Ocean Spirit

We are Emerald level but have been sailing different cruise lines for the last 6 years and Royal seems like a foreign place. 

Some basic questions:    I know you can have 2 bottles of wine to carry on.  How much soda? Does the soda need to be in cans or can it be in plastic bottles?

We have MTD.... I'm getting mixed information.  Do I have to make a reservation  or set a specific time or can we go whenever we want to go?

I'm seeing that it is recommended to reserve a specific time prior to the cruise.  We will be sailing on the Radiance in November to New Zealand.  I have no idea of when shows usually occur to even have an idea of when I'd like to dine.   Can anyone let me know in general when are the big shows in the theater?   

Thank you Clarea!   Great to know.  For whatever reason I helped book a friend to join us on the cruise we were going on in February of this year and the rep I was dealing with had told me no refundable deposit option.    RCI had always been one of our favorite lines, great to know.

We use to sail Royal, but haven't sailed on a  RCI cruise since 2013, we have been doing Carnivals because we can sail more going to New Orleans and not having to fly.   We  booked the Radiance back in early 2018 for a New Zealand cruise in November 2019.  At that time and for that cruise there wasn't an option of booking with or without a refundable deposit.... it was refundable.   I've been looking at 10 day cruises for next year so that we will make the Diamond level.     I'm shocked that the deposits aren't refundable prior to the final payment.  We are looking at $900 loss if we book now for a 2020 cruise in the fall and something happens within a year.   We're in our mid 60's and not sure if I want to lose close to a 1000 bucks if one of us gets sick or injured in the next few months.    The only thing I can think of is purchase our travel insurance the day I purchase the cruise.    

I personally feel the railings are plenty high and I doubt that they will be making any huge changes of making structures like cages.  At least I hope they don't.   I had a student that I over heard talking to friends about climbing down to the cabin below them off the balcony when she and friends went on a Carnival cruise..... This was a bright 25 year old gal, conducted herself in mature manner however drinking causes people to lose good judgement.

The whole question evolved from the resent incident of a passenger falling off the ship.   I began thinking about the drowning that occurred a few years back on one of the Carnival ships.  (One of my pet peeves is parents not watching their children in the pool since I was trained as a lifeguard.  I find myself falling into that role of scanning the pool area for children that might start struggling. )  On Royal Caribbean after a drowning they implemented having lifeguards station at their pools.  I began to wonder since there are few drowning but a major change was made about the safety at the pools, would they also begin to change the ships design due to falls.

Most of us know you simply can't just fall off the ship unless there is foul play or you are doing something stupid like sitting or standing on the railing.

However we continue to see passengers going overboard.  Do you think there will ever be a significant change in design of the balconies and decks to

prevent this occurring.   I hate the thought of losing the openness and views you get while at sea.  

We did it on the Triumph this year.  Told to meet at specific area.  Once everyone was off you and any other b to b's and any contract staff are walked off.... saw NO one walked through customs, they looked at our passport and immediately walked back onto the ship.  It was great!  Had the whole ship to ourselves!!!  You really need to book the same cabin for both cruises.

I’m confused? Isn’t the dry dock scheduled for March 2019? Are they really starting work 6 months ahead of time?

The answer is YES! As always they work on all ships to maintain them but this is beyond that..... major work is occurring. The reason is to shorten the amount of time it is out of service in dry dock. I would have liked to know this was going to be happening prior to my cruise, I could at least had the opportunity to decided if I wanted to remain booked on the cruise or switch to a different ship.

We were on the first cruise that major work that is currently going on beforel it goes into dry dock.

It is a hit or miss type of cruise at this point. We've cruised on her 3 times prior, 2 of which was this year. Our Sept 1st cruise was not horrible but not one I'd recommend.

The issue is all the work that is being done to shorten the time in dry dock for much needed updates.

We found the staff to be very friendly, the food good and entertain was good.

