DallasGuy75219

Apparently someone never took basic economics courses.

For the Platinum and Diamond party on the Excel class, they have pre-poured wine as you enter the theater, and they put a voucher for a free drink up to $10ish dollars on your S&S on the day of the party (possibly redeemable only after a certain time, I don't exactly recall). The Excel class has scaled down theaters without full bar service, so that's the reason for only wine. The voucher is to make up for not having a bigger choice of drinks or an open bar at the party.

No, I'm quite certain. I have the Barclays Carnival Mastercard and get double points on Carnival and Princess spend. However points can be used for a statement credit against charges only from Carnival. When applying points for a statement credit against a Carnival charge of $1,500 or more, you pay 33% fewer points. So a $50 statement credit against a Carnival charge would normally be 5,000 points, but if that charge is at least $1,500 you would just pay 3,333 points for a $50 statement credit.

Same answer--no.

Yes, being the lowest provider isn't always the most profitable decision in a market. For example in today's travel market people are increasingly looking for a more premium and less no-frills experience. See for example how Spirit and Frontier Airlines are currently performing with their no-frills business models.

The point is people were sticking their hands in a communal bowl.

Agree. Diamond here and the only upgrade I've ever gotten on a guarantee is a porthole instead of interior on my second Carnival cruise. If people knew (or thought they knew) how Carnival determined who gets free upgrades, it would decrease the number of people who paid for upsells.

They disappeared around the time some new GI virus was making the rounds or when there was a surge of norovirus outbreaks on cruises. That was the official line, that they didn't want people eating out of community snack bowls and potentially spreading those viruses.

As long as it was booked at a rate offered to the general public, not a VIFP rate (for example a casino offer) that the no-show qualified for.

Which is why Carnival is filling ships but still underperforming compared to its competitors. Carnival waited too long to try to start meaningfully competing with the latest and greatest from Royal and NCL and is now paying for it in the current high-demand cruise market. Yes they are filling ships but they could command a premium on more than the 3 Excel class ships, if only they had more competitive ships.

To a point, until you feel like you're slumming it at a Motel 6, kinda like my last Valor cruise.

It's very clear from the outside alone when you're in a port with multiple ships from multiple lines, like Cozumel or Nassau. From the condition of the exterior alone (i.e., visible rust), older Carnival ships don't appear as well maintained as similarly aged ships from their competitors. Granted it's primarily cosmetic, but not the best first impression for someone on another cruise line who may be considering Carnival in future.

Just to clarify, two in the same room have to purchase the same "cruise package"--Plus or Premier--which includes not only the beverage package but also gratuities, wifi, etc. If you're talking about the Plus or Premier "beverage package" alone, both don't have to purchase the same package. One can even purchase a package and the other not. Obviously with the "cruise packages" costing less than the "beverage packages" alone, 99% of people will get the "cruise package." The only scenario where it would make much sense not to is if one person doesn't drink much/at all and one or both don't get much/any benefit from the wifi included in the "cruise package". Princess certainly didn't do themselves any favors by giving the same names to the cruise and beverage packages.

If you're "upgrading yourself": Before final payment you can re-fare to any available offer without losing anything, including a non-refundable deposit. Of course you lose the perks associated with the old offer and get those associated with the new offer. After final payment you would lose at least your deposit and current perks to rebook another fare. I guess that could be worthwhile if the perks and/or cabin category were significantly better. If you accept an upsell offer from Carnival you keep all the perks associated with the fare you booked at.

I've gotten upsell offers on casino rates before.

With Carnival's card you get double points for charges from other Carnival Corp brands. But your points can only be applied toward Carnival Cruise Lines charges.

All the ships should currently have this. Pizza, chicken tenders, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, meatball sandwiches hips, chips and salsa, cookies I believe.

No

On a Carnival ship? Can't be!

Now I'm not @chengkp75, but I'd venture to say that ship isnt going anywhere until at least temporary repairs are made and signed off on by the relevant authorities. Even then they may have to fly passengers out of Jamaica and sail with crew only to whatever drydock can work in a complete repair.

It's an 18% surcharge either way. If you order ahead of time they call it a deliver fee (although they don't actually deliver anything because you order the bottles you want in the MDR or at a bar) or if you buy onboard they call it a gratuity.

Before paid upgrades became such a big business for the cruiselines, some people got free upgrades to categories that weren't selling well (cabin A) to open up rooms in cheaper categories that were more likely to sell (cabin B). Those were the original "upgrades". Now that the cruiselines have figured out how to monetize the move from cabin A to cabin B, some purists say that only free upgrades (which are very rare these days) are "upgrades", vs. paying to move to a better (at least in the cruiseline's view) cabin which is an "upsell".

I don't think the stereotypical Carnival passenger, nor many people at all, go on a cruise to eat carrot and celery sticks. If anything, they'll be hangry that those are the only available snack options available.

With all those needs, sounds like YTD isn't for you in the first first and you should be doing assigned dining.

This! My regular heath insurance coverage extends outside the US, so if I have to go to the medical center I get a copy of my paperwork, including diagnosis and procedure codes, while I'm still onboard so I have everything I need to file a claim when I get home.