Miller_KC

The spa pass is not critical to enjoying the spa. All that I saw that it really got us was access to the special sauna rooms (who needs a sauna in the tropics?) and maybe the thalassotherapy pool if your ship has one. The daily spa specials were cheaper than the discounts offered to guests with spa passes and less restrictive.

I did like the quiet environment in the area around the spa cabins and did go in for some of the spa treatments because of the proximity and to spend time with m DW.

I would do it again, I just wouldn't get too worked up over the spa pass.

Because they get short changed on ports. Western ports are nice, but extend a little further into the east beyond the Bahamas now and then.

Being from KC too I can safely say you should really enjoy the November weather in Florida. Given the usual temperatures here in November, Florida will feel like a nice summer day. We go there often. At Christmas there were still people roller skating on the Hollywood Florida boardwalk in their swim suits. The water can be a bit cool, but still pleasant enough.

November is a great time to hit the big theme parks. No lines at all, especially on week days. Plus the it's not so hot that you have to get out of the sun every now and then.

As long as it's not one of those huge victorian luggage trunks made of solid wood :D

I made that joke with a Carnival rep and she said that Steamer Trunks are still specifically allowed in the Carnival checked luggage documentation but pointed out that it would take up a lot of room in the cabin.

That's good to know. I'll be in Ocho Rios next Thursday. I didn't have any problems there the last 2 times but it felt like a place I needed to be a little more cautious than usual once out of the port area. We were offered weed every time we've been there but I didn't get close enough to find out if it was fake or not.

Overall most people seemed nice. Montego Bay didn't have much in the port area and isn't close to anything so not much to do if you don't have an excursion planned.

So I guess Ocho Rios and Falmouth are ok?

We found boarding in Long Beach just a little on the cool side, jacket weather, and the rest of the cruise was just right. We're from the Midwest so left highs in the 40s, boarded in the high 60s, then mainly saw around 80 after that.

No noise problem with the crew staircase. We've had the L shaped balcony cabins on the Conquest and other ships.

I see a lot of staggered boarding, mostly in Cozumel courtesy of Carlos and Charlie's :D.

A PVP is not like a TA. When I book through my PVP I can still manage all of the price drops, payments, changes, and such on line without involving him. He is there if I need to link in other reservations or deal with dining assignments and other issues where it helps to have an insider. I have often booked on line or on board then just let my PVP know my booking number. He gets linked to the booking and then can help if needed. They don't get commission, but they do get "credit" for the bookings they make, are linked to, or help with. They do have quotas to meet.

Thank you! That was exactly what I was looking for! Are there signs or anything with them numbers of the different decks?

 

Can you get to deck 11 from the main deck?

There are deck numbers in all of the Elevators and Stairways telling you where you are at. There are also maps of the current deck, and a side view map in each elevator / stairway landing showing what is on each deck.

Only the forward elevators go to deck 11 and then only the glass elevators and the 2 port side elevators. You can get there from the Lido deck by going all the way forward outside along the rails and there are stairs that go up to deck 11. Or as said by KelKel2 go to deck 11 and go forward through the cabin area.

I'll be in a spa cabin in a couple of weeks for the first time. Perhaps, since the spa cabins are supposed to be restful, they try to keep the hallway activity and the disruptions to passengers at a minimum. All part of the zen experience. ;)

We stayed on the Spa deck of the Dream earlier this year and that is the exact observation I would make. The entire area was a little darker, warmer, and much quieter than the rest of the ship to create a relaxed atmosphere. I didn't see any service people or carts in the hall all week, but our room was properly serviced every day. I don't think it would have been as comfortable walking to your spa treatment in your robe an slippers if you had to run the gauntlet of room stewards in the hall.

Carnival has set high expectations with the quality of service we get and like the OP, I would not have been happy with the service he got. Paying more doesn't mean better service either. On Princess the service was prompt and professional but not friendly and personal like on Carnival. We preferred the Carnival experience.

Typically all of the food services on the Lido deck 9 (most people collectively call all of them the buffet) are open along with the Rotisserie on deck 10 aft. The main dining rooms are not usually open for lunch on embarkation day on Carnival ships.

