isaiahsnana

I haven't been cruising 20 years but I highly doubt that. I wonder if people who make this type of remark truly knows what goes into preparing "gourmet meals". There is simply no possible way to serve gourmet food when cooking for thousands of people at a time. I wont doubt that the meat quality has gone downhill. Ive seen that on two lines in just 9 years but no way will I ever believe that a mass market cruise line has ever served what I would consider gourmet meals. Its massed produced banquet type food at best in my honest opinion.

 

Gourmet is what you would find on the small boutique lines that cost upwards of 5K per person and only have about 800 guests onboard. Crystal, Regents, etc.

I Agree with you, I have been cruising for about 18 years - and folks are good at remembering the good old days - but ships were much smaller - and there were so many less requests for special diet requests - that now, the kitchen has to be prepared for a multitude of differently prepared items and serve on time to 4000+ guests three meals a day with other food available all day long! It can't be the same. I, too, loved the old menus - i found things I really liked - I have only sailed three times with the new menus and I am still trying things to become my favorites. I am somewhat of a foodie and an excellent home cook - so I always look at meals thinking "I can make this better!" but then I remember that I don't have to cook, serve or clean it up so it is all good!

I'll have to think about this before our cruise on the Pride. My husband has limited mobility and we will get up early and go for breakfast and then he likes to just rest in the room. I would like 2x but if they will not enter the room, then we will just ask them to double up on towels since we shower twice a day and have evening turn down. Last time on the Pride we had exceptional cabin stewards

I don't believe they are allowed to clean while you are present. I usually just get on my scooter and head out for a glass of tea and by the time I am back my room is finished. It only takes them about 10-15 minutes to freshen up the room.

there were 11 of us on the Triumph in March and we were at one long table (one end was against the wall and the other end held a child but there was no problem with space for any of us.

word to the wise: I booked what as listed as a handicapped accessible cabin on the Vista before it actually sailed. When I checked a few months later after it had begun its MEd cruises, the room was no longer listed as handicapped - there are no SPA interior handicapped rooms on the Vista - so they moved me (when I called Special Needs) to an Ocean View handicapped in the Family Harbor area and gave me and cabin mate spa passes for the week to replace what we were losing at no additional charge. Be aware that what the deck plans say right now are HC may not be after the company takes charge of the ship.

We did about the same thing on the Triumph - only we were all adults - all in cabins in a row - but one cabin was booked with 4 meaning two had to climb up to a bunk - only one was really able and willing to do that, so the extra person just went next door and made up the sofa into a bed with the extra blanket and pillows in the closet. No one complained about the bed so teens should have no issue. W folded the bedding up each morning and stuffed it in the closet before departing for breakfast.

If you have prepaid your gratuities and you do not gamble or drink much then $200 would be fine. Carnival won't give you a straight answer because you booked through a TA - they own your reservation and that ownership means that Carnival cannot enter into conversations with you about your cruise, The TA has to intervene.

Please be aware that if you cancel the third person and they receive a refund of their purchase price or part of it, the remaining two will be charged for the cabin at a rate for two in the cabin and the price will increase on those two - carnival divides the cost by the number of persons in the room, when in actuality the cost of the room is for two with a third added at a reduced rate (usually $295) so the rate for the remaining two will go up.

We booked through carnival last March and chose the 11:00 time and that was when we were sorted into our groups for the encounter. We all loved it, we were a group of 8 friends and family and got to be in our own group. My grandboys loved it, ages 3, 5, and 11.

The cost for the remaining three will go up, however, because there are now only three in the room so each of the remaining folks will have to pay more for the cruise.

I will be on the Vista in July, we have a havana cabana booked as well as a family harbor oceanview. Looking forward to all the new experiences.

Yes, adults can go to any of the workshops and make yourself (or grandkids) a bear. I have enjoyed doing it several times.

Call Carnival, you may be able to change the name for only $50 or less depending on which way you booked the cruise - early saver has a built in set of rules about changes. But give carnival a call to see what they can do for you!

We always wore swimsuits with a cover up to the spa area - you would be comfortable on the heated loungers in the first room in a cover up over your suit - it would be hot wearing the cover up in the warmer rooms and loungers.

You usually don't know until you get the letter in your cabin. It can be held on more than one night if there is a demand. On the Triumph it was held twice on each of our 4 day cruises. You will be assigned to a particular night.

My family harbor OV is now $800 per person more than I paid a year ago for a cruise in July. I always have to book early to get a handicapped room so I never get to hold out too much hope for a bargain.

Usually they separate the twins with the bedside tables in between rather than on the outside like they do with the King set up.

I travel with two friends and if the ship has a Cloud 9, we always book it. We split the cost of the cabin equally and split the cost of a spa pass evenly - usually about 35$ each.

Be sure that you cash out early enough on the last night. The Cruise cash that may be remaining is NON Refundable. Gift cards used are refundable, but are sometimes put back on the original card - so don't lose them just in case!!

The two ladies without the spa amenities can purchase a reduced week long spa package at a reduced rate. This is what we always do. And right now there is a spa sale so it would be to your advantage to get over your anger and look at your options. Book a third room or get the add on package for the additional two guests.

I ordered this package for my grandson and their cabin was decorated when they boarded. There was not a way to set a cake delivery to the dining room, it was in the room with plates, forks and a serving knife when they boarded - we go the strawberry cake and it was delicious - we ate on it for days.

Chances are you may miss that cruise. Landing at 2:30pm and getting processed to board before 4pm would be very iffy. Most passenger manifests have to be cleared by 3pm with the homeland security folks.

The towels in Family Harbor are the same blue ones for the general population. They do have some that you can buy and they will be on a sheet delivered by your RS with your Fun Times. My mom looked at the sheet and said "Oh we're not buying any towels" and threw it in the garbage. I bought a Serenity towel once and really liked it. The Havana ones are just like those except a light brown.

thanks for the info! I have friends who are in a Havana Cabana so I will check out their towel or hope to be able to purchase a spa towel - I forgot to do that on the Breeze last year and loved using the spa towel but a friend had sent each of us a fun shops bag with two towels so I just didn't think about getting a spa one as well. I will do that this time!

We did a family cruise to Cozumel last March and the boys loved the dolphin encounter - they were aged 3,6 and 12 - we all had a great time - ages 70 - 3!

Your TA owns your booking, so you will just have to contact him or her and have them pay them. If you booked directly with Carnival or with a PVP, you would call them to do it for you.

I usually buy a Carnival towel as a souvenir from my cruises - I use a lot of beach towels. I was wondering if the towels on the Family Harbor are different from the regular blue Carnival ones and if so, can you purchase one? If not, has anyone sailed on Vista lately been able to buy one of the yellow spa towels. I had a spa cabin booked, but after booking found out that there were no interior handicapped cabins in spa area so I was moved to the family harbor area. Im pleased with the move but am trying to decide whether to order the new Caribbean beach towel from the fun shops as my gift to myself on this cruise or if there is a special towel I can purchase on board. Thanks for your help.