ChutChut

18 minutes ago, jsglow said:

@ledges1, we're back to a point where folks have assumed responsibility for their own health decisions. And that's  a very good thing.

Hear, Hear!

30 minutes ago, ledges1 said:

Reading the comments, is why I said “ figured nobody cared”. People will not cancel a cruise if they are sick before they embark. Too much money involved. I do not think travel insurance will payoff for a cold. Would I cancel a cruise if I was sick at embarkation? I have not faced that decision. I have gotten sick on the back end. Carnival is not sanitizing as they were shortly after COVID. I make this statement based on taking 10 cruises since the restart (observation). People will continue to get sick, hopefully it will not get to level of the CDC stepping in. Carnival Corporate says all the right things publicly about sanitation, however they need to be on a ship to observe actual practice.

Colds have been around since the stone ages and will never go away. Would I cancel if I merely had a cold? Depends on how well/badly I felt. I did cancel once because I felt miserable. I had insurance and the trip cost was reimbursed (had my doctor fill out an insurance form), but if it was a minor cold, then I'd probably continue and just be careful about hand washing, etc. If I had Covid (and knew it), pneumonia, etc., then I'd cancel because I couldn't have a good time and wouldn't want to expose others to something potentially serious. I always have trip insurance so my cost would be reimbursed. Colds are different because they aren't serious. 

Nope - not even a cold or a sniffle. All of the alcohol must have drowned it!!!!

7 hours ago, teddyd33 said:

People are mentioning that travel insurance will protect you for the loss of air fares due to the cancellation, but what travel insurance covers for cancelled flight protection because the cruise ship isn't ready on time?

 

I have had a look at my travel insurance and there is nothing that mentions anything around that type of situation.

Mine may cover it in pre-departure cancellation benefit. This situation might be (in my policy) an "Other Covered Event." I would receive any non-refundable monies ("Payments & Deposits") paid as long as the cancellation occurred prior to the departure of my "Trip." Now - there is a question whether this is a "mechanical breakdown" or whether the ship is "uninhabitable" given it's not "finished" yet. 

20 hours ago, Grace61 said:

Question- I have only cruised once before, on Disney.   There it was rotational dining in each MDR, with the same staff each night.  We prepaid the Gratuity.  On the next to last day, they supplied envelopes you could add cash to for steward or consierge staff or servers, which you could hand out last day. There was a sheet that listed how much of the prepaid Gratuity went to each person. 

So for Princess,how does this work?  I've prepaid the "crew appreciation".  Do you just hand people like your steward cash at the end of cruise? Or each day? Are your servers different each day?    
How are tips for bartenders handled with drinks that covered under Plus, or for servers in casual dining areas that are covered under Plus.  
I'm American, so used to tipping in restaurants etc.  But that I'm usually just adding to credit card bill.  Ive left some cash and note for housekeeping in hotels. Or given the valet a few bucks  But it seems awkward to just keeping handing people cash all over the place.  Plus I usually don't carry much cash traveling, relying on credit card.

Can you tip people like your steward through guest services, like added to your bill?  

Just making sure I've got it covered, for planning purposes, not complaining about it.

 

Really- not here to debate tipping culture.  Just trying to figure out the best way to handle things.  Like if we have a sea day, and I'm exploring the ship, do I need to carry a purse around, so I have cash with me?  Do I tip the steward first day if introduced, or just at end ?  Do you bring envelopes?  Do you leave cash on table at MDR or give to waiter?

That was awkward on Disney. They don't do that on Princess. If I want to give extra, I put the extra cash in an envelope and give to them at the end.

19 minutes ago, Wishing on a star said:

I am no expert, but most flight bookings might have 'changes' with a FEE.

I would hate to book this kind of international travel with a totally locked-in ticket, and no insurance.

That's why one gets insurance.

1 hour ago, Pixelskaya said:

Isn’t a $200 refund for flight expenses very little when most of your passengers fly from the US? I mean, I just bought a two way train ticket to Barcelona that cost me 140€, and I live in Spain! 😅

Their travel insurance should cover it. 

1 hour ago, DHP1 said:

To received $200 is a joke especially when someone doesn’t have travel insurance.  Maybe they book at a non refundable rate. What happens then?

That's the risk one took. Always obtain insurance or deal with the consequences. 

Inside cabins are going for over $3,000 per person on this ship. It better be magnificent. 

2 hours ago, JGmf said:

 

Nope, no way. Never ever.

 

Too much like that doll that chased around Karen Black in Trilogy of Terror giving me nightmares as a kid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember that movie!!!!

On 1/19/2024 at 9:49 PM, Andy C said:

Another "live"  thread where the actual live review doesn't start until many pages in,  I live in Florida.  Nice to see Epcot but I came to see your ship review.  

 

Andy - no offense but the OP isn't catering their review to your specific circumstances. Just skip the portions you're not interested in. 

1 minute ago, sid_9169 said:

Now it's time for the money shot... Both of my masks ended up making it home in one piece. Even the one that was molested by the TSA. I'll add these to my growing tribal mask collection...

 

 

 

 

 

Love both!

1 hour ago, sid_9169 said:

I guess there's no better day to try and start working on my drinking situation than today. I'm going to try for five nights in a row, and see how that goes. Something that I've REALLY been needing to deal with for awhile, but have procrastinated on...

Do it. The first few days may be rough, but your brain and body will thank you for it in a week!

Thank you for taking us along with you on this journey. Your pics have been terrific and your commentary always witty and engaging. 

