15 hours ago, KATHY@HOME said:

 I know weather can affect if the ride is open so I really wanted to book it early just for that reason.  Hope that helps everyone.  Really appreciate the staff since I was with a first time cruiser and it was fun try the roller coaster together.😊

I'll second the idea of booking it early, if possible.  On our cruise on Mardi Gras, the weather was decent for the first part of our sailing and I was able to ride it twice (once for free; I'd gotten stuck on the ride 🙂 ).  But the weather turned windy during the second half, and the Bolt was closed for the duration.  

1 hour ago, staceyglow said:

Wouldn't that mean that you would carry them either way?  Either because you choose to do so, or because the porters are no longer accepting them?

Pretty much, but the original observation from @josephmz stated only "i will never understand why people persist in carrying their luggage on board."   Regardless of motive or choice, anyone arriving after a certain time HAS to.   

The good news is, that late during embark, they should be able to drop their luggage directly at their cabin.  

Another reason for having your luggage with you during embark is because after a certain time, the porters no longer accept luggage and you MUST schlep them onboard.  

Typically the cabins would be available by that time, though. 

On 9/12/2024 at 10:50 AM, Old Fart Cruisers said:

Carnival Corporation Lights the Way for Solar Energy at Port of Barcelona

 

Carnival Corporation Lights the Way for Solar Energy at Port of Barcelona (yahoo.com)

We'll be at Amber Cove in October and I'll look for the new solar installation they mentioned.  

14 hours ago, mycalpal said:

When Royal adds new food options to ships they are mostly extra cost places. 

Royal HAS added El Loco Fresh to some older ships, and it is complimentary, but it is no match for Blue Iguana Cantina on (I think) every Carnival ship, now. 

14 hours ago, mycalpal said:

 

.  I remember little Majesty had a better setup with Sorrento’s and Compass Deli just a few step up from the pool deck above the WJ.  Her only specialty restaurant was Johnny Rockets which we visited just for fun.  😎  

I loved the Compass Deli on the Majesty (may she r.i.p., my first cruise ever).  It was unique; no other ship had it.  I remember the Cruise Compass saying "Rumor has it that the Captain likes to eat there," and lo and behold, he did indeed sit down behind me to enjoy a fresh panini while I was there.  🙂   

17 hours ago, thewynn said:

I have always thought it would be great if once or twice a cruise, at a predetermined time, the deck lights would all be lowered so that some sky gazing could occur. These ships are so big that have a lot of light pollution. I may try the "secret" decks next time.

Definitely try them out!   

Carnival -- but not, e.g., Royal -- requires that all lights forward be dimmed, including curtains  being pulled over forward-facing stateroom windows.  This is for nighttime safety and visibility forward from the bridge.  So, on their ships equipped with "secret decks," which appears to be the majority, they are easily the darkest spots on the ship.  Most ships have connecting stairways between the forward decks.  I was today years old when I discovered that even the older Fantasy-class ships have one accessible "secret" deck forward.  

Under especially windy conditions the "secret" decks may be marked "Do not enter." 

Also, try not to let the doors slam, as you'll be near passenger staterooms.  There is usually an "airlock" leading outside, but the wind can be quite strong while underway.  

Let me also add my vote to the "secret decks" in front.  

Specifically, if you get right behind the big light that shines directly forward, you should then be in near-total darkness. 

We did this on the Horizon (Vista's sister ship) and after awhile we noticed that some "clouds" overhead hadn't moved in a while.   "John, could that be the Milky Way?"  
"Nahh.  --But let me check Google Sky Maps.   Oh, wow!   It IS the Milky Way!"  

First time in decades I've seen the Galactic disc in all its glory.  It, plus all the stars just popping out, was positively breathtaking.  

We did the same thing on our next cruise, also on Horizon, but the results weren't quite as good due to some haze, and passing by Key West off to port.  And of course, the phase of the Moon will be a factor as well.  

Things that make Carnival special for me:  

1.  The crew.  They seem happier overall than the crews on my other cruises (all on Royal), and have said they feel more a part of a "family" on Carnival.  During one BtF Tour, the Dance Captain told us he had been a performer on a different line, one of the Big Three, and he much preferred the crew atmosphere on Carnival.  Sure, it's subjective, but that's how it seems to me.  

Service-wise, I've always had great stateroom stewards on Carnival (with just one minor exception).  Meanwhile I've had lackluster service on Royal, with my luggage randomly deposited down the corridor, and most recently no sign of our steward until Day 3...something almost unthinkable on Carnival in my experience.  

2.  The Fun.  At my age I don't need a rock-climbing wall or a zipline on my ships, but I DO enjoy a good water-slide.  I just find Carnival's ships to be more "fun."  Less "wow," perhaps, but more fun.  

