really does beat the old offer.

 

edit~ when i started my reply there were no others - looks like my IF wasn't quite big enough...

I think your IF is the yes... when you use early saver you're rebooking with the new rate so you lose any other discounts or anything.

It says on the Carnival site that you can't use gift cards to buy cheers online... so there's no reason to be upset that a rep was "blunt" saying you can't do that.

Even if the site has that option doesn't mean it's fully functional. They haven't made any announcement that the option is available.

I highly doubt Carnival won't be able to reverse the charges from the gift cards. Just a situation that didn't have to occur.

I just went to the fun shops and entered the information to purchase Cheers and there was a block now to purchase with Carnival Gift Cards. I checked the block and it gave me the area to enter the gift card information and showed taking both gifts cards and a zero balance. It then had a button to complete purchase and it then said there was a problem with my card and did not complete the order. I called Carnival and the rep there was very blunt and said you could not use gift cards even after I told her that the web site now has a block to enter the information. I then checked my gift card balances and they now show a zero balance. Will have to fight Carnival tomorrow on that problem. Short thing is DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE YOUR GIFT CARDS YET.

We leave on Jan 15 and my son's birthday is Jan 18. Do I have to order a cake right now? If I order from the fun shops now, will it be delivered right at embarkation? I would want the cake fresh for his actual birthday dinner. Can I just order once on board for dinner on the 18th?

When you order it you pick when it will be delivered. You can order it before you board or after you board. It's all the same.

hi, will we get to watch the rose bowl on the vista?

we are penn st!:)

I'd imagine being a huge game (we are also penn state!) that will be network broadcast it should at the very least by available in the sports bar. you should drop john heald a question on his facebook page; he's pretty good about answering those type of questions.

Our next cruise will be the first time my daughter is old enough (in my opinion) to 'roam' around the ship without immediately checking in with me... but in the past once she was old enough to sign herself out, she followed the rules. For the most part the kids behave themselves, and when they don't there is usually a parent (unrelated to the group of misbehaving kids) who will put the kids back into their place. I can only think of one time where kids were an actual problem, and it was a group of teens creating dangerous situations trying to have fun.

You pay based on the rate of that room, so two interiors would be double the price. It may be cheaper to just book the balcony. The Miracle is one of my favorite ships, and we've been on her a bunch of times, but always in a suite which is more than enough space. I've done ocean views, an inside, and many balcony's with me and my daughter, and for the most part, an ocean view is similar in size to the balcony stateroom, just without that extra space of the actual balcony. If I had two preteens, I'd probably upgrade to the balcony, or do the two inside rooms, just because I have one preteen girl, and she's like five adults, and space gets tight.

i'm going to go with... either change your expectations, or change your cruise line.

I've cruised in suits with Royal, HAL, and Carnival, and you get exactly what you pay for. The suites on carnival (GS and OS) offer very limited additional amenities that are really worth the increase in price. Really, you get priority boarding (and honestly, that's not a huge deal) and a bathtub and a little more extra space. It's not like HAL with the butler/concierge service or Royal with the designated deck space.

As for the speciality dining, it's not like royal where you can pay 120 a person and get access to five of the speciality dining restaurants (there are only a small handful of speciality dining restaurants on carnival anyway). It's also not like HAL or royal where there is suite dining or suite-breakfast (which was my favorite on HAL).

As for splitting up between an ocean view and a suite... you're looking at having your kids in an entirely separate area of the ship; I don't know if I'd be comfortable having my kids that far away, even if with a nanny.

The bottom line is, there is no premium experience on Carnival. It's a fun family line. It's just like Royal, but Royal has a better suite program (which I know has just been revamped and the price has skyrocketed to reflect the higher amenities, I'm talking pre-upgrade royal, I haven't yet cruised in the new suite program).

