Anniversary/Birthday Cruise - Do you get anything?

[mferris77]

Hi all.  I booked our cruise in which one of the people in our room is having a birthday.  I do recall when I booked the cruise that they asked if there were any special events happening, and the options were something like honeymoon/anniversary/birthday.  I did select birthday and I had to specify the day of the cruise when it was.

 

What I don't know is what, if anything, I should expect for that.  I would like to do something special for the birthday girl but I wasn't sure what we should expect.  For instance, I don't want to order a cake if they give you a cake, etc.  

 

Does anyone know what they give you if you say you're celebrating a birthday during your cruise? Ship is the Carnival Breeze, if it matters.  

 

Thank you!

[wesorbeth]

A little cake at dinner and they will sing.

[Elaine5715]

19 minutes ago, mferris77 said:

Hi all.  I booked our cruise in which one of the people in our room is having a birthday.  I do recall when I booked the cruise that they asked if there were any special events happening, and the options were something like honeymoon/anniversary/birthday.  I did select birthday and I had to specify the day of the cruise when it was.

 

What I don't know is what, if anything, I should expect for that.  I would like to do something special for the birthday girl but I wasn't sure what we should expect.  For instance, I don't want to order a cake if they give you a cake, etc.  

 

Does anyone know what they give you if you say you're celebrating a birthday during your cruise? Ship is the Carnival Breeze, if it matters.  

 

Thank you!

They always ask but it does not mean a thing.  You may or may not expect a thing.  If you want to be sure, order a cake.

[mexicobob]

Last year on Princess I received a gift card that could be used on the ship.  Bought a very nice shirt in one of the shops on board.  Year before on Carnival got a coupon for a free drink.  Do not remember being offered a cake, but not really into the sweet stuff.

[mets123]

You will get a $50 gift card for the spa. But it's very limited in what you can use it for. I just threw it away.

[bingomamma19]

The last few years, we have received a $50 spa gift card and a free photo coupon.   The spa gift card can not be used on any specials.

[GradUT]

33 minutes ago, mets123 said:

You will get a $50 gift card for the spa. But it's very limited in what you can use it for. I just threw it away.

Me too!

[Chervil]

We usually take a cruise for our anniversary.
They give us a very small, but very rich, cake with a candle.
They sing Happy Anniversary and had us kiss each time they said Happy Anniversary.
It was silly but fun.
 

[lasekeye]

On special occasions that were listed on our booking profile, we had received a small birthday cake at dinner - presented by singing waiters AND our Cabin Steward left a couple gift coupons for us (a spa discount & another time a spa discount with another for the photo desk).

We didn’t use the spa coupons as the base prices are much more expensive than we want to spend, even after the coupon, they are also dated & imprinted for a specific person.

The coupon for the photo desk we did use!

[xDisconnections]

4 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

They always ask but it does not mean a thing.  You may or may not expect a thing.  If you want to be sure, order a cake.

Exactly. Nothing is guaranteed unless you’re willing to pay for it and even then, sometimes they fail to deliver.

[JoCam]

We take our cruise during our Anniversary and they have always given us the little heart cake,sometimes sing at Dinner and a coupon for the spa or a free drink. Its a nice little treat.

[crooooze]

In the steakhouse, they gave us each a complementary glass of champaign for our anniversary. 

[LittleYiaYia]

I think it is hit or miss and ship (maybe room steward) specific.  We specified in 2016 (on the Glory) it was our anniversary.  The room was decorated by our steward and we received a cake in the room, a coupon for a free bottle of wine and the spa coupon.  In 2017 (on the Breeze) we received a cake in the dining room.  In 2018 and 2019 (on the Fascination) we received a cake in the dining room and the room door was decorated. 

[Tiger0613]

If you are given a birthday cake in the MDR, eat it that night. The cake that my mom got in February 2019 on the Sunshine was okay when it was given to her, but it was disgusting the next morning.  The icing had turned into rubber.

[Joe817]

We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on the Dream out of Galveston departing on July 27th which happens to be the day we got married. And looking forward to our first cruise. It'd be nice to have a 'surprise' for us but I'm not counting on it. I am just thankful that we are celebrating our 50th with the cruise. 

