MsSoloTravel

Do the gift cards bought through Verizon have an expiration date?

My Kroger has plenty of Carnival gift cards. If I get one and go to the cashier and tell them I would like $150 put on the card, does it automaticaly come up with a cost of $135? I need to go look for the download coupon. I haven't seen it. Thanks for the heads up.

The coupon had to be scanned on Tuesday. It was a deal of the day. Once scanned, you had until the 31st to buy the card.

I was going to buy some future cruise certificates on my next cruise for the first time. I was disappointed to hear they don't do it anymore.

I wouldn't mind booking while on board if the obc were more than what they offer throughout the year. I'll just wait and watch for another sale to book the next one.

Carnival only stongly suggests you have an original letter. So, no you shouldn't need one. But if you want one for your own peace of mind, just write one yourself. It doesn't say anything about being notorized.

I have no personal experience with this. I did see an hour long special about Carnival on the Travel Channel a few years ago. They were showing embarkation in Miami, I think, and how it all works. A mother and her new husband were trying to cruise with her biological child and we're not allowed to board without a letter from the father. The woman worked with her and contacted the captain who came off the ship. They said if the woman couldn't get the letter faxed by the deadline to turn in the manifest they would not be allowed to board. Luckily they got the letter faxed in time.

I find it weird that some people would be asked and some not.

I also find it interesting that the letter doesn't appear to have to be notorized. Who's to say the biological parent was the one to write it?

It says on the promo that it may not be available in all stores. I'm getting out tomorrow and hoping mine has them.

Worst upgrade ever. That sucks, so sorry you had to deal with that all week.

I guess I'll have to go ahead and decide what time I want to leave the morning of my cruise. It will take 5 hours to drive to the port. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions!

The drink servers are not in the auto tip pool. That said, the tip is automatically added to the cost of the drink.

 

The dining staff and the room steward are included in the auto tip. So they are the ones impacted if you remove auto tips.

I forgot about that. But the example still works. If you remove your auto tips and then give the server $20 they could easily say it was $5. I'm sure they turn in some for fear of losing their job, but no way they pool them all.

I removed the housekeeping tips one time. The room steward didn't clean the room if we were not out of the room by 8:45 am and we had to stay absent from the room until after 2pm if we wanted service. And I'm not a late sleeper. I'm out for the day by 9:30 or 10am every cruise. If the cabin steward did attend to the room, he did a horrible job. I don't think the room was ever vacuumed nor the sink wiped down. At least we had clean (maybe?) towels.

 

Also we complained numerous times about the drain in the bathroom. It was plugged and barely drained at all. By the time the second person in the room showered, the water would cascade out of the bathroom onto the carpet which smelled horribly of mildew come the end of the cruise. We called guest services about it, and we were told to contact our room steward. He never addressed the problem.

 

Dirty/Smelly cabin = no tips.

 

Random side note... we also had several unidentifiable towel animals in the cabin...

That is understandable. I wasn't trying to imply there is never a valid reason for removing tips. However, a lot of people come up with the wackiest reasons and it entertains me. My favorite is when people say with a straight face they don't tip because they can't afford it. Seconded by, maybe you should get a real job, which is the sister excuse to I don't get tips on my job so why should you?

I have left bad tips in restaurants and bars because I received horrible service. Luckily not on a cruise yet. Even though I work for tips I'm not going to reward bad service.

I saw that one too. Looks like fun. I'm thinking about booking it for my September cruise. I haven't seen anyone mention it here though.

My advice, go to a show, go to dinner, go to the casino. Go outside and play mini golf or watch a movie. Get some pizza. I can't think of a bigger waste of time on vacation than to eavesdrop at guest services on any day for any reason.

I don't know?! In a weird way it would be fun to sip a cocktail and eavesdrop for a bit. As someone who works for tips I love to hear people's rationale for why they don't tip. That's why I love tipping threads.

We have been told by staff - and actually seen it in writing in the HAL employee handbook (HAL is part of the Carnival umbrella) - if a passenger does auto tips then the staff member (like stewards and MDR staff) may keep any cash tips they receive from that passenger. If the passenger has taken off the auto tips then the staff members must turn in the cash to the tip pool - they may not keep the cash without threat of losing their job. I find it doubtful that a staff member will jeopardize their job for a few dollars.

Let me start by saying I keep the auto tips and I do not doubt your post. But, I am curious how anyone would know. I work for tips and am wondering about the logistics of this. If I go out with a tray of drinks and get tipped by 10 different people and I'm "supposed" to turn in the tips from 2 of them because they removed the auto tips...who's to say those 2 people "didn't " tip me?

I'm sure it is a policy because it sounds fair in the overall scheme of things. But, I doubt all those tips get turned into the pool.

Our first visit we took one suitcase, second visit was 13 suitcases & this last visit was 7 suitcases. Rolling suitcases work best!

 

 

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What did you have to do to get through customs getting off the ship? The orphanage states on their website that you have to declare if the value is over $300. Did you have to fill out any paperwork or pay taxes?

Also, how do you get there and back? Do you take a taxi? How much did it cost?

Pineapple juice with cranberry and splash of OJ. Add grenadine and squeeze a few limes. You have a virgin daiquiri on the rocks.

Half hour. I plan for an hour of leeway, just in case of a problem

I'm guessing that's what I used to do. That's why I was thinking we needed to be back on the ship by 4.

Thank you everyone!

I can't find this information anywhere here or through Google search. And it's been a few years since I have cruised.

If we're in Cozumel from 9 to 5, what time do you have to be back on the ship? Is it 4 or 5?

I am going on January 9th and would love to take donations and visit the orphanage. I would love any information on what to expect, what type of things they need, etc. :)

Sandy Bay Lighthouse Ministries is the orphanage. You can go to their website to get information about visiting and a list of what they need.

I don't know much more than that. I'm hoping that Tanya heart will come back to give us more insight.

Which company has the best braking? We are taking my 80 year old mother on her first zip (our 7th). Wasn't sure if the glove brake is easy enough or maybe one of these companies have some sort of braking system besides gloves to help.

 

We were thinking of the Pirates in Roatan but haven't booked yet to leave options open. We sail end of Jan.

 

Thanks all

Go to ronystours. and look up one of their zip lining excusions. They break down all of the zip lining options in the area: how many lines, rope bridges, length of lines, what type of break systems they use and more.

Even if you don't want to book through them the site is very informative. I haven't used them, but got turned onto them by another cc member. I haven't decided which excursion. I want to do yet.

After working in the restaurant business for years, I don't understand what happened to beverage napkins. No one uses them anymore. Everywhere I worked they were required. Now you have to ask for them and the server has to go off and find some. I cannot stand a messy table.

Also, How much OBC do you get for a 7 day cruise when booking onboard??

Thanks!

It is $100 for the cabin. As a solo you get the entire $100.

Are there any lounge chairs on this deck?

That is interesting. When did they stop allowing smoking on the lido deck?

Edit... I'm guessing it was with the changes October 2014?

I would love to hear about it. Have fun on your cruise.

That's awesome! I'm going in September. ..just trying to plan ahead. I would love to hear about your experience; how you dealt with customs before getting off the ship, your transportation and your visit.

You can contact me at gmail... lineavenuecandle if you like.