misstopgun

As most have stated, we send cottons, t-shirts, shorts, jeans, and polos. We don't send delicates either. They may do a fine job with special instruction but we don't want to risk it.

 

We have sent out clothing for ironing only as well, but that is at an extra charge and not included in the platinum or higher laundry service, but well worth it to us, as we refuse to iron while on vacation.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my first post. The ship is delayed. We are not ABLE to board until 2:30. They just got into port about 5 minutes ago and haven't even started disembarking. Carnival does, in fact, reimburse for lunch if your ship arrives to the port late. In fact, last week's Magic cruise was refunded for lunch, but they boarded much later. I'm just wondering at what embarkation time do they refund lunch money. A girl can hope for a few extra DODs, can't she :)?

 

We once boarded late due to mechanical problems but I think we boarded closer to 3:30-4:00. We were given a credit of $12.00 PP, which wasn't enough to cover a sit down lunch, but a nice gesture none the less.

 

I can't say what the cut off time is, but I can vouch that being reimbursed is a possibility. If you think you will come out ahead on it though you would need to be frugal with your lunch choices.

The sick man shouldn't have lied to get on the ship.

 

I agree no one should lie and risk getting hundreds more sick. I do think if the cruise line made it possible for them to reschedule without penalty if they were sick, (requiring medical documents of course), there wouldn't be as many who did lie. If one has paid thousands for a cruise and they will lose it all if they don't go, it would be very tempting to make the wrong choice.

 

No, it's not the right thing to do, but I understand that some would without any other option other than losing all they invested.

 

I also know that the ship will quarantine passengers with tummy complaints out of precaution even though it may be just a minor complaint. My sister and her husband were quarantined for 24 hours because they went to the infirmary to get medication for mild diarrhea because they had forgotten to bring anything with them. They were not feeling poorly otherwise and not running a fever. They just were not accustomed to the rich foods they had been eating. Lesson learned. Now they remember their Pepto.

 

We have been fortunate and have never become ill. We wash our hands religiously and try not to touch our face with our hands and avoid heavy hand contact surfaces. I start each cruise sanitizing counters, handles, remotes, telephone, etc. with Clorox wipes. We use knuckles for elevator buttons and avoid stair railings.

 

I am not convinced that they would post a guard for a sick person. I would think that if one truly had noro virus they wouldn't feel well enough to leave their room. I understand it's nasty stuff. It's anybody's guess.

Our last couple of cruises we had "casino cash" waiting for us when we checked in at the cage in the casino. They also had "drinks on us" cards waiting for us the first day. The previous cruise to that they gave us drink cards on our second day.

 

I checked with the Players Club for any perks we might be getting for our upcoming cruise in April. I was told in addition to casino cash, we would also get our drink cards right away. I was surprised because our last cruise was a 5 day so we didn't spend as much as we normally do on a 7 day. I was told we qualified because we had each accumulated over 3000 points that cruise.

 

We normally only play table games so we are not rated as well as you would be on slots, but it seems to have gotten better. We normally don't spend more than $15 -$20 a hand but we do play every night 4-6 hours. We also get to know the pit bosses and casino hostess and always tip on winning hands to keep their attention. Tipping is appreciated and noticed.

 

Their criteria for qualifying for perks seems to have changed over the past year and a half. We used to get wine and fruit baskets, bottled water, and photo coupons. Now we get casino cash and drink cards, which we prefer anyway.

 

We purchase chips off of our S&S card and cash in any winnings at the end of the night. We then put cash toward our S&S account at the service desk at the end of the cruise if our gambling has been profitable. This helps them rate our spending as well as helps us monitor how much we have spent in the casino so we don't go over budget, win or lose.

 

I feel they have gotten more consistent at rating table players. It still never hurts to do the right things so you know you have been noticed, even if you aren't playing high roller hands.

 

It seems to have become a bit more fair than it used to be. I know I spend as much as many "high rollers" who spend an hour to an hour and a half and then leave. They are now considering time played over 4 hours a day as well as amounts bet each time.

Wonder if they pseudo plats will board first or with the normal plats. Or before FTtf

 

Who really cares. If you are in the priority area, you could be #1 or #50. Does it really matter? Is there a benefit to being 100 yards ahead of someone else? Sounds silly to me.

I wonder if a pseudo plat can bump an earned plat for limited perks, like dining times?

 

Probably not, since dining times are usually established prior to boarding. Even last moment changes on board will depend on availability. Already assigned dining time would of course not be available.

