Donh44

I received an email from carnival with the following,

 

"Also, and most importantly, on Wednesday, following the completion of the debarkation process for the previous voyage, we will be conducting routine tests aboard the Carnival Splendor. Consequently, boarding for your cruise is expected to run a bit behind schedule.

As a result, check-in for your cruise is now scheduled from 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM. For your comfort and convenience, since seating and parking are limited at our cruise terminal, please do not arrive for check-in prior to 1:30 PM."

 

The cruise before us docks at 8am the same day. Is this a standard email? What time would you suggest we arrive? We have fttf, but want to start our vacay ASAP!

I would take the e-mail very seriously. I received an e-mail on the morning of departure that the DREAM had to make an emergency stop in Nassau the night before due to an emergency on board. The ship was late getting into Port Canaveral and debarkation took a lot longer than expected so our embarkation was delayed. It was a bit chaotic as hoards of people arrived early (possibly did not see the e-mail) which created a bit of a nightmare. Word to the wise.

I have a family of 8 and are book on a cruise out of Jacksonville on

August 24th. From August 16-23rd we will be staying in Orlando. We need a place to stay for 1 night. First is it better just to stay in Orlando or find a play in Jacksonville, and where to stay? Second since i will be driving my own van where is the best place to park?

Last summer I cruised out of Jax to Nassau. I stayed over the pervious night at the Microtel on Airport Rd. For an extra fee, they let me park my car there for the week which I liked. It was cheaper to do that than to park at the cruise terminal. They also have a shuttle service to the port and back on your arrival back in Jax. There is a fee for that as well, but I thought it was great as I did not have to drive or park at the port and they dropped me off right in front of the terminal. When I got back, the shuttle was there waiting to take me back to the hotel to pick up my car. The hotel is just a few miles from the port. I loved the hotel. They had a nice continental breakfast in the am which saved me from having to go and buy breakfast. There is a very nice restaurant within a mile or so of the hotel and also a Denny's. Not much else. Worked perfect for me.

I guess I need to change my avatar as in October 2010, I met a guy named Dave Ramsey who told me I didn't need that plane.

 

Consequently, in June 2011, with GREAT pain in my heart, I sold N7786W (aka "Air Bessie"). I had owned her for 9 years and loved every moment of that relationship....but I had to choose...do I want to retire soon or hold on to a piece of metal.

 

Subsequent to all of that, my wife and I became debt free in June 2012 and we've never looked back. I miss Bessie....A LOT...but I don't miss the hangar fees, insurance, fuel prices (they were over $6/gallon for 100LL when I sold her), the annual inspections, pieto-static checks, etc, etc. etc. etc.

 

Garnett

I did the Dave Ramey thing a few years ago as well. Debt free too. What a great feeling. It was well worth the sacrifices to get to this point. Congrats. Sorry about the cruise. Hopefully they will treat you well.

We're sailing on the Splendor in a couple of weeks and the only stop is in St. John's. We've been there before and found the trip to the Bay of Fundy boring. Is there anything else 6 couples can do for the day?

I would take the excursion to Hopewell Rocks State Park where you can walk on the floor of the ocean at low tide. I am going on the Splendor in Sept and hoped to go there but the tide schedule will have it at high tide when I go so it won't be that great. One of these trips I will see it at low tide. I agree the Bay of Fundy at the reversing falls is boring.

We leave on our Carnival cruise in 12 days and we found out a few days ago we are pregnant. The pregnancy waiver on the website says it needs to be filled out and faced to carnival no later than 14 days before sail date. We obviously are closer and had no idea we would be pregnant so close to sail date. Has anyone else encountered this? What do you do about the waiver?

Please believe me when I say that I am not being sarcastic and I hope all works out and that you have a great cruise. But, it seems like all of the doctors are coming out of the woodwork to give you advice. I would contact Carnival and tell them of your situation and have them handle it. That is why they have policies. For your protection as well as theirs. Then there is no question. Seems everyone wants to circumvent what is the right thing to do and I am referring to the ones who are telling you not to do what you are supposed to do. Congratulations to you. Good luck and good health.

Just take them anyhow. Who cares what the doctor says. Let them have some fun

They can't just take them. The doctor needs to write a prescription for the oxygen to be allowed on the ship. That is the problem. They can't take oxygen onto the ship without dr approval.

Here's an idea---take responsibility for your own actions.

 

Not Carnival--Not the 3 Amigos--No one else should even be considered to be responsible.:rolleyes:

ABSOLUTELY, 100% RIGHT! I have never even come close to missing the ship. Always back at least 1/2 hour before I am told to. I am anal about following rules and regulations. Never know what might happen and it is all preventable. Yet these people who do it want Carnival (or whatever cruiseline) to take responsibility.

Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for excursions in my New England & Canada cruise in August, Particular for Portland & St John. This will be my first time cruising up here and would like to get as much out of each port as possible!

