Havana area change

[scpirate]

On 10/26/2019 at 7:23 PM, jbethel11 said:

Source?

Carnivals grand poopah John heald himself announced it.i read it with my own four eyes.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, scpirate said:

Carnivals grand poopah John heald himself announced it.i read it with my own four eyes.

You are a little late to the party, all this occurred before the brand ambassador brought it forward, but you are correct, he did bring it up.

[bdever]

On 10/27/2019 at 4:56 AM, jimbo5544 said:

Not all that mysterious to me. You have an area which is not used much in hours where the people who paid for the premium are not there.  Making better use of the ship in whole.  As my friend Philly mentioned, it may be simply people abused the use and in began to infringe on not just the pool during those hours, and in more volume than anticipated.  

I heard the people using the area after 7 PM were abusing the area. A few bad apples on multiple occasions that required a clean up crew. 

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, bdever said:

I heard the people using the area after 7 PM were abusing the area. A few bad apples on multiple occasions that required a clean up crew. 

It is better this way anyway.  

[Lugger11]

I found the whole set up awkward anyways. i was on the Vista in Feb 2019, and on one occasion went to the Havana pool area in the evening. The only way in to it (if you didn't have a Havana Suite) was through the Havana bar.  Think about that. We're in bathing suit and towels and flip-flops trying to make our way through people latin-dancing to a live band. Very awkward. Not cool.

It was just poor design. At least now it makes sense to keep it an exclusive area.

Having said that, pool and hot-tube space is SPARS on these ships. As in, they are small and not enough of them. This is a giant ship, with over 4000 passengers, but only 2 small pools for the general population and NO Adult-only pool. They also close them somewhat early in the evening, which sucks because a late-night hot tub is one of my favorite things to do on a cruise. Always a fight for chairs. Always kids diving and splashing when I want to chill out.

I wouldn't recommend these ships to anyone who didn't have kids with them.

[coevan]

25 minutes ago, Lugger11 said:

SPARS

 is this a Canadian thing? is it an acronym? 

[Lugger11]

58 minutes ago, coevan said:

 is this a Canadian thing? is it an acronym? 

sorry, should have checked spelling: sparse

adjective, spars·er, spars·est.

thinly scattered or distributed:a sparse population.

[coevan]

you did not have to sparse. the capitalization is what threw me

[Oldskl]

My family and I have sailed on the Vista three times, and will be sailing on the Horizon to the Southern Caribbean for the third time this weekend. Given a choice, I would definitely book a Havana suite each cruise, but my daughter will only be six this year. One of the favorite activities on our cruise is for my family and I to enjoy several nights in the quiet Havana hot tubs. We cruise for relaxation, have never seen a show, and don't dress up for dinner since we do that in our daily lives. The largest number of individuals that have ever shared this space with us is five, normally no more than two. It is an opportunity to enjoy that beautiful aft view of the ship moving thru the Caribbean, see the stars, and quietly sip beverages. We are still in contact with many of the great Havana crew members working in these areas on our prior cruises who were bored sweeping, enjoyed the opportunity to get too intimately know a family, play with my well behaved daughter, since most were far away from their own families and appreciated us loving the Havana area plus their company. This area is not utilized at all by the normal Havana guests after 7pm, and it will be disappointing for my family to not be able to enjoy an area we have frequented the past five years. Carnival had it right initially when they allowed all guests to enjoy this beautiful area after 7pm. Now I assume it will just be another under-utilized area on the ship! 

[thesmiths]

6 hours ago, Oldskl said:

This area is not utilized at all by the normal Havana guests after 7pm, and it will be disappointing for my family to not be able to enjoy an area we have frequented the past five years. Carnival had it right initially when they allowed all guests to enjoy this beautiful area after 7pm. Now I assume it will just be another under-utilized area on the ship! 

I personally think Carnival had it wrong initially.

 

Last year on the Vista, we went to use the area a few times after dinner and it was overrun with  families & kids misbehaving so much we did not go back after they found out they could use it. Had an aft wrap and could see who was down there after 7 and it sure wasn't the people that were there during the day. I did not enjoy that.

I knew it going into the cruise but did not think it would be overrun like that.

Many of the parents were inside in the Havana Bar Area while the kids were outside.

This was the reason this normal Havana Guest ( and others) were not utilizing the area.

 

I like the new change so much I have booked 3 cruise on the Horizon to enjoy the area anytime I want.

Had they not changed that I would probably have not booked the next 3 cruises back there!

 

If we pay a premium for an area that kids under 12 should not be back there , they should not be back there no matter what time of day or night it is and those with cabins not in the Havana area should not be back there as well.

 

Just my opinion and thoughts and I like Kids.

 

 

 

 

 

[soonernstlouis]

Agree with above post.  Havana guest pay a premium for their room over the exact same room on any other part of ship.  I doubt I would have ever booked a room on a 4000 pax ship without having some assurance of quiet time.
 

