WindsorFred

Wow, do you think he'd been to Senor Frogs for a few!

Another example of why cruisers who fly in should do so the day before the cruise leaves.

Congrats, have a great cruise!

Same from me.

Why is the credit more if the balance is more? This is great info!!

Maybe to encourage you to charge/use their card more for larger purchases? I pay my cards off every month so don't carry a balance forward as some others do. For those that don't they would have a larger carry over balance and higher interest charges?

Ditto on this. This is the way I always do it.;) It's how I have already taken 2 free cruises on my FunPoints and am very close to taking a third. It takes a bit longer to build up the points for this than it does for a few hundred dollars of OBC, but the payoff rate is much better.:D

Thanks to you also. Have never used points for OBC just statement credits but was unaware of the $1500=50% more aspect.

Now that you have read the other post I am going to tell you how to max your points! You do use your points for a statement credit but the trick is to use them to pay against a single charge of $1500 or more. As an example if you use 20,000 points against a charge of $1499.00 you would get a statement credit of $200 but if you use those same points against a charge of $1500+ you will get a statement credit of $300. A 50% gain!

 

 

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Wow, thanks for the info. I will wait as deposit was $800 and final is an additional $2300 due 11/19. Currently only have 37000 points after using some on last years cruise.

You can use your points aat any time. On your credit card it has charges you can use it against. They do not have to be Carnival. I used them for Hampton. Each item u can use it against has a point total needed and a date you must use it by on that item. It all comes back as a credit on your credit card. 20000 points would be 200 dollars

Thanks, just want to be sure that if I use points now for the down payment charge I can use other points for final payment when that hits.

if you apply it against your cruise charge on the credit card I think you get $150.00 for every 10,000 points. That's 50% more than taking it as OBC. You can only take the credit one time for each eligible charge so search it all out before you actually complete the redemption.

 

 

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Are you saying to wait till final payment?

I have booked several large groups. Going with the group booking, you do get some perks. You receive "points" that you can use for things like OBC, wine, robes etc. Also for every 16 full price passengers you get one free berth (that is one person in a room the 2nd person would pay).

Sometimes it is better book through groups other times its not. The last group I did was 16 people 8 balcony cabins & the rate was better going with past guest than with the groups. So call groups & see if it works out better or not.

Something to remember is that whoever get's the "free berth" does not get VIFP points. There is a recent Thread about this.

 

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Just because we don't all agree with everything OP said doesn't mean we're "bashing" him.

 

The whole point in responding is so that people don't read OP's post and think, "OH NO! I've booked this ship and it's going to be horrible and now I'm worried that maybe I should cancel!!!!" We're simply trying to let those people know that others have had very different experiences.

Totally agree. No "bashing" just different observations/opinions so others can make their own choices based on more than 1 observation/opinion, that's all.

We actually love the balcony rooms near the double set of elevators in the center of the ship! We always book a cabin in that area! It is easy to get around and no noise.

We have done the same for years, either balcony on deck 7 or 8. Have never had a serious noise issue from the Atrium/elevators or stairs. 1 or 2 flights up to Lido. A few decks down for MDR-Shops-Casino. Our prefered location.

Wow! I don't even recognize this ship from the description above! I suppose that everyone sees things through their own experiences and I am sorry you had a bad one but our experience with the Miracle is so much the opposite that we booked our March 2015 cruise on her a few weeks after we got off this past April!

The complaints about the crew are really the most mind boggling since we had such an opposite experience with them! I can't imagine that the entire crew changed within only a few months? Everyone who worked on the ship when we were on board were smiling,enthusiastic,hard working,and many knew our names by the end of the week.

I suppose it is just a case of different eyes, different personalities and so different experiences.:rolleyes:

Agree with all of the above. Even tho it's been a little longer since we sailed her, we were on her for 15 days in January, it was a great cruise. We ate in the MDR almost every night, unusual for us, but found the food and service OK, not outstanding but better than the buffet. We did eat in the buffet a few times and had no serious issues. Crew was outstanding. I would not hesitate to sail on her again.

