DPTexas

I occasionally sail with a co-worker who is GF. Locate the Menu Mate in the buffet area where the staff there can help with GF options. They will assist you with your first day meals. Then, it is easiest when eating in the MDR as your waitstaff will help you order your breakfast and dinner for the following day. Then, the following morning after being seated for breakfast, give the staff your name and room number and they will bring your pre-ordered, GF meal. The evening staff will already know you after one evening and will bring your pre-selected meal. They will also bring a plate of GF bread each evening. I believe Guys has a GF bun (but just ask and they will tell you). I do know that the Blue Iguana has GF tortillas, the deli has GF bread and the pizza place has GF pizza dough. There is always a GF dessert in the cake area in the buffet. The chocolate melting cake has a GF option - you just need to let them know. You can tell b/c it is served in a different style serving dish (oval rather than round). My friend has been impressed with the GF options and the staff's knowledge in the care they take in preparing GF items. For example, they let her know that the fries in the deli were not GF but the potato salad was. It has made her cruising more enjoyable with less food stress.

Favs are: the mussels, crab cake, short ribs (definitely), chocolate penna cotta (delicious beyond words so I search for it on the Hub menus), the root vegetable pie/tart (I search this entree, too), and the cold soups (appetizer or dessert). I try to eat 1-2 vegetarian dinners each week, so I really enjoy the root vegetable pie/tart. I tried the Indian vegetarian dish in January when we sailed on the Panorama, but it was too spicy for me. We enjoy eating in the MDR and find a great variety of delicious choices.

Thanks for the heads up! I just used this offer to pay some of the remaining balance for our 2024 cruise! Appreciate you passing it along b/c I rarely check our offers. I guess I better start! 😜 Happy cruising everyone!

I am going to "ditto" everyone else's suggestion . . . don't, please don't. With the crazy schedule changes happening with airlines lately, we would never chance it - especially during the winter. Airline schedules can get backed-up and cancelled even when your airport is clear b/c airplanes coming from other destinations can affect the whole chain of arrival/departure schedules. We live in the far north Texas area and drive into Galveston for cruises and we ALWAYS arrive in the early evening the night before, opting to stay at a hotel for ease of mind and convenience. The added hotel expense is simply part of our budgeting for cruising. We would NEVER attempt to drive in the day we are sailing, let alone leave it up to an airline to get us there on-time the same day. Never, not even with quality travel insurance because it is simply not worth the anxiety and possibility of losing out on a relaxing vacation and well-deserved cruise. Happy cruising everyone!

We usually sail on the Dream or Breeze out of Galveston. Both have a smoke-free casino annex on deck 4. Although it is a smaller casino with a smaller selection of slots and table games, it is totally smoke-free and definitely appeals to us. It was also nice b/c there was no lack of service or attention from the servers or the casino host. However, if you gamble there, you will miss the nightly contests that are part of the main casino - but, for us, it is worth it. I believe the Magic also has a smoke-free annex b/c it is in the Dream class, but we have never sailed on that ship. In January, we were on the Panorama, and it was one of the smokiest casinos we have ever experienced. Even walking through it to get to other parts of the ship wasn't enjoyable. There was no separate, dedicated smoke-free annex so I believe we only gambled once for a very short time during our 7-day cruise. It was nice enjoying other activities that don't take up our time (and money)! HaHa. Counting down to being on the Dream soon, so looking forward to spending some time in the annex again. Happy cruising everyone!

Coprgeorge, I am not sure why they don't either. I have heard that they have to determine how many have signed up, etc., but that could be solved with a drop-down with the date and number of seatings like they do with some excursions as in "more than 10 available". So, as ChuckF stated, it might be best to start at the steakhouse! Hope you and your group enjoy the CT! Happy cruising everyone!

Chuck, good to know! Thanks for passing this along.

