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Did an elite on the Celebration first week in December.  Used their transfer from hotel to ship and back to hotel after cruise.  Hind sight being 2020, I should have used their transfer to/from the Airport/Hotel.  

For gifts, we got a toiletry tote, a large tote, 2 stainless 'martini' tumblers (yeti spoof), a HUGE fruit/cheese basket, cookies, lanyards, magnet.  If you feed the slots enough, you will also get some dinner comps.  There was also a welcome aboard cocktail party.  

There were 'drawings' at 11:00 each night for various games (matilda cash cow, etc.).  They would call several names but you only had 90 seconds to 'get' there.  The last night of the cruise, the drawings were at 5:00.  

There was also a mid-week promo where if you had a certain amount of points on the 'given' day, you got $200 Free Play.  

I would do an Elite again.

In the pulls I have participated in, we used Dollar machines with a $2 or $3 max bet.  Penny machines typically have higher max bet ($8.88 on many of them).   I think the odds would be better on a Dollar machine.  

Casinos make their money on penny machines.  

Can't answer about the medallion but I am on 8/26 Grand Princess and I made Specialty Dining reservations last weekend (7/23).

Check the Princess App.  From the 'home' page, scroll down to Dine My Way, then view or book individual daily reservations, then scroll horizontally to the night you are interested in.  The available restaurants come up.  Pick a time.  Make sure you click reserve table UNDER the restaurant you prefer.

Would book as soon as you can.  These seem to book up quickly.

We are cruising next month to Alaska on Princess.  We booked as soon as the 2023 season became available.  I was able to get a few price drops honored and the balance reduced before final payment.  Always pays to watch the prices.  

Thanks everyone.  We'll grab cabs.  

SCX22 - Using Holiday Inn Express due to significant discount but will check EXchange and Pan Pacific the week of to see if there are any 'bargains'.  

DEBCAT65 - Capilano Suspension Bridge is a neat way to spend a morning or afternoon if you like that type of thing.  Also, the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park is nice.  

We are a group of 7 (ages 30 - 72)  2 have minor walking challenges.  Will arrive YVR at 6:12 p.m. on Friday 8/25.  Hotel is Holiday Inn/Suites on 1110 Howe st.

1. Is Canada Line the best option to get downtown with 7 people/luggage?  3 are able bodied men who can help with luggage.  
2. Is it safe to walk from either Yaletown or Vancouver Center to the Hotel on Howe?
3. Is there a preference for Yaletown or Vancouver Center stations?  Both appear to be a 10 minute walk to hotel
4. Any restaurant recommendations for Friday evening (quick, easy walk from Hotel) or Saturday Morning?  I note a Brekka Bakery nearby for Breakfast as well as a Tim Horton's.  We're not too picky and not all will have breakfast.
5. What is best way to get from Hotel to Cruise Port on Saturday?  
6. Convenience trumps cost if cabs/uber would be easier/more efficient.  Assume the cabs can take 

Thank you in advance for your advice.  Really appreciate the locals who lurk (stated tongue in cheek!!) on these boards offering your expertise to us unknowing masses.  

Thanks again everyone!  Truly appreciate your assistance!

Karen

Thank you all for your input.  After discussing San Diego with travel mates, they would rather do these sights during a future cruise (departing from San Diego).  So we need just figure out the one-night Pre Cruise and you have given me plenty to further research/consider.  Very much appreciate you folks.  

Scott and Steve I recognize from my prior cruise research from 2018.  Glad you are still around providing your insight!  

One last question....  And, I believe the answer will be Uber SUV - Will this be the best option for getting from pre-cruise hotel to Carnival Port?  We will be picking one of the prior suggested hotels.  None of us has ever 'done' Uber before so more to learn.  We are getting pretty tech savvy for 'oldsters'! 

Once again......  THANK YOU for your replies!   

Sailing in February, 2023 on Carnival Panorama.  Have sailed from here 1 other time several years ago.  Current party is 4 seasoned (young at heart).  Will likely fly from midwest into LAX on Friday mid day for Saturday cruise.  (LAX due to one of the couples preferring direct flights rather than having connections).  

