Badfinger

Even though I have one attached to my card, I rarely wear it around my neck. Just easier to hang/find in the cabin, or to retrieve it when I go to the Spa. Usually just put it in my pocket with some of the it hanging out. Could not care less about how that looks or what others think.

Luv the Cloud 9 Spa on the Dream class ships. So much so I will only cruise on a Dream Class ship and I must have a Spa Balcony cabin. If not, no cruise. Luv the steam rooms and T-Pool. On our last 7-day Breeze cruise, I spend about 35 hours in the Spa. Only con for me is the heated lounge chairs. I am 6'3" and found them to be very uncomfortable after just a few minutes..the chair contours do not line up with my contours!

The tea and water is in the area where people wait for their spa appointments. It is between the elevator/staircase and very front of the deck when looking at the deck plans. It doesn't look like much on the deck plans, but it is a decent area to relax (padded chairs/benches). There are windows in the front (but the views can be blocked by the structure of the ship and/or blinds they have in there). The fruited water is just some slices of oranges or lemons with water and ice in a glass water dispenser. I would be just as happy if there was no fruit!

Have only stayed in the Breeze and Magic spa balcony's, so cannot compare to the Dream (but I will be able to come December). But looking at the deck plans, it seems to me the Breeze and Magic have a better flow from the T-Pool to the Saunas...no need to go out into a hallway to do that. Dream deck plan gives me the impression you will be walking across the hallway area...so assume a constant wet floor in that area. Our last 3-4 cruises were on the Breeze, and they did not give out bracelets (like the Magic did back in the mid 2010's), but rather put a little sticker on your S&S card (suggest going to the spa early on the first day). From then on, you just surrender your S&S card to the Spa staff and retrieve it when you leave (I can see how this is better than a bracelet). We would cruise with our two sons....we took the Spa Balcony and the kids had the Spa interior right across the hall. Worked out great. Given the limited number of cabins and being far away from the so called "action", we find the rooms and hallways to be very quiet. Also much prefer to be high and near the front of the ship. Anymore, if I am not crusing on a Dream Class in a Spa Balcony...I am not cruising.

Hmmm....wonder if a Grateful Dead comes in under $20. Could be my "free first drink" on our next cruise.

So you were loyal to Carnival for those "small extras"? Why? Are small things that important? Next thing you are going to talk about are your AARP gift cards, cash back credit cards and airline miles. Carnival the Corporation has you, the mouse, chasing after the cheese in their maze, voluntarily. Don't get upset when you come to the dead end and there is no cheese.

I have only sailed on the Dream Class and to me, the Spa Balcony's are more than worth it. Guaranteed access to the Thermal Suite and in general those areas are very quiet all times of day. Families with little kids generally don't book Spa cabins, and there are just fewer of cabins on those decks to begin with. Easy access to the very large showers in the Spa bathrooms (have not showered in our cabin since our very first cruise). Also leave things in the locker room overnight (breaking the law....breaking the law....). Plus personally, I like being really high on the ship, and forward away from the engines and smells. But then sea sickness has never been an issue.

A penny a point? Cruise ship tee shirts? Good grief. Credit card companies do a good job of getting the mice in the maize chasing the cheese. I would suggest not getting the credit card and taking that money you are spending on tee shirts or whatever to get points and buy some shares of Mastercard Stock.

Sounds like you go on a lot of cruises and always get on the ship early. And no doubt you will likely do any more cruises. Maybe just once try getting on the ship late...like 30 minutes before cutoff. Who knows, you might like it. And what is the worst thing that can happen...you miss one feeding? Order an extra desert at dinner!

But if you read the fine print, my guess is it is per person based upon double occupancy.

As we all know it is not that they don't want solos, it is that they want 2 people in that cabin and on the ship drinking and gambling, buying excursions, playing bingo, buying gold by the inch, whatever. So charging you a little extra to cover that lost revenue, well, maybe time for another type of vacation if a deal breaker.. But cruise lines are not alone. Hotels charge the same 1 or 2 adults. Rental cars charge the same regardless number of passengers. Parking garages, same. On and on. Being single, going solo, not cheap on a per person basis.....so it goes.