Hello,

I'm wondering about the best Carnival ship to choose and best "upgrades" to make a Carnival cruise more of a premium brand experience- obvious thoughts are suites, specialty restaurants, but not sure of the other possibilities? Doesn't seem like there are many suite perks available. Are there beverage or dining packages (such as on Norwegian or Celebrity?) There is nothing like the Haven I could find except Havana and then our kids can't be in there, right?

 

We are traveling as 5- 2 adults, 2 kids, and our nanny. Probably looking for a suite for us and then an OV room for the kids + nanny. Carnival offers the most options for the very specific time we have available and a reasonable cost considering the number of people we are taking. But we would like to enjoy a more premium experience (and to a degree willing to pay for such) just not sure how to do it up right.

 

(I sailed Carnival only one time in the past, on the Legend.)

Stupid first timer question. On the Fantasy out of Mobile next Saturday. We've only been on small boat cruises before. Is there room to store roller bags or should we just plan on duffle bags?

I always unpack, and then stick one suitcase under the bed, and then create a "hamper" with the smaller roller suitcase... I take a trash bag with several fabric softener sheets inside of it, and use that to hold all of our dirty clothes. then, when the cruise is over, i just refold all the dirty clothes, put into the bag along with more dryer sheets, and then into the suitcase, and then everything stays fresh. I did this with the bag and dryer sheets for the first time this summer in Europe, and it was by far the most brilliant travel hack I have ever found.

I think it will be whatever you make of it. If he's booked in a balcony room, that gives your father in law the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air without the chaos of the pool. The aft pools and serenity areas tend to be quieter and less chaotic too. The first week of april will probably mean tons of kids, but that doesn't always mean the worst.

He's recovered for the most part, but he really has a hard time with chaos and loud noises. He has always wanted to go on a cruise, and since we already had a cruise scheduled on the Carnival Breeze, we invited him and his wife to come along (she's never cruised either). Now I am stressing big time. We are going the first week in April (Spring Break), and I am picturing him having an awful time due to loud noises and chaos. What are your thoughts about this? If I warn him to stay away from the pool-areas during lunch hours, do you think this will be enough? Is the ship chaotic in a lot of other areas? Will Spring Break make it worse?

Never understood how lower deposit made a cruise a deal. I understand it helps if you are tight cash now but if it's same price overall there's no savings.

 

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EXACTLY!!!!!!! Certainly not a deal, it sometimes seems like when they do reduced deposits the actual fare is increased.

Sounds like you need a vacation... but I see how it would be hard to get excited. Just think about how much fun you're going to be having, how this is a great way to not think about all the drama in life. Vista looks beautiful, how special to be one of the first people to cruise on her out of the states! Be grateful for what you have, time for a cheesy quote... worrying about tomorrow only steal's todays peace.

I cruise on the Vista in less than 3 weeks and I can not get excited...I don't know if it's everything going on in my life ( dad in hospital, uncle in hospital, totaled my only car in a 4 car pileup on a bridge ( not mu fault, hit from behind several times), having panic attacks and been diagnosed with ptsd from the accident, husband losing job after 21 yrs on Dec 20th.) I need some pep talk from my cc friends to get me cheered up.....Gapearl, I know you will be there with me on cruise. This is my 14th cruise since Nov 2011 and its two new ports so I should be happy happy happy. Maybe when I actually get on the boat moving it will help. Sorry guys, just needed to vent.

 

 

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I heard from a friend of mine getting on the Splendor Saturday. The new policy of having the cards in your mailbox is a Nightmare! Many people complaining about not being able to get to their cabins to get the cards. Which makes it impossible to get a drink until your room is ready. JH said the" Guests Love" the new system. I guess you can't believe everything.

From what I've read, you just use your boarding pass when trying to buy drinks etc... I haven't actually read a single complaint from anyone, anywhere. I've seen a lot of people who weren't super down with the idea, but then after experiencing it said it was nothing like they were expecting. Change is always hard.

