ragen

So,...First we get rid of late night buffet service.

secound we close deli early,...

Putting more people in Pizza line,....

Third, understaff & slowdown said pizza line,...

Wait, What, the people started ordering more room service befor 10pm so thay could

have free late night food in their staterooms before bed instead of standing in our Pizza line till they give up?

Well we can't have that,....

"Due to current travel trends,.....Free room service is going away."

(I guess we'll all have to make a trip to the buffet just before it closes each day, and stash a tray of food back in our staterooms for later, from now on.)

3 hours ago, 40yearcruiser said:

Ragen & LooneyTunes: Have a great time on your cruise! Glad you got it all straightened out and are good to go. I have also been stressing because we have 2 cabins booked (originally next to each other) that are now guarantee for 12/19/21. We're hoping we are not assigned cabins on opposite ends of the ship. I called on Monday to make sure the reservations were still linked and was told we should get the cabins assigned "3 or 4 days before sailing". I find it hard to believe they don't by now know which cabins are available. In 2016 we booked 3 cabins on the Divina as a guarantee and within less than 2 weeks had cabin assignments, 9 months ahead of when we were to cruise! Did you get an email to let you know your cabin was assigned or find out on the website?

Yes we got that room assignment by email, at around 9:45pm Tuesday Night for a 10am Thursday Cruise arrival (so about 30 some hours before cruise) that email came to us fine, as well as basic cruise contract emails,....we only had problems with "Boarding Pass" and "Luggage Tags" emails. 

also, Thay placed our sons room, (origionally near ours at booking), but now after room re-assignment he's deck 11 aft, we're deck 14 mid-ship. (However that was because he origionally had two people booked for his room, but 1 backed out, so he's now sailing solo. so his upgrade wasn't as good as ours because of that change on his end.

Either way, That was the solution & explaination to our Issues, (and non-receved emails) according to MSC phone rep who finally got us on our way.

Rencruise: 

(I am stressed Husband of thread starter Looneytunes from above.) 

MSC had done same to us,.....we had a bella room, thay took it away and put us GTY.

Could not do anything till new cabin assigned,.....which did not happen till 36 hours before boarding,....

anyway when room assigned, we we're moved from deck 5 bella, stateroom to free upgrade deck 14 balcony with bathtub instead of shower. so nice upgrade, hope same for you!

but to anyone else having similar issues, we have now solved ours and gotten our boarding papers finally.

The issue keeping us from them emailing was,....

If you are using an "ID and Birth Certificates" Everything is working fine, and emails will come after room number is assigned.

however if you are using "PASSPORTS" even "USA issued Passports", MSC online goes haywire, and the boarding pass emails will not come even after room assignment,......

So what we had to do was call msc, have them mannually enter our passports into system for us from thay're end. (Not us, on website) and then have THEM send us PDF file by email to print our boarding pass and luggage tags. (We kept them on phone as we completed this just in case.)

anyway , hope this helps others in simaler problems,....

and look forward to boarding and trying MSC out tommarrow morning.

I understand from a business standpoint why if you had to let three ships out due to staffing issues why
Sunshine, Liberty, and Ecstasy would be the ones picked.

(I am surprised that Mobile Alabama, is a go first, though?)

I however have a lot of issues with how Carnival handled this at this moment, ...

(I was supposed to be on Sunshine in Sept.)

I had already rescheduled this cruise 3 other times in the past 15 months.

In The past, Carnival would Apologize, explain, and give the Cancellations and bad news first, ...then move on 
to the good news about what ships could sail.

This Time it was all the happy News about returning ships, then almost as an afterthought, ....
a brief little blurb, ..."unfortunately this means these three ports will be delayed till at least, OCT,31'st", ...
. No apology, no sympathy, No Explanation, ....
Nothing more. Very Cold.

