LHARTWICK

"not supposed to happen" being the key phrase - LOL! Fingers crossed this gets fixed sooner rather than later. 🤞

This is what concerns me, but I've been told "that can't happen"......... Really??? Remember the Triumph a few years ago?? We have two bookings - one for October and one for December. Hope they get these issues resolved soon.

We took our first Christmas cruise on the Glory, December 2021. We usually sail the week prior to Christmas, but the deal that CCL sent us was WAY too good go pass up for a balcony over Christmas week. We've always wanted to wake up on Christmas morning on a ship, and this was it!! Like one of the posters above, the Christmas Eve service included carols and Carnival Christmas Santa hats and jingle bells. A LOT of people were in Christmas pajamas, including me - and that's saying a lot, as I tend to be shy and don't want to stand out in a crowd! But I found some really cute Charlie Brown Christmas pajamas online and just had to order them to wear on this cruise! On Christmas morning (a sea day for our cruise), there was a Christian based service in the main theater - we were stunned, given the circumstances these days. We will NEVER forget it - it was so meaningful and beautiful! I made sure to let the crew know how much we appreciated it. We also took a few Christmas decorations for our cabin, like tinsel and stockings - things that packed easily. Some people even bring small Christmas trees for their cabin. People really go all out to decorate their cabin doors, too - more so than usual. I also bought and decorated my own Santa cap with our favorite college football team's logo on it to wear. You'll see a number of passengers wearing Christmas attire all week long. It's so fun! Per an e-mail we received from CCL, I bought a large box of Christmas cards to sign and give to the crew, with a "thank you" in each one. There's a Santa's mailbox in the atrium where the cards go. They are then distributed to the crew that week. Remember - they are away from their families during that time, so anything we can do to let them know we care really means a lot to them. The ships were still sailing at lower than normal capacity during this time, so there were very few kids on board. There are usually tons of kids sailing over Christmas week from what I understand. Have fun - there's nothing like a Christmas cruise! 🎄🎅

I would think CCL would want to fix these issues sooner rather than later and not risk getting stuck somewhere - I'm recalling what happened to the Triumph a few years back. May be a completely different issue, but whatever it is, they need to fix it ASAP. Have read several similar posts here and on my app re: the propulsion issue and delays getting back to Galveston.

Agreed. The only time we've had to wait for a really long time to board was when the previous sailing came in late - due to weather I believe, which can not be controlled. Then everything, especially traffic, is a nightmare. When that happens, CCL usually sends an e-mail/text to incoming passengers telling them not to arrive to the terminal prior to a specific time. Many choose to ignore the warnings, hence the crowds. Just our observation and experience. We've been very pleased with the Galveston terminal experiences.

We sailed the Dream in April and while we did notice the staffing shortage, it did not keep us from enjoying a wonderful cruise! The crew members are doing the best they can IMO. We had a fabulous steward. Our MDR staff members were stretched VERY thin, but they worked so very hard to get everyone taken care of. Was the service slow? Most of the time, yes, but it was not for lack of trying. FWIW, the restaurants where we live are experiencing the same issues, so it's not just the cruise ships with the problems. We are paying customers there just as we are on the ships - we just try to be patient. I think we all need to remember to be thankful that cruising is back - and be thankful for it!

Agreed. We've cruised twice since the restart. No major issues with our overall cruise experience, but the staffing shortage is definitely noticeable, especially in the dining room. Just pack your patience and understand those who are working on board are doing the best they can right now - such hard workers!! 🥰