Thenagers

I just got off Mardis Gras 2 weeks ago. Someone in my Mardis Gras FB group posted this? I know I ate at Cucina 2 times without an extra fee? Curious how this is going to work especially since they try so hard to get people to eat at these restaurants on Formal night?

I did not like Any time dining on Royal. Switched to Early with the Martre D. Loved it on Carnival last month! Checking in on the App is super easy and the wait times were never more than 10 mins when we checked in before 6. I do think they get busier around 6;30-7:00? Personally i do not eat that late! Also easy to get a table if a small group.

Personally I loved faster to fun pre Covid. We got it in Glory with HMC as a tender and then again on horizon with grand cayman , tender ports really make a difference. I got it on Mardis gras this last spring break and a total waste of $149. The shorter line at guest services was the only benefit that really stood out. My friends without it got on 10-15 after me? Room wasn’t ready until 1:30( although stuff could be dropped). No priority luggage and debarkment didn’t matter. Unless there is a tender port I will not do faster to fun again!

We had your time dining on Mardis Gras week of April 1. We ate at Cucina the 1st night and the Chibang hostess was going table to table asking if we wanted to eat there the 2nd night( 1st formal night) and she would take reservations! My immediate family had steakhouse reservations and the other 3 families wanted filet in the MDR. Everything went smoothly for my family but the rest checked in at 5:30 and it was 6:45 before they were seated because they wanted the included filet? Personally only ate at chibang 1 time and it was okay. Loved Cucina though. I think people who love JiJis will be disappointed in Chibang. You might want to check with the Chibang hostess about going the 2nd formal night? They supposedly still serve lobster?

You can do your time but will probably need to break up into tables of 6?

On certain older ships they give you cash! I think it is the smaller ships below dream class. I sailed sunshine last summer and got cash at the cage! Got fun chips on Mardis Gras last week.

You get some perks. They do not advertise it enough but you do get 1 free bag of laundry. It was nice because my husband had a work trip prior and was running out of certain items. We called our attendant and he picked it up and dropped it the next day. Plus the Excel class ships do not have self serve laundry rooms. My room was ready on embarkment which I think is a good perk. Our other cabin, an interior with Faster to Fun, was not ready until 1:30 although we could have left bags in there. I think they do try to service the suites 1st.

I actually was on the week before you and never went to the buffet. I honestly did not want or need it with the other options? I even grabbed coffee and pastries in the casino each morning. What a nice option from the chaos of lido!

I had this layout and prefered it. It was nice to have more separation between the living/sleeping area and the main bed area for watching tv and if your kids are sleeping in the curtained off area? The closet area was a nice buffer sound wise considering it is all one room.

It really adds up if you are losing but you will be mad if you don’t bet it and hit something! I hit a full house and 2 full flushes last week. Not sure it actually made a difference in the long term but fun when you get it. My friend refused to bet the sucker bet and got a full house. Definitely regretted it!

When they are available, you get a drop down to pick the actual cabana #. They were sold out about 1-2 weeks before our spring break Mardis Gras sailing. If you are not in an excel suite, it will say sold out/not available until about a month before sailing. Then you should be able to book for the week. Daily rentals haven’t been available the last month or two on Mardis Gras and I am assuming Celebration is similar. Our attendants said they have been sold out with weekly rentals.

I am seeing ocean views available on Mardis Gras on August 5 and cove balcony on Celebration on August 6 for 3? Suites are also available but probably out of your price point? I definitely would snatch up the cove balcony on celebration! Only 1 left? It is actually cheaper than the Mardis gras oceanveiw? I’m assuming final payment for the next week is today and tomorrow? Things will probably pop up?

Final payments are due now? I am assuming the cancellations should start popping up?

There was a family in the cabana beside us. There kids were 9 or 10? The kids came and went. There is no age minimum that I could tell.

We were able to on Mardis Gras last week. The attendants were super. The teens never hung out but they were allowed to come up. We actually had 6 a few time while we exchanged the wristbands. . But we never abused it. Not sure if this is typical? 6 actually makes more sense per cabana.

and before they jacked up the price. I grabbed a cabana at half moon a couple of weeks ago. I was going to cancel and use my aarp gift cards but not for over $200 more! Personally I think the cabanas at Roatan are a better value even at the new price. Private area and more amenities?

We did the steakhouse on the 1st elegant night and it was a great call. Our cruise companions waited over an hour and a half to be seated. We had a 6 and were done with dessert before they were seated. They also give you the free bottle of wine/50 percent off better bottles on that night.

i had one last week in roatan. loved the hammocks and misters!

We are renting a cabana this time and had a villa in 2018. At the villa, the attendants were great about bringing us buckets of beer from the bars and such. Do the cabanas get dedicated servers? I would love a remote cabana but do not want to have to hoof it to the bars/bathrooms/food as much?

They do allow prebooking for the entire week for non-excel guests but not until much closer to sailing. We only had an ocean suite and were able to book about a month before our spring break cruise. Excel guests get access to the area without paying for a cabana and there were plenty of loungers for them without paying more. Personally I would not spurge on a cabana if I already had an excel suite.

It supposedly has been sold out for the entire week all through spring break. I know they were all booked up about 2 weeks before our April 1st cruise. I believe you could have luck renting for 1 day in the off season but if your cruise is close to being sold out I would not wait if it is something you want. My husband hates crowds and this area alone helped alleviate the dread he had about such a large ship.

There are families up there but I did not see any of the kids hanging out. Our 17 yo and her friend had wristbands but never joined the parents! This is not a rowdy area.

I am pretty sure you mean loft 19?! We rented a cabana last week on the Mardis gras. Best money we spent on the cruise. They become bookable for non excel suite guests about a month out. It was a special of 1750 for the week plus 18 percent gratuity. You get a bottle of champagne, 6 bottled waters, complimentary virgin smoothies, fresh fruit daily. They have towels and robes and they will bring you lunch in the cabana. They have a hot tub up there that isn’t crazy hot. I would book again in a heartbeat!

We just rented one last week. It was a nice area and the attendants did a great job. My favorite part was the hammock and the misters. You get the s4 skyride/chairlift included as well as 4 floats. The food and drinks were expensive and it was kinda private but people could swim around the barrier to your beach lounger. A little boy tried to take our raft that was sitting in front of the day bed? Felt bad yelling at him that it was ours. Overall worth the $ but next time I want to see the Sloths!

I was just there last week on the Mardis Gras. We went to Nohoch Kay and the water was actually clearer than Cozumel. They had a barrier set up around the beach area that kept most of the grass away. Much better than I was expecting.