 

I have an idea on what I plan to do for some ports (Boston: Freedom Trail, ,and Bar harbor - LULU Lobster boat) but am totally stumped at what to do in Portland, Saint John (Bay of Fundy) and Halifax. If anyone has any recommendations of some nice excursions for any my ports It would be greatly appreciated :)

 

Thanks

I did this cruise 7 years ago and doing it again in Sept. In Portland, I took the Lighthouse tour which was really scenic and very picturesque, if you like that sort of thing. In St John, I took a bus tour to the Reversing Falls and was disappointed. Crappy location and it was in between tides, so nothing to see. This coming cruise, I am going to the Hopewell Rocks Park. Hopefully will walk on the ocean floor at low tide and see the towering rock formations before the tide comes back in and rises 50 ft (yes 50 ft) up the rock towers. Also supposedly picturesque. In Halifax, Peggy's Cove is a must see. Enjoy your cruise. Check these suggestions out on YouTube.

Yes it is and no, she doesn't.

 

I've had a love of travelling since I was a kid and my parents would throw us in the station wagon (which got upgraded to a minivan when I was in middle school) and we'd take off to go to San Antonio or Galveston or travelling throughout the South to visit my mama's people. DH and I have taken a lot of trips together and we've almost always taken DS with us. He's a pro at dealing with airport security and he LOVES cruising. At the age of 11, he's more of an international traveller than either DH or I were at that age. I'm hoping in a few years when I turn 40, I can convince DH to take us to Paris, or at the very least, London (I'm a bit of an Anglophile).

 

There's just SO much out there to see and do...I can't understand why people, if they have the means to do so, don't get out there and DO stuff. See new things. Experience new places and try new foods. :D

I am an Anglophile as well. This time last year I took a solo trip to England for 16 days. Based myself in London but took side day trips by train to several outer locations. It was the trip of a lifetime for me. Saw so much history and tradition and so much of it still carries on in these modern times. Nothing sends chills up & down your spine like hearing that first strike of the organ at Westminster Abbey. I even had fun riding the "Tube". By all means, if you get the chance, GO. You will not regret it. I want to go back (maybe next year).

We ignore the call as well. On occasion boarding is delayed but generally it is on time

Everybody is saying to ignore the letter. That's why there is a problem. If everyone cooperated as Carnival is suggesting, it would go a lot smoother. It could get to the point that Carnival will issue you an appointment time to board and then everyone would really complain. Why is it so hard to get people to comply? I am not picking on you, believe me, but if everyone ignores the e-mail, then nothing is accomplished. Then CCL will do something and then the complaints will start again.

Hello all. Question... my passport expires in April 2016. I'm cruising Nov 29, 2015-Dec 5, 2015. Should I go ahead and order a new passport?

I am cruising in Sept, 2015. My passport expires in May, 2016. When I saw that, I called my PVP to make sure that I would be OK. He told me that as long as it was beyond six months from the cruise that I was OK. I will renew it when I get back. Since you've got plenty of time, IMO, if it were me, I would go ahead and renew just to be sure there were no problems. You are going to have to renew it anyway. Have a great cruise.

what's up with fareviewer, haven't been able to get on for a week or so?

I check it just about every day and have no problem.

Hello,

 

My wife lost her camera on debarkation day on the Conquest (May 2nd, 2015)

 

If found, we would really appreciate you contact us. The pictures are really precious to her. We have contacted Carnival and the airport's lost and found for this, but giving the forums a try just in case!

 

It is a blue Panasonic Lumix TS25 waterproof camera like below, in a black case.

 

 

 

Much appreciated,

 

Marc and Sylvie

Dear Marc & Sylvie:

Sure hope that someone finds the camera and somehow gets it back to you. I am in no way being critical, but, the next time that you go away, take a picture of your name/address, email addy, etc. That way if someone finds it, the first thing they re going to do is look thru the pics and see your info. I make sure to do this every time that I delete everything on my SD card so it is there when I start taking pics again. Good luck on getting your camera and pics back.

How do you get passed security checkpoint and back in the ship to go to Guest Services without it?

I am sure that the security people at the gangway will be able to assist you. You are not the first to have lost their card, I am sure. They certainly are not going to turn you away.

I have only been on the Fantasy that had a pin code. What is the swipe?

Thanks.

The Swipe is a feature of access to some of the safes. You swipe the debit/credit card on the safe door and it will open. Just depends on which card you use to activate it.

Can't help but notice John Heald posted lots of pictures of Cabo today, specifically all had Splendor in the photo. There was also an individual post asking if people have been on Splendor before. And he has, from time to time, used photos and random posts to hint at things like this.

 

Could this be a hint that Splendor is coming back? If so that seems like it would also mean another round of South America cruises.

 

Thoughts?

Don't know what the plans for the Splendor are but I am booked on her on Sept 6th for a New England/Canada cruise out of New York.

We all know how engaging the roll calls can get. New members, funny posts, group excursions, etc.

 

2 outta the last 3 roll calls (pretty active) there was an active poster that just disappeared 2-3 weeks before departure. One time this nice guy would regularly put out fantastic pics for months and Poof-He was gone. Never again on the thread and not on the ship.

