CheckersMidwest

I will need to check in at home too. Usually we are disconnected while on vacation but this time our daughter is pregnant and I'll need to check in or they will need to get a hold of us in an emergency. I am aware of the International Day Plan through ATT. Used it in Europe last summer & worked great. On the ship.....if I do the wifi plan & use Facetime or messenger video chat........how do I do that? Is the phone still on airplane mode? Same to text another iphone?

We've sailed both Caribbean and Alaska. They are NOT the same cruise experience. It is chilly on board, especially with the wind from sailing when out on deck. You are outside A LOT because you want to see the countryside and wildlife. Once you enter the passage, there is land on both sides of the ship throughout most of the cruise. The pool was open but rarely was anyone in it. We did use the hot tub the day we were in the Fjord after our excursion. The hot water was great but it was freezing outside. (snowing!). On shore, it was chilly in the mornings but by afternoon a short sleeve shirt was all you needed, it did get warm. I packed jeans, tshirts, and sweatshirts. I used them all. For the glacier excursion in the Fjord where it snowed, I had a Columbia winter coat with the zip out liner. I used both pieces. Gloves and scarf. I used a hoody & rain coat for the sea mist during the whale watching excursion. I don't think I wore shorts once. The atmosphere is different too. There is still sail away.....but it is much more lax. Not the party crowd or atmosphere of Caribbean cruises. Shows were the same, comedians, piano bar, etc same.

I have FTTF for our Celebration cruise in October. Purchased it some time ago. Keep checking.

If we cannot be ready for dinner on time after a port day, we just eat somewhere else. If we know in advance that we will not be eating in the dining room - like steakhouse, eating ashore, etc then we tell the waiters the night before - as well as any table mates. They should not sit and wait on us to be served. If it's a last minute decision, we let the matre de know. Same for as any reservation at home.

How do you buy Carnival Stock? Thought about a few shares for our grown kids for Christmas......... What are the benefits? Do you need a minimum number?

He's also assuming we'd pack clubs. Might just rent them along with the cart. 🙂 We'd go - keep posting details !

FYI - the dock repairs in Grand Turk are complete and ships are scheduled to return starting today. (October 11)

I know you can stay at Margarittaville or book a day pass......but do they have a walk up restaurant & public pool/beach like the other Margarittaville's ? Like Grand Turk and Cozumel ?

On the Panorama in July......they assigned you your Chef's Table time after you were aboard. There was a letter confirmation in your room. We got elegant night , other people got other nights, and some got lunch. Maybe it depends on how many people are signed up. The Chef's Table was also 'closed' due to covid and just reopened with the July sailings, maybe they were trying to book as many as possible ?! The couple we sat at our session, try to do the Chef's Table at every sailing it is available. She was talking about different things they'd had to eat. The menu on the Panorama was the first time they'd had that menu.

Actually , the chef sets the menu. It is printed and given to you at the end as a souvenier. When they assign you your time.....some people get lunch and others get dinner. Sometimes those meals differ on the same sailing.

The Chef's Table is a multi course meal prepared by the chef . There isn't a menu, he decides what to serve. We were given a sample menu/list afterwards as a souvinier to remember what we had. They explain each course as it is served. All very good.

US schools are in session mid August to Mid May. (Varies by a few weeks depending on the district) Journey's cruises are 11-14 days I think Back to Backs are certainly done by others. (I would love that! But can't be gone from work that long at a time.) The Bahamas is very close to the US, so those cruises are shorter. I really liked our southern Caribbean cruise that included Aruba and Curacao. The Puerto Rico/Virgin Island cruise is also excellent. My least favorite was out of Long Beach this past summer.

I have a similar offer.....$75 each with $50 on board credit each. Makes a 5 day sailing $25 plus tips & port fees/taxes. We took a similar offer last March and booked this one for October. (March was a casino offer. This one is not.) We don't typically take multiple vacations a year due to work ( and I don't have paid time off) but couldn't resist. We are in Missouri so have to fly to port, takes too many extra vacation days to drive to a port. Wish airfare wasn't so expensive right now!

My husband plays the tables but with less than $500 the entire cruise. Usually wins. Early cruises, he just handed them cash for buy in, so Carnival didn't know he gambled. Now, he hands them his card to 'check in' and still uses cash. He's never had a casino offer. I might. (might!) spend $20-$40 on slots per cruise. Lose every penny. Some cruises I don't gamble at all. Sailed on a casino offer for ME last March......FREE room and Drinks on Us while gambling. Only paid taxes & tips. That can't fit in some algorithm.

I haven't read through the other posts, so this may have already been said..... you can throw a positive PCR test for up to 3 months after having covid. A rapid antigen test will show NOW & doesn't react the same way. & Not to the antibodies in your system. ( And I don't mean an antibody test, that's different.)

A lot of the Caribbean ports have beach areas right off the ship, owned by Carnival (I presume). Does Mazatlan or Puerto Vallerta have anything similar?

We've always booked a 4 person room (inside, balcony, cabana) and only had 2 people. Usually, we put the kids (HS & College) in one room and we take the other. Never had a problem. We've booked both online and with a PVP.