Carnival Destiny Feb 11th – 16th long review/diary.

[WinnipegCruiser]

Carnival Destiny Feb 11th – 16th

 

This is a series of reviews of the Carnival Destiny. This ship is unique in the fleet that it has three different cruises, and three different itineraries in a 14 day period. A four day, a five day and then another five day. We took all three in that order. I admit that if I were to do it again, I would do the Jamaica leg first. Why? I am convinced that the ship takes much longer to debark if it has stopped in Jamaica. I can’t prove it, but that is just what happened to us. The first two legs (when we were not debarking) went perfectly. Everyone was off by 9:30 AM. Today when were debarked from Destiny it was at least an hour later.

 

We now know that the Destiny will be repositioning to Europe in February of next year. So if we do decide to do this again, it will have to be before February of 2013.

 

So I have done three reviews, one for each of our Back to Back to Back.

The first has been published here:

Carnival Destiny, February 2-6 LONG Review with Pictures

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1573798

 

and the second leg was done here:

Carnival Destiny Feb 6 -11th Long review with pictures

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1574072

 

Here is the third leg:

Carnival Destiny Feb 11th – 16th

Ah the last leg of our amazing adventure. The morning of this time in Miami was the day I had built up in my mind for weeks. This was going to be our 10th cruise. We were going to be Platinum. We were going to get those new cards. I was very excited.

Well, I want to tell everyone a secret that even seems to have surprised Carnival. If you turn Platinum during a B2B, they will have a problem recognizing it. Their computer system at head quarters doesn’t get the data from the ship for hours after the new cruise starts. It takes a while for their system to credit you that cruise. Normally that is not a problem. Usually they have weeks, months or even years to know you have taken that ninth cruise. However on a B2B you want them to recognize it NOW!

I am getting ahead of myself. In the morning of the B2B, while a great majority of the passengers are walking the ship with their luggage, those of us who on the next cruise are having a leisurely breakfast, and relaxing as the CD is telling everyone what Zone number is next.

Today was different. Noonan the CD for our past cruises was already off the ship. He had a 5 week vacation, and he had jumped off the second the customs people would allow him. Today was “James” day. He had been handed the keys to everything except the wheelhouse sometime in the night and now he was in charge.

Things were going well. Passengers had been prepared by the speeches the previous night, and all the videos they show on the TVs. The announcements were going well, and debarkation was going to be finished on time. By 9:30 in the morning everyone who should be off will be off.

After having the leisurely breakfast, the DW and I head for the Paladium Lounge at deck 3 forward. We find ourselves a comfortable place to sit, and we are watching some local ABC station. It seems the weather is the big story. Rain Rain and more rain. A possible storm that has not been seen in these parts for 40 years. And they are telling us how cold it is. “Could go down to a low of 65 Alex”. Oh no... Not 65!

Anyway, we are a bit giddy. Instantly we do notice that a crowd is forming. This B2B group is quite a bit bigger than the previous one. We start talking among ourselves and talking about the weather.

The crew person comes around and checks us off the list one by one. She gets to me and the wife, and can’t find us on the list. She looks a bit scared and runs off to the front desk. I am cool as a cucumber. I know I have my boarding pass printed off. I know I am booked for this cruise. So I just wait. In a minute she comes back and continues down her list. All is good.

During the switch from one cruise to the next, the B2B passenger needs three things. Their sign and sail card. It will be used by the database to show that they left the ship. They need their passport. Weird as it is, you need to prove your citizenship to the customs official. Even though you are not really entering the USA physically, they still need to in and out you. Third you need that blue customs paper filled out and signed. Where are you staying while in the USA? The Carnival Destiny.

Anyway they gather you up, walk you past the lobby gangway, where you put your card in the machine that goes “bing”, out to the customs desk, you show your passport and that blue card to the person in uniform, then they walk you back onboard. Easy peasy.

Now when you come back on board they hand you your new sign and sail cards. You then enter it in the security computer and it takes your picture. That picture is what they use to make sure it is really you when you return to the ship from a day at port.

BUT WAIT.... I was supposed to get my Platinum sign and sail card today....All I get is a lousy gold card.

OK, stay calm, Breath. I simply will go to the purser’s desk and they will clear this all up.

“Are you sure this is your tenth cruise?”

“Yes, I am quite sure”

“Are you sure you were on the previous cruise?”

“Um, ya. How could I be here at 10am if I wasn’t.”

“Right, well the system is updating now, can you comeback at 11?”

“OK no problem”

 

There are three other passengers with the same problem, so I can feel better that this isn’t personal.

We decide to to the aft deck, and just relax. That has become my special place.

However this time the weather is cold and rainy. It just isn’t the same.

11 o’clock rolls around, and I head for the lobby. I explain the problem all over again to a new person.

This guy can’t do anything until the system finishes the download.

 

“Another half an hour maybe? “

“Thank you very much”

 

So I go back, report what is happening to the DW, and have something to eat.

I go back to the desk at 11:40, and explain it all again to someone new. This person tells me that he is going to have to write an email in order to get this figured out.

“No, that is not acceptable.” I explain. “ There must be a way to do this right now. I have been here three times, if an email needed to be sent, they should have done that the first time.”

