satxdiver

Due to TX liquor laws they cannot start the drink package until the ship is out of coastal waters which appears to be around 7 pm or so.

You can certainly "reserve" a lounger for up to 30 minutes while you get your drinks, use the facilities, etc. It's when you "reserve" a lounger then disappear for hours. Saving a table while one gets their food is no different than one sit there while their partner gets their food. As long as they are getting food. Nice to know you do not do that including leaving someone to "protect" your table.

We will be on the Ruby in April and will be looking for this new dessert before making our decision as to its quality.

Once we had put our belongings on a vacant table only to return with food and seeing someone sitting there who had moved our stuff out of their way. Claimed they were told to sit there by staff. After that we left one of our party sitting there as it is much harder to move a person than belongings.

I did a ship tour several years ago and one of the places we visited was the laundry. They putt all the pax clothes to be washed in a big washer (much bigger than at home) and then into a huge dryer. One size fits all so to speak. It was a very impressive tour. The ships laundry (table clothes, sheets, etc) are cleaned in the same big room but different machines.

We were on the CB in November and were given a number waiting until our number was called.

This was the first time we have sailed out of PC and chose this lot due to the recommendations. We will not use it next February when we again sail out of PC. Sounds like we will like Park PC better and will book there.

Just left my auto at PNC on Merritt Island. Reservation they gave me when I booked and paid said the parking lot would open at 10:00 AM but when we arrived the sign at the gate said 10:30 so we waited behind a long line of cars also waiting. One is required to leave their keys with the parking lot. Transfer to the port was quick and efficient however. We had 11:00-11:30 AM arrival time at Carnival Magic and were barely able to hit the window. We are on the Magic now so at the end we will find out about their service. This was our first time using PC as we had used PE many times before. It was and will be an education.

Time to call your local Congressman and have them check out where your passport is. Congressional inquires get service much faster. Use them.

We bring our own shower gel and shampoo but use the liquid soap at the sink for washing hands. We have always done this but quit bringing our liquid hand soap after they started providing it.

When I had this happen last year Princess turned it into an OBC.

Don't try this on Carnival They charge a fee to cancel after booking. If you want a re-fare you have to submit a form for them to make a decision ...usually no. Depends on the booking where some "allow" re-fare allegedly. One of the many reasons to stay off the "fun" ship!

We book with EZair when it becomes available and then watch the prices on EZair as well check commercial flights. One huge plus with EZair is the ability to change your mind up until 45 days before and you don't have to pay for it until making the final payment. With the airline they want money up front and it is usually non-refundable unless you pay more to change/cancel the flight. We almost always stay with the EZair reservations. One big caveat is that they don't refund the money after final payment day when you change/cancel the EZair reservation before the 45 day deadline. (voice of experience!) You will get a credit to use on that sailing.

We sailed out of Red Hook once since cruising restarted. For my part they can keep using it for the immigrants and we cruisers use the port in NJ across the river.

I was on a Princess cruise (don't remember which one) and I asked the maître'd what was accepted for female adult pax. He told me that women's fashion is basically in the eye of the beholder and he was not able to question women on what they wear. So ladies wear what you want and call it fashionable.

I like to keep tabs on my email so have to move up one to see it.

Be aware that OBC is credited to only one person and can only be used by that person. So most are in a cabin for 2 usually DW and DH but there are other combinations. When early booking an excursion for instance the fee will be deducted from that person's OBC. If the two do not have the same OBC then there could be a problem. I get a lot of OBC for several reasons while my DW gets a much smaller amount. For me to book an excursion for both of us. my DW may not have enough OBC and will have to submit a payment. When on board it all gets into the same pot assuming only one cc (or $$ deposit) is posted for the two of you, then any purchases will come from the common money pot. So often I have to wait until on board to book something or pay before the cruise.

Boarded Dream in Galveston last year for a b2b. Carried on 4 bottles of wine. They closely inspected our boarding information to be sure it was a b2b. We were allowed to proceed to boarding.

