First cruise and I won't be back

[Sablerose]

Jeezus criminy.

 

Where have you ever traveled that massages and spa services were free?

 

How about drinks at a bar?

 

How about playing BINGO, for god's sake? You're gonna play bingo for free and then win money? Even Grandma Edith who plays every Wednesday at church has a $10 buy-in or more.

 

Video arcade? Free? Huh?

 

Mini-bar? Free? Huh?

 

And who, may I ask, gambles and wins money in a casino without GAMBLING ANY MONEY!?

 

Man, oh man. I totally agree. Cruising isn't for you. Heck. Hotels aren't for you, restaurants aren't for you, buffets aren't for you, Las Vegas ain't for you, bars aren't for you, arcades aren't for you, spas aren't for you, and just between you and me? When you go to church, you're asked to put a dollar in the collection plate.

 

*slams head on desk*

[F5Loar]

$4000 for 3? That was your first mistake. There are cheaper "seats" that will get you the same "all-inclusive" things on a cruise. Inside rooms are my first choice. I get the same service and food as the suites with balcony. Aside from the now mandatory tips(and even those you can have removed if you felt the service was really bad)a cruise is still "all-inclusive" but then so is Disney if you don't eat and drink or sleep all day. At least Disney will not tack on a tip on their $3.00 Cokes but they do get their sales tax. Are their $6 plain burgers any better or their $4 per slice pizza?

The other things you paid for were not forced on you. Many do without those

luxury items like:alcohol,photos,clothes(you didn't bring them?),jewelry,etc.

You chose to pay extra. I have come to realize there are 2 types of people in this world: cruisers and non-cruisers. You have to take that first cruise to know where you fall. As far as odors and picking up rare germs you best stay home for vacation. Don't take a blacklight to your next favorite hotel or resort and that would include Disney's Grand hotels and where a surgical mask like Michael Jackson to avoid all those airborne germs from the other 20,000 people around you. Long lines? I think Disney invented that term.

[gfromftlaud]

Unless you like to sing in karaoke, expect to pay for most of the rest of the "offered" activities other then sitting in your room because you'll be hard-pressed to even FIND an available chair, let alone a lounge chair at the pool. Bingo, massages, facials, spas, casino, laundry, alcohol bars, desert and coffee shops, port excursions and even decent meals are EXTRA. .

 

 

At that point in the review I decided I had to quit reading...I was laughing way too hard...

 

Gary

[sotadragon]

Btw, you sound like a travel agent I wouldn't go to again in the future. Or maybe you work for Carnival, who knows.

Just so you know, I don't think there are really very many TAs or PVPs/Carnival employees who post on these boards. What you're dealing with here are Loyal Cruisers. (Don't get me wrong, the rest of you, I'm a Loyal Cruiser too. :p )

[selucrey]

You also said, "I don't want to wasteTime reading further." Please don't. Btw, you sound like a travel agent I wouldn't go to again in the future. Or maybe you work for Carnival, who knows. For the agents replying who are truthful, I'd probably let you send me anywhere, as long as you're honest about it. This was my experience and I wouldn't be taking the time to post it if it weren't factual as you imply.

Where are you getting this "travel agent" thing from????

[chefdeedee]

It just goes to show ya - there's always someone - you could be in a Luxurious Suite aboard the Queen Mary 2 - and the orginal poster would find something wrong. . . . Been to Disney 3 times - Nothing is Cheap, Free, and I have never had Babysitting or Video Games at the Grand Floridean for Free.

[summerlove69]

I just returned from the Elation and didn't find many of the problems you saw. I was aware that I would be charged extra for soda and drinks. There was a sign in my room next to the water and soda bottles giving me the price for each. They were much cheaper than in a hotel room by the way. As for the problems in the dining rooms, I didn't have this on my trip. We always found a table in Tiffany's when we went there and there was always plenty of space in the dining room at breakfast and lunch. As to the times food was available, these were clearly posted in the daily Capers. I am sorry you had such a bad time. However, not all cruise experiences are like the one you described. I was very prepared due to the time I spent reading postings, both positive and negative, found on this board.

 

Bridget

[Sablerose]

Where are you getting this "travel agent" thing from????

 

Didn't you know? We're all travel agents! Every one of us!

 

Even my husband is a travel agent, to be perfectly truthful. He specializes in overseas travel and long stays in hostile areas. I can hook you up. :D

[halos]

Although I'm relatively new here on this board, and I haven't cruised as much as many here, I'm with the group that it gripes to no end to see someone post their first time with something like this. I didn't find this board until May of 2005...and have asked so many questions preparing for my September 2005 cruise and have found this board the single most helpful resource!

I agree with ya!!

It seems that there are people who aren't as intelligent as you, who will take the time to look into things before they spend their hard earned money on them.....it's amazing how so many folks don't have time to investigate cruising when they have NO idea what it's all about, but have plenty of time to find a place to gripe about how bad it was afterwards.

