luvabargain

Yep! Despite allllllll the negative reviews I've been reading about over the last 6 weeks, I have booked a Bella Balcony on the Seaside for August of this year. There's nothing I've read that would prevent me from having a good vacation, irritation on some things - yes, but nothing that would deter me from having a good time.

I've only cruised Carnival, and I love them, but I'm ready to try out some new cruise-lines. Not only did I book MSC, I also booked RCI. I have the vacation time, and since we are flying to Miami anyway, I figured why not look for a 3-5 day trip, and I found a RCI 4 day cruise that was cruising at the right time for the right price, so we will be going on that and arriving back in port a day prior to the Seaside cruise.

Not only are the 2 cruise-lines new to me, the port of Miami is as well. I've never cruised out of FL and we usually just drive to the port, so this will be an all new experience for us. It took some convincing to get the hubby to give up Carnival and to fly this time, and I thought he was going to lose it when I told him we would be going on 2 cruises. Ok - I let him think he had a choice - hee hee. He actually was totally fine with it once he figured out that the costs weren't going to be over our usual vacation budget.

So now, we are excited. I have also never booked a cruise this far out, yes I know it's only 6 months, but 3 1/2 months is the farthest out that I've booked in the past.

I just booked a 4 day promenade view stateroom for hubby and I today, and the deposit was $200.

I know this is an old thread, but I see it has been resurrected.

Well, despite all the negative reviews of the MSC Seaside - I just booked a cruise with them in August. Not only that - I have booked my first RC for August as well. We'll be doing a 4 day on Mariner of the Seas and then the day after we get back we'll be leaving on the Seaside. I guess I will get to see how they both compare, but I know we'll have a great time regardless. We can always find things we like, both for entertainment and food. We can always find things to complain about as well, but this is our vacation and it will be what we make of it. We have always done Carnival cruises and we love them, but I am ready to try some new lines.

I only have certain days for vacation that can't be changed, so I am limited, and since we will be flying I wanted to make the most of our time. We usually drive and have never gone out of a FL port. The affordability of MSC allows us to take another shorter cruise without feeling like we're stretching our vacation budget.

I had to look up lox to see what it was. LOL I guess it's just a type of cured salmon, not something I've ever thought about or equated to breakfast food.

I wouldn't, ever. I work at an airport and Allegiant is notorious for long delays. I would only fly Allegiant if I have no important schedule to be on and can accommodate possibly flying in or out several hours or possibly a day later than scheduled. If you have a back up plan and can hitch a ride on another airline if needed, then go for it. Chances are good that you would make it in time, but they just have too many issues with older planes and shortage of crew to chance it, IMO.

I'm thinking about booking the Seaside for this coming summer and would book a Bella Balcony stateroom. I was looking at possibly adding the Fantastica experience, but - whoa! It's an extra $560 pp with the Bella Balcony. Now, if I were to book an interior or oceanview stateroom it is just $30 pp. That is a HUGE price discrepancy just for having a balcony. Do you get more with a balcony, is it a typo - does anyone know why the HUGE price jump? For that price I think you would be better off booking a suite.

Did you use the hot tubs? I'm just wondering if they are hot or lukewarm. We enjoy using them, but have only sailed Carnival and on some of their ships/sailings they don't keep them hot enough.

Thank you all for your comments! It sounds like you all have had a lot of fun and success doing this. It makes me more excited, and I just hope that I can pull it off with my hubby. He has a hard time with too much change when he has been perfectly happy with the way things have been. Thinking about a new cruise line and a new port is already taking him out of his comfort zone, but I'm going to start planning and researching.

I'm starting to plan for my next cruise vacation and seeing as I have a little more than 2 weeks of vacation time, an idea popped into my head that I can add a few extra cruise days to the standard 7. I think I have my husband pretty much convinced to fly to Florida this time (we usually cruise out of Galveston, or in the past Long Beach), and I'd like to take advantage of the time since we have to go through the time and expense of air travel.

I've pretty much narrowed down the cruise ship/dates that will work for me, leaving the first week of my vacation wide open to possibilities.

I started looking at 3-5 day cruises out of Florida that would work with my time frame and came up with several. Has anyone done this? I'm not really talking about back to back cruises since that entails turning back around on the same ship, but actually cruising on a different ship and possibly different cruise line and port. I had looked into the possibility of a longer cruise such as a 10-12 day but nothing fits my time-line, and I think experiencing two different ships would be fun.

I know this would work, but just wondering if others have done it and their experiences. The hardest part for me will be to convince the hubby.

The rules weren’t changed, just clarified. Most would take “a shirt with sleeves” to mean long sleeved. Or simply wear a jacket.

 

 

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I disagree. I would think MOST would think that a shirt with sleeves would be either long or short. No sleeves mean just that - sleeveless, as in wife-beater, muscle shirt or whatever you want to call it.

1 day!!!

After embarkation I asked guest services and they gave me an extension to call (probably MDR, but not positive). Anyway, I just called the number and made the reservation later on in the day.

BTW, we didn't have little kids with us, it was my hubby and I and my 2 grown kids. There were other "kidless" couples in there, it isn't only for families with little ones.

