Island Hopper58

We normally take thank you cards (bought or make them as part of a group project)

From those sharing the same Cabin.

one for the room steward $50

one for the Head waiter $30

one for the Asst. Waiter $20

one for the Water person $15

Normally about and extra $150 of tips over the Auto.

I have extras with $5 or $10 for the just in case someone anywhere goes out of their way to help.

That could be the maitre d for arranging something for us or

someone cleaning up the mess that happened when someone bumped into me with a full plate :eek:

I fill them with $$ before we leave, but wait until I have something nice to say in the card using their name and why they made my vacation that much better before handing them out.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for all the info posted on this thread, I am getting some great ideas.

Our turn is just around the corner, and now I am happy we added that extra day after the cruise.

Might have thought to add two on the back, instead of the front

but what is done is done, and we will be sailing in a few LONG weeks :D

FINALLY CAN DO THE SINGLE DIGIT DANCE !!!!!

JUST NINE MORE DAYS !!!!

Just love crusing.... now I have to search for another one to keep the count down clock going.. lol

Cathy

And as you say your sad good bye to her, we will be getting on. Have a GREAT Cruise :)

LOL, We take our water glass from the room, head to the lido deck, fill it with soft serve, and head to the MDR with root beer or orange soda in the other hand.

The only looks or comments we get are, "Where did you get those?"

Sure enough others will be doing it the rest of the cruise.

(After the 1st port and they pick up some root beer ;) )

$$ for room service tips. Mornings start off great on the Balcony with a hot beverage, maybe smoked salmon and a bagel, or a muffin :D

Heck they end great with a little something from room service too.

Bring lots of ones ;)

We never felt the need to leave the door open either. No bungee cord needed.

I was looking at the deck plans of various ships and was shocked to see the layout of the public areas on the Spirit Class ships. Dance and Comedy Club on Riveria next to cabins!! Two level promenade level, atrium in middle of the ship. What are your thoughts on these ships?

Love it :)

4 of my 7 cruises are on a spirit class ship.

I should also add, if you plan on getting an extended Bal. Cabin. see if 7258 is available You wont regret it :)

Another aft hint.

Take the stairs up to the lido deck, but don't go out to the Buffet area.

Come off the stairs and make a U turn

Go thru the doors and the serenity area is just waiting for you :)

We have a group doing the Valor out of San Juan on March 16th over DS 18 - a senior in High School's spring break. The hard thing about doing a cruise for me out of this port is that I love Puerto Rico and San Juan (would have no problem being there the whole week // we did a week long vacation here before, but that was quite a few years ago), but I did at least arrange it so we have 2 1/2 days there before the cruise, better than nothing. // Thank you for your review. We're looking forward to the trip. Three of the islands will be now ones for us too.

Kathy, we are the same cruise with you. and also have a couple days in SJ before we go.

We are in a B&B about 1/2 way between the airport and Old San Juan

Doing the Rain forest on Sat :)

3 weeks from today we will be in San Juan...it is getting so exciting :)

And this review is just making it all that much more exciting

Heading out to the Valor in 25 days.

leaving for SJPR in 22.

Noted to ask for Arnold for My Time Dining...

Did you ever have much wait time?

This is our first time doing "My Time" being so port intensive and also a memorial cruise with friends we didn't want to be held to a set dining time.

Loving your review so far, and now you leave us with a cliff hanger :eek:

Last cruise we spent over 300.00 in pics (it was RCCL 4 years ago and it was our honeymoon). We got alot of 8X10's and a few 5X7. So I'm trying to gauge a few things.

 

This will be our first "family" cruise with DS (9) and one of the first times we will have family pictures taken (other then for Christmas cards that we take ourselves).

So, with that being said....what type of pics do they take other then the fancy nights. And what do the sizes run in prices.

 

Thanks...we are not drinkers but we sure like the pictures!!!

Photos when you 1st board, photos each time you get off the ship

photos at dinner and photos on elegant nights.

$20 a pop if you buy them. (8X10) not sure but they run specials every now and again, buy this many and get a photo album or maybe extra 8X10.

I don't really remember I don't buy them very often. maybe one a cruise.

My mom, dad and sister did 15 days in a 4K, and didn't have a problem. all of them adults. It is nice to have that fresh air of the 4K

Be sure to get a Cabin that has the sofa and not Bunks ;)

This

You buy a bunch of bananas at the grocery store. Three days later the store puts the rest of their bananas on sale so they can sell them before they spoil. You still have the bunch of bananas that you bought, are you going to go back and request a refund? Same concept is at work- if the cruise line does not fill a cabin that cabin is "spoiled", so when the sailing date starts to get close they start cutting prices to prevent loses due to spoilage.

+

This

Yes but what if I bought bananas 5 times before at this store and I brought 4 other people with me.

Has anyone else ever had this problem?? What was their excuse?? Am I wrong for being angry??

They obviously have the bananas, why not take my money, let me get new ones and sell my old ones to someone else.

WOW Carnival...just WOW. :rolleyes::D

=EXPLAINATION for the simple minded

Bravo!

Even an idiot could understand that ;):D:rolleyes:

I have another question about booking a cruise while on a cruise. If I book ES and get the $100 OBC can I cancel that cruise and rebook another one at a later date? Would I still have the OBC?

If you cancel a cruise after booking ES you have to pay a $50pp penalty so there would go your $100 OBC

So, if that was your plan, I would book the cruise as something else Past Guest maybe.

Then there is no penalty. what I am not sure of is if you get to keep the $100....

It would be good to know though...Anyone ever do that.

Book a cruise while on a cruise, cancel and have the OBC follow you to another cruise?

Last year was a little different story with the Triumph mess, so they were really generous then. They offered me a free upgrade instead of OBC from an OV to Balcony, which I turned down.

