Froufie

Also not a good plane sleeper - I convince myself I am resting with closed eyes! LOL I heard of this app called timeshifter which I am going to try prior to my upcoming international flight (I believe the first 'trip' is free on the app). I understand it advises you on caffeine consumption/light/darkness etc. Worth a try I think? https://www.pilotplans.com/blog/timeshifter-review

I picked a time around 2 hrs after my (supposed?) landing - but added the extra $$ for a flex tickets which allows you to change buses within 12 hrs of the original ticket!

Maybe this one? https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/itinerary-details/15-night-mediterranean-passage-transatlantic-from-rome-civitavecchia-italy?packageID=CS15T117

Would also like to see this on an 'official' Carnival webpage or something? Unless that is pending? We shall see! 🍷

But there was only one 😞 on the last sea day - not on all seadays as per the usual schedule. Hoping they eventually are able to staff up enough to offer this again!

Hard to 'stay away' from either of those airports - such a lack of direct flights and those are the only two 'gateway' cities for most of the flights I take (from Ottawa) - the best option is to avoid a 'connection' perhaps and go directly to Montreal (train/bus?) and start/end your trip there?

For many of us it's a 'seaday ritual'! LOL. Not so much for the food, but for the company, cruise chat and meeting people from all over the world! 🙂 I am optimistic that it will happen daily on my upcoming Celebration transatlantic cruise - something to look forward to on all the seadays (along with fun and games that I know will be scheduled as well?), and a way to reconnect with all my old (and new?) cruise pals!

You were lucky - there were 3 sea days on our Mardi Gras cruise - and I knew in advance, having seen the funtimes that there would only be one, on the last sea day 😞

Only one tea time on the Mardi Gras a couple of weeks ago - on the last sea day!

OMG - I forgot about the random covid testing - what a fluke I escaped it... so when leaving customs (after nexus) you go to your right and there are TWO escalators taking you down to the luggage retrieval area. - there is a 'barrier' between the two so you can pick one or the other 'line' to go down - I ended up on the right side escalator. On the way down I noticed the right side escalator/the one I was on let you step off and you were off to find your luggage carrousel - but the left side escalator had these barriers/ropes up at the bottom, and forced you to turn the corner (around to the left of the escalator as you got off) and you couldn't just 'escape' to the luggage carrousels? I thought that was so weird and was wondering why those people were forced into some other area - and when I got down I noticed all those people were now being herded into the random covid testing area! So right side escalator - home free - left side - had to register and take a test (and yes there was one 'dissenter' and a few police officers holding him (her?) down on the floor while they ranted and raved about not wanting to take the test - most disturbing). I guess that is how they are doing the 'random' testing now? Or did I miss something? LOL

Happy to report that my recent 'connection' in Toronto went very smoothly - I was losing sleep and stressing over this so much! Got on a 9 am Air Canada flight from ottawa - arriving pearson at 10:05 (to connect to a 1:20 AC flight to Orlando) - off by plane by 10:15 - then the walk to the 'holding' room' to await the 'luggage transfer' and my name to appear on the board (this is where I was held up for over on hour in Montreal!!!). At around 10:40 my name appeared so off I scooted - to Security - seemed weird and empty to me - was very confused but happy. Did the scanning of carryons and then off to the Customs Hall! Found the Nexus machines did my scan got my piece of paper and off to line up - seriously there were only about 10 people on the 'Nexus' side of the Hall and only 2 custom booths open - and just as I got to the front of the line - sorry - but the agents have to have a short meeting - everyone has to just wait! So we did - I was freaking out a bit - but they did return (and at that point there were maybe only a dozen or so people behind me).....and the agent finally 'motioned' to me - showed him the paper and my passport and off I went. ,....and there I was at the F Gates - at 11:15? HUH? approximately one hour since landing - with absolutely no issues - doing the happy dance all through the airport and found a place to lunch at 11:30 and sat myself down - was so so so happy (but just to add that only lasted a few hours as once on the plane we had maintenance issues/jacksonville air traffic control space issues and at 2:30 had to DEPLANE!! I was so freaked out and thinking I would miss my cruise!). They told us they would make a general announcement shortly and at 3 pm announced a new gate and departure at 6 pm ( a lie) - but around 7 pm were finally took off, landing around 10:30 pm - getting to hotel very late at 11:30 - cranky and tired but still happy I would make it to the ship next morning!).

