dawnjam1

Though we have done NYE cruises on Carnival, this year is different.  The Vista leaves Galveston ON NYE.  I have the DOU Everywhere program and have a question. 

Because it is Free and not paid for by the pax, does the perk start the first night, even though it is Texas?  I can see how it might fall out of the taxing guidelines that drive Cheers to start the next day.    I know NYs has nothing to do with it but that bill may get uncomfortable and I want to be prepared!  LOL.  I have heard conflicting reports. I would love to hear from others who have had the program on any cruise out of NY or TX and if they were able to use it the first night or if they had to purchase.

If you have NOT had the perk and do not have personal experience please refrain from answering, though I appreciate your willingness to do so.  

Thanks in advance for your answers.

I have all of those offers myself.  I should have read them closer.  My PVP handles most of this for me and I normally don't dive into the fine print.  Thanks for your input.

I apologize if this has been asked but I can not seem to find the answer from anyone who has actually used the Promo in 2022.

I have gotten DOU many times.  But I am currently booking with the DOU anywhere (everywhere...whatever it is).  I do play quite a bit and always get all of the offers. I am just booking this one a bit differently.  Does this cover myself and my companion or just me?  (Please only answer if you have experienced it.). While I will be talking with my PVP, I thought I would ask the community as he isn't in until Tuesday this week.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks!  I thought that was the case when we did it before.  We have always used command strips.  For years!  And I know about the non flamable material. I just seemed to think that when we were on her last someone had an issue with the magnets.  I want to put it in our kids "rules". 

Thanks again!

I have sailed on the Breeze but it was several years back.  We are taking several families with teens for New Years and one of their contests we are doing is door decorating.  I can not remember if these doors were magnetic but I seem to think they were not.  I need to give them directions soon for what they can and can not use.  Please, if you have sailed her and know FOR SURE, are the doors magnetic?  Also, I have been on this board 24 years under two different names.  I know this has been answered hundreds of times, but I did my searches and can not find old posts!

Thanks!

Dawn

On 8/7/2021 at 12:10 AM, urbanhawk said:

I did this nearly the same itinerary back on my 2nd cruise in 2007.  I know it was out of San Juan, but I believe it was 8 days. I know we stopped in Dominica (place I always wanted to see), Antigua, and some of the others on the list.  On way back the ship "listed", in the middle of the night. Such a rude awakening!😬. There was a rough storm as we sailed past Cuba. Was traveling solo, so only thing for comfort was a  towel animal!😆 This is cruise I'll never forget.

Sorry!  But that towel animal comment made my morning! Its been a crazy Monday so far and I laughed outloud!!  I have also been on a ship that listed and I was crew.  It was terrifying and we were having to try to keep others calm!  I was a 23 year old and was far from calm!  I wanted my Daddy!

I have....several times...gotten Drinks On Us within a day of being on a ship, however....I always already had Cheers. Now I am less of a drinker but do enjoy it. I obviously have the money to gamble so I had better have the money to buy a few drinks however...this leads me to a few questions. Do any of you getting DOU also feel the need to buy Cheers and why? Are there problems with the hours of the bars? Casino service times? Will they let you order straight from the casino bar? Just trying to get a handle to plan better for New Years cruise where I KNOW there will probably be more drinking than usual. TIA

tipping with casino chips is just plain rude. Who said employees are allowed in the casino.

As to 2 drinks, I always like a water back with any drink, with the old Cheers I drank tap water, with the new Cheers I get a bottle of water back, never had a problem.

Have you ever played casino tables? The servers in the casino completely EXPECT to be tipped in sign and sail, in cash and chips. On ships the casino servers are often compensated differently than the rest of the crew through tip pools. Same in casinos all over but not always. If a player is winning the tips that go to both the server and the house as well as bets placed FOR the house piggy backing on your own is VERY appreciated and can be lucrative for them.

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Please let us know the outcome of your call.

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This will be the first time I have used Carnival Gift Cards on any of my cruises. So far the savings have been worth it as we have paid for our cruise fare and gratuities, our CHEERS! package and our in room pre-purchases with them. These are the Allstate cards.

Here lies the question, and I need to KNOW that what I am proposing will work as I don't want to get stuck without a backup plan.

I was planning on using my budget numbers and buying cards to cover all of my onboard purchases. I would then only take the cash I need for excursions, etc. HOWEVER, I got to thinking today that I could take at least a portion of that cash number and put it on cards as well (saving myself 10%), place them on my account and then just pull out the amount I need daily for excursions (not purchased through Carnival) through the kiosk or casino. It would be on my sign and sail. It is my understanding that you can take money out of your sign and sail as needed but with daily limits. Would that work?

It would save me overall another $150.

Advise and no flaming, please.

Most cruise ships have a special prep area for people with food allergies. It is a sterile type environment that is used just for this purpose. I am betting they will be able to accommodate you however....the room stewards do use them. Don't know if that matters or not....

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In case you didn't know, you were as an individual were not personally attacked in your parenting skills. Funny thing about generalizations are that if 75% of a group behave a certain way, than people will generalize about the group. It's kind of like profiling. Expecting a certain behavior based on the majority. So, I'm glad you are part of the minority, but it does not change the majority. Maybe by your example, others will follow.

 

By the way, why wouldn't the babysitter be able to call if there was a problem? And all you saying all guys are perverts over a certain age? Aren't you saying the same thing by profiling the older male, based on your personal experience or some other generalization?

