crooooze

Definitely more options in the buffet and you get to see the food before you take it. But we prefer the peace, quiet, and relaxation of waking-up early and sitting in a comfy MDR booth while being served. Usually out well in time for the day’s first activity.

Is this still an issue for everyone? I am missing the summary page of my edocs for all of my future bookings, ranging from this May through Aug 2024.

Maybe AARP should have instant win scratch or spin games, too. Instead of points, you can win error-free transactions.

The hub app should still show your cruise. Try logging into your Carnival account on a PC and looking for your booking. If it doesn’t show up, you have to add it to your profile. Then refresh your app and you should see it. I always found it best to log into the hub app with the “Log in” and not with “Booking #”. That way you can see multiple bookings.

They haven’t yet responded to me either. Just spent hours trying different things.

I was finally able to get 2 gift card orders through using Safari on iPhone. I got a different error at the end, but received emails with the gift card numbers within a few minutes.

I’ve been getting the same error for nearly a week. Contacted their support number and was told 3-5 business days. 😞

Wait nevermind. Found it in the 2022 annual report. Thanks

Where’d you see this? I’m still only seeing it for cruises through July 2023

You can apply the gift cards to an outstanding balance now and pre-purchase excursions, specialty dining, etc now. You can also hang on to the cards and use them later - they don’t expire. Just don’t do some crazy thing like use the gift card to buy non-refundable cruise cash.

Ha! I have some things to learn.

The last night gives me anxiety - not because the cruise is over, but because of anticipation of the next morning’s hell. Let’s reminisce. Wake up at dark-thirty. Join a very packed lido buffet, where there are no available tables and everyone is sad or tense. Head to the lounge, theatre, or where ever you’re supposed to wait for your time to disembark. But you can’t get in because hundreds of people parked their butts at the door with their huge carry-ons. You’re waiting what seems like an eternity for your number to be called, only to realize there’s no announcements that can be heard where you’re sitting. So you’re forced to squeeze by the same crowded door so you can hear through the hall. Then you get the call to exit… and join the long winding parade to get off the ship. Lines of people coming from every angle, seemingly cutting the line in front of you. Fun squad staff yelling for everyone to have their sign & sail cards out. Your toes run over by someone pushing wheelie luggage in a zig-zag motion. Get to the final gangway and the large family in front of you now frantically looking through all their baggage for their sign & sail cards. Then the hassle of finding your luggage in the terminal, and waiting in the long winding line to get through customs & immigration. Upon exiting the building, you’re looking for a clue of where to catch the airport shuttle. But everything is obscured by thousands of people. Half debarking and waiting to rides. And the other half are embarking the next cruise, but loitering around 2 hours earlier than their 10:30 arrival time. Then there’s all the fun at the airport. So yeah, that cheesy John Denver parody on the last night in the MDR does bring tears to my eyes. LOL But we do it over and over so I guess it’s worth it.

I don’t miss the only way you can research a cruise at home is by thumbing through 10 different cruise line catalog brochures. I don’t miss having to drive to a travel agent to price and book a cruise and a flight. I don’t miss waiting anxiously for the cruise docs and luggage tags to come in the mail.

In my experience, the hub chat feature is absolute garbage and not even worth the $5. It was completely unreliable - either we did not get messages, or hours later we’d get all the messages together at once, or no alert when a message was received. Same experience on several trips, on different ships, and different phones. It was very frustrating. Funny to hear other families arguing “I’ve been texting you! Why didn’t you respond!?” Hopefully this got fixed.

Update - I have contacted the Port Valet folks directly. Carnival has just recently joined the program. They also told me that you do not need to sign-up in advance on the Port Valet website. There will be a registration form in your cabin to engage the service.

I tested positive for acute Veneziaphilia - The infection caused me to book over 40 days of future cruises without resistance. The initial bug (“Exclusive Open For Sale Deal”) had me booking more than I planned and I came to my senses. But the latest “Early Saver Instant Savings Bonus Sale” variant resulted in a rebound. I’m hoping trip medical insurance will pay the out of pocket final payment expenses. I’m thrilled that I can drive to the NY port year-round to cruise without the gut wrenching pain of EWR and United Air.

This is really cool. I wonder what cruise rates were like back then.

This pretty much describes the cruise ships too. 😃

Those free upgrades have bitten me in the butt a few times when I attempted an Early Saver price reduction. They calculate the price difference based on the cabin category you are assigned. So an upgraded cabin means less price reduction, if any at all. In the end, I ended up paying a little extra for that free upgrade.

Ha! Can you imagine the riots if Carnival sends out a communication in 2024 that the Costa ships are going back early and everyone’s Venezia bookings will automatically be transferred to the Elation? 😂

Speaking for myself, I got too comfortable with these insanely low deals over the past year. Now if I don’t see an 8 day cruise for under $400 pp, I yell “Rip-off!” 🙂 Maybe when they say they are raising prices, it means bringing them back to “normal”. But you still watch for the occasional VIFP deals….?

Sorry it didn’t work out for you. My reservations still seem to be intact.

wow. That’s great. How cool would it be if they immediately emailed e-gift card refunds of purchases made with an e-gift card. 🙂

Just got my Nov 18 refunds today… But the transactions were pre-dated back Dec 8. Anyways, I’m good now and I didn’t have to call them.

Over the years, we’ve celebrated a couple of birthdays in Royal’s specialty restaurants. No free meal. Not even a “happy birthday” wish from the server. Maybe we were not high enough on the loyalty colors.