lasvegascruising

I always redeem for statement credit. I charge on the card whatever it is I want to purchase on the Carnival website. This item shows up as a normal charge. The statement credit is just that, a credit posted to my credit card account. I never have to worry about it showing as OBC. For example, I purchase the Cheers! package for myself and hubby. The charge shows up on my credit card statement. I redeem points as "statement credit", within a day or two the credit shows on my statement. It works for me and maybe it will work for others.

I never order in the MDR or take from the buffet the sugar free desserts BUT on the Radiance last month, night one, I tried an orange cake dessert. It was so, so good. You must give it a try!

I wonder the exact same thing. I was searching for a December 2023 cruise and found the Carnival Panorama priced right for me. I like cruising from Galveston but Carnival prices there are just too high at this time. The only thing that comes to mind right now is that the first day and the last day of the Mexican Riveria cruise are on the cooler/colder side (when sailing Dec/Jan). Maybe some folks don't want to be chilly on a cruise vacation and won't book pacific coast that time of year thus lower prices?

I do know that there is a company selling tours as you walk off the ship. It is within the port area. The last two cruises we have been on, we booked a city type of tour both times. Dec. 2022 it was $35 each and 4 hours. I wish I would have brought home some information about what else they offered so I could make a plan for this year's trip. I can't remember the name of the business.

Cruised on the Panorama December 2022. We did not feel like navigating the Uber/Lyft scene so we headed over to the taxi line. It was very organized and we were off to the airport. It was about $50 including tip. Just wanted to give you another option.

icft...ditto. By my last day of a 7-day cruise, I am on slow mode. I don't even order a drink to just take a few sips to see how it tastes. I can see why Carnival may increase the daily rate for cruises of 5 days or less. They know that on my last day I am consuming far less drinks than I did on day one & two. Everyone must know that they are keeping track of everything we drink each and every day!

WHAT?? I have a 5 day booked on the Firenze May 16, 2024. I have not received an email notice yet. What will the new price be per day per person?

Neither of us are gamblers BUT we love to cruise out of Long Beach. No great cruise rate due to not gambling but that is fine with us. Headed to Long Beach Dec 1, 2023 and May 15, 2024. Flights and hotels booked for both trips.

WOW, everyone of these rituals sounds amazing! This is why crusing is my favorite vacation.

jthayek, we are also on the Dec 2 Panorama and have booked the Residence Inn downtown and arriving on Friday. Our plan is to take an Uber from LGB to the hotel on Friday afternoon and then take the passport bus to Queen Mary on Saturday morning. Not sure if the bus idea is going to work. Hoping to read some advice here on Cruise Critic. I have read that Hotel Maya has transport from their property over to the cruise terminal so that may work better for your family. Residence Inn does not. Will you post what you decide to do? Maybe you will find better facts than I have.

We officially have a stare down....n6uqq & VentureMan_200....I will report back as to what happens in real life. Will we get to check in on Nov 16 OR Nov 18????

Sailing on the Panorama Dec 2, 2023, Saturday. On this cruise will turn platinum and our check in date is Nov 18, 2023. Is this the correct timing? Right now we sit at 68 days with Carnival and are taking a 7 day cruise which will put us at platinum level on Dec 8, the last night of our cruise. Will we be consider platinum for this cruise?

We took a cruise on the Radiance earlier this month and I was observing the layout for our next cruise which we will be platinum. There is a dedicated area for diamond/platinum. After you are through the metal detectors and the line where the dogs sniff your carry on, walk all the way through the seating area. You will see a person at a podium, they will look and your documents and let you into the area. It is a separate room with big glass walls. About 10:45am the folks(diamond/platinum) came out of the room and lined up to get on the ship. After that, FTTF was allowed on and then A01, A02, etc. As a side note, my husband and I, each at different times, witnessed one of the dogs doing his job of smelling something. The dog and handler walked down the line of guests and the dog I watched sat down on a backpack. His handler immediately gave him his reward, some kind of dog toy. Another person came over and asked the people standing in front of the backpack who it belonged to. This person picked up the backpack and had two men follow her. End of story.

