Itried4498

Bingo’s popularity has waned. It exited most Las Vegas Strip casinos two decades ago and has been quickly disappearing from the surrounding casinos that catered toward senior locals. Nor is it played as often on cruises. My grandparents took me on my first cruise in 1986 when I was four and left me by the pool all day while they played Bingo (they weren’t casino players). My how times have changed…

Barcelona but if you're budgeting, be aware of costs. One way repositioning cruises are most often the best values, typically because of the cost of airfare Be aware that the flight cost will be closer to $1000pp than $500. OW tickets to/from Europe are expensive - it's typically cheaper to buy a RT. The lowest priced tickets you see on flight searches generally combine multiple fares on various low cost carriers. Be aware that if you fly one carrier from New Orleans to XXX, then another carrier from XXX to Barcelona, you will pay the fees (including baggage) separately on each airline. Also pay attention to baggage fees because they can be hefty flying long-haul --- and most European carriers are strict about weight. Also note you follow the baggage fees of the first airline you're traveling with. Always be weary of the low cost long-haul carriers. I say this only because we're booked on a cruise across the Atlantic shortly that we got an incredible deal on. We then bought flight tickets for less than $300pp (including baggage and meals-yes those cost extra on low cost carriers-but not seats). Well, less than a month out the low cost carrier ended the seasonal service early. So we had to buy replacement tickets at nearly $900pp. Just something to think about.

Wow, what a way to make a new user feel foolish. @bww306195 - there's absolutely nothing wrong with bringing your own Bingo cards and enjoying the game. The Bingo games are typically held in the main theater these days, many times shortly before scheduled entertainment. ANYBODY is welcome to come, you certainly don't have to buy a Bingo card. I've sat through many Bingo sessions without playing for a variety of reasons. Many of the presenters are really darn good at keeping people entertained.

I recommend looking for a ship that begins and ends in San Juan. Unfortunately, they're not as common as they use to be. RCL has the largest selection; Disney, NCL, etc. have (literally) a few. Princess and NCL have 14- (and even longer, including 21) day itineraries that hit many of these ports. The downside is that most Southern Caribbean itineraries use older, smaller ships that aren't configured with all the bells and whistles. Princess' is introducing its newest ship late next year (which will introduce a new class) on some 14-day Carribean runs from Fort Lauderdale that include some of these ports But they're also heavy on their private island, Cozumel, Jamaica, etc. No surprise the industry makes most of its calls at the ports that deliver the most revenue :).

Carnival has rights to Caribbean carriage only. Caribbean-based channels generally show the US broadcast but for some teams / leagues / events, there are differences. E.g. the Super Bowl is broadcast by a Carribean-based ESPN channel that uses a broadcast team specific to the Latin America market.

Princess is running one of the strongest sales I've seen in awhile, Many (but not all) of their holiday fares are cheaper than they were even pre-Covid. I'm a firm believer that people spent their Covid savings and prices will begin to at least stabilize. IMO, we'll see far more deals in 2024 than 2023.

They haven't released the fall schedule, sans select cruises - including the Sun.

It's not just the offshore reps. I've had plenty of very friendly domestic-based reps be pushy about those addons. That's often the point of offering a commission :). I'm not a phone person but given how lousy their website has been, I've had to call more than once. Just yesterday I couldn't complete a booking online so I called. The agent was extremely friendly, but was insistent on adding Plus, protection, etc. saying we could always remove these later but we'd have to pay a higher price if it went up and we decided we wanted them. I was pretty firm that we there's no decision to be made, we don't want them, and she wouldn't budge.

They released the itineraries for Holiday 2024 about six months ago so I wouldn't 2025 to be released soon,

For clarification, you can bring hand baggage but they would not store luggage (except on the return). So if you're packing light you will be fine. San Pedro has parking issues at various times as well. When we returned from a Holiday trip, they were directing traffic to an overflow lot as well (I have no idea). It didn't impact us but even if it did I wouldn't complain -- it's awesome to see the cruise ships back after most virtually abandoned the market for the 2010s. Although we're already seeing some declines. E.g. Princess pulled the Emerald next summer and moved it to the Northeast.

Unless things have changed: if you're traveling with luggage, they will not handle it except for the return. So you need to drop it off first.

Try looking at the Internet Archive. It’ll take some effort, and some older pages can be difficult to navigate but you may find it. update: https://web.archive.org/web/20001015174301/http://carnival.com/tour/destination/regional_itineraries.asp?region=PANAMA+CANAL&rcode=pan looks like the link is broken 😞. Try another time and you may find it

The Hotel Maya's parking package includes up to 7 nights. Additional nights' parking is at $35/night, plus tax. Even if you got the hotel's lowest advertised rate (which is offered on literally just two days, neither of which has a cruise scheduled the following day), you'd be paying over $650 inclusive. Most nights you would pay over $900 inclusive. Hotel Maya has gotten ridiculously expensive. I have no idea where you're coming from, but if you're willing to pay those prices, you'd have plenty of options to solve this "problem." It's a minor inconvenience, anyway. And given how hectic it can be exiting the garage upon the return, it may ultimately be a better option.

They've been doing this for nearly a year, since the Miracle returned from dry dock last November. The Panorama and Radiance use the parking garage at the pier whereas the Miracle uses the Long Beach Convention Center. We've done the Miracle a few times and the pier garage was completely inaccessible. On the positive side, you save a few bucks on parking. Until recently, you could find discounted parking at several hotels nearby the LBCC for about $100 less per week than the pier. Unfortunately, those prices have since ended.

