Hutcha

We have two YC cabins, on an upcoming cruise. We keep getting upgrade emails (3 now), and the prices are crazy. They want a min bid of $870pp to go from an interior to a deluxe., For our deluxe they want a min of $6045pp for the owners (still available), and $2645pp for the Royal. Are people really regularly paying face value for an upgrade bid??

My TA was my first stop. He called MSC and was told that they weren't allowing singles. The only option was to replace the passenger. They (or the TA) advised to just show up with a no show.

Has anyone shown up as a single and been charged extra once the passenger was deleted?

I've got this situation for our Sept cruise. Will they refund the port charges? Our soon to be 21 year old lost a GF but he's gaining an inside YC cabin to himself! 🤣

On 8/2/2023 at 10:42 AM, alyssamma said:

I've sailed carnival a few times and never seen dogs on them.

 

Your claim is carnival has a full time staff to "sniff out" WEED (SKUNK)???

Yes, that is the claim, and it's supported.

23 hours ago, alyssamma said:

I think this is a bit of an exaggeration. Dogs are mainly at the port during embarkation. This is no different than drug sniffing dogs at airports.

 

It's *possible* some of these dogs may at some time be on some ships for some sailings...but again, very different saying they live onboard. Technically true on a very limited scope, but very misleading.

They DO live onboard!

23 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Yes, this does NOT say they are living on ships. It says searches will be conducted on the ships.. those are very different things that may or may not be the same. For example, it could mean luggage is searched once brought onboard. It also doesn't say how many and how often. This is why it is technically true, but misleading to say what you did.

 

I think carnival, rightly so, is being circumspect in what it says. It would be stupid of them to do otherwise. But I haven't seen dogs roaming the halls on carnival ships so it can only be so widespread, if at all.

You admittedly only occasionally cruise Carnival. 

23 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Lol, if you think that then I understand your confusion in reading the articles.

 

A more proper analogy would be, man goes to the moon. You would assume that meant he stepped on it, I would say *maybe* he did. In reality, several missions went to the moon before man landed on it.

 

You are reading between the lines and assuming things...I am not. Furthermore, I am using my, admittedly limited, personal experience. I haven't seen dogs on any carnival cruise. Doesn't mean they aren't there...just because I haven't seen them. I haven't seen marshals on planes but they are there for sure. However, if it was as you implied, there were now living in ships  I think I, or someone I know, would have seen them. Dogs, unlike marshals, can't blend in.

This is how your attack on the OP's post went. You did everything you could to discount their claim that carnival had dogs physically on ships searching for drugs. Then you went on to say that they may be on the ship, but surely they don't live on board. Finally, when shown that they do indeed live on board, you narrow in on the fact that only one ship was provided as evidence and the OP stated "ships". 

First, why the need to pick apart the OP's claim? Second, why double down and dig in to defend your position, just to prove your point. It's sounds like you're currently on a cruise. Let it go and go enjoy yourself. Do you have to be shown that it is definitely more than one ship? OP never exaggerated and said it was implemented fleet wide.

4 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Please see post #89 for pictures of this daily service.

Thanks, I quoted that post. Was more interested if the have a tea service. Where they bring you the tiered platters that have the scones and sandwiches on it.

18 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Better 'spread' for a regular teatime at the One Pool deck

Do they do an afternoon tea service in the TSL?

Cruising on Seascape, out of Miami, in Sept. DW wants to catch an 11:00 flight for work, out of MIA. A friend is picking me and DS up, and hanging out with us until our 6 p.m. flight out of FLL. Can DW be first off, and the 2 of us be towards the end?

5 hours ago, RedIguana said:

Is that $75 pp/pd difference you listed from Celebrity? That would shock me. RCL and Celebrity are charging what I consider crazy pricing on beverage packages since sometime in 2022. My first two back from the restart on RCL was paying in the upper $50's to mid $60's for the deluxe package/wifi combo. My 7 night on Celebrity last fall was $1500 pp for concierge class cabin with Premium beverage/tips/wifi + 400 obc  (total $800 obc, also no solo supplement...wife and I grabbed connect concierge class cabins). But RCL and Celebrity's packages are crazy high right now. I was agreeing with you on that. I was just pointing out Celebrity was not offering free drinks, and that their packages were just as nuts as RCL's. Other lines AI's are less expensive than just the beverage packages on RCL/Celebrity right now. 

Yes, that was from Celebrity. Yes, if you wait and just buy the drink package, it is really expensive. My point was that there are many cruise lines (X, NCL, MSC) that let you bundle your fare to include a drink package. NCL is something like $120 pp/pd, plus grat, if you opt out of it when you book and try to add it later.

On my 7 day X cruise in Feb, it was about a $500 pp difference for the cruise. When you include the internet and tips, it's a really good deal. The drink package alone was more than that. I like the convenience of the drink package, but I'm not getting it on Royal at $107 pp/pd on my Feb cruise. They are going to need to do something to remain competitive. The Diamonds and above might not care about a package, but a lot of people do.