We did exactly this...stayed at the Renaissance in Dec 2019. Walked across the street to the stop for the passport. We didn't know if there would be an issue of us boarding with three pieces of luggage, there was not. It was on the early side so there were not many folks on board or folks waiting at the stop. Just remember, it drops off at the Queen Mary and you will have to walk from that stop over to the dome. We arrived the day before our cruise and rode the passport just to get a feel for how it operated. After that, we looked at each other and decided to use it the next morning for our transport to the port. We really enjoyed the tour. We are cruising the Panorama, Dec 2023 and staying at the Marriott Residence Inn Downtown. Hoping to use the passport bus from this hotel over to the Queen Mary on embark day. Has anyone done this?

mamiamjo, this is good advice. Thank you for posting a bit of information that is useful. 6fan, your question is exactly the question I had. Please be sure to post your experience when you return as it will be helpful for me.

Oh my. December 2023 will be out first "platinum" cruise. We are so, so excited to experience the perks that come with this designation. Please give me the proper protocol for dropping off luggage in our room. We will have two airplane size carry-ons and one larger suitcase. After reading all these posts, I want to be sure NOT to make our cabin steward upset. Should we put the two small cases in the closet and the larger bag on the pad that is usually on the bed? Or try to put all three in the closet? Looking for suggestions.

I second SelectSys post. This is the same way I feel. I will never forget the first time I went to Cozumel. Went out on the balcony and said to my husband "you have to get out here and look at this water". The color is so beautiful. We still cruise from Long Beach due to price and the ease of getting there from Las Vegas.

WOW, sounds like fun to me. I think you will have a blast!!

Just off the Radiance last Friday and we visited the late night snack one evening. We both had the chicken noodle soup and vote "YES". It was tasty. For me, maybe a bit more salt but I enjoyed it as it was. There were plenty of folks in line and the whole seating area was pretty full. Between the late night snack buffet and the aft pizza, it was a busy place.

Deck 5. It is one of my favorite areas of the dream class ships. I have sailed on all three dream class ships and deck 5 is so nice. Give it a try.

All I can report on is my experience. I have cruised the Mexican Rivera several times in December and January. It is HOT for me. On a clear day the sun is brutal. I would suggest to anyone who takes a cruise to PV, Mazatlan & Cabo in those months, pack shorts and sandals, just in case. I am headed down there December 2023 from Long Beach, CA on the Panorama and I am packing warm clothes for the first and last day, packing summer clothes for the days in between. So excited!! As a side note, the very first cruise I took was a Mexican Rivera cruise from Long Beach in December 2009. I packed one pair of shorts and had to wear them more than once because it was so hot. We got off the ship in Cabo, walked around, looked at hubby and we decided back to the ship and into the pool to cool off.

First drink for me every cruise is the...FUNSHIP!! It is on the sweet side but very potent. Give it a try. If you have the drink package and don't care too much for it, order something else. Second drink, Mojito. First drink the next morning, mimosa. I could go on and on!

Disembarked the Radiance today. We were at the Red Frog Pub yesterday and a guy walked up and ordered a drink. The bartender scanned the card he was handed and said to the guy "where is Mike?" The guy with the card responded, "he is over there" and grabbed the receipt, walker over to Mike, had him sign the receipt, walked back to the bar and laid it down. The bartender told him that next time "Mike" would have to be there. I watched this guy take the Jack & coke and proceed to drink it. I was happy to see that the bartender was trying to not let this guy cheat. He let him get away with one drink. I did not see the guy try that stunt again. At least while I was sitting there. This bartender was working his a** off. My husband was so impressed with him that we went back to our cabin, grabbed $20 bucks, went back to tip him. He was so grateful. Yes, you can purchase Cheers at any bar. Watched a couple walk up to the Red Frog Rum Bar on the second day and order the Cheers package for the rest of the trip UNTIL the bartender told them the amount. They cancelled that transaction. Not sure why I am telling everyone this tidbit of information. Maybe someone out there will find it useful.

Just got off the Radiance today and our cruise director was Ranier. I did not hear his name anywhere on Cruise Critic. My husband thought he did a great job. Anyone else ever cruise with him?

By the way Greg, what did you think of the Jewel? I was on her years ago when she was in Texas. The lido deck layout was...not sure how to put it, just different. It was when NCL included bar package no charge. I mean totally no charge, no grats added on.