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Everything posted by RollingMeadows
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Reasonable contractions in these economic times. Gotta stay profitable.
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Absolutely. Some adults my give the parents of these kids the side-eye, but there's no accounting for taste.
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This is an expense to the line I would expect to dry up in the near future. Nice while it lasted, but my expectations are changing in the current economy.
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We didn't use it on our cruise in May. I doubt I bother with the app. It's not like I'm climbing on a cruise ship every week and I don't like having apps hanging around my devices that I rarely use.
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I ask myself the same danged question every time I board an airplane. At least I'm not waiting for some weakling to stow her luggage.
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Chef table on the Legend Should I do it?
RollingMeadows replied to Gari's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
We do it every so often, the last time on the Panorama. It's a tasting menu and is absolutely a marvelous experience. I say book it, Dan-O! -
Change in "dining culture" on cruise ships!
RollingMeadows replied to Hlitner's topic in Ask a Cruise Question
We have been pleasantly surprised in this way as well...on Carnival. Yes, lovely people cruise all lines. lol -
Change in "dining culture" on cruise ships!
RollingMeadows replied to Hlitner's topic in Ask a Cruise Question
My hearing has gotten bad enough that I prefer a table for two. Tables for 4 are awkward and any more than that it becomes difficult for me to carry on a conversation. Getting old ain't for sissies. -
Anyone with a riff raff comment has never been on a truly AI cruise. We've been on all of one and had another booked before Covid hit and the line (Crystal) went under. There is no service on earth like that of an AI ship. The passenger to crew ratio is more like 3-1 than 50-1, or whatever it is on a family cruise line. I won't bother going into all the differences I noticed on my single week-long fancy cruise, but it is a really wonderful experience and worth the cost. If you never do it again, you can at least say you were treated like royalty for a few days. I'm so sad to see Crystal go. It was an affordable experience for us, though it sure isn't for everyone. I've been looking at other luxury lines to see what we can/want to afford and the prices are pretty far out there. I think I'd rather put the money into a new car. lol Still, this type of cruise will forever be on our radar and if I see something on RSSC, Seabourn or Silversea that piques our interest, I'l book it with only a moderate cringe of financial hesitation. It's a big $$$ step, that's for sure, but it was absolutely worth it to us. P.S. We have sailed on Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland and Crystal. We have a Celebrity cruise booked for this December. We used to sail exclusively on Carnival. Now we're excited to play the field and try anything new.
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As a recent solo cruiser, PT are the perfect option for me. I find I don't use the balcony, but my husband loves it. PTs fall into that super-duper sale category, like $20 per person per night. I figure the party will soon be over and the PTs will have some kind of upcharge attached to them. I'll enjoy them while I can.
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How Dressy is Elegant Night - 4 night Cruise
RollingMeadows replied to cfreas's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
I still see a lot of long dresses, though I don't know that they'd be categorized as gowns. Some gowns, some fancy sun dresses. It's Carnival. Do whatever you want, which people end up doing anyway. (IMO, going with just basketball shorts on formal night is rude, but again, this is Carnival and people do whatever they want.) -
making Diamond mid-cruise
RollingMeadows replied to MagnoliaBlossom's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
I have a solo booked in a couple of months. That will put me 14 days from Diamond. The next cruise I have booked is a 14-day Alaska cruise on the Miracle. I'm not sure if I'll be Diamond from the beginning of that cruise or not, but I think we're going to squeeze in a 4-day on the Radiance before Alaska just to be sure. 😍 -
Watch Out for New Automatic Service Charges
RollingMeadows replied to 422Melissa's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
I just left a tipping thread. So many passengers remove tips that perhaps this is a way to get them back. -
I started cruising just about 10 years ago and I know the experience has changed quite a bit in that time. I no longer even own a long dress and have drastically decreased the amount of jewelry I pack for any vacation. If anything, it's very liberating, though I do miss the excitement of buying a new dress for every new cruise. Do you still pack in the same way today as you did when you first started cruising? What do you do differently? As mentioned, no more fancy gowns and jewelry. I will bring up to four pair of shoes but really do try to keep it down to two pair on a seven day cruise. I don't need as many clothing choices as I once felt I did. I repeat wearing something; do laundry or send it out; mix and match my wardrobe. The cruise we took last month, a seven day Mexican Riviera, was the lightest I'd ever packed. It's something I see doing more often, this under-packing.
