erinmarie424

I keep my room neat and don't need ice and don't ask for anything special so I leave the auto tips and that's it. The couple of times I've needed something beyond routine service I give them anywhere from $2-$5 at the time of the request.

 

 

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I prefer the lunch menu to the brunch menu.

 

 

 

Me too.

I usually throw a few dry cleaner hangers in my suitcase just in case and leave them behind.

I'm surprised an experienced cruiser would purchase insurance through Carnival.

 

 

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I have not rented a car in Florida but for different pickup and return locations the price does not seem out of line. Hopefully someone local will come on with some ideas to help you save some $$. I'd also consider getting at least a mid-size as I have had compact cars that barely held one carry-on and backpack in the hatch/trunk.

 

 

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Fold as directed and staple on at the hotel in the morning. I have zip ties and ziplocs if it is raining. I used to do the packing tape/laminate thing because I read it here but don't feel it's necessary in regular weather.

 

 

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Since the $75 was between you and Amex I would think as long as the charge is not refunded back to your card it should be safe.

 

 

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Specialty coffees $3.99 without alcohol, shakes $3.99, vitamin water $2.99, bottled water $1.25.

It was on the Triumph in April. Slightly different choices, several of the old items still on it. Some people feel very strongly that the old menus were better. I didn't feel strongly one way or another.

Using cash helps me keep from overspending but charging means double points on the carnival MasterCard I link my S&S card to. I've done both.

One more thing about keeping your card in when you play is you get entries in the spin to win held on the final night. I got to spin last time. They asked me if I felt lucky and I said no. I was right because I spun whatever the "no prize" spot was. They gave me a bottle of champagne anyway.

 

 

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I would take the memories of spending a day on a cruise ship with my grandparents and getting their undivided attention over an excursion any day.

One change for the better for us is the addition of BI which we love for breakfast and lunch and Guys which we get once or twice. I miss the bitter and blanc on the shorter cruises. I miss the waiter or hostess pulling out our chairs and putting on napkins on our laps (silly, but it made it more of a special experience for me.) The new menu is fine with me, I like to get the Indian dish at least once so I'm glad they kept that. But the dining room experience is not what it was even seven years ago. Service on our last cruise was not good and we waited 30 minutes one night between finishing our appetizers and getting our entrees. My friend and I ate dinner in the buffet twice and enjoyed the food just as much as we did the nights we ate in the MDR.

JH did a survey on the social media site asking what people would like to see if they cruised during the Olympics. That will probably have some effect on what they show on the big screens this year.

Especially that damn pirate in the MDR!

 

 

 

Change the chair hog time to 30 minutes and enforce it.

 

 

 

Ugh I hate the pirate pictures!

You wait in the large room with the non-fttf people but in a separate area closest to the door. At least we did last year.

How much was the Vitamin Water?

 

 

 

Anyone know if they Vitamin Water Zero?

 

 

 

tahnks!

 

 

 

I believe it was $2.99 (I got it free with cheers) and I'm afraid I didn't notice if they had zero or not.

You might want to take a look at the drink menu prices (Google is your friend and look at the images) and see what you might be interested in throughout the day. If there's an Alchemy Bar those drinks are $10.50 each and very good. Will you have mimosas or bloody Marys in the morning? Pre-dinner cocktail and wine with dinner? Specialty coffees?

I tried unsuccessfully to get my friend to get cheers last year but she figured since she mostly likes vodka to order a bottle of that from BV. It ended up being a real pain for her to go back to the cabin when she wanted a refill and those icy drinks sure are good when you're laying out in the sun. When we cruised this year SHE was the one asking me if I wanted to do it. That doesn't mean it's right for everyone, just another thing to consider.

Disappointing that they handled the clearance of merchandise this way. They could have moved the stock to the fun shops on a couple of ships and sold through it without upsetting a whole lot of people.

I look at the seating chart. If the flights are still relatively empty I wait. I usually book anywhere from 4-12 weeks out. I did book my flight for September back in May which is early for me but the price looked really good. Glad I did as the price went up the following week and is now 50% more than I paid and the flights are getting full.

 

 

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If some of you have FTTF and some of you don't you will be boarding separately regardless of your checkin time. All FTTF is allowed to board before those without. If the boarding picture is really important to you those that have FTTF will have to hang back and board with those in your group that don't have it. So the earlier checkin time the better. IMO it would be better for all to have FTTF or the ones that have it are missing out on one of the better perks.

 

 

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My friend and I were matched up with three other pairs of ladies on our last cruise. We called it the spinster table. [emoji4] unfortunately we lost one of the pairs after night one and they lost us after night two. We had done YTD last year and asked to sit with others but a couple nights ended up just the two of us. When I cruise with DBF we like traditional dining and usually get put at tables for ten with other couples and have had really good experiences with that.

 

 

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When viewing the websites of most of the shuttle services listed here, it looks like they only pick up at the top of the hour. Is that true? Our flight arrives at FLL at 8:25 AM. Not sure if we'll be able to get our luggage and walk to the shuttle stop before 9:00 AM? There are 7 of us so we would be unable to use Uber/Lyft. We've used Miami Port Express the last couple times and loved them but they raised their prices from $12 to $19.

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

 

 

Sure you could use Uber or Lyft - just might need a couple of them.

Huevos Rancheros at Blue Iguana for breakfast with a spoonful of crunchy potatoes and watermelon on the side.

It is always interesting to me that anyone worries about what someone else is wearing. I recognize that there are many people who don't dress in my style, and that's okay! On a cruise, just like at home--there will be people wearing all sorts of things around me and it doesn't affect my experience one single bit.

 

I enjoying getting dressed up for dinner, but I respect that others are also on vacation and to them, being comfortable is more important. They deserve the chance to eat in the MDR as much as I do.

 

 

 

Amen!!

When we have set dining with others we tell them the first night that our intentions are to eat in the MDR each evening but that things could change and if we aren't there by five minutes past seating time to assume we aren't coming, and that we will do the same for them. It's usually well received and if anyone already has steakhouse reservations or other nights they know they won't be there they usually share that with the table at that time.