Yes!!!! I, too, would highly suggest the "Rhythms of the Night" excursion as it was highly entertaining, including the boat ride there and back. Once on the island, the food was good, but the show was the highlight - definitely Cirque de Soleil-like. It is a long night, but very entertaining and well-worth the cost. Take some extra cash for tipping the waitstaff after the dinner (which supposedly also supports the dinner entertainment), for the island entertainers when heading off the island back to the boat (not ship) and then at the end for the boat staff as you get back on the Panorama. There are also some photos available to purchase taken during the boat ride and while on the island, but cards and cash are accepted for those. Happy cruising everyone!

I cruised last May with a co-worker who needs a gluten-free menu. Find the Menu Mates kiosk (usually located in the buffet area) and they will guide you in selections and make note of it. It worked very well for her b/c we ate mainly in the MDR and the waitstaff was made aware of her diet needs. Each night she was given the menu for the next day's breakfast and evening menus and pointed out her gluten-free options. She ordered her evening meal the night before but was able to make a few adjustments the next night if her "likings" differed from the day before. Also, because we had the same waitstaff each night, they knew her dietary needs, and also automatically brought her gluten-free bread right away so she could eat it while the rest of us enjoyed ours. Some might think this is a small gesture, but she thought it was a huge one. She also found that the staff was educated about gluten-free lunch options when she ordered pizza at the pizza station and a sandwich at the deli station. The gluten-free pizza is prepared in the back, and we saw the person who was going to make it change her gloves and apron before going into the back to prepare it. Also, for the deli, she asked if the French fries were gluten-free and was told, "no", but that the potato salad was. It seems that Carnival is making a great effort to accommodate guests with food sensitivities and allergies, helping make their cruise an enjoyable dining experience. Hope this helps. Happy cruising everyone!

We were on the Panorama in mid-January on the same itinerary. We sailed on a Saturday and our CT appointment was on Monday. We were not given a choice, but a letter was in our stateroom with the instructions and a form to fill out. We then received a call the day before confirming the date, time and asking about food limitations. There were several seatings during the cruise because we saw guests gathered at the meeting place by the CT signage on several nights. I believe the number of seatings depends on booking requests. We always book the CT because it is such an enjoyable experience. Hope this helps. Happy cruising everyone!

Personally, I would suggest set dining because the waitstaff will get to know your dietary needs and also your likes. Last year I cruised with a co-worker who is gluten-free and used Menu Mates. We opted for early dining and the waitstaff was wonderful (as usual) and very aware of her menu limitations. For example, upon seating, they automatically brought her a plate of gluten-free bread so she could enjoy hers while the rest of us ate ours. She was very concerned before booking the cruise because of her dietary needs. I was a bit concerned too, because she wanted to enjoy her first cruise but was concerned about her dining limitation, knowing food is such a large part of the cruising experience. She felt having the same waitstaff (and the benefit of Menu Mates) was a huge aspect of enjoying the cruise and wanting to cruise again. Hope this helps. Happy cruising everyone.

As was suggested above, as soon as you get abroad (and after your muster drill), I would also highly suggest getting in line at the service desk and let them know about your party and the CT bookings. Your party of 10 would almost make up a full CT seating because there are usually 12-14 guests. Not trying to be pushy, but we experience the CT almost every cruise, so if I were you, I would forget about doing anything else (including hoping), making this a priority by doing everything you can to experience a wonderful (and delicious) evening together at the CT. The number of seatings for the CT depends on the length of the cruise and the number of requests. Also, at the beginning of each CT, a group photo is taken which will be an especially nice memento of the evening for your group. Enjoy the CT!

Agree with everything 80sGal said. I suggest checking the HUB app for when BINGO pre-sales start because the lines just before the game starts can be long and on one cruise they ran out of daubers, and it was not fun trying to "x" out the numbers with a pencil. So, now we take our own daubers and get an extra card for the last game. We have ever won past the first prize (I think it was $20 off a photo package), but on one cruise last year, the lady in front of us won $500 on one of the first games and then she won the free cruise on the last game. Everyone was excited for her because it happened to be her birthday! Those of us near her were suggesting she should check out the casino! LOL! Because it is computer generated, if you win a prize, it is automatically put on your S&S card either that night or the next day. It is pricey, but fun! Happy cruising everyone!