Current options for hotels in Long Beach are limited (believe only a few have totally released February for booking).  Considering staying at Hampton Inn Hermosa Beach (reasonable rate/good reviews).  Seems to be lots of restaurant options within a short walk.  My questions are:

• Is this a safe area for 4 60+ aged folks to walk? (realizing, we need to always be aware of our surroundings, etc.)  Thinking it might be an option for a Friday afternoon arrival to LAX
• What would you suggest for transportation from LAX to Hampton?
• From Hampton to Port?

Next, post cruise considering spending a few days in San Diego doing the Zoo and Sea World.  

• Best transportation for 4?  Car Rental?  We would then fly home from San Diego.
• Is it an 'easy' drive from Long Beach to San Diego?  (I have Chicago driving experience)
• February Hotel Costs - doable on a $150-$200 nightly budget near Zoo and Sea World?
• Is 1 day at each park enough to see most animals?  (or are we crazy for trying to cram so much into the trip?)

Appreciate the input from the regulars who post here.  You always have good suggestions/advice.  

26 minutes ago, GeorgiaMomof4 said:

Hi all!  Sailing in mid February on the Sunshine for an 8 day cruise and this will be my first platinum cruise.

 

I know that some free laundry is a perk of platinum but was just wondering what your experiences were

with Carnival doing your laundry?  I'm worried about colors and shrinkage due to too hot temps in washing

or drying.

 

Anyone have any experience they care to share?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I have used the service when my husband went through more Polo type shirts than he expected.  I would not send anything 'delicate' through this service but for shorts/t-shirts/etc. is fine. 

Is Village Inn a buffet?

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Not a buffet. Similar to a Baker's Square, Denney's or Bob Evans.

The specialty coffee shop on vista is on deck 5 aft. There were also offerings during the morning rush in the buffet area. They have offerings similar to Starbucks. The regular coffee is not to bad. Used to be very strong and I would mix it with hot water about 3/1. Didn't need to mix last year and I later read they had changed it up.

We stayed in a Havana balcony on deck 5 last year. LOVED it. We spent all sea days in the Havana Pool area and it was never crowded and was very quiet.

They have a small breakfast buffet on deck 5 in the ocean plaza area (behind the coffee shop) every day. Had most items as regular buffet except no omelets. Was a very pleasant way to start the day without having to navigate long lines. Is truly a hidden gem.

You won't go wrong booking in this area.

On my first slot pull I ran out of singles to pay everyone the correct payback. I Had to beg the casino and guest services for singles. They did not want to give up all their singles to one individual. Ever since then I have bought my own singles on board and then exchanged for larger bill after the pull was over.

This is a good idea. I too have had problems getting enough $1.00s from Casino Cage. I will also have a number of $100.00s on hand also to 'feed' the machine in the beginning rather than taking a bunch of time inserting smaller bills.

Here are the 'rules' I have used in the past.....Got them from another Slot Pull 'organizer' I sailed with years ago.

Slot Pull Rules

1. The entrance fee is $15 per person

2. Official sign up will be at the Casino Bar at noon on ___________________.

3. We will use a dollar machine. We will play the maximumbet on the machine, we want a mechanical machine if possible.

4. Number of spins will be 5 at $3 max bet. Everyone willhit the play max button.

5. All slot money will be put into the machine before thefirst pull.

6. Once the first max button has been hit, no one else canjoin in and the game is closed. The slot pull will end after the last personentered has taken their turn on the slot machine.

7. Participation will be in the order of slot pull sign up.If you are "not" there when it’s your turn, you will be moved to thebottom of the list.

8. I will need a designated person to check names off thelist and they will record the amount of all of the pulls and to assist me withpaying everyone. (let’s hope it huge)

9. If we hit a large Jackpot, we will collect the payout andput all BUT the winnings back in another machine. The remaining folks will thenstart on the new machine. (We do this to improve our chances because once amachine hits big, the chances of it doing it again are very slim.)

10. You have to be with the group at the finish to collectyour share of the winnings. (I don't want to spend my time trying to track downpeople to give them their money.) please meet me back at the same bar we firstmet up with before the slot pull, you will be paid there and pay winner(s) ofthe highest pull

11. The winnings will be distributed equally, except thatthey will be rounded down to the nearest dollar. The person who pull thehighest winning in their pulls gets the left over change. In case of a tie itwill be split equally.

