Jasonsterling

I think you'll have to rent one on land at home... which depending on rates and the length of time you'll be gone could be pricey. I'm not sure what it costs to buy but it might be cheaper, lol. Does he already have a black suit? You might be able to pair it, depending on it's cut, with a tuxedo short, bow tie and cumberbund and most nobody (really nobody) on board will know the difference. It's great you guys are going to dress up. I haven't worn my tux in a lot of years but I used to on Carnival sometimes and there were others and since its NYE you might find a few others for your cruise still today. My son and I are heading out on the Vista for NYE as well. I hope you guys have a great time! 

On 11/18/2022 at 9:56 AM, Sabre407 said:

Cucina and Jiji seems like a good deal. There aren’t any places on land that I’m aware of where you can get three courses for $18. 
 

 $48 for a steakhouse and then a la carte for the smokehouse, seafood place and sushi…those are a harder sell. Are any of them worth paying for? 
 

I love all food, if that helps. I probably wouldn’t be going on a cruise if I didn’t. 
 

edit: Also, room service. I love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Would I love it for $5?

 

edit edit: Those big cookies you can order in advance for your room to be delivered on the first day…are they superior to buffet cookies? I am a major cookie snob and heard a rumor that Carnival has terrible cookies. 

The Sushi place is quite good and a beautiful presentation. Is it a good deal? That's fairly subjective. It is cheaper than I can buy at home but only a little bit-maybe just 10-20 percent. The steakhouse is the same- it's pretty good if you've never been and it's an okay price. The quality of the entire experience isn't what it used to be, though it's still "good" and the menu feels like it has been around forever unchanged. I'm not going on my next voyage and didn't go on the last. The seafood place is ridiculously hit or miss- you never really know that quality of what you're going to get there and I avoid it entirely now- it was never a "great" deal, pretty comparable to land prices. I have only (in twenty years) used room service beyond a simple coffee, fruit, pastry set up at breakfast once. To me it was never worth the wait. The food is fine for free I'm sure but there's not a PBJ out there worth 5 dollars when I can throw it together for like 25 cents at home. Same for unbuttered, cold popcorn on deck for three dollars a pop, lol- not tried it, not going to. I've never had a problem with the cookies on the buffet. You don't have it on the list but I did enjoy the Ice Cream parlor on the Vista and thought it was worth it. 

My first cruise was on the Sensation and I thought it was the largest thing ever put to sea at the time, lol. It really did seem massive. I've also been on the Elation twice- the first time through the Panama canal. It was my favorite of those two ships and I'd still like another sail on her someday but I doubt it'll happen- unless they move her back to Galveston, lol. My last sailing on Elation and therefore the fantasy class as a whole was 2004. All three cruises were a really great time but in general I do like the amenities of newer vessels and time just moves on- new styles, new ideas. It's a shame that so far no one has been able to take on a Fantasy class vessel for a start up or smaller cruise line. Maybe by the time Elation goes they'll be a taker.   

Every port is different but in Galveston there's very little space to sit outside of the main terminal. The arrival times are sometimes enforced and people are required to wait- I've seen them several times in fact (again in Galveston). I would, given the situation, book a late shuttle time. The later boarding times for the ship rarely book up fast if at all. The early slots go quick but not the ones later in the day. So if you book a later shuttle now then you should have no trouble getting a later arrival slot when the time comes. I'm not sure what the boarding times are for that voyage but as an example if the last boarding time is 3 for the ship then I'd book a noon shuttle from MCO getting you there about an hour (a little more than an hour) later at around 1-1:15pm and set my arrival time for 1:30. I think you have a thirty minute window, technically but then I also think at that point even if you are late or a little early depending on traffic it won't matter. Again it's mostly an issue earlier in the day where the arrival slots have all booked up in advance and there's large crowds.  

Does it have to be a scooter? When I was a kid people still typically just used a collapsible wheelchair that folds flat- my grandfather used one like that in the last years of his life for long distances, otherwise he used a walker. It takes up a lot less space, is inexpensive and can fit most anywhere. A lot less worry about the room needed.    

Same as other responders- nothing, lol. I've been in a Spa room a couple of times now and there's never been a "welcome gift", "ritual", "Slippers" or special extra discounts on spa treatments. Ha ha. The location on the Breeze and Vista is good though and I like the Thermal Suites area so okay but don't count on anything else promised by marketing.

I've been on til 9:30+ (also had a late flight and just lingered over breakfast on board) and there were still others waiting to be called. A lot of variables play into it BUT you can stay on until they ask the last of the guests to leave. They'll make an overhead announcement about all other guests can now disembark. That's when to start making your way down but you can still be at the back of that pack, lol. They do essentially require that you are out of your room though by 8:30 at the absolute latest.

It was fun, a 4D type movie experience like at an amusment park- 17+ was just horror films) but it was also closed for a long time and the theater on the Breeze became a bar adjacent to the non-smoking casino so it's not there any longer. It might not be re-opened on the other ships even if it's showing as still there.

