nonna5

I worked for Carnival doing embarkation for The Mardi Gras while going to college. The process was so simple. Check off the passenger name from a paper list...hand them a paper boarding pass and Bon Voyage! Not even a metal detector. We had a lot of fun!!

Paper boarding passes - I have been trying to get some old cruises added to my profile and Carnival wanted me to send them a copy of the boarding passes. I told them they were carbon copies and they barely made it thru a 9 day cruise much less 30 years.

Really did love the Mardi Gras - it addicted me to cruising.:D

 

Like I said ... Carnival never used to be that paranoid about all this ... They never had a scanner that I remember either when you got back on the boat.

 

Oh well

I don't think it is Carnival being paranoid about liquor - scanners were added to all cruise lines after 9/11. It is the world we now live in.

My experience cruising solo seems to be a little different from everyone else. I took a 3 day Bahamas cruise in late December - it was my first cruise - and of course first solo cruise. I had quite a few awkward moments. First, I felt it was awkward boarding the ship, and they take your picture -obviously to try to sell you a copy later. I immediately recognized that I was the only solo cruiser, since everyone else was families or couples. Departure was awkward...everyone was with their partners or families in a party mood, and I was alone. Dinner the first night was when it came to a head. Table for six, but only one couple who was Italian and very much in love showed up. No one to talk to, and the servers kept asking when the rest of my party was going to show up. Again, the photographer came around taking pictures of the groups, and then when he came to me, I was depressed by this time, and declined. Went to the solo/singles meetups but no one else showed, and so the first night, I wanted off of that ship so bad.

 

I will say it got better over the next 2 days. I guess I just accepted that I was alone, but I struggled to find people to talk to. The hot tub on the last day was where I finally found people to talk to, and was invited to eat dinner with some folks I met there.

 

I guess being satisfied with cruising solo has to do with your expectations and whether you enjoy being alone. I don't enjoy being alone, although I'm accustomed to it, and had an expectation of quickly making friends, so for me it was awkward and disappointing.

 

The good news, even with my disappointment, I haven't ruled out cruising again. Too many places I want to go, and cruising seems to be the most economical.

So sorry about your first cruise. Just a little bit of information - the next time on the first day when you board go the the dining room and ask the maitre d about the other passengers you are seated with. He can tell if they are solo travelers. If not ask him to please seat you at a larger table with solo travelers. If you happen to be at a table where no one shows up by the second day go to the maitre d and asked to be switched to a different table.

As far as the embarkation picture and pictures during in the dining room - I just politely tell them no thanks.

I also believe the longer cruises (7 days and longer) tend to have more solo cruises.

I hope you give it another try.

I am still trying to take the plunge. I lost my wife last year and I love to cruise. Kids keep telling me I can do it but I think the first would be hard. Like learning to walk I guess. One day. I am looking at Epic Studio. Best of Luck.

I started cruising solo after I lost my husband three years ago. We loved cruising and the first one was sad and happy but it was the best thing I have ever done and now I love cruising solo also. Take the plunge and know that your late wife is with you and would want you to live your life to the fullest.

Pat - So sorry to hear about Steve. I will add him to my prayer circle.

Thanks so much for the update on our dearest Egon. I know with a spirit like his he is going to make a full recovery.

God Bless You, Egon.

I prefer to go solo. I do what I want when I want. In some ports I book Carnival excursion, ie. Belize.

 

I will be wearing my carnival "Unfriendly to Solos" tshirt made by carnival on my next cruise. Interesting embarkation picture...

Have you received your tshirt from Carnival yet. If so could you post a picture. I would like to see it.

By the way I totally disagree that solos spend less. I know I spend three times as much cruising solo as I did with my husband when he was living.

I got the following to all this evening from Egon:

 

What a wonderful, phenomal, and fanstastic friends I have, I am rich! From far and wide are their emails, wishing speeding recovery, prayer and love - would be impossible in my present condititon to thank them individually and would many month. So to each of your, my heartfelt thanks, I love you all as you have loved me too.

I am wirting this with diffiltulties.

Thanks Pat.

Wonderful news from Egon. Prayer is powerful and God is great.

Just got this too from Egon:

out of the hospital. love egon

 

Yeah!!:D:D:D

Wonderful wonderful news.

Thanks so much for keeping us updated.

Steve, Pat and Doug - Thank you so much for the update.

Egon - I am so glad to hear the good news. My prayers are with you everyday. Our prayer circle will keep our arms wrapped around you with prayers for you and your family.

God Bless You, Egon!!!

THANK GOD EGON WAS AT HOME WITH HIS SON!!!!

I have also followed Egon's travels from the beginning and feel like I know him. I pray that he makes a full recovery and is back to himself sooner rather than later.

Thank you Steve for letting us know about Egon and thank yellowbird23 and partyofone for keeping us updated.

My prayers are with Egon and his family and Steve please let Egon know he is still a part of our prayer circle.

The machine (at least on the Paradise) was on the edge of the casino... when you're sitting at the machine the chair is actually in the aisle of the Promenade deck, so technically, not considered inside the casino, I guess.

 

There were a ton of kids playing the machine every time I passed, and lots of casino workers around- no one ever said anything so I guess it's allowed.

Kids are not allowed to play on the Triumph. They were always telling the kids they could not play when I was sitting at the casino bar. I found it strange that kids could not play it because you can go to any gameroom around here for kids and this type of game is there for anyone to play.