3 minutes ago, maketime4cruisin said:

I hit prime the last weekend of April of this year 

The way that it was explained to me last month is that you'll get the free cruise when the current year closes out on Mar 31, 2024. You should have received an offer while on board, based on your play. That offer would be a limited offer for certain sailings, or can be redeemed for $500 off a different one.

22 hours ago, maketime4cruisin said:

When i hit prime i never received anything for a tier cruise. I did receive a bunch of offers on club royale offers though. 

Did you hit prime since March of this year? I think the offer fo r the free cruise comes after the year closes out. 

8 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

Every line that offers a drink package included also has a cheaper option that doesn't include it. I just pulled a random one up and it was $75 pp/pd for drinks, wifi, and tips. That's a far cry from the $107 pp/pd for just drinks on my Icon cruise.

Here's a comparable deal on RCL the same month (first one I pulled up).

So, The base cruise fare, plus the drink package (incl grat) is $2,749 pp. Yes, it is a better drink package.

2 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

Celebrity is not offering free drinks other than the loyalty stuff. The all-inclusive rate is costing you roughly $140 pp/day for tips/drinks/wifi  (and the that is for a classic beverage package with sub-par offerings compared to Celebrity's Premium package or RCL's Deluxe package) over the cost of just the cruise only fare.

Every line that offers a drink package included also has a cheaper option that doesn't include it. I just pulled a random one up and it was $75 pp/pd for drinks, wifi, and tips. That's a far cry from the $107 pp/pd for just drinks on my Icon cruise.

The prices go from ridiculous to outrageous. Especially in this day of competing lines offering free drinks (including Celebrity).

On my Mar 2024 Icon cruise it's running over $1500 (incl grat) for two people, on a 7 day.

The jazz club was usually empty. They should have made this the smokers casino.

IMO, they don't have sales. Only different promotions that offer the same price.

On 6/6/2023 at 3:43 PM, Ret MP said:

LOL, me too!

 

 

BTW:  Your mileage may vary but to me, the cruise fare is the Bottom Line, the Total Charges.  But, there are certain options, of course.

You are just pre-paying the gratuity. It is not part of the cruise fare, and you can have it removed. It was probably put there by your TA.

Actually, now that I look at it, It's there so that they can show that it's part of your Star class inclusions. You are not paying it.

On 6/7/2023 at 2:16 AM, Lionesss said:

Good night/morning. 
 

If I were home I’d be well into dream world. 
 

But on a cruise. Ha

 

Spent a little time in casino. 
 

Earned my visit to customs. 

 

 

 

This time took the cash and exit stage left. 
 

Sleeping with my winnings under my pillow. 
 

It’s lumpy. 
 

Sea you. 

As far as customs, I think it's $10k per person. You should be able to split it between the two of you.

***Edit*** A quick search would have told me that I was wrong. It's $10k per household, sorry 😞

They learned from their drink package pricing, putting everyone in the same dilemma. They raise the price until people stop buying it.

15 hours ago, OHagan said:

...also...if you don't want to pay gratuities, then the cruise line can not enforce this. Many Australians cancel their gratuities onboard as we are not used to paying tips or such.

Finally! Someone honest about why they remove the gratuities. It's refreshing.

...in b4 the lock

19 hours ago, Lionesss said:

 

 

 

Ok I’ll work on it. 
 

CK Dinner menu 

 

 

No filet on the first night in CK?!? I thought that was a tradition? I might have to switch up my res for this Sunday!

***Edit...I just checked the app. Those are just the "Classic Entrees. Crisis averted.

Nice review so far. I'm on her, in YC, for the first time in Sept. Excited to read the rest.

On 5/23/2023 at 4:21 PM, jcc1025 said:

. For the bartenders I use often I may put in a dollar cash for a drink and at the end of the cruise add another five or so. Like on land tipping in cash goes stright to the servers, bar backs, etc.. The tip on the card is added to their salary and is reduced by taxes and other elements and shared among all those on the ship.

What makes you think that tips added to the bill are shared by all those on board?

Was dining on NCL in The Haven or MDR?

This has to be one of the best, most detailed reviews I have ever read. Thank you.

I'm on the seascape, first MSC cruise, in September. My room is is on 16, but the other side of the ship. Gusti sounds amazing. I wonder if others can comment on the level of service received from him. Especially if they were on the same cruise as you.

I  love your tipping method, and I'm sure it plays into the level of service that you received. My only change would be to the aspect of tipping the asst and night butler the same as your main butler. Personally, I think I'll try this method on my cruise, but I'll cut the amount in half for the other two.

Looking forward to the rest....

p.s. My only tip for improving the review would be to see if you can attach higher resolution pictures.

On 5/10/2023 at 11:15 AM, Timbo41 said:

Can you book a cruise line shuttle from Hobby to a hotel in Galveston the day before your cruise? We're coming in a day before we sail. TIA

On 5/2/2023 at 10:55 AM, day-day said:

They will drop off at Galveston hotels from the airport and will pick up at Galveston hotels to return to the airport.  I took the Galveston Express shuttle from Hobby on the day before my cruise and was dropped off at my Galveston hotel.