momof4boys

We always cruise with a group (family and friends) so we choose Early Seating. We honestly have never had problems getting back from our excursions and getting ready for dinner. Seems like our ports have always had us leaving around 5 pm. The one time this was not the case was when we ported at 3 pm in Curacao....3-11. We ate lunch then headed out. For dinner, we ate at a fabulous bar and grill on the fort over looking the water. It was awesome. A couple of our friends did go back to eat and then met us for drinks at the bar.

Last year the drinks and food were good at the past guest party. My whole group was gold, as we always cruise together. We always had fun. Would only have a drink or two at the most since we were headed to dinner. Won't be going to one for a while now.......since we are lowly golds.

Yeah...wish they did reward us for how much we spend on board. (We have always taken our four boys and sometimes their friends. Now we take wives, too) We book ocean suites on big ships and grand suites on the Fantasy Class ships, do our fair share of excursions, buy pictures, and have a few drinks.

AND please don't suggest we go to another line....we have liked carnival's product.....and room size. I understand businesses need to make money...but man I do feel like CCL is getting cheap. There may come a time we do go on another line. Not going to say "Never" for sure!

Can I ask, just out of pure curiosity, what is the reason for not wanting to be booked on a cruise with a group? I'm booked as part of a group for my Oct cruise, and I can't imagine why we would be nothing anyone. We will be doing seminars on the ship and themed excursions, but that's about it.

My only complaint is that groups often take over lots of areas of the ship. They want to be together so they go to the disco together, and depending on the group, the DJ will play music geared towards that group. They take over Karaoke, some of the bars, Picture areas, etc. Once a group had the main theater several times so they moved bingo and some other activities to other places.

I can only speak from experience. We usually cruise with friends in 5-7 cabins. DH and I are usually in the middle. All of us cruise with our balcony doors propped open only at night......and half the time it is because the air is so cold coming out in the room. :eek:

On our last cruise...we did not prop the doors open due to storms at night.....we all thought it was horribly humid in the cabin!!

Maybe the DREAM is weird!! Could not get any of our cabins cool enough. They did cool down a little from embarkation day...but everyone's cabins were hot.

Each time we sail we ask our steward what he would like us to do with our room service dishes (usually coffe and toast). We have always been told to leave it in our cabin.

Love a balcony! Never had a problem with slamming doors. I have been disturbed many times firm kids running the halls outside my room and in the halls on the deck above us!!

1. First cruise...2005---free upgrade from OV to Grand Suite on Elation and kids from inside to OV.

2. On our 2012 cruise on the Freedom, the day of embarkation, our son checked his bank account because he was moving and wanted to make sure last paycheck was deposited. He saw that someone had made several (about 100) .99 withdrawals. He called the bank right away and they supposedly closed that card. As we were leaving port, right before he lost cell reception, about $5,000 in merchandise was withdrawn. We tried to make a ship to land call to the credit card company, but could not get through. We went to guest services to ask how to make those calls. We explained that the card was not going to be used to pay his cruise bill, but the purser still insisted that my DS call for free from their phones. They allowed him to make several phone calls for free that day and for the next few days.

3. We became friends with a drink server on the same cruise (Freedom 2012) We loved looking at the pictures of his daughter and family, and shared many tales. We took pictures of notes we wrote to his darling young daughter and he shared pictures she made for us. The last night he gave our large group free shots to celebrate DIL's birthday. We email frequently and are facebook friends with this amazing man, and his daughter has a standing invitation to spend a summer or school year (through an organization like AFS, etc. ) with one of us when she is old enough!

Welcome to cruising!!!!

Sailed the Elation and Fantasy once each outrunning hurricanes (2005-Elation, and 2006-Fantasy). We are talking serious storms and yes the boat rocked some. Nothing crazy where stuff fell off the walls or tables but there were many people having trouble walking and having sea sickness.

The other two times on the Fantasy the seas were calm as could be!!! Take bonine if you're worried.