3.  The food.  More specifically, the free/included dining options especially for lunch.  I was startled at how relatively few options there were on Royal's Freedom-class ships than, say, a Conquest-class, and those Royal ships are much bigger than Conquest-class.  And the Vista and Excel classes have even more.

42 minutes ago, momof3cruisers said:

She’s wrong. 😂

Perfect Day at Coco Cay drives me nuts because it shouldn’t rhyme. 

"Perfect Dee At Coco Key"  😄  

My method is to pronounce it "cay" if it's a made-up name like CocoCay or Half Moon Cay, and to pronounce it "key" if it's the actual Bahamian name of the island.  

13 hours ago, CruisinArn said:

Not sure how much of a perk this is. You end up sitting for awhile waiting for everyone else to board. Sure you are not standing in line to wait. But now you are just waiting in the sun(maybe) and on a bobbing boat.

Yes, but it is likely to be the FIRST or second bobbing boat.  🙂  

On 8/4/2024 at 6:00 PM, RoperDK said:

The food pics look good!  We will definitely give lunch a try at JiJis and Cucina on Vista.  We will go to JiJis for dinner also.  Still waiting for a menu of Cucina to see if dinner is in our future.  Surprised that a menu hasn't been posted.

Maybe here:  https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/cucina-del-capitano-menu.pdf  

On GoCCL, it says that's the menu for all ships, whether Excel-class or not.  

Here's another vote for Ol' Fashioned Barbecue.  A mostly unsung hero of Conquest-class dining.  🙂 

11 hours ago, tidecat said:

Unless if these are going to be built as neoPanamax, in which case they can service Alaska, there is not much incentive to back off the mega ship trend.

--Except that Carnival will need some newer ships that can meet the height requirement of ports like Tampa and Baltimore.  

7 hours ago, nc762shooter said:

I'll be curious if these new ship designs are limited in height to where they can still serve ports like Jacksonville, Tampa, etc.

Yes indeed, THIS.   The new 150Kton ships could possibly be designed to be short enough to fit under the bridges -- maybe make them wider and/or longer.  

I'd also like to see Carnival return to Port Everglades, too.  I have some nice memories of that homeport. 

14 hours ago, UGACamper said:

HATE the new search engine.  Why not introduce features that actually help filter results, like being able to only search for 8 day cruises instead of the range of 6-9 days? Or filtering for a certain port instead of "Caribbean" or "Europe"?

Oh lordie, yes.   

Since Carnival's site is really sluggish and graphics-heavy I have a feeling I use the same booking site as staceyglow:  

9 hours ago, staceyglow said:

We actually use the search engine for a very popular internet travel agency and then call our PVP if we see something we like. It's very robust, including filters for date ranges, number of days, specific ship, ports you want to visit, embarkation port, etc. 

And the filters work smoothly, letting you select them and THEN invoke them for a list.  Makes it easier 2 go directly to the vacation cruises you want.  

2 hours ago, Captain Zippyjet said:

Wow, sounds like a great value. I did a behind the scenes tour on MSC's Maraviglia. We got to see the supply room, walk I-95, laundry room and main galley. It was split (the tour) to two two to three hour blocks. Day One was all the above. Day 2 was back stage and the bridge meeting the captain. I would love to see crew mess hall, crew cabins etc.

You don't normally see a crew cabin directly during the tour; we got lucky as there just happened to be one that was vacant along our route. 

Normally, during a sit-down break in the crew Training Center, the tour guide (usually the ship's Training Coordinator or assistant) will show the group photos of a standard crew cabin. 

The tour -- always on the last sea day, for reasons that will become obvious during the tour -- lasts long enough that it's questionable if I'll be able to get to Sea Day Brunch before it closes.  🙂   

14 hours ago, Pyrate13 said:

Five Guys is my go-to for burgers and fries. Yup' must have been an off day. Used to love Fudruckers but sadly, they're gone. On board it's Guys for sure.

Happy to say there is actually one Fuddruckers open near me (NE Georgia) -- the only remaining location in the state.  😮    And they're just as good as you (and I) remember.  

16 hours ago, StephPS79 said:

 

I've had that thought about most of the burgers I've gotten in the Windjammer.  Was on Wonder in November, and I thought it was on par with a cafeteria burger.  Maybe not the worst thing ever, but definitely evoked some high school cafeteria memories lol.

Happily, the burgers I've had more recently on Freedom OTS were...decent.  Much better, anyway.  And at 2am in the Windjammer (special hours, due to a charter) they were more than adequate.  🙂   

19 hours ago, joe/jack said:

No they don’t 

Never had Hardee’s but if Carnival could produce a product like Five Guys fresh cut fries 

that would be Golden for us

If Carnival provided the same QUANTITY of fries as Five Guys routinely does, there wouldn't be enough space in the storerooms on Deck 0 to hold all the potatoes!  😄   

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

If comparing lido deck grilled burgers, they are far out ahead of other cruise lines we have used.  

