cantthinkofanythingfun

Well I certainly can't talk to whether you think of Carnival is cheap or not. My view of your assessment that they are trying to guilt cruisers into accepting less than what they really want, is its jilted. Another view (documented by many many posts on many many threads here) is that a lot (my unscientific count is over 50%) in fact prefer once a day. If that is true, it certainly makes sense for them to ask.

 

My response on what other "perks" other lines offer is there is a reason they have to offer freebies to get you to cruise on their ships. My logic tells me that the product needs the perks to sell the cabins. Your opinion may differ, which is of course fine.

 

 

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Cheap was a bad word to use. I mean less expensive than their competitors, namely NCL and RCI. Maybe I don't give Carnival a fair assessment in this department because I only price cruises out of Baltimore and NYC. I just don't like to fly to a cruise. For my cruise coming up on NCL to Bermuda I paid less for a mini-suite than an ocean view would have cost on the Pride to the Bahamas. That isn't even figuring in the free unlimited drinks and specialty dining package. Now I enjoy both lines. I give a slight edge to NCL for meals and entertainment, but the steak house on the Pride is every bit as good as NCL's upcharge restaurants.

I don't blame CCL for charging what they do. They are still selling out at current prices and no real promos. They have developed a nearly cult like following. John Heald can ask if it's raining out on Facebook and get 2,000 responses. However, since their prices are now in line with other lines their offerings should be as well. While other lines are adding legit off-broadway shows to their new ships, CCL is going with an upcharged IMAX theater. I have 3 of those within 3 miles of my house. A lot of those loyal followers may try another line and leave. CCL does do a great job with marketing and replacing them with new cruisers though.

Well I checked my credit card and it hasn't been charged yet. I was actually going in to up my bids. It doesn't even give me the option to withdraw at this point. I called NCL and they just said I would be notified prior to 48 hours before sailing. No change to the my NCL page, but the "let's get you upgraded" banner is gone.

So I went to modify my bids on one of my upgrades and I saw that two of them are expired and the one for an H5 says processing. Does that mean I got that one?

CCL need to switch ships for Baltimore...... Pride been there to LONG!!!!!!

I would agree, but the Pride is really the best we are going to get. The newer ships can't fit and it sounds like the Pride is the best of the Spirit class. I certainly don't want one of the old rust buckets and it doesn't seem like they do 7 day cruises at this point.

What would really be awesome is if they did a total overhaul of a Spirit class ship and put it in Baltimore. Not just adding a burger joint and martini bar. Redo the rooms and everything. Baltimore is a very profitable port for Carnival. I think it would pay off.

Nice post and well thought out, thanks for the reply. While I understand and agree with many of your thoughts, I guess I would say that interpretation, yours, or mine, or anyone as a Carnival cruiser is simply just that. I have never had reservations about cabin servicing and in fact only been asked once. We were asked morning, evening or both and we replied (actually my wife did) morning (I would have said both) and we ended up getting what I interpreted as the same service (morning cleaning and evening refresh, towels and turn down). Point is I think your view of it making you feel guilty, especially when it seems to mean a lot is more on you than the cruise line (my advice,not asked for but...would be if it's important, ask for it).

 

Of course Carnival has had cutbacks ALL cruise lines have. If you doubt that, run over to NCL or Royal threads and see much of the same as here. I think Carnival provides a very good product at a good price that we think it the best that fits for us, your opinion may vary. At any rate, thanks for taking the time to reply to my question, your initial post left me not understanding what you meant and you def answered that. Happy cruising.

 

 

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My issue with the cabin servicing questionnaire is, why ask guests to do it? Why not just offer the traditional twice a day service without being asked to? The natural response is guilt. What other service industry asks, "We're willing to do something extra for you, but do you really want us to?"

I don't have a huge issue with minor cutbacks. Every line does it. My issue is that Carnival really isn't that cheap anymore. If you take advantage of perks offered by other lines than Carnival may be much more expensive overall.

Yes the services charges are a whole additional factor. What do they cover, is there tipping you're not coming out of pocket for once you're on board? I paid them and I'm confused as to what they're for.

 

 

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It's the service charges for the Beverage and Dining package that they give you as a promo. Two days ago they were including that for Haven guests. Now they are making them pay it like everyone else. I've already paid it on my mini-suite, but I could have used that $200+ towards an outright Haven upgrade before the change.

I've been watching the Haven prices on my BA cruise in a little over 2 weeks. They haven't budged and they haven't sold any either. I'm keeping my bids in. For the sailing a week prior the Haven prices are $1000.00 less. I think that would get me to pull the trigger and just book outright, although now they are making Haven guests pay the service charge on the promos, so I would have to factor that in.

Of course they aren't going to price match with another brand. many diamond earrings don't have a brand. I have a friend that is a diamond broker. He could make me a pair of earrings and say they cost whatever I want to get a price match. The 4 C's also mean nothing unless they are on an actual GIA verification. Brand named diamond jewelry is ridiculously marked up...see Tiffany. I would never expect them to match an off brand.

Thanks for the review. I'm going in three weeks. It will be my fourth time on the BA. I'm also hoping for a Haven upgrade. i've been in there once and it was pretty fantastic, but not worth current list price. If I don't make it than I'll be making the mad dash for Vibe. Sounds like I'm going to have to leave pretty early in the morning. I easily scored Vibe passes the last time I went and didn't get to the pier until around 12:30. Of course that was an October cruise to Bermuda and it was during Hurricane Joaquin Phoenix. May have lessened the demand.

Was Les Getrex and the Creole Cookin' Band still playing in Fat Cats? Next to Howl at the Moon. That's my second favorite on board entertainment.

