Thebosn1

I had the same problem last time they made changes to the site. I had to go find them again and add them to favorites again. Sorry.

I'm not considering jumping ship any time soon.(I don't think) but I was just talking with a friend and we were reminiscing about our cruises. We talked of things that are no more. Some of the things we miss but can live without are 3 visits per day to the cabin by the cabin steward to tidy up and re-fill ice bucket etc. Another missed feature is flowers on the tables in the dining room. We realize there are fewer courses at dinner and nightly midnight buffets are a thing of the past. Not that we need more food but its one of those 'used to be' things. And what about fewer waiter teams? Poor waiters are now worked to death. Reduction in live music. They've even gotten stingy with pepper mills. I know its trivial but I like ground pepper on certain foods and they always have to go hunt one down while my meal is getting cold. I will probably remember more things after I post this.

 

My point is when will you say "enough is enough" and stop cruising with Carnival---or any other cruise line for that matter? They are all reducing onboard features. For me I'm not sure, but I have thought about other lines just to compare them by todays standards. I've cruised others but its been a while so it would be unfair to compare standards from 10 or more years ago. So whats your limit?

 

 

I can understand you longing for the days, not that long ago when service and pampering the traveler were more evident. Unfortunately the same small cuts to service that are happening on the ships seems to be happening everywhere else as well. Remember when you used to get meals and pillows on any flight over a couple hours? Now you get like three peanuts and a warm soda, if you are lucky.

 

Someone else said earlier that when your cruise ends and you look back and realize you didn't enjoy it, or it was not worth the price, then maybe it is time to go.

 

I used to do one cruise and one "all inclusive" vacation every year. The price of the all inclusive shot up and they provide a little better product now BUT I can take TWO cruises a year for less. So I cruise.

 

Like you I miss being pampered as much as maybe we used to be on the ships, but not very much. I still have an absolute blast on every cruise and honestly I think the staffs have been amazing in the way they take care of us. So until I look back at a cruise (or a couple cruises) and realize I didn't have fun, I will stay.

BLAST!!! There ya go...

 

Yep, I'm kinda bored at lunch. It's too cold to go outside.

 

I think it's unfortunate anyone has to go away upset, but certainly understandable. In not announcing a reason or pattern to the offers, Carnival has left it to people to divine a reason for themselves. Some will conclude bad things about it all. Some won't. I think the most unfortunate thing is the people who have enjoyed Carnival and have decided to go elsewhere because of this promotion...leaving something they otherwise liked. Hopefully, they can still enjoy themselves at a similar price, and maybe even get a free cabin offer sometime from their new travel partner.

 

JH actually answered an email to someone on another thread. He said it was targeted at folks who have not cruised in a while in an attempt to bring them back. It makes sense. They don't need to give free cabins to those of us who book like clockwork.

 

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Hi Jim,

I have checked out so many nd think we will stay in The Rocks area. Trying to narrow it down to at least 3 and then decide. So far Holiday Inn Old Sydney is one, maybe we can help each other out lol. We will stay three nights. All flights booked and hotels in LB the QM and one near lax before our flight out on the 26h. Hoping to find hotel with free wifi and airport shuttle and quite close to public transportation to sites and free bus along George st.

 

Holiday inn Old Sydney is also on our short list. Also looking at The Menzies, The Russell, even Radisson. I think I have the area nailed down just have to pick a hotel. I think we are going to stay at the Maya in LB, flying in on the 28th. Flights are ALL booked!

 

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Lot's of negative things on here lately so I thought I would post somethig positive. I have been using the same PVP for about 4 years now, for my last three cruises and the one I have scheduled now. I almost canned him a couple times because he was terrible at calling me back.

 

But he has gotten better! The last two times I emailed and called him he called back within an hour, even though I was just just looking for information and not actually booking anything. He has always been a real pleasant guy and gets me exactly what I want for a cabin and the best price, and now that he is actually calling me back I think I'll stick with him!

