Badfinger

Did not know this.  Was on the Breeze last month and about day 3 realized there was no free drink coupon and no free bottles of water.  Figured it was the new normal.  Since we don't drink alcohol, and got all the water we wanted from the Spa, it was not a big deal.  Might have ordered a chocolate shake though...probably better off this way!

Just an FYI.  For our Rapid test at CVS, they billed my insurance company about $160.  My insurance said no that their R&C is about $55 and that is what they paid.  I paid nothing.  So $100 is not outrageous IMO and who knows, you might be able to file a claim with your insurance company for (partial) reimbursement if your plan allows for non-preferred providers (doubt CCL is a preferred provider).

53 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

 

 

I don't see bacon listed here:

https://www.eatthis.com/worst-foods-for-your-body/

 

On that list I would include it as #5...cured meats high in nitrates.  Splitting hairs if you want to argue otherwise.

 

 

Conventional wisdom would be that you should arrive early with an elderly person.  BUT...arrive as late as possible and you would likely have less lines, waiting, etc.  Might just be a better overall experience for your party.  

Sure you might miss the first feeding (which is very important to most..I get it), but plenty of time to make up for that.

Bacon has to be one of the worst foods to eat...maybe a stick of butter or rabbit pate could be worse.  Have a couple slices once or twice on your cruise and call it good.  I just shook my head in the past when I would see people basically emptying the steam pan onto their plate.  Good grief.  Carnival is actually doing many a favor by limiting bacon on cruises!

I got off the Breeze last week.  I asked Guest Services and they said they could sail at 70% Capacity.

We were spoiled not having any lines after going through the first security/COVID screening line at check-in.  Frankly that cruise might have spoiled us forever.  Dirt cheap fare, no lines, few kids, and tremendous service since it appeared the crew is at 100%.  Unlike other posts, we were in and out of the MDR (6pm dining) in less than 70 minutes, including 5-10 minute of chit-chat with our table mates at the end.   Pretty much downhill from there as capacity increases.

1 hour ago, RockHoundTX said:

First, don't expect to go to Grand Cayman since the island is still on lockdown. My March trip has already replaced Grand Cayman with something else. This is a bummer since Grand Cayman is one of my favorite ports. As for Jamaica, one of my LEAST favorite stops. First time I went on Carnival to that port (about 12 years ago?) I could not understand why almost no-one got off the ship. Truly horrifying experience (drugs, child trafficking, intimidation, and terrifying shuttle trip all in one excursion). We now just stay on the ship with Carnival (or just walk the secured section of the port with Royal Caribbean).   

Thanks.  I had read Cayman might open up come January.  I guess not!  Agree about Jamaica.  Been to Montego Bay port three times.  First time was okay on a ATV excursion.  Second time was really bad doing a on/off shuttle with stops at a beach...the "Carnival" person was basically trying to shake us down. Third time we got off the ship, bought a couple tee shirts right at the port shops and got back on.  This port is Ochos Rios...heard it might be slightly better,  but still a place I would rather not go.

10 hours ago, gotscrapz said:

If you need the Tpool go with the Magic. I like both the Vista and the Magic, but I wouldn't miss Superbowl at home with my sons 🙂

Yeah I guess it comes down to if I am willing to trade the T-Pool for my favorite port and the experience of a different ship.

Have a courtesy hold on a  February Vista cruise for $665 total including taxes and fees (not gratuities) for an interior Lido cabin.  Being a Spa guy, I will be buying a Spa pass which pushes is up to $785 (wife never uses the spa even when we had a spa cabin).

This is a Jamaica, Cayman, Cozumel itinerary.

I really like Cayman...my favorite port.  But I really like the T-Pool on the Dream Class.  Typically visit the Spa twice a day for 2-hours each...about half the time in the T-Pool.  Would prefer a balcony but frankly on our last cruise we were out there a total of maybe 90 minutes between us.  Used it more as a source of natural light I guess.

So I am conflicted....having never been on the Vista before, should we give it a shot for this what I think is a great price?  No 5 or 6 day cruises on the Dream or Breeze comes close to this price..but they offer that T-Pool.

And oh yeah...we would be sailing during the SuperBowl...that would be weird to me but I know they show it on the big screen.

Thoughts?  Vista and Cayman vs T-Pool?

I never pre-pay anything when it comes to a cruise.

Cruised on the Breeze 10/16 to 10/21.  I pretty much agree with most of what you posted.  However that comedian Storm was, IMO, not funny at all.  10 minutes in I had not even chuckled once.  I left.  I recall much funnier comedians like Cowboy Bill on Carnival.   Adult humor done with innuendo and/or double entendre's is much funnier (and probably a lot harder to write) than what she was offering.  And no, I am not a prude...I have no problem hearing George Carlins seven dirty words.  

I saw 3-4 of those ducks around the ship.  Had no idea what they were about and did not bother to pick even one up.  So it goes.

- Cruised out of Galveston.  Had a Cloud 9 Spa Balcony on deck 11.  Just my wife and I.  Chose 1200-1230 Check In.  Drove from San Antonio morning of.  Fourth cruise on the Breeze, 7th overall and first since 2018.

- If you use Galveston Park and Cruise right across from the terminal, don't be shy about asking for a premium spot if you are a repeat customer.  They keep me coming back.

-  Once we got through security/health screening, there was zero wait to get on ship.  We breezed right through final checkin and onto the ship.

-  Self Mustering is nice!

-  Luggage delivered before 1:30..it was waiting for us!

-  Seems I-45 has been under construction since forever.  Ugh.

- When did they change the name of Warm Chocolate Melting Cake to Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake and why?  Seemed gooier than before...all three times.

- Comedian Valerie Storm is not funny.  I waited 10 minutes for a real comedian to show up...none did so I left.

