TubT

5 hours ago, coevan said:

I have no idea, I don't think they have cruised in a awhile. i have not seen an officers party in years

So that would indicate YOU'RE the one who hasn't cruised in years, right?

Our first cruise was the Hawaiian cruise done on the SS Constitution, of the American Hawaii company.  It was retired and sank on the way to the breakers in 1995.

Yup, hooked.  And just in passing, the Norwegian Pride was built to at least some extent to replace the advantages the Constitution and the Independence had in the Hawaiian Islands.

OK, here's the worst case scenario.  Comes a couple of weeks before the cruise, and you get an e-mail or a call that they would like you to move to another date.  Often you'll be offered a better cabin on that cruise, and a big discount on a future cruise.  If you don't take it, they will work on down the line, offering better and better perks to passengers who will agree to give up their sailing.  Eventually, someone will get a really nice suite and another free cruise for moving, and they'll do it.

I've looked over the menu for Bonsai Sushi, and it all appears to have meat in it (whether fish, or whatever).  Does anyone know if they make vegetarian fare, whether by menu or by special request?

I was just editing my signature.  It says it doesn't meet the guidelines. 

Can I be the first to complain about the tiny type?  Or is that in my settings?

We took away two important lessons from our experience: 1. Make sure your medications and a change of clothing and any important paperwork is with you in your carry on bags. 2. Despite Viking presenting themselves as a premier cruise line, don't count on them in a pinch.

Lesson #3. Don't buy the cruise line's insurance.

I learned that 40 years of driving a truck still hasn't made me deaf enough to stand the volume in the show lounge and piano bar.

Not sure I understand the tie to the Triumph.....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

The Triumph is the single most unpopular ship in the Carnival fleet. Some even refer to it as "the cursed ship." If they say the Vista is the one ship they won't sail, that means they're really serious about it, if they are willing to keep the Triumph in mind.

Actually, I guess Texas is a little like the Vista. Very big, not ideally laid out, and not for everyone. And noisy. (Except at my house, which is so quiet I can hear boats on the lake 5 miles away, and hummingbirds chirping in the yard.)

We’re flying to Houston IAH George Bush Intercontinental Airport and from there we will have a three night stay before we board the cruise. Any ideas of nice affordable family places to stay, near the beach or with a good pool? Is it best to stay in the Galveston area?

One of the disadvantages of Galveston is the distance to the airports.

Galveston is usually pricey. You can rent a car and find a hotel that has free parking for the cruise, if you do some looking.

We live in Texas and go down the day before, but we only go as far as Nassau or so, which is on the south side of Houston. We once stayed at a pretty reasonable hotel just across from NASA. If you want to tour that facility, that would be a good choice for your first night.

There are a lot of good places to eat in Galveston, too. When are you planning to cruise?

Howdy guys,

 

I was about to pull the trigger on a vista cruise out of galveston texas earlier but when I checked the reviews on here they don't seem to be very good for the vista. People complaining saying ship is simply too big and feels overcrowded etc etc.

There's only been one Vista cruise out of Galveston so far, so that much is probably unreviewable. The Vista has fans and enemies, so I guess you need to decide whose review you're reading. Some long-time Carnival loyalists say it's the one ship they won't sail on. I always ask, when they say that, how they feel about the Triumph.

Dress up as much as you want. There will be others who do, too. However, be prepared for shorts, T shirts, and ball caps in the dining room.

At Grand Cayman; Stingray Sandbar, Hell & Turtle Center Experience

 

At Roatan; Relax On The Beach Package

 

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G950F met Tapatalk

Just so you know, the Mahogany Bay port, where you will dock in Roatan, is right next to a beach you can use for free. There ARE restaurants, bars, etc., available there, too. All within easy walking distance of the ship.

I requested reservations several weeks ago and still haven't heard.

We're up there in cruises on Princess, with only one on Celebrity to compare. We were told the "food on Celebrity will knock your socks off." Our socks are still firmly on; we weren't impressed. And we had one repeated experience on Celebrity we have never seen on Princess (or any other cruise line, for that matter). Celebrity is the only line where we have seen supervisors publicly chastising their subordinates for real or perceived offenses. That is such a violation of smart management that we've never gone back. Maybe it was just a fluke on that ship.

A very wise man once told me that if you aren't dressed better than your waiter, you are in the wrong restaurant.

For a decent tux, check out Men's Wearhouse. Excluding shoes, you can walk out with everything you need for about $400-$500 and it will serve you well for many many years. Trust me: a cheap tux looks like a cheap tux.

I think I paid less than $150 at Penney's.

And I would guess any night is a good night to wear the "dangerous little black dress" to dinner and parties on the ship!

Okay I'm wearing the gowns then - I love dressing up! I actually wear less formal dresses every night for dinner anyways. My friends and I like to pretend we're on Titanic :-D

And send your significant other over to Penney's or some such place (even Amazon) and get a tux. Or come sit at my table! We dress up for a number of reasons, and fun is one of them!!

I have often ordered two margaritas for us, one full strength, and one half strength (for my wife). And no, they're not coming out of a machine pre-mixed.

There are a lot of eating options available to you. Traditionally, passengers were assigned to a table at either the early seating (5:30-6:00, or so) or late seating (8-8:30, or thereabouts). You sat at that table every night, with the same people, usually at a table for 6 or 8 people. On two nights, the dress was designated "formal." All of that has been changing, so more and more people are opting for a flexible dining assignment, which on Carnival is called "Your Time Dining." You will eat in the same dining rooms as the assigned dining, but you will not have an assigned table. You will go to the dining room when you are ready, and you will be given a table (or, if it's currently full, you may be given a pager to call you when there is an opening). I am hearing that many of the Your Time Dining tables are for only 2-4 people, because that speeds up the service. Some people never go to the dining room, opting instead for the buffet (usually referred to as the Lido), or for an extra-cost restaurant (usually a steakhouse, sometimes others), or for a pizza, or a burger, or whatever. If you get to the ship and find you are assigned to a time or a table you don't like, you can ask to be moved, switched to another time, or just don't go back to that table. The buffet is a buffet, with all that entails, including food that is not prepared right now, choices that may not match your likes, or whatever. The dining room food is better, no doubt. But the goal of the cruise line is for you to enjoy yourself, and if this is your first cruise, you may want to experiment a little.

Can you take Beltway 8 and pay cash? Some sections I know you can't (I-45 to 290, for example).

There are good reasons the dining rooms have traditionally been very low in the ship. It has to do with motion, among other things.

I have found a lot of passengers on cruiseships who could use an health inspection! But for the most part, I've never noticed any overt violations (not that I'm looking for them mind you!)..

The most dangerous place you will ever eat is your own kitchen. It's the rare kitchen that would pass a health inspection, and often for reasons you would never think of.

For several years we had fairly mild winters in Florida. Over the past week, that has caught up with us, with record cold and even some snow in North Central and North Florida. Do wish for some of that "Global Warming" to return.

My wife's uncle, the Colonel, always had a favorite saying: "When it comes to weather, nature loves an average." Had a number of warm winters? Just wait...