DebJ14

We were supposed to be doing a Western Caribbean out of Tampa back in the mid 2000's.  We received the notice that it was going to be an Eastern Caribbean cruise when we arrived at the pier.

  Same for a cruise on the Glory  out of Port Canaveral in 2008.  In that case they handed us a paper saying our Eastern Caribbean cruise would be a Western Caribbean cruise because the islands we were due to visit had been severely damaged by multiple hurricanes in the previous weeks.  I boarded that Glory cruise the same day Hurricane Ike hit our home in Texas.  I had to stay in Florida a few extra days because the power was still out and Houston Hobby Airport had not yet reopened.  It was really eerie flying into Houston at night and there were hardly any lights, except for those at the airport.  No traffic lights, no tolls and no electric for another week after I got home.

We got credit for cruises on the Carnivale, Jubilee, Holiday and Ecstasy between 1987 and 1993 because I saved everything.  They accepted boarding photos, photos with Captains and photos taken at the gangway in the ports along with copies of the Carnival Capers and what passed for a Sail and Sign card for each cruise.  John Heald provided me with the contact information for the person to send them to (pre scanners), so I mailed everything off to Miami.  A few weeks later I received everything back in the mail and our cruise records were updated accordingly.  

We did the Jubilee 7 day Eastern Caribbean in May 1987.  We booked an oceanview room and our TA got us airfare for $99.00 per person round trip Houston to Miami on Trans Star Airlines, which was owned by Southwest. She said it was much cheaper than the air Carnival was offering.  We paid $1862 for both of us cruise only.

 We were seated at dinner with a lovely couple from Saskatchewan and had a wonderful time.  We liked it so much that we booked the Holiday on a W. Caribbean for our next cruise.  

The Jubilee was one of our favorite ships and we had two more cruises on her in the fall of 2002 when she came to Galveston.  It was only $99.00 per person for 5 nights in an oceanview, so we went twice in one month!

If the TA had been up to snuff, they would have seen if you had any special offers BEFORE booking the cruise.  We are not big gamblers and were surprised to find out from our TA that we had a casino offer attached to our past guest number.  She took the casino rate code and compared it to all the other rates and the casino offer was definitely the way to go with both a reduced deposit and much cheaper price.  We had no idea that we even had a casino offer.

On 8/9/2019 at 1:34 PM, trvlgirlmq said:

We did the same as you last year.  Just needed a cheap getaway and booked a GTY Inside.  Cabin location was fine but we hated being in an Inside (had previously only done OV/Balcony).  My mom and I both felt like we were sardines and it was claustrophobic.

 

This year's quick trip is back to a balcony!  Money well-spent in my opinion.

I would pass on the cruise if I could not have a balcony.   I look at the ship as my transportation to the ports and I hate the noise on the Lido deck, so the balcony is my salvation. 

Can't comment on the cheers package as we maybe buy 2 or 3 drinks each on a 5 day cruise total, if that.  Just don't need booze to have a good time.

We were just on the Valor in May for her last cruise out of Galveston.  We love the Valor and miss having a Conquest Class ship in Galveston for the shorter cruises.  

Glad you are OK.  My son and his family (all Celiac) traveled with friends last month on the Vista.  One of the friend's family members has a severe nut allergy.  That had issues almost the entire cruise with the wrong menu being brought to choose the following night's meals.  As a result, many nights dinner took 2 hours and many items were off limits as there was not enough time to prepare the food gluten free or nut free.

One evening the waiter mixed up my son's entree with the entree for person who has the nut allergy.  Thankfully, both meals were nut free so no issue for the nut free person.  However, my son's meal contained gluten.  He could not even finish his dinner before it was obvious that he had been glutened.  He said he had a really miserable night.  