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Carnival changed their business model and cruise experience years ago. Where've you been? I complained loudly about the changes along with everyone else. Now I've learned to love the the changes and look forward to my Carnival trips. We cruise lots of lines, so we can cruise in any style we want if Carnival isn't classy enough for us. "Cheap labors" have names like I Made and Beverly and Roland and Gede, etc. They are not "cheap labors". They are people who left their wives, husbands, kids, parents behind so they can send money home to their families. I'm happy to put their kids through college so they can find careers outside the service industry. Americans just can't fathom this need and instead make the Beverly's and I Made's Carnival's problem while we complain to Albert that our luggage hasn't arrived yet and we're Platiunum. I'd rather hug Albert or Sidjay or Maria and slip another fiver in his or her pocket. Or buy Ingrid from guest services a coffee on her next break. I am so grateful to be in the position I am today and try to show my appreciation to those from more humble roots. Even if I had to save for 18 months to get on the cruise ship, I'm not going to do it at the expense of those people caring for me on board.
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IMO, and you know what they say about opinions, if you're not willing to tip, you should probably stay home. If tips are too expensive you should probably stay home. If you don't think tips are earned you should probably stay home. If you think those being tipped make way too much money you should probably stay home. I understand cruising is expensive, but to take food out of the mouths of the recipients of those tips is probably the most inconsiderate thing one can do, regardless of your country's tipping policy. The recipients of your tips have an average minimum wage of $7 a day at home. Considering what the lowest income earning passenger on Carnival makes as compared to those who are cleaning your toilets and scraping the food off your plates, I can't believe people would be so cheap as to prevent those service providers from getting extra for those lousy chores, like cleaning the bathrooms right next to the pool. If you want the tipping charges to be rolled into the cost of the cruise, then please do travel on a line with those things included. But don't climb aboard a line that doesn't include gratuities and expect the employees to be happy that you're wealthy enough to cruise, but not wealthy enough to tip.
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Offers - better if you cruise less often
RollingMeadows replied to cellfree's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
I never paid any attention to offers because we can never seem to travel before the offers expire. I discovered great VIFP rates and only knew this because I'd keep an eye on these pages. I booked a solo rate in a PT cabin with $200 OBC for just over $500 all-in. I can't vacation for a week anywhere that inexpensively with room, board and entertainment included. IMO, the best rates are the ones you can book close to sailing. DH retires next year and I suspect we'll be taking advantage of these sales when they pop up. -
Pepsi. And that makes me extremely happy because I can have a Dew. Read it and weep, Coke drinkers.
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Elation! My super last -minute cruise May 16-20
RollingMeadows replied to Silent Penguin's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
Uh-oh. Do I detect a positive Covid test in this review? Looking forward to the next installment. -
your favorite buffet item?
RollingMeadows replied to havanadaydreaming's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
Anything that looks like a mashed potato. Nom nom. -
Elation! My super last -minute cruise May 16-20
RollingMeadows replied to Silent Penguin's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
I've read every word and have loved your review. I miss the little ships and hope someday to sail on one again. -
Are drink packages worth the cost.
RollingMeadows replied to 51st FMS's topic in Carnival Cruise Lines
I don't drink alcohol and my husband is a light drinker, so it's not worth it to us. We did buy it one time on a 3-day cruise just to see if it fit with our cruising style. It didn't, but we also realized if we had as many cocktails or specialty coffees as we wanted each day we'd still only be using about 1/3 of the beverage package. We now increase our cruise budget to include all we can drink, which in our case is about $20 a day per person, if that makes any sense.