cruzinmamaTN

One more thought, if you didn't purchase travel insurance, if you purchased the trip via a major credit card (not your bank's debit card, but a credit card), many include some level of "vacation protection", which might include reimbursement for lost baggage.

I know my Capital One Rewards & my Royal Carribbean (via BofA) offer this if the trip was purchased on those cards. Might be another option if you have to purchase replacement clothing, etc.

Hope everything works out for you!

Here is NC, you also don't get your ID/DL via "same day" service. You go in and then it is mailed to you. So, at least is seems that practice is not a "unique" case, and threfore I can only assume that the agents have seen this before.

Luckily though, (again here in NC), the mailed license arrived in just a couple of days.. hopefully hers will also!

"Faster to the fun" I think it's 49.99 per cabin and it's under your excursions on carnivals website. It gives you priority boarding and your room is ready sooner. It also allows you to get off the ship priority at ports.

Just to clarify (sorry to nitpick).. .but you do not get off the ship "priority" at ports.. it is only applicable to "Tender" ports - then you get priority tender. For all other ports (the ones where the gangway is used at the dock), you still disembark via the stadard process - no priority.

I would like to see improved benefits for suite/returning guests. This appears to be an area where Carnival has made cuts.

Big Screen/Band on Pool Deck... that's gonna stay... the total market wants it, so it's here.

It's easy to get captivated in the "Cruise Critic" world.. but important to remember that generally speaking "Cruise Critic" passangers are less than 1% of the onboard passangers in any sailing.

Kinda don't matter much in the overall demographic.

If you don't like it, there are plenty of other options.. you'l just have to ante up for them. It's up to you how much those "wants" translate to "dollars". I used to be able to buy gas for $0.95/gallon.. those days are dead and over... move ON!

 

I agree with you! I once worked for a Pastor from West Africa and while in the pulpit, he would bid some one to come up to the platform. However, instead of using his pointer finger, he would use his middle finger. He had no clue as to what it meant. :eek:

 

I don't know for sure, and I understand that there are cultural differences in hand gestures, however, I feel pretty sure that Carnival Corp. has that covered in their "basic training" for crew members, and certainly for "pax facing" crew.... the correct/inocrrect way to point/pose/etc. There is no way I'd beleive he didn't *KNOW* this was not a proper stance for a passangers' photo.

 

here's the photo, what do you think?

 

I rarely post on reviews, and even more infrequently complain, but this picture (in my opinion) should be sent to Carnival corp. and also to John Heald.. because it is so completely unprofessional, uncalled for, and just plain rude!

 

Imagine being a 1st time cruiser (or heck, maybe a 100th time cruiser!) who just wants a nice photo of their waitstaff to commerate their vacation, and then to get home and find THIS? NO. NO. it's just wrong, and should be addressed.

If it were me, I'd just bring everything...

Brazilian passport (maiden name, right?) + naturalization cert (maiden name) + Marriage certificate (should have both names her maiden & your surname) + new DL (married name).. that would clearly show the "history", and would eliminate any potential issues, I would think.

I am a US citizen, and before I had my passport, I brought my birth cert + 1st marriage + divorce + 2nd marriage + DL... I was only ever asked for my DL & BC (my maiden is now my middle though, so maybe that made it clear).. but I always had everything.. just in case!

Maybe things will work out and her passport will arrive in time! (I wonder if there might be a delay due to "back log" from during the shutdown though?)

Good Luck!

the above posters are correct.. 750ml, and it's the staff at the pier (security) that will inspect it.

On our last cruise out to Port Canaveral, I thought I was being "smart" and bought two of those "cardboard" type wine boxes.. not the square ones the ones that are more rounded, because I"m always paranoid about the bottles breaking in my carry on.. they are slightly more than 750ml... like 780-ish (not a lot over), and it took a couple of inspectors to decide to allow them on.