I'm going to agree with you pretty much on every aspect... granted, I have not been on one of the newer of Carnival's ships yet (although, will be going on the Magic in a few week so maybe I"ll have more insight there). Royal's showers are by far the best showers at sea (that aren't in a suite... I think the shower in HAL was the best, but that was a suite so different by design). It's nice to see I'm not the only one who feels this way!

Quick question:

 

Friends of ours would like to join our cruise on the VISTA in March. They are originally from Cuba and live in Florida currently. They have Cuban passport but not US residency. Can they cruise on Carnival? I called Carnival but didn't receive any insight. I tried to google it but only thing came up was cruises to Cuba.

 

Does anyone have any clue?

First... this is a State Department question... but if they're not residents, and don't have a green card or visa to be here (so illegal immigrants)... they aren't going on a cruise and they certainly aren't getting off that ship in this country. Immigration is a major part of the whole cruise ship vacation thing.

I'll start this with... I just cancelled my "dream" cruise on Harmony of the Seas to go on the Magic with my family. For me, it was worth "downgrading" to be able to travel with my parents and one of my sisters' and her family.

Good morning everyone. Hope you all are having a great Saturday!

 

We are either going on the Oasis or Carnival Magic in Feb 2018 and I just can't make my mind up! We have only cruised twice, the Dream and the Oasis. The Oasis was our favorite, but we would love to have a suite this time and Carnival's prices are better. So, I was hoping I could ask some questions and get some help from you fine folks? :)

 

Who are we? We will be cruising again with our friends. We are: Me, hubby and 6 yr old daughter, and our friends and their 9 yr old son. We love doing family oriented things and we don't drink. We do love a nice non-alcoholic fruity drink though....yummy! We are also nice, fluffy folks (except for my daughter) and love to eat!!!! :)

 

I also am fluffy, my daughter has been cruising since she was five, so i'll offer my own experience and the changing kid experience too. she's 12 now. I also like family oriented things, and Carnival has very good non-alcoholic drinks, and affordable drinks packages

 

Now to the questions:

 

1. Cabins. If price was not an issue, would you do a Junior Suite on RC Oasis or a Spa Suite on the Magic and why?

 

I would not do a JS on any Royal ship... with the new suite program, the JS is much more expensive, but does not offer the same quality amenities of the higher suites. Perhaps getting one of the bigger suites and splitting it with your friends would be ideal on royal. A spa suite is nice, but suites on Carnival do not offer nearly as much as suites on Royal (well, minus the JS) the bath tub and priority boarding are nice though.

 

2. Pools. Are the pools majorly crowded on the Magic? When we went on the Dream, it was a minor issue with us as they were way over crowded. When we went on the Oasis during spring break, they were not overly crowded at all.

 

I think this depends more on when you go; when we cruise in the summer, regardless of the line, the pools are more busy and there are more chair hogs then when we cruise during the school year

 

3. Shore. Doing the western itinerary, what are some fun things with the Magic's stops that are good for families with little kids?

 

We're doing our first western carib cruise in January on the Magic. We're going to be snorkeling, tubing in the caves, and then probably either a sea lion thing or a ancient ruins type of thing

 

4. Food. Is there a good sandwich spot on the Magic? We ate at Park Cafe on the Oasis almost daily because those sandwiches were that good. I liked the dining room food on Carnival much better than Oasis. I hated the Dream's buffet, but liked the Oasis buffet.

 

I agree with you, the MDR on Royal sucks, but the buffet is outstanding. I think Carnival has improved their buffets though, and they're not as bad as they used to be. I haven't been on the Magic, but it looks like there are some good sandwich spots that are quality.

 

5. Entertainment. We love to go to shows and do family friend Comedy shows. How are they on the Magic?

 

We love the family friendly comedy shows!! The adult ones are hilarious too.

 

6. Weather. Both times we have cruised, we cruised in April. This time we'll go in February. Now I realize the weather can change at any moment...but.... what is the weather typically like then in the Western Caribbean? We loved the weather in April in the Eastern. Perfect every time, no rain except for a sprinkler or two in St. Maarten.

