SMSACE6

thanks for the great review!  I have been following along.  six days goes by way too fast.  I swear that whenever I get back to cruising again it will be at least an 8 day one.  Even they go by too fast! Safe travels home.

following your review sid! always enjoy them.

Hi Jamman54.  I have been away from CC for a while now, because I cannot cruise or even travel at this point in life (for now), so felt that I cannot add much to the commentary here, however I do want to say that I still follow some reviews, and have followed yours and your wife Patty.  Have very much enjoyed them as always, and especially love your reviews of Canada cruises, as I am quite fond of that destination! LOL.  I do hope that things work out for you with respect to Bermuda.  It is a lovely place . One I hope to eventually get back to.  Just wanted to say, thanks for the wonderful reviews and Patty's photos.

the accident would not have happened if the other driver had not attempted to pass at a dangerous time and place.

that said, I think that tour busses need to ensure that they are equipped with seat belts and that they are used.

terribly sad for the people involved in this incident.  

47 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I don’t know why we have to fly over the ocean. It looks like we could go around it.

 

 

I am following....enjoying.  re flight route, probably has to do with other flight traffic, and fuel consumption, LOL, really don't know, but l know the pilots do file flight routes and have their reasons. Look forward to more of your review!

After a long absence from these boards, I am back again.  I will be following.  although I have not been logged in, I have followed your previous reviews and always enjoy them, especially as a solo cruiser/traveller.  You always seem to have so much fun. So will be following your review once again, and may chime in once or twice, for a change.

Nice review, thanks for posting.  I am still hoping after many tries, to make a cruise on Norwegian.  I have had several booked in the past, but had to cancel, due to family issues here at home.  I still hope to get one in some day in the future.  Enjoyed your review, especially the info on the entertainment, sounds like we have similar tastes there, and the food reviews too.  Whenever I do eventually get to cruise again, I will not likely go to specialty restaurants, but will go to Savor/Taste, Osheehans and the Buffet.  So always nice to see reviews on those places. thanks again...and again!

thank you hrhdhd , I am pretty much "sold" on one of these rooms.  I cant cruise right now, but when I can, it will be Celebrity, and most likely an S class ship, and one of these rooms.  Dreaming until the day I can cruise.  Thanks all.

thanks for the replies.  Sounds good.  Will try to get one ending in even number.  Yes it does look like a convenient location.

I have searched but could not find much info on these rooms.

I am wondering if there is much noise from the grand foyer area, or the theater.

Also is there much foot traffic in the hallways.

If anyone has any experience with these rooms, I would love to hear some feedback.

Thanks.

thank you for your excellent review!  I was going to ask you about weight gain, until I saw your post about having lost 45lbs before your cruise.  I say, you deserve a break from dieting!  and thanks for the latest post about weight gain, vs time in gym and stairs vs elevator LOL.  

Love your food review, especially because it is concentrated on the non extra pay MDRs.  That is where I will be dining when I finally get to take my Norwegian cruise!  It will be some time before I can cruise again, but some day I will, and for now, I am greatly looking forward to a cruise on one of the ships from the Epic on up to the newest.

Thanks again!  Love your review.

I don't think that there can be too many of them...(well for now), as they are the base client that Carnival can count on to return for subsequent cruises.  I believe that they, platinum and especially diamond levels are valued by Carnival, for that very reason.

However, the day may come, when there are just too many platinum cruisers, to maintain the current level of perks that they receive, and Carnival may decide to reduce some of those perks as needed.  ( ie, back about 5 years or so, the gold level, were no longer included in the past guest party), supposedly because there were just too many to provide that perk. Whatever.

I will never reach Platinum on Carnival, so for me it is a moot point. But just saying..that there will always come a point when a company realises that their reward program is suddenly overloaded.  Some day  maybe Platinum, might find their perks diminished, and maybe not.  Will see.  

Though, have to say, that Platinum and especially Diamond cruisers, are Carnival's cruisers that they can pretty much count on returning, so it would be best for them to treat those cruisers well. JMO.

41 minutes ago, Crazy4Camping said:

So many people talk about the bartenders "knowing" them.  When there's 2000+ people on the ship they really remember you?  

 yes, especially if you add a dollar cash per drink.  Amazing, but yes they do remember, at least in my experience.

whether it is "cheers", or "drinks on us" in casino, I always tip an extra dollar, cash.  I have always had good bar service everywhere on the ship.  It is not necessary to do this, but I just have always done this, and it has paid off for me sometimes with some generous "pours" LOL.  Just my experience.  

Ok doggielover, and yes I do agree, solo travel is not for all, but can be good for many, regardless of what they, solo traveller is looking to do.

It has been two years since my last cruise, and I have done 8 Carnival cruises since 2000. I am not normally affected by who the cruise director is. I have been on some wonderful cruises, yet do not remember who the cruise director was. Of the 8 cruises on Carnival, the ones that stand out, are ; Triumph 2004, ( John Heald), and I believe his assistant at the time was Wee Jimmy, and they were both unforgettable LOL!

