TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail

1 minute ago, AtSeaWithChris said:

umm, if the lawsuit in Florida hadn't forced the CDC to arbitration we might still be waiting for the 1st cruise.

Good to know Florida politicians have so much influence that a pending suit (at the time cruising did start domestically) led to the slow/sensible start schedule we currently are experiencing.  Congrats?

6 minutes ago, EdmundXXIII said:

Um, that is literally what happened.

 

We can debate all day whether what the CDC did was right.

 

(I think it was absurd.)

 

But denying the facts of what they, in real life, did… that’s crazy talk.

So I must have dreamed it was a certain governor that prohibited disembarkment of a highly infected cruise ship?  I’ll provide links.  You’ll provide what?

Just now, BlerkOne said:

Of course they do. They have guidelines which is what you want cruise lines reduced to.  Being fully vaccinated do not mean you are immune.

 

If you test positive before debarking from a cruise, you are required to quarantine and not fly.

Don’t bother arguing.  A broken clock is right twice a day.  Not sure a broken record is ever right.

2 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

The CDC put them in a March 2020 Covid box and didn't want to let them out

Outright lie there my friend 

4 minutes ago, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

 

They mean a persistent cough. 

I had covid & basically no cough in December.  I took my 2nd vaccine shot mid-April and have had ever since persistent cough, significant  congestion and today what appears to be a sinus infection.  I’ve been to the doctor 3 times since April and urgent care once including a chest X-ray.  Tried a variety of OTC meds and several prescription ones.  
 

Finally today had a substitute doc tell me my blood pressure meds (Lisinopril), which is an ace inhibitor, is highly linked to dry cough and other covid-like symptoms.  I just switched meds and hope that this makes a difference.  With a mask on I am certain to get a secondary evaluation when I board in September.

Another learning lesson from this; if you fly & bring a regular CPAP, do no include in checked baggage.  

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

Sept 12 is prime hurricane season and you may well end up in Canada.

If we do get redirected to Canada I’ll ask @kdr69 if we can couch surf at his place.

1 minute ago, ninjacat123 said:

Have you booked anything for Bimini?  We are booked for 360 beach through Carnival.

Never been to Bimini & aren’t booking excursions yet since we don’t know if that’s where the 9/12 sailing is going.  I’ll certainly look into it once confirmed.

@kimandtim

You are going on a 6 day Carnival cruise.  They don’t promise certain ports of call or really any ports call.  We will be on the same cruise & while I’m disappointed we can’t (or at least shouldn’t) book any excursions at this point, it is:

•our first cruise in 24 months

•first time on Horizon and having access to Havana

•our first cruise out of Miami

•likely we will visit ports we’ve never been to before (heck even Bimini sounds better than Nassau)

•not being at f*#%*#}} work

Think positive & once you step on board realize you are already cruising before 90+% of cruisers out there this year.

15 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

Oh, I didn't know we could add sound effects. POP

I think the sound effects are the only part of the message that makes any sense.  

4 minutes ago, phoneman69 said:

Fuel cap loose. buttoned down and on there way

I’m thinking blinker fluid low.  Gotta avoid another Coz incident.

They sell ensure in powder form (just add water). Carnival shouldn’t turn away sealed containers of the powder if your sister wants to bring it.  Sold at Walmart & most grocery retailers.

Sigh.  The constant opinion of the CDC’s role keeps being misconstrued.  Here is a basic link from HHS (which the CDC is under) of the role the CDC has regarding restricting travel.  
 

https://www.hhs.gov/answers/public-health-and-safety/who-has-the-authority-to-enforce-isolation-and-quarantine/index.html

8 minutes ago, K&RCurt said:

This particular cruise was originally scheduled for October 2020 and was cancelled prior to final payment date.

I rescheduled my October 2020 Horizon cruise right at final due date & Carnival canceled a month or so after.  Don’t think I lost any deposit as I shifted it to September 2021.

1 hour ago, tidecat said:

It's one thing to deny a ship full of other countries' citizens, but you don't do that to your own citizens. 

If you are referring to the Zaandam, there were US citizens aboard.  Either way, your logic is a slippery slope as I would hope aid is rendered to a ship full of Americans sailing in European ports.

1 hour ago, Joe817 said:

Love a cup in the morning to kick start my heart

Have to say it: A guy named Joe that likes coffee?

@Joe817

I usually do ask for the daily ice bucket from our steward.  Never bothered them the times they either missed filling the bucket or often we needed more.  That Caribbean air really dehydrates me & I”m not a “drinker”.

Delete-duplicate 

Maybe just me being an untrusting soul, I’ve never used a coffeemaker in a hotel (including Newell-stocked Keurigs).  An amenity I would gladly use on a ship is a fridge with the small freezer section.  Hate going several floors away get ice.

8 minutes ago, DKimmey said:

The balcony IS a large part of my enjoyment, a majority. Waking with my coffee out there. Having some calm zen time of my own a couple times a day.

 

I can't do it without a balcony, and the response is intended to answer.

 

No balcony is a non starter for many

Understandable.  And an aft balcony on a smaller ship would probably be my zen since I might not have to fight the crowds when not in my room.  

36 minutes ago, DKimmey said:

I'd never sail w/o a balcony

 

Non-starter

That’s a nice thought but probably not helpful to the OPs question, which is overall value and enjoyment.  Hopefully someone who has cruised both can provide their perspective.
 

In general, a Havana interior is priced roughly equal to a standard balcony.  I just checked what it would cost to upgrade my HI to the lowest priced Havana balcony (a Havana aft), it adds another $930.  
 

On a Vista class ship with a 5,000 pax capacity, I would have to spend most of my time on the balcony and not the pool, serenity, or most other public areas to enjoy it at all without having access to Havana.

@Host Carolyn

please look at post #136.  Some people

just can’t let go of what you already said is off-topic.  

Just getting lucky by getting off the ship early and having a private beach to ourselves for a couple of hours.  September being hurricane season, a lot of cruisers avoid the Caribbean.  We were the only ship in port at St Maarten that day.

54 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

The real answer to this is to be honest with customs. My buddy on my Panorama cruise bought a bunch of cases of booze (Hennessy White) and the customs guys just waived him through. This other guy I met on on a short cruise buys 10-12 cases of Hennessy White and then sells them to finance his cruises and buys more. He said customs waives him off every time and doesn't charge anything extra (he's done many cruises this way). If they catch you with undeclared large amounts, they may not be so nice. It seems they reward honesty. Declare any large purchases and they will most likely just waive you through.     

Sounds like they could make a reality tv show out of this.  Maybe Locked Up Aboard?

3 minutes ago, pogoism9 said:

Also of note:

 

"for the foreseeable future we're going to continue to operate with highly vaccinated sailings."

 

That's BIG news

I may go get a few more jabs then just to be prepared!