KevInPitt

Sorry to hear that as a long-time customer you didn't have the experience you expected.

I hope you are better able to afford cruising elsewhere due to the exhorbitant prices for drinks and room service you experienced on the Gem and find another line that never has an issue with safely reaching a port of call.

I would take the advice of the onboard personnel who so openly agreed with you about the disappointing decline in service and contact the corporate offices with your concerns.

you can ask, but no guarantees.

 

DO NOT ask on John Heald's page or you will be roasted to a crisp though for daring to even ask.

The scars from such a roasting will be with you for life.

Just use a PDF editor and change the time, aside from the retiree looking at the forms when you enter the terminal they don't check. Carnival doesn't realize some people can't control transportation arrival times, i'm not sitting at an airport waiting on my "assigned check-in time" with a 4 year old. Never been on a cruise yet where the embarkation and debarkation wasn't a huge cluster.. Nothing against the elderly but that's part of the issue..

I hope you realize this won't work once you're inside the terminal and actually try to check in. You, and your 4 year old, will be escorted back outside to stand and wait for your actual check-in time.

Enjoy that experience and explaining to your child why. It should be an enlightening parenting milestone for both of you on following the rules.

Unfortunately, no. Your party needs to stay with the chosen dining time throughout your cruise without alternating between times/options for the MDR.

If you prefer flexibility, choose ATD.

I booked over the phone with a RCCL rep who stated that "connecting staterooms are a different category and would be $___ much more money". I declined to pay that significant price increase and said as long as we were next door to each other.

 

I later viewed the deck plan and saw one was connecting. The rep did not say "some connecting staterooms are a different category " she said "connecting staterooms are a different category". Period.

 

This was an error in statement on the end of the RCCL rep.

 

I'm sorry you are taking my issue so personally.

It does sound as if the explanation was poorly worded or poorly communicated.

Unless one of your assigned cabins connects to a cabin of exactly the same category, you have a right to be annoyed if that connecting cabin was available at the time you were booking.

If one of your assigned cabins connects to a cabin of a different category, there is really no harm or foul since you didn't want to pay the difference in fare to book what was available in the configuration you wanted.

Edited: It would appear you should not have had issue booking 8135 and 8137 without "paying extra" as they are the same category unless someone else already had 8137. Look at 8181 and 8183... this is a "special connecting cabin" arrangement and could have been what the booking agent meant by "connecting cabins cost more".

When I was booking our Anthem cruise, I ran into the same issue. I needed 4 cabins, preferably near each other and 2 connecting. We have 2 cabins that are connecting cabins (with whoever ends up there) and 2 near by. When I asked if there was anyone booked in the connected rooms, I was told no but it is a different CAT and I would have to pay much more for those rooms. makes no sense to me...

It makes sense if you look at the configuration of those connecting cabins of a higher category. Many of them have the coveted "sofa bed" which is what typically drives up the price that can be charged based on 3+ people and their sleeping comfort.

Many of Anthem's connecting cabins do connect cabins in a different category. Some connecting cabins are within the same category.

If you provide your cabin numbers, it could be validated.

If you are in side-by-side cabins of the same category and the cabin connecting (the one you don't have) is also the same category, there may have been a different reason than the one provided at the time of booking. Or... someone goofed.

Again, not necessarily. We were able to book FTTF for our last cruise almost a year out. So, it definitely varies.

It does definitely vary. I was able to book FTTF 11 months out and only a handful of others were available at that time. At about 9 months out, there were several pages available.

appears you are being somewhat combative with your remark when I was not personally directing my comments at you or any other individual.. I have not been rude to you and have no idea what you are going thru in your life but I certainly wish you the best...

My comment was not meant to be combative but curious how you, being Platinum, ascribe a "Wal-Mart" connotation to the Carnival client when in fact you are one yourself.

I get it. You're not happy with the direction Carnival is taking its product. But to paint those who do still enjoy the experience with the brush of a juvenile remark is quite enlightening.

I hope you find the cruiseline that can provide you with the amenity and attention you feel you deserve.

True... I am booked on both the Sept 2016 and the Oct 2017 Pride to Bermuda and was given the same advice when asking the same question. "It depends...".

 

 

So I'm not the only one who booked the Pride to Bermuda in October 17. I booked a balcony on deck 6 on port.

