grandpawmoses

It is certainly better than the ridiculous Cheers package. Our experience was that, in order to get a soda from the package you have to:

1. Go to a bar
   
2. Get bartender attention ( he is probably busy mixing drinks for people who will tip him)
   
3. Show your card and receive a small glass of soda
   
4. Repeat
   

If you pay as you go:

1. Go to a bar
   
2. Get bartender attention ( this becomes easier once he knows you are not one of those package customers who has already tipped)
   
3. Show your card to be swiped
   
4. Receive a can of soda (equal to two glasses of the fountain variety )
   

Which sounds better to you?

This is what we ran into. I actually had to accompany my grandson to the bar to get the bartenders attention each time for half a can of coke. We'll take our own next cruise.

If they ever install the "Freestyle" soda dispensers, I'd buy it.

We were on the Fantasy last June and had bought the top tier internet package because we wanted to keep check on our home security cameras. We couldn't get a decent signal in our suite and had to go to the buffet to use it. For some reason Carnival deemed our home AT&T server untrustworthy so we ask & received a refund.

Thanks all. Good advice.

We're sailing on the Dream and this is the first time bringing a CPAP machine. A forum search thread said 15 feet was long enough but I wanted to ask, is 15 feet long enough for a Grand Suite room?

I know, some have said to ask for one on board but with my luck, they will be all out. I don't want to ruin a nice cruise without my CPAP.

Thanks.

Before you buy it, check to make sure it's going to work for you. (Check the forum for your ship to see what others have to say about it.) We pre-bought the top tier plan and found out it was tooooo sloooow. Also it decided my e-mail server was taboo and would not let us connect to it. Carnival did refund the charge to my CC I used to purchase it with. If I had bought it on board it would have been immediately refunded to the S&S account.

Here's a high resolution picture of the damage from Irma in Florida (and Key West).

https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html

Zoom in on the Keys.

Judging from the looks of it, (aside from water and power) the damage doesn't look too bad.

I bought the premium internet package on the Fantasy in June 2017. I could only get a connection in the Lido buffet area, not in our suite. Also for some unknown reason it deemed my e-mail service (AT&T Yahoo) was taboo and would not allow me to access it. After two days I visited customer service and got a refund for the unused days.

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What time did you arrive for embarkation? How long were the lines of traffic? Was parking IN THE GARAGE a problem or were you early enough to get parking there? I know once we get into the parking garage everything will go as quickly as possible with Priority boarding (and maybe FTTF), but getting into and parking in the garage is worrying me.

We had pre paid for parking and we arrived at 10:30. We drove right up to the entrance and the officer sent us away until 11:00. We parked under the overpass until then.

It was packed traffic by then but everyone worked together letting each other alternately fall into the single line to enter. About 11:15 a rather long freight train blocked the entrance for about 15 minutes (don't stop on the railroad crossing). After that it was a quick stop to unload luggage to a porter, then go up the ramp and park.

Walking into the terminal, the people line on the right side was backed up badly with literally hundreds of people. Upon the agents seeing the FTTF boarding passed we held, we were directed to the empty left side with no line. Then it was a brisk walk to the check in desk, through security, debarkation pictures made, and straight aboard to our cabin. Now I know what a rock star feels like.

Thanks so much for the response. One last ?. Did the adjust the back in board time for Costa Maya?

 

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Yes, they extended the time to be back on board and we still made it to Cozumel on time.

Great! Glad it worked out.

 

FYI, Please don't bring standard TP. They have special TP for the ships vacuum based toilets to avoid have the system stopped up. The no. 1 reason for plumbing issues is people flushing none approved items.

Appreciate the info.

Do you remember how late you got into Costa Maya? We are thinking of Maya Chan but not sure if it will be worth it if they continue to be late.

 

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About 1:00 PM

Still made Cozumel on time at 8:00 AM.

If security is called more times, then the behavior might change over time. You are awesome. Most report issues but don't do anything about them like you did.

 

Did you do the MDR with your grandson? How did he do there? I bet he has some great memories with you. Thanks for sharing.

We chose not to do the MDR. We took our grandson who is mildly Autistic and he might have caused some issue. When he gets hungry, he's like the Snickers commercial. The quicker you feed him, the easier your life is. Thank goodness for the 24 hour pizza bar.

Oh, Just a few more tidbits for those who want a good honest tip for their upcoming cruise.