Now, I was not surprised by this announcement, because over a month ago I had started looking at docking schedule
on Bahamas government Port Sites and could see that Carnival and other lines had been reserving dock
spaces in Nassau, Free port and various private islands between now and the end of the year, and all
other ships had reserved spots, but Sunshine, Liberty, and Ecstasy, had no reservations till at least Thanksgiving (Late Nov.)

So Carnival knew all along that Sept and Oct. would not happen on these 3 ships, that's why they quit selling them on the website,..
.however they still strung us already booked along saying it was still a go, till after final payment, and still trying to sell us shore excursions,
drink packages and upgrades by email daily, continuing a count down clock till our cruise as still going.

Just bad business, heartless and cruel, if you ask me. 

They could have just told us weeks ago, these were going to be cancelled, so we could have made alternative vacation plans for on-land, or even on other ships and lines that would truly actually go.

From a business stand point, I can see why these 3 ships, short cruises, hurricane season, Sept & October are you're lowest priced/the lowest revenue sailings, so that's why the cuts 
we're made here. In favor of the Longer, higher priced, ships starting up in the fleet first if you're short-staffed.

However it still really hurts.

The people who you bumped, are still hard-working people, saving up money, dreaming of a vacation too, even if they can't take time off for a longer cruise or afford a newer ship and dates.

In the past when cancellations happened it was due too CDC Rules and not Carnival that cancelled us, so I understand how it was handled, and the offers of future cruise credit and re-booking, or full refund, ....

However, ... this time it was CARNIVAL who cancelled these sailings, NOT THE CDC. so I think there should have been more of an explanation, and good faith offering, and understanding for our loss.

I'm not saying we should be given a free cruise, or extra money, .....

But a FAIR DEAL would have been to PRICE PROTECT us and place us on these SAME SHIPS and Room Category when they do set sail in LATE NOV/EARLY DEC.

Instead, our choice is, Get your Money back and go away, or rebook in NOV/DEC when it costs twice as much due to Holidays, or wait another whole year till reasonable prices in Sept/Oct 2022 again.

Not very nice of you Carnival, having a CLASS system, Richer folks Ships are all a GO, but lower priced, hard-working, customers get the shaft. and no sympathy, caring, explanation, nothing at all.

All that being said, ......

I did manage to rebook on a cheaper cruise in several months on an even crappier ship and itinerary, ....just, so I can burn through my $300 carnival OBC for my 4'th time cancelled carnival cruise.

But when it's done, assuming my first upcoming MSC cruise is good, ...... I'll be booking MSC in the future.

Or even RCI who treated me much better, with it's "Lift and Shift, Price Protection, Program, each time we had to reschedual with them this past year.

Carnivals way is such a hassle, you have to find you're own new date, ship, etc. and if it costs more, you pay more, 
and always the very same $300 OBC, each time, nothing additional each time. Which was fair when IT WAS CDC Bull crap holding us back, ...

But when it's CARNIVAL'S STAFFING FAIL this time not the CDC,

they should a been more upfront, and sorry, and pro-active for our loss on these three ships.

That changed mine from Key West and Cuba to Nassau and amber cove,.    But at the same price and no credits due to 20-20 booking, ???? Then when I call and try to change from one 5 day booking to another 5 day on a much lower priced ship, that want an additional $50 deposit, instead of transferring my booking number from one ship to the  other as was promiced, they want to cancel and re-book instead, thus adding a higher deposite because there is no current half off deposit sale? This should just be MOVING my deposit, not a New deposit, Cancel, Cancel, Cancel....!!!!, Tearable Customer service Carnival, I'm not happy at all.

4 minutes ago, les37b said:

Are you sure you're in the happy camp as you sure sound angry!

 not angry, just stating basic human psycology.

I understand the reasoning behind the change, but know it will backfire if other late night alturnitives are not intraduced on ALL SHIPS to balance it.

My opinion, Happy Cruisers waste less food, Angry cruisers waste more,...

