cbringdrvr

8 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Sorry you had a horrible cruise.  Nobody should ever feel threatened, on a cruise ship or anywhere.  I am sure you addressed it while on board.  Curious as to what GS response was.  Can you elaborate?  Not trying to cast blame, but seems the cabin issue was all on you, did I miss something?

I agree that the fact that I did not notice a cabin change on my booking after the price was adjusted is my fault.  However nothing was ever said to me by my PVP that I would have to change cabins in order to receive a price reduction.  I did a ghost booking on Black Friday and saw that the price had gone down for the same class of cabin that I had originally booked, also on same deck as originally booked.  I called to see if I could get a price adjustment on my original booking and was told I could.  He changed my cabin without informing me.  That was not something I would have ever agreed to just to save a few hundred dollars.

1 hour ago, cml4958 said:

@cbringdrvr I would recommend that instead of mailing you email.  I used to volunteer for Chris Elliott's consumer advocacy organization.  I've listed the link below for the Carnival execs.  Please read the page fully as there is a guide to solving your own problem hyperlinked which explains the process that usually results in success.  Start with basic customer service and if no response, or not the desired response, email to the primary contact.  Rinse and repeat.  Good luck with getting your voice heard.

 

I would be appalled if I experienced what you experienced.

 

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/carnival-cruise-lines/

This is very valuable!  I tried to get proper email addresses at guest service but was told everything needed to go through 1-800/CARNIVAL,  I knew that was baloney.  Thanks so much!

33 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

Yikes!! My DH, 2 DDs (21 & 23) and I will be cruising in a little over two weeks on Freedom. I experienced some rude behavior from passengers in general on our 4 day Elation Thanksgiving cruise out of Jacksonville but nothing like what you reported. I’ll be doing a LIVE on this upcoming cruise. Thank you for your review!!

I am sure yours will be better!  

I agree. We only chose a five day beco because of work/school schedules of other family members.  We much prefer 7 day cruises.  We did cruise with 20 family members over Thanksgiving in 2019 and had none of these issues but society has vastly changed since then sadly.

34 minutes ago, vacruisin said:

Sorry you had such a horrible experience; sounds like a lousy way to spend Christmas vacation with the family and you should definitely escalate your experience up the Carnival chain.

 

However, if you've previously sailed Carnival and enjoyed those cruises I would hope you'd chalk this up as an aberration and not just kick Carnival to the curb.  You said you'd enjoyed a May cruise; was it on Carnival?  Have you experienced such bad behavior on previous Carnival cruises?

 

Holiday cruises sometimes tend to bring rowdier crowds; and I've heard of some of the same kind of issues/behavior on other cruise lines.  Sometimes it is just a bad group on your particular sailing.  

 

28 minutes ago, starstruck05 said:

I'm sorry there were so many issues on your cruise. Especially the safety aspect. The only thing I would say is there is no way for Carnival or any other cruiseline to know that people will act like that onboard. There does need to be a better system in place when it happens but they also have no way of knowing it WILL happen. I hope it went through the proper channels to put systems in place for the future.

I understand that they are unable to predict behavior, good or bad but this behavior escalated as the days passed with no noticeable increase in security in an obvious way.  Twice I went to the ninth deck late evening for pizza and saw no visible security at all.  I did see very loud rowdy behavior, not just the expected high energy of young people having fun in an acceptable manner.  I am platinum so I have a lot of Carnival cruise experiences to compare this to.  

Thanks for the return receipt tip!

2 hours ago, pe4all said:

Sorry your cruise was so disappointing to you.  While we have seen some of the issues you observed (slow dining room service, rowdy teens blocking stairways, weed smell on ships) we have never felt unsafe on a CCL ship.  Hopefully you went to guest services to report some of these things.  Also I would put my concerns in writing to CCL.  Mail it return receipt.  You may or may not get a response- but at least it is on record somewhere.  