I want you to know that the ship is smaller but wait till you see it....it is still relatively huge!!! Love, love love the Fantasy class ships!!!!! Have a great time!!!

Thanks for posting. The only thing I really will be missing is Pumpkin Soup!! Man how I love that!!

I am the queen of recycling and trying to save the environment. I do know as a fact that those shower heads end up using the same amount of water because people just stay in them longer. This is a lot like low flow toilets....people end up flushing 3 or more times.

Our group always books OVS. Yes we knew it over looked the promenade deck when we booked the DREAM. Read here that it didn't really interfere with looking at the ocean and probably would effect our enjoyment.

For us it was a big downer. We pay for that suite because, yes, we sit on the balcony with our friends in the rooms around us to enjoy watching the ocean. It also made our balcony and room seem much less private. We still enjoyed our cruise but learned a lesson for us.

We will plan to book the Conquest and Spirit Class ships next. Just remember...everyone has their own opinion on what they enjoy. You may like it.....and others may not.

Have loved EVERY cruise we have taken on Carnival!!! Can't wait for my next one.

Costa Maya has the short trip to the Mayan Ruins at Chacchoben

 

https://www.chacchobenruins.com/

 

Excellent with those who don't want to do an all day affair in Belize or Coz, not to big and plenty of shade. Top notch with smaller ones or older seasoned folks.

Our family LOVED Chacchoben Ruins!! Our guide was so proud of his heritage!! It is a ruins in the middle of treed forest with leaves as big as a person. LOVED it!

We had time to eat at the pie and swim in their swim up bar!! The people there were so nice!!!!

Favorite is NOLA, followed by Galveston, then Ft Lauderdale.

Will never go out of Charleston again until they build a real port. Worst experience ever for our group of 13! Loved the city....but the port is terrible!

Your bank is playing games. Yes, they can wait for a fax from Carnival saying they won't be charging against the holds,,,,

But basically, the holds are removed in accordance with the policies of your bank.

There is so much mixed information about debit cards. We have cruised using them several times. Not once have I had a hold put on my card. I always expect this but it has never occurred. From my experience....it is a bank thing not CCL. If it was CCL I would think I would have seen a hold before. Honestly.....why would CCL not put a hold on my money, but put one on many other's money?

Bank just doesn't want to own up to it.

On our Dream Cruise our CD must have loved to party because they had a deck party at least 4 times. The deck party on the 4th of July was amazing!! They gave people light up masks, hats, necklaces, and blinking wands!! The party was very fun! Lots of dancing, fun music, games,etc!!

How is a PVP different from the person you get at the 800 number? We have always used a travel agent until last cruise...when we booked on a whim on Mother's Day. We called the 800 and spoke to the person that answered.

We always know what we want but we also book multiple cabins and need our reservations linked. We also want rooms together and they can see things I can't on line.

I have had a PVP call me several times lately.....and no I don't log in when I look...but how do they know I am looking? Just wondering if I should call him when we do decide to book

Sorry....we haven't booked yet. We are looking a the Sunshine 8 day out of PC on July 10th. Just trying to get an idea of ease of getting to port. We travel in a large group and thinking of transporting everyone is a consideration. Loved SC but the port embarkation process was not good in July.

Thanks for the help!!

What is the quickest and easiest way to get from a hotel to the port? Can we be dropped off right at the terminal or is it a wacky system like in Charleston,SC? Thanks!!

I have cruised the Fantasy class ships (Elation and Fantasy) and middle sized ships and large class ships. My two favorite ships are the Elation and Freedom.

We had the Grand Suite on the Elation and loved it. We liked the size of the room and the large balcony. We love cruising from NO....sitting on the balcony and watching all the little towns go by on the Mississippi River. Wonderful Experience!!

We found the crew of the Elation to be wonderful. The ship did not seem to be overrun with other people like on some of the larger ships.