They complained to the Maitre D about being given the wrong menus to pre order from and their waiter was switched to a more experienced waiter.    But, that is when the mix up between the meals occurred.  My son said it was a crap shoot as to what they would get to eat and they took bets on whether or not they had been given the correct menu the night before.  Not good!  They need to go back to having the hostess take the orders as they did in the past or do like Princess and have an asst Maitre'D do the food allergy orders.  

I was really disturbed to hear about this since I also have Celiac disease.  We have only had 2 instances in the past 12 years where a cruise line messed up my order.  Once was on the RCCL Navigator of the Seas and once on the Carnival Freedom when the waiter gave me someone else's regular meal.  In  both cases I was down and out for most of the cruise. 

We received the VIPF Lanyards on the Valor in May, 2019 and the Vista in July 1019.  Hoping for something different in Oct.

9 hours ago, Retired_to_Cruise said:

I do not think you can order escargot on a night where it is not offered on the menu. However, you can order one of every single appetizer that is offered on a given night. The only thing you can order when it is not on the menu, that I know of, is the banana split for desert.

The banana split is on the kid's menu.

On 8/4/2019 at 12:52 PM, Banditswife said:

I am a Dr Pepper-aholic.  When sailing out of Galveston a few yrs ago, Dr Pepper was available to purchase , while other embarkation ports usually only have, IMO, the inferior Mr Pibb.  So I am wondering if this is still the case.   And why, does it have anything to do with TX Laws? Or is it because it is readily available in TX because it was 1st created in TX?  Just asking so that I will know if I need to carry on a 6pk.  I'd rather just buy it from the bar.

Our Grandson had it every night in the dining room on his cruise on the Vista July 27.

On 7/31/2019 at 3:18 PM, Doggielover68 said:

Millions? I doubt that. 

 

Just thinking about the time an employee at the car dealership accidentally checked the wrong box on a dmv form, saying that my husband was not a US citizen, which went to the DMV and then to the county who then revoked his voter's registration. He needed his passport to prove his citizenship to get it all straightened out, which took months all because of one idiot. Shi(p) happens!

 

Just saying, if you are leaving the country, I think the adults at least should have a passport. I understand not getting it for the kids. 

 

We didn't have much money for our first cruise either, so we got our passports in lieu of buying excursions or drinks. Still had an amazing time though. 

Princess has stricter document rules for single parents traveling with children.  

PASSPORT REQUIREMENT WHEN MINORS TRAVEL WITH ONE ADULT ON VOYAGES GOVERNED BY THE U.S. WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE (includes travel within BERMUDA, CANADA, CARIBBEAN, HAWAII, MEXICO, UNITED STATES) When minors are traveling with only one adult 21 years of age or older, Princess requires that all guests must be in possession of a valid passport. We have implemented this requirement because we want to ensure that your party remains together should an emergency arise that requires one or more in your party to be disembarked in a non-U.S. port. We cannot guarantee that all members of your party will be allowed to disembark with just a WHTI-compliant document or birth certificate. Failure to present a valid passport for all guests traveling together will result in denial of boarding without refund of the cruise or cruisetour fare.

1 hour ago, smplybcause said:

 

Except they would take Allure out of commission for double that time since there's no dry dock near Florida that can handle her after the Oasis accident. I believe the announcements of the itinerary changes through Oct were just before the accident. I'd say until that accident they were likely hoping to bring Allure to that dry dock too. With that option out, they can only dry dock Allure in Europe. Considering Allure has a scheduled dry dock in March (I think) for two months that would mean the ship would have been out of commission for 4+ months out of 8 IF they could find the dry dock space. It just makes no sense to cancel cruises, sail to Europe for repairs, and then sail back to Florida only to sail back to Europe 2 months later. 

You missed my point.  Because of the accident in Freeport with the Oasis there was not a dry dock big enough to handle the Vista, except in Europe.  So, Carnival bit the bullet, canceled the cruises and  spent the money to hire the Boka Vanguard, and sail it over from Holland.  It is the world's largest floating dry dock.  