Did you get it through you TA sponsored promo or from a Carnival promo that you booked through a TA? If it was through a Carnival promo (I had two like that back during the initial restart) then it should show up on your account at Carnival .com. Go under the Booking and Order details tab then look under the Invoice Tab of that section and it's listed at the bottom of the invoice. 

I was on Vista last NYE and I'll be there this NYE. There's a special dinner in the MDR, some free hats/noise makers. Typically big parties on deck and in the atrium (last year just on deck due to Covid- this year we'll see). Free champagne toasts around midnight. 

This is something I think everyone was waiting for for a long time. Carnival knows that even with this and all the other numerous cuts they still present an attractive and cost effective model for vacation compared to other options... or at least they hope they do, lol. I've almost never used room service save coffee and cereal delivery maybe once a cruise because it's troublesome to eat in the room without a true table so I, and many others, just won't miss it. In addition their new upmarket Excel suites on the newest ships use free room service as a perk. If it's all pay, except for a basic breakfast, then the perk is more attractive and valuable to the people booking those suites. I'm sure there's other considerations there as well but in the end after all the grumbling the ships will still be full because there's no one else offering a better deal.  

Old tradition- grab a drink at the lobby bar as soon as I enter, lol. New tradition- grab a drink at the lobby bar as soon as I enter, then go to muster drill and get it done and over and start my cruise.

I've been at the Chef's Table a few times now and there's no dress code at any time. Most people dress "nicer" no matter the night but I've also seen jeans and a faded old t-shirt, lol. Not entirely the cruisers fault. The Chef's Table was a surprise from a friend and she hadn't planned on any "fancy" dining- ha ha. In the end, like on any night, you should dress how you like for yourself and not worry too much what other people are or aren't going to wear. It's a great experience btw- I do it every voyage and love it. 

Mostly I've found the meet ups to be mostly unattended or held in a crowded place full of a wide variety of people and you just end up hit and missing by chance if they're gay or not just like any bar on any night, lol. Honestly, it feels like there aren't a lot of gay singles on board mass market ships(many gay couples- a few singles, lots of families) and ages will reflect the age range of the ship itself. Different times of the year and length of cruise on mass market lines will trend older, even much older or be swamped with families/kids. You can check your specific sailing on Facebook as well and get a feel of the crowd for that sailing by who has joined up there. Sometimes they might even have a sign up event for a LGBT+ meetup for people in that group during a quieter part of the day in a quieter place where you can actually meet and talk to someone. If there's not an event listed those groups will usually be fine with you starting one. I hope you have a great time!

On 3/17/2022 at 12:11 PM, keels81 said:

 

I'm with you -- I can look past the "failure" of the event because the weather, the ship, Cozumel, the crew and Cookie were all so amazing ... it would have been a Top 5 all-time cruise for me even without the Sailabration nonsense, so I think that's what I'm just "meh" about the whole thing -- I got to see all the ships so close to each other and that was good enough for me because the cruise was so amazing, it would be real hard for the Sailabration to take away from the memories I made.

Yeah that's the crazy thing- despite it all it truly ranked as one of my best cruises- LOL but it was all due to the front line heros of the regular everyday employees almost literally rowing that ship from port to port. And they're the reason I sail with Carnival. They did not disappoint. 

On 3/18/2022 at 11:01 PM, matymil said:

I know John Heald likes to poke fun at CC but if you booked this months ago at an up charge and thought you were getting way more than you actually got i may bring it to someones attention.

When I filled out my survey I made a point to mention it, a couple of times, lol but in the end I really don't think they care overly much. John Heald's half hearted apology on Facebook really speaks to the overall corporate take. How often do they have this sort of event? That's the only thing the dissent from this cruise would impact, another event based cruise which just isn't that often. So they'll shrug it off and honestly I'm pretty much over it, I was pretty much over it on the ship. I can't wait to get back on board and sail again. That said, I do understand others being disappointed though I think ultimately they'll get over it to.

Your pictures don't really look run down to me. Maybe the style doesn't suit you but I still quite like the decor. I just came of the Breeze which is about to drydock but it looked very good. My room was in excellent condition. I think a lot depends on which room you got on which ship and how rough a life it's had, lol. 

The cruise itself was great, as always but the celebration was a bunch of meh. You couldn't really tell much difference between this special event cruise and any other cruise, well, except it cost more -lol. The fireworks "rumor" started because the original marketing a lot of us bought into promise a "special nighttime finale" to end the big ship meet up celebration. A LOT of the merch that actually made it to the ship also included fireworks in the design. About a week and a half out they pulled the ship meet up back to way earlier in the day and suddenly it wasn't at night anymore and there was no special finale unless you count horn blowing which you couldn't hear beyond your own ship and that's not special really in any event- the menu throw backs were maybe six different items on one night. The Gala Midnight Buffet, also advertised was cancelled maybe two weeks out. Some of the special drinks never materialized, along with the take home glasses. No new build a bear, just a shirt. No throwback sea day ect. ect. I mean, in the end it was a deck party just like every other deck party except they put part of it on Tik Tok for their marketing, six throw back menu items, a new canned beer, a bellini only available at brunch and a cosmo/martini style drink only available in the Lobby along with a few merch items most of which were available in only a few dozen quanity for a ship with 4000+ passengers. And they gave you a free lanyard at check in and a pin later in your room- IF you were lucky and the inventory actually managed to make it to your ship. There was a lot of Covid blame but really Carnival you were so worried about Covid and a Midnight Buffet that you packed the ship to Max Capacity and as people can see from the Tik Tok the state of "social distancing"-lol And of course the new corp excuse of supply chain issues which is somewhat true but then that''s why you order in advance. Even three weeks out marketing mouthpiece John Heald wouldn't nail down exactly what was happening because they obviously hadn't even planned it yet and you could tell. It felt unplanned, poorly executed and as if they really didn't care about that part of it. 