 

He excuses himself, goes to the back and comes back in about two minutes with my Platinum Sign and Sail cards. I don’t care how he did it. He probably just pulled two blanks and put them in the regular card printer. If so, that was smart.

 

 

The first benefit we are going use is the laundry. That night we fill two bags with laundry.

 

This sail-a-way was going to be different. We were invited on the roll call by CruzinCupl (Ben and Tracy) to spend it in an Aft Wrap balcony. This was very cool. There are advantages to this sort of balcony. It is much larger. So they have a couple of the lounging deck chairs. On our balcony they only had two of the small chairs. They expected some more people from the roll call. They even ordered hors d'oeuvres.

They were a bit disappointed. I have to admit that none of the CC meet and great went well. I think there is a place for Cruise Critic to find a way to make these happen. It is to the web sites advantage, as we are the greatest ambassadors.

 

It is interesting that we don’t get the bottle of champagne that you normally get for doing a B2B. At the time I suspect that it has something to do with us not being on the B2B list earlier. I now know that the Carnival software doesn’t figure B2B2B’s very well. I am not worried because Maria at the casino has it figured out and she sends a complimentary bottle of wine to our dinner table.

 

Day at Sea

This five day cruise starts with a day at sea while the ship heads for Ocho Rios Jamaica. It is quite a distance away, and the ship has to cut is very close to Cuba. For quite a bit of the journey you can actually see Cuba off the starboard side. If you were inclined that way, and you brought a serious set of binoculars.

 

Ocho Rios Jamaica

There is no doubt that all the Jamaica ports have a lot in common. The people of Jamaica are really wonderful, but somehow the people who work around the ports have become very aggressive. I think all the ports have people who are trying to convince you to take their cab, or get your hair braided, however Jamaica and Ocho Rios seems to take it to a new level.

All we planned to do is walk through the shops and head over to Margaretville. It is overcast, although still quite warm (75F). We bought a couple of the Dollar store ponchos and brought them with us onboard. The threat of rain certainly meant that we didn’t want to go far.

 

 

Margaretville provides a nice place to get drinks, lunch and more free internet. A couple came up to us when they saw us using our tablet. They asked if we could send an email to some of their family, just to tell them that they are well. I offer to do even more. I offer to take a picture of them with the ship in the background, and let them post it to their Facebook.

I predict that very soon businesses will have a place for you to do exactly that. Take a picture and post it to your Facebook page.

We had a few Margaritas and posted our own pictures to Facebook in order to update our families. Don’t get me wrong there was great music, and quite the party going on. However it was raining pretty bad, and that just put a damper on our day. We actually wore our rain ponchos on the walk back to the ship.

When we arrived back at the ship, a plate of chocolate covered strawberries was waiting for us, compliments of the Maria at the casino.

 

To be continued and finished tomorrow.

[Froufie]

So sorry to hear you didn't get any goodies for being b2b - in fact you should have gotten something on your 2nd leg for sure? At least you were well taken care of by Maria - shame on Carnival for not giving you a little something! (we each got a bottle of champagne and fruit basket at the beginning of our 2nd 'leg' of our b2b on the Destiny).

 

I also turned 'platinum' on the 2nd leg and had 'oiled' the way by writing to my PVP and making sure EVERYONE was aware of the platinum thing.(and visited the concierge desk the last night to make sure they knew what was about to happen!)....yes I was given a 'gold' card but told to come back in a couple of hours to get the platinum one - and I was THRILLED:D:D

[mumtopugs]

Thanks so much for posting your reviews. I really appreciate the time it takes to let us all know how it went. Sounds like you really had a great trip!

[re-re]

I'm really enjoying your reviews.:)

[victoriap]

You are quick to get your review up!! I just downloaded my pictures! It was great meeting you at Ben and Tracy's.. I wish more people made it there!!

 

Victoria

[gelo7]

Nice review.

[smplyblessed619]

Yayyy for Platinum!!! Boooo for all the hassle...looking forward to more :). Thanks again for taking the time to post all 3 reviews.

[Buffalofirsttimer4]

Can you come back and finish-please :D

[agc291]

Bump.. thinking about changing to his cruise April 30. Please finish your review:)

[minnieiowa]

Carnival Destiny Feb 11th – 16th

 

 

 

To be continued and finished tomorrow.

 

Great review -- Please don't leave us hanging....... :) wheres the rest?

[Buffalofirsttimer4]

To be continued and finished tomorrow.

 

 

Please, oh, please come back and finish--really need a Destiny fix :eek::eek:!

[deedle7544]

bummer!!!! I want more

[mnsawyer]

We did the 5-night Destiny to Jamaica and Grand Cayman the last week in March. We hadn't been to Jamaica for years but would agree with the OP that the area even within the port security has become extremely aggressive. The last time we were in Jamaica the Margarittaville area was not part of the haggling for tours, etc. Also, I couldn't believe how many open store fronts there were at Island Village. There was much more new construction and shops outside of the port area down the street. Got a great watch and Coach bag!!

[cruzzette]

Great review, hope you come back and finish :)

[Chelleum]

Great review!!