Fredette

On 2/23/2024 at 11:56 AM, BlerkOne said:

I doubt many people have been on 6 cruise lines 

From my reckoning, I'm up to seven.

On 2/9/2023 at 4:40 AM, Circlt said:

Luminosa 31 day Transpacific from Brisbane Australia to Seattle WA in April 2024!  Here is the itinerary, see photo 🥰

We did the repositioning cruise in 2022 and it was awful.  Too many passengers on board were given the free casino package, so the entertainment was substandard as Carnival knew that a huge percentage of passengers didn't need any.  Every day was like Groundhog Day (and with so many sea days - that really matters).  Before you book a cruise like this with so many sea days - consider what you will do if it is a really, really bad cruise.  While I enjoy sitting on the balcony watching the sea go past just as much as the next person, you don't want to be doing that for the entire cruise.

So the food has improved over the last twelve months?

On 12/21/2023 at 11:51 AM, wurm914 said:

Hello All, I'm not new to cruising but have never done Carnival - always thought of Carnival as more of a party boat and that's just not my vibe. I'm mid 60s with approximately 30 cruises, some of them long ones.   I'm trying to figure out a way to get to and from Europe in 2025 and not fly.  I see a Carnival Mardi Gras repo for September 2025 - but I have concerns.  Is the atmosphere different on a repo/transatlantic for Carnival?  What's the demographic for this type of cruise?  Any information you can offer to help me decide?

 

Thanks!

 

deb 🙂

This is just my take - but we had an unhappy experience with a Brisbane-Seattle cruise last year.  The ship was stacked with people who got the cheapie/free casino offer, so that really skewed the demographic.  Carnival cheaped out on entertainment because they knew a fair percentage of the passengers would spend their time in the casinos anyway, so if you weren't a gambler, it was quite a boring cruise.  (Have you seen Groundhog Day?  The cruise was like that, every day was the same as the day before).  Add to that lots of sea days, plus a lot of covid on the ship (no effort to check coughing guests before boarding) and it was not a fun cruise at all.  Our dinner companions had already booked the same cruise for this year, and after a couple of days they went to guest services to cancel, being so disappointed with the cruise they didn't want to repeat it.  We had done transpacific crossings before with other cruise lines, so knew that there were lots of sea days between ports, but the other cruises had a very different vibe to them and were far more enjoyable (and they actually had entertainment for the passengers!).  Because of this, we are now only at the "dipping our toe in the water" stage with Carnival now (it has taken us nearly twelve months to decide to cruise again with them) - we have booked a very short cruise to see if they have lifted their game from this unpleasant experience.  Fingers crossed they have. 

To answer your question - I don't know if Carnival will give you info such as how many "giveaway cruises" they have promised for your sailing - if there's a lot, don't go.  You want to be on a ship filled with people who want the holiday, not just people who are going because they got a free cruise and they will only venture out of the casino to eat, then go back in again.

On 2/21/2024 at 4:26 AM, bahacca said:

We haven't sailed since 2018. Do we still need lanyards for our sign and sail cards? I have heard menus are now digital, so you need your phone. If you find you need your phone on you at all times, do you use a phone lanyard, small purse?(Guys, be quiet. Not all of our clothing has pockets like yours!😉)

I have a tiny bag that is basically big enough for my phone and little else - just a cloth bag so it is lightweight.  It has an over-the-body cord so that I hardly know I am wearing it, and I can wrap the cord around the bag and pop it on the table when I'm eating, it's barely bigger than putting a phone on the table so it's not so intrusive (plus you can't see the phone so it doesn't appear so antisocial).  Now that everything is on the carnival app, you really need to carry a phone, unfortunately.  I have a little stick on pocket on my phone that I can put my room key in.

On 2/21/2024 at 12:22 PM, BlerkOne said:

At least I don't see any pineapple. 🙂

 

 

I love pineapple on a pizza!

8 hours ago, staceyglow said:

Are you sure about that?  If I am remembering correctly, if you click on any activity (including the shows), it takes you to a page that describes it in more detail.  

I've just got off a cruise, so my memory is fresh.  No, the app didn't give any detailed description, only a title of what the event was.

On 4/1/2023 at 1:24 AM, Harley167 said:

First time on Carnival in a few years! We will be on Glory in my. I understand that you have to download a Carnival app. How does that work? I didn't plan on buying a wifi package. I try to leave my phone off unless we are in port!Thank you!

Aaargh - the app.  What you end up doing is ordering your food from the menu on your app instead of a paper menu given to you when you sit down.  While it might save paper, it is very antisocial if everyone at the table has their nose buried in their phone instead of talking to each other.  Plus the daily planner is very sketchy - eg:  it tells you what time the show is on, but not what the show IS.  To find that out, you have to go and get - wait for it - the paper printout.

On 5/14/2023 at 10:35 AM, NancyC said:

Has anyone paid the $5 charge to call friends and family on the ship?  How did it work?  I guess everyone in our group has to pay the $5 to receive calls.  Does it work with iPhones as well as Samsung?  How was the reception?  Do you pay before the cruise or once on ship?  