Now when I say that I'm referring to Corporate Carnvial- Christine Duffy, John Heald and the rest of the administration and marketing of the line. On the ship the crew was AMAZING! The CD Cookie is and always is fantastic and the crew was performing AGAIN at 150% with the first true full cruise since restart. They really made it a great voyage overall and god love Cookie he did what he could with the mess Carnival dumped in his lap. There just wasn't much to work with and he was working facing a lot of unhappy people. I did have a great time cruise wise though, one of my best cruises and I was thrilled to see a ship full again and to see Cozumel full again. I have two more booked in the future that I'm not cancelling and I might book another before those two get here but Carnival corporation's integrity and trust has taken a major hit with me and a lot of others. They're not being at all honest in regard to this event. 

11 hours ago, icft said:

He probably does but is like me though I wear jeans rather than shorts. In both cases it is a pain in the butt to pack a pair of good pants just to wear on elegant nights. We just eat other places those nights so as not to rain on other people's parade.

The real problem I have with "dress" attire is there's no good way to keep it pressed looking. Maybe if you're driving and carrying it on but not flying. You can't bring an iron, there are none in the rooms and my last cruise on the Breeze only two of the three laundry rooms was functioning so there were TWO irons for 4000+ passengers and the one I used apparently only had one temp setting still working and that was "Scorch" leaving a burn trail down the sleeve. And I'm sorry but hanging a dress shirt or slacks in the shower doesn't produce the same effect as with a dress. In the end I did go "dressier" but it some ways it looked worse than just a pair of pressed shorts that had been lying flat in a suitcase.

I just got off the Breeze and it was still closed there. I kind of expect it open by summer though. This cruise was a lot less restrictive and it was at Max capacity 4000+ passengers.

You could try calling Carnival and see if they can pull the booking you have on hold and help you with it. That said, if the room holds three people then that's all it holds. You'll have to use another room set up for four people, if there is one still available. Try calling since you are running short of time.

On 2/21/2022 at 1:59 PM, LothCat said:

We're leaving on March 7 out of Jacksonville so the new 3 day testing if boosted rule will be in force.  My husband and I are both vaccinated and boosted but instead of stickers on our vaccine cards (like the first shots), the date and pertinent info was handwritten.  Are we the only ones who don't have a sticker like both the previous shots?  Scheduling 3 days out is easier for us but I don't want to get to the port just to be turned away because we tested a day too soon and they don't like our handwritten booster confirmations.

 

Did others get a handwritten booster on their vaccine cards?   It shows type of vaccine and an id number and where the booster was administered but I don't want to miss my cruise just because my pharmacy was out of stickers that day.

 

 

My booster was hand written probably because I got it at a different place from the first two. I'm not overly concerned- there have been a wide variety of different ways of recording the info on people's cards. In the end if Carnival has a question about it they can contact Walmart or probably have a way of looking it up, with my permission, to assure the validity. 

The Breeze Sail-A-Bration cruise is said to be at 90% right now- that's probably 90% of double occupancy, not max occupancy but still pretty full. It's a special event cruise though at the start of Spring Break season so it's to be expected. On NYE the Vista was 60% of max occupancy. 

On 2/16/2022 at 4:06 PM, Painter4me said:

Sensation was my very first cruise so many years ago.

Mine too and that's what makes it sad but honestly it's not as though I've made an effort to sail her in the last fifteen years, lol. I think it's too bad she can't go on sailing a while in the second market but that's the way it falls. Carnival has a lot of berths coming up with Mardi Gras class ships and the space just isn't needed or worth maintaining. At least her parts will be recycled into who knows how many places and in how many ways and in that way she'll carry on. 

You could try checking if the Cruise Director has a Facebook page and ask there as well. They might be able to answer, if they have the time. The movies are current releases in the theater- usually whatever the biggest blockbusters there at the time. It's been six weeks but on NYE it was Spiderman and Matrix. 

It wasn't that way on the Vista a couple of weeks ago. Now, in the boarding terminal, yes because that's a federal mandate but out on deck on the ship no and as far as I know it never has been a requirement from the start. I wouldn't worry about it. The major lines are rolling policies back to win summer travelers, plus Omicron probably hit their staffs so hard there's no one left to get it anyway.