Disturbing New Things on Two Carnival Ships Now Cruising

[AKJonesy]

When I read threads like this, it makes me sad that some people show so little grace.  I was talking to my nephew who is a Delta flight attendant and he talked about unruly passengers.  I have seen some people acting a little rude on cruise ships, but nothing more.  When I read many posts on this site lately, I wonder if behavior on cruise ships will become a problem.  For the most part, I see people coming to CC and asking questions, sharing ideas and their excitement about cruising again.  Lately, the "tone" on these boards has been different.  Perhaps COVID is the reason.  I don't know.  But, it seems to me that some people read into people's comments and make a lot of assumptions.  There has been a lot of debating also, and I am glad the Admin put a stop to all of the ridiculous conspiracies and nasty comments around COVID.  There are boards where debate is the norm; this isn't that board IMO.  I think we all get a little caught up in the moment and get our feathers ruffled; I have.  Maybe I have just been lucky in all of my years of cruising, but I have met the nicest people and made many friends over the years.  I hope that won't change, but when I read many posts, I have to wonder.  Just saying.  

[silversneakers]

31 minutes ago, AKJonesy said:

When I read threads like this, it makes me sad that some people show so little grace.  I was talking to my nephew who is a Delta flight attendant and he talked about unruly passengers.  I have seen some people acting a little rude on cruise ships, but nothing more.  When I read many posts on this site lately, I wonder if behavior on cruise ships will become a problem.  For the most part, I see people coming to CC and asking questions, sharing ideas and their excitement about cruising again.  Lately, the "tone" on these boards has been different.  Perhaps COVID is the reason.  I don't know.  But, it seems to me that some people read into people's comments and make a lot of assumptions.  There has been a lot of debating also, and I am glad the Admin put a stop to all of the ridiculous conspiracies and nasty comments around COVID.  There are boards where debate is the norm; this isn't that board IMO.  I think we all get a little caught up in the moment and get our feathers ruffled; I have.  Maybe I have just been lucky in all of my years of cruising, but I have met the nicest people and made many friends over the years.  I hope that won't change, but when I read many posts, I have to wonder.  Just saying.  

 

[silversneakers]

I think part of the problem is that people are expecting cruising/travel to be "as before" and we all know that  it will be trial and error for a while. People's expectations during this transition period need to be adjusted to "what is" and we all need to just take a deep breath and enjoy the day!

 

[T8NCruise]

The constant arguing and having to be right and have the last word gets me.  One person's experience is not always another person's experience, it doesn't make them wrong.  Otherwise, in normal times, it is a helpful forum.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

7 minutes ago, silversneakers said:

I think part of the problem is that people are expecting cruising/travel to be "as before" and we all know that  it will be trial and error for a while. People's expectations during this transition period need to be adjusted to "what is" and we all need to just take a deep breath and enjoy the day!

 

Thanks for writing this.

[Roz]

To the OP, you mentioned you have a cell phone thru Tracfone.  They are also my service provider, and offer a good selection of inexpensive smart phones.  If you decide to switch to a smartphone, I would suggest purchasing an Android model.  You don't need an I-Phone 15. 😎

 

Increasingly you may find yourself on the wrong side of the digital divide.  I just received a reminder from my doctor's office of an upcoming appt., and completed the entire check-in process on my phone while watching a rerun of Law & Order.  Of course I could have waited until my appt. and filled out a paper questionnaire in the reception area, but it's so much easier and quicker to fill it out and submit it ahead of time. 

 

I was a bit frustrated with my first smartphone, but after a few days, I knew I would never go back.  

Edited July 5, 2021 by Roz

[Horizon chaser 1957]

While many things will be different post-COVID, I don’t think the first few cruises out of the gate are a carved in stone blueprint for protocols a year from now.

Of course things will be difficult on the first few cruise months, especially while the world is still under an official  declaration of pandemic.

[jfaaborg]

according to Carnival threads of people that boarded carnival ships, they were asked for their vaccination cards on embarkation.  

[Roz]

The move to onboard apps was started well before Covid.  I don't see them going away.