 

One little glimmer of hope amid all the customer service complaints. :rolleyes:

They tried to tell me that I put the wrong information but their own rep. did the same so did the travel agent, and NO I don't want something for nothing. It is a cheep cruise any way. People fly for few $$ due to glitch the air line honor these things. Yes, in my last cruise with RCCL someone post that when he booked a balcony cabin the size of the balcony that was posted were incorrect. The true size was smaller than what the web sight posted. When he contacted RCCL they gave him on board credit of $150 just for that and than the corrected the web site.

 

I know that some cabins are set aside for maximum occupancy. I tried to book a cabin one time that could hold three people and only put 2 of us in it. He was not going to give it to me at all and when he got the OK to do it the price was different. Maybe the lower price was only if you stuffed four people in there. When you said you only had two maybe that is why it shot up? They should have been able to explain it to you better whatever the reason.

Hello! I am on the Carnival Legend Trans-Pacific this summer and we are pulling into Suva on my Birthday! We are in port from 8-4 and I am looking for information and suggestions regarding things to do there.

 

Like I said it is my birthday so I would like to celebrate, but would also like to get a good feel for Fiji while I am ashore. ANY ideas or recommendations would be appreciated!

 

Thank you!

 

Jim:D

[quote name='klaner64']If you like spending money why don't you apply for the Carnival credit card and start earning your tips and OBC. Every time you charge to your card for Carnival you get double points and everything else you get 1 point for every $1 you spend. Last cruise I took I had enough credits to pre pay our tips and have $200 OBC.[/quote]

Interesting. Good info thanks.

[quote name='T. Advisor King']I was very surprised to discover that people do this despite the fact that the Carnival dollars are on par with the US$. I could see if there was a discount of perhaps 3-5%, or if Carnival paid even a nominal interest rate on the money between the date of purchase and the date it was applied to an account, then it might make sense. Otherwise, I think you're just paying today for something you could pay for months from now. You'd be no worse off if you stuffed the same cash in a jar at home, except if you keep the money at home, at least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you didn't give an interest-free loan to a multi-billion dollar company.

If there is some sort of psychological benefit to "knowing that your cruise bill is paid" and that benefit is not met by just putting the money in a jar, then why not apply your cash to your credit card (assuming you don't have one of the cards where they will actually cut you a check if you have a credit balance)?

I've never understood the logic in pre-paying anything that can be post-paid at par. If there is a discount, then fine.

In fact, if anyone out there wants to send me a bunch of money and have me apply it to their account 6 months from now, let me know. I'll happily open a separate account and earn interest.[/quote]

You sound a bit judgmental. I really don't think my $1500 in cruise cash is going to be some great investment for Carnival to use over the next six months. What are they going to do with the interest on my $1500?

The person just asked if anyone has used it, I asked the same thing yesterday. We didn't ask if anyone thought it was stupid, or ask for financial advice.

People save and pay for things differently. I usually pay the whole thing at the end, but this time I'm on a very long cruise and i think it would be cool to have part of what I am certian is going to be a HUGE s&s bill paid when I get there. It has nothing to do with giving Carnival a loan, or not wanting to keep it in a jar or anything else.

If I wanted a lecture on finance I certainly wouldn't get it on here.

[quote name='jaxcruiser23']I was just wondering how many people do as I do before every cruise starting 3 months before each cruise I purchase about $150-$250 fun dollars every friday I look at it as a bill then when the cruise comes around we have over $2000 on our sale and sign card and that usually covers the whole cruise just seems easier to have funds on our account when we arrive. Anyone else do this or am I the only weirdo to do this lol[/quote]

I have not done it in the past but I think I am going to do it for next cruise. It's a long one and I don't want to die of sticker shock at the end of it!

my last cruise was in Nov of 2005. holy cow! It has been too long.

 

But we had a baby or 3 and are now ready to start thinking about a family cruise.