For the most part I’m not a fan of ship within a ship class system.  I do think Carnival balanced this age requirement by having Family Harbor rooms available with amenities available that cater to kids.

[nissach]

1 hour ago, soonernstlouis said:

Agree with above post.  Havana guest pay a premium for their room over the exact same room on any other part of ship.  I doubt I would have ever booked a room on a 4000 pax ship without having some assurance of quiet time.
 

 

Agreed.  We decided to pay the premium amount, Havana interior room over a cove balcony, which were essentially the same price, to try the area which would be less crowded and free of all the kids. 

I like the idea of the no Havana guests after 7pm as we enjoy sitting in the hot tubs in the evenings free from kids.  

[tallnthensome]

9 hours ago, Oldskl said:

This area is not utilized at all by the normal Havana guests after 7pm, and it will be disappointing for my family to not be able to enjoy an area we have frequented the past five years. Carnival had it right initially when they allowed all guests to enjoy this beautiful area after 7pm. Now I assume it will just be another under-utilized area on the ship! 

 I disagree as well, Carnival got it right now. I just booked and paid extra for my first Havana experience for 2022. I wouldn’t want people who didn’t pay extra like Havana guests allowed back in the area at any time. Why should people be allowed in including packs of unruly teens in the evening? Most other lines have exclusive areas that are off limits . What’s right is right ..... it’s not up to non paying Havana guests to determine how much use the Havana area is getting at night based on their observations of what others who have paid are doing or not doing back there. 

[wisefamily4]

We had two Havana cabana cabins on the 12/21 panorama cruise. My wife and I in one and our two boys (21 & 22) in the other.  We all used our large patios and private deck area quite a bit.  It was a pleasant surprise to see carnival actually enforce the need for a wristband in the pool area. Our cruise cost was just about doubled vs booking two cove balconies.  We didn’t spend much time on lido or the other very crowded outdoor decks up top.. when we wanted to be outside by a pool, we used Havana, otherwise we tended to use the bars and public spaces on 4 and 5 the most.  For a ship with so many people onboard, we rarely experienced crowds.  

[Oldskl]

There are some interesting points of view related to the Havana area, and I can respect each of your points. As I stated earlier, I would definitely book the Havana suites if my daughter was over twelve, but due to previous and current rules this is not allowed. We all pay some form of premium to board any Carnival ship including a beautiful upper level ocean suite that I prefer, cove area, family harbor suite etc. The difference is my premium, which also subsidizes the Havana area, does not exclude others from using what I consider to be the nicest hot tubs, and pool on the ship! I have consistently spoken to Carnival concerning this because it is a design flaw and should be addressed. If you have sailed the Breeze, the design is exceptional due to the fact there are wonderful hot tubs on the port and starboard sides that can be utilized by every paying customer. I do realize this configuration is not possible on the Vista class ships due to the restaurants and more lounge areas that I truly enjoy. Carnival needs to include better pool areas for all patrons, thus not having the need to feel you are missing out on any experience. Let me give a quick example. Would you book a family get-away at a high end resort, and then like to be told you can't access the nicest pool or hot tub area? Of course not. The prior rule allowed for the Havana patrons to enjoy the beautiful area the majority of the day, but then gave access for others aboard to come down when it was being under-utilized. Unruly and misbehaving patrons in the area after 7 pm? This is not a Carnival problem, but a societal one. Never been an issue with me or my family. I can also agree this could get out of hand during the summer, spring break season, or holidays. Why I always avoid cruising during these times. Opting for January instead to the Southern Caribbean when the weather is optimal and the ship is not over-stocked to capacity providing for a very pleasant experience on-board. The Havana area is extremely under-utilized during our sailings. What is the Carnival motto, "Fun For All. All For Fun." I choose Carnival for family sailings because it is a family friendly cruise line and I want my daughter to enjoy cruising with us. For an adult only sailing, I have booked Virgin Atlantic for 2020.

[thesmiths]

1 hour ago, wisefamily4 said:

 we tended to use the bars and public spaces on 4 and 5 the most.  For a ship with so many people onboard, we rarely experienced crowds.  

 

We did the same thing for the first couple days, then we went to get a burger and burrito, came out on deck up there,  looked and said to each other where the &*^%  did all these people come from.

It was a funny moment.

 

 

[Jerseygirl1416]

I think the change is good and hope Carnival goes one step further and makes the area 18yrs and over. That would definitely get my attention and I think would be a great selling point.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Jerseygirl1416

[nissach]

13 minutes ago, Oldskl said:

 Let me give a quick example. Would you book a family get-away at a high end resort, and then like to be told you can't access the nicest pool or hot tub area? Of course not.

There are many all inclusive resorts that have pool areas that are only allowed to those who stay in certain rooms or in a certain building.  And a premium is paid for it.  If you want access to all of the ship/resort then you need to pay for it.

[nissach]

8 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I think the change is good and hope Carnival goes one step further and makes the area 18yrs and over. That would definitely get my attention and I think would be a great selling point.