Over a year ago in mid November , my family upon recommendation from me decided to book a Christmas cruise 2023. Seventeen people, six cabins on the 10th deck on Freedom.  Yes, I realized Freedom was an older ship but I have sailed and enjoyed other sailings in the same class as Freedom and I also knew it was undergoing a quick refurbishment in October. I have used the same PVP for about six years and was in direct communication with him as did the rest of the group.  On Black Friday ‘22 I did a ghost booking and the price for my cruise had gone down significantly so I called him and after some hesitation he agreed that I could indeed take advantage of the lower price.  Regrettably I did not notice that the confirmation email of the new price also included a change of my cabin only to deck 7 on opposite ends of the ship.  I take responsibility for not noticing.  However, at no time did he mention anything about changing cabins.  It was not until I printed documents that I realized this.  I immediately called and confirmed my greatest fear.  Ship was completely sold out,  PVP apologized.  I would have never, ever agreed to change cabins completely away from my children and grandchildren for the sake of saving money,   We always stay on deck above lido no matter the ship. It certainly did not ruin my vacay but it did most definitely affect it.

There are some other issues with this cruise I want to write about. I have read many reports that the quality of food and service overall has gone downhill significantly recently.  Having sailed most recently in May with great satisfaction , I scoffed at those reviews.  Sadly, overall the food was indeed disappointing. I do not expect 5 star cuisine  but four entrees in the MDR were awful(strip loin, an entree salad, parpadelle with lamb and fried chicken, previously a favorite ). We have enjoyed the buffet at lunch in the past but the quality and drink service was very disappointing.  In particular , the meal for Christmas was simply unacceptable..  We waited 45 minutes between our appetizer and entrees and then waited another 30 minutes after entree for dessert with no plates cleared or water refilled.  One of us never received our entree during all that time with no explanation when we inquired several times.We spent two full hours in the MDR , resulting in arriving late to several Christmas evening festivities. 

The last item I want to address is the general feeling of safety.  The cruise started off with an aura of yuletide cheer but as the week progressed the atmosphere digressed as entire groups of very rowdy unsupervised teens and young adults roamed the ship.   They took delight in blocking hallways and stair landings, spitting on people in the atrium from above, etc.  On the last night of the cruise they boldly escalated their behavior to a dangerous level.  They were seen by my husband and others wearing ski masks while threatening people.  At one am the “Charlie” call came over the intercom system twice for security as large fights broke out on 9th deck.  

I have been extremely loyal to Carnival for many years but I am ready to spend my vacations elsewhere. For all of the PR they are doing to improve their image, they are completely failing at implementation.  The  very heavy smell of weed at all hours of the day and night( so strong inside my cabin and on balcony and through out the ship) is proof that their heavily advertised announcements of intolerance is nothing short of a lie.  Much more importantly, for the first time in 15 plus cruises, I and my family no longer feel safe while sailing with Carnival. We sailed with four beautiful  , well behaved teenage granddaughters whose ability to enjoy the ship on their own was directly affected by this atmosphere.  Freedom security needs a complete overhaul.  They seemed to be very adept at catching those who took videos of the several fights as it was reported they commanded individuals to delete videos while they watched and verified.  They were also very adept at commanding people in cabins nearby to stay in their rooms even though they were getting texts from family members trying to reach each other out of fear for their own safety. Their concern for public image greatly eclipses their actual attention to creating a safe , enjoyable family atmosphere for people to sail and spend their hard earned money to create lasting memories.  My money can be spent elsewhere.  My loyalty to Carnival has suffered a tremendous blow, quite possibly, fatal.

We were on Conquest on March 28th, fries were the original classic.  Hopped on Mardi Gras on April 2nd, fries were different  , not as good.  I did, however like the thin wedges at Big Chicken.