 

The weather will be warmer than up north! I think weather is really one of those things that if you just accept it can happen, then you'll be prepared for whatever happens next. I do believe that the weather is pretty good though.

 

7. Movement. The Oasis moved A LOT, I mean A LOT. I was really shocked considering her size. But the Dream was a much smoother cruise. What are you thoughts on the Magic?

 

The Dream and Magic are sister ships, so imagine that the level of movement would be the same.

 

8. Family Activities and Kids Club. We loved the kid's club on the Oasis and the Dream. Are there lots of family activities on the Magic? Parades, etc.? The kids loved the parades on the Oasis.

 

My daughter hated Royal's kids club, but she has not loved any as much as Holland America's. Generally speaking she loves Camp Carnival, and she has always loved the employees. I hated the parades on Royal, so I don't miss them at all, but there are no parades on Carnival. Lots of family activities. You can do as much or as little together as you want.

 

Thank you so much for any help or advice!

Just wondering if I purchase the international roaming package through my cell phone carrier if there's even good coverage at sea? My carrier is Bell Mobility (Canada) It's only $5-10/day through my carrier...thinking it might be better than the wifi on the ship.

 

Thanks for any insight!

 

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You'd be able to use it in port, but onboard you would use the very expensive iffy quality cell service and the charge for data (I know now you can purchase different packages for social media/e-mail/streaming) is extremely high.

But you totally could have made lemonade out of lemons and didn't. Some people weren't even able to get onto their cruise due to the ship. It sucks your first experience sucked, but you could have made it as good or as bad as you wanted.... on my second cruise we hit a storm in the Bahamas and then followed it up the coast to Baltimore, where it dumped feet of snow. We were sea sick, we missed a port, and it was freezing the last three days, but guess what, we still decided to have a good time and enjoy ourselves.

And we haven't had a bad experience since. It's also ridiculous to expect compensation for a product you used. They don't pay out for bad weather.

You know how you avoid this problem? Book a cabin that holds all the people in your stateroom, or accept the risk. My family has three rooms in a row, and even though we are a double, double, triple the rooms are a triple, triple, quad, so we know it's a possibility that we will get moved. Don't act surprised that Carnival would want to maximize their profits... and if you want a specific room or area, then book the one that fits your group; and if there are none, then pick something else or assume the risk.

On a side note, my TA wasn't able to book the trio of cabins, but I could do it online, so I did it online, and then was able to transfer the reservation to my TA by just holding the rooms for free. She was then able to apply the deposit for our original rooms (in a part of the ship I didn't want) to the new ones where I did want to be.

I know it's been discussed here before: if there's an extra bed in your room Carnival can move you even though you've paid a higher rate than a guarantee to pick your cabin.

 

We're huge Cove fans and booking just 50 days out, picked the only non connecting room left that also has a great location for us.

 

When we received our confirmation we were in another location , connecting room right by the elevators. Emailed the TA to get the cabin we asked for as it was still available and they changed it, but now we have this warning that they can move us if they need to.

 

Wasn't wild about the other location, but I'd be real ticked to end up just above the Lani in a regular balcony.

 

Emailed the agent back asking her to put No upgrades on the reservation, but now I'm thinking I should ask them to change it back to insure we get a cove.

 

Anyway, it's just another hassle that was not part of the cruising experience just a couple of years ago, but I guess the bean counters think it's good business.

 

 

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I've never done this, but I have heard of others gets screwed far more often than successfully "beating" the system. Just remember, at the end of the day, Carnival is out for Carnival, so if you try and "game" the system (which, quite frankly, I don't think it's a bad idea to try and come out on top just accept the risks) you may not "win."

As annoying as it is, the best way to make sure it gets on safely would be to carry the bottom part, and then you can get the cushion top into a suitcase that would be ideal. You might be able to wear a backpack and use the backpack as a kind of "carrying" case so you can hold it on your back (like using the straps to hold up the frame). But it would suck for it to get to your room broken, and then you don't have it, and I know how important those are for good sleep with babies.

