familycruzinnewbie

Any news or updates on this I haven't seen anything in a while. Wondering what is being added

I thought you could only buy one bottle at 50% off not multiple bottles. How much is the steakhouse and how do you book

We will be there August 30 with our 14 and 16 year old and it will be out first time there. I was thinking of the tour with Bernard's that includes the 1.5hr stop at Orient Beach. Just wondering if this is a good option or would be be oppressively hot. Basically we want to see a few sites and check out the lanes at Maho,

We are trying to plan our day with two teens at the end of August. Hard when trying to find something for 4 people that is fun but doesn't break the bank.

I did poke around at Vista as more dates have been added but it is so hard to find an itinerary we want to do on dates we can go. I can't take the kids our of school any more and their Easter break doesn't line up with the end of Winter semester for my husband ofter, which basically leaves the end of August. I should point out we did the Curacao, Aruba cruise on the Breeze so were looking for something different.

There must have been an error as they were putting $1000 pp for an inside room in what was below $450. I have an Early Saver booked which I need to move a week later (screwed up my schedule when the Breeze was cancelled). Rate has gone up a little since I first started looking into changing it. Noticed that last night and then this morning had a little freak out but now rates are the same as yesterday with the $100. I know I will lose $50 pp for the change, but I will keep the $50pp from the Breeze mess and then this $100 so at least gratuities will be covered. Now if only the Canadian $ would be kind.

Early Saver disappeared and was replaced with this option which is double the regular price. WTH?

We are looking at cruising from Port Canaveral Aug 27-Sept 4. Our past cruises were from Miami and we flew in a few days early flew out the afternoon of debarkation. We are considering doing a few days at Universal (never been) pre-cruise depending on the added expense/schedule etc. Kids start back to school on the 7th. Trying to figure out cost/logistics of what we need to do. How do one way car rentals compare to shuttles. Would you stay in Orlando or Port Canaveral the night before the cruise? How about post cruise, what the earlier you would book a flight (to Canada) from MCO or would you stay another night.

TA says I will have to pay the $50 pp and lose my $200 OBC. That is a complete crap. I still don't get to sail on the ship that I booked.

Thanks. I will check into it. I'm guessing for the same $50 per person I could switch to completely different dates or different itinerary too. I keep looking at Alaska for something very different.

I booked a cruise on the Breeze 2 years out for this August. Of course they are repositioning the boat early. I had to make a decision about moving it and decided to go with the Valor a week earlier as it did my itinerary and I thought it would be better than the Splendor. We were heading on another vacation and I was a little stressed and rushed. I screwed up my dates though as it leaves on a Friday and my daughter could be at cadet camp in another province until that day. Applications and info aren't out and we only get travel plans a few days ahead. The Valor is running the same itinerary the next week (I missed that or it wasn't posted when I changed) So I guess firstly - what kind of fee would they assess and is there a way around it. Will we still be early saver and keep the $200 OBC from the first mess. It is slightly cheaper as we are currently on a more popular week. We are booked in a 4 person porthole - which is available a week later. Not sure if upgrading would help avoid penalty. If so is there a 4 person room you would suggest/avoid.

Also any info on Valor drydock that would affect our decision? Thanks

Regarding exchange there are buy rates and sell rates.

The sell rate is the rate that the bank sells you the USD for.

The buy rate is the rate they buy the USD for and give you back Canadian.

The spread is the difference between the two rates.

So if you want USD they are $1.34 each so you pay $1340 for $1000USD

But the bank only pays $1.27 to get them back. You cancel your trip and bring back the $1000USD and they give you $1270. You just lost $70.

I went through this mess when moved from Breeze to Splendor. I had a 4J on Breeze and our room on the Splendor was terrible and they opened the Magic up to the general public before those of us with issues could get situated. We also used a TA and it was crazy. Apparently they don't have a dedicated person to call so she was getting bad information. We ended up going with the same itinerary on the Valor a week earlier, moved to a porthole, rather than 4J and it is still going to cost us a little more (though that will be made up by the OBC).

I will be booking direct online or using PVP in future.

After all the mess with the Breeze we are now booked for the Valor for the same itinerary in August 2016. We have 4 in a room and were in a 4J, but now in a porthole and it is still more than we were paying for the Breeze. How do you find it best to check for Early Saver price adjustments? Currently the other porthole is still available, but when it is gone are we able to pricematch to the 4A? Thanks

We have been on two cruises both from Miami. We booked another one on the Carnival Breeze also for Miami but they are repositioning the ship early so I switched to the Valor out of Port Canaveral and am wondering what I am in for.

We have to fly either way, so now it would be into Orlando. It's not until next August. We will have two teens 14 and 16. We have been to Disney so may consider giving Universal a try and possibly the Kennedy Space Centre though it is much more expensive than I thought. I don't think we would rent a car.

Has our OBC been applied and is it possible to see it?

The OBC is from Carnival not the TA. But there is nothing in the My Billing. I can see our cruise invoice in the documents but it is not listed there.

Is there a way to see your OBC. We are receiving $50 pp due to the Breeze move, but I can't see it in our booking. We booked though our TA and she said it would be in the room when we board. But that sounds wrong.

I have moved my reservation to the Valor same itinerary, a week early and about $70 more total for the 4 of us. Though a porthole room rather that a 4J. I think if I ever book again I will do it direct, it is such a mess. The TA doesn't have a dedicated person to talk to so was getting all kinds of different stories and then a rate $200 higher than the one on the screen. I sent her a screen shot, she called back and was then given a rate $300 less than the one on the screen. She goes to book and then the Carnival person realizes she didn't change the year.

The Magic is also supposed to be getting them. We were considering doing the Magic but we want our original itinerary. The Valor will give us that and then we have to decide what to do before or after in Port Canaveral. I don't think we need Disney, maybe Universal as we have never been.

Valor is actually more than our Breeze rate. I'm sure some of that is that it is a week earlier (we booked Aug 27 after US kids go back to school so a better rate but Valor is the 19th). I guess I need to decide price difference and Miami Vs Port Canaveral.

We heard noise and got motion with the 4J at the front of the boat too. I don't think there are are tender ports for us. Hopefully waves are soothing :)

I was ready to just cancel yesterday but I will give it another go to get it figured out today. I think we will stick with our original itinerary and I am going to compare the price for the Valor Vs Splendor. Hopefully with both having drydock they should get at least some of the 2.0 upgrades.

Hi - I have been looking into porthole rooms and am wondering about the noise. Is there any difference between one side of the ship or the other - are the even number ones any louder/quieter than the odd ones. It wouldn't be at the very front, just the ones next to the ocean view. We have been at the front on the last two cruise and on deck 11 or 12. One we were at the very front facing forward. Thanks

So no option like this on Pearl or Jewel I take it. They are very obscure. Sun explains the set up where the other two just say "with enough bedding to sleep 4" so not really enough beds.