Gypsywych

I don't understand the big deal. If you don't want to dress up, don't. Go eat at the buffet. It's cruise casual every night. No one is being forced into wearing what they don't want to wear.

... but please, no matter where you choose to eat..... be kind to those around you and shower between your excursion/pool day and your evening meal. - public service announcement

I did look at what you showed which was a nice sales brochure. Now I would like to see your Certificate of Coverage. I know of no insurance company in the travel industry that will pay you money when you have absolutely no money lost.

My print screen is being wonky, so you'll have to accept my copy & paste from my Certificate of Coverage:

ITINERARY CHANGEIn the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary prior to Your actual departure date we will pay up to theMaximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented change of Port of Call from the scheduled itinerary.Verification by the Cruise of the change in the scheduled Trip Itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

ITINERARY CHANGE – INCONVENIENCEIn the event a Cruise makes a Change in Your Trip Itinerary after Your actual departure date we will pay up to the Maximum NSHTC 2500 NW Cruise – Choice – Ed. 12/1/14Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.Change in Your Trip Itinerary shall mean the Cruise has a documented; 1) fire; or 2) mechanical breakdown; or 3) virus thataffects 30% or more passengers; or 4) an event on board that suspends 30% or more of the ship’s services for 24 hours; or5) a delay leaving or arriving at/from a Port of Call of more than 3 hours from the scheduled itinerary.Verification by the Cruise of the change in the scheduled Trip itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

ITINERARY CHANGE – PRE-PAID EXCURSIONIn the event a Cruise makes a change in Your Trip itinerary after Your actual departure date that prevents You fromparticipating in an event/activity pre-paid prior to departure and scheduled on Your Trip itinerary, nonrefundable pre-paidevent/activity expenses will be reimbursed up to the Maximum Benefit shown on the Confirmation of Coverage.Benefits will not be paid if the event/activity is rescheduled during the course of the Trip.Verification by the Cruise of the change in the scheduled Trip itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

Have a nice day.

The Elation is going back into dry dock, after having to come out of dry dock to sail to safety due to a hurricane.

The Carnival Fascination is going to be used in the Elation's place for several weeks, while San Juan is closed to cruise traffic.

The Fascination has been upgraded with new restaurants, some excellent water slides, and balconies.

Hope that helps.

I have a set of magnetic hooks that I use on every cruise. They hold damp towels, bathing suits, tote bags, and on occasion have been used as a clothesline.

We will have to leave around 3am... I don't think we'd have it in time.

If your cousin was born in SC and is still living there, he/she can go to the County Health Department and they will give him one (for the appropriate fee, of course).

159 days

and 156 until we leave. Time is going by so fast. I am not really into planning things right now. I feel almost everything is planned. I do still have to figure out some hotel options or the drive home. We have all 3 of our hotels booked for the way down, but for the way home we aren't going to pre-book anything. We can't be sure when we will get off the ship and in the car, so it is really hard to know how far we will be able to drive. I plan to make a list of all the places I can find that will hold the 6 of us. Then we will just phone these places as we go depending on where we make it to. I just don't have any motivation to do it right now...

My husband and I get into a "mood" and just get in the car and go. I have all of the hotel apps on my phone. Helps me know what's up ahead, and making reservations while on the road. Not to mention they keep up with my reward points and those gain me the occasional free night.

Ok cool. I am going to try it. If its terrible, we'll buy coffee.

 

 

 

 

I don't think I am a coffee snob but Disney's was like brown sour water, horrible. Hoping Carnival's is better.

Lido Deck coffee is the last resort. It is absolutely vile.

Room service coffee is drinkable when it's fresh and hot. The carafes do not keep it hot for long though.

Main Dining Room coffee at breakfast is about the same as room service coffee, perhaps a little hotter because it doesn't sit in the carafes.

Main Dining Room coffee in the evenings is usually really good.

I love the java spot mochas, but I've never had their regular coffee.

Hope this helps. :)

Leave on journey cruise 10/14/17 and have FTTF. Depends on number of diamond and platinum on cruise.

The policy was changed. If you purchased your FTTF before the policy change, you get to keep it. However, moving forward they will not be offering it on Journey cruises.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1374/~/faster-to-the-fun-%28fttf%29

Faster to the Fun is not offered on Carnival Journeys departures, nor on cruises from the following home ports: Honolulu, Norfolk, Vancouver and Europe.

(y) I am so glad I started this thread. Not sure why but individuals and powder did not occur to me.

My husband laughs at me for bringing my coffee creamer and stevia with me, but I'm spoiled and I have to have my coffee just right. :)

I have to be honest, anyone who actually like powdered cream, does not really like coffee. I feel the same way about flavored creamers but will give other taste buds a pass.

And yet you are here. On a thread about coffee creamers. The mind boggles.

That does not make sense. I have been on a Journeys cruise and I most definitely had FTTF on that particular cruise. I bet if you call back, you will get a different answer.

Carnival changed that policy a few months back and announced that they would no longer be selling FTTF for Journey cruises since they are very popular with Diamond and Platinum cruisers.

I am a balcony cruiser but will be on the Horizon for 24 days and booked a Havana Cabana for the duration will i be spoiled or is it just ok.

I loved the entire Havana area. It was perfect. Quiet during the day, there was always a bartender and never a line. The music at night was fun. The pools after dark weren't even that crowded. I enjoyed the lanai, never felt a lack of privacy.

There was a small breakfast buffet @ the Taste Bar in Ocean plaza that was never crowded, so we never had to fight the morning buffet crowds. We often carried our plates the 30 feet back to our lanai and ate there.