Most happy Customers with more options, will take more reasonable amounts, and snack/graze all day long at various options.

As opposed to an angry one who feels "Nickle and Dimmed.to Death", who now feels like it's a "challenge" to "Get even" by taking as much as they can to "get there moneys worth" at the "Free options."

So now instead of asking for one Pizza after standing in a long line, they will request 2 or 3 pizzas per person at a time,.....or multiple guys burgers, instead of one, etc,.....

or feel less "Guilty" about wasting tons of food in the buffet, because of human mentality, they will be "getting even" with the greedy cruise line, by using up the amount they feel personally "entitled to" related to the cruise fare, whether they eat it or not.

and most of all, they will be stock piling food from the lido deck all day in their rooms, just in case they want a late night snack later without the extra charges, (leading to MORE waste, because some of it will go bad before eating.)

,......I'm sure the "Ala-cart" pricing is due to this same understanding of basic human psychology, if you charge a $7.95 delivery fee, instead of "Free Room Service", people will actually order MORE food, because they want to get the "precevied value" for that Delivery charge by "getting even" aka, ordering way more food than they really want.,...

by charging per item, you avoid this OVER ORDERING,......however, you will, anger you're customers, and they will find creative, not so good ways to "get even" and satisfy this "preceived wrong," in other ways,

aka. by bad attitudes, customer complaints, being overly demandiing of crew, having unrealistic expectations and entitalment issues, showing rudeness to fellow passengers and crew, and Greed right back at the company, until they feel "justified and even." (Preceived value for thare money must be satisfied, one way or another.)

It's not right,.... but it's human nature,..... by setting up this feeling of a "value battle" in the customers mind, it's "us against the company and the beards greed", a... challenge "war" to see who can get the most from whom,....

Just creates a negative attatude for all involved, a worse cruise experince, customer dissatisfaction, negative reviews, and will create more waste, not less in the long run.

Why not provide more free food options, 24 hours a day, either on deck, or room service,.....aka, Happy Cruisers, Waste less, and return more often for more Cruises?

Anyway, Rant over, just my opinion....

(by the way, I still won't waste food, I do my best to take only what i will eat, and strive to finish all of it, even when i'm full, I feel guilty if i don't eat all of what i take,....however, I will be be "Stashing" a small plate of food, each evening in my room from lido, as a bedtime snack.)

or

Really like you're sarcastic comments and writing style, (my kind of down to earth humor),,......I 'm going on my first 'NCL' cruise, on the Epic in about 30 days,....So this review is really getting me amped up to go! [p] Looking forward to more.

Anyone who just did the 4 day, any detail about how it operated that is different from a 7 day, Info needed, as well as the daily's!

Thank You - Great Review!

Really Liking the Linda first time story-line,.....Keep it coming,.....I'll be on the epic in about 75 days!

I'm going on the epic in February, So Thank You!

Yes it has Clams, Oysters, Shrimp, Crab Legs, Lobster, Fish,Calamari,& More..... Plus typical sides such as frys, & Cole Slaw, Hush Puppys etc. Not really it's own Seating exactly, It's a counter, However there are about 12 4-top tables and booths right there beside it overlooking the Seas. So I guess you could say it has it's own seating area, but you still gotta order at the counter, however,... they will deliver it to you're table. Some things are sold by the dish, others by the pound.

It is in the adult covered aft pool deck area, not out on the main pool deck. When I saw it upon boarding on the 23'rd they told me it was they're first day, and first hour open, it was just added that day.

I was on the Carnival Victory's Oct 23 2016 sailing, and when I got on board I saw that they had just added: Seafood Shack,... it is in the solarium pool area (aft pool near the Pizza Pirate) it is an up-charge food option with good Fish and Chips, Fresh Shrimp & More, Prices for most meals was $6-$8 bucks, but food meal sizes were large and worth the money.

.

