nwcruiselover

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Perfect person to have a NEXUS card.

 

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus

And the Nexus card comes with TSA pre-check, which is a great perk!

3 hours ago, aborgman said:

 

EDLs ONLY apply to Canada.

 

EDL’s also apply to Mexico and some Caribbean nations covered by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

If it’s truly an enhanced driver’s license (not REAL ID) it will suffice for entering Canada by sea.  Only 5 states currently issue EDL’s, Washington, Michigan, New York, Minnesota and Vermont.

I’m looking forward to being with you on this 33 day voyage from Sydney to Seattle, and am eagerly awaiting your live review.  People see and experience different things on the same cruise, and I am interested in your point of view.  Nancy

Thank you for coming back and letting us know.  Congratulations and best wishes in the new job!

When you get to your cabin to pick up your sail and sign card, it may be Platinum.  That happened to me on my first Diamond cruise.  I was looking forward to my white Diamond card, which Guest Services was happy to provide me with.

35 minutes ago, stevo88 said:

they don't give you a punch card automatically at java blue. wonder why...

 

lido coffee is garbage. java blue is worth it

In my experience, 9 times out of 10 they give you the punch card automatically with your first order. If they don’t, I don’t think it’s intentional.  Just busy and forgot about it is my guess.

18 minutes ago, Joyfulcruiset said:

I booked my cruise with an online agency so will a Carnival PVP still help me?

I don’t know for sure, but it’s worth a call. They will probably do it for you.  If not, you’ll need to call the online agency.

So you now have two VIFP numbers.  That happened to my husband.  A call to our PVP deleted the new one.

Not unless the any country that is visited on the cruise has the requirement that the passport be valid for 6 months past the date of the visit.

54 minutes ago, wrcjr98 said:

So are the espresso / latte drinks included on the punch card?  Do you buy the punch card, or, do they offer it to you on your first purchase?  Thank you!

They give it to you when you purchase your first coffee beverage.  No charge for the card, just pay as you go.  After 6 punches, your 7th is free.  It’s for all their coffee drinks, espresso, latte, americano, etc.  If they don’t give you the card when you purchase your first drink, be sure to ask for it.

Java Blue is offers pay coffee starting sometime around 6:00 AM.  I’m a coffee “snob” so I prefer their coffee to Lido and room service.  I take my own coffee thermal cup so as not to drink out of a cardboard cup.  They have a punch card, buy 6 get 1 free.  Their coffee is also included in Cheers. 

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

 

They don't provide umbrellas to anyone. Some ports of call offer umbrellas at the beach or pool, usually for a fee.

There was an umbrella and binoculars in our Terrazza Cabana on the Venezia.  I’ve never seen them in any other cabin though.

The doors from the elevator lobbies into the corridors are closed, but diamond, platinum and FTTS’s are allowed to open the door to go to their cabins briefly to drop off luggage.  It’s a very heavy door, but it’s not locked.

Guests who have purchased Faster to the Fun are allowed to drop off luggage in their cabins prior to 1:30 PM, but not to occupy the cabin until after 1:30, even if it appears to be “ready.”  This is the same for Diamonds and Platinums. Just drop and leave.

5 minutes ago, soremekun said:

How about: "We didn't travel together."

Sounds good.  The one time my husband no-showed, they asked at check-in and I said he isn’t here yet.

1 hour ago, carnival03 said:

Bumping this...

 

We're cruising out of Baltimore in three weeks. Haven't cruise with Carnival in 10 years. We have FTTF. 

 

I'm not sure what our arrival slot will be (check in is not until next week), but let's say we don't get the earliest slot, can we still arrive at the earliest time since we have FTTF?

No.  Everyone including diamonds, platinums and FTTF now need to arrive within their arrival time slot.

5 minutes ago, FTLCruiseGal said:

12:45 land

12:50-55 off the plane

1:00 to baggage claim

1:15 leave baggage claim

45 minute ride to Port Canaveral

 

Puts you right at 2;30, and that’s if everything goes well for you.  One thing goes wrong, and you are standing on the pier waving as the ship leaves.

 

if you have to fly in same day, I would arrive no later than 10:00. Best to fly in the day before.

 

And this timeframe assumes the flight lands on time.  We all know that’s not a guarantee.  Please listen to the helpful people here and fly in the day before, or if not possible, book a flight that arrives before 10:00 in the morning.

20 minutes ago, Rob-Bob said:

we were going to bring an ice pack if they had a freezer.  Alternative is to get ice for bags but thin ice pack is nice and handy.  Maybe the fridge turned as cold as possible may keep the pack cold enough?

 

nwcruiselover it sounds like maybe things were colder than 36 degrees.

Absolutely colder than 36 degrees.  More like 34 or so.  Cans of soda on the top shelf had ice crystals in them.  I don’t think there was a way to raise or lower the temp.

14 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

No, but they keep whatever you put in there pretty cold. 😎

Agreed.  We took a refrigerator thermometer with us since DH has insulin that needs to be refrigerated at 36 - 46 degrees F.  The fridge on Venezia was too cold for insulin so he had to have it stored in the medical center.

Another thing about those 4J cabins is that many of them don’t have couches.  So if that’s important to you, try to be sure yours does have a couch.  I have had that cabin type 4-5 times, always without a couch.

No, the 4J’s only have the picture window out to the “secret deck.”  Supposedly people can’t see in during the day unless they stick their nose right up to the glass, but yes, one does feel like a goldfish being watched.  At night the curtains have to be closed for navigational purposes.  I have had those rooms a few times and like the proximity to the secret deck, but I usually kept my curtain closed most of the time.

The casino offer made to someone is intended for their use, and not as a gift for them to give to their family.  

More information is needed.  Carnival doesn’t automatically refund the cruise fare because of a death in the family.  Was the deceased person traveling on the cruise? Did you have insurance?  If so, the refund would come from the insurance company as long as the deceased was a close relative as defined in the policy.  If no insurance, it would be generous of Carnival to offer future cruise credit. My condolences on your loss.

Having been on 4 recent cruises on Panorama, I can say that 9:30 is a bit optimistic for having a shuttle pickup.  The ship does get in before 9:00 though.  If you choose self-assist debarkation, where you carry all of your luggage off yourself, and if you are among the first off the ship, you could make a 9:30 shuttle pickup.  If you have to pick luggage up in the terminal, I wouldn’t recommend having a shuttle arrive before 10:00.