I really appreciate this review. I'm going on June 25th and it's made me up my Haven upgrade bid a couple times. I was in the Haven on the BA once, but didn't really take full advantage of it. Hoping I get the upgrade. There are a lot of Haven rooms left, but they are sold out of the mini-suite class I am in.

Nice review and glad you had a good time. I have a lot of great memories on the Pride, but she is really starting to look dated, even after the 2.0 updates. I doubt they'll ever do a complete overhaul and newer ships can't fit in Baltimore. For some reasons the prices lately for sailing out of Baltimore are incredibly high. It's obviously a profitable port for CCL. Maybe a total rehab of any Spirit class ship to sail from Baltimore may pay off.

Get a couple cartons and bootleg them in NYC. You can pay for your cruise.

It seems that different people get different minimum bids. I booked mid ship mini suite for June 25 on the BA. I got the upgrade email the day after I booked. I was offered a chance to bid on all Haven suites even though the penthouse and forward suites are all that is showing available on the website. My minimum bid was $500 for all but the DOS, OS, Aft, and 2BR. Minimum was $800 on those. I only bid on the $500 ones and only slightly above minimum. I was offered an upgrade to a forward facing a year and a half ago for the $500 on this same cruise. No bidding then. I'll see what happens. It seems a lot are getting upgraded with minimum bids, but I wonder if their minimum was higher to begin with.

I always find that NCL beats Carnival in price, but I only price cruises out of Baltimore and New York. Those ports are an easy morning of drive for me. If I'm going to go through the flying hassle I look at land based vacations.

The Pride is a decent ship, but I was recently pricing a cruise for the end of June and I got a mini-suite with free drinks, specialty dining, and $320 OBC on the NCL Breakaway for less than the price of an interior on the Pride. The Breakaway is also going to Bermuda, which I find more appealing than Carnival's Bahamas itinerary. I just don't get it. I know Carnival has no issues selling out the Pride, but I don't understand why those people don't look to New York options. It can't be much more of a drive if the convenience factor is what's selling out the Pride. It's just my opinion, but I think NCL blows Carnival away in food and entertainment. I do drink and always buy Cheers when I sail with Carnival, so I have to figure that freebie that NCL offers as well. I get a lot of emails from Carnival with "deals", but they are usually for short cruises on those rust buckets that look like 1990's Vegas. Sometimes they will offer me a whole $25 in OBC for longer cruises.

I'm looking to book a Bermuda cruise on the Breakaway for next month. I decided to price it through a travel agent since they are offering double OBC at the moment. I inquired about booking a mini-suite with the UBP and dining package. They told me all of those are sold out and that i had to choose the UBP and some other promo. The NCL site would let me book the UBP and dining package. How does a promo sell out?

Nope, and it's a shame. I buy one on every NCL cruise I go on, which gives them a bit of a head start when deciding on my next cruise.

The last time I was on the Pride we were still doing the muster drill at sail away. Don't understand why the muster drill is so difficult for Carnival to master. Other lines get it done in 20 minutes.

The glass on that upper deck helps keep the winds at bay. By day 2 you should be fine to enjoy a burger up there. We even get some warm November days in Baltimore. You probably won't be swimming, but you can enjoy being outside without freezing.

So I said to my husband, "I have to find this Jared guy from CC" so while dancing at H20 on Monday's 80's night I see a tall guy and after quite a while I decide to go and ask 'is your name Jared?' to which he replied 'no, Dennis.' :eek:

 

I never looked for you again!! :p lol

Ha. I'm sorry I missed you. I was at the 80s party until about 1AM. I was back at one of the high tops near the bar. I think that was on Friday though.

I didn't get to the meet and greet either, but I was traveling with a first time cruiser. I was trying to keep it simple for her, like boat floats; we drink; boat stops; we go to the beach; boat floats; we go home. I didn't want to get into hotel directors, engineers, etc.

It looks like we were in the same muster group as well. Zack was pretty funny. I thought it was a great cruise despite the weather issues. I enjoy the BA and she didn't disappoint. Bermuda is beautiful and the people were very friendly, but it is a bit of a chore to get to different places on the island.

Hey Stacey. Looking forward to your review. I didn't make the meet and greet. Unfortunately, I didn't see you around the ship. I got to the pier late and was in the last boarding group. Amazingly, I still snagged two Vibe passes. Couldn't use it as much as I would have liked with the weather, but still enjoyed it.

I was on the same cruise. I ate at O'Sheehan's once and did notice the service issues. A manager even stepped in. I didn't eat in any of the MDRs and stuck with the specialty restaurants and one night in the buffet. I thought the staff was super friendly, as they always are. I was in the last boarding group and still managed to get 2 vibe passes. I guess the weather scared people off. I got good use out of it. Even with the weather issues I thought Vibe was well worth the money. I also noticed a lot of children in Rock of Ages. We had a couple with a fussy baby sitting right behind us, and we were sitting towards the front. They ask that if you are going to ignore their warnings about children that you sit in the back. It just verifies my theory that most issues you encounter on a cruise are caused by passengers and not the cruise line or staff. My only other issue was when I went to guest services to get the Vibe passes they moved me to another shorter line. A passenger that had been standing in the longer line started cussing me out and making a scene, even dropping the F bomb a few times. I told him that they told me to go to the shorter line. Again, a passenger problem.

For those asking how Bermuda fared the storm. It was fine. The taxi drivers said it was nothing. The beaches were great. We got to stay at port until 5PM on the last day since we arrived a couple hours late. I stayed on the ship the last day and hung out in Vibe.

I hope you don't get cheated out of watching that game.

The cards could blow away

You don't go through Philadelphia on the way to Baltimore. You go right from the Jersey Turnpike to the Delaware Turnpike.