mz-s

That was my hunch as well and mirrors my experience with Carnival. They’ll only serve one dish at a time, except in some circumstances like ordering prime rib and lobster (they’ll put the lobster tail on the same plate) etc.

Pay attention to how much an Uber or Lyft costs vs. the flat rate taxi fare. Sometimes due to surge pricing, it can be cheaper to take a taxi. But usually it’s similar to a taxi or cheaper.

Not the way the policy reads currently. Although as with anything it depends on how they enforce it.

In the past I was encouraged by crew to order extra food if I wanted to try it. Several different times on several different ships. Now all of a sudden according to posters on this forum, I’m a “jerk” if I do that. Why? Funny how quickly the narrative shifts.

Not all cruises are like that. But even if they are, you have to go on the first night to cement yourself as a "regular" if that's your thing.

Definitely want to try the port day breakfast next cruise, the Lido buffet breakfast has been wholly unappetizing the last few Carnival cruises I've been on.

Yes, it will be shown on the pool TV. I was on the Ecstasy one year and they had it in the main lounge (no TV on the pool deck on Ecstasy). Had a buffet in the back, ample bar service. Best way to watch the game! (Except for the fact it was sort of a stormy night and the satellite kept going in and out).

If you know you are going to need to wash clothes in your bathroom sink, I don't know why it's even a question to pack some of those Tide packets. The dyes in shampoo can stain clothes.

It was about time for everyone to come out of the woodwork and talk about tipping again I guess... YES, you can always remove automatic gratuities - even if you've prepaid them. End of thread (but it won't be).

Some piano bar performers haven't got the memo yet. The guests don't want to hear your favorite breakup song, they want to hear songs like Sweet Caroline and Family Tradition. You don't really need to know how to sing, it's all about audience interaction.

Au contraire, the drunker (more drunk?) a casino guest is the better Carnival does.

The steakhouse includes gratuity. Any additional tip above and beyond is optional and not expected.

Well it’s certainly a case that Carnival’s extra-fee restaurants aren’t the bargain they used to be. I don’t think the room service menu is worth it. To me the prices are punitive, they don’t want you to order. Steakhouse is right on the edge. Next price hike and I won’t go anymore. Even now I personally don’t think its worth it even as bad as Carnival’s MDR beef selections are (outside of the very good beef tenderloin). The other places are case by case. Bonsai sushi, yes, Jijis yes, the others no (personally). Each to their own.

I do think having an outdoor smoking area near a bar would be a good idea to give smokers a place to congregate other than the existing outdoor smoking section (which is usually pretty dreary).

I haven’t been on Miracle, but on Sunshine for example now that the Casino bar is non-smoking, it’s basically dead. There are people that stop there on the way to supper to grab a drink or whatever. And some people do sit and drink there still. But it’s not the gathering place it once was. No bandstand there so that has a lot to do with it I’m sure. That role has been filled by the Alchemy bar/Red Frog Pub/open lounge complex farther aft on Promenade on Sunshine. So if they want to add more tables or machines, be my guest. There are plenty of other bars on Carnival ships.

You cannot purchase one day of the social plan. Only the value or premium plans offer 24 hour slots. The social plan can only be purchased for the entire voyage.

If the guest just wanted the meat and not the rice from the jambalaya, I see that as less waste personally. I don’t eat nasty dried out chafing dish buffet rice either.

They’re rationing out shrimp now? Where does it end? They might as well just go to cafeteria style and have the crew serve guests at this point.

My wife and I typically will either do one large checked bag, or two carry ons, for a Carnival cruise because we don't really need extra shoes or dressy clothes etc so it's easy. We might wear on some nicer clothes on embarkation day so we have options if we want to dress up during the cruise. When I say carry ons I mean an airline-sized carry on piece of luggage. We will still check them with Carnival during embarkation so we don't have to deal with it until it gets delivered later on in the afternoon.

They have stopped building and buying ships. They have not announced any new ship contracts since COVID. The newbuilds they’ve had since COVID have all been contracts signed years ago.

What do you mean? Elation isn’t going anywhere.

I was on the Disney Dream over Halloween and my experience matches yours almost to the letter. I didn’t have kids on the cruise so can’t speak as to the kids clubs. But it’s Disney so I have no reason to expect anything less than top tier. In short it was nothing less than an excellent cruise and I hope to sail the line many times in the future.

"That's for future Carnival to worry about"

We don't know for sure what concepts the new Carnival by Costa ships will have.

Carnival is at least 5 years behind their competitors in many ways, onboard WiFi chief among them.