The Grill, deli, Pizza Pirate, Mongolian Wok, both Grand Buffets, should all be open. Sometimes the Tandoor Indian food stand is not open the first day.

When you call the 800 number, just ask to be assigned to a PVP. The "operator" may be a PVP and could help you right away, or could forward you to a PVP. You can change PVPs until you get one that meets your needs. Our assigned PVP didn't work the evening hours when we prefer to do our planning so Carnival found one for us that worked the hours we wanted and we've been with him about 4 years now.

We did the Bahamas in May. The water temps were perfect for us, warm but not like bath water. Every day was sunny and warm in the mid 80s to mid 90s. It seemed unusual to us not to see some rain on a cruise, but we have never had a day where we couldn't do what we wanted because of rain.

All of the action will be around the main pool on the Lido deck 10. If you want something quieter go forward and up the stairs to deck 11 above the bridge. You can also go through the cabin area on deck 11 and through doors to the area above the bride.

Another spot would be Serenity Adults Only area aft on deck 9.

The Sun deck on 14 would be another good spot.

Not many hidden areas like on larger ships but still easy to find an open spot at the rail in one of those places.

Thank you for the update. I am happy you were able to get it worked out and still go on your cruise!

We usually schedule pickup somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00 and are always pretty close to right on. In most ports if you see long lines for customs, grab a porter and give him all your bags. They will often get you into a short line for people with porters only designed so they can get you out and get on to their next customer. Give them a nice tip and you're all set. We usually give $2 per bag. More if they are really helpful with loading your bags too.

Let her do all the Jewelry shopping she wants, and (the hard part) act interested.

The tour operators are experienced with when the ships arrive, and how long it will take to collect the people that booked with them. Often they even have multiple buses and will send them off as they fill up, but they will continue looking until they get all of the people who have booked with them. Most likely the will start collecting people at the time you were given and it may take 30 minutes or more before they get everyone and leave.

Most frequently the listed arrival time is when they expect to begin letting people ashore but it is seldom exact.

When that is done, you take your card to the casino cage and they will cash out your card.

 

Carnival is catching on to this method and some of the OBC is now marked that it can't be used in the casino or to pay tips, so this method could add a charge to your S&S that is not payable with the OBC. Make sure to read the small print in all of your OBC offers. If the OBC is related to Early Saver price drops it is usually fully refundable and has no restrictions.

Interesting, on our last cruise on Carnival Splendor, we saw "Elvis" at Karaoke, I wonder if it was the same person :)

 

It could be. He was about 70 and said his job on the other ship wasn't much different from what he did for fun.

For my Nieces I gave them small white umbrellas (about $5 each) that were made to pass out at outdoor weddings. No rain but they used them for shade while waiting for tenders back from HMC. I also gave them enough Glo-stick bracelets to party on deck every night.

I met a man that was on his 13th consecutive cruise on the Glory. He works on one of the other ships and takes his 3 month vacation between contracts on other ships. He looks and sings like Elvis and popped up at the Karaoke lounge a lot. That is really enjoying your work.

We first spotted him leaving the ship with the B2B group and knew it was getting close to time for boarding to start when he and the rest of the group re-boarded. He room was just down the hall from us and I learned all this when he came out of his room as I walked by and we talked while waiting for the elevators.

Everyone gets to have breakfast in the MDR on debarkation day if they want.

I assume you mean between the 2 cruises. The process is a little different between different ports. If you have the same cabin for both legs then you can leave everything in your room and your steward will just clean as normal. If you are changing rooms pack everything up and usually your steward will move your luggage for you.

Most in general will give you a time and place to meet while everyone else is leaving. Once everyone else is checked out you will get a new sail and sign card and turn in your customs form. Usually everyone doing the B2B will be escorted off the ship, spend a few minutes going through customs, the are escorted back on the ship before new passengers start loading. In a few ports you may not even need to leave the ship for this.

You can then leave the ship and visit the port city if you want. You will have your S&S card and can re-enter anytime after the general boarding starts.

Some have posted there was a fruit basket or other gift in their room at the start of the 2nd cruise with a welcome back letter. I don't know of any other recognition that may be given.