I'm platinum and I don't hate FTTF people... I'm not fond of rude people, with or without FTTF.

That said, I thought it'd be the FTTF people who'd be ticked about carnival doing this. I mean they are now GIVING status away for FREE. Which comes with the same perks people are paying $50 for plus other perks the $50 doesn't. It's being given to folks just like them that don't yet meet the criteria... Just thought that'd ruffle a few feathers about "why not me".

 

 

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Agreed! FTTF means I get a couple of perks I didn't before. Room ready and early luggage.

Contrary to some posters here, most off us felt all along that this was not the fault of CCL. This ship has had issues, but we still would sail her under the right circumstances.

 

We not only would, but have, and have a B2B booked on her again in September. We loved that cruise!

 

It's so silly the perception of some due to the sensationalism of the news and other media. Because we cruise often, we hear it all the time, and are constantly explaining what the risks really are, not the perception that most that have never cruised have.

 

I wouldn't want to be on a cruise that had the issues Triumph did, but I know if it ever happens, I will be well compensated. They would pay my expenses for that trip as well as provide me with another cruise to make up for it, probably at half the price. Things can go wrong on any vacation, not just a cruise.

If we were in the position that we needed it, we would purchase FTTF. Years ago, they had a program we bought into before we achieved platinum to enable us to go to the VIP lounge and also offered priority tendering. It was the Carnival Vacation Club. There were supposed other perks involved such as free land based vacations that never came to fruition due to everything seeming to be blacked out at any time of the year we tried to book. But I digress.

 

The main reason we bought into the program was my husbands mobility issues. He simply could not stand for long periods of time in the regular lines, and he was at an age that he was too "proud" to be assisted in a wheelchair, and even if he needed that service, back then it wasn't as simple as calling the special needs department. It was something that had to be secured after arrival which might or might not happen. (Amazing the difference 20 plus years make , right?) But believe me, back then it wasn't cheap. $50 per room is a basement bargain compared to what we paid. At the time we paid for two separate packages until we reached our 10th cruise that would allow us to go to the VIP check in, which was the only reason we made the purchase in the first place.

 

When I think about being able to get the FTTF perks for a mere $50 per room, it makes me feel our money was squandered, though at the time it was the only offer that met our needs.

 

We no longer need FTTF, but if we did, you bet, we would happily pay the $50. And in addition to the perks we received, you also get your luggage prioritized and can go to you room immediately upon boarding. Those were perks not available on the Carnival Vacation Club plan at 5x the price. Thankfully, because of this program, we are able to get the same perks you are paying for today at no additional fee.

I read this week that Carnival had a record number of new bookings in January. I wondered if all this horrible weather across the country lately hasn't caused a lot of people to want to get away, so they are booking cruises. I booked a cruise this week for late February, and it was totally out of the blue and unplanned like yours. I'm just sick of Winter! Lol. And there are some awesome rates out there right now.

 

I hope you have a great time on your unexpected cruise in 2 weeks. Be sure and come back and tell us how much fun you have. :-)

 

I live in Sunny Arizona so the weather isn't really an issue. What gets us stirring is the offers I receive for a 45% reduced price from the Carnival Players club. It isn't really all that so to speak as this is for a room I wouldn't wan,t so of course I pay for the upgrades. They know us well and know our history and know we will do this. They know we won't settle for an interior room. We still get a bit of a discount though not the one that's advertised.

 

So they are playing us, and we play along. Who cares, we have a B2B booked with a few dollars saved than booking it outright. They get the booking, we get our coveted vacation we would have booked anyway, but maybe not so far in advance. Everyone wins!

I just happened to click on this link and just couldn't stop reading until I read all posts!

 

I am really sorry that the OP missed his cruise with his family but I am sure life's lessons will benefit many from his own family to everyone who read of his plight. That in itself was worth the read, but in addition, we got to see the good side of so many CC posters for a change. It appears some posts were deleted but still it leaves a strand of hope that this site could still be the cruise friendly domain it once was.

 

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but over the past couple of years, threads have become almost useless to new cruisers due to the conflicting information given, and it takes a saint pretty much to read through everything to get even a shred of good advice once you get past the flaming of others who have contributed. Had I been met with this environment when I first joined, I would have run as fast as I could. Even the roll calls for particular cruises are effected. Maybe it is a result of other media options, but I would venture to guess a lot of it has to do with the negative feelings one deals with after surfing the CC threads. Though there are still a few with good vibes, thoughts, genuine knowledge, and respect for the opinion of others, it seems most often this has become a site for menaces who only want to reek havoc and stir the pot.