4 minutes ago, sid_9169 said:

Hopefully with the news that I'm not going to be doing this anymore doesn't lead you to believe that I'm in any way denigrating the Cruise Critic brand or website... They've been GREAT in allowing me to post my daily screed for years now. Honestly, I never had any plans whatsoever to be a "travel writer"... In fact, my mom has been telling me for years that that's "what I should be doing with my life"... (She doesn't even know that I do this at all...)

 

For the longest time, I've been in search of a greater purpose for my life, and spinning my wheels here just isn't getting me to wherever THAT is... I'd like to write real books making real money, rather than try and entertain what amounts to 318 people... I've got at least three books that I want to write and probably "self publish" since I have no "connections" in"the business"... 

 

I don't even know where I was even going with all that, but I DO want all y'all to know I appreciate EVERY SINGLE ONE of you here reading today as well as in the past. If I do ever write my"magnum opus" hopefully y'all will read it as well...

Absolutely try it. Will be a great hobby or perhaps you can have a YouTube channel, etc. Go with your dreams (but have lots of money socked away). 

Terrific photos of OSJ.

1 hour ago, Eli_6 said:

Carnival has no claim against he OP or the original fraudster because they knew about the claim and sat on it and did nothing. 

 

Tolling of a statute of limitations would not enter into the scenario you are painting. Carnival knew about the charge back so the SOL would not be tolled.  Tolling would have only come into play if Carnival had just found out about the fraud.  For example, if someone buys a house with a defect that the prior owner purposefully covers up then the SOL would be "tolled" until the buyer discovered the hidden defect and THEN it would start to run.

 

Carnival knew about this situation all along so none of their claims would be tolled.  OP could bring a claim against them for holding on to his deposit because that is a new claim.

 

The only place "tolling" would enter into the discussion is if OP wanted to pursue the original fraudster agent because OP knew absolutely nothing about the original fraud. Since he can't even find him, that's a non-issue.

 

OP has a right to his deposit back because Carnival no longer has any claim against anyone regarding the money from 7 years ago. Not even thefraudfeasor.  Even if the OP was the actual fraudfeasor, Carnival STILL couldn't keep his deposit for a different cruise at this point. Their claim from seven years ago doesn't exist anymore.  

At this point, I have to bow out of this discussion.  I try to make it a point not to argue with non-lawyers about the law because I have already spent enough of my life arguing with lawyers about the law.

 

OP: I wish you the best of luck. Get your ducks in a row with your paperwork (as much as you still have) and then create an outline or letter detailing the rest.  (I personally would present it in a signed, sworn and notarized affidavit to show you are telling the truth. The IRS accepts this as proof so Carnival can as well.)  Present it to guest care or one of John Heald's helpers and hopefully that will be enough to get you off the "no sail" list. At a minimum, it should at least get you your deposit back.  

Agree that Carnival must refund current deposit and agree the SOL is implicated on any claim Carnival may have had against (if any) OP. That being said, Carnival is a private company and can ban you for any reason (that doesn't violate the law).

1 minute ago, Eli_6 said:

Also, I hate when someone is bamboozled by a fraudster and everyone blames the victim or says "Well, I wouldn't have used Zelle" or "this and that should have been a red flag."  Come on. Most people don't go around living their lives like that.

 

People who run these sorts of criminal enterprises set them up to fool even the most discerning customer. They have websites, store fronts, referrals, the proper business affiliations (usually fake), the proper licensing (also usually fake), the proper insurance papers (they pay for it than drop it), etc.  

 

How do you think Madoff and R. Allan Stanford bamboozled people out of billions?  I worked on the civil side of the Stanford case and some of my clients were people who highly successful businesses worth tens of millions who were fooled by him.  Yes, I know a travel agent isn't on his level but when someone comes as a referral and looks legitimate with a legit page, 98 percent of people wouldn't look further than that.  Heck, it may even be that the business started out as a legitimate business and then that particular agent started doing this to make extra money.  So, OP's friend could have had a good experience. 
 

You're absolutely right - BUT - OP's beef is with the sleezy agent not Carnival. Carnival is out thousands of dollars and has every right not to accept passage in this circumstance. OP needs to deal with the travel agent, get the money, and pay Carnival - or use other cruise lines.

12 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

He kept your cash, used his credit card, then did a chargeback after you cruised. That action would be on him, not you.  Carnival should have gone after him.  

No - OP was the customer - not the travel agent. 

16 hours ago, BIGBANG22 said:

How is it sketchy? He was a referral by my brother and my brother friend referred the  "agent" to him ! They both had experience with this guy! I had no reg flags. Even with Amex, i don't travel often! I know of multiple companies that don't accept amex so even that wasn't a red flag. Had this person not be referred, i would not have Zelled him. I paid for the trip back in 2019. I don't have another 2600 to pay. carnival should have informed me of this then

Nah - Carnival isn't to blame here. The sleezy travel agent is. Your beef is with him - not Carnival. Straighten it out with the travel agent - get your money back - and then repay Carnival. 

1 minute ago, mamiamjo said:

I really hope that chicken biscuit tasted better than it looks. Looks like 3 rocks being stacked on top of each other. 😕

1 minute ago, pinkwhitney said:

He can't be himself on here. 

I've looked thru the posts and replies have been upbeat and appreciative of his posts. 

10 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

I was going to wait until later to tell y'all this, but this is definitely going to be my last Live Review (or any review) here... I'm not going to go into details, but I simply need more freedom of expression than they allow me here... It's like telling Picasso that "you're not allowed to paint that" sort of thing, if you get my drift... (Not that I'm the literary version of Picasso, but from an artist / writer point of view)

Enjoy the rest of your cruise and thanks for taking us along and for the pics and posts!

Thank you for posting such a balanced, well-reasoned review!

Sailed on her in 2019 for a Thanksgiving Panama Canal cruise. Loved it.