[Djptcp]

DH uses his $50 spa birthday gift cards towards a massage or pedicure. Loves them. One of our cruises every year is during his birthday. Don't get why you would throw them away. He also receives a small birthday cake in the cabin.

[Sean_B]

22 minutes ago, Djptcp said:

Don't get why you would throw them away.

 

Because they're not interested in using the spa services? 

[vol3820]

2 hours ago, Joe817 said:

We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on the Dream out of Galveston departing on July 27th which happens to be the day we got married. And looking forward to our first cruise. It'd be nice to have a 'surprise' for us but I'm not counting on it. I am just thankful that we are celebrating our 50th with the cruise. 

Happy Anniversary! That is wonderful! I hope you have the time of your life on your cruise!!! 

[vol3820]

13 hours ago, Chervil said:

We usually take a cruise for our anniversary.
They give us a very small, but very rich, cake with a candle.
They sing Happy Anniversary and had us kiss each time they said Happy Anniversary.
It was silly but fun.
 

My husband and I are celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary (or the 10th anniversary of our last vacation just the two of us....we have 4 grown children and 6 grandkids between the two of us.) He's a chocohoic, and this would be PERFECT!! 

[Chervil]

7 minutes ago, vol3820 said:

My husband and I are celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary (or the 10th anniversary of our last vacation just the two of us....we have 4 grown children and 6 grandkids between the two of us.) He's a chocohoic, and this would be PERFECT!! 

If he is a chocoholic then he will definitely like this cake.
Almost a fudge cake, it is very rich and it takes the two of us to finish it, despite its size (you can use the candle for scale!)

Usually I let our waiter know the first night, and they will generally ask which night you are celebrating.
Although if you book through Carnival, you can let them know you are sailing for your anniversary and they will usually put it in your travel notes, so your waiters and room steward will already know.
 

[Shaded Lady]

3 hours ago, Joe817 said:

We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on the Dream out of Galveston departing on July 27th which happens to be the day we got married. And looking forward to our first cruise. It'd be nice to have a 'surprise' for us but I'm not counting on it. I am just thankful that we are celebrating our 50th with the cruise. 

 

Happy Anniversary! What a blessed milestone!

 

The folks onboard may do something, especially if you let them know it's your Golden Anniversary, but I'd also go to John Heald's FB page the day before you cruise and ask him to please ensure those onboard do something a little special to mark such an event! He will not only make sure the onboard staff are aware, he will likely send something nice to the both of you onboard!

[phoneman69]

Cake , spa gift card, drink coupon and big message on the room mirror for out anniversary cruise

[Shaded Lady]

I wish one of these times our room steward would give us the photo coupon, instead of the spa coupon! That, we'd use! The spa coupon is very limiting- it was given to DH and only he could use it, it could only be on full price services and he's not a massage/manicure/pedicure kind of guy! So every time, it's a waste to us. Others have said that the spa staff allowed the spouse to use the coupon, but that's never been my experience.

[Elaine5715]

15 hours ago, mets123 said:

You will get a $50 gift card for the spa. But it's very limited in what you can use it for. I just threw it away.

Actually, it is not limited.  It can be used for anything in the spa or salon by the awardee and by throwing it away, it sends a clear message

Edited July 21, 2019 by Elaine5715

[Shaded Lady]

3 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Actually, it is not limited.  It can be used for anything in the spa or salon by the awardee and by throwing it away, it sends a clear message

 

4 weeks ago on Vista my hubby got a spa card. We made a point of going to the spa... we were told explicitly:

• ONLY he can use it
• Only for full-priced services (nothing on promotion)
• Not usable on any goods they sell in the spa

It may be hit or miss but DH doesn't want a massage or pedicure, he had just gotten a haircut before the cruise and he shaves daily! So when we looked at the eligible services, there was nothing he could use. I even asked the spa staff, and they shrugged and said that's all they could do.

 

We had a similar experience on the Breeze and Magic.