ZoeyVictoria

Very clever! All I have to contribute is using clear plastic newspaper bags from Amazon to pack and store my flip flops and sandals.

MSC delivered my luggage soaked after it sat is a sudden downpour for twenty minutes. Several hours after I visited Guest Services, the steward showed up with about thirty wire hangers (dry-cleaning hangers) and suggested I hang the wet clothing from the pleats in the drapes. Later in the cruise, I asked her at 5 p.m. for a bag for my free laundry. She just nodded and delivered the bag while we were out that evening. The next morning, she told us that the deadline for free laundry was 9 p.m. the night before. I think that qualifies as “less than stellar”. BTW, MSC would have done the laundry that day if I paid for it, but not if I wanted to use my free bag 🙄

We are just behind you in making that decision. We had one MDR experience on the Celebration (formal night) and would not go back. There are so many more choices on the Celebration, but on most ships we are torn because we do enjoy being served and because time spent in the MDR is way cheaper than time spent in the casino, which is where we go between dinners and shows. We might be just one really awful MDR meal from refusing to ever go back.

Keep checking as your cruise date approaches. We took the Pizza Masters class on the Celebration in early October and I kept checking, hoping there would be another class scheduled for a different date. There were multiple classes available very close to our sailing date.

We will be on our first B2B on the Independence next week, out of Miami. If we decide we would like to take luggage with dirty laundry to the car in the parking garage and swap it for clean clothing, how could that be done? We have a 12:30 Chops reservation that was made before we added the first cruise, and we are keeping it rather than changing to another date. Could we leave the ship with the luggage after lunch, probably 2 p.m., to walk from the ship to the car, then back onto the ship? What is the latest time we could reboard? If we go before lunch, say 11:30, will there be so many people that it will be just like a usual embarkation? I am assuming we would have to wait in whatever line there might be to go through Security, then walk directly to the gangway, is this correct?

I have always been able to pay with two credit cards. I had both cards in hand every time (or he was there with me), so I am not sure how it would work with three people in different locations. But I am sure there is a way to do it.

Earlier this month in a cove balcony on the Celebration, we had the two chairs pushed close together on the side farthest from the door. The table was pushed up against the corner in front of the door. There would be no place for even one extra chair other than putting it in front of the door once it was closed, and even then there is not enough space for two people to stand while two were sitting. We loved the cove balcony and spent more time out there than we ever have in a regular balcony, but it really was very small.

We have had two interesting cruises due to noise. We were on Deck 14 aft on the Mardi Gras. The supports for the Bolt were so close to our room that it sounded like the cars were running through our closet, along with vibrations. We could tell when the “boost” button was pushed. The other one was the MSC Seaside. One section of the dining room is directly under the bowling alley. We were assigned there on both cruises, but it was really more amusing than irritating.

Oh, the look on Ryan’s face 😍. Looks like, “I love you guys, and I wish I was going!”

Are you certain the purchase went through (is the charge on your credit card)? Is the email possibly in your junk/spam folder?

I thought Jersey Week was the second week in February? I can’t keep up with it!

I live in Florida and didn’t realize fall break was a thing! We have a B2B on the Independence November 2-10. Prices have been really low on both sailings, though, so maybe it isn’t a fall break magnet. The solarium is where we spend a lot of time.

Last week in Miami I tipped $6 for three bags, as I always do. The porter stared at the cash in his hand and frowned. One of the three bags had been delivered by the time cabins were available, but the other two did not appear until over an hour after sail away. The Apple air tags showed that they were still outside the terminal at sail away, and I was very stressed and upset at the thought of a 7-night cruise with no clothing. Coincidence? Maybe. I won’t tip more because of it, but I will always wonder where those bags were between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

No, it updated periodically, but always showed the same location with a different time. Started at 10:34 a.m., time changed three times, location never changed. We were sailing off with the two bags shown at the same location they had been since 10:34, still at the port instead of on the ship. The third bag showed that it was with us on the ship, which was correct. Later, the steward’s iPhone triggered them to report that they were no longer with us at roughly 10 a.m. and again around 7:15 p.m, each day, times he was likely to be in the cabin.

Last week, we arrived at the Port of Miami at about 10:15 a.m. One of our three checked bags was at the cabin at some time before 1:30. The other two showed that they were in the same location we left them with a porter until an hour after sailaway. I can’t tell you how upset I was at the thought of seven nights on a cruise with no clothing 😡. They. magically appeared in our cabin at about 5:30 p.m. WTH, Apple?! So much unnecessary stress. Then, for the rest of the cruise, we could tell every time the steward was in our cabin with his iPhone, because I received a notification that our luggage was no longer with us.

The promenade would have been okay based on what we paid, but I would prefer to avoid it if possible. Ironically, the absolute noisiest snorer I have ever heard (who has cost me many hours of sleep because of the volume of his snoring) is afraid there will be noise from the parties on the promenade that will keep him from falling asleep 😂. I bid on four varieties of OVs, and it is the lowest category that is showing pending. Our preference is almost always OV over balcony because we never use a balcony enough to make it worthwhile, so we would be fine with any window in any location.

I booked an interior guarantee at an excellent price for the November 2 sailing of the Independence, to create a B2B with the previously booked November 6 sailing. Last week I saw a muster station assignment, did the barcode trick, and saw an assignment to a connecting promenade cabin. I am not crazy about those cabins, and my SO is definitely not pleased. I bid on four Royal Up categories at that point. My documents became available yesterday, still showing GTY. Today I see that three of my bids are expired, and one is pending and unable to be modified or cancelled. If I remember correctly, this is an excellent indication of success, isn’t it?

I think there is a date that has yet to be announced for that change. I recently checked in on the website for November cruises and have the “normal” view of my January cruise under “upcoming cruises”. But the one in August has a new section added that states. “Check in opens on the app on July 11, 2024.”

That is surprising, but good to know, thank you. The last time I did it was back when the limit was $200, or $250 if you showed them an American Express credit card. That was many years ago.

I think it was @Merion_Mom who stated it was no longer done. I have a short list of CC posters who are always right, and she heads the list. My memory, though, may not be as accurate.

Not trying to be argumentative, but that information dates back to 2017. I believe check cashing was discontinued several years ago.

If you have ever participated in a Meet and Greet, they have your CC username.

Thank you so much for this! I just did a screen shot and printed it for our Celebration cruise this Sunday. I have been reading Jamman’s review (for the third time) and making notes, but you already did it for me. Plus, yours is legible 😂

Two hours ago, the 11/2 sailing was $149, now it is $353. I grabbed it late Sunday evening for $152 to create a B2B with a free casino sailing on 11/6 and make that trip to Miami worthwhile. I checked immediately after booking and it had gone up to $341. Is it possible they offer only one cabin at those prices? I saw one at 9 p.m. on Sunday and the other at 7 a.m. this morning, perhaps not popular times for browsing.

No, we will be on the Carnival Celebration. There is a “Carnival Kitchen”, where they hold a variety of different cooking classes. We took Pasta Masters on the Marci Gras last year and want to do Pizza Masters badly enough to tie up Cozumel day for an 11:30 class.