sparks1093

If it is, it is. Wouldn't be the end of the world at all.

We don't use room service very often and if we do it's normally for breakfast. I've tried two of the breakfast sandwiches- the biscuit/sausage and the English muffin/bacon. I much preferred the English muffin one and felt it was worth the $4 that I spent. The biscuit was off somehow and while it was filling just didn't taste right.

Exactly this. I grew up eating fresh Maine lobster and I've never met it's equal. Frozen lobster can be ok if it is cooked right, but that is the trick. My first experience with frozen lobster was in the Navy and they didn't cook it right. The last few cruises they've done a decent job with it and I found it edible. I have toyed with the idea of getting the steak and lobster from the steakhouse from the MDR menu but haven't pulled the trigger on it yet (and that might be a bigger lobster, possibly even from Maine, but it is still a frozen lobster).

All passengers are vetted during the cruise so by the time the ship disembarks they've all been checked (at least for closed loop cruises), so even without those numbers they have ample time to find someone in the database if needed. Customs has become a formality for declaring any purchases made (and since they've stopped handing out the declaration form it's sort of a moot point unless someone has made a large purchase). When we disembarked Legend in February they didn't even make a show of it, they stood outside of their checkpoints and waved everyone through.

Probably would have meant trouble had you not produced it when asked though (but only by being sent to secondary inspection). (And our experience was similar disembarking in Florida following a closed loop cruise using facial recognition.) Maybe if the time comes when they use facial recognition at check in it might be a reality.

We always bring soda to mix with the rum that we purchase for the cabin. Much more convenient (plus we have a wider variety of brands to choose from and can bring a soda we like).

DW ordered the shots that came on a tray in the MDR that came in different colored shot glasses with Carnival etched on them. As I recall Cheers covered the cost of the shot, but not the shot glass itself.

Yes, it is possible that CBP (not immigration) might be able to use the number to shorten the search in that database by a few seconds. If the time comes when we won't need physical passports I suspect that is a long way in the future.

They didn't ask for it for our November or February cruise. No idea why they would. TSA has nothing to do with cruise port security. (I know, on their website they claim they do, but that's just agency puffery.)

It's good that you have time to research and that you take the time to do that. I don't have that kind of time and as a rule I don't do other people's research for them, if I don't already know the answer I just skip it and leave it to others.

Since she has a countdown in her signature it didn't take long to research, but I do agree that it would be helpful if posters did include the information in their post. OP, Carnival allows you to bring on 12 cans per person in your carryon only, so as mentioned you will need to wheel it around with you until your cabin is available at 1:30 or so. Security will usually do a visual check on the cans so we always take our out of the box and put them in the carryon.

It's been a different brand every time we've ordered.

I can't believe that any MDR would be that bad. I wouldn't put too much weight in those reviews.

Which of course has nothing to do with the documentation needed to board a cruise.

Post #6 quotes the FAQ directly and it plainly says that a legible photocopy is acceptable and it could not say that if the regulations did not allow it (a cruise line may impose a stricter standard than the regulations, but they cannot have a lesser one). It is best to take the original but there may be times when a photocopy is the only thing available. The only way an agent wouldn't take it would be if it was not legible. (And note that this isn't a "policy", it is a Federal Regulation with the force of law. If anyone wants to read them, here's a link: Federal Register :: Documents Required for Travelers Departing From or Arriving in the United States at Sea and Land Ports-of-Entry From Within the Western Hemisphere ).

That is an excellent point about PR birth certificates and it isn't brought up often. But this is an application of local law versus Federal law. Puerto Rico basically invalidated any birth certificates issued before a certain date due to rampant fraud. If anyone is using a Puerto Rican birth certificate they should definitely research it more.

I'm glad that it worked out for the OP's family but I wouldn't count on the same thing happening so I will continue to buy it (not to mention all of the other things that insurance covers). (I realize that you probably made your comment tongue in cheek but there are many who would read the comment and agree with it.)

In the cabin both in November and February.

No, it doesn't. The regulations do allow for photocopies and this is clear in Carnival's FAQ. (Not to mention that many states have stopped issuing raised seals.) I would prefer to bring the original birth certificate but it is good to keep in mind what alternatives are available, just in case. OP, what you have is a non-REAL ID compliant license, which has nothing to do with Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDLs). EDLs prove identity and citizenship in one document and only 5 states issue them. A REAL ID compliant license allows you to enter property under Federal jurisdiction because of beefed up procedures to obtain them. A government issued photo ID is all that is needed in conjunction with the birth certificate.

Sounds like this is an issue common to all large ships, we had the same issue on Anthem of the Seas.

Yes, this does take getting used to and I'm glad to hear that Mardi Gras has this, we enjoyed this on Royal Anthem. OP thanks for your thoughts, we on Mardi Gras in a year and a half and can't wait.

In the context in which it was offered I don't think that it was (a discussion between what Carnival pays in wages versus what they pay in food).

$10 per person per day times the number of passengers served in the course of the year will add up, yes indeed.

Ask Google 🙂. This isn't the particular article that I read but it's similar Cruise Food – How Much do Cruise Ships Spend Per Cruise and Per Person? – Emma Cruises.

The gratuities are paid primarily to the waitstaff and the stewards. From all that I've read the kitchen staff (where the shortage appears to be) are salaried employees. As I just mentioned Carnival (just like any other cruise line) pays very little for the food itself.