kwokpot

Are you able to articulate why Beyond isn't your favorite? I've been on all three and for me the Beyond is the best of the trio.

Either they changed the policy and/or they can't be bothered on questioning everyone who's coming and going. If you noticed on the Beyond they installed extra lockers which I assumed was the reason why they changed the policy. But they could have also relaxed the rules on the Edge and Apex. But When I sailed the Edge in 2018, 2019, and the Apex in 2021I had specifically asked the Spa desk about locker room access. Royal has done something similar. Previously before the Oasis Class and the renovation/Amping of older ships all Royal ships allowed unfettered access to the spa/gym locker rooms. When the Oasis first sailed they had allowed access to the spa locker rooms which were located far away from the gym on a lower level. But then they changed the policy and the locker rooms on Oasis class ships are only for those with a treatment or thermal suite access. It's the same policy on Quantum Class ships. On Royal ships that have gone through renovations they have gone as far as totally eliminating locker rooms adjacent to the gym. They have substituted a locker area in the gym for your personal belongings in the gym itself then standard Men's & Women's toilets only. NCL no longer had locker room access for their gyms too. Virgin did away with locker rooms altogether for their spa and instead have multiple individual changing cubicles and shower cubicles and a communal locker area for your private belongs. Strangely MSC did the exact opposite and actually created two separate men's and women's lockers room areas;one for their spa and one for the gym. The reason I'm familiar with all this is I cruise frequently and I use the gym and spa daily on every cruise I go on, so I try to understand the facilities of the ships I sail on.

Would love that but not a chance.

That MAY not be entirely correct. The spa/gym locker rooms on the M & S class are available to everyone AND they have a free sauna. The E-Class is a different story. Although the Beyond does allow all guests to use the Spa locker rooms that wasn't the case on the Edge and Apex. They may have changed the rules but as recent as one year ago the Apex Spa locker rooms were only for guests with treatments or those with thermal suite passes and/or Aquaclass. The Edge was the same. This information was confirmed by the spa attendants since I has asked this question about spa locker room access specifically. Lastly, the E-Class locker rooms don't have a single sex sauna; the sauna is located in the thermal suite and is only available for those with a pass or Aquaclass.

The lockers are located in the spa locker room which is one deck below the gym. Take the circular stairs down at the gym entrance and proceed into the spa and then make a right.

I can say 100% certain it WILL NOT be in the main theater. Craft Social and the Rooftop Garden, yes. Maybe even in the Club. But for sure NOT in the main theater.

The dry saunas on E-class ships are different from the rest of the fleet. While the M & S Class ships have the traditional Finnish style saunas, which have one main heater that generates hot, dry heat, the saunas on the E-Class are infrared saunas, which is a totally different technology. It's the same technology as the infrared style space heaters you use at home. Just like those home heaters in an infrared sauna you have to sit RIGHT IN Front of the hearing element to feel the heat radiate into your body. The infrared saunas have multiple infrared heating elements that you sit directly in front of to feel the heat radiate all over your back. If you sit in a spot next to a heating element you won't feel the heat as intensely. Those saunas are made to operate that way. More ships are using them I think because of less maintenance issues with them vs traditional Finnish sauna heaters. I know at my home gym the sauna heater is always breaking down or has issues.

We're not picky when it comes to cabins. Having said that last year was the first time we sailed in Retreat class comped (having never sailed in a suite on a cruiseship on any cruiseline) and we were definitely spoiled! If you live in Vegas then you certainly know that there's LOTS & lots of people that make use of the whole gambling comps system.

You should avoid going to spas in Germany then, where it's total nudity. I'm no prude AT ALL, and enjoy being nude in an all male spa situation, but it was definitely cultural shock having men and women totally nude in the saunas, steam rooms, and relaxation areas. Germans also have a whole spa ritual process in how they use the steam and saunas and it was interesting how everyone followed the rules to a T without exception.

It's about $30-40 more onboard.

I hope you're looking at this website. When sailing this past summer I didn't realize there were two!!! different Barcelona cruise port websites. The OTHER website didn't show the port schedule for the Helix Terminal, which is what Carnival Corp.uses since they actually built it. It got me very confused! https://www.barcelonacruiseterminal.com/home

I know for fact that both the MG and Celebration do offer whole cruise thermal suite passes pre-cruise, so it may be your cruise specifically. If I remember correctly it's listed under relaxation areas.

Yes I agree with you. Again I wasn't implying we were having arguments, but in the past we each posted strong personal views on all things Carnival. As I said, I enjoy reading what you have to say, otherwise I would put you on ignore.

Italian wedding soup is a italian-American bastardization of traditional Italian Escarole soup.

Yes, you can buy a thermal suite weekly pass. If you're contemplating it, I would do it before boarding, it's probably at least $50 cheaper than booking on-board. FYI, there's a complementary Co-Ed sauna in the Cloud nine spa that's accessible to everyone without a thermal suite pass. It's just outside the women's spa locker room using the rear door. By the same token, both the men's & women's spa locker rooms are usable for all guests, whether or not you have a treatment or thermal suite pass. Unlike other Carnival ships the locker rooms are nowhere near the gym (they're in the lower level inside the Cloud nine spa area) so it's not apparent that they are available to everyone.

Maybe not the best choice if you were having GI issues all night.😉

As a frequent CC poster you're are an enigma to me. If I'm remembering correctly we had some heated discussions when I post less than complementary things about Carnival and as I've said on another thread you struck me as a hardened Carnival cheerleader. Some of your recent posts seem to indicate your views on Carnival have changed somewhat. Am I overthinking your posts? Have your sentiments about Carnival changed as recently? This is not meant as a criticism, just chat board banter.

I'm an expert cruiser (101 cruises, Elite+ Celebrity; Diamond+ Royal; Diamond Carnival; Platinum NCL ) and if I'm interpreting your screen name correctly also a comped casino cruiser sailing exclusively on comped casino cruises for at least the last 10 years, so I know what I'm talking about.

Yes, HOWEVER they are adding a new Italian specialty restaurant, so TBH that's even batter. And since they did state that some of the Cucina favorite entrees will be on the regular MDR menu it's the best of both worlds.

TBH I didn't look at either itinerary, so I wasn't familiar with the differences in the sailings.

I'm wondering why you didn't do that earlier, when for all intents and purposes the Venezia is a superior ship all the way around? Is the Pride a better itinerary for you?

Yes, I've enjoyed the IV cabins ever since sailing on the Edge's inaugural cruise back in 2018 and have sailed in one on ail three E-Class ships. The issue is for those who don't know that it's not a real balcony cabin and were expecting something entirely different.

You do realize the nightly menus are on the phone app?

The cabins in this area will have special robes and towels. Additionally there will be an exclusive daily continental breakfast and seaday brunch. No pool but two hot tubs. During the day the area is exclusive to those cabin guests but the bar, deck, and hot tubs will be open to all at night.

It's all about the amount of guests potentially utilizing the venue.