Carnival 'Special touches' gone?

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

On 2/16/2023 at 12:08 PM, DarthGrady said:

Up through the early 2010's they still had afternoon tea with pastries and other snacks (I'm sure the British have a lovely term for this), I really enjoyed it. Some of the pricier cruise lines didn't even offer it, definitely a nice touch that has been lost to the ages. 

I believe it is back!

[staceyglow]

1 minute ago, DANCING GRANDMOMMY said:

I believe it is back!

Yep.  Went to it less than a month ago.

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

On 2/16/2023 at 1:19 PM, scoobysnacks70 said:

I miss the printed Fun Times and menus.  I hate having to carry my phone around on the ship!.  I used to lock it in the safe and check it occasionally in case an emergency arose...I miss the table cloths in the dining room for sure. Once a day cleaning of the cabin is fine with me.

Printed Fun Times are back as of February 25, 2023!

[Guest BasicSailor]

On 2/21/2023 at 5:42 PM, balcony bound said:

I can't believe no one has mentioned the topless deck... if someone did I missed it, sorry!

Remember the hairy chest contest😉For men it never left.  It's all about the same after sixty.  🤪

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

I miss "good food" in the dining room. Very little of what is served now is pleasing to the palate. The 1st night in the dining room is really the only menu I really care for. Oh, there are occasional tasty dishes, and I definitely won't starve, but it is not the cuisine it once was.  

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

On 2/21/2023 at 10:47 AM, scoobysnacks70 said:

I think that is more do to environmentalist than cost...The umbrellas left with the real straws

Sometimes I just can't help myself. Thinking of bringing little umbrellas on board with me. I already bring my metal straw. 

[asalligo]

10 hours ago, DANCING GRANDMOMMY said:

I believe it is back!

Yes, afternoon tea is back, they had it every sea day on both of my cruises so far this year Pride and Liberty. Like everything else it is slightly diminished though, just fewer selections brought out. 

 

 

 

[Guest BasicSailor]

11 hours ago, DANCING GRANDMOMMY said:

Sometimes I just can't help myself. Thinking of bringing little umbrellas on board with me. I already bring my metal straw. 

 You have to bring your own straws so I would say go for it.  What's next for Carnival, bring your own TP 😇

[ProgRockCruiser]

11 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

What's next for Carnival, bring your own TP 

Actually, they actively discourage that!  Because the black-water plumbing can't handle the variety of thicker land-based TP or wipes, so they want you to use what they provide.  Like when you visit someone who has a septic tank or lives in an RV.

[Guest BasicSailor]

1 minute ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Actually, they actively discourage that!  Because the black-water plumbing can't handle the variety of thicker land-based TP or wipes, so they want you to use what they provide.  Like when you visit someone who has a septic tank or lives in an RV.

Yes, I know it was a joke. People do it though. I even read on here years back where people in suites are allowed to.

[ShakyBeef]

13 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Actually, they actively discourage that!  Because the black-water plumbing can't handle the variety of thicker land-based TP or wipes, so they want you to use what they provide.  Like when you visit someone who has a septic tank or lives in an RV.

 

10 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

Yes, I know it was a joke. People do it though. I even read on here years back where people in suites are allowed to.

This is a myth which Chengkp75 has dispelled several times on these boards.  You are allowed to bring your own toilet paper, and, using it reasonably, it will not clog the ship's plumbing.  The ship's toilets are not like marine or RV toilets.  The cruise lines provide that cheap, thin toilet paper because it is cheap. This thread contains a recent example of his excellent explanation:

 

 

[Guest BasicSailor]

7 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

  The cruise lines provide that cheap, thin toilet paper because it is cheap.

Well, there ya go people! Bring your own TP is no longer a myth.  According to JH its not allowed though. 🤣

Edited February 24, 2023 by BasicSailor

[ShakyBeef]

6 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

Well, there ya go people! Bring your own TP is no longer a myth.  According to JH its not allowed though. 🤣

Where, I wonder, is it on Carnival's Prohibited Items List?  I'll refrain from discussing JH and the reliability or veracity of any information that comes from him.  But I follow the stated Carnival rules (as in my cruise contract)  and trust Chengkp75's knowledge on the matter of ship's plumbing.

[hard_eight]

I use their "paper" and bring wet wipes. No issues yet.

[Joebucks]

On 2/23/2023 at 5:02 PM, BTromboneFrack said:

Yes, these are things we miss.  Here is a list of some of the things that we are very thankful for (based on our first cruise on the Festivale - 1988:

- TV's in every room

- bigger rooms

- more balcony rooms

- a toilet that isn't in the shower - this happened on our first cruise

- shipwide internet

- more than one or two restaurants on the ship

- more than one pool on a ship

- stabilizers

- atriums and great ship designs

- more ports

- more ship choices

- better entertainment (although the live big bands were always nice back in the day.  The closest we come to that today is the Center Stage Bands and Singers on the Mardi Gras and Celebration)

- water parks

- Serenity Deck

- IMAX theaters

- roller coasters

- prices that are actually cheaper than they were 35 years ago.