[big_duck]

I was considering a cruise out of NY, but after reading a few reviews on these boards about the embarkation and disembarkation nightmares there I decided it wasn't worth the hassle. These reviews also talked about long lines, etc. I have also seen lots of threads on tipping, extra costs etc.

 

I found these reviews here quite easily, I don't know how you missed them.

 

 

P.S. Point me to the free casino, cause I'm there!

[Sablerose]

P.S. Point me to the free casino, cause I'm there!

 

Duck: After you pass by the free restaurant, you just need to hang a left at the free spa, about ten steps past the free video arcade. It's right next to the free bar. :p

[CarribbeanTina271]

One of the main reasons I book a cruise is to EAT! :D and of course all the free entertainment that comes along with cruising!

[shipoman]

The casino is all inclusive, they include your money, and mine, in the take :)

[sotadragon]

I agree with ya!!

It seems that there are people who aren't as intelligent as you, who will take the time to look into things before they spend their hard earned money on them.....it's amazing how so many folks don't have time to investigate cruising when they have NO idea what it's all about, but have plenty of time to find a place to gripe about how bad it was afterwards.

AMEN!

[Thatmom]

"please remember your Matre'D in your tipping. Oh, is that the same guy I read about that makes $20k a month by ripping off the rest of the staff by holding them hostage to serving hot or cold meals to their customers, having choice guests to serve or even being close to the galley? Is that the guy he was referring to? I didn't leave him a dime to say the least and his Frank Sinatra imitations every night were grating on my nerves anyway."

 

This statement makes me think you have some other problems going on besides hating Cruising.

What are you talking about???

Carla

[palmtre2]

I'm really confused. First, I doubt that anything in black and white said "all inclusive" and even on a land based AI vacation some things are "extra". Where in the world can you get a babysitter at nite for LESS than $6 and hour? Camp Carnival does watch the liitle darlin's most of the day for free. As far as your sweater being $65 dollars, couldn't you have waited until the first port and purchased something cheaper??? You should play in the casino for free???- what would you expect to win if you "hit"? - the same for bingo? If the spa's facials and massages were free you would have the same complaint as meals - " it was a zoo". I guess you expected way too much but you won't find any of that at Disney either.

[corina27]

Duck: After you pass by the free restaurant, you just need to hang a left at the free spa, about ten steps past the free video arcade. It's right next to the free bar. :p

yes it on the otherside of the free Bingo and next to the free Art auctions.;) :p

[MrPete]

I must be a glutton for punishment, as I keep sailing out of NY, even on the ill fated Legend. I've just learned what time to get there.

 

Damn, I went ahead and even booked the ship yet again for next year.

 

BTW, anyone who wants to send me TA commissions, I'll send you my address.

 

See you all on line (at the buffet).

[Perrys100]

Yup there are lines, yup there are additionl costs, yup there are rude people, yup, yup, yup.

 

However most people here are not advertizers.

 

We are real people with real world experience. I have traveled most of the islands many many times and Carnival is a Great WAY TO GO.

 

 

Sorry you had a bad experience.

[selucrey]

Didn't you know? We're all travel agents! Every one of us!

 

Even my husband is a travel agent, to be perfectly truthful. He specializes in overseas travel and long stays in hostile areas. I can hook you up. :D

No thanks, I "booked" an overseas trip to a "Tropicle Paradise" through one of your "Travel Agents" once. It really was all-inclusive though. (Food;clothing;air-fare;entertainment,etc.) We even had fire-works every night.:D

[tef43]

Next year, I'm going back to DisneyWorld.

All righty then. See ya, buh-bye.

 

Next.

[FamilyMiracle]

Didn't you know? We're all travel agents! Every one of us!

 

Even my husband is a travel agent, to be perfectly truthful. He specializes in overseas travel and long stays in hostile areas. I can hook you up. :D

 

LMAO..... saying a prayer nightly for your DH, until he arrives home to you :)

[Sablerose]

No thanks, I "booked" an overseas trip to a "Tropicle Paradise" through one of your "Travel Agents" once. It really was all-inclusive though. (Food;clothing;air-fare;entertainment,etc.) We even had fire-works every night.:D

 

Maybe the OP should hop a C-130 to somewhere balmy and all-inclusive, and then he/she would have way less to complain about. Just a guess.

 

Oh, hey. The airfare is included in that trip, too. :rolleyes:

[jcs56]

My first cruise was last year and I was told about CC by a friend. To be honest, before I signed up to post I read and read and read. And boy did I learn ALOT in just reading...not posting. I can honestly say that there were NO surprises when we went on our cruise because I read so much on these boards. After awhile I joined and started posting....Roll Call is awesome, met lots of people before hand and met on the ship. But, if you read on here ahead of time as you say, there is NO reason for you to have been surprised about anything. I wasn't. By the way, going on our second in November.....and I read here everyday.

[Sablerose]

LMAO..... saying a prayer nightly for your DH, until he arrives home to you :)

 

Thank you, FM. It's much appreciated. I'm learning there are a lot of us military families here on CC... prayers for all of them!