 

We are looking at late 2015 out of Baltimore on Carnival Pride. Our Kids will be at the time 9,7, and 3.

 

HELP! I feel like a newbie! What do I do? Tips, tricks, insight to Pride.

 

Anything you can tell me, please do! :D

 

Welcome back! Was it carnival you sailed on before? Because honestly, there have not been a lot of earth shattering changes over the last eight years. There is a gigantic incredibly loud TV, some new menus, a loud DJ instead of steel drums, a burger joint and a Red Frog...that's about it!

 

Kidding of course. The experience has changed a little in last 10 years or so but you will get back in the swing pretty quick. I agree with the person who posted before me. Read these boards, post specific questions when you have them. And if your cruise has a roll call or FB group join it, it is a wonderful way to re-familiarize yourself with cruising and meet the folks you are sailing with at the same time!

 

And brush up on your "electric slide"!

 

Again, welcome back and enjoy your cruise!:)

If you're tired of the bashing (as I am), do what I do and skip those threads. For some reason, there's a saying that comes to mind. "Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time, and it annoys the pig." Kind of how I feel when trying to reason with someone that bashes Carnival and only has negative things to say.

 

Nice quote haha. Once in a while I see a legitimate complaint, but the things that get me are the people that say they "will never sail Carnival again" because they couldn't get a chair right next to the pool or they didn't get towel animals every day, or (I loved this one) "they shelled my lobster tail but not my shrimp"!

 

If someone had a real bad experience and want's to let people know so that they can aviod it, that's one thing. But some of these complaints are very petty. :cool:

I brought it on the last 4 cruises we where on and loved it....I figure up how many drinks we going to have a day pictures we doing to by and souveirs plus a little extra and keep check on my bill on the tv in the room .....if I see im not going to use it all I go t the slots get money off my card spin once and cash out and the casino cage........and to make sure I spend extra 50.00

 

Wow I WISH I could figure how many drinks I was going to have each day haha! Well done?

 

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The one on deck 4 only has one washer & two dryers. Was hoping dry dock would take care of that but no such luck.

Deck 5 has two washers & 4 dryers. So if I had more than one load I went up a deck.

You use your S&S Card to pay, $3.00 per load to wash & $3.00 a load to dry.

Make sure you set the washer on heavy soil or they don't spin to the max & takes forever to dry. I learned that the hard way, $9.00 & almost 3 hours to dry one load.

Char

 

Hey thank you for the info!

 

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I'm glad the search feature is back. This info is very helpful.

I noticed that the laundry rooms are normally along the stern of the ship.

I guess deck 7 and 1 are the only odd balls.

 

Oh I'm in 4210 so one right across the passageway.

 

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gift cards can be used again if you don't use all the money. cruise cash is use or lose on that specific cruise you purchased it for.

 

Thanks

 

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This is what we bought it for. just to avoid that large bill on our credit card or having to bring cash. I prefer to have alot paid off. I think next cruise however I'll do gift cards....

 

Now I'm a little confused. What's the difference between gift cards and cruise cash?

 

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Hey Thebosn1, are you part of our Roll Call for this cruise?

 

Check out the Roll Call section for this trip. There are a bunch of us that are planning activities and excursions together.

 

Check it out....come and join the fun, if you haven't already!

 

Susan

 

For the transpacific? Yes we are on the roll call. I just suggested we have a big party because so many of us have special occasions during the trip. Jim and Kirsten.

 

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Used it. It is very, very easy.

Just buy it online ahead of time.

Once onboard spend as you please.

 

The only "catch" is that you must use all of your Cruise Cash or cash out at the casino. If you have a vague idea of what you are planning to buy, just get enough cruise cash to cover that. :)

 

Perfect thanks everyone.

 

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The only thing we didn't like with the cruise cash was that it was "Use it or lose it". We purchase the Gift Cards, if their is money left at the end of the week they just place it on another gift card that we save for our next cruise;) I have heard that you can also cash out in the casino as well like the Cruise Cash. Just another option.