[Suncoastsailors]

2 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

I think it was more than just the menus  He also disagree with their self serve buffets.  That didn't make much sense to me.  Aren't buffets usually self-service?  Perhaps OP meant "non-self serve."  The OP was perhaps overly concerned that "things weren't as they used to be."  Hence, the remark about "entitlement."  

Buffets on Holland America are mostly not self serve. You tell crew member what you would like and they place it on a plate and hand it to you. They even prepare your salad as ordered.

[AKJonesy]

Back to the issue of the phone, and I previously responded on this board as to what I do in place of a smart phone.  As a retiree, and living in a rural area, I go to town about once every 10 days.  When I go to town, I don't need a phone of any kind.  I don't have a smart phone because I'm not going to pay for a phone that I might use a couple of days per year.  How much are those plans per year?  $$$$  I could pay for a cruise for the amount some of these plans cost.  At one time, I had a pay as you go phone and finally stopped that also because I never used the minutes, and even though it was inexpensive, it still was a waste.  My hand me down Samsung Android phone from my son and my 7" tablet allow me to talk, text and surf in wifi.  This is not saying that I disagree with people who have these phones.  I think they have a great use.  

[Hlitner]

Please take this as a friendly post from a 5 Star Mariner (so I obviously enjoy HAL) and frequent international traveler.  My topic is in response to several posts (in this blog) from folks who do not have Smartphones.  I am (in many ways) a typical HAL cruiser (a Senior with extensive travel experience).   Ownership of a Smartphone has been quickly moving from an optional luxury to a main stream necessity for International travelers and many cruisers.  It is almost impossible (or very difficult) to travel without a working Smartphone (and you need to know how to use it).  In the next few months we have two upcoming Seabourn cruises...one embarking in Pireaus, Greece and the other out of Barbados.  In both cases, because of mandated government apps (from the Greek and Barbados governments) it is nearly impossible to take these cruises without a working Smartphone.  We are talking about requirements to complete government required apps within a few days of entering a country (failure to do so in Greece can result in a hefty fine as well as quarantines).  In the case of Greece a QR Code is sent directly to one's phone within hours of your flight and you need this QR code upon arrival in Greece.  While it is theoretically possible to get this on a computer and print out a hard copy, that might prove difficult when you get this code while in transit mode.  

 

Another reason one often needs a Smartphone is that most mandatory COVID testing will have the results e-mailed (or texted) and one would need a working phone to capture those e-mails while in travel status.  And finally, there are some countries (Japan is one example) that will likely require that visitors have a phone with an installed tracking app (for contact tracing purposes).  

 

So my tip to our HAL friends is that perhaps it is time for an attitude change about Smartphones.  For those who live in the USA, T-Mobile has a pretty good deal for Seniors (I think over 50).  Yes, it is going to cost more then a Trac Phone, but you will have a phone that works just about anywhere in the world (with no additional monthly fees).  

 

As to menus in restaurants (on and off ships) we have been doing a lot of travel (Mexico and USA) and many restaurants simply do not have hard copy menus.  The new norm (which I truly dislike) is that you must use a Smartphone to read a QR Code that is on your table.  Your phone then displays the menu (I think it is a true pain in the neck).  We just returned from a 2 week driving trip to South Carolina and I would say it was about 50-50 in terms of restaurants that had hard copy menus vs on QR codes.

 

Hank

[AtlantaCruiser72]

In the short term I am prepared to use QR codes to go along with all the "sanitization theater" folks have been feeding into.  Long term I am hopeful printed menus come back as the norm.  They are a touch of elegance that set the MDR experience apart from eating at a cafeteria.  I also don't mind if daily schedules are migrated to smart phone apps provided they are accurate and kept up to date with any changes, etc.  As long as the cruise lines make a printed copy available on request (either delivered to cabin by stateroom attendant or at guest services) I would be happy.  Agree the ads and sales flyers are the biggest offenders of paper waste on any ship.