We spoke to the Captain and he said that until they came up with this solution, they were planning to sail to Europe to make the repair.  The drydock at Newport News is tied up with Navy contracts and it is really the only one, aside from Freeport that could have handled the ship.

 Since the repair actually only took 6 days I seriously doubt that the RCCL ship would be out of commission as long as you think if they did bit the bullet and sail it to Europe next week. 

This is no ordinary ship though: Boka Vanguard is a submersible ship tasked with the challenge of raising the 133,500-ton cruise ship out of the water so that the necessary repairs can be done.

This dry dock is a first-ever operation for the cruise industry and was a creative workaround necessitated by the limited dry dock space at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.

The large dry dock that Vista would’ve used in Freeport was damaged by a crane falling upon Oasis of the Seas earlier this spring.

Carnival went out of their way to find a creative, but expensive, solution to a huge problem caused by the crane falling on the Oasis.  Otherwise, they still be limping along missing ports and changing itineraries like the RCCL ship. 

On 7/26/2019 at 1:06 PM, DancerMama25 said:

I think just chill. It’s all good.  I know you’re angry about the change and are blaming Royal for not just “fixing the ship,” but that is a lot easier said than done.  They MUST have the ship in dry dock for this particular fix.  There are only so many dry dock spaces worldwide in which this repair can be made, and therefore there is literally no place for them to do this repair ahead of when it’s already scheduled.  The only other option, which most certainly wouldn’t help you nor thousands and thousands of other passengers, would be to take the ship out of service until it has been repaired.   Just let it go, have a great time.

Which is exactly what Carnival did with the Vista this month. 

They completely canceled 3 cruises and took the ship to Freeport.  Because of the propulsion issues the June 29 cruise was delayed until July 1, at which time it became an 8 night cruise with only 2 ports.  Guests were given the option to sail and get a big discount on a future cruise or cancel in full for a refund. Because so many people canceled and the sailing date was within a week, they put the canceled cabins up for sale at fire sale prices.  We picked up a balcony super cheap hours before they closed the sailing.  It turned out to be a wonderful cruise. It was the smoothest ride we have ever had with the ship slowly moving at between 9 and 12.8 knots.   They dropped us off in Galveston and headed  straight to Freeport for the repairs.

  Because none of the dry dock facilities in this hemisphere could accommodate the Vista, they sent a floating dry dock over from the Netherlands to meet the Vista.  They also needed the lead time to have the parts shipped over.  They replaced all the bearings on the Azipods, which should not have worn out in 3 years.  I am sure there will be a settlement from the manufacturers as there was with Celebrity and Cunard over the same issue.

The Vista was driven onto the floating dry dock and then the larger ship, with the Vista on its back, docked at the shipyard in Freeport where the work was completed in record time.  They anticipated 3 days of sailing to the Bahamas and 10 days to fix it an a day or so back to Galveston.  It was finished early, so they put a last minute 4 day cruise up for sale.

Carnival bit the bullet and between the refunds, future cruise credits and repair expense it is estimated to  have cost them $50 million.  The stock price took a major hit, but they did the right thing and bit the bullet and fixed the ship.  RCCL seems willing to to limp along for many, many, many months with a ship in need of repair.  They could learn a lot from how Carnival handled this.

4 hours ago, Cru1s1ng2009 said:

Side note: I thought only Carnival gave out playing cards at GS.

I have a stack of RCCL playing cards from the Rhapsody, Splendour, Voyager and Mariner that go back at least 10 years.  They were in our cabins when we boarded those ships.  I also have really cheap radio with earphones, several fanny packs etc from when they used to give gifts.  Now as Diamond we get a can of Sprite and a cookie we can't eat.    It is not like we got the playing cards or gifts for sailing a lot.  We only made Diamond last year and that was only because we got double points for booking suites on our last 4 cruises.

I inherited a stack of unopened playing cards from my parents who died in 2010/2012 and were Diamond Plus when they passed away.  They never played cards, so there is no way they would have gone to GS to ask for them, so they must have been in the cabins too.  We don't play cards either, so I know we didn't go looking for them.