Yes; they are allowed on board... when we booked our cruise we were originally in rooms that tend to be noisy, and the woman on the phone that works for Carnival said sound machines are allowed on board.

In a few days I depart on the Spirit for New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu.

 

I know I can use my credit card on board. Cashless effectively.

 

I am guessing that I have the option, for when I am at port to:

 

(1) Bring a little of the three currencies to cover whatever shore trips and expenses.

 

(2) Pay a lot more at a money changer who will surely be very nearby at the port.

 

I am planning to "wing it" and go for option (2). The exchange rate won't be too bad will it? Or do sucker rates apply?

I was in Europe this summer... at the currency exchanges, the rates were insanely higher than what I paid for currency buying it early through my bank... where I had paid like 1.11-1.19 per euro, they were charing 1.39-1.59 per euro depending on the location. Conversely, you could just use your credit card. It sounds like it may be too late anyway to buy currency. You may find semi-decent rates in the airport, but probably not as good as a bank could have bought them at.

Could someone please tell me how to Ask him a question?

 

 

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his facebook or his website. he may not respond directly, but anytime i've asked for anything, he's always done it.

 

If you guys wouldn't mind me posing a couple questions:

 

1) How is wheelchair accessibility throughout the ship? She can walk, but a ton of walking will cost her dearly in pain. so I was thinking of purchasing a wheelchair to help get her around the ship. Are there chairs for rent on the ship?

 

Pretty much EVERYTHING is wheel chair accessible. Carnival has done a great job designing ships that really are inclusive for everyone. There are some high lips in places, but there are often ramps and the such available too

 

2) Is the 7 day pass for the Cloud 9 worth it? I am interested in getting her into that salt-water pool. I know there are hot tubs everywhere but the idea of a bit more of a secluded place where she can avoid a ton of people pushing there way around the hot tub would be nice. What else is included that may be of benefit to her arthritis? Is Cloud 9 crowded too?

 

I have done the pass for the spa on HAL, not CCL, but if my experience there is any indication (since they're the same parent company) I thought it was worthwhile, with my only issue a ship-specific one, so irrelevant to your questions

 

Honestly, I'm hoping just getting her in the sun and off her feet will allow her to start feeling better. I know I don't have too many more years left with her and I want to spoil her rotten. Hoping to take to to Europe next.

 

You're wonderful for doing this for your mom. With careful planning there is no reason you guys can't have a wonderful time with this, and can't have a wonderful time in Europe. I just took my daughter there for the first time this summer, and while I would say there are definitely some limitations (such as getting to the top of the Arc de Triomphe) with a wheelchair, there was a fair amount that was accessible.

 

Any advice is appreciated!

Hope you guys have a blast!

My cousin has a inside cabin booked on the sunshine. Her 7 ear old was to stay with a grandparent but now she can't keep him, does anyone know if he could be added to the cabin at this late date.it's her and her husband in the cabin now.

 

Her travel agent said they can't contact carnival until Monday morning and she's very nervous about this.

 

Anyone have any feedback on this? Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks

A few thoughts...

Yes, she can add the child; she will pay whatever the prevailing rate is though for a third person. This is almost always much less than the rates for the first two people though.

The travel agent flat out lied saying that they can't contact Carnival until Monday. My travel agent had zero issues working with Carnival late on a Saturday night in order to fix an error with our upcoming cruise. That's a lazy travel agent who didn't want to work weekends or deal with the problem.

Your cousin MAY need to change stateroom locations, some staterooms ONLY hold two people, some only hold three, and some hold four or five. If they are in a stateroom that is only for two, then they will be moved. Carnival will HAPPILY do this, even if there are doubles booked in triples. On our currently booked cruise we have two doubles booked into two triple rooms and have been warned repeatedly that we could be moved in order for a triple to receive our room if need be.