The negative things were:

1.) elevators were being worked all the entire time, limiting ability to do get where you wanted to go in a timely manner

2.) Toilets wouldn't flush for unknown period of time. One of our friends had to leave his cabin one night just to use the restroom,

3.) Lots of smells of sewage in different locations on the ship

4.) We had stayed in our cabin on an earlier cruise. There was a lot more noise this time. Got up one morning to a barge next to us with huge hoses being pulled to our ship... banging and banging.

5.) Our friends had terrible flumes of paint or paint thinner starting around mid-night and by 4am couldn't take it anymore and had to leave their cabin. When at the service desk the people in front of them were complaining because half of the carpet was gone out of their suite.

6.)Hopefully everyone has gotten word that you can't get into the terminal until noon. They don't set sail until 5pm now. Many people didn't get the email. We had to go back to our car and wait an hour before getting into line.

There were a lot of complaint from others that we didn't experience. I'm only stating what we experienced. Some had a great time others did not. Returning home, I did call Carnival recommending that they don't choose to do this again but go ahead an put a ship in dry dock and complete it there, not to run cruises making major repairs.

For us we cruise a lot and so it wasn't a big deal that it wasn't that greatest cruise but I can't recommend this ship at this point. For my son, he only works part time at a grocery store, he doesn't get paid a whole lot. He had saved and paid for this trip by himself. It was disappointing.

Again, this is what WE experienced. If you choose to sail on her, go knowing there will be issues and look for the positive things you experience.

Oh my Goodness! All of you have been so helpful! We will only be in Sydney for 3 days tops and then cruise. We both still work and so our time is very limited unfortunately. Thank you all so much and keep the suggestions coming.

We've cruised a lot, Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Europe but never from the down under! This one will be our 40th.

Have booked a cruise for Nov 2019 on the Radiance out of Sydney. It started out just my husband and I we invited one of our friends and in turn that person invited 2 more and anyhow we are now up to a possibility of 10 people in our group.... and I have ended up coordinator.

Please give me any advice or tips for this adventure! Would greatly appreciate any suggestions. I fear I've over my head in the down under!

When MGM first partnered, I thought if you were one level in C&A you could be on a specific level in M life.

I'm I wrong or did they drop it?

This time difference is driving me crazy!

We are booked on a cruise for Feb 23, 2019. We are flying out of Vancouver Canada on Feb 20th and arriving on Feb 22. (We can't leave before the 20th) my confusion comes when we return.

We leave Sydney on March 6 and to arrive back to Canada at 7:30 am. I have to book connects from Canada to TN and want to make sure I will arrive back to North America on March 6th.... not on a different date.

Air Canada site doesn't state the date only the time.

El Cid is OK but if you are wanting a beach... there is only a very small area of sand and entrance into the ocean.... pool was fine.

We've done it. The cabana is a large bed and you have a set of chairs and table in front of it. The rose sorta doesn't last long because of the heat, but a nice gesture. They assign the massage time which we really would have liked to have it first thing... you have to pay attention to the time so you will be there vs. just relaxing. I also had booked the fishy food pedicure. It was nice for a one time thing but we won't do it again. We were fine with the regular chairs and tables and the lounge chairs right on the beach.

I'm glad people enjoyed this day pass but we did not. The booking company was fine, had no problems with them. The resort wasn't for us.

First of all when we went, it took them about 15 minutes to check us in. No one else was checking in. We weren't aware of the LONG walk to the beach. The grounds were nice but the first smaller pool would have been great but your in the middle of the woods.... I can do that at home. The pool at the ocean was a nice pool but we had to wait in lines to get drinks and then they weren't good. I was wanting a relaxing day but then they decided to have bingo by the pool. I'm a recreation therapist... I don't want to be floating in the water and hearing B10 G50 for 30 minutes.

This resort was the 1 of 10 we've been at on cruises and it was our least favorite. For calm, go to Nachi Cocum, party Mr. Sancho's, close to the pier Ed Cid

Anything valuable stays with us. On the last 4 Carnival cruises I've been on, there has been missing luggage pieces from other cruisers. Carnival put in your cabin a flyer with the description of the pieces they are trying to locate.