6 hours ago, Bookworm1985 said:

My mother-in-law misplaced her passport before her last cruise. She had her birth certificate, but for those asking, she WAS asked twice for her marriage certificate as well (I was there so not second hand info...the security guard before the scanners asked for it, then again at the check in desk) It is always better to bring it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

On a family reunion Carnival cruise  both of my sisters in law  used their birth certificates and  driver's licenses.  I booked the cruise for the group and my TA advised that they needed a bridge document to explain why the last name on the birth certificate was not the same as on the license.  They both brought their marriage licenses.  They were not asked for the documents at check in and told me how stupid  the TA and I were for telling them to bring the marriage licenses.  However, the CBP officer wanted to see them in the terminal after the cruise.  We had been to Belize and Roatan so they were doing a full inspection.  This was at the Port of Miami.  So definitely bring a bridge document.  Better safe than sorry!  And, now they listen to me  more!

When you complete online check in so that you can print the boarding  pass it asks if you will be using a Passport (and says it is recommended) or a BC/DL.  How did she check in and manage to miss that part?

I think the TA should have told her what documentation is required, and perhaps she misunderstood the discussion about the passport as being required, vs highly recommended, but it is ultimately up to the passenger to obtain the correct documents.  Our TA always reminds us to check our passports to see if they have 6 months of validity from our return date, and if a Visa is required discusses the various ways we can obtain one, either online or using the Visa service recommended by the cruise line or tour operator.

My TA makes anyone not traveling on a passport  sign a waiver that they understand that if they miss the ship they will have to obtain a passport and pay the expenses out of pocket during the time it takes to get one issued before they can fly home. And, it also states that they are responsible for having the correct documentation (which is spelled out for that particular trip) and can be denied boarding with no refund for failure to present it at check in.

 She had a cruiser miss the ship in Cozumel in the past who tried to sue her.  Thankfully, she had the signed waiver and acknowledgement that it was the passenger's responsibility, but she still had to pay legal fees to get her attorney to write a letter disputing the claim, along with a copy of the waiver he signed.  She also makes anyone traveling without travel insurance sign a waiver.  Such a shame she has to play CYA,

On 7/27/2019 at 12:23 PM, Shaded Lady said:

I've never gotten the MDR upgrades, but on my cruise last month, a table near us ordered the lobster- I was shocked at how small it was, more in line with the one you'd get 2 or 3 of on elegant night, rather than one you'd pay $20 for! The lobster in the steakhouse, as I'm sure you know, is a pretty good size. The one in the MDR was noticeably smaller.

They are not always large, nor good in the steakhouse.  On a cruise on the Vista they told us they could only get Caribbean lobster and they were puny little, rubbery things, so we changed our order from the lobster tail to the 9 oz filet.

We have eaten in the steakhouse on nearly every cruise in the past 12 years.  On our cruise on the Valor in May 2019 we were gifted a bottle of wine and a steakhouse selection in the dining room by a senior staff member.  We had already been to the Valor steakhouse twice on that cruise.  The Surf and Turf we ordered in the MDR was every bit as good, and perfectly cooked, as our steakhouse meals.  In fact, since it had a completely different cover, and was on a different kind of plate, we suspected that it had been cooked in the steakhouse and sent down to us in the dining room.

However, I still prefer the steakhouse just for that wonderful shrimp cocktail!

On 5/1/2019 at 4:46 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

The safety briefing for Valor is conducted outside unfortunately. 

It is outside on Deck 4 by the lifeboats on all ships in that class.  It can be miserable as sometimes, when people do not follow directions, it drags on and on!

19 hours ago, Thad409 said:

Ok , Thanks I booked a casino rate. With reduced deposit, with free in Casino drinks and 200 casino credit. The only reason is my I'm thinking about changing is that DW is skeptical and worried about Belize and Mahoganyc Bay

Many of the casino rates have a non-refundable clause.  All you can do is ask if you can switch.  The worst they can say is no.

