dallasdan

OBC can be used to pay gratuities.  

24 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Yes, but they are flying in from Canada. They aren’t going to take a car out to Texas or League City and stay to drive back. 

I guess I should have read all of the posts.  Thanks for clarifying.  

The gratuities are not added daily.  They are added later in the week in a lump sum.

I usually stay in Texas City. Only about 20-30 minutes to the port and sometimes rooms are half the price.

To me there is not a bad interior Havana Cabin.  But be careful, I don't think they do guaranteed cabins in Havana.  If you choose a guaranteed cabin it will be an interior room somewhere else on the ship.  It will not be Havana.

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

IFKYK.

I guess I don't know.  I just enjoy the cruise and gamble too much money.

19 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Carnival offered many more free cruises after COVID to get people cruising and get cash flow going. They are overdue to put the brakes on.

 

Now many of the gamblers are just gaming the system for free cruises.

 

NCL solo cabins can easily cost more than a solo cruiser booking a regular cabin.

 

Princess perks are not much different from Carnival's.

 

 

How does a gambler game the system for free cruises?

1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

Well, they sure would not do it they were losing money.  Why would they do it at all (one offs are different).  The hook is set, all they need to do is reel in the fish.

They certainly have me hooked.  My last 7 or 8 cruises have all been on a casino deal. With 2 upcoming one of which is an Alaska cruise.  Not sure how much gambling I will do on an Alaska cruise. Why would I sail with anyone else?

7 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I'm not a fan of the casino situation. As a stockholder I can only hope they gamble enough to pay for all of those cruises. I have my doubts on some of them. For example I saw someone post on social media that they have 35 cruises booked and "wouldn't be able to afford that without casino offers." That makes me think they aren't giving that money back to the casino.

I generally spend around 2 to 3K and my DW spends about 1K per cruise.  This doesn't count any winnings that we give back.  So we typically spend more than the room would have cost us if we paid full fare.  However, we did go on a 4 day cruise last summer with our grand kids. Where we did very little gambling so that cruise would have been a loss for carnival.  And if both of the married couple have casino offers and they bring another couple on the casino cruise because they have 2 free room offers.  That other couple may not gamble at all. They must allow for a certain percentage of the casino offers that won't gamble.

I always say I will add cash once on board.  If I have on board credit I use that up before I add cash.  No minimum amount.  Years ago they would make you put $200 when you checked in prior to boarding.  

Just now, jimbo5544 said:

But CCL does not.

I meant they should get double points.  

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

I think it's absolutely stupid that kids whose parents paid a 3rd, 4th, or 5th guest rate get the same points as I do when I pay for two adults just for myself.

 

I think over time it can add up to a lot more platinum and diamond guests than Carnival planned on having and cause them to reduce benefits or make them harder to obtain...maybe it already has.

 

 

I agree that solo cruisers get double the points since they are paying for 2.

8 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

Don’t think I haven’t considered the possibility of a Stars-NYR Stanley Cup Finals…. Or, to a lesser extent, a Mavs-Celtics NBA finals. I mean, they’d be amazing problems to have, but I’d be grossly outnumbered 😂

I was on the Panorama a couple years ago when the Mavs knocked Phoenix out of the playoffs.  It was me and one other Mavs fan in a room full of Suns fans.  It so fun when the Mavs won the series.  Although Suns fans are probably better than Celtic or NY Rangers fans.

32 minutes ago, TxTeach79 said:

I also have this to contend with (not a complaint!) - last year I was onboard Pride in Europe while the Stars were in the WCF. This year, it’s double trouble. No casino bar, so we’ve got Heroes crowds to think about. And who knows where else I might find it beyond my phone - I did enjoy that on Regal Princess last November I could watch all the NFL and CFB games in my room. 
 

 

also, at some point on that Pride cruise I believe it was @dallasdan that made some comment about scheduling a cruise during a potential Rangers World Series run and I think I laughed it off… clairvoyant?

because we cruised out of Galveston, I had to get to the Hero's bar at 5 pm each day to get a table.  I think you are clairvoyant.  At least you are going out of New York so you may not have to fight for room at the bar.

@sid_9169 Enjoy your vacation.  You deserve a nice relaxing time to get away and unwind.  Look forward to your after action report.

@TxTeach79 Praying for you and your mom.  From the stories you have told about your dad, I would have loved to have met him.  

This happened to us on our last cruise.  When we checked in we just told them our cabin mate was coming separately.  No big deal.

1 hour ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Nothing like getting here early to get a seat and yahoos filter in and stand in front of you. 

The yahoos drive me crazy.

@Saint Greg Will you be able to go the game in Dallas in week 2?  Did the schedule work out for you with your 5 day cruise on Carnival?

2 hours ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Oops! Guess I forgot about this. Can the dentist meet us in Nassau? 

for what the Dentist charges I think he can. 

23 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Yes, and the kids were a little upset about that. I’m not, secretly. It gives me anxiety. Truth be told, I toured Allure in June 2023 when she was at Galveston. I feel like with a 9, 10 & 13 year old we can navigate it, not get too lost, and have some fun on a 4 nighter. The Carnival Dream was 8 days and by the second sea day… one sea day, 4 ports, two seas on the way back… they were bored, over the kids club and had decided long cruising was not for them unless super port intensive. 
Hope I can help with the short cruise real-ness. 😉

Last year we took our 11 and 13 niece and nephew on their first cruise a 4 day on the Breeze.  Every time we see them they ask about going on another cruise.  My 11 year old nephew last night said he wants to do a 14 day cruise.  I think like you if I do take them again it will be a 4 or 5 day.

Yes.  My wife and I both had casino offers.  We wanted to give my Mom and stepdad a free cruise so we booked my Wife and Mom in one room and my step dad and me in the other.  When we boarded the ship my mother and I went to guest services and they moved us and issued new sail and sign cards.  

@Saint Greg  With the NFL schedule not releasing until next week did you book a fall cruise and hope the Saints are not playing at home?  

1 hour ago, Jamman54 said:

 

 

 

 

You and Patti make a great team.  Thanks for the review.  This is the spot where I watched the Texas Rangers win the world series.

They did not reprice the room.  I just did this on the Vista in October.  They printed a new sail and sign card for my mother and I.