 

Now days they changed the wording to say that they will no longer give upgrades, but some have gotten them.

I agree the best thing to do is keep checking. And if you have questions, call Carnival if you're booked direct with them or your TA if applicable.

Seriously...I guess I should have known that was coming...

Just didn't realize it did.

I would still put in for it just in case. and keep checking for the 4J to show back up.

ES is getting to be less and less of the good option :(

You can only match to your category. In this case 4J. If there aren't any more, then you're out of luck.

I am pretty sure she can price match 4J and above, just nothing lower.

I think they bump you up to the OV over letting you stay put and get OBC

But also, keep checking as a 4J may come back at a lower price...so really not totally out of luck :)

It happened for our 4K last year, and it was a nice size drop :)

:D:eek::D Now I want one :D:eek::D

Bring what you need/want, no one is really counting your bags

Except the people passing them in the hall as they sit outside your cabin door :eek:

Check all the bags you don't care to see until after the wedding, and carry on anything you need for it.

Relax and have a Great Wedding and Cruise

Congrats :)

Not sure if this will help at all, but this is a 3 min. Youtube of the new set up on the glory

I just read the contractual verbage about Taxes, fees and port charges. It states that these fees are subject to change and Carnival reserves the right to collect the difference at the time of sailing even if the booking is paid in full. I get that and I accept that. But VERBALLY the representative on the phone has said I will not be charged any additional costs if I do not take the current decrease in price. Since a verbal "guarantee" means nothing against the written contract, my concern is that I will not take the decrease in rate today but will still be charged the tax increase when we board. It does say "Carnival reserves to right" to do this so maybe they do not do so, just like they reserve the right to charge a surcharge for fuel increases, but have not yet ever done so. But I do not know how to ensure I won't be charged the increase in taxes when I board the ship if I don't take the decrease in rate today. Basically I could save $20 today and pay the additional $30 in taxes (so I actually end up paying $10 more for the price drop!) or not take the $20 decrease and hope they don't charge me the $30 when we board.

From what I have read and from past experiences you will not be charged the extra $30 if you pass on the "not so" Drop now.

This happened to me, I was early saver, and a drop showed up for my Cabin Cat. I took the drop. The taxes and fees ate up some of it, but from then on every drop was at the new tax & fee so I got them in full.

While on the other hand, my friends Cabin Cat. (also ES) did not get the a drop, and their Taxes and Fees remand the lesser, and they were NOT charged once on board.

So Yes Carnival can charge you, but No they do not. At least I have not heard of them doing it...YET

Here's the deal, if they do, oh well you are on vacation don't let it bother you.

Have a GREAT cruise

Is there anyway, other than doing mock bookings to see just how full an upcoming cruise is? There's websites to track everything from ships in port, to the weather, to finding out menus, and everything in between. Just curious if there's something out there to see just how full or how many rooms are left on an upcoming cruise.

I think on the Cruise Fish sight they have % of ship sold, or left I am not sure.

Best way to know I think is if you start seeing those drops, other than "sales" ;)

We got $10pp and some change...port fees and taxes went down

but heck $10 bucks is $10 bucks :)

LOL, they really must be trying to get the last of the FCC done and gone. Wish I had one left for my up coming cruise :)

We did the Miracle this past fall.

The naturalist on our Hawaii cruise was the same as on both our past Alaskan cruises.

(Once on the Spirit and Once on the Miracle. I think her name was Michelle.)

There was also Bobbi, who was very sweet and did crafts twice a day.

We did have some not so great weather on a few of our days BUT

all that did is make it so the serenity deck was cleared many times...

Leaving it open for those who thought to bring a Sweater or Jacket to enjoy a hammock.

People from the "warmer" states ran for the inside with every breeze or rain drop :eek::D

This was my most relaxed cruise ever, Grab your sweater, your book and head for the serenity deck if you see a cloud form ;)

Oh and the only way you get that once in a life time shot of the rainbow fully engulfing your ship...

Comes with rain, so don't forget your camera either :cool:

Get the BLT (ask for extra bacon) and the Choc. Cake from room service at least once.

Sooooo Good!

What is to stop you from Booking Early Savior and then asking for the lesser rate of the Mil./new cruiser price.

I would ask for sure :) Might get the best of both worlds ;)

We have this cruise booked Sept 2014..... Can't wait, have never been to Hawaii before. I don't want to miss the dancers they bring on the ship....which day and time did Carnival do that? Also, have seen many posts about renting cars....which islands do you suggest doing that? What are you must do suggestions for booking excursions? I have read many threads and it feels very overwhelming! Thanks so much!!!

 

One more?.....how many formal nights and are there other themed nights?

We were on this cruise too :) This was my most relaxing cruise ever

LOVED it.

Though the DH would have rather flown home after the islands 5 sea days and 5 port was enough for him.

Me I wished it was a B2B :)

The Island Dancers were from Maui, on the day we were in port in Maui @9pm

I caught 2/3 of the show after getting back from the Luau with the CC Group.

The only thing wrong with that show was the dank dark stage.

You would think with as much creativity Carnival has with production, they might have at least had a backdrop and a fake palm tree...

But the dancers were fabulous.

and I had just come from the OLL one of the highest rated Luaus on the Island.

We didn't rent cars, so I am no help there.

As for Dress up nights we had 5, 1 Hawaii, 1 Halloween and 3 Elegant Nights.

The 1st Elegant night, people were Elegant, the 2nd people were dressy,

the 3rd anything goes LOL "Elegant Night" was on the fun times (I think by mistake) but not announced at all and people were saying things like "What, elegant night? Where did it say elegant Night..."

It didn't matter everyone was having fun and who cares as long as you are dressed for dinner and not the pool all was well.