Just a regular taxi. It's not a very long ride from port - 10 minutes give or take depending on traffic.

Go to a beach. They're lovely there. I suggest taking a taxi to Paradise Island and going to Cabbage Beach. Fun beach and there are constant taxis coming and going. It's only about a 10 minute ride depending on traffic.

I didn't notice lockers at any of the beaches we visited. I had my camera, bags, etc. We constantly were watching our things, but usually one person was sitting out while the others were in the water anyway.

I know you've already gone by now and just saw your post, but we did rent a little electric car last year when we went. There are places all over to rent them and I wouldn't suggest one over the other, they seem about the same. We weren't planning on it, but were tired of walking and wanted to see more, so we stopped in at a place, asked how much, it was reasonable so we rented one. It was myself, husband and 2 young adult kids. 2 in front, 2 in back.

Our family would like to do this excursion too, but on our Cruise dates it is not showing it is available as one of the excursions in Cozumel. Should I call Carnival? Or book directly?:confused:

Your cruise might be too far out. I just booked this excursion for my upcoming cruise through Carnival - less than 30 days out. I didn't even know it was on the excursion listing and was going to book through the company, but they don't allow you to book directly through them if you're coming off a cruise - at least with Carnival. I normally don't like to book through Carnival, but I really want to do this, so I went ahead. It's only $3 more pp than booking directly.

I love the positive review of the Ecstasy. She was our first cruise in 2002 and we absolutely loved her. I don't get all the negative comments, I know she's not as big as other ships, but smaller means less people, so to me it kind of equals out. At the time we thought she was humongous and were so impressed when we first entered and got our first glimpse of the inside.

I'm with you.. "sparkling wine" is total crap. Don't want it, won't drink it. Either TELL them, or get another TA!

Well aren't you just a little ray of sunshine. SMH

I take my passports with me. You just ever know what events will unfold.

I believe the time of year you cruise is really going to make the biggest difference. Spring break and summer are definitely going to have a lot more kids and younger families than other times of the year. I've not been on the ships you're thinking of so can't comment on them, but if you cruise on a ship with adult areas (Serenity) I think you'll be able to find it more peaceful.

The pools are not always crowded, it just depends on which one you go to and what time of day. Sea days are more so of course. We tend to like the hot tubs better, and will find the less crowded ones usually.

We love Carnival, we are in our mid 40's with (barely) grown children now. I think Carnival has something for everyone. You should just try it and see. I'm trying to convince my hubby to try a different line just to see, but he doesn't like change very well.

Make sure to read trip reports on the ships you're thinking of to get a feel for it.

Plastic window clings work great. I get them at the dollar store and write our names and cruise date/destination on one of the clings. Easy to put up and take down and cheap enough to throw out at the end of the cruise. Wiping the door with a wet washcloth before putting the clings up helps them adhere better.

The window clings tend to bleed through, leaving an awful stain. I'm not saying they all do, but a lot of them do.

Edited to add: I'm talking about the gel clings, not the flat ones.

Not all the doors are metal which ship are you sailing on? Can't use tape anymore you can use poster putty found in Walmart or any craft store or the 3M Command Hooks that don't leave any residue on the doors. Hope this helps.

Tape is not allowed and they don't allow poster putty either. The newest rules say Command strips or magnets.

Very few doors are magnetic so you're better off getting the command strips.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3256

You are unusually lucky to have a medical policy in place that will cover international travel. Do be aware, however, about the coverage for transport.

 

You mention it covers transport to 'nearest hospital'. If so, great...but if you need any type of special transport home or need to get home in order to receive further care, your policy may not cover those costs.

I understand, and it says "nearest adequately equipped", but in the past I never bought insurance and didn't bother looking. Not sure why. As far as transporting home - I can see being transported to the U.S., but not home - we don't have good Drs and hospitals here - most of us go out of town for anything major. I'm really more concerned about getting coverage wherever I may be, God forbid. I really do have good medical insurance and they are easy to work with. I did notice that a lot of the trip insurance policies say the same thing as far as transport - you really have to read the fine print. Anyway, this fits my needs and wants and wanted to share in case others have insurance they are unaware of.

I'm thankful for those who have taken the time to share re: trip insurance information here. I haven't purchased any in the past, but decided to this time, just to be covered in case. I've been meaning to purchase some since I booked a week and half ago and have researched and today was about to purchase some insurance when I remembered reading here that some credit cards have travel insurance protection as a benefit.

I checked my card policy online - the CC I booked my cruise with - AA Citicard Platinum (American airlines advantage card) and sure enough it does cover all the main trip cancellation/interruption/delay/baggage/damage/theft/emergencies - all with adequate coverage, pretty standard and very easy to read policy. The only thing it does not cover that most trip policies do is medical.

I checked with my medical insurance and I'm covered outside the U.S. under preferred status the same as if I was here at home. They do cover necessary medical transport to the nearest hospital adequately equipped to provide the necessary medical treatment. It covers as much as several of the trip insurance policies under their fine print.

So, I just wanted to share for those of you who may be purchasing the same thing or similar without knowing you are already covered.