boxermom73

Lots of great ideas! I want something different but can't decide ... I have until October...

My PVP agreed that waiting would be a good idea 🙂

Also remember that if you are ES and you switch to a guarantee, you are done with price drops. Something to consider.

Yeah but the cruise hasn't dropped any since we booked...

How much extra is balcony? We have done about 6 guarantees and always satisfied.

The balcony gar is 180$ more than what we paid but the choose your cabin rate is 400 plus more! We love balconies and always get one if we can... I'm a night owl so late night noise wouldn't bother me and the DH can sleep anywhere🙄. My only concern is early morning noise and being somewhere that makes me seasick as we usually only book middle of ship...

Im on the conquest this October too! 10/15, the 8 day. Which sailing are you on??

 

Cheers

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude

We are sailing OCT 9-15 It was a last minute trip with a bunch of our best buddies without the kid's! So we will warm her up for you!

My hubby and I are sailing on the conquest in Oct. We booked a OV because we have a cruise planned for the next month. We really wanted a balcony but it wasn't in the budget,however the price of the balcony has dropped considerably but only for guarantee rate. Would you chance it for a balcony or stick with OV ? Or wait and see if the price drops again for the choose your room option? Tia

Wow.

 

I had no idea the average poster on this site that sailed Carnival possessed a PhD in Microbiology. Hand sanitizer is useless. Citation please?

 

After spending the past few days trolling various boards on this site, (Was curious about the new Vista, somehow ended up here) here is what I have learned:

 

1: Formal night err "elegant night" is for snobs, and the rules really don't apply so just go ahead and wear whatever you want to the MDR that night, if those who were stupid enough to dress well get upset with your flip flops and shorts, screw them, we paid for our cruise and they can just go pound sand. (See whatever other thread pounded this one into the ground.)

 

2: Hand sanitizer is for fools! It doesn't work, so just pass that machine on by. We washed our hands sometime ago so we're all good.

 

Now here are the conclusions I can draw from those two viewpoints, which seem to be the majority from the two threads I've suffered through.

 

The average poster on these message boards who uses Carnival is so self centered that rules just don't apply to them and they have little to no regard for their fellow passengers.

 

It's been awhile since Micro Bio for me, but here is what I know, err remember.

 

Alcohol is an effective prophylactic against bacteria due to the ability of alcohol to disrupt the cell membrane effectively degrading the ability of the bacteria to further multiply and cause infection. http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=2160

 

Based on my cursory study of alcohol v. noro virus there is doubt that alcohol alone can kill the virus and other studies have shown hand washing to be superior secondary to basically friction and the lubricating effect of the soap in getting the virus away. What the studies don't say is "hey just go on past that hand sanitizer station, we know you washed your hands so you're all good." What the studies do in fact say is more like "might help, can't hurt."

 

So when you pass that sanitizer station on by are you just telling me that you are so confident that your hands are effectively sterile, free from all bacteria and virus that I should just give you a pass? Why are you so blithe to put your fellow passengers at risk? Maybe it's not noro that gets somebody on this cruise ill but some bacteria that would have been killed by the sanitizer. http://info.debgroup.com/blog/bid/336078/Hand-Washing-vs-Hand-Sanitizer-in-the-Fight-Against-Norovirus

 

10 seconds of inconvenience regardless of whether on not you washed your hands. Apparently too much to ask for. Thanks.

A little OCD? Let google or Trip Advisor be your friend. Most tour operaters work independently and contract cruises as well. however, on guy might have RCCL contract and another CCL. My son Captained a shore excursion in STT and laughed at the guests paranoia. They know exactly when the ship is leaving, have direct phone lines to the ship. Their reputation is on line. STT is not an issue with ship's time, but other islands affected by different time zones, the local Captains and tour guides know the ship time better then you, relax, their only job is for you to have fun and get you back to the ship on time.

We had several guides tell us that it's thier livelihood on the line and so they make sure to get you back! Plus they are doing it everyday during the tourist season.... in all my cruises I have never did a ship excursion...

We met our PVP, for the first time, in Miami for drinks recently. A wonderful visit. We didn't ask the question, but she did tell us that Carnival PVPs risk their job by trying to send gifts to clients. It is forbidden, she says, for them to place orders from Bon Voyage, even with their own funds. Something ab preferential treatment.

We did happily buy her a couple of drinks and enjoy sharing our appreciation with her. She has saved us plenty of money over the years. We have sent her plenty of bookings! :)

Thanks for the Info! I always wondered if it was forbidden...

On the 2 cruises we have been on our PVP has given us OBC to buy a drink on him and also sends us chocolate covered strawberries. I would expect nothing less since he is making a commission off each of our bookings.

That's a great incentive!

I just wondered since TA's offer such great offers...

Has anyone's PVP ever sent them a "Thank You"of some sort for having several of your friends book with them? I know TA's do this.

Great review so far! We are on her in Oct!

This one:

 

http://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/grand-turk/off-road-atv-adventure-440074

Thanks for the link! What was your opinion of the excursion?

I was looking for this as well!

Yes

Wonderful review! Very helpful for my upcoming cruises!!

Well I can see from Carnival's stand point that anyone can claim any kind of disability even with a doctors note and pull a fast one on Carnival. I am sure they have figured out all the angles on how people can cheat them out of money and booze. I don't blame them, this is why they have rules. If they bend for one, they gotta bend for others. Cruise Princess and avoid this all together.

Wow😁

How many milkshakes does a person drink in a day? One....maybe two? I don't understand how a milkshake becomes a deal breaker

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Curious as well....

Enjoyed the review!

Ok thanks for the advice... How far is Doral from SouthBeach?

My hubby and I will be cruising out of Fll on Oct 9th. We are also going to the Fsu/ Miami game on the 8th. I used points to get 2 nights pre cruise at the Hyatt House Dania area. We have friends who are meeting us that are staying at the Marriott Villas in Doral. We were thinking of switching our reservation to the Hyatt in Doral to be closer to our friends. What would you do? Is the traffic on Sunday horrible going to the port? Would we need to rent a car? What's the Doral area like? Any advice would be appreciated!

Rent a car. The stadium is kind of isolated in a bad area and I'd hate to get stuck out there.

 

 

 

Why am I not surprised? Only in Miami.

Thanks for the help!

Glad to find this thread as my hubby and friends are going to a game there the night before our cruise out of port Everglades. We are staying at the Hyatt House in Dania, how hard will it be for him to get to the stadium? Should we rent a car or take a Taxi or uber? Any suggestions will be appreciated!!