12. The person who is assisting me and myself will need togo to the casino cashier to break down the money, so I have the right bills topay everyone out.

13. no rule here as 13 is unlucky ;-)

14. Remember, this is a fun event to maybe gain a fewdollars and enjoy the company of others in your group. I encourage everyone tocheer on the slot pullers and mingle with others in the group.

15. I will make contact with the Casino Manager the daybefore our slot pull and let them know what we are planning. Hopefully he/shewill have some prize drawings during your event. If they do, make sure everyoneknows the Casino Manager's name for their comment cards at the end of thecruise

Hi all - I saw a couple of people mentioning purchasing flowers at the market to bring to your room - can I really do this?! I imagined that flowers wouldn't be allowed on the ship. Has anyone done this successfully? Do I just carry them on? Thanks so much!

I did this on Carnival. we did back to back cruise and once we cleared customs we got off the Ship and went to Pike Market. they have lots of beautiful bouquets for under $20. Back on board, we got a beer pitcher from one of the bartenders to put them in. They lasted all week.

Panorama on Glory is great. Would jump on that offer. If you do start feeling queasy, eat a green apple (available on Lido at the buffet). This is the crew's remedy for motion sickness and my daughter resorted to this last March when we had some extra rough seas.

Enjoy your new addiction!

Excursion suggestion for Cozumel - check out Chankanaab Marine park (Google search). They have lots to do there including dolphin swims (expensive). If you do one of their programs, you get access to the park for the day. We did the manatee encounter/swim and it was amazing. You learned lots about these gentle animals and got to feed them and swim in the lagoon with them. Reasonable price too. They don't do tricks or anything.... You just feed them and get lettuce to take with you when swimming. They REALLY like lettuce.

When you enter the park they will try to sell you a lunch package. There are several places to grab a bite. Don't need to submit to the hard sell lunch. Also hard sell are the photos they take during your programs... Hard to resist these expensive pictures.

Have also done the Carnival offered ATV adventure with Beach Break. Really enjoyed that excursion too (first time on an ATV for me). We had a blast.

Enjoy whatever you decide on and be prepared for your new addiction.

Something else to keep in mind is time changes. Grand Cayman is in the Eastern Time Zone but does NOT observe Daylight Savings time. Depending on time of year you cruise, time zone you depart from, etc. Grand Cayman may or may not be on the same time as your cruise.

Another item to keep in mind for Grand Cayman, is during certain times of the year, rough waters around the regular tender area may cause the Ship to move to the other side of the island or cancel the port. Make sure your provider offers contingency plans if the Ship anchors on the other side of the island AND offers refunds if the Ship cancels port at the last minute.

I have been to Grand Cayman many times (mostly during March and October) and have never had a problem. Always have sailed during Daylight Savings Time so Port Time has always been 1 hour behind Ship time.

If you are cruising between March and October, and the Ship anchors at 7:00 a.m., it may only be 6:00 a.m. island time (Florida ports are in Eastern Time Zone WITH DST). If you are cruising during DST from a port in Central Time Zone, you will likely be on the same time as Island Time.

As others have mentioned, the locals know the Ships patterns!!

Loved the Vista this past March.

Breakfast tip: the lines on Lido seemed worse on Vista than any other Ship I have experienced. After fighting the crowds on day 1, we found the breakfast offered on the Ocean Plaza deck (behind the specialty coffee bar) offered most everything offered on Lido. The exception seemed to be no omelets. There was never a line and always plenty of seating.

Although, I love my omelets, I loved the line free area this provided. We are not big on going to dining room for breakfast and this option was fantastic.

I hope this proves popular and is added to other ships.

LOL!! I see it too.

Hello CC,

 

We (myself, hubby and another couple) will be taking our 1st Alaska Cruise, July 2018 on Norwegian Bliss. We are not new to cruising, as we have been on several Caribbean cruises. We are excited, yet many decisions to be made.

- What hotels are most cruisers staying at? Is it near the airport? Is it downtown Seattle? Is it the cruise port? Is it Bellevue? I would like to keep the cost, $260 - $200 range (or under $200 for a great hotel with breakfast). We only need a room for one night. Also, besides cost, what is the benefit of staying, near the airport, or downtown Seattle? Is it shopping, Space Needle, Museums?