For those of us who live in the U.S. - Remember this when they tell you how much you're going to LOVE Obamacare!

 

You would think they could cut some of the red tape for him since he has already been given a diagnosis!

You are so so very correct.

God speed Egon on your way home. The prayer circle has our arms wrapped around you.

God Bless You, Egon!!!

God bless to Egon - I'll be praying for him. This should be a lesson to all of us. No matter the plans we make, everything can change in the blink of an eye. We should live every day gratefully with this in mind. Thanks Pat for keeping us informed. Now all of us, from every direction and zone, who have never laid eyes on one another, can all join prayers for our friend, who we've never met in person. God is good and life is wonderful - and miraculous!

I totally agree. I am joining the prayer circle for Egon.

Sounds like the Opera is going to be a much better ship for Egon.

So glad to hear it.

We were scheduled to stay at the hotel continental for our arrival night and departure night.

When we arrived we found out the hotel was overbooked, and after travelling through the night and being very tired, we weren't impressed. They were going to put us up at the sister hotel, Hotel Continental Palacete.

In the end we couldn't be happier about our experience, because of this overbooking, we were able to experience both hotels.

First off they paid for a cab to drive us the 10 minute walk to the Hotel Continental Palacete. They gave us a suite with a massive sitting room and a bottle of champagne in our room for the inconvenience of having to change.

The room was marvelous. at first we were sad not to have our own balcony, but there was a balcony in the public room which we used for hours as there was no one else there. Lovely little snack bar and we thoroughly enjoyed the wine and beer on tap!

On our return after the cruise we had a lovely room on the thrid floor of the Hotel Continental Barcelona. A cute very quirky little hotel. It suited us just fine. We were exhausted after our port intensive cruise and spent most of the day relaxing in either the rear terrance or our own private balcony.

I will post a couple room pics after we get settled, I took over 1000 pictures during our cruise and we haven't had time to look at them since our return.

 

I would highly recommend either of these hotels. Very good value. and both had great locations.

 

The info i received answers for in my original post was spot on. Very easy walking distance from the airport shuttle, and several stores nearby that sold nice wine to take onboard our cruise.

Thanks

Lambo

Thanks so much for posting. I am staying at the HC Barcelona hotel for my Nov 2013 TA cruise. I am looking forward to your pictures.

I have to agree the "Pre-cruise Planner" is not a very user friendly site.

It just seems that the IT department could come up with something better.

Oh my goodness I cannot believe MSC treats Egon so badly. I wish there was something we could do for him. I feel just awful for him.

Mischelle - Carnival Facebook coordinator has told us there are about 3,150 Milestone.

 

However, some of those will be demoted to Platinum because they do not have 200 days.

 

 

Hubby, myself and our 20 year old son are now all Diamond.

 

Our 20 year old is the only individual under the age of 21 with at the DOUBLE MILESTONE LEVEL.....(oooppps I forgot ....that is not a level) : (

 

Oldest son has 26 cruises but only has 143 days...so he is one of the Milestone that was LIED TO (directly by SEVERAL Carnival employees) that he would be grandfathered into the HIGHEST LEVEL (direct quote).

Linda -

It sucks doesn't it - being LIED to by a company you have been loyal to.

I was also told by several Carnival employess that I would be in the top level. One being when I was on the Triumph in March.

LIED to about being grandfathered into the top level and LIED to about Milestone not being a level. It has been a level since that had it - up until today that is. What is that hog wash about only suppose to get the Milestone card on your 25th, 50, 75th and 100th cruise. If there was never a Milestone level - then why did everyone at Carnival refer to guests as Milestone guest. So many LIES, over and over.

You know I may not like the truth but I hate hate being LIED to.

Would have been had John not lied about those already at top level would be grandfathered in. Have 184 days with 11 booked. Next booking will be on another cruise line. I'd rather pay more then be lied to and have things taken away for loyalty!

Yep. I agree 100%. I hate hate hate being LIED to and that is excatly what happened.

Got my final biopsy report this morning. Not cancer, thank God. It's called hyperkeratosis, which is basically a callous-like lesion from something rubbing (tooth). Thanks for the support. Now I can breath again.:)

Thank God. I know you are smiling from ear to ear.

Today on John Heald's blog, someone asked a question about bringing her Maltese on board. She said he is a service dog for her sleep apnea.

 

I'm not trying to start a fire here, but I'm genuinely curious. I have been a respiratory therapist for 30 years and have worked with hundreds of people who have sleep apnea. I've never heard of a service dog for this and wonder how one could possibly be useful for this condition. Anyone out there with sleep apnea who could offer some insight on this?

I read that also. I have never heard of this either and I know several people with sleep apnea. I found it amusing that she wanted to take her dog to the dining room. I was wondering if she was planning on sleeping at dinner.

Past several bookings I havn't seen any "pluses" to using the PVP over the Carnival website. I'd just use the website. It's easy. We do have a direct number to a specific Carnival PVP and she's pretty good. But still, she quotes nothing better than the website offers.

True that a PVP has the same pricing but they have access to all the cabins available and not just the 10 in each catagory that comes up on the website. They also are able to help with any problems that may arise.

OP just call and ask to speak to a PVP. If it takes mutiple PVP's until you find one you are comfortable keep trying. Mine is wonderful and I have been using her for 8 years.