If everyone in your party has an iphone - you can text without paying for access.  It's a feature Iphones have - but don't ask me how - a friend adjusted the setting on my phone and hubby's phone so we could message each other.  That said - sometimes the message came through straight away, sometimes it took a few minutes.

On 5/13/2023 at 9:15 AM, NCteacherlovescruising said:

We haven’t sailed with Carnival for about 5 years now. We’ve found we liked NCL, Royal and Celebrity better. We are thinking about booking a last minute cruise for next month and for price and itinerary we like Carnival. I’ve heard they have stepped up their game. We’re looking at the Horizon. Is that a nice ship?  

Don't do it.

On 3/28/2023 at 8:53 AM, kaykayozzie said:

more learning to be done. I love learning new things. Maybe that's why I travel. I had to translate for my husband; his Australian accent was so strong nobody could understand him. I also remember translating for some Chinese girls in France, and an English woman in Italy. Her efforts required her to yell louder if they didn't understand. Kay

I had trouble in New York (City) getting someone to understand my Aussie accent, and I am not "ocker".  I was asking the guy if Ninth Street was in that direction or the other one (pointing) after coming up out of the subway and getting disoriented.  I had to listen to a lecture on how avenues ran one way, and streets the other (confused as to why he was telling me all of that) and then asked him again where Ninth Street was.  He then told me there was no NORTH Street.  LOL.  I then said, "no, I need Ninth Street, you know, eight, nine, ten...." he then pointed me in the correct direction.  What a hoot.

On 3/2/2023 at 11:34 AM, EngIceDave said:

I realized today that the Australian Formula 1 Gran Prix will be in Melbourne that same weekend. Whole thing might be like a national holiday or something, even though it's in Melbourne. May make bars and pubs very busy

The Grand Prix runs from March 30th to April 2nd.  It's not a national holiday - but if you are anywhere near Albert Park lake, or are staying in the CBD you are right, there will be lots of people around.  It will be noisy too - when races are running the sound travels across the lake and the nearby bay, you will hear the noise from a fair distance away (think dozens of very loud angry mosquitoes).

Just now, EngIceDave said:

We can keep those?

If you survive the encounter, you can try but the folks at Quarantine might stop you....

On 2/26/2023 at 5:18 AM, EngIceDave said:

Thought of some very important questions...

 

Is Australian Pepsi like American Pepsi?

Do they have Starry of Sierra Mist? Is it Australian or American? Can you tell or care?

What are Australian bagels like?

Does everyone talk funny?

If I find a kangaroo, can I keep it? Can I bring it on-board? Can I have a service kangaroo on-board?

Does the toilet really flush the other direction?

What exactly is "Australian food?"

I wouldn't be worrying about the roos, it's the deadly drop bears you need to watch out for!

14 hours ago, irie0518 said:

Hey there my friend and I just booked this cruise way too good of a deal to pass up!!  I am asking again about the required insurance.  I don't normally purchase insurance as I usually am an ultra bargain hunter for my cruises and I fairly young still with no medical issues so I am willing to take the chance.  I have never yet had to cancel a trip for any reason so like I said I usually opt out.  So I am not very knowledgeable about the different options available.  I called Carnival to see if they could tell me if the coverage they offer would cover the requirements for the ports that have the requirement.  The lady I spoke with was unable to answer that question for me but she gave me the direct number to Aon.  The lady I spoke with there said that the policy didn't specifically say anything about covid but she said if would be covered in the medical portion and basically told me that it should meet the requirements. I don't always have faith that I am getting the correct answer especially from insurance company's 🙂 Does anyone have anymore insight if you feel like this is adequate for the port requirements.  TIA  Super excited about this cruise.  I have only dreamed of going to these ports of call.

I'm pretty sure the email from Carnival said that the policy has to specifically mention covid cover on a cruise.  I can't help you out with the companies to approach, as I haven't done it myself yet (I was leaving it for a month or so, hoping the policies would change before the cruise).  

On 2/1/2023 at 11:25 AM, grtdrvall said:

you watch a video on the cabin TV and then you go to a location and get your name ticked off.

Both P&O and Holland America are doing the drill this way now.  I guess they want to avoid packing crowds into one area like they used to (and having people handle the life jackets).

I loved the Black Forest - instead of cherry (which is the usual ingredient in Black Forest Cake) it had raspberry & chocolate.  MMMM.

My credit card offers free travel insurance if I use the credit card to pay for the trip.  Yes it covers covid BUT NOT if the trip is a multi night cruise!  Grrrr.

Having been on two cruises since the restart, I am firmly of the belief that a cruise ship is no more "dangerous" than going to a large shopping centre.  The standard of cleanliness on cruise ships is superior, and many cruise lines have implemented a mask mandate in indoor public areas.  

Going to a shopping centre, or anywhere where there's a crowd is far more risky on land - you don't have to wear a mask (so neither does anyone else) and many organisations don't supply hand sanitiser for customers any more.

The only issue with cruise ships is that people remember the early covid disasters and assume that nothing has changed.