[ QUOTE=WindsorFred;42982758]BF's have been caught twice in the last 3 years. Once in Ft. Lauderdale and again in Long Beach.

When he was caught did he get the liquor on the last night as promised? About what time?

Done..

7d Royal Caribbean

7d Celebrity

10d Princess

14d Carnival

75d Holland America

Next..

7d Carnival Conquest

21d Carnival Triumph

First time it was in an opened bottle, they dumped it. Last time it was unopened, he had to pick it up the morning we disembarked. Liquor purchased onboard or in the ports are delivered the final night. Anything smuggled you have to retrieve yourself the final morning prior to leaving the ship.

I think few are caught. I have no proof but where is your proof!

BF's have been caught twice in the last 3 years. Once in Ft. Lauderdale and again in Long Beach.

Are you saying they open everyone's carry on when the X-ray shows a wine bottle then dig through the clothes to confirm it is wine? I didn't pay attention to this on my last cruise since I wasn't carrying any liquids on board.

 

 

Done..

7d Royal Caribbean

7d Celebrity

10d Princess

14d Carnival

75d Holland America

 

Next..

7d Carnival Conquest

21d Carnival Triumph

Yes pretty much.

So if my alcohol is in a bottle shaped like a wine bottle it should pass the X-ray. I wouldn't think they would open everyone's carry on luggage to ensure the wine shaped bottle is really wine....or do they? I've never carried wine on.

 

 

Done..

7d Royal Caribbean

7d Celebrity

10d Princess

14d Carnival

75d Holland America

 

Next..

7d Carnival Conquest

21d Carnival Triumph

If they see it they will open your carry on. They can tell the difference between wine and liquor. Some have reported success in carrying it on but most are caught.

This question has probably been answered but I can't find it. We are allowed one bottle of wine in our luggage coming in to a Carnival ship. If my liquor bottle is shaped like a wine bottle can security tell it is liquor?

 

 

Done..

7d Royal Caribbean

7d Celebrity

10d Princess

14d Carnival

75d Holland America

 

Next..

7d Carnival Conquest

21d Carnival Triumph

You have to carry it on. If you put it in your checked luggage they may catch it on xray.

Enjoy. 243 days till our next. May have to book one sooner as it's a long wait between cruises.

If you book onboard, you will get an additional $100 OBC (if 7-12 day cruise). If you do this, check out the prices for the cabin you want and come prepared with this info. It will make it much easier to book. And you can still get ES while booking onboard... did this last Dec for a cruise this coming Jan.

 

Steve

We booked our Miracle Hawaii cruise while onboard the Freedom the previous year. Be aware that not all ships have future cruise desks.

Unfortunately no:mad: They will confiscate it when you board, but you'll get it back at the end of your cruise.

True. Our BF's packed one and were called to the "naughty" room to unlock their suitcase as CCL spoted it on xray. CCL kept it for them till the last morning and they had to go down and retrieve it before we disembarked. You can hang things in the shower and steam them up by running the hot water. Not as good as a steamer but does work.

The above is true and very accurate.

My DH no longer takes his tux on Carnival cruises.

On elegant nights he wears a golf shirt and long pants. :)

LuLu

Same here, stopped Tux and Suit 4 years ago. DW wears dress pants with a nice blouse, me Dockers with a nice polo shirt.

Yes, there are laundry rooms on most decks.

I always use Carnival's website and do everything myself

Same here. Used a TA on our first cruise, NCL, but book online since.

Miss the live music too!!! We loved the Freedom...in fact it is our favorite ship so far! It was in 2012 (before it was in dry dock) and it was out of FLL then. Looks like the same itinerary as when you went in early 2013. We were surprised with how much live music they had on that cruise.

 

Have fun...hope it's the best cruise ever for you!! :)

Love the Freedom also. As you can see we have been to all the ports already but there is always something to do that we missed the first time. Looking forward to the 2.0 ugdates and hope live music is still aboard. Will see. Enjoy your next cruise also. We were looking at the Dream, B2B, as an option as I have family in NO but decided on the Freedom instead.