Love this! ☝️

[Sigforty]

6 hours ago, thesmiths said:

I personally think Carnival had it wrong initially.

 

Last year on the Vista, we went to use the area a few times after dinner and it was overrun with  families & kids misbehaving so much we did not go back after they found out they could use it. Had an aft wrap and could see who was down there after 7 and it sure wasn't the people that were there during the day. I did not enjoy that.

I knew it going into the cruise but did not think it would be overrun like that.

Many of the parents were inside in the Havana Bar Area while the kids were outside.

This was the reason this normal Havana Guest ( and others) were not utilizing the area.

 

I like the new change so much I have booked 3 cruise on the Horizon to enjoy the area anytime I want.

Had they not changed that I would probably have not booked the next 3 cruises back there!

 

If we pay a premium for an area that kids under 12 should not be back there , they should not be back there no matter what time of day or night it is and those with cabins not in the Havana area should not be back there as well.

 

Just my opinion and thoughts and I like Kids.

 

Exactly what you said is true.  I was on the Vista in September 2019 and stayed in the Havana area.  I was run out of the pool and hot tubs on at least two occasions during my cruise because of kids.  Some were even with their parents and just being unruly.  At another point during the cruise a kid with an ice cream cone in hand jumped in the pool.

 

While in that area, I spent a lot of time talking with the bartenders.  One of them told me, part of why they changed the access from 5 pm to 7 pm was to cut down on the unruly and destructive people.  Apparently, one day the hotel director was down there before 5 and saw the mobs of people and what they did.  The next day it was changed to 7.

 

[jbethel11]

9 minutes ago, Sigforty said:

I was run out of the pool and hot tubs on at least two occasions during my cruise because of kids.  Some were even with their parents and just being unruly.  At another point during the cruise a kid with an ice cream cone in hand jumped in the pool.

Are children under 12 allowed in to the Havana area after 7? Do you remember what age the children looked like? Do you think with this rule, you won't find similar incidents as you did in 2019?

[soonernstlouis]

55 minutes ago, Oldskl said:

We all pay some form of premium to board any Carnival ship including a beautiful upper level ocean suite that I prefer, cove area, family harbor suite etc. The difference is my premium, which also subsidizes the Havana area, does not exclude others from using what I consider to be the nicest hot tubs, and pool on the ship! I have consistently spoken to Carnival concerning this because it is a design flaw and should be addressed. If you have sailed the Breeze, the design is exceptional due to the fact there are wonderful hot tubs on the port and starboard sides that can be utilized by every paying customer. I do realize this configuration is not possible on the Vista class ships due to the restaurants and more lounge areas that I truly enjoy. Carnival needs to include better pool areas for all patrons, thus not having the need to feel you are missing out on any experience. Let me give a quick example. Would you book a family get-away at a high end resort, and then like to be told you can't access the nicest pool or hot tub area?

While I understand & somewhat agree with some of your points, the premium charged for Havana IS for the exclusive use of the Havana area.  The key cards required to use the Family Harbor area is due to it only being available for Family Harbor guests who pay a premium.  I could have booked a non-Havana balcony cabin for the same price as my small Havana interior.  You paying a premium for a roomy suite with a great ocean view got you just that.  

 

The fact that Horizon has less than 100 Havana cabins on a ship that has over 1800 cabins tells me I invested well to stay away from the crowds & Carnival is well aware of how much each facility is used.

[Oldskl]

2 hours ago, soonernstlouis said:

While I understand & somewhat agree with some of your points, the premium charged for Havana IS for the exclusive use of the Havana area.  The key cards required to use the Family Harbor area is due to it only being available for Family Harbor guests who pay a premium.  I could have booked a non-Havana balcony cabin for the same price as my small Havana interior.  You paying a premium for a roomy suite with a great ocean view got you just that.  

 

The fact that Horizon has less than 100 Havana cabins on a ship that has over 1800 cabins tells me I invested well to stay away from the crowds & Carnival is well aware of how much each facility is used.

The Family Harbor area does not have a pool or whirlpool that can be utilized by everyone on the ship. If Carnival allowed me to book a Havana suite with my daughter, there would be no issue. Why should I be penalized and excluded from using the best pool area on the ship because I choose to bring my daughter? You deserve this option more than others with families. I don't agree!

[Oldskl]

3 hours ago, nissach said:

There are many all inclusive resorts that have pool areas that are only allowed to those who stay in certain rooms or in a certain building.  And a premium is paid for it.  If you want access to all of the ship/resort then you need to pay for it.

I would happily pay for it. Carnival rules don't allow it! As I stated earlier, there needs to be an improvement in all the whirlpool and pool areas aboard Carnival cruise ships.

[Oldskl]

3 hours ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I think the change is good and hope Carnival goes one step further and makes the area 18yrs and over. That would definitely get my attention and I think would be a great selling point.

On a cruise line that mainly caters to families? Where is most of the revenue generated from by Carnival? Not from 18 year olds and over Try Virgin Atlantic!