 

This particular thread shared a ray of hope, a overall positive attitude to most that contributed. Thanks so much to the OP and all that shared. In the arena of "life lessons", this has been a fine example of what a forum such as this should be.

-Carnival passengers are everyday people, not smug and pretentious as you find on other cruise lines. it doesn't matter where we are today, hubby and I began life in blue collar America, and we choose to hang with like kind.

-Carnival crew are fantastic! Friendlier and more personal than other cruise lines.

-Carnival is our comfort zone. We are diamond and know what to expect and what we want to do each and every cruise. Our main objective is relaxation, which is harder to do while figuring out the in's and out's of a different cruise line.

We have been on the Legend 6 times and the Dream 2. We much prefer the Legend. It seems much less crowded and the crew seems to be "friendlier." Not that the crew on the Dream wasn't friendly, just more so in a professional rather than personal sort of way.

 

That being said, how old is your son? Would he enjoy the superior water park on the Dream, or the Hasbro show? We don't travel with children so never take things like that into account.

 

I would also think the French doors to provide sunlight and a little fresh air would be a plus. I too am a bit claustrophobic so an inside room and the anxiety that goes with it are out. If it's your son's first cruise, he is going to enjoy it regardless.

 

Also, March 29 is getting too close to spring break so either ship is liable to be crowded. I would pick the less crowded of the two. I never experienced lines for anything on the Legend with exception of short waits for anytime dining. On the Dream, there always seemed to be lines for everything, and forget about the comedy shows unless you want to wait an hour before the show starts to secure a place in the lounge. We usually sail in the spring pre or post spring break and in September or October after school starts so in all honesty cannot tell you what the crowds will be like on either ship at the end of March.

It would seem to me that if the toilet paper holder was in a position that was hard to maneuver and was sharp enough to cut deep enough to need stitches, that would have been a safety hazard and a fault of the ship. I would have pursued this with guest services and insisted they cover the medical expense.

 

Even then, how expensive was it really that made it unaffordable? When I broke my foot in St Martin, my visit to the infirmary, including x-rays and casting the foot was less than $200. This was my fault and not the fault of the cruise line so I was happy to pay. I was amazed at the level of care and the low cost.

 

It does disturb me a bit to hear the second visit to the infirmary was met with a rude response, but maybe it was because you went against their recommendation and they didn't want to be further liable because you did. Stitches would have enabled the wound to heal faster and leave less chance of infection.

 

As others have mentioned, you really should get it checked if you are still having issues. MRSA can be very dangerous.

 

I too would have been irritated if my shower wasn't working properly. To say that a ship is notorious for this sort of thing doesn't make it acceptable. And even if the Spa shower might be more comfortable, it is not as convenient. If it is known that the showers are a ongoing issue, I would want to know up front before booking. If I found out after the fact that this problem was known but not disclosed, I would be fit to be tied. One shouldn't have to do their own research to determine the glitches on each ship before booking. Not to disclose a issue such as this if it is an ongoing problem, (and I am not saying it is, someone just mentioned it in their response) to me would be dishonest on the part of the cruise line. It wouldn't be the product you thought you bought so I would consider it a partial breach of contract.

 

I will say that if I was that dissatisfied, I would do all in my power to resolve any complaints while on the ship. To wait until you have left the ship and then complain makes it appear that it wasn't such an issue that it interrupted your fun, but when the fun was over you have sour grapes for what happened that wasn't as pleasant. You have more leverage when you are letting it be known at the time of the issue.

Though we seldom receive one, that is refreshing to hear, but to be honest, Carnival knows by now probably that I will let them know one way or another that I enjoyed my cruise or if I had issues via social media if customer service doesn't respond or responds poorly.

 

It seems that since they stopped leaving them in room and enticing people to fill them out with the chance of winning a free cruise, the online ones have been reported to be few and far between. Someone is finally starting to pay attention. I applaud the move.

 

I see so often that loyal customers feel they are being cast aside for a different demographic, but I can't fully agree they would give up the thousands we spend each year on our cruises. We spend more on our rooms than new cruisers getting a balcony or better. We buy the wine packages most new cruisers don't know about. We upgrade to the steak house and do the chef's table, and because the shows are all old to us we spend a lot more time and money in the casinos. So I have a hard time believing they would want to give up on loyal customers. They have our track record and know what we spend. They have no idea what a new customer will spend, heck, most are shell shocked when they realize their bar bill is more than their cruise fare was. That's before excursions, photos, etc.