 

Good point thank you. However I am more than confident that I will USE any cash I put on there haha.

 

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OMG! I just spit up my soda!:eek: Now that's why I'm going to sue you! LOL!

 

That was a funny post Thebosn1!:D

 

The Triumph is my favorite ship to sail on. I'd sail on her tomorrow if I could. Love that ship and love that crew (well they probably aren't the same now). 5K a year is a joke but usually lawyers ask for way more than they are really expecting to get. Kinda like vendors at a flea market! LOL!

 

We sailed Triumph as well and it was one of the funniest cruises we have taken. We had an absolute blast! Great party ship!

 

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My son is on the paradise and he told me yesterday during dinner time the paradise rescued 24 stranded cubans.

 

Finally was able to find an article on it...

 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/05/travel/carnival-cruise-rescues-stranded-cubans-irpt/

 

(CNN) -- Matthew Sudders has been on plenty of cruises, but he'd never seen anything like this.

 

The civil servant from Paris was aboard the Carnival Paradise on Tuesday when he noticed the ship had started to slow down in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Then an announcement came over the public address system: The captain had spotted a small boat in the water, and it appeared to be in distress. The Paradise would try to help.

 

It appeared to Sudders that the cruise ship's captain was trying to shelter the small boat from the waves. Once they were close enough, ship staff lowered a platform down to the water and threw a rope and life jackets to the stranded craft.

 

Eventually, the 24 passengers from the boat, all of Cuban nationality, were able to board the Paradise. They had been stranded for five days, according to an announcement on the ship's PA system, said Sudders, one of two passengers who posted accounts of the rescue on CNN iReport.

 

"There was a huge cheer for the people as they came aboard," Sudders said from Grand Cayman Island on Wednesday. But he noticed a few of the cruise passengers were hesitant. Some of the people he stood next to on deck referenced Capt. Richard Phillips -- the American freighter captain whose 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates inspired an Oscar-nominated film -- hoping that the new passengers were not a risk.

 

He says cruise officials later informed him that the new passengers would have been subjected to security screening as they were brought on board.

 

The ship was en route to Grand Cayman from Tampa, Florida, when it stopped to aid the stranded boat on the first day of the cruise.

 

"The ship turned slowly and approached the boat," said Sudders, who was still aboard the five-day Caribbean cruise Wednesday. "The people in it were yelling in Spanish. One of them appeared to be unwell in the bottom of the boat. We could see that there was water in the bottom of the boat and although it had an engine, it was not running. As we approached the boat, one of the passengers was flagging us down with his jacket."

 

In a statement, Carnival officials said the ship's itinerary was unaffected by the rescue.

 

Ship staff provided the new passengers with food, water, fresh clothing and accommodations, and they were evaluated by the ship's medical team, the statement said. The Paradise also reported the rescue to the U.S. Coast Guard.

 

This isn't the first time a cruise ship has provided rescue services while at sea. Last year, another Carnival ship and a Disney ship picked up 21 people of uncertain nationality who were stranded on a raft off the coast of Key West. And in 2012, a Royal Caribbean ship rescued 23 Cubans, also near the Cayman Islands.

 

 

Funny how things like this never seem to make the headlines the way an over flowing toilet does...

Hopefully the Judge sees how ridiculous this lawsuit is and throws it out.

 

 

$5000 a year for LIFE because you saw a turd on the floor? Sign me up! :mad:

Just saw this.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Carnival-passengers-in-court-over-disabled-ship-5290810.php

 

"Most of the passengers are seeking $5,000 in damages a year from Carnival for the rest of their lives, claiming they will need continuous medical monitoring because of what happened aboard ship."

 

Really?

We are sailing next month, I was told Willie Lee is the CD

 

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He is sceduled to be on there for the TP trip and I think you are correct that he is there now...