rdler

I am 55+. My age has done nothing for me in terms of rates.

I adopted my son from South America, and I am single. He is very tan and I am pink. About half the time we have returned to Miami, we get pulled aside for questions. We travel with U.S. passports, and I always bring my son's C of C, social security card, passport card and a copy of his birth certificate. These have come in handy some of the times when for some reason they want to look beyond the passport. As much as I am glad that they are watching for child smuggling, I would think they would trust their own documents.

The last trip a few weeks ago we were pulled by the same customs guy who had pulled us (and interviewed us separately) a few trips ago. This time, he was asking, "Where is his mother?" and what do I mean that he doesn't have one. It was irritating.

Other times we breeze through. I would be prepared in any event.

Yes, O.P. I do see a difference. Chair hogging involves placing an item indicating that a chair is occupied and then leaving that chair without removing your item for a period of in excess of 30 minutes.

Smuggling involves hiding liquor or other contraband and bringing it on board the ship; it could apply equally to illegal substances, weaponry or other items that passengers are not permitted on the ship.

Wasn't Paul Medik's family on board the pride last week? My guess (hope) is that we get a full report.

It is a nice little perk. In Miami, they put you in a nice room and serve little glasses of water and lemonade. Then you go upstairs and board with or just behind the first wave of people-- those with FTTF and those in the first few zones who are closer to the escalators and board in mass. What I really like about Platinum is being able to put your stuff in your room immediately upon boarding, which is a FTTF perk they decided to share with us.

I am certain that there are a couple of families in Lakeland who would tell us that the CD shift left their small children despondent and ruined their cruises, if not their young psyches forever. Certainly, an apology and some compensation would be in order.

As a person who was on this cruise, it was a very sobering experience to watch unfold. Imagine making the decision to take your children and babies aboard something that only arguably passes for a boat and ply the rough waters in a search for freedom and a better future.

We too had an excursion in Cozumel that we were looking forward to. Well, that pales in comparison to the social studies lesson my son and I got that Tuesday.

Unfortunately, those migrants will be returned to Cuba. Alive, but back to conditions that they found they intolerable. I hope that God watches over them all.

I am embarrassed for, and ashamed of, those folks from Lakeland. While Nassau is not the greatest place in the world, I truly did not hear many people complaining.

It has been my experience that the 15 drink limit is an absolute cut off. Others, not surprisingly, find this not to be the case. It causes a bit of confusion as I have found that I can not buy with cash or otherwise a bucket of beers. Similarly, a virgin frozen drink for my son gets hit to my card against the limit.

Again, I don't think the rules are consistent applied so YUMV.

No, you cannot. In my experience if you have Cheers they won't let you buy anything off the plan. No more buckets of beer, etc, even if you are willing to pay (and are relatively sober).

Yes. When I last cruised from there the VIFP Club types were in a room downstairs. By the time we got up the escalators and were ready to head onto the boat, a large number of passengers were boarding.

In my experiences in Miami, boarding zone numbers, FTTF and VIFP Club status don't have much to do with the order in which passengers board the ship, although wedding parties and folks requiring/preferring assistance and their companions do appear to have priority. It is not generally a long wait, however.

"Bed Spreads are nasty!! Will not stay in a hotel that uses bed spreads."

Okay. I did not know that people preferred to stay at hotels that provide no bed coverings. I must say that surprises me, but so do many preferences.

I think as an appropriate punishment for the ship sailing negligently, I would say that the range is probably $10-$20,000 per person, plus fees of litigation.

Not having bed spreads is a thing now?

I can't say I saw any rude posts, here, but maybe they have been deleted.

It strikes me if the OP wants to not post any more pictures, that's okay.

Sigh. My son has always had trouble. It really irritates me. The bartenders usually know who is next, and my son is always respectful.

When I am at the bar (and I am frequently) and I see a kid there before me, I always make sure that kid is served before me.

Of course. Some of the pictures are spontaneous and good. But for the prices, I just have to decline.

Jumping buffet lines is like chair hogging. There is always some reason to do it. Clearly no one would object, and if they do, they are unrealistic, should be sailing on Regent, and by the way shouldn't let the door slam them on their way out.

One of my favorite threads on here was a few years ago. Some of you may remember it. One member commented that she was in the buffet line and some woman cut in line in front of her to "get some chicken" and brought the entire steamer tray back to her table.

I don't know if that story was true or not, but it probably wouldn't surprise me.

I am sorry to read both of these reports.

I really like Carnival, and I want to continue liking them, but I honestly think the cutbacks are pushing me to the edge. I am honestly sad to say that.

I got the letter as well last evening. I certainly have not gotten the retraction letter yet, which I find odd. Come on, Carnival. You should do better than this.

I personally think that Ms. Rey has a great future ahead of her at Carnival.

Clearly she is E. VP of Guest Relations and Customer Loyalty material.

What about the people behind that person who really only want the chicken, too?

It is my view that any form of line jumping is rude, but hey. It's your vacation.

Yes, but it is Carnival and as most of us will tell you, it is our vacation, too. I think as the OP and many others have suggested, it's okay to do whatever you believe is expedient in the buffet line.

I've done my last 3 Carnival Cruises out of Miami. I've found at least here the wedding parties go first, then those who have requested special assistance (mainly folks in scooters and in wheelchairs) and then FTTF, Diamond and Platinum in a group with the first few boarding groups. Part of that is that they locate Diamond and Platinum further away from the escalators, but I've always been in a long line when I've boarded.

Platinum, Diamond and FTTF folks do get into their room earlier, as do the folks who do anyway.

I think it depends on the Cruise Line. I think it is expected on Carnival. What irks me is the folks (and there are a lot of them) who politely or not ask if they can just grab a plate and then go to the end of the line and work backwards, just asking for whatever item here or there.