I am booked for February 2, 2019 and am also anxiously waiting excursion availability . I called my guy at Carnival and was told that typical availability occurs 7 to 8 months before sailing.:cool:

We were in room 1062 on Glory last summer with a 13 year old and 12 year old and loved it so much we booked another cruise in the exact same room. There was no noise coming from the gym or anything else above us. We absolutely loved the location because it was close to the entrance to the water slide and a short flight of stairs down to lido. We were able to go back and forth to our rooms easily from the pool and buffet area during the day. The balcony was a great way to "bring things down a notch" when the girls wanted or needed to chill. Also close to the ice cream! The only minor issue was the utility closet for the room stewards across from our door but they were quiet and didn't wake anyone but me. No biggie.

Wonderful detailed review. Thanks so much for posting.

I booked 2 sea days and 1 port day by calling Celebrity. The day we boarded Reflection I tried to book the third sea day but was unable as it was sold out. We absolutely loved our alcove and will definitely set aside the money to do it again. We loved knowing that we did not have to race to the deck to get a spot, we loved the seclusion and yet it was close enough to the action at the pool that we could walk just a short distance. We loved our pool butler who accomodated us very willingly. We loved the grass. We were fortunate enough to reserve it on the evening that a jazz concert was held in the grass. Every day that we used an alcove most if not all of the other alcoves were reserved and used by other guests. No one stayed there for the full 12 hours, of course. That is part of the advantage of having one...That would account for someone walking past and thinking that the alcoves are not being utilized. My observation for my week in April '14 was that they are very popular.

Hilarious!

Thanks for this post! We sailed Reflection in April and ate in Murano, Tuscan Grille and Lawn Club (lunch and dinner) and we were thrilled with all three. Service and cuisine were wonderful in all three. Based upon your review, we will definitely consider the ultimate package next time.

On our eastern Caribbean cruise in April we rented one for three days and absolutely loved it. Our butler was only a call away for any request we had. He always granted our request to open the shade cover when we felt as though we had enough sun. We loved the idea of the seclusion it offered. It was enjoyable walking around in the grass. On the first day it was raining at 9 am when we arrived and the butler told us that if it continued for much longer he would be happy to refund our money. It stopped shortly thereafter and he hurried to dry everything off and cover the wet cushions with towels. We had the fortune of renting on the evening of the lawn jazz concert. We were able to order from The Porch next door and have it delivered. We were given fresh ice and water upon request every day, sometimes multiple times as needed. We were also given fruit and cheese platters at the time of our choosing. By the time we boarded all sea day rentals were completely full with openings only left for port days. We will definitely rent again when sailing on Reflection.

April 12, 2014 on Reflection, music was at decent levels with no huge speakers outside of shops. One morning, while at the Sunset bar, I overheard an officer asking the bartender to turn on the music but to keep it "down".

We sailed the week of April 12th and ordered one lobster entrée to share and chateaubriand for two. We did not order appetizers or soup but each had a salad. The food was delicious. We left a little of the chateaubriand but if we were to go again, and we will, we would still order both. We asked if it was okay and our waiter highly encouraged us to do so that we could have surf and turf. We did not have wine or cocktails, only water.

I saw salmon, chicken breasts, pork chops and something called minute steaks available for grilling at dinner several evenings two weeks ago on Reflection. The pasta station is made to order with fresh vegetables available for sautéing and it is open for lunch and dinner.

Background: Couple in late 50's, 6th cruise, 2nd on X.

Flew into FLL on Friday, took SAS Transportation to Marriott in Miami on Brickell Ave. SAS provided curbside service for 15.00 per person if paid in cash plus tip, of course. Our stay at Marriott was lovely and at half the cost of the Mariott property closer to the port, a bargain. Location is a short walk to Brickell Village(several restaurants, bars, shopping) and 1 and1/2 mile walk to Bayside Marketplace with view of cruise ships and short cab ride to port. It had a very nice breakfast buffet for 15.00 per person in the restaurant on site.

Embarkation: So, so easy. We arrived at the port at 11:30 and were walking on the ship by 11:50, no special line.

