10th Anniv. Cruise in April 2013: Port Canaveral or Tampa?

[GTO-Girl]

I also saw you posted earlier about going in early April. Keep in mind that Easter this year is VERY early (March 31, 2013) so that whole week is going to be crawling with kids out for their Spring Break.

 

College spring breaks seems to run from mid-February through Easter, so you may want to take all of that into consideration when selecting your cruise date.

 

Since this is a special anniversary for you I'm just trying to help you pick a time that might not be so crazy........ ;)

[jdvmd]

I also saw you posted earlier about going in early April. Keep in mind that Easter this year is VERY early (March 31, 2013) so that whole week is going to be crawling with kids out for their Spring Break.

 

College spring breaks seems to run from mid-February through Easter, so you may want to take all of that into consideration when selecting your cruise date.

 

Since this is a special anniversary for you I'm just trying to help you pick a time that might not be so crazy........ ;)

 

OP said she was looking at cruises beginning April 7 so she will miss the spring breakers.

[meengla]

I am a he-man..not a she :) . But the she has also been sent a link to this thread.

 

Gto-girl,

While we can get $669 for a balcony room being SC resident I think our earliest now is April 13..

Thanks also for the tip about the non-guest parking at the Radisson.

 

Question: How can one know if a Balcony will have obstructed view or not? I have read some reviews for C.Dream Staterooms but don't know if, for example, #2264 on the Main is obstructed or not. I have also looked at the Dream's deck plan but they don't show boats?

[GTO-Girl]

I am a he-man..not a she :) . But the she has also been sent a link to this thread.

 

Gto-girl,

While we can get $669 for a balcony room being SC resident I think our earliest now is April 13..

Thanks also for the tip about the non-guest parking at the Radisson.

 

Question: How can one know if a Balcony will have obstructed view or not? I have read some reviews for C.Dream Staterooms but don't know if, for example, #2264 on the Main is obstructed or not. I have also looked at the Dream's deck plan but they don't show boats?

 

when doing a "fake" booking on the Carnival website there should be a seperate category for obstructed balcony vs balcony. You may be looking at a Cove Balcony if it is on Deck 2. Those are very cool as they are close to the waterline......BUT......try to book one that is not under the galley otherwise you will have noise overhead all during the night.

 

We had a cove balcony on Deck 2 this past October, but because of the noise above I don't think we will book another. The view is great, but I think we prefer a regular balcony.

 

My rule of thumb is always to have cabins above and below me and as close to mid-ship as possible.....

 

Hope this helps...

[meengla]

Gto girl,

I don't see any option on the Carnival site for obstructed or clear balconies. I think the Cove Balcony sounds good, even better than regular Balcony because of closer view of water... just don't want to be