CalaDragonflyLady

I just got off the Magic a few weeks ago and purchased the Cheers program. I did not atttempt to use it to buy drinks for another cruiser, I was consistently able to use it to purchase drinks for a Carnival employee (entertainer)......but I also tipped extra. :)

If this "medical professional" had just contacted Carnival before the cruise and explained that she needed to reschedule because she worked in the lab of the hospital where the ebola victim was a patient, I'm sure they would have been more than HAPPY and grateful to refund her cruise payment. Her desire to go on vacation overroad her sense of responsibility, plain and simple. Now it's costing Carnival thousands and affecting the vacations of thousands of people.

I was just on the 9/28 sailing of the Magic and of course met many Texans and Okies.

The story (by someone who knows the woman) is that the woman's employer (the lab) did not tell her what she had been exposed to until she was on the ship, and she immediately told the ship staff once she knew. She was as resposible as she could be under the circumstances.

How many of us have had our employers lie or keep valuable info from us? Exactly!! :eek:

Apparently they can do it if you are in a room that holds more people than you have booked as well. Really not cool on Carnivals part. I mean I understand they want more money, but it just seems like a jerk move to kick someone out of a room that they already paid for and booked over a year in advance (especially if they people who need/want the room didn't book in advance like I did and instead waited until last minute...if this was an HC room and they needed it I wouldn't be as upset, but I kind of feel like the other people are jerks for taking a room that I worked so hard to afford and waited to patiently for). They would definitely piss me off by doing it whether they are allowed to or not.

I agree completely! I have no problem giving up the cabin if it's HC and somebody needed it, but I booked one of these cabins 18 months out (which you have to do to make sure you get the ones that are limited in supply) AND I'm paying double as a solo. I will raise a huge stink if Carnival tries to give it to someone else close to sailing :mad:

Can you at least request a certain night? This would be a very special treat for me so I would like to do it for my birthday if possible.

The last two times I've done Chef's Table it was on a Tuesday night. No, you can't request a certain night like you can for the steakhouse. They put all the requests together and figure out which night(s) it will be. On the Magic they ended up with 2 Chef's Table nights because they had so many requests.

I don't bring close toed shoes. What then? :eek:

It's recommended but not required..... I've done CT 3 times and never been turned away for wearing my sandals :)

We had Ben Gentry on the Liberty back in 2012 and absolutely loved him. We spent every night in the Piano Bar!

Love Ben! I just got off the 9/28 sailing of the Magic and had a killer time, we shut the place down around 1am each night, 2am on the last night.

And he actually remembered me from the Breeze exactly a year ago, I was stunned!

I thought they could only bump you if you were in an HC cabin and someone needed it!

Can you sign up for this before the cruise or is it something that you sign up for when you get on the ship?

You can sign up for it ahead of time through the steakhouse of the ship. On the website start the transaction to book a night in the steakhouse, but type in CHEF'S TABLE and use the date you board the ship. They don't tell you what night Chef's Table will be until you board.

I used to laminate. Now I use these:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/store/product.cfm?ID=46

I use these too, after 3 cruises they still look new.

I got bumped from the Spa version of a 4J (can't remember the category code) on my 9/28/14 cruise about a month before the cruise. But I got a balcony - woohoo!

I love your style, people are looking at me funny because I'm laughing at my work computer :p. I was on the same cruise and a regular in the piano bar :D

The coconut shrimp was meh, the sauce boring, but the pulled pork sandwiches were really good..........heard the sliders were good too but didn't try them. Last week at least they were still $3.33 per item........

Is this rolled out on all ships? We'll be on Ecstasy Monday.

It's not on all the ships yet, but they didn't mention which ones would be getting it next........

Can you post a review when you get back? Pictures would be Awesome too!!