If you are 100% sure it is a bogus charge, call your cc company and dispute it. If not, and since you lost your statement (which might not help per the other post about charges after midnight) then you will have to play the game.

I cannot think of a table configuration where 27 people could dine together....meaning everyone could see and converse with everyone. And even if all adults, it sounds like an exercise in cat-hearding every night. Just a thought....What might be more fun, and definitely more manageable for both your group and the Carnival dining staff, is for somebody to take the lead and come up with a rotating dining roster with say three groups of 6-people and 1 group of 9-people (or something similar). The make-up of each group changes every night. That way over the course of a cruise you would actually have a true dining experience with every body in your group at least once. If you have any golfers in your group, they may know how to set this up if they have been part of a large group of guys on a golf trip rotating foursomes. No doubt somebody on this board has done something similar.

I expect it to. TKR is pretty common surgery anymore. Even using robots!

Luv the Breeze. Those 4 interior cabins on deck 12 are hidden gems IMO. Stayed in that exact cabin on a couple cruises. Still would rather have a balcony though! Always a quiet place on the Deck 5 lanai. Never could figure out why it is so deserted away from the hot tub areas. Lounge chairs, shade...nice. As for the B2B, were you able to leave all your stuff in your cabin during the "change over"? Did you have to get off the ship? Priority boarding to get back on?

Paid for the cruise but also bought insurance so I can cancel for any reason should my knee not respond as expected before the cruise.

Given your desire to check out that ship and did not mention price, but I would probably opt for the 7 day, take the money you don't spend and earmark it towards another cruise at a future date.

Well, called this morning a couple minutes after they opened. Waited on hold about 13 seconds. The agent basically told me you always get a 2-day grace period (really only needed one day), so all is good. But did find out there is a time as well, in my case 7:55pm CS, for which payment is due. Always assumed midnight.

Luv the Breeze. Five times and counting. Our routine is once on the ship on deck 3 is to take the stairs to deck 4, go all the way to the back, take the elevator up to Lido, and the stairs to the Italian restaurant and camp out their until our cabin is ready. Avoid the lido buffet during embarkation at all costs. IMO the lasagna is not very good from a pure lasagna point of view, but whatever it is , it is pretty good, as is all their lunch offerings.

Not to get too deep into it, but the 13th is a second opinion so face to face discussion is needed. Would not even consider postponing surgery for a cruise. My thought is there is a chance for surgery and enough recovery prior to our cruise, but that is part of the second opinion.

Long story short. Final payment date is 8/12. Will find out 8/13 if I just "live" with a knee issue or have surgery. If I have surgery, then no cruise. Anyone here have success asking for a very short extension? I called about a week ago the person told me I would have to call back on 8/12 to find out. And they added it would be unlikely unless I have already paid for 50% or more of the cruise. So far have just paid the $250 deposit. Easy to walk away from that. No chance I pay a non-refundable 50% before asking.

And that would make Celebrity a no-go for me. I like the fact that access is controlled to the Cloud 9 Spa on Carnival. Keeps the numbers down and cleanliness and relaxation up. I am more than will to pay...and I am sure the non-spa customers are glad they are not paying.

We have only been on the Triumph, Magic and Breeze. Really like the Dream class. Ocean Plaza is great, Wrap around lanai on deck 5 is fantastic if not underutilized (why anybody would want to sit by the lido pool and go deaf when they can find peace and solitude on the wrap around is puzzling) but for me, it is the Cloud 9 Spa with the big T-Pool. No desire to try a non-dream class for that (Spa) alone.

Sounds about right...twice the price vs land prices.

So..what does Carnival charge for a Long Island Ice Tea? If it is over $16...would I just pay the difference or would I pay the total and save the free drink for later? LIIT is always my first choice for a summertime libation.