 

Could it be, that some folks enjoy the roll calls so much they just want to chat with other cruzers, even though no trip is planned???

I am kind of guilty of being one of those persons on a cruise 2 yrs ago. I was booked but had a sudden surgery that had to be done and, although my surgery was over, I was not strong enough to be able to handle luggage thru airport and port terminals, etc. I kept up with the roll call up until they sailed.

Yup.

 

Personally, I think ALL the cruise lines should eliminate their loyalty programs entirely. All they do is create class systems and generate animosity and ill will between people. Just my opinion. :)

Absolutely right. I agree. I personally work with someone who is at the top of the line for Carnival cruises. He is always bragging about what he gets as opposed to what I get.

Carnival had to do something. The past guest party was so crowded it was difficult to get a drink or a snack. There wasn't much value in that and as a result, it wasn't much of a benefit to anyone. I'm glad Carnival is trying to restore value to this loyalty perk. As a result of the change, golds will value it more when they reach platinum.

Why discriminate? Just give drink vouchers to all past guests and let that be the perk. I think it would be more appreciated. Those "parties" are just mob gatherings for an hour for a drink or two and some snacks. It's not really a party. Nothing goes on. A past guest is a past guest whether they have sailed once before or 50 times before. With all of the cuts, it just puts a bad taste in one's mouth. I would just like to see continued great prices, and there is an area for discounts to past guests should they desire to utilize it.

only you forgot to mention that the drink coupon could only be used after 5pm on the last sea day my question is why is that a stipulation I think it should be able to be used while the platium and diamond party is going on isnt that the 1st or second nite of the cruise ?

So many restrictions whenever they give you something. I agree. What difference does it make when you use the voucher other than the fact that they might think that you will forget about it by the last night especially since you will be busy preparing to pack up, etc.

Hello,

 

I am booking a 4 night cruise on the Carnival Splendor to Canada for next month. I was just going to wait until a business day so I could use my PVP. But when doing a mock-booking, I realized that they are charging to go up every single deck, except for Deck 1 and 2. I don't want Deck 1 because the glass elevators don't go there, and I like being close to the atrium. That leaves me with Deck 2, or an additional $20 per person to go up to 7, which I have no real issue paying. However, my question is how noisy are the Deck 2 interiors? I'm going to be under the theater, and I don't want to hear things all night, especially in port days, as they now use the theaters to rally the people with excursions, and if I have a late excursion, I don't want to be up at 7.

 

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

On most all of my past Carnival cruises, I have been on Deck 1 or 2 and NEVER had a problem as the decks above me were cabins. But, I wouldn't imagine that being below the theater would be any problem at all. Might be a different story if you are below one of the lounges. Sailing on the Splendor in Sept and will be on Deck 7. a treat for me this time.

John also said when the VIFP changed we wouldn't lose anything. I was demoted from Gold to Red and did lose things.

Me too. This upcoming cruise will bring me back to the Gold, for what it is worth.

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity of traveling via the cruise industry on several occasions. My cruise experience has been with:Royal, Holland, and my preferred line NCL. Everything from transatlantic repositioning, Alaska, Medaterriaan, and various Caribbean Islands, and both Bahamas, and Bermuda. This will be my eleventh cruise and my first adventure with Carnival. After I confirmed my reservation, I have been warned by several friends and family that since this line is less expensive than other lines it caters to the family and 20-30 crowd. Don't misunderstand my concern. I am only in my 50's so age and families are not a concern. My concern is the quality of service, food, entertainment, and stateroom accommodations. I ask those who have utilized other lines and has been on Carnival your thoughts please. I thank you in advance.

I would bet that most, if not all, of the negative comments about Carnival are from those who have never sailed on Carnival. Probably got their opinions fro other sources. Carnival gives a great cruise for a great price. I love Carnival. For my money, I feel that I get a great cruise. I have had no complaints. But, to be honest, I go for the relaxation adventure and I am not picky about food, etc.

An 11:40 am flight from Houston Hobby after debarking Magic, yay or nay? Next nonstop flight my mom can take to get home isn't until 9:45 pm, next flight with a connection isn't until 6 pm. We'll have priority debarkation since I'm platinum, and we'll have our cousin's car parked at the port so no waiting for a shuttle. Is this doable? I've never cruised out of Galveston so I really don't know. :confused:

Always remember Murphy's Law. If something can happen that will mess your plans up, chances are that it will. I am a "fuddy duddy" person. In most everything that I do, I always consider the "what if". I am so anal about being on time, planning accordingly with backup plans should something happen.

The airlines want you at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure for a reason and I don't have a problem with that. Your plan is cutting it close and I would be a basket case worrying about it and also more likely to have a problem. Haste makes waste.

My daughter and friends are on the Victory and she jet called from shore in Cozumel and said Carnival won't let passengers back on the ship and all they've been told is the ship has no power. Has anyone else heard anything about this at all?

All Carnival ships have now been equipped with emergency generators ever since the stranding of the Splendor several years ago. I am sure that things will be OK. At least they are in port. Carnival will take care of their passengers. They always do.