Bring your own toilet paper.

The stuff on board is like single ply rice paper.

Bring your travel mug. You know the kind, stainless steel, insulated, about $10 at Walmart.

Everyone does it (we didn't know). The plastic glasses at the buffet might hold 8 ounces including the ice.

At least try the hot chocolate at the buffet.

IMHO it's very good.

Mikey the Cruise Director is every bit as good as everyone says he is.

You will not regret FTTF, and use a porter on debarkation

I've already told you about embarkation and the use of the service desk benefits.

On debarkation, they called for FTTF carrying all their luggage, then called for non-FTTF carrying all their luggage. I thought that's just wrong at first.

Then they called for FTTF not carrying all their luggage (this was about forty-five minutes later). When we entered the terminal, we were sent straight to our luggage with porters waiting, straight out through Customs without anyone even looking at our luggage (about one minute) (the porters bypassed the Customs desk), and the porter escorted us to our car. Meanwhile the hundreds who hand carried all their luggage and left the ship first were still in a separate slow line going through a Customs check.

We were traveling with our mildly Autistic grandson and it was his first cruise.

Absolutely no regrets about FTTF.

You tipped the scales in favor of FTTF. Just hubby and me on our next cruise and I could not decide.

 

Was the ship in time arriving in Costa Maya and Cozumel? I have read stories​ of it being late most of the time for CM.

 

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Did you arrive into Costa Maya at the scheduled time? I've seen some posts about Fantasy getting there mid afternoon.

Odd that you all ask that. Yes we were late to arrive and leave Costa Maya but were on time to Cozumel.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

First, the good.

FTTF was worth every penny at embarkation. We almost felt guilty walking past the long lines....NOT.

The bad.

We bought the top tier internet so we could check in on our home security system. That didn't work. For some unknown reason Carnival banned the Arlo website.

We bought our autistic 12 year old grandson bottomless bubbles. NEVER EVER send an autistic kid into a bar, even an open air bar. He couldn't assert himself enough to get the bartenders attention and when he did, he got 1/2 glass of ice and 1/2 glass of Coke.

We contacted the service desk about both issues and was promptly issued a refund but it was pro-rated for the unused times. Thanks again for FTTF, I didn't have to wait at the service desk.

Rainy days in Costa Maya and in Cozumel.

Wednesday we found out that the Port of Mobile had closed due to Tropical storm Cindy and our arrival Thursday was in limbo (not really a problem to us). We did make it into Mobile about a hour or so late.

The ugly.

Wednesday evening (last evening of the cruise) at the Lido buffet (very busy) and few open tables. A very intoxicated group of about nine was very loud and yelling sexual profanity. My sixty-five year old wife couldn't stand it and asked them to hold the profanity but they just escalated it and security had to be called. They just ragged the security officer so a "high level" ship's officer came and spoke to them. Not sure what he said to them but they left the area.

I haven't had a problem but I know that you can't print them until you've made the final payment.

While looking at a cruise ship tracker at Cozumel this morning, I noticed the Fantasy was not at the pier (which was empty) but at "Pm Berth 2". It appears to be an "off pier" mooring location. Does this mean ship access is being done with tenders?

Understood. Thanks all.

It is easy to use. There is no "password" You will go to the webpage, they will ask your folio number and birthdate and you will be logged onto the internet. How secure? I can't answer but I have not heard of people complaining of problems with it.

We're booked on the Fantasy in June and have pre bought the WiFi package. We've never bought the WiFi before.

Will we receive a password at embarkation? How does that work?

How secure is it?

Was able to pre-buy WiFi for the Fantasy this AM.

Thanks so much for the replies. Really appreciated. I did pre buy the terminal parking as suggested.

I'm somewhat overly aggressive about being early with a five hour drive with a mildly autistic grandson.

Thanks again.

No one knows the earliest times?

Cruising the Fantasy for the first time in June and have a few questions.

1. We're driving to Mobile the morning of the cruise and I like to leave early enough in case of any trouble along the way. With "faster to the fun", what is the earliest you can park at the terminal and what is the earliest you can board the ship?

2. I understand that WiFi is additional costs and is offered in tiers. What are the limits of the basic plan? Can my wife still get in to Facebook? I have some security cameras at home & like to keep an occasional check on things there.

Thanks in advance.