Food and entertainment were equal to what we have experienced on the larger ships.

The larger ships do have multiple bars to visit but for us....one bar is similar to another bar. Besides......the newlyweds will be otherwise entertained!

You are giving a marvelous gift!! They are lucky!! Congrats to the couple and to your family!

So you like the fantasy? I heard that the fantasy ship isn't so good and the Charleston terminal isn't good at all? I been on the breeze and the dream ship and it rocked. I'm little worried to try the smaller class ships

Our group did NOT like the Charleston port, especially in the summer! They don't really have a great spot...you sit out in the sun or cram into a tent to wait for some hot buses to take us to the "port" (aka a metal building) LOVED the city....not the port!

Our favorite ship in the Fantasy class is the Elation. We have been on the Fantasy class....and it was ok. Loved the Elation!

Our favorite class is Conquest class.....especially the Freedom.

As far as the new ships with all the bells and whistles.....hate that the OVS look onto a deck. Our group doesn't want to do that class again because we like looking out and down into the water. JMHO

Once, in July 2006, as we came into Grand Cayman, there were terrible weather conditions....lots of lightening, heavy rain, and high waves.

The captain of the Conquest came on and said that we would be slowly moving around in the immediate area as he expected the ocean and weather conditions to improve within the hour. Surprisingly, the sun came out and the seas calmed within the hour. Tendering began only an hour late. We ended up having a lovely day at Stingray City.

The next day when we were sitting at Paradise Beach in Cozumel, some passengers from NCL and RCCL overheard us talking about our excursion. They became furious because their ship's captain decided to not wait it out. Both ships sailed on to Cozumel and circled out in the ocean until they could disembark the next morning.

This can happen on any ship. As a passenger, I have to trust the captain.

We purchase FTTF for our two cabins for our July cruise on the DREAM. Our friends did not purchase it.

The first night one of my son's S and S card did not work. Went to Guest Services and were told that there was some kind of problem with the card reader at port. Got it taken care of right away.

Next day, same thing happened.....this time there were probably 50-60 people in line.....literally the line snaked all around the lobby area. Our poor friends card also stopped working. The line was over an hour long. They ended up going back in the middle of the night (after late comedy club) to take care of the situation. We were second in line in the FTTF line. We were told there was a huge problem hitting the entire ship, and that other ships were also experiencing the same problem. So glad that we had FTTF. We did not expect a problem but was glad that when one occurred it could be taken care of quickly. The other line was filled with a lot of unhappy people!

I read on here somewhere that 18 year olds with a high school iD showing they are still in high school can use the teen club. Does anyone have experience with this? Specifically on the Fantasy? We are on a thanksgiving cruise with my daughter who is 16 and her 18 year old cousin who is a senior in high school.

In my state most seniors are 18 and some turn 19. One must be 5 by August 1st to start school. As a teacher I applaud this...kids are more mature and better able to handle the rigorous curiiculum.

Have your son show his school ID.

Some people are adults and still not very mature!! Just read some responses!!!

Have fun!!!

Sorry that I haven't updated sooner. Thank you for all of the prayers. My FIL had a tear in his stomach that was causing waste to be dumped in his body. He had surgery last night. He has an underlying medical condition that has made this all more complicated. He's still in critical care and in ICU but on the road to recovery.

Continued prayers are greatly appreciated!

Thanks Sweetpea for updating us. Now we can be specific in our prayers for your precious family!

We were on the DREAM this last summer. The only complaint we had...which is close to a deal breaker for us, is that the one deck sticks out so much farther below the OS balconies......you can't look down and see the ocean...you have to look out to see the ocean, and there are people walking on that deck most of the times so it does not feel that private. We love our balcony and travel with others who also book OS. We open the door between the two and have a huge balcony that we enjoy. Really did not like the extended deck.

Probably going to stick to the Conquest class. Loved the Freedom and the Conquest! Hopefully going to book the Glory!