[Himself]

22 hours ago, Djptcp said:

We have three Holland America cruises booked, but also have three Carnival cruises booked so I was reading the posts today from passengers currently sailing on the Carnival Horizon and Vista. What I found disturbing is that there are no menus given to passengers in the dining rooms and the daily Fun Times with all the activities, etc. is no longer on paper. One has to view the menus and the Fun Times on the Carnival Hub on your smart phone. The menus are also posted outside the dining rooms so people can take photos using their smart phones. Well, we don't have a smart phone and have never wanted one or being on the Hub. We have a TracPhone we bought a couple of years ago that we take on long car trips, but otherwise it sits in my purse turned off. Don't tell us to "get with the times" as our choice should be respected and alternatives to see the menus and Fun Times need to be provided to us. Not every passenger on every cruise has a smart phone. There were posts from other future Carnival passengers who asked "what if you don't have a smart phone? " I haven't seen any responses yet.

 

Carnival said it would check passenger's CDC vaccination cards and that wasn't done at embarkation. I know they aren't requiring vaccination for sailing, but one would think they would want to know how many passengers are actually vaccinated. I also disagree with their self serve buffets.

 

I did like the idea of the new muster drill process - check in at regular muster station and then watch the information on your cabin TV. Check in at muster station must be done before sailing.

 

 

 

This is interesting to know.  HAL has always posted their meals outside the dining room.. I usually know what want before I enter the Dining Room.  I was on the Koningsdam right before the shut down and the menus were displayed electronically.

[Hlitner]

4 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

I think it was more than just the menus  He also disagree with their self serve buffets.  That didn't make much sense to me.  Aren't buffets usually self-service?  Perhaps OP meant "non-self serve."  The OP was perhaps overly concerned that "things weren't as they used to be."  Hence, the remark about "entitlement."  

I love addressing the buffet issue.  Do buffets involve an increased health safety risk?  Yes and it has always been so.   Do self-service buffets increase COVID risk?  No!  There is no evidence that COVID has ever been spread via a buffet and any type of surface spread of COVID is very rare (according to the CDC).    But as a long time cruiser (who has spent years on cruise ships) I do think that limiting self-service buffets is a good thing for Norovirus avoidance (and that has been proven).   If folks want to improve the odds of avoiding Noro they should consider avoiding or minimizing the use of buffets and make sure to frequently wash their hands.    But I do think that Carnival is simply trying to return to normal based on real science/evidence.    Oh, here is something we found interesting.  Yesterday morning we awoke in our Washington DC hotel (one night) and went downstairs for breakfast.  Our hotel had their normal hot/cold breakfast buffet (the place was packed).  It is the first time we have seen a real breakfast buffet in over a year.   We welcome back normalcy.

 

Hank

[Tampa Girl]

1 hour ago, Suncoastsailors said:

Buffets on Holland America are mostly not self serve. You tell crew member what you would like and they place it on a plate and hand it to you. They even prepare your salad as ordered.

 

That was not the case on the  Amsterdam GV and the late 2019 Zaandam cruises that we took.  But, then, there was no virus prevalent at the time.  I can understand why it might not be self-service for some time post pandemic.  Crowding together to decide on entrees would be conducive to transmittal.

[AKJonesy]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

 

So my tip to our HAL friends is that perhaps it is time for an attitude change about Smartphones.  For those who live in the USA, T-Mobile has a pretty good deal for Seniors (I think over 50).  Yes, it is going to cost more then a Trac Phone, but you will have a phone that works just about anywhere in the world (with no additional monthly fees). 

I would've loved to see my parents trying to navigate a smart phone.  They couldn't even figure out how to use a flip phone!  There are still a lot of seniors out there that don't have phones, and never had any computer skills.  I do think things are getting to be more of a hassle without a smart phone.  I went to HI in January without any phone and needed my PCR results and QR code uploaded to Hawaii Safe Travels.  I had no problem whatsoever doing this from home and printing out copies.  I think we are getting to the point that at least one spouse might need one (if you have a spouse).  BTW, my career was in IT Project Management and I don't have a smart phone!  Maybe I am just too cheap and found another way!  LOL. 

