Davey Wavey

We have only done fixed time dining, but will do your (or is it my) time dining on upcoming cruises. How do they handle seating for your time dining? Is it like breakfast where they sit you at a big table with other people, or do they find a table to fit your group size. BTW, we are a party of 2.

Pro's for YTD: you can sit with whomever and whenever you what. you won't be assigned to a table where one of your table mates verbally threatens you in the breakfast buffet line the next morning for no apparent reason

Okay, I'll bite. What happened? :D

I beg to differ. This is listed on my page right

I agree its good to look (and I do look frequently), but was saying that many casino offers do not appear under VIPF offers. I have been on seven that were snail mail that never appeared on the website.

Most cruisers are really helpful but some are downright nasty

Some people give opinions, some people give opinions and condemn everyone else's, some people give opinions and berate you if you don't take them as law. Even those nasty ones I try to give the benefit that they are just trying to help you. If they are truly nasty and off topic, there is a little button in the corner of the post that you can push and report a rude comment. They are really good at wiping offensive stuff out very quickly.

I like to wait on final payment so that it goes to a reduced final payment instead of OBC. This is also why I don't prepay gratuities so that any OBC I do receive will just pay the gratuities. And I like to hold my money until the bitter last second, just like paying the IRS on April 15 at 11pm in the main post office parking lot (they stay open late for people like me). Even so, I have missed a final payment before because of date mixup. I paid six days late, but I certainly wouldn't count on a grace period.

Casino offers usually don't appear on the website under your VIFP offers, except the Premier cruises.

The regular casino offers have a lower price, some fun chips or casino cash (have to go to the casino cashier and ask for it...bring your letter with you), plus the Drinks on Us card (should be in your room on Day 1, but you may have to ask for it at the cashier). Email the casino and ask what the offer entails to be sure.

People keep asking for live music to return. Put a chair on the Lido, toss a hat on the floor, and practice right there. Maybe you make enough tips to buy a few drinks each day.

Feel free to ignore those who don't understand why practicing a musical instrument is relaxing...maybe more relaxing at times than a vacation. They obviously aren't musicians. :P

No. There is no special rates available onboard that are not available anywhere else. Only if there is a reduced deposit special going will you be offered it. The advantage for booking onboard is the free onboard credit ($100 for a 7-day).

Also, can you order "tap" water for free in restaurants?

Plenty of options...

There are free water and ice dispensers on the Lido. Main dining room and other sit down venues they give you water glass on your table and refill as much as you want (even if you don't want--haha). Many people say the filtered water on the Lido tastes different from the water in your cabin sink. Both are potable and taste like water to me. Bottles of water are cheap and great for port days, and my kids always liked them for individual Crystal Light packs instead of cola.

Zone 2 is correct for FTTF assisted disembark. With self-disembark, they call it by deck. The big advantage of using self-disembark with FTTF is you are the very first group called to leave. That's very helpful for those worried about making an early flight.

Are you in a cabin guarantee? If so, your room assignment may not be final yet.

Be aware that we have seen employees stationed at the closed deck doors checking S&S cards for early access to cabins. It's hit or miss. Also know that if you are not in a priority cabin, there is a good chance your cabin door will remain open until all cabins are cleaned even if you are able to drop items off in the cabin. So, be careful with leaving anything valuable in the room before it is accessible.

May 26th

Have you checked in with your roll call?

They do still have the dolphin odyssey at the seaquarium for $220 for 30 minutes including a pull through the water. Be aware they are only open until 6pm.

I have never been to Sea World, but have scheduled a trip to Orlando in November to see the orcas before they stop the shows in 2019.

As mentioned, any price reductions or changes would have to be done through the travel agency your credit card uses. Nothing is wrong with using a travel agency, but I have generally found those types of travel agencies the worst to deal with for cruises. They are generally unfamiliar with the ships and price protection policy, so you need to know what you are doing.

If you want Carnival's travel insurance, you can still purchase it directly through Carnival's site after your booking is made, but I would recommend you go with a third party insurance. Almost anything offers better coverage at a lower price than Carnival's.

Something so vital you should bring your own.

About time someone tells you the best side, the ship will back in and mess it all up.

Here's a play by play of our B2B in different cabins on the Sunshine.

We told our steward that we were on a B2B. He told us to just pack our suitcases on the morning of debarkation day and he would move everything to the new room. We could leave stuff on hangars in the closet, but we put everything in the suitcases. We received a letter in the room to report to a lounge at 9:30am on debarkation day of the first leg. We left the room at 8:30am with a carry on for our valuables and went to breakfast. Reported to the lounge at 9:30 with about 20 others. They took our S&S cards and returned in 15 mins with new S&S cards (and returned the old ones). About 10:15 when the entire ship was empty they escorted us off the ship and down to customs. We just said Good Morning to an agent and turned around and went back on the ship. Some people who wanted to go ashore were allowed to leave at that point. We went right to our new room around 10:40 and it was ready with our suitcases already inside the room.

Every cruise we have a rental and have never had a problem with luggage. I wouldn't bother with an extra trip or a cab if you already have a free rental shuttle available.

We're scheduled on a b2b in 2018 and will turn platinum on 2nd leg. PVP informed me we would get our platinum cards and privileges for 2nd leg, but not the first.

 

 

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Print your boarding pass and luggage tags and notice they have platinum PRIORITY on them for both legs.

That is because, you are taking two separate cruises, even thought it is a B2B.

Andy

Totally incorrect. Turning Platinum on the second leg means you will have it on the first leg also. You will see this when you print your boarding pass and luggage tags that they will both say PRIORITY even without buying FTTF. We just went through this on our November B2B turning Platinum on the second leg.

I'll be turning Platinum during my next cruise as well. But my niece who is rooming with me will still be Gold. I believe that she will be able to check in with me, but I assume she won't be able to board with me. Correct? Or does she get lucky and gets to board with me and we can avoid buying FTTF? (And yes, it is worth it to us to buy it.)

Your priority boarding status is good for anyone in your cabin. She does not need FTTF.

What else is out there? Let's get creative!

Get your parents to pay for it.

Stowaway.

Move to a Balkan country, learn a cool accent, and get a job as a card dealer.

No need to dress up for the MDR, and no need to rush. Get your time dining. Try going to the buffet first, then just go to the MDR and just get dessert. None of the signature desserts like Bitter and Blanc, Melting cake, or creme brulee are on the buffet.

Sorry it wasn't cutbacks that did it. Of the approximately $1 billion in lower operating costs, about $88 million was potentially from cutbacks. About $875 million was from lower fuel costs.

I don't prepay gratuities because then I would have to find something to buy with the onboard credits I usually get from price drops. Having the gratuities charged to my S&S is a great way to use those credits up instead of buying a few hundred dollars of stuff I wouldn't otherwise buy.