Also Found in the Same aft pool Solarium area, They have added a self serve Thirsty Frog Red Beer Vending machine! (It offers solo cup 14oz beers, for $4.48) or you can fill any container size you wish for 32cents per oz. This was a good option, Because it didn't charge you the 18% gratuity you have at the Sports bar or Atrium bar for the same Thirsty Frog Beer.

.

(also why is it that if you buy Thirsty Frog in the atrium it is $5.85 Plus Gratuity for 16oz, But in the sports bar it is the same $5.85 Plus Gratuity yet you get 19oz???)

.

Anyway just thought I'd share this info because I never saw it mentioned by anyone else.

Dude I Instantly got The Sarcasm,... It's so hard to tell a joke anymore in such a P.C. culture,.......All humor is lost nowadays,..... All they gotta do is look at you're username,....Drumtech77,.... and anyone could see you're not seriously a snob. oh well No more humor allowed after 2016 I guess.

I can afford to pay for my cruises. I don't accept cruise line welfare!!!

Now we all know we this country is in such bad shape...

Does anyone have humility anymore?

 

 

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I'm going on her in 29 days, and am looking forward to trying the new menus, I'm so tired of the old ones cruise after cruise.

Thanks to the original poster for the heads up on such a great deal! You must book by phone to get the reduced $100 dollar deposit, if you try online they want $500 Deposit. But as someone said above basically 65 bucks a day (taxes and port fees included) +$50 room credit, inside cruise rate, 5 days, 3 ports, can't be beat!

I'm Lost ,...What is the "Beautification" project??? Is it the ship, or the port, or exactly what,....is it that's being "Beautified"?

I'm not saying Majesty is a bad ship,...She's not.

Even without the upgrades Majesty is still a great ship.

I've been on both the Soverign and Monarch and loved my cruises.

I'm sure I'd love a Majesty Cruise.

I'm just saying without the upgrades,......

How can RCI justify charging MORE for a ship on the same itinerary, when it's Direct competitors, same port, same destinations, are offering,.... More Food choices, water-slides, multiple pools, solarium's, and on and on, for less money?

If Majesty was priced Lower than EPIC and Valor/Victory, or if she'd gotten all the upgrades, then I'd understand,......and would gladly sail on her with a huge smile!

after all, sometimes I like small ships, Love RCI and Coco-Cay. But I just can't see how It can compete as it she is right now.

RCI needs to, Either,

1. Fully Upgrade Majesty, or

2. put a Vision or Radiance Class Ship for short Cruises in Port Canaveral ,or

3. Lower prices on this route to be competitive in this particular market once again.

You're right, it is now $299 per-person 04/27/17 NCL epic cruise,.....(Lucky me, I guess I got a great deal on an inside,....)

or all my math was off by $100.00,.....I guess my Rhapsody/Majesty was $349 then instead of $249 as stated above, I'll have to go look,....

But I do know, my EPIC was a 4-day for $50 bucks less than my original 3-day RCI booking per-person for the very same weekend.

My point still stands,.... How can they expect Majesty with very few upgrades to compete with the NCL Epic and Carnival Victory/Valor at the same port at better price points?

And as Stated above, I STILL LOVE RCI,.....I just can't justify the current Majesty price point compared to it's direct competition, is all I'm saying.

How I am Defecting from Royal Caribbean Port Canaveral and Why,....

Due to my job, I can only take shorter 3-5 night cruises,....So,...

Many months ago I saw that Rhapsody of the seas was coming to Port Canaveral

to replace the Enchantment of the Seas,

I was a little let down to be getting the smaller

unstretched ship,.....

But decided to book a reasonably priced inside stateroom anyway ($249 per Person 3 nite), due to her having Giovanni's Table

and I've never been on her,.....(I LOVE Grandeur , and really like Enchantment, Sister ships to Rhapsody).

Fast forward a few months, and see online that Rhapsody is NOT coming to Port Canaveral, but instead the Old, Smaller,

Majesty of the seas is instead,......Very let down, Thought about cancelling altogether,.....