 

It's really good to see they are reaching out once again to get more feedback from their customers. I think its a move in the right direction! Thanks for sharing.

If you have become accustomed to a balcony, it might be difficult to enjoy your cruise without one. I know over the past three years we spend even more time on the balcony because we want to enjoy the fresh sea and air, but can no longer stand the loud DJ's on the Lido. I also tend to get claustrophobic so a balcony is the perfect solution. How can you feel pinned in with a vast ocean in front of you?

My sister switches back and forth depending on what her budget is for that particular cruise. She says not having a balcony does encourage them to do more around the ship because they are bored in their room. (and her DH smokes) I have noticed though that when she has a inside room, she generally has more complaints about the cruise overall. I think you have to be satisfied with your surroundings to really let go of the little annoyances and enjoy the cruise.

Personally, if a balcony makes me happy, I would find other things to cut back on pre cruise to be able to afford it. Less Starbucks, take my lunch to work, more organized errand running to save on gas, or whatever. When on vacation, I don't want to sacrifice.

We sailed the Triumph in Sept. and loved her. We just didn't like the shorter cruise. We will sail her again if we can take a B2B but no more 5 day cruises for us.

Drinks are not free. The pit boss does have somewhat of a budget though and could choose to buy you one from time to time if you have been playing awhile.

 

I am assuming this is your first Carnival cruise? If not, call the casino club and ask if you qualify for any perks based on your play from your previous cruise. Sometimes you can get the "drinks on us" card at the start of your cruise if you have accrued enough points from the previous one. You can also earn a "drinks on us" card by accruing 1500 points on the cruise you are on. This might take 2-3 days though depending on your level of play.

 

Unfortunately, because you like table games, points don't seem to be tracked as well as if you were on a machine with your card recording your play. My husband and I have the same problem. We have seen some invest small amounts of money and play on the proceeds in slot machines and get the card while we spend much more on the table and don't seem to qualify until 2-3 days in. It doesn't matter though, we don't play for free drinks, or even to win. We play for the entertainment value. Of course it does tend to get more entertaining win you do actually come out ahead, but we never plan on it.

 

As the above poster said, play nice, tip well and they will pay more attention to you.

Once you've had a suite you'll never go back :D

 

Sure you can. We do it all the time. Sure we prefer a suite, but a extended balcony will do just fine if the price isn't right.

We feel if you really want to enjoy a suite on Carnival, you have to get the Grand suite. The OS just don't offer that much more for the price. The Grand suite has a much better space and room.

 

When we don't book a Grand Suite, we book a extended balcony. Other than the bathroom there really isn't that much difference. The small "extra" area is a dressing area that is usually too dark to apply make up, even when the mirrors are lit so you end up using the bathroom lighting anyway.

 

We have no qualms about spending extra money for extra space but we want to make certain it is space we will enjoy, such as a larger seating area for watching TV or eating our room service orders. It is also nice not feeling your room is cluttered because of lack of counter space.

 

When we find a Grand Suite for a decent price, we go ahead and book it. If not, we book an extended balcony and hope for the suite prices to come down and then upgrade. (Once we were upgraded for free but I think our PVP had something to do with that since it was our honeymoon.)

 

If the price doesn't come down on the suites, we know we will be comfortable enough with the extended balcony even though we would prefer the suite.

 

It still amazes me the price they ask for a OS when you really aren't getting that much more. It would seem to me if they were going to encourage repeat guests to upgrade, they would not have such a large gap between balconies and OS. Many times the gap between the OS and the Grand isn't as much as the gap as between the balcony and the OS, and the Grand has so much more room in the bath, room, and balcony.

So glad to hear you had a wonderful cruise.

 

The Legend is our favorite ship (we have sailed her 5 times already) and we have a cruise booked in April. Our biggest concern was that she might have lost her "feel" when she went abroad.

 

We have always found Legend to be the "friendliest" ship in the fleet and are excited to hear that the vibe hasn't changed.

I am so glad to see some of you getting a break. I got an offer (that I had to look for in my VIFP location, no letter) for a good deal on a interior room. Obviously they don't do their research. We have sailed balconies or above since cruise #3.

 

I would love it if they would extend some of the love to loyal cruisers as well.