Our room: mid deck 7 on forward hump, starboard side, 7262. We loved the location as it was right by the coffee machine in The HideAway and close to elevators. We rarely heard any noise coming from the public areas. Our room steward, Bijay, and assistant, Alex, were phenomenal- quiet, courteous, anxious to please and always smiling. We requested twice daily ice service and and extra linens and it was done without fail.

Service: Nearly everywhere we went, Celebrity staff were pleasant, polite. Some were more efficient than others but isn't that the way it is whether land or sea? Most seemed to get along well with each other, which is something I use as an indicator. We had only one encounter that left us disappointed.

Cleanliness: Hands down, the cleanest ship we have sailed out of 6. Constant attention to maintenance of cleanliness including distribution of sanitizer, continuous cleaning of public areas such as handrails, elevator buttons, public restrooms, spills on deck, etc.

Dining: Oceanview Buffet was laid out very well with only a few places that we observed being congested-omelett station and pasta station. The quality of the food ranged from okay to very good. I am not a huge fan of buffets in general but I loved the availability of fresh fruits, salad bars, grilled entrees made to order at dinner, including salmon. We had dinner in Murano, Tuscan, and Lawn Club. We both agreed that they were all worth the upcharge. Dinner in Murano was elegant and on par with some of the finest restaurants we have dined in. Tableside preparation was entertaining. The chef visited many tables, including ours. Nice touch. We especially liked the Maitre'D in Tuscan. She encouraged us to try whatever sounded good and checked on us several times. Lawn Club was truly one of the highlights of our cruise. Chris and Garby took great care of us! The atmosphere is fun, relaxed and chaotic all at the same time! Everything was delicious and the chocolate chip cookie is hands down the best dessert on the ship! When we got ready to leave it was pouring down rain and Garby found a large umbrella to escort us through the open deck to reach the elevators inside. We are hooked on specialty restaurants. We only ate in the MDR on the first formal night. The food was good but we were disappointed in the service. We decided to forego dining there on the 2nd formal night and ordered lobster tails to be sent to our room. It was fun to eat dinner from the Opus menu in the comfort of our room. Also enjoyed the Mast Bar to grab a burger or hot dog for a change of pace.

Entertainment overall was very good. We loved the house band'"Vibes". The lead singer has a marvelous voice. We saw 3 shows in the theater and were able to find seats easily, arriving about 15 minutes before curtain. Music level was acceptable 95% of the time. On the second day, about 10 am at the Sunset Bar we overheard an officer asking the bartender to turn on the music but to keep it soft.

Alcoves: We rented one for 2 sea days and one port day(San Juan). We agreed that we would sacrifice on another part of our trip if we had to in order to be sure to afford the cost of the alcoves-we liked them that much! Others have stated that they did not see them being used on this sail but they were in full use every day that I rented. I tried to reserve one for the last sea day and was unable to because of full capacity. Oscar and Chris were our pool butlers and did a fantastic job, only a call away. Yes, they are expensive, but we enjoyed the seclusion, comfort, availability of shade when desired and the knowledge that we did not have to find a chair every day. BTW, every day, anyone who desired could enter the grassy area and lounge on the grass. We were lucky to have rented one on the evening of the jazz concert on the lawn.

Debarkation was also a breeze. We did not hurry to get off the ship as our flight did not leave FLL until after 1 p.m.

This ship sailed at nearly full capacity with approx. 400 minors on board.

Overall, after having read so very much on this board, I was a little hesitant about our cruise but we were very happy with our choice of Reflection. Celebrity may not be perfect, but dollar for dollar we feel as though we got "alot of Bang for our Buck" compared to other vacations we have taken.

We loved our dinners in Murano, Tuscan and Lawn Club(lunch and dinner) for different reasons but the common thread was that we had delicious meals and fantastic service in all three just 2 weeks ago.

We(hubby and myself)ordered 2 lobster entrees and one chateaubriand for two and were completely stuffed. We did manage to find room to order dessert, however. We loved our dinner there and will definitely return.