- Cloud 9 Spa fully operation without masks.  I visited the spa 14 times (about 90 min each time) during our 5 day cruise.  Ask any questions!

- We remembered our earplugs and glad we did.  Wow was the Flick show loud.

-  Breeze Band playing on the Ocean Plaza deck 5 is a lot of fun.

-  Some of the trivia is hard...but easy to cheat if you really have to have a SOAS.

-  Violin music...just a little is enough.

-  Passport facial recognition is fantastic.

- Apparently they don't care what you bring back anymore aside from Cigarettes and Booze.

-  As usual the Salmon from the Grill in the MDR was the best food item of the week.  

- The Italian restaurant is still the best kept lunch secret.  After we boarded we headed straight there for lunch, arriving about 12:35.  Counting us there were less than 12 people there.

- Tee shirts, vanilla and chocolate in the ports can really add up fast.  Add in a couple gifts and there goes $200.  But I don't go for the 8 for $20 tee shirts or vanilla without expiration dates either!

-  Wow was our cabin quiet.  We both slept very well....8+ hours a night.  But that was our goal...a restful do nothing cruise...no excursions either....just a lot of doing nothing.

-  Taking the elevator down to deck 0 and then the stairs up to deck 14, five times in a row, is still a very good intense workout.  And the stairs in the front of the ship are pretty much empty at 0630.

- Still don't understand why people work hard to get a deck chair on the noisy, busy and hot lido deck, when one can find a peaceful shaded deck chair and be all by yourself down on deck 5 where you can see the water.  Riddle me confused.

-  Seemed early in the season for a fog delay upon our return.  Book your flights accordingly!

- Sorry..no pictures..that would have been too much work on our do nothing cruise.

Just got off the Breeze on 10/21.  I asked guest services and they said they could book up to 70% capacity and that there were just under 2600 on board.  Compare that to a summer 2018 cruise on the Breeze with over 4400 on board.  But it appeared the number of crew on the ship was pre-pandemic levels.

It was nice!  The longest line encountered was the initial security/health screening.  Longest line for food that I waited in was about 6 deep at the lido buffet one night for dinner.  Once I walked up to the Mongolian Wok after 12:00 with no line, and same at an omelet station one morning.  Guys was usually about 3-4 deep.

Heck I would already be in the Cloud 9 Spa enjoying the T-Pool.

That is unfortunate.  We we just returned from the Breeze and were able to schedule a rapid COVID test two weeks in advance at a CVS about 18 minutes away.  Arrived about 20 minutes before our scheduled test time and were called right in.  The negative result PDF was in my email inbox before we arrived home.  No charge.  

Thanks all.  This is just a charger with two USB inputs.  I have plenty of  the Apple white block single plugs.  Will just use those.

It has been over 3 years since we were on the Breeze.  Sailing on her again soon.  I don't remember the electrical outlet configuration with regards to width of the plug.

So, is there enough "width" or "clearance" at the outlet so I can plug in this charger?  It is a bit over 2" wide.

Okay maybe there are other posts about this, but since you talked about the QR Code in the dining room....does one have to buy the internet package in order for your phone to read the QR Code and display the menu?  

I am "only" 58 and I would prefer to be around the younger crowd than the senior set.  More energy, lively crowds and better conversation.  And typically the kids are not that bad...who really cares if they push all the buttons on the elevator (should take the steps anyways!) or cut in the buffet line to grab a dinner roll.

I  have only been on the Magic, Breeze and Triumph.  

My favorite is the Breeze.  Love the Cloud 9 Spa with the T-Pool.  Won't sail without it.  Just like the colors and feel of the Breeze vs the Magic, even though they are pretty much identical layout.  

They no longer pay a dividend.  A few months ago they reported having about $32B in debt.  Doubt they will start paying a dividend anytime soon.  Guess you will have to consider the OBC as your only dividend now!

For us it was ease of access to Galveston and price.

Traveling with 4 in the past and having done 6 cruises so far, only once did RC ever come close in price.  

But even if they matched, it would have been Carnival for me.  The deal breaker is the Cloud 9 Spa.  I absolutely love it and won't sail with it our its equivalent.  So right now I am a Dream Class or bust kind of Cruiser.

Admittedly I have not look at RC for a while to see if their newer ships have an equivalent Cloud 9.

Wife and I broke a 5 day on the Breeze...Cloud 9 Spa Balcony (includes access to the Spa of course) for $673 total for both including ports fees and taxes.  

Since we drive to the port, I aim to arrive about 12:00 so we can still get some lunch in the Italian Restaurant.  That allows us to sleep in until about 7am and also allows more than enough time should we have a flat tire or hit some traffic.  Typically the cabins are ready about the time we finish our meal.  If not, I know a way to sneak to our cabin without going around any barricades, etc.

To me non-refundable means just that, unless of course the ship doesn't sail.  Realize port fees and taxes would refunded no matter what.

We booked an October N-R cruise.  I am taking them at their word, since words mean things.  Of course would ask for some consideration if WE cancelled,  but would not expect it.

Sailing on the Breeze 16 October.  We sailed on CCL 6 times, with our last being in 2018.

This time just the wife and I up in a Cloud 9 Spa Balcony.

We are looking to just do nothing.  Wife is an RN and just needs to decompress and escape from the calls and texts begging her to work.

We want to do basically nothing, pack light as possible and just wing it the entire cruise.

But we do like going to the dinning room for the early seating and decided that is about the extent of any advanced planning.

So..has the dress code continued to relax (or not be enforced) to the point that I could wear some non-denim shorts, golf polo and Teva type sandals every night, even on elegant night?  Not trying to disrespect anyone who may dress up, but just looking for ultimate relaxation and comfort.