I'm remembering the terrible burgers they had on Independence OTS a few years ago -- tasted like the worst school-food, mostly-filler burgers imaginable -- and couldn't agree more.  

On 7/18/2024 at 4:40 PM, Captain Zippyjet said:

To ride on a crew elevator (Lift) you can do it as part of an excursion. I took a behind the scenes tour on the Maraviglia (MSC) and would do one again in a New York Minute. I'm wondering how Carnival's behind the scenes tour is worth it.

The price for the "Behind the Fun" tour has increased substantially over the years.  "Back in the day" it was $55 on ships without a steakhouse and $75 on ships WITH a steakhouse.  Now I think it's around $125.  

I've done the tour on every Carnival cruise I've taken when it was offered and I've always learned or seen something new.  They typically offer one or two tours, maximum 16 people each, and always in the morning on the last sea-day.  Carnival now FINALLY allows you to pre-book the tour on the website, and I'm already booked for it on the Celebration in October.    (Before, it was always a mad dash to Shore Excursions to get a slot.)   

You will be shown the main galley, the steakhouse (if equipped), the ship's main laundry, backstage at the theater (usually with the Dance Captain and also the technical director), food and bev storage areas, crew learning center, crew bar, crew and staff messes (dining areas), sometimes the recycling center, and of course the highlights for me:  Engineering Control Room and the Bridge.  No cellphones or cameras allowed, and closed-toe shoes are required.  There IS a fair amount of walking and stair-climbing.  

You will also receive some BtF schwag, and the tour includes a photo with the Captain on the bridge.  Sometimes other photos:  one time we had a group photo at the ship's prow with the ship's bell, and another we had a group photo in the brewery.  

Every tour is different and you never know what you might see.  At times I've seen an actual crew cabin, the Captain's private dining room, and once...the Captain's cabin.  😮   

I'm looking forward to the tour in October on the Celebration, as it is my first time doing the tour on an LNG-powered ship.  

On 8/1/2024 at 3:04 PM, we b cruzin said:

Thanks everyone for all the information. Based on your input, I called my Carnival PVP and purchased the upgrade. However, in addition to the input about the elevators, she also said the balconies on deck 14 were not covered. Due to these factors she was able to get the same upgrade price on deck 12. I think we will be happy with this choice.

 

THAT is even more awesome.  Balcony would be covered and you'll have more frequent elevator service.  

On 8/1/2024 at 6:36 PM, kittlesbits said:

Go with Royal Caribbean. They don't bother dabbling with all the luggage size limit BS.

Topic Resurrection completed.  😄  

The width and height limits Carnival posts are so your luggage will fit through the X-ray scanning machines at the embarkation pier.   Are you saying that Royal doesn't scan luggage for security threats?  Are they more unsafe than Carnival?   Golly.  

9 hours ago, hapytobehr said:

The food is okay but the portions are small which surprised me.  We have been on the Celebration 4 times (going in September for the 5th time) and have not been back to Chibang since the first time.

Small portions?  So, it's like P.F. Chang's?   😄   

7 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

We were on the Celebration in February and will be again this month, and our service in Chibangs, was def the best we had on the cruise.

My service for lunch at Chibang on the Mardi Gras was GREAT...and I'll point out that I got there JUST in time for lunch on the last day.  I hate arriving at a restaurant within a half-hour of closing -- in this case, closing for that entire sailing -- but the staff couldn't have been nicer.  And of course the stir-fry was one of the best meals I had during that cruise, which is saying a lot.

My only caveat was that neither the Cucina nor Chibang were open for lunch on embark day on MG.  We arrived at Cucina right after muster and first-drinks at a bar, with visions of pasta bowls dancing in our heads...and were brutally disappointed.  

We survived tho. 😄  

19 hours ago, vwrestler171 said:

Pig and Anchor is included in the cruise fare, BUT they do have items available for an upcharge.

After our experience I doubt we'll darken its doors on the Celebration.  My friend John's meat was literally too tough/burnt to cut with a knife, and the greeter at the podium took photos of it with his cellphone to shame the chef.  And we had mis-plated items, etc.  Not a day to be proud of.  

8 hours ago, RoperDK said:

I'm still waiting to see a menu comparison to verify what is currently offered.

Me too, frankly.  I'm trying to remember what we had at Cucina on Mardi Gras, but it was something a bit beyond what you listed. 

8 hours ago, RoperDK said:

  I believe the same situation exists between JiJis and Chibang.  JiJIs was amazing, authentic, and worth every dollar.  Not sure that is still the case.  We will be on Vista next year and I was trying to see if the food was still that good.      

I really love the free/included lunchtime stir-fry bowls at JiJi's and I was happy to find similar quality at Chibang on Mardi Gras.  I'm a fiend when it comes to Mongolian stir-fry.  🙂  

We never DID go to Chibang for dinner due to poor reviews even back then, but we may remedy that on the Celebration in two months, though.