Eli_6

Well, that's a bummer because it sounds like they are only doing the ADA cabins if that is the post Shiner6 was referring to. They probably need more ADA cabins if she will continue to cruise in Europe, to Greenland, etc. as the average age on those cruises tends to be older than the Carribean cruises and, therefore, there are usually more guests with mobility issues.

With the singular exception of my recent issues with the shore excursions and gift cards, I have always received my refunds extremely promptly. Often times the very same day or the next day.

5 of my 6 last cruises have been amazing experiences and I have left positive reviews. However, if I had a bad cake and someone asks if the cake is good, I am going to state my opinion. Is not it possible that with different chefs and different kitchen staff and on different ships at different times that I may have had a terrible cake even though you have always had ones that were very tasty? People can have different experiences and their experiences all be valid.

We got one one time pre-Covid and it was decent. We got one post-Covid and it was terrible.

Bummer. No mention of updates to cabins. I was really hoping the cabins might get a refresh to include things like hot water and working showers.

I saw that post, but I am not so sure if it was real because the David statue has had a leaf over his private part for a long time. Although, maybe they were offended by his bare bum. Who knows? People are crazy. Some principal in Florida got fired because an Art teacher showed a pic of the David so clearly some people are easily offended.

Yes. Exactly. Some "people" act like they haven't seen a bare breast since they were nursing at one. I am surprised we Americans even manage to procreate.

Usually, yes. Some exceptions apply.

Pros: Great lay out. Small. Never feels crowded. Love the laundry rooms on most decks. Love the deck 4 aft balconies and aft wrap balconies that are close to the water and have a full cover. They used to have nudey art and this would offend people. Cons: It is an older ship. Some things show their age. She is having a dry dock so maybe some of this will be fixed...we shall see. Carnival covered up the nudey art because people are easily offended.

Again the title of this thread should read instead of what it reads: DON'T BOOK WITH A TA THEN PAY FOR EXCURSIONS WITH A GIFT CARD AND CANCEL. If you do, just call the fun shops to cancel rather than canceling online because you will never see your refund if you simply cancel online no matter how long you wait.

This is what I was told this time as well. Apparently, the magical combination to not receive your refund and have to call is the combo of: Booked cruise with TA + used gift card to pay for excursion/fun shop purchase + then canceled. Last time, I was not told that, but I didn't ask either. I simply wasn't told anything. They just filled out the form and I got the gift card...and I was happy.

The only exception with lugging on alcohol *might* be the Norwegian Fjords cruises...not because they won't let you do it, but my understanding is that alcohol is pricey there. With that said and in the interest of full disclosure, I have not been on a Norwegian Fjords cruise. I was supposed to go twice and both got canceled during Covid. I only "heard" this was from "researching" ahead of the cruise.

I did book with a Travel Agent. I won't be doing so again. I tried to modify my post to read: Don't book with a TA and then buy an excursion with a gift card...but could no longer modify. Apparently, that is what the problem is. Live and learn. Now I know. I feel like I even though I have been doing this for awhile, I keep learning these *new* things that I should and shouldn't do. And if I ever book with another cruise line (like I will have to do if I ever want to cruise to Egypt) it is going to be like starting over. I have done NCL and RCL, but it has been awhile.

I did not notice any difference. However, I wouldn't buy cheers if that is what you are thinking of. In my experience, you can walk on with whatever you want in terms of alcohol, wine, beer, etc.

This is the last time I using a TA so hopefully won't fight this again. 🙂

Darn it! Now I am on ThankYou dot com and there does not appear to be any Carnival cards. SIgh. I see Princess and HAL, but no Carnival.

If you don't mind my asking, how many thank you points did you have to get that many cards? My husband has about 11k thank you points on a card he hasn't used in years and I am trying to now figure out how to get on the Citi website to see about redeeming them, but the billing statement we have doesn't have the complete credit card number and we can't find the credit card either. I don't think they ever got used because TY points don't convert to British Airways Avios and that is usually who we fly with.

After 35 minutes on the phone a second time, they are filling out a form for me to get new gift cards and they said I should have an email with the GCs in 5-7 business days. Fingers crossed it works.

It is probably fine for that. Only reason I am canceling the excursions is because I booked excursions for Europe early and then after I had booked (with gift cards), Carnival released better excursions. For whatever reason, Carnival's releases the European excursions at a slow drip seemingly one by one spread out over months rather than just turning on the faucet and releasing them all.

I would advise against using gift cards on shore excursions. If you have to cancel, creates big headache.

I have always gotten a cancellation email when I cancelled an excursion before. Only time I didn't was when I never got a refund...waited a month before before calling. Not doing that again.

Guess what? Same thing is happening again. Even though I just had a problem with this when canceling another excursion booked with gift cards, I decided to cancel my "Paris On Your Own" excursion (costing $600 for 4 of us) because I wanted to book the Mt St. Michel excursion. (I literally waited from September to March to book the Mt St. Michel excursion because I have been wanting to take it since my 2021 cruise was canceled and I had it booked as an excursion, but when it never showed up on Carnival's booking, I eventually decided to book the Paris excursion because we were getting so close to the cruise and I assumed Carnival simply wasn't going to offer MSM again. Sure enough, the MSM excursion showed up about a month later.) I canceled POYO yesterday. No email confirming cancellation. No email about a refund. Nothing. Just disappeared from my booking details. So, I wait until today at noon hoping for at least the confirmation email saying I will get a refund. Nothing. So, I call the the fun shops. On the line about ten minutes with her working on getting me my refund. Then, without warning, I am put on hold. Then the phone rings and someone in a different department answers. This time, a man. And it isn't the fun shops. He recommends I hang up and call the fun shops back. So, here we go again...about to call back. Why does this have to be so difficult? Yet again I am learning the lesson of don't pay for excursions with gift cards. It isn't worth the ten percent savings!

I think that the very first time your cruise or play in the casino on a cruise, you can get offers without spending much at all--as in, maybe $20. But I think that to continue to qualify for them, you have to spend more. I also think that when they were requiring the shot, some people were getting offers who might not have otherwise gotten them. I got offers during this time and have not recently. May also have to do with how many cruises you have booked.

I googled and didn't see anything. I stalked JH's page thinking I might see an update, but nothing. Albeit, I realize I might be a couple of days, too early...but since I am sailing on her on May 28th and this was a 1 month dry dock, I thought there might be some news or some pics coming out today.

They will allow your children to come with you if your children are minors. But I am assuming a child old enough to have a girlfriend he stays in a cabin with is not a minor...