Wow - that is so upsetting - wonder why they would not move him up - glad that 'citizens' were more helpful than the airport staff !

last cruise in March we 'avoided' Pearson by going through Montreal - issues both ways despite a 3 hr connection time! 😞

Thanks - will definitely speak up if it looks bad enough! 😞

thanks so much - yes I was checking out the Pearson website and did find out about the PURPLE connection signs - let's hope my arrival flight is not delayed and I have enough time for my short little legs to get me where I need to go! LOL

So glad to hear about the Air Canada 'experience' - I am already stressing about my flights this week - with a 3 hr connection - but both AC flights (Ottawa/Toronto/Orlando) - hoping things go well and we don't sit on the tarmac or have any other issues. My only backup is another/later flight to Orlando at 6 pm (assuming there are seats available should I have to do that instead of my 1:20 pm flight!) Fingers and toes crossed! ...and hoping I can stop worrying and get some sleep tonight! 🙂

Excellent- thanks for this information - I will put most of it into my 'casino account' and play for the week and then cash out as needed. That way I won't have to keep adding funds and can see what I have left at any point in time (and when I have lost 'enough' LOL).

So further to #4 - if I download all the funds to my player bank for the 'week' and play around - and there is some left (if I should be so lucky - or if I'm REALLY lucky more than what I started with) I can cash it out and take it - even though it started out as non-refundable cruise cash? Do I have to play ALL of it?

Actually from what I understand Carnival has caught onto this and it is no longer allowed ! 😞

Agreed - but was able to use a code to get 20% off which is the only reason I purchased the cruise cash! 🙂

Yes it was from Carnival with the booking code used - and thanks for confirming it's non-refundable. I have written to my PVP as well to see if she can explain how the 'credits' would work - but I also noted that I may be able to 'cancel' my order (if I think I won't spend all that money onboard? LOL - don't want to lose it obviously). Thanks

Definitely planning to play in the casino all week LOL - $$ spent sure depends on how I am doing? (but would definitely put a least a couple of hundred on the machine to start with and hope for the best? LOL) I am not sure if my OBC is refundable or not? Sounds like Cruise cash is not - and would love for that to be used first? I may ask my PVP about the the type of OBC with my booking and/or I guess I can always ask at Guest Services on board as to how all the $$ is spent? Sounds like I won't know anything but the 'balance/credit' to my account and will have no way of know which $$ is being used at any given point?? Wish there was a way to monitor this and know?

Hoping someone can explain the correct rules when using obc/cruise cash onboard. I booked a cruise which came with some OBC (some of which I have already used 🙂 ) - and also now have some cruise cash to spend, and I think I can't use this for some stuff? 1) Can I assume when I board both the (remaining) OBC and cruise cash will be credited to my onboard account? 2) Is there an 'order' in which the funds are used? 3) I noticed that I was unable to use my OBC to pre-pay my gratuities? Wondering if and how I can use the cruise cash to do this? (do I have to 'use up' my 'original' OBC first before I can 'access' the cruise cash?) 4) Can I just put all/or most of this $$ (both OBC and CC) on a slot machine, play for the week and then cash out and get remaining $$ back? (is that still allowed/doable?) 5) If not and there is $$ left over how do I get it? Will they send me a cheque or something? 6) Can one 'cancel' the cruise cash before the cruise and get a refund? If you cancel the entire cruise I assume you would get a refund? Any insights on this works would be greatly appreciated! Thanks:)

yes and that is where we got stuck in Montreal in March LOL - my husband's name 'appeared' but mine did not - they insisted we had to wait there for an hour!! (as the clock ticked towards our FLL connection). There were NO REPS THERE AT ALL...so eventually we just 'took' ourselves to customs and out in the airport which caused a huge uproar as the AC rep was shocked that they 'allowed' us out (like we were prisoners or something?) - walked us over to a computer desk and the two of them peered at the screen on and off for 10 minutes (got someone else involved as well) and then said 'okay you can go' - like all of a sudden my bag was 'discovered"? We were allowed 'back' into the customs area but the whole flight I was stressing out about having no luggage for my cruise and could only relax once I saw it come off the carrousel! What was supposed to be a more 'relaxing' connection with possibly lunch and time to get snacks before the next flight - was a stressful, bad experience - as we grabbed some water bottles and pretzels and got to the gate just in time to board - NOT FUN!

I don't think I can rebook as I used airmiles.ca - but I know there is another flight at 6 pm (if I miss the 1:30 flight) and will have my travel agent girlfriend on 'standby' to help me out if required 🙂 Flying out next Friday ! How long is your connection? Would love to hear how it goes!