My husband wanted his balcony back because he couldn't lean over the railing. But he did enjoy the Havana pool area too. So I guess my answer is...... you'll be spoiled, but depends on why you love your balcony.

I do not know about the curtain, as we only had a regular Havana Cabana cabin, not a suite.

Your lanai balcony is very nice, and quiet. You can socialize with your neighbors as little or as much as you feel like doing. We only saw ours in the mornings when everyone was having coffee. Since there is a locking door at the top of the Havana cabin area, there is very little foot traffic as well.

Your sliding door will have its own separate key card plus it has a special security lock on the inside for when you are inside your room. Make sure that lock is not engaged when you want to go in and out of your sliding door. Use it for extra security for when you are in the room. It is very convenient. We went in and out of our glass door more than we used the hallway doors.

Hope this helps!

I love sea days. Me, the ocean and a margarita.

They technically can't be refunded for cash, but another GC can be issued. Thats why you cash out in the casino for GCs too.

On two occasions Carnival has sent me a check a week after our cruise with a balance we had remaining from using strictly GC. It is easier to cash out in the casino, but Carnival will just send you a check rather than issue a new GC.

The E gift cards come as an email. Just print out the paper and take it with you. You can either put it on your account at Guest Services or punch in the numbers at one of the kiosks.

Physical gift cards need to be present to be scanned either at guest services or the kiosk.

Why go through the extra step of changing gift cards to cruise cash? Cruise cash is non-refundable, use it or lose it. If you put a gift card on your S&S account and you have money left over that you don't cash out, Carnival will send you a check.

Ahhh, yes, that was the name. Didn't get it and ended up walking out. Just weird.

Not a movie fan then? :) No worries. There was plenty to keep everyone entertained.

Dining - The Good and the Bad Points

We sailed on the Vista this past February, and it is possible that the issues have been corrected. (I hope they have been) We were disappointed in the lack of service in the Main Dining Room. Too few waiters and assistants for the number of people being served in the evenings. We consistently received our food lukewarm or cooler all three nights we ate there. Drinks never appeared, we were never asked if we wanted after dinner coffee, etc. The food wasn't bad. It really was a service issue. We ate at the Lido buffet after that and the food temperature there was much better. We had perfectly done medium rare steaks in the buffet one evening.

We enjoyed the MDR for brunch and found that the Taste Bar on Deck 5 had a smaller breakfast buffet that was perfect for our needs and no crowding.

We enjoyed the Italian restaurant, Guy's burgers, and the BBQ. I heard people rave about the fish and chips from the Seafood Shak, but mine tasted like old grease. Go earlier in the cruise if that's your thing.

What you really liked about the ship ?

We don't have small kids, but we watched the Dr. Seuss parade and it was a blast. Make it a point to take them to the breakfast and the parade after.

We enjoyed the Havana area in the evenings. Always quiet, and the Latin music was great. We really enjoyed Deck 5. The Red Frog pub, the Taste Bar, the shops and a good view of the Atrium for people watching. You could also walk all the way around the ship on the outside. A nice stroll, with loads of chairs and comfy places to eat, read or nap.

Go see the show called Flick. It's amazing.

We really like the new check in and boarding procedures. So much quicker. We walked up with paperwork in hand and never stopped walking until we were on the ship. Very organized. Very quick.

What you really disliked about the ship ?

I really hated (and I mean hated) the fact that there are no longer tablecloths on the tables in the MDR. Spoiled the whole ambiance of dinner in my opinion. I dislike the lack of a tall multi - storied atrium with the glass elevator. The LED funnel makes the Atrium look so much smaller. It is pretty and fun to watch, but not as impressive as the old Atriums.

The lay out of the main theater is really wonky. Poor sight lines, big columns in the way, the chairs are moveable so people shuffle them to their convenience which makes it impossible to walk in places. Very clumsy.

We did not hang out on the Lido very often. Very crowded. Some people like that. We didn't.

The Vista is a gorgeous ship and she has something for everyone. You just have to find your something. :D

Yes you can but you will have to wait until you board to add them to your account - there's no way to create OBC using the gift cards prior to embarkation. Take the cards to Guest Service sometime after you board and have them applied; you may be able to add them at check-in so ask the agent. You can also try the kiosks on-board but the success rate reported here on CC in doing that is about 50-50.

FWIW - I've had more success using the kiosks with the E gift cards than I have physical gift cards. I only end up taking them to Guest Services about 20 % of the time.

Thanks!

I've heard about yoga or pilates classes on board various cruise ships.

How about Tai Chi?

I received and sent back a long survey from Carnival this week on entertainment, games and music.

So I believe they are working on some changes.

If it is more than $5, they will mail you a check within a week of your return.

Anything less than $5, it is donated to St. Jude.

I've done this twice. Gotten a check twice.

Those of you asking insurance questions for the Carnival gift cards, we really should break this out to a separate thread but here goes.

I have a Nationwide cruise insurance plan paid for our upcoming January cruise. I called Nationwide and asked specifically. (If my cruise insurance plan gets cancelled in the next week, I will let you know as well)

The nice lady on the phone explained it to me:

As long as you have receipts for payments made, and receipts for your gift cards Nationwide does not care how you paid. Only that you paid and what you paid. So if your cruise insurance was for $1500 per person and your cruise was $1350 per person and you only paid $1200 via gift cards with a discount, then you will only get $1200 back. But it is considered a form of legitmate payment. Your claim will not be denied because you used gift cards. At least not through Nationwide Cruise Insurance.

Hope this helps.