skiorcruise

Thank you very much for your very informative review.  We will be on the same trip in early October of this year.  Your description of the Athens tour has helped me eliminate a tour my DW cannot take due to her mobility issues.

Thanks again,

Dave

I am also following your trip report with great interest.  We (DW and I, both 71years old, she has minor mobility issues) will be on this trip in October of this year.  First Royal Cruise, first trip to Europe for her (Mine was in the early 70s).  Keep the info coming.

Thanks to all for the information.  Very helpful for making my early plans.

Thank you for the responses. We are a 70+ couple whose cruise experience is primarily Carnival.  

We are taking a September 2024 trip that includes 9 days land in Italy and this cruise.  Any and all info is welcome.

We are arriving a day early and planning on a day at the WWII museum prior to the cruise.  We have been to the French Quarter on previous trips.

We return to New Orleans on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Our flight out of NO isn't until 6pm.  Any suggestions on tours of the area for 4 people would be appreciated.

Thank you.

I saw the last (2017?) eclipse from the Casper, WY area.  I will see this next one, no matter where I have to travel.  Planning on somewhere in Texas, but I am angry with myself at missing out on the Princess cruise.

For the two of us (70 year old adults), I prepay gratuities, never buy drink packages, gamble little or nothing.  I generally plan on $150-200 per day, including shore excursions, meals, shopping, etc.  $200 x 7 days = $1400.  Your $3500 for a 7 day cruise sounds like overkill to me, but you do you.  My splurges come on winter ski trips.

The old adage is pack your bags for your trip, then take out half your clothes.  Fill the empty space with money.  Then you are ready to sail.

+1 on the free laundry perk.

I am in the same club, Platinum on the next cruise.  Glory on May 14.  DW took a trip without me, and has been Platinum for  a while.  Laundry is the big perk, less to pack, carry, lug through airports and on and off the ship.

ShakyBeef,

You are not the only one who snail-mails things, I do also.

I also carry a copy with me just in case the credit does not show up on the ship.  But, I've never needed it.  Maybe I should join this modern technological world.

I have taken several Carnival cruises and one Celebrity, all pre-Covid.  More children/teens on Carnival.  I enjoy a few drinks, my wife does not drink.  "Free drinks" on Celebrity have to be paid for somehow, not sure that is worth the difference in the final bill.  My Celebrity experience was a little more up-scale, more elegant spaces on the ship, a few nicer educational opportunities (lectures), but Carnival has been more fun.  You can always find a quiet place on any ship to relax.  Your attitude and expectations are important indicators of the overall experience.  Rude teenagers running wild at the elevators pressing every button has always been my biggest complaint on board, with chair hogs a close second.  I've never seen a fight.

I (we) enjoy the Carnival product.  We both hold CCL in our respective IRAs.  We enjoy having the shareholder's credit, no matter if we cruise together or alone (girl's cruise, etc).  CCL is not my best investment by a long shot.  I consider it money spent, not well spent.  I will continue to collect the cruise credit when I cruise, but currently have no expectations of getting it back.

Carnival is trying hard to survive, but appears to be in a very shaky financial position.  I would be very careful investing in CCL at the moment.

As others have pointed out, investing in 100 shares of CCL today does nothing to help Carnival, only purchases equity in the company from another investor who is selling.  

Do your homework.  Know what you are investing in.  Own your results.  Do not invest money you cannot afford to lose.

I have used Capt Marvin's 3 times.  Always had a great time, easy to use, good communications, good drivers and operators.  I wish all tour companies would take a page from their book.  YES, I recommend them.

I don't remember what check in time I asked for when we did this, but I do remember that it was the slickest and easiest airport to ship and ship to airport I have ever done.  Cudos to Seattle.

John91498:

On the advice of a friend, we booked this cruise through Costco Travel.  I am not happy with them for several reasons.  Lesson learned.  

It has been several years since I last cruised, not sure if my PVP is still around.  I did get an email with his name on it a month or so ago, but he has not replied to my emailed question.  I did state that I had booked via Costco.

I though I would give CC a try, then start burning up the phone lines on Monday if I don't have an answer by then.

Dave

Thank you.

Unfortunately, it did not work.  Our numbers came up, but the kid's numbers did not.

My DW wants to take DD and SIL on a cruise about a year from now.  All adults.  The kids were on one cruise back in June or July of 2008.  Any ideas on how to find their VIFP numbers?  They have no clue.  We were on that same trip with them, but have disposed of all of the paperwork from that trip long ago.

Thanks in advance

Dave

Spirit class.  They are the ships with the most space per passenger.  (ship tonnage divided by pax capacity).  Love them.

I had to look too.  I have been here for 18 years.  How time flies.

A very sincere thank you to all the long timers and others for their advice over the years.  I just hope a few of my posts have been helpful to others as well.

Dave

Thank you for your replies.

Going on the Glory in May 2023.  Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  DD has always dreamed of swiming with dolphins.  Where is the best experience for her?  My thoughts are stingray city and then dolphins in Cozumel, but I have only done a dolphin swim once.  All thoughts, positive and negative, are welcome.

Thank you.

Dave

I am a nonsmoker.  I enjoy slots and other games without the second hand smoke.  I don't hassle those who need to smoke, but prefer to be away from them while they indulge in their habit.

Splendor has a few decks where you cannot go forward to aft.  Dinning rooms and galleys get in the way.  Spirit class allows you to go forward to aft on all decks.

Spirit Class ship over Splendor every time.  An Alaska trip needs to look at ports and excursions.  

Spirit class ships are the least crowded ships in the Carnvial fleet.  Thats why I prefer them over any others.