Yes, slavigne5577, I'm the same. I love cruising and the last night in the MDR, enjoying one last great dining experience, a final "goodbye" with our wonderful servers, and singing along that farewell song is always such a realization that it is our last night aboard ship. Also, I am wondering if I am the only that still gets emotional driving up to the ship on embarkation day. Every time . . . I still get emotional seeing that distinctive red funnel, knowing we'll soon go aboard to cruise. Each and every time . . . and I hope I will always enjoy and look forward to the experience of cruising. Happy cruising everyone.

We were on the Panorama in mid-January. Had to be out of our stateroom by 8:30 and if I remember correctly, they were asking everyone to be off by 9:30, possibly 10:00 at the latest. We were off early because we had a flight to catch.

Pre-Covid, with FTTF and at Galveston, we were allowed to walk in when we got to the port. During our recent cruise in January (Long Beach on the Panorama), we had FTTF and a 10:30 boarding time. We had to wait for the 10:30 time to be called, but there was a dedicated FTTF lane, and we walked directly to the check-in processing area. After check-in, we were shown to a seating area near the platinums and boarded the ship after the diamonds, suites and platinums were called. Then, because we had FTTF, #5 tags were delivered to our room with disembarkation instructions, so we were off the ship quickly. Other ports may have different protocols for FTTF, and we will find out if the process is different in Galveston later this year. Happy cruising!

We were on the Panorama in mid-January, and they announced that the rooms were ready around 1:30, maybe even a few minutes later. We had FTTF, so we were able to drop off our carry-ons to our stateroom as soon as we boarded, then went to our Muster drill and then to lunch. Our luggage wasn't dropped off to our stateroom until a bit later - just before dinner, but we figured it was due to the 4:30 departure time. With a 2:00 boarding time, your cousin should be able to go directly to their stateroom. So, hauling their luggage might be the best plan - especially if they don't have much luggage. Our January cruise was our first time on the Panorama, and we really enjoyed it. We usually cruise out of Galveston because of proximity, so it was nice to experience another port and the Mexican Riviera itinerary. Hope this helps. Happy cruising!

As to the number of kids on cruises, I know local families who simply pull their kids out of school early or return late to extend their holiday schedule, especially when parents have limited vacation options. Plus, there are cruisers from other countries, so their vacation and school schedules may be different. Another note - during our last cruise we were double charged for a pre-paid couple's massage. When it wasn't credited back within the time it was supposed to be, I went to guest services, who handled it right then. The staff person told me it is always best to have things like that handled during the cruise rather than afterwards. So, I have filed that info under "Always Good to Know". Also, by being platinum, you have a dedicated customer service line to resolve such matters. I know this is a late reply, but my suggestion for not being able to get a reply, is to write a letter. I know it is old-fashioned, but I would consider writing Carnival Corp a letter! I have always received great responses from letters after other options haven't worked out. The few times I have needed to do this, I wasn't too shy to write the letter to the President, with a copy to the VP, Customer Relations, and local office (if applicable), etc. Keep it professional, give pertinent info (date of the cruise, ship name, etc.), explain what happened, what you have done to try to resolve it (emails, phones calls), let them know how you would like it resolved (including refund of any over-charges), and mention the upcoming cruise (not sure why this is included, but if you have concerns then include them). My last letter was several years ago to a major airline. Soon afterwards, I received a call from the Assistant to the VP who shared with me that she was "told" to call to find out how to resolve the matter, figure out why it had gotten so far that I had to write to the Pres & VP (basically, "why it had landed on their desks"), to offer their resolutions, and to let me know that the local office had been contacted. I also received a follow-up call from the local operations office apologizing for not getting back to me in a timely manner and confirming that I was satisfied with the company's solution. I was impressed with the results and have stayed a loyal customer all along. Letter writing is effective because it is rarely used by the public/customers any more b/c of emails, texts and phone calls. Luckily, I have rarely had to use this method of communication because it is usually handled locally or through the "process", but if/when needed it has been very effective. You can usually find the corporate business address, and names/titles of corporate and local officers on its website. So, my suggestion would be to try a letter when needed. Again, be professional and to the point. Hope you were able to get your complaints and refunds resolved satisfactorily. Happy cruising everyone!