I wasn't trying to "cheat", I just couldn't remember the exact volume requirements, and just "assumed" these would contain the same amount as a standard bottle.

Just FYI, and as always, YRMV.

Happy Cruising!

Just back (March 16th weekend)... see my post here regarding the cabanettes:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1598029&highlight=monarch Post #16

I think they are worth it.. IF you:

1. want a leisurely, peaceful lunch atmosphere (yes, there is a FREE Buffet on the island, but it is just crazy busy, and seating is "picnic style" mostly.. and we like a little more "calm" than yet another long buffet line

2. Dont have more than 2 ppl in your party... each cabanette can accomodate TWO people, and the area and layout is really not conducive to children.. they can't get to the water, there is no sand there.. nothing for them to do.. it is a "just lay out an chill" kind of place... (NOT bashing kids.. I have 4.. but I WOULD NOT bring them or pay for them in this area.. they'd be soo bored!) if you had a "group" and could all rent them together, that would be fun.. BUT the clamshells are "OPEN" and NOT moveable (not like the ones on Labadee).. so you really can't talk or hang out as a "group" on the loungers.. unless you maybe pulled them out from the clamshells.. and even then, you'd be blocking the paths, as there is really not a lot of room in this area.....

3. Don't want to "work" to find a lounger or be bothered with hard working wait staff selling drinks... there is 1 bar.. and other than a quick.. "hey.. are you okay? need anythong" we were left in complete peace... we even wrapped up under our towels and took a little nap!

4. won't be going to/from water/beach/island all day long... if you are going to be active (and we ARE) then, maybe it's a good place to "chill" in the AM, grab a calm lunch, before setting out to explore the rest of the island in the afternoon... you can't get to the water.. and the water on that side of the island is rougher/cooler than the further beaches anyway... we hang out there in the AM (til after lunch) then move to our 'fave' area on the back of the island for the afternoon water & sun.

It's one of the things that I do think is appropriately priced for what you get ... *if you understand what it is, and it meets your particular plans for your island day*

either way.. ENJOY! your on vacation... better than anywhere else, right???

from an environmental impact stand point it really bugs me they print all of those prints (most of which get thrown away). They should scan the S&S cards and only print on request.

Exactly! While I understand this would require a technology upgrade @ Carnival, I'm sure the Disney Photopass program is a true revenue generating business, while it seems that the photography program on Carnival is a break-even, at best.

Sorry, the photos always have been a rip-off, but people buy them, even though I have no idea why. Take your own camera and there will ALWAYS be other guests onboard who will be happy to take your picture-we do it all the time for others especially when we see one family member taking a picture of the rest, we immediately ask to help so that everyone is in the picture.

We always do that too! When we are standing somewhere and see one person taking a pic of the rest of the group, we always offer to take a "whole" group photo for them! We have TOO MANY of: him with the ocean in the background, then me with the ocean in the background.. when all we wanted was just one of US with the ocean in the background!

wow... thanks for pointing me to that thread.. it seems my "searching" skills need to be improved!!

I was kinda thinking it was like the "photo shoot" that Disney offers at their resorts... and I was prepared for "Disney" pricing.. but... wow... this is really over the top!

We will be skipping this "free" opportunity... while we were willing to pay the "standard" 8x10 or 5x7 price for photos.. the "all or nothing" is more than we are interested in... we'll be sticking to the Formal Night portraits.

Thanks again for the direction!

I was looking over a previous "Fun Times" and I saw a blurb about a "Dreams Studio" sign up.. it seems it's basically a private photo shoot.. has anyone done this?

If so..

-Do you get to choose the location? Are there multiple locations?

-Are their multiple time slots available? How flexible are the times?

-Is there a fee for the sitting?

-Do you review/purchase pictures in the same format as other photos?

-Do they offer any specials for purchasing a "package" of portraits?

Overall experience? Better/Same as Formal Night portraits? Worth the time?

Thanks for your insight!