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I saw way to go MOM! I work with kids and teens and at least 80% females have been sexually abused, about 15% of males. So many don't report it. This Mom has educated her daughter well to report it right away.... It doesn't take long for someone to inappropriately touch someone. Glad this creep was arrested.

As someone mentioned earlier, your bill must be paid in full prior to get off the ship. This is one reason why we NEVER use a debit card for our sign and sail card. Even with insurance it will take a bit to get your money back. I much rather it go onto a credit card vs. coming out of my checking account.

Between the fighting and kicking, people going overboard, the murder/suicide on the Freedom and the failed health inspections..... it's becoming a real Soap Opera! "The Questionable and Dangerous"

We are sailing next month. I do really have a great time on Carnival but the health inspections keep failing , I just don't know.

I work in a psych hospital with patients that other places won't take due to their extreme aggression. I have to take training every 6 months on dealing with aggressive behavior. There are techniques that can be done to restrain individuals who become violent. There were enough carnival staff present to have taken those in the fight down and keep them down. I've never in my life seen 2 people trying to walk a person restraining them in the manner the 2 staff were trying to walk / move one of the guys. It Looked like 2 people facing each other both in a bear hug trying to walk this guy away. It's amazing that they weren't injured. Staff Kicking people already down is totally unacceptable. It was horrible. They should be fired immediately. These folks were not trained. Now from reports people involved were part of an extended family had been threatening people early on. Totally believe they needed to be arrested and taken off the ship. I don't feel sorry for them at all and the injuries they got...

A few years ago on a Carnival cruise, I went down to the service desk late at night and 3 people got into a verbal fight and positioning themselves to fight. The security guard came and stood there doing nothing. He was about 5ft. 1 and small (now don't get me wrong, I've seen lots of people his size be able to take a person down, but I don't think he speak very much English to defused the situation) The impression I got was that they really are there to give the perception of security, not to really do anything. If that is the case, they need people that look like bouncers... The guard didn't attempt to verbally de-escalate the situation.

The other time I was present when security was called involved a lady who was so drunk she fell in the piano bar. 4 officers were sitting there and did nothing. NOTHING. Didn't take out their phones, didn't move. I got up and got her up and was convinced to get her to go with me and her daughter, we made it to the elevator before security showed up to help. It took about 8 minutes before someone showed up.

One thing I do want to point out since everyone is very critical of the staff pushing people back (no the guard shouldn't have knocked the phone out of the persons hands) but those staff that aren't restraining people, should keep people away. For the safety of the observers and the staff. I've seen much much worst fights resulting with others jumping onto the staff and beating them up or others coming in and attaching the person being restrained. You have to get people away for everyone safety.

Between Carnival failings health & safety inspections and watching this video that shows the lack of training Carnival provides for their employees, make me serious question if I want to continue sailing with Carnival. This next cruise may be our last. Which is sad because I've have really enjoyed cruising with them. But it comes down to safety. It just isn't FUN being placed in unsafe environment. The wrong type of cut backs will come back to haunt you.... stopping putting a mint on your pillow is one thing... but increasing the work load and not educating staff is totally a systems problem and it is the corporation that should be held accountable. Unfortunately, the only thing that will happen is some of the security staff will be fired, the upper management will blame it on those staff only and tell all the rest of their employees not to do this, not to do that, etc etc.... and nothing will change.

A long time ago, when their was a terrible crash on Pan Am airlines..... the corporation said they were aware of the safety issues/mechanical problems.... it was cheaper to pay the families than it was to make the corrections. A corporation is there to make money... period.

Thanks for the info! Appreciate it

I know we are allowed 1 bottle of wine per person per cruise. What about when you are doing a back to back cruise? Will you still only be allowed to take 2 bottles on for your first leg of the trip and not able to take any on the 2nd leg?

Go with cruise cash.... it can be used for anything, drinks, shops, casino etc. don't have to worry. Also Carnival has gift cards you can buy at places like Kroger etc. and take with you.