WLHyatt

15

We tip a dollar extra per drink usually (unless the service was bad). We have asked the bartenders on several trips and all of them have said that the pool tips on cheers go across all the bartenders, but the tips that you put on the line go to the bartender/barwaiter that served you. We have not had bad service with cheers, but I think after the first few drinks they know who is going to tip and who is not.

Since your question is specific to Vista and Galveston you won't find many answers since she has only docked there once. We've sailed from Galveston twice and found that embarkation starts between 11 and 11:30. I think I have seen something where that particular sail date had a change of itinerary so maybe there is something special about that date. Since you are platinum I would just go whenever. Our trick recently is just to wait until boarding begins (watching the galveston webcams) and head to the port then and the check in process is so streamlined that you never stop moving really.

Wrigley80/Brianna is still very much active, at least on facebook. She's currently on the Conquest with Pedro in tow. I hope she posts a review.

He joins the Vista on our cruise on 11/4, takes over as CD on 11/11.

We've done coves at least 3 times, and never had them close it off. Sometimes the waves were pretty impressive but normal sailings would likely never see them close it. They do close the door one day each week to hose off the balconies, but that takes a few hours tops.

On one of our trips, I want to say Magic, they did have tickets for Comedy. They would have you go into the night club and give you basically a group number and a line number (almost like southwest airlines boarding), then when they were ready to seat you they took you through a side door and into the comedy lounge. It was on the Breeze or Magic or Valor, but I can't remember which one.

We'll be on the Vista the week before you. The same Howard Johnson was going for $300 a night that weekend, so we're staying in Texas City. We have done relatively little research into the extra stuff the Vista has that the Dream class ships do not, just to have something to surprise us when we do get onboard. Enjoy your trip!

The closest you can get to any of that is booking through a travel agent who has group rates with amenities and/or onboard credit. The amenities they can get are not usually anything like dinners or wifi paid, but getting $50 or $75 onboard credit is not unheard of. Good luck!

The other bit of this that is a variable is the number of berths on the ship versus how many actually sail. If they plan port fees and taxes for fully loaded ships then the ship sails with less than maximum, they refund that onboard too. Most of our sailings have had some level of refund around $10 per person because the ship was not at full capacity, even with all the rooms sold out. When they quote the taxes and fees when you book it is based on maximum berths.

Carnival's site is your best friend.

Thanks chengkp75! I always appreciate your opinion since you've lived through some of these scenarios.

Why are you commenting on multiple threads that are at least months if not nearly a year old and all about FTTF?

You can't use onboard credit before you board. It depends on how you got the onboard credit. If you redeemed points from the Carnival Mastercard then it should be on your account on the first full day of the cruise.

You choose your boarding time during check in, and you apparently can only do check in a certain time ahead of the cruise. If you are platinum/diamond or have FTTF you choose a check in time but can arrive any time regardless of that time slot selected.