As a Long time Carnival cruiser I have to say that the new menus are exciting to us. We don't cruise for food, but do appreciate quality of food. Over the past few years have noticed, like most long term cruisers, that the quality of food has diminished. The 3/4 inch prime rib has been reduced to 1/3 of an inch and no matter how fast they serve, is bound to be cold by the time they get it to you, and worse when you have to wait indefinitely for horsey sauce or gravy to make its way to the dish. In addition, the fat content has increased, and yes I know that the right amount of fat makes for a more tender piece of meat, but I am talking globs of fat, not marbling. Lobster is no longer Maine lobster. I could go on and on.

 

The new menu boasts of filet mignon and sirloin on different nights, and even though flat iron is offered on one night, it isn't the only cut of steak you can get on the cruise without paying for the steakhouse. (remember not all ships have a steakhouse)

 

The new menu also provide calamari every night which is a first, and a favorite for my husband and I.

 

My only concern is that the first reviews on the Glory are not very positive, but the menu itself was not so much a problem as the confusion of the service staff. It seems no one really knows how they "family style" dining is supposed to work.

 

If some that have commented are correct, I will defiantly have a problem with the "family style". I don't mind sharing the same bowl with the table but it had better come with a common serving utensil. Even if it were my direct family member, I would not want to share a bowl with Aunt Gertrude if she served herself first with a fork or spoon she had previously inserted in her mouth. (I really don't have a aunt Gertrude but you get my drift.)

 

What we are hearing is supposed to happen and what is actually being reported are two different things. We are told we can order individually and not share as opposed to reports that servers are putting down large bowls expecting all to share without a common serving utensil. I hope they get it together before I experience these new menus, as exciting as they seem.

I believe that "entry level" is could be part of the strategy. IMO the main part of the strategy is to position Carnival as the "casual", "relaxed" or "low cost" cruising option. This would appeal to new cruisers, people who want a casual atmosphere in all aspects of the cruise, or those who want a quick, low cost, getaway. For the record, I can adapt to the casual dining strategy (which also has cost reduction aspects). However, I do not like the 2.0 entertainment.

 

Until recently, I contended that Carnival, NCL, and RCI were more similar than different. The recent rapid changes at Carnival now have me believing that Carnival wants to create a unique position for themselves in the industry. Some will like it and some will move on.

 

The risk with the "entry level" strategy is that some may "move up" to RCI or some other competitor instead of the CCL brands.

 

If they could somehow incorporate their loyalty programs they could avoid the risk of the switch in brands. After the Triumph situation I was pretty much forced to take RCL because my vacation time was booked and other Carnival itineraries did not appeal to me. I really enjoyed my RCL cruise but also enjoy my diamond status on Carnival.

 

If I could still enjoy the same perks on Princess I would be happy to pay a bit more for a better experience. You see, sometimes, to those of us that have to fly to our destinations, free laundry means a lot in baggage fees. As it is, we pay more for our flights most times than we do for the cruise itself. (not counting onboard spending) I am aware that most cruise line offer more in the way of perks and with much less sail time but who wants to start all over?

 

I really enjoyed my RCL cruise but never felt "at home" as I do on Carnival. People on RCL don't know that I am a seasoned cruiser and don't extend that "welcome back" attitude as Carnival does. If Carnival could extend their loyalty perks to their other brands, then you bet, I would be on the first ship leaving.

 

I wouldn't be dealing with the changes and "cutbacks" and I would still be giving them my money. I would be exploring new pay venues for dining. I would be on different itineraries so once again spending money on excursions I have not yet experienced, (because trust me, I have done all on Carnival I am physically fit for or cared to do.)

 

I just thank goodness that our needs are simple and the main goal of any cruise is still to relax and escape everyday jobs and expectations. Carnival still fits that goal. Too many changes, who knows? After all, if I am flying anyway, why not make it a land based trip to an all inclusive? We have done this in the past but became bored after a few days, but the older we get, and the less active we are, the possibility is once again in our minds. I see that in the future if things continue to regress, then not only will we not be sailing Carnival, we will not be sailing at all.

 

Why wouldn't the Carnival corporation want us to upgrade comfortably to a new line under their umbrella I wonder? It took since 2002 to get where we are. We would be very fortunate indeed to be able to get to this same level on another line. In another twelve years we would be lucky to board in wheelchairs. Meanwhile, we will would still be cruising and spending more on their sister ships if the benefits were corporate, rather than fleet wide.

If there were deceased to debark, I can understand why they would want to get back early.

 

There isn't a whole lot of time between turnarounds, You have cruisers debarking at the same time cruisers are lining up to embark. Would you really want to bring out dead bodies while people are waiting to embark? And if law enforcement were involved, wouldn't you want that dealt with before current passengers began to show up?