Of course - gotta love the food porn! We'll see which menu I get, haven't heard from the ship yet, I'll have to email again, usually they respond right away :)

Make sure to cover all of the boys and girls!

lol, yes!!! Of course when an attractive lady was singing it with Ben, it took him a while to get past "boys".......lmao

Some of my favorites was "I'm on a boat" and "Joy to the World"

Lol, Ben's "Joy to the World" is a blast and hilarious! I was solo on the cruise and another female cruiser (there with her husband, I had befriended them on a dive) decided to um, sing that one with me. My face was red but I couldn't stop laughing.

Just got off the Magic and have a question about the Piano Bar. Does the show usually turn R-rated after midnight?

 

Not complaining at all, had a blast in there, and laughed harder in the bar than the comedy shows.

Yes, it's semi-standard that after midnight it's the "blue" hour and pretty much anything goes. It gets pretty raunchy but I find it hilarious :D Yes, even the "kitty cat" song.......ahem.....

No offense to anyone with youngsters, but I don't feel that children should be in piano bar unless they're 18.

If you just got off the ship on the 21st then you must have had Ben Gentry. I enjoyed his schtick on the Breeze a year ago and will be enjoying his piano bar in just a few days now - woohoo!!!

Now if you got on here complaining about being bumped by someone who needed the cabin or how you weren't giving up to someone in need, then yes you would be scum. ;)

 

But Carnival made it available and you booked it by choice or your TA/PVP/whoever put you there? That hardly makes you lower than pond scum.

I totally agree! :p Actually, I'm tickled pink, getting a balcony cabin for the first time in a decade :D (((hugs)))

looks really good!!! I loved the sea bass the first CT menu so hopefully it'll be just as good!!

When the original menu changed their were a LOT of complaints that it wasn't on the new menu. I look forward to trying it!

I board the Magic this weekend and just requested a reservation for the Chef's Table, may as well enjoy the last menu one more time, but if it's the new menu, that's fine too! :)

Can the ecard be used for your bill at the end of the cruise?

Yes, you can apply it any time you want :)

Why are you blaming the poster? Carnival is the one that made it available for booking by the general public. You ought to tell them not to do it. Of course, if they can only put people needing an accessible cabin that particular cabin, then it will probably require a premium above and beyond what the rate otherwise would be.

 

Also, the handicap stall is a perfect example. It is designed for use by handicapped people, but it is still perfectly usable by the general public. You should allow a handicapped person to use it, but if it is unused it is open for anyone to use.

Thank you for saying all of this. I don't understand the moral judgements! I booked an available cabin. They ended up needing it for someone else and I got bumped. I'm not complaining, I was warned that it might happen.

Sorry I meant Cruise Cash.

 

That's good to know though about the kiosk.

 

We already paid off the cruise so would like to use it on our Sail and Sign. I was wondering if you can do this ahead of time as it's an eGift card? And if there are any funds left over at the end of the cruise do you get a check of a new gift card with the balance? Thank you

You have to go to guest services on the ship to apply it to you S&S account. Not sure about the second part, but someone mentioned that if you notice you will have a credit balance you can cash out in the casino. :)

Not true. If there is another stnd cabin in your category, you will be moved to it.

That's why I said,"I have heard", and "but I can only tell you it worked out for me!" :)

With 4J's it's just not very likely since there aren't that many to begin with.

I haven't read any opinions about it but I'm looking forward to trying it :)

2014 new chef's table menu.pdf

Yes, my question was more about once boarding has started. If I equate it to airline travel: Those with priority (D, P and FTTF) are welcome to board at any time? And those without this "priority" have to wait for their zone number to be called? Correct?

Yes, if boarding has already started, you board when you get there while others are waiting for their zones to be called. :)

17 months ago I booked a Spa HC corner cabin for the first time for my upcoming cruise. A month before my cruise I got a call asking if I need the modified cabin since they noticed I had booked them several times (this would have been 4 in a row).

When I said I did not require a modified cabin, I was upgraded to a Spa Balcony cabin so that someone who needed it would get the modified HC cabin. My first balcony in about a decade, woohoo!!

I have heard that if you get bumped from an HC cabin that Carnival's policy is to upgrade (so you wouldn't be moved to an inside cabin) but I can only tell you it worked out for me! :)