- What about shuttle service? Are they reliable? Is it more economical to take Uber or Lyft? What about transportation from the hotel to the cruise port. Your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Greetings from a fellow Illinoisan.

There is so much to see and do in Seattle. We did our first Alaskan Cruise in 2013 and spent 4 full days exploring Seattle. I was already a member of IHG (Intercontinental Chain including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, etc.). I took out their credit card and 'got' 50,000 points for my first charge. This along with my existing 30,000 points was enough to get us the Crowne Plaza downtown, Labor Day weekend for free for all 4 nights. You may find similar deals with any rewards club. We took the lightrail from SeaTac to Downtown and had just a couple blocks to walk to the CP. From there, most the sights are walkable or easy to get to via public transportation.

If you've never been, the Space Needle is almost a must. They do have combination tickets with Chihuly Glass Gardens which is adjacent to the SN. Both of these were well worth the cost and Chihuly is nothing short of amazing! (check their schedule as I believe there will be some renovations being done next year sometime).

Also iconic is Pike Place Market. Easy stroll from CP. Many folks bound for Alaska pick up flowers for their cabin here. We did a Booze & Bites food tour at Pike and had a blast. Lots of fun and facts combined with lots of tastes and a guided tour was also well worth the price. Also popular is the Underground Tour. We did not do that as we ran out of time. We also took in the Aquarium <Very Nice>, did a Lake Union/Harbor boat tour, took a 2nd (morning) food tour of Pike <much different than the 1st with different tastes>, strolled along the water front and browsed at a mall just a couple blocks from the hotel. Seattle has a lot to offer.

You have lots of planning time so happy researching. There is a lot of information on-line about Seattle.

_____

Karen

LOVED 5212 in March this year. Had very little traffic past or lanai at any given time. Mostly other Cabana guests. There is a 'gate' at the front of the area that is 'locked' (use one of your key cards) during the day.

The Breakfast offerings in the Ocean Plaza area right behind the coffee shop was great. We ate there each morning rather than fight the crowds on Lido. The only thing I missed was the omelet station. But, given the choice of having an omelet or not having crowds.... I would take no crowds in a heart beat! Places to sit on Lido for breakfast were in high demand.

Enjoy this area. We spent a lot of time just chilling on our lanai or in the aft pool area.

Tips for teens:

1. Rules... Do NOT go in ANYONEs cabin nor invite others to yours.
   
2. Teens SHALL dine with parents each night
   
3. Teens SHALL check out Club 02 first night. (some don't want to but my experience with kids on vacation...they are very welcoming to all personality types... all that seems to matter is they are kids in the same age range.)
   
4. Teens SHALL check in with parents every xx hours. Parents will advise where they will be each day/evening.
   
5. Teens SHALL be respectful to other passengers and crew and ship at all times.
   
6. Cell Phones OFF and in SAFE or Switched to Airplane Mode. Text and Data charges while at sea are ENORMOUS!! You 'may' have free texting from the ports but need to check with your own carrier to determine this.
   
7. Teens SHALL have reasonable curfews. Realize there are nights where Club 02 goes until very late (1:00 a.m. or later). Then, these kids want to go eat pizza . See rule 4.
   
8. Teens SHALL refrain from risky behavior and realize there are several thousand people on the ship. Not all passengers/crew are our friends. Common Sense shall reign.
   
9. Teens SHALL not complain of boredom while on cruise. There are plenty of activities available. Be a joiner not a Debbie downer.
   
10. Teens SHALL thank their parents at least once during the cruise for providing a new experience.
    

Drinks on us in the Casinos on Carnival takes 1500 points. Not sure if points are equivalent to dollars spent or not. I have qualified the last 2 cruises I have been on. I am not a big gambler but both times I hit fairly big the first couple nights on slots. Put some of the win I got back in but still walked off with more than 1,000 of their money. Not a big drinker so likely was the cheapest drinks on us qualifier they ever had.

Open Seating is normally for the 'assigned' time dining. Those with Assigned Time dining will be informed which dining room to go to on the open seating night. They will then be placed at random tables. Possibly with others who arrive near the same time unless a specific size table is available. As I recall, there will be no difference for those with Your Time dining.