I called Royal and they told me All will be ok, Because the Majesty was getting all these great dry-dock upgrades before arriving,...

Water-slides, New alternative dining, Sabor instead of Johnny Rockets, Rita's instead of Sorintos pizza, FREE INTERNET, and so much more,

....and for my inconvenience, I would also get a free upgrade from an inside on the Rhapsody to an Outside stateroom on the Majesty.

same date at our old $249 rate. (I love water-slides, so I eventually accepted.)

Fast forward again,......I kept trying to figure out how they could squeeze a water-park on there,......

kept arguing with the wife how it could be squeezed into the old basketball court , but she disagreed with me,....

Over the next few weeks after the supposed upgrades were publicly announced, i watched as our room category more than doubled in price

due to the excitement of new bookings based on the promised upgrades.

Needless to say,... one day I click on the net to read that the wife was right all along,...they'd never really add that,....

mater of fact they are now doing away with 3/4'ths of the promised upgrades.

we we're back to basically the old run down, small ship version of Majesty,...

but with a new hot-tub or two and a outdoor movie screen wedged in.

(Yet the higher prices, for new bookings, still at the inflated rates.

Good thing we're still grandfathered in at our low Rhapsody rate.)

Fast forward one last time,......Now the FREE VOOM internet offer is not gonna happen either, one more lie from RCI.

(I know, we personally would still have gotten it for free in our case,once again grandfathered in by our booking date,.)

But all in all, this whole fiasco is just leaving a bad taste in my mouth towards RCI,.....

Just not a good way to treat you're old, or even new, customers at all.

So lastly,.....a few weeks back, I see an add online that NCL epic will be doing some short 3 to 5 night cruises from Port Canaveral,

On a whim I check when,....(Never been on NCL) and low and behold, there it is, Same month,

Same port (Canaveral) a 4-DAY on the NCL EPIC,and for $49 dollars less

than my original 3 night $249 RCI Rhapsody.

Needless to say, Bye-Bye, RCI (after 10+ cruises with you.) I can get a 4-Nite, With tons of Eatery's, A full Water-park, and Basically NEW world Class ship

for $199 a person, as opposed to you're 20 year old forgotten ship of non-existing upgrades which is only a 3-day?

- Both go the very same weekend, both go to Nassau

and when Little Majesty is at Coco-Cay, Big EPIC will be right next door at Big Stirrup Cay, Laughing at you and you're inflated cruise pricing.

(now $359 inside for new cruisers+$15 a day voom internet) Same Dates.

-------------------------------------

Seriously Royal, how can you put Majesty with nearly no upgrades against NCL Epic, Carnival Victory, and Carnival Valor all doing basically Identical

Cruises, yet price at $100-$150 a person higher and think that is a good Business plan???????????????

- Ok, Rant over, Had to get that off my chest,.....Goodbye RCI, Hello Epic,.......

(At least after my 04/29/16 last Enchantment from Port Canaveral cruise 11 days from now,....Ha!)

ps. It's not that I hate RCI,...still love them, but until you offer me something better,

It'll be Carnival or NCL from Port Canaveral for the foreseeable future,

Chris Wiles! Best I've seen in 22 cruises, & 3 Cruise Lines,......

Don't know why this guy isn't more famous,..... (Except for the Late Great George Carlin),....Nobody has ever made me laugh more than Chris Wiles. :cool:

Is it a setting on the camera or do all the videos record as a fish eye? Good quality video

it was set to the "GoPro 720p Wide Angle Setting"

Although I prefer RCI ships, Carnival Gets me to Cruise with them so much because of 3 things, in order:

1.Better prices than RCI

2.Like the $49 deposit sales they've had in the last year,

3.Ports such as Jacksonville and Port Canaveral are a

reasonable drive from here in Savannah Georgia.