However the CD who impressed me most was Butch, on Liberty (Oct, 2009), he was amazing in so many ways, I cant begin to say. So Butch Beganovich, and so sorry to spell his surname wrong, but it is best I can come up with after 9 years LOL. That cruise on Liberty was also one of the best cruises I have ever had, regardless of cruise line.

I have been on Carnival cruises since 2009, and have had some other good CDs, but at the moment don't remember their names...One was a lady who wore quite flamboyant dresses and shoes, bows etc...She was CD on Freedom cruise in 2014. I liked her, and don't know why I cant remember her name now.

Cds however do not affect my cruise. I just notice the ones who go above and beyond.

I enjoyed your review Sid, and especially because it is the Magic. I have wanted to sail that ship for a while now, but cannot cruise/or travel at this time, due to family commitments, cant be away from home now for even a day. but I know the day will come, that I can go again, but it will be a bit of a time from now. That is fine. I have had lots of good travels, and now need to take care of my parents, and it is they who gave me the travel, cruise and adventure spirit, so I am happy to be here and care for them now when they need me.

In the mean time, I love to read your reviews, and live (and drink) vicariously LOL, through yours and others here.

Till your next review ( regardless of line), I wish you happy travels.:)

Personally I wouldn't cruise solo because of the cost and I prefer the company of someone I already know, but there are tons of great reasons cited here. Another reason off of the top of my head is that lonely people have a chance to mingle...or people who are forced to interact with others at work or in every day life have a chance to take a break!

 

 

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Hi Doggielover, ( I am a doggielover ) too LOL.

I am not sure I understood your post quite right, but I must say; respectfully, that just because some of us like to cruise solo ( for whatever our various reasons are), it does not necessarily mean we are lonely. some people do not need to be in company of others to feel good, and that would include myself. I have spent lots of time among people, being family, friends, coworkers and such, and enjoy those times to a point, but I also enjoy my quiet time to myself, and don t need company on a regular basis. This just me of course. But I am most definitely not lonely.

Again, sorry if I misunderstood your post, but solo cruisers are by and large not lonely people.

Thanks for the followups, and as others have said , it is an expensive lesson on choosing friends, though Im sure we have all done this, and there are far too many people out there who present themselves as the best friend you could ever find, and somewhere along the way, they show that they they have an ugly side Be grateful, that you all found out before you had invested too much of yourselves into a bad "friendship"

As for the "outfits". Im not sure if I missed it, or if you actually described them But if they are reasonably nice, just consider donating them to charity. There are always people who need clothes for various reasons, ie; fires, tornados, floods, hurricanes, and poverty in general. Someone may be able to use those outfits. Just an idea.

Enjoy your cruise whenever you get to do so, with your "real" friends.:)

I have travelled extensively solo ever since I was 17 years old. I have travelled with friends and family often as well. I did not start to cruise until I was 40 years old, and by that time, none of my friends were interested in cruising, and the few who were semi interested were "high maintenance", very sensitive to change of environment etc, so I decided to cruise solo, have 6 solo cruises since then and I love it.

I also am not very outgoing, not anti social, but just comfortable with my own company, so ever since "your time dining" was introduced, that is what I choose to do. I don't mind sitting at a small table by myself for dinner, and often I do find that I have very nice conversations with folks at the next tables. The tables are mostly very close. At the times when neighboring tables don't wish to talk, that is also fine with me. I don't really do excursions anymore since I have been to most ports of call in the Caribbean by now, and unless it is a place I have not been before, I tend not to venture far from the ship, and sometimes just stay on board. When I do an excursion, I often find that there is someone to talk to, or a family, so I don't really ever feel alone or lonely.

I love to cruise solo, and would love to go again soon, just cant get away these days due to family situation. Some day though. And if I have my choice; unless I go with my mother, I will choose to cruise solo.

I know that I am old already...but;

back in my day, long time ago...We ripped our jeans, but then put a patch on them. LOL.

Somehow I don't think the ripped jeans of today will pass muster in MDR. I guess there might be exceptions, I just don't know, but would probably try to discourage it, though that in itself might make the young'uns just try to push the system.;p

This is one "rant" we all need to read, and learn from. Thank you for posting this.

The waiter only uses it if necessary. That being said, I know that the waitstaff on HAL, MSC, and several other cruise lines still have the tool and use it as necessary.

LOL, yes I am aware of this. Sorry, but I do sometimes drop a crumb or two or " ten of them", therefor needing a clean up LOL. ~:D

Ha ha. I know what you are talking about. I saw it once in an Italian restaurant.

ok...I know I am "old'er". LOL.

1999, the Norway...way before freestyle, still had set time dining. in the MDR they came between courses and had this little shovel type thingy with a brush to, sweep away any crumbs from the table cloth.:D

have not seen that since then, any cruise line.