 

No, you are not. :)

 

I booked it on the expectation I will love my Sept 2016 so much I will want to go back again. Plus, I had to snag my favorite 9B cabin on Deck 7 before someone else did. :D

Staggered check-in time is now strictly enforced.

There is no change to a staggered boarding time. Boarding will always be staggered depending on when the ship is cleared to receive new passengers and guests are invited to board based on their status boarding zone assignment.

Reading some of these posts reminds me of something I read here on Cruise Critic entitled "Carnival Conquest, Doublewide of the Seas" in which they refer the the ship as the "Carnival Conquest by Palm Harbor Homes" LOL ! I guess there are times when you go to Wal Mart, times when you go to Nordstroms, and times when you go to JC Penny's. The rule of supply and demand will depend a company's success and the demographics of its patrons.. Such is life !

As a Platinum guest, what demographic does that put you in?

True... I am booked on both the Sept 2016 and the Oct 2017 Pride to Bermuda and was given the same advice when asking the same question. "It depends...".

I was advised that more often than not the ship backs in so the starboard side would be facing land. Some consider that "a good view".

Other consider "a good view" facing the water when docked for multiple days.

Balance what you consider "a good view" with the unpredictable odds of the ship docking port side or starboard side in either direction.

I know I will be happy either way. :)

Works fine for me... just like always.

Math and reading comprehension is on a downward spiral.

The same place where questions are asked.

And the question you asked has been answered. Guess what the answer was

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2326040&page=3

First time cruiser...Going in July.

We chose this option when we booked but I really do not understand it.

 

Is the staff aware somehow that we've prepaid our tips?

 

It's weird and I really don't get it.

 

Explain please?

Everything you want to know can be explained here for your understanding:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1123/~/service-gratuities-(tips)

It's not that weird as almost every cruiseline has some form of standard gratuity/daily service charge (but I can see how it might be to a first-time cruiser).

If you want opinions on the gratuity/daily service charge, that's entirely different. Buckle your seat belt first - it's a bumpy ride.

ok, thank you. I was on the Dream same time last year with FTTF and actually boarded the ship around 10:45. This is the reason I was thrown off and confused. Does this mean that we will still skip the long lines when checking in and boarding with FTTF? In other words, I guess my question is, If I dont make it to the port until 11 ish, will I then be taken to the FTTF lines like last year?

Regardless of when you arrive, you will always be directed to the FTTF/priority line if you have it. You will move quicker through the check-in process and get to sit down in a seat sooner than everyone else going through the general check in process.

I can understand the confusion if your prior sailing was able to board earlier while you current one may not. With an email stating "promptly at 12:30" there may be a reason (schedule maintenance, inspection, etc) but if none of the above are actually happening boarding could start sooner than 12:30.

It's for these reasons that if you arrive at the terminal early, there is always the possibility boarding could be later than customary and you will have to wait longer than expected (even with FTTF).

If you're in room 7299, it was cold enough to use as a meat locker! Even my DH who is NEVER cold - was freezing!

So you thought so too?? I was never so cold as in that cabin. Better than roasting, I guess. :D

Ive left a tablet and/or cell phone on the cabin counter charging at various times on different cruises without concern or problem.

If worried, put what fits in the safe and the rest stowed away out of sight.

I am not seeing these types of changes with IE or Chrome. Still get the grid to choose from available cabins. Definately odd and quirky for those getting something different.

I have one from our Oct 2015 cruise on the Pride. Bummer I don't get bonus points. Email me at kpc11 at Comcast dot net and I'll send it.

Nice review. Did you enjoy Ken the Maitre D's singing?

I said it before and I'll saw it again, the new CEO has a big hatchet and she's not just cutting fat, she cutting meat. I'm platinum and a shareholder, but I'm not married to Carnival. They keep up the cuts it's going start costing business. I have loyalty perks on 4 other lines and so do a lot of other frequent cruisers. IMO there are some poor business decisions being made.

I'm interested to know what you consider "meat". So far none of the discussed "cutbacks" are ones I would consider carnivorous enough for me to turn vegetarian.

Any insights as to where my viewpoint may be myopic would be helpful for a better understanding.

They retape the boxes if they open them. No worries.

This has been my experience as well. The horror stories of "ripping open cartons" are wildly exaggerated.