Carnival PLC operates it 9 operating cruise lines as totally separate companies similar to what holding companies do. There is little commonality between them.

We just left the Vista on Saturday. We had fixed early dining at 6 PM so no wait and the servers quickly learned our names, what we like to drink (iced tea) and our other requests. Excellent service. The ship stayed on Galveston time and reminded everyone that we were out of sync with the ports - Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel. The cabin was clean and they only service the cabin once each day with you selecting morning or evening. Towel animals every night. Room steward came by shortly after boarding. Cabins not available boarding day until after 1 PM Breakfast/Brunch app always said 10 minute wait. Never saw any other time. We reserved a table before we left the cabin near the front elevators deck 9. We did have to wait a few times. Lunch is not served in the MDR. Menu never changes. Brunch only on sea days. Never went to the theater or to comedy shows. Spent time in evening either at the piano bar or listening to rock band. Some nights it was SRO in either place. Both were excellent. There were two "elegant nights" mostly in name only as pax wore about anything and got in. We had 11:30 - 12:00 boarding time with little lines. We were on the ship by noon. If you are going to Belize be aware there is a ~30 minute tender ride into the port. You have to have tickets to board the shuttle on a first come basis. CD Louis (Louie) was from UK and was OK but nothing outstanding. On the second sea day we had two medical emergencies that required patients being removed from the ship. Captain announced at ~7 AM that a patient was being airlifted to Cancun. At ~1 PM we made an emergency stop at Cozumel to offload a patient into a waiting ambulance. It happens. We arrived at Mahogany Bay one hour late. On the last port day in Cozumel we were sitting at Fat Tuesday's having a beer and chips watching the Carnival Horizon since it was in front of the Vista. We saw two different ambulances about 30 minutes apart go to the Horizon and remove patients.

We just got off the Vista and had brunch on several days usually going around 9 AM. App said wait was 10 minutes so that must be the standard response. We reserved the table before we left out stateroom in the forward part of the ship. All but once the table was ready by the time we walked almost the full length of the ship and caught on elevator down to the 3rd deck. The one time we had to wait a few minutes before we were called. I imagine that later times after 10 AM the wait was longer despite what the app said.

The ambulance was waiting on the pier for our arrival but it took 1/2 hour or so to allow them to remove the pax. Certain legal issues to resolve. We were in Coz as our last port stop and were tied to the pier along with the Carnival Horizon. We were enjoying a libation and some chips when we saw the ambulance making two trips to the Horizon about one hour apart. At least they were in port when the ambulances were needed. I do not know what happened to the two taken off the Vista or Horizon or their prognosis.

We are on the Vista right now. We made all three ports (Roatan, Belize and Cozumel). Leaving Coz the ship was going 22+ knots but then dropped back to 19.5 knots which it is doing now as we cross the Gulf arriving tomorrow morning. This in spite of having to slow down and come near Cancun so that the Mexicans can offload a medical emergency at 7 AM the second day. Then later at ~noon the ship had to go into port at Coz for another medical emergency. We still made Roatan but one hour later. Luckily no more medical emergencies after those two.

Just remember that an emergency on your part does not make one on the US Embassy. US Embassy and Consulates are closed on US federal holidays and on that country's holidays. In order to get you credentials to get back in the country, they have to get permission from the State Department in Washington DC. They don't act fast!

We are on the Vista right now. We have made all three port stops (Roatan, Belize and Cozumel). We are leaving Coz at 3 PM having arrived at 7:00 AM. On the southward cruise we had a medical emergency and had to put a pax off to the Mexican Coast Guard at Cancun on the first day at sea. On the second day at sea we had to made an emergency stop at Cozumel to put off the second medical emergency. The ship arrived in Roatan one hour late. I have been watching off and on and the fastest the ship has gone was 18.5 knots. I would imagine that with the second medical emergency the ship should have sailed faster. The Vista did arrive in Galveston at 8:00 AM when we boarded. Which is late possibly due to the engine problems. They did manage to sail away on time last Saturday.