Lee Cruiser

Haven't noticed that, but I also expect it to come in a matter of days. Looking forward to hearing that announcement!

AARP offers a 10% on Carnival gift cards? Is this at certain times or every day?

Much like AAA, Sam's Club and other memberships, you go through their website to book. They offer some of the same rates as directly through Carnival's website as well as some other rates and perks that are exclusive (like travel agents). I just did a mock booking for a 5-day cruise my wife and I are taking in January. Right now, I could book on their site for about $95 or so (roughly 10%) less than my current best rate offer directly on Carnival.com, so it would have been better than booking direct right now. However, it is nowhere near as good as my booking that was done under the 50% off sale earlier this year. There was also an exclusive rate that included $100 onboard credit, but much like directly with Carnival at times, the rate itself was about $100 more, so it wasn't any better.

Yes, that's what we've done on our last three cruises, but with all the announcements right before sailing, not everyone does. It's so simple now, I'm not sure why they just keep waiting.

Not sure if that part is true or not, but don't think it is. They still call for people to do muster up until shortly before departure time.

Yes, it will certainly have some affect on cruising. How much remains to be seen. The job market is likely to follow. It already is in some areas. What is probably hurting most right now is the extremely high inflation. Carnival, and other cruise lines, are stuck between a rock and hard place. Their food and fuel prices are obviously rising steadily, but they can only raise rates so much.

Yes, that's true. That has been the process for a while now, even before Covid. It speeds up the check in process. It also keeps people from just going on to their rooms even though they aren't ready.

We've done that on our last two cruises as well, but I'd rather not have to pay another $60. With the other places (like CVS and Walgreens) now charging $100+, this option is going to get more popular, which could mean longer waits and higher prices as well.

Not sure if that has anything to do with it. They aren't indicating that they are changing the definition of "vaccinated", which I did include in the initial post. The only way better vaccines would matter would be if they had changed that definition to include boosted. His comments don't suggest that move at all.

Yes, it is all speculation at this point, but since RCI has made the first move, Carnival will just about have to do something. Hopefully soon!

Certainly. Just be on the lookout for the letter in your room. If you don't receive it at least by the morning on the day before debarkation asked your room service or check with guest services.

Yes. Most of our cruises are 7 days, including our Vista cruise in September. We do usually take a five day cruise out of N.O. every January, but the others are longer because we fly to the ports. However, it certainly looks like they (RCI) are going to move in the direction of including longer cruises soon. He mentioned 45 days or so. That's certainly a step in the right direction. I don't think Carnival will have any other choice but to do it as well.

Agreed. I think that within a matter of days Carnival and NCL will follow.

Here is what he is saying about longer cruises: "We're starting off here by doing the five days or less, and we're going to look at that." "I think our our expectation here, call it in the next 45 days or so. And, of course, following local requirements, which will somewhat dictate in some of our destinations what those testing requirements will be, that the majority of the testing requirements will will be lifted, especially around the majority of our of our deployment."

Really doesn't bother me who does it first. I just hope Carnival does it as well and that it leads to an end of testing on longer cruises as well.

He also mentioned that they expected to drop testing for vaccinated guests on longer cruises in the near future. This is great news!

Thanks. Hopefully Vista is similar.

Just saw that Royal Caribbean is ending testing for vaccinated guest for cruise under six days. Hopefully this is just the first phase out. Hopefully Carnival will follow.

What cruise line and your source?

Yes. It's on the same platinum / diamond letter you receive about debarkation. It will give a meeting time and place for priority self assist as well as a time for those choosing to check their luggage. You will also receive special luggage zone tags. Many times they are actually ahead of that schedule. For instance, we did checked luggage on our recent Mardi Gras cruise and they were running about 30 minutes ahead of the noted time. We were off the ship, customs, got our luggage and on our shuttle at 7:55. It varies some from ship to ship. That's why I was wondering about Vista. Never been on it and it's been a few year's since going out of Galveston at all.

Looking to schedule transportation after our September Vista cruise. Can anyone who has cruised Vista lately tell me the Priority (platinum/diamond) debarkation meeting times for self-assist as well as checked luggage? What time did you actually get off and through customs? Thanks!

Yes, we are covered worldwide. Yes, that is true. However, most specific travel insurance policies wouldn't cover a cost like that. For instance, if I remember correctly the Carnival policy underwritten by Nationwide only covers up to $30,000. Absolutely. Every person must determine what risk they are willing to take when it comes to things like that and whether the cost of specific trip insurance is worth it. As someone else already mentioned, many credit cards do provide trip interruption coverage. Though it's been a while since I've actually used that card, I believe that the Carnival Barclay card does.

I been on 20 cruises and have never purchased special insurance for our cruises. I have never understood why some say you should always have it. I have a general accident policy that covers accidental medical expenses whether I am away or in my own community. It just makes more sense than taking our a special policy every time I go on vacation. Annually, it costs about the same as the premium for one cruise and it covers me year round. If I only took out the special policy for every cruise, I would be paying three times as much annually and would only be covered for those three weeks.

A1 will board after suites. On the three cruises we've been on lately there was not a lounge for platinum. You sat out in the main waiting area. Only suite guests were in the lounge.

Certainly hope so. Due to a change we have a Noon flight out of Hobby in September. Last time out of Galveston we had a later flight (3:30), but made it to the airport by 9:30 or so without any rush. We had to wait a couple of hours before we could even check our luggage. That was before Covid a few years ago, but hopefully this time will be good as well.