[Florida_gal_50]

34 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That was not the case on the  Amsterdam GV and the late 2019 Zaandam cruises that we took.  But, then, there was no virus prevalent at the time.  I can understand why it might not be self-service for some time post pandemic.  Crowding together to decide on entrees would be conducive to transmittal.

I'm surprised at that.  I've never travelled on the Amsterdam (never will now) and it's been a many years since I've been on the Zaandam.  I bet it's been at least 4 years that they've made up the salad for you, but my memory may be wrong.  I don't keep a scrapbook of everything Hal.   The only thing I remember not being served is little plates of cheese and the like.  I've mostly sailed on the Vista size ships and up in the last several years.

[Tampa Girl]

56 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I'm surprised at that.  I've never travelled on the Amsterdam (never will now) and it's been a many years since I've been on the Zaandam.  I bet it's been at least 4 years that they've made up the salad for you, but my memory may be wrong.  I don't keep a scrapbook of everything Hal.   The only thing I remember not being served is little plates of cheese and the like.  I've mostly sailed on the Vista size ships and up in the last several years.

 

Sorry, my mistake.  I was thinking self-service simply meant that you were able to go to the buffet line and have your plate filled instead of the more restrictive noro "tell the server what you want and sit down.  They will bring it to you."  No, you are both correct.  The servers do fill your plate while you stand in line.  Actually, I don't remember when it was not that way, however, except for severe noro breakouts.  Certain food items, of course, you can pick up with tongs and take off - cookies and other desserts, rolls, pre-made sandwiches, etc.

[KirkNC]

Some of this discussion reminds me (not that I was around 😎) of the transition from horses to cars.  You can accept the change or get run over.

[aliaschief]

5 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

Some of this discussion reminds me (not that I was around 😎) of the transition from horses to cars.  You can accept the change or get run over.

Or in more recent times enforcing mandatory seat belt usage!

[JeffElizabeth]

I am afraid this is the future. Went to a MLB game the other day and you needed a smart phone for your ticket and they refused to take cash, had to use a debit or credit card. 

[AKJonesy]

22 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

I am afraid this is the future. Went to a MLB game the other day and you needed a smart phone for your ticket and they refused to take cash, had to use a debit or credit card. 

Sounds like a little bit of big brother disguised as convenience.

[iancal]

It is not an issue for us.  Probably because pre covid  we have traveled  fairly frequently  and are very flexible.

 

Not having a menu, having one in a different language that we do not understand, or working with a server/host when there is also language challenge is not such a big event for us.  

 

We skate around it and move on.   The outcome is invariably very positive.   So doing it on board, in our own language  with a server that speaks our language is a complete  non issue for us.    With or without personal electronics.

 

Covid has forced many changes on us but not nearly as many as it has forced on those in the hospitality and travel industry. 

 

We do not understand the reasoning behind some of the changes and new requirements  but we accept that these travel providers  are not doing it simply to inconvenience or annoy us.  It is all about change, either short term or longer term.  Nor do we presume to be the experts on health and safety measures that  pertain to covid, noro, etc. and dining establishments.

 

We simply want to travel and we accept that in order to do so there we be changes from eighteen months ago.  Going forward we do know one thing....always be prepared for change.  

 

Our experience is that it is much easier to accept or adapt to change, and sometimes even embrace it, than it is to constantly fight it.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by iancal

[Boatdrill]

On 7/4/2021 at 1:12 PM, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Earlier today I watched John Heald reporting LIVE on the Horizon..... I am sure many did not have smart phones although all the guests seemed to know who John Heald was and asking for his autograph.

He posted a tearful selfie video on Facebook (7/1/2021) after he was denied boarding his flight from Heathrow to Miami due to a change in travel regulations. The first sentence reads " To all of you who booked the cruise on Carnival Horizon just to be with me I send you my most deepest and most sincere apologies."  Someone commented that it was a bit dramatic considering he's [only] a cruise director, and perhaps doesn't qualify for necessary travel.   Eventually CCL got him the right documents and he was able to fly out.