Wow!  $1 deposit, on board credit AND air credit - I went to have a look at available cruises in excitement.

To get benefits worth $350 per person I would have to pay $450 per person extra on the cruise fare.

Huh?  

So, NOT booking.....

On 11/30/2022 at 1:19 PM, baloothecat said:

Hi Everyone-

We just booked this cruise this past weekend. Cancelled our 14day LA-Alaska cruise on the Miracle in order to take advantage of a great offer. We are Stephanie and Lance from Redondo  Beach, Calif. super excited to visit Tahiti again. We were there Oct 2021.
Any avid snorkelers out there?

Anyone know which bay we dock in Moorea?

I’m looking to book a snorkel excursion with a local company in Moorea. . I’ll post what I find out if there’s interest.

Stephanie

If you like to snorkel, hopefully the catamaran excursion to the reef is going when we dock at Papeete.  I have done that one and quite enjoyed it - was looking forward to trying it again.

On 1/27/2023 at 10:28 PM, dazadelaide said:

as our cruise gets closer it is appearing that p & o are struggling to get everything on board back to full operations.

if some of the restaurants were not in full operation on a cruise during school holidays it may be worse when we go in march

Daz

I wouldn't worry too much - it was mostly the specialty restaurants that were affected, although I was astounded that we couldn't get a table in the Waterfront on the last night!  In March you will probably have less kids on board too, which might mean that some of the staff needed for kids club are free to be redeployed to other things, I don't know how that works though - just guessing.  But the overall cruise experience was very similar to pre-covid, which was heartening, I was worried that there might have been a lot of penny pinching going on.

On 1/22/2023 at 5:41 PM, Ondine said:

Yes we were disappointed that Lukes was only open for take away burgers etc and 400 Gradi was take away only.  I think they are very short of staff and some of them are trainees.  Our cabin stewards didn't seem to have a clue.  Our New Year cruise was very very crowded.  I believe there were 2400 onboard and I reckon half were children.  Lots of problems with the forward lifts which seem to have a mind of their own as to where and when they would stop.  On the last day we were supposed to pick up our alcohol from Angelos from 6.00am but there was no one there at that time and some people stood in the queue for nearly 2 hours waiting to get their orders.  This was on debarkation day.  A total stuff up.

Sorry to hear that.  It sounds like your cruise was the training run for ours - I did notice that one of the lifts was out of action for the whole cruise so obviously they couldn't fix it.  I picked up my wine from Charlie's without a problem, but maybe that's because I had a late exit and they didn't have many bottles left to sort through.  I did notice there were a lot of kids though.  For most of the cruise they were obviously in kid's club (you generally only saw them of an evening with their parents having a meal, but not much during the day) but on the last day I wondered if kid's club had closed.  For some reason there seemed to be heaps of groups of tweenies roaming around unsupervised, getting underfoot when people were trying to get out of the lifts (and I have to say, adults are just as guilty of pushing in as soon as the lift doors open, without waiting for people to get out).

On 1/15/2023 at 2:10 PM, Ondine said:

Just got off Explorer - balcony cabin.  Power point is behind the TV and also 4 USB ports.  Hard to get at so if you are going to use hair tongs or something similar it will be on wrong side of room to mirror.  Inconvenient.  Also Lukes and Gradi were take away only on our cruise.  No speciality dining.  Think they are short of staff.

They were short of staff,  we couldn't even get a booking for a restaurant on the last night, and there were only two of us.  We took some converter plugs just in case - there was a US power point on the desk so we were able to use that as an additional one.

Have you already been?  I have just found this post and thought I would reply, but if you've already been, feel free to ignore.

I was on a Cunard cruise and had the cabin under the pool, but two decks down.  We had a medical incident where they had to land a chopper to take someone off.  The pool was an open area, and that's where they. were planning to land.  Just in case of a crash or whatever, all passengers in cabins for two decks below were evacuated and not allowed back until after the chopper left (some poor sods hadn't got out of bed yet, and had to go to brekky in their jammies!)  To make matters worse, the person who was taken off was the carer for another passenger, so the chopper had to come back  later to take that person off as well. 

Having said that, I've only been on one cruise that this happened, so the odds aren't great.  And Cunard put a bottle of bubbly in our cabin to make up for the inconvenience, so we certainly had a better cruise than the two poor passengers who had to leave suddenly!

On 1/5/2023 at 8:57 AM, subaru94 said:

Australian power points are in cabin.  

Woo hoo, thanks!

On 12/20/2022 at 9:13 PM, subaru94 said:

We just came back from a cruise on the Pacific Explorer, and whilst she looks a bit worse for wear outside, we found the entertainment areas, blue room, explorer lounge, black circus, pool areas and adult area lovely.  We would not hesitate to go on her again and going on her next March.  She has a lovely internal ambience and the crew are wonderful.

Happy to hear this - I am going on a cruise on January 17th (just a short one).  This has probably already been asked and answered somewhere, but could you please tell me what power points are in the cabins?  I am wondering what sort of adaptors I should pack.  Are there USB ports for chargers also?  Thanks in advance for any advice.