  Personally, we prefer the Belize, Roatan run since we dislike Jamaica so much and don't get off the ship.  We have missed Grand Cayman more times than not due to it being too dangerous to tender in the high winds.

We have never been on a cruise that passed up Belize.

On 7/22/2019 at 12:57 AM, cruisologist said:

The whole interior decor of Vista.  The main dining room looks like it was designed by Russian cold war decorators.  I've been on 74 cruises and Vista is the ugliest ship I have ever seen.  The dining room looks and feels like hospital dining area.  Gray....ugly gray.  Sterile and completely uninspiring.  Vista is not an old ship but the inside looks tired and worn out.  The comedy club chairs on the floor wobbled side to side and front to back.  The chairs have one center leg and are not meant to move and are not meant for people of size.   I couldn't believe the stains on the chairs and couches.  I am top tier with carnival and it saddens me that they made this ship look so cheap.  I can't wait for Vista to be moved to another port.

 

I want another Conquest class ship back in Galveston!   So sad to see the Valor leave!  I've been on 44 CCL cruises and I agree it is the ugliest and worst laid out ship in the fleet. The Magic decor was kind of soothing in the blue, green and tan while the Breeze looked like a stick of cheap butter to me.  At least grassfed is a vibrant yellow.  

 When the computer malfunctions those towers in the atrium are really an eyesore.  The Liquid Lounge is a joke.  The room has terrible sight lines with all those poles and not all the seats are pitched, so you usually can't see over (or around in many cases) the people in front of you whether down on the dance floor or up in the balcony.  I wish they would have sent the Vista to New Orleans instead of the Valor.

22 hours ago, bjfitz0703 said:

Was on the Sunrise a few weeks back and on the first sea day, my 16 year old son had cut his finger, so we went to the infirmary to get a band-aid.  Mistake!

 

My Lord one of the scariest places we have been.  There was a young lady here with her parents who looked green.  So sick.  My son was like Dad did you see that girl?  Also there was a boy in the back screaming at the top of his lungs.  Screaming "what are you doing to me"?  Like they were sawing his foot off.

 

The "nurse" at the desk was something out of a movie.

 

Felt like a horror movie.

 

Had nightmares for days.  We couldn't stop talking about it all week.

 

Don't go there!

It sounds like every emergency room we have ever visited on land!

We tried to get reservations for our day there on July 6, but it was completely sold out.  There were 5 ships in port that day.  I just made them for our October cruise so we are not shut out again.

Thanks for doing this review.  It is making me more excited about our April 2020 cruise on the Enchantment!  We were on the Carnival Vista for the Propulsion challenged cruise and went to Maya Chan on Jul 5.  After a few minutes on the beach I went in search of their new pool.  The new, cushioned loungers and no seaweed smell had me staking out our chairs for the day.  We loved the food and service and had a wonderful day there.  Sadly, hubby does not want to return when we are there on our RCCL cruise.  He did not like being so far from the port and hated the bumpy ride both ways.  So, now I have to find something else to do.😥

My husband and I are both Gluten Free, so I appreciated seeing what they had to offer.  We will have a very different cruise than you had because we might or might not have 1 drink a day.

2 minutes ago, James4me said:

They do that because at night it’s packed with people dancing.

I wouldn't say we ever saw it packed.  Our cabin was straight up from there so we used that aft elevator bank every night to go back to our cabin.  I saw people dancing in sweatshirts!

9 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

I noticed that too on the Vista last month!! We were walking through the bar area inside and I couldn't get out of there fast enough! I commented to my husband that I wouldn't enjoy sitting there having a drink!

We ordered drinks, but quickly took them out to the Ocean Plaza where it was much warmer.  Such as shame as the seating in the Havana Bar area is so comfortable.