Carnival always has options. I was on a Panorama cruise last year that featured Live In Concert where some of the production show staff sang while the house band played. And on the Miracle where CD Georgia improvised a show after the production cast came down ill. Gotta be honest… as tacky as it was, it was one of the more memorable shows I’ve seen. I’ve also seen a production show cancelled and replaced with an opportunity to dance with the production show staff in various venues. theres always options.

Update at the 5:35 mark. It turns out that he was on probation (for another 5 years or so), didn’t get permission to go on the cruise from his probation officer and owed money to the court. Law enforcement is skeptical that we went overboard but there’s no evidence that he planned a great escape and it’s possible that he went overboard without it surveilled. You’re welcome!

Maybe by no shows she meant she was disappointed there weren’t any no shows for the cruise because it was too crowded in the theater?

I suspect they were mistaken. Carnival’s website indicates Playlist Productions as being offered on this ship. And quite frankly, headlining entertainment is standard on most any cruise, sans some niche lines. In the early days of post-COVID, if one member tested positive the entire cast would quarantine, But now it’s just the cast member who tests positive. if the show was on hiatus, I’m certain Carnival would’ve made alternate arrangements.

I’m loyal to my wallet, not a specific cruise line. In the past year I’ve been on RCL, Carnival, Princess and Disney. I’ve never been on an NCL cruise, but they sent me a sweet offer that I would’ve taken advantage of had we not already made other plans prior to its expiration. As I mentioned earlier, ultimately any cruise is more similar than it is different. Here’s reality: it’s inevitable that you’re going to get a subpar or even awful meal on a single cruise. But the odds of every piece of food being “inedible” and signature desserts tasting like “lipstick” are probably less than those of willing a billion-dollar jackpot. Generally when people use that type of verbiage, it’s because the cruise wasn’t something they wanted to begin with. If my wife suggests McDoanld’s and I take her to the best restaurant in town… I’m going to hear that the food was overcooked, spoiled, too salty; or that the restaurant was having problems with the kitchen, etc. Not because it was, but because it wasn’t what she wanted. Consistently or just on the Oasis class? I've been on 3 RCL ships and none featured live music during their production shows.

Over the years, I've been on ships that have skipped ports for a multitude of reasons - sometimes before the cruise, sometimes during. I've seen oodles of people complain to the CD, guest services, etc. But I've never gotten anything more than a few dollars (in port fees) refunded. RCL cancelled a cruise in late 2021 after final payment (it was chartered... I've guessing it was lightly booked). -0- additional compensation Princess did the same last summer. We got a whopping $100 in FCC. Thankfully, both cruises were local.

If you had said the you didn't think the food was as good as RCL, I could understand. But when everything is inedible and the signature dessert tasted like "lipstick," it sounds like you're comfortable/ partial with RCL and didn't like the change. And flavor chemist, really, lol? It'd be more believable if you said Gordon Ramsey was onboard critiquing the cooking :).

The ship was in excellent shape. I heard more than one person comment that they believed it was a new ship (obviously it's not). Whatever problems existed have been resolved. We'll be in the Explorer for two weeks next month, and then the Emerald Princess (identical sister ship of the Crown) for two weeks over the Holidays, so we'll be able to compare as well :).

I was on the Crown Princess last Christmas/New Year's. The ship was just fine. Every single cruise line has made cut backs. None of us are happy with them - it was understandable when cruise fares hit historic lows early last year but unacceptable for them to continue as they reach historic highs. But ultimately... it is what is. The reality is... most cruises are more similar than they are different. On this forum, when people are partial to their favorite cruise line and/ or ship, it's always the same rhetoric when they are on one they'd rather not be: "OMG, it was horrible!! The food was totally inedible, the entertainment awful, the piano bar not classy enough... and the people!!" For many years, my parents stayed at a mediocre hotel so one day I booked them in a top luxury hotel. My mom didn't stop complaining, and I realized then -- they're comfortable with the mediocre hotel and are adverse for even good change. But me personally, I've never failed to enjoy a cruise. This forum also needs to stop comparing what things were and compare how things are. Princess, RCL, etc. have all cutback on menu options. But Princess still makes items standard... that cruise lines like RCL charge extra for.

Pretty common. For example, if a customer wins a credit card dispute, Delta is known for pursuing the monies it believes it is owed via a collection agent + will ban the person from flying Delta again.

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your cruise. I haven't done NCL, but among the other mainstream cruise lines, I generally find the food to be very similar - taste and quality depends more on the chef/ staff than the cruise line. That said, in the MDR Princess does offer upgraded menus. In my past few cruises, I've still enjoyed premium meats (veal, filet mignon, etc.) and seafood (scallops, orange roughy, halibut, ahi tuna, etc.) that's available for an upcharge on Carnival, RCL, etc. Princess also has excellent breakfast and lunch (sea days) menus. My last couple trips on Navigator OTS, only a mediocre brunch was served (rather quickly, too - kinda obvious the food was prepared ahead of time, a la buffet style). The buffet quality generally varies by ship. This is also true of Carnival and RCL The Crown Class ships (like the one you were on) have smaller buffets. The buffets can be quite disappointing, yes. Navigator OTS had an outstanding lunch and dinner buffet but they've scaled them back as well. Princess' production shows still use live music (that is, people actually playing instruments) which makes them stand out IMO. That said, most all entertainment I've seen on board any ship is literally just something to do.