We experienced quite the opposite during our January Panorama cruise out of Long Beach. Those who used passports had their facial recognition process go smoother and quicker, while those with DL/BCs had longer lines. Using passports, our embarkation and disembarkation was quick, and we were very pleased with the process. So, it may depend on the particular day.

When we were on the Panorama in January, we noticed the HUB app allowed reservations. So, you might check that after you board.

There are different sea and port day menus. I was worried when I didn't see the homemade granola on the menu, but it is on the port and disembarkation day menus. We are "breakfast people" and love the variety each menu offers even with some of the cuts, so we love breakfast each morning in the MDR but had to watch the HUB app for earlier breakfast times on port days. It was great having the flaming tomato soup back on the Panorama in January, too.

Although the CT starts at 6:30 pm, guests are usually asked to arrive at a meeting point around 6:00 pm. That way, everyone is checked-in, food allergies confirmed, and health forms completed if not done beforehand. It is a shame that it looks like you can't logistically make the CT work for your cruise because it is a wonderful dining experience. I know this is probably not the answer you want, but hope it helps.

We try to schedule the CT with each cruise because it is a wonderful dining experience! We usually aren't offered a choice of nights and most times it seems we are booked on the first elegant night (the 2nd night) - which is fine with us because we like to dress up for the CT. We've never done it on the Celebration, but recently experienced it on the Panorama in January. There are anywhere from 10-14 people per session. The booking is confirmed by a letter and forms to fill out delivered to your cabin and then a follow-up reconfirmation the day before by a phone call to your cabin. The appetizers and tour in the kitchen are always a great start to the dinner. Including the appetizers, you will be served 7-8 courses, so pace yourselves b/c it is a lot of delicious food. The Chef explains each course which adds to the experience and usually has a "Q&A" session, too. The questions mainly centered on provisions like "how many eggs does the ship go through during a cruise?", and his culinary background and experience. There is an intermission with a magic act in the dining room and then a demonstration in the kitchen on how they make the melting chocolate cake. You will each receive a personal menu to keep, a photograph of the group and a recipe for the melting chocolate cake. There may be up to 6-7 servers who help during the dinner, although on another cruise there were only 4-5. This info is helpful (to us) because we usually leave an extra tip for each server after the dinner. In our opinion, it is well-worth the expense and 2.5 to 3 hours of very fine dining. Hope you enjoy it!

If I remember correctly, when you book the CT, a drop-down shows each person's name in each cabin. You may have to book it separately under each cabin - it just depends on how your cabins are set up. Simply check the names of those going to the CT. Enjoy your special night at the CT because it is fantastic.

We have been on several cruises since the restart and usually sail out of Galveston because we live in Texas, but recently sailed on the Panorama out of Long Beach, CA. Each time we were asked if we wanted morning or evening room service. We prefer evening service while we are eating dinner, going to shows, etc. and have always received excellent service. We have always found our cabin clean and refreshed - which is so nice before settling in for the evening. We always find it far-easier to pay the auto-gratuity when we book our cruise because we realize there are too many "behind the scenes" staff that we couldn't possibly tip. We also make a point of keeping a list of names and titles of staff to single out in a complimentary way for the survey that we always complete after each cruise. We also usually choose to leave an extra tip for our cabin steward and those who serve us in the MDR each night. I don't say this to brag or to make an argument if someone chooses to do otherwise, but we sail using great cruise offers and cruising for us is the most-relaxing vacations we take from our high-stress jobs. I started cruising later in life, so I may not get past gold, but it's not for lack of trying! LOL! We simply love cruising! I guess my point is that Carnival offers us enjoyable, relaxing, and much-needed vacations with staff, seen and unseen, who help make it such and we show our gratitude to them in the best and easiest way possible for us. Continued happy cruising y'all!