TvTech6

My first cruise, June of 2010 ... a buddy and I attended the Friends of Dorothy meeting on Carnival Glory. We met about a dozen nice people we ended up hanging out with a lot during that cruise. 4 of the people, I continue to keep in touch with to this day. 1 of those 4, continues to cruise with my friends and I each year. (our next one is in just a few weeks), another one has gone a few times with us, but have not seen him in a few years. One person turned out to work for Carnival, and is now our cruise planner. He joins us for dinner whenever we cruise out of Miami. We go to the gathering on EVERY cruise ... with mixed results. Sometimes you meet some great people, sometimes not ... but always worth the attempt. Hopefully, we will meet a few more interesting people on Carnival Splendor, leaving Oct. 6th, 2018.

My friend and I are booked on a cruise for next 2014 and have been for pretty much a year. I have paid off my half of the cruise cost and she hasn't been able to put anything towards her side (I totally understand that and she has another 10 months to pay).

 

The main issue is, that we booked Early Saver and we already got a minor price drop earlier (before I paid off my half) and I just got another price drop today. And it hit me, from now until she pays off her half, any price drop will go towards OBC or really what is left of the payment. Her half. The last price drop is supposed to be $25pp, so she will get $50 off her total cost.

 

I'm not trying to be petty her and I be willing to say, "Merry Christmas" to her for $25, but I worry about future price drops. It would be really nice to start with a + on my account, especially since I recently bought a house and things are just a bit tighter. And I have already fronted the money for the FTTF. I haven't even brought this up to her yet, so its not that I don't think she will not be understanding, but I just thought I might seek advice and the knowledge of ppl here on CC to see if anyone has dealt with this before and how they handled it.

I have had this situation before. I keep track of the cost per person of the cruise, and that is what I collect from the person going with me. When we get on board, as we check in, you tell the person what the split of the on board credit is. If you are the primary on the room, it will be all on your card when you arrive. If any of it goes to your travel companion, you tell them when you check in, and they will adjust it.

This is just a general observation with a few follow up questions -

 

I've now been on 4 Carnival cruises and on every cruise there's been a GLBT or Friends of Dorothy Meeting listed on the FunTimes (Carnival's daily events brochure if you've never been on Carnival). There's always been one listed for every day of the cruise, but my husband and I only go to the one on the first night... and we're the only ones that go!

 

We've also never seen any signage or Carnival staff to organize the meeting at the specified spot... But we do always notice more than one gay couple on the ship, so we know they're on board.

 

Do people just not go on the first night? Is it a Carnival thing? Do people just not go to these meet and greets in general?:confused:

A buddy and I took our FIRST ever cruise in 2010, and met a group at the FOD meetings the first night ... we seemed to gain a few each night ... and had an amazing time. We have since cruised with people we met that first year. We always go, and at least have a few drinks to see if anyone else shows. The second year, we only met one new person ... the third year ... I think we met 5 or 6 new friends ... Last year, only 1 again .... We head to CARNIVAL LIBERTY on Nov 16th ... 7 of us going this time ... I expect we will meet a few new friends on this cruise. Since there are 7 of us it will make the gathering look busy the moment we arrive ... so hopefully others will join us.

only a few days left ... over 400 views ... one response. To the couple from ROCHESTER ... I am sure you will have a great time on this cruise ... they are such a blast. Hope the storm does not make us switch ports. I don't want to miss my Dolphin Swim.

Patrick

My wife and I will be aboard the Carnival Freedom on October 28 2012 travelling to the Western Caribbean! It's our first cruise and we are cautiously excited...not sure what to expect.

This will be my third cruise. All on Carnival. Looking forward to another wonderful experience. Going to try the Swimming with the Dolphins excursion in the Cayman Islands this trip. A couple of friends we made on our first cruise booked with us on our second cruise. This year, one of them has already booked to join us, and we are trying to coax the others we have met.

Hi there .... I don't see a roll call started for this cruise yet ... so let's begin. A few of us that all met on CARNIVAL GLORY in 2010, cruised again together on CARNIVAL DREAM in September of 2011, and now ... We are going again. The more the merrier. Hope to see you there.

 

Patrick

Odd, that there has not been ONE other person responding. Lots of views ... Hope to meet some new friends on this cruise, like I have on previous cruises.

Hi there .... I don't see a roll call started for this cruise yet ... so let's begin. A few of us that all met on CARNIVAL GLORY in 2010, cruised again together on CARNIVAL DREAM in September of 2011, and now ... We are going again. The more the merrier. Hope to see you there.

Patrick

Anyone going on the Dream on this Date: Sept 17, 2011

 

Pleap:)

My buddy and I just got OFF of Carnival Dream the day you were boarding. We were traveling with people we met on a cruise in June 2010 at the FOD meetings on Carnival Glory. We actually met about 12 wonderful people on that cruise, and about 8 of us have stayed in touch via FACEBOOK. 4 of us were able to book together this year. We had another great time, and met a few more people at this year's FOD gatherings. We are already planning our 2012 cruise on the CARNIVAL FREEDOM. The new people we met are going to try and join us next year also. There were others that showed up for the FOD meetings, chatted a few minutes then would move on. While I like that they schedule these, they do not do anything to gather the people together. It is just random people walking into a public space, and you are on your own to find each other. (i realize that is not always that tough). BUT, that being said ... we have made it work, and met some nice people. Hope your vacation on the DREAM was as fantastic as ours was.

Patrick