 

But mints on every pillow and a piece of fruit in my drink were way better. 

[4ME2CRUZ]

On 2/17/2023 at 10:38 AM, Sea Raven said:

 

Interesting. Once I retire, I plan on trips with different cruise lines. I'm looking forward to experiencing all the options and differences.

I'm retired and will doing just that next year.  I'm looking at MSC NCL and Virgin.  I'm looking for new experiences and ports.  

[JillK]

I have cruised across several lines over the years and a lot of these are changes that have happened across all lines. 

 

NCL recently famously upped their Daily Service Charge to the highest out there while at the same time reducing service to once a day (that didn't stop me from booking my next two cruises with NCL however).

 

I personally don't mind the cabin being turned over only once when I'm cruising with just my husband however when we are cruising with our kids in the cabin (three or four passengers), this does have a major negative impact.

 

Try to imagine your cabin with the sofa converted to a bed and the berth from the ceiling being deployed ALL WEEK long. It makes the lounging area of the cabin completely unusable. It became very awkward to navigate with four people during those times that we were all in the cabin (getting ready in the morning/evening). 

 

In my opinion, all the lines that have reduced service really need to service the cabins with three or more passengers twice at least to put the beds away and then re-deploy them in the evening along with the regular service. 

[mz-s]

21 minutes ago, JillK said:

I have cruised across several lines over the years and a lot of these are changes that have happened across all lines. 

 

NCL recently famously upped their Daily Service Charge to the highest out there while at the same time reducing service to once a day (that didn't stop me from booking my next two cruises with NCL however).

 

I personally don't mind the cabin being turned over only once when I'm cruising with just my husband however when we are cruising with our kids in the cabin (three or four passengers), this does have a major negative impact.

 

Try to imagine your cabin with the sofa converted to a bed and the berth from the ceiling being deployed ALL WEEK long. It makes the lounging area of the cabin completely unusable. It became very awkward to navigate with four people during those times that we were all in the cabin (getting ready in the morning/evening). 

 

In my opinion, all the lines that have reduced service really need to service the cabins with three or more passengers twice at least to put the beds away and then re-deploy them in the evening along with the regular service. 

 

The most maddening thing is you're still paying for that evening turn-down service, because gratuities have gone up. You're just not getting it anymore.

[sanmarcosman]

Carnival did have a " Top Optional " space on a top deck as shown here aboard the original Jubilee in February 1991. The space was sheltered from the wind and it was popular with the ladies who were the Jubilee Dancers who performed nightly in the main lounge. Most were European and my late wife would say: " I'm happy to see they shave. " 

 

[Joebucks]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

The most maddening thing is you're still paying for that evening turn-down service, because gratuities have gone up. You're just not getting it anymore.

 

Show me the itemized bill of where you are paying for evening turn down. While you are at it, look for the charge for skeet shooting and pillow mints.

[mz-s]

15 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

Show me the itemized bill of where you are paying for evening turn down. While you are at it, look for the charge for skeet shooting and pillow mints.

 

Our cruise fare and gratuities used to include so much more than you get today it's really quite sad if you actually want to go down that road. Look at post #13 in this thread for a brief list of things we've lost just since COVID.

[Drew B 58]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Our cruise fare and gratuities used to include so much more than you get today it's really quite sad if you actually want to go down that road. Look at post #13 in this thread for a brief list of things we've lost just since COVID.

We have lost many things and gained many others.  Whether the things we have lost or the things we have gained are more valuable is subjective opinion.  Whether you focus on what has been lost or what has been gained is a personal choice…

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, Drew B 58 said:

We have lost many things and gained many others.  Whether the things we have lost or the things we have gained are more valuable is subjective opinion.  Whether you focus on what has been lost or what has been gained is a personal choice…

 

The entire purpose of this thread in particular is to discuss things that are gone from the experience, anyone is welcome to make a thread about things that Carnival has added over the years and I'd be glad to add my own things to that thread as well.

[icft]

10 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

Carnival did have a " Top Optional " space on a top deck as shown here aboard the original Jubilee in February 1991. The space was sheltered from the wind and it was popular with the ladies who were the Jubilee Dancers who performed nightly in the main lounge. Most were European and my late wife would say: " I'm happy to see they shave. " 

 

Did they only put the "No Jogging" signs in the topless area?

[Ghia]

On 2/17/2023 at 2:50 AM, bettysuetraveler said:

its called a butler. it was nice to have a cleaned table.

It is called a "crumber". The full name is a "table crumber" and usually see at fine dining establishments. I was on the Mardi Gras and ate at Rudi's. They used crumbers