THIS is why social media or text or whatever written gets so screwed up! I placed the following question...how is that for generalization?....to tell those of you doing it that NO....not all are perverts and not all single Moms aren't taking care of business. First of all, being a single Mom does NOT mean that the other parent is not involved. But the Mom usually has the largest part of the responsibility. In my case, he gets to see her a few hours and brings her back when she cries. For those of you not getting it....not literally cries. I get offended over many things on CC as it isn't the place it was when I first started on here under another name 20 yrs ago. The negativity AMAZES me when this is about our VACATION!!!! I did not take it personally because my daughter is learning from me how a single woman is just as capable of doing and having it all without being dependent on anyone. The super nice home, the very profitable career where Mom is at the top of her game, time allowed because she works so hard, when she NEEDS to, to play with, be room Mom and travel with her, complete three course homecooked meals every night, AND all this while dancing backwards in heals and going thru chemo for leukemia. ALL Without a nap. My kid has learned respect for others, herself and integrity BECAUSE I am a single Mom. I am getting married in July and will acquire 2 step children. I hope they gain these same lessons in a different way from me. Not as hard of a way as my daughter (and older children....one which just graduated top of his college class in Boston) but in SOME way from my over achiever Mom way.

Look folks.....this thread is about unruly kids on ships. Yes. They are there and I am NOT above correcting them myself. But DO NOT lump my kid or any other in like they are ALL or even MOSTLY this way. There MAY be a handful on each ship and they will be your repeat offenders.

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As a "helicopter parent" I think half of you are either out of touch of just plain obnoxious! I, first of all, am a SINGLE MOM....I take great offense at the poster that said that children of single "moms" have no respect. You obviously do not respect the AWESOME job I am doing. And while my child has a few advantages, if you ask anyone how delightful and well behaved she is, IN SPITE OF the cell phone she has had since she was 8 because I AM a single mother and need her to call me if the baby sitter etc is or has a problem while I am working...they will tell you that she is NOT unruly or a "brat". She doesn't run around a ship either because old people are perverts. How is THAT for generalization? Personally....I think that if you choose a family cruiseline you need to deal with families. If you don't like my kids....go elsewhere. You wont see mine in an elevator unattended. Unsafe. But I will see you after too many drinks fall and break your leg!

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I worked on The Mississippi Queen and Delta Queen. I believe both were haunted. And I certainly had several pax die over the years. Legend has it.....(go look it up....its interesting reading!) BUT....I did not know any of the legend before going to work and still thought that it was!

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What are the teens needing Internet for? That should answer the question as to which package to get. If it is for gaming, speeds make it close to impossible. If it is to stay in touch with home the best is the lowest package and we just use Facebook. This is a cruise in the middle of the ocean, they will have plenty to do.

The HUB is on their free WiFi and if you use the chat feature to talk to each other it is $5 pp for the week.

You CAN limit their spending. There are different ways to do this. Put it all in at once or add to it daily either at GS or the kiosk. If you do the later make sure you increase the amount each day. Not just put it on unless you do it in cash. There are a few threads on this.

Have a great trip! We are 5 weeks out from Dream ourselves!

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I think by saying Messenger is able to be used, and without getting into too much explanation by them, it means all of Messenger and the features. No one was able to use iChat or any of the iPhone apps except Messenger.

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Most of us know what it says, and I am not saying it can or will work for everyone, BUT we WERE able to call from Facebook Messenger AND use the video chat feature. Probably 10 plus times.

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I have INDEED used the Social package and called home through Messenger. Video called. We were all excited when it worked last year on the Breeze. And surprised.

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I got rid of AT&T a few year back and quit paying all of those $300 plus bills and went to their prepaid option (used to be AIO until they bought out Cricket and combined them). Now for 2 phones I pay a flat $70. SAME EXACT SERVICE!! I do get one month of the International coverage when I cruise so I am SURE to be able to place calls from land and I use Messenger and the phone portion of Messenger with the WiFi while onboard. This way if it works, it works and I have no surprise costs on a later bill. And Cricket happens to work in Mexico for sure.

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I spend WAY more than that on myself and one child but we splurge....a lot. Night Owls alone can eat that budget up fast. And they love it!! If you have never been make sure to have at least double that in hand and just don't use it unless you need it. But be prepared to say no alot.

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We have saved over $500 and couldnt be more pleased. Though I DID find out that non customers will have a rough time signing up going forward.

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If you are traveling with kids it is also useful to throw in some of the collapsible bins from the Dollar store to place on the shelves and hold each kids "finds". We have 5 in a room in July. I had 3 in that same size last year and it stayed a mess!! Kids! I am anticipating the use of two over the door hangers and double the magnetic clips for the walls!!!!

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Just FB message him. He and I have been chatting today even.

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We were on the Breeze last year to Coz, Jamaica and GC and we had the social package. We thought it worked pretty well....a little delay....but we were even able to call and Video call through Messenger. It was very nice. The HUB...tho I will try it again as we have 6 kids with us this time....rarely worked for us. Messages were sometimes delayed and often not received. BUT.....we DID order pictures from Pixels through it too. I thought that was strange as that was not supposed to be on that ship yet. I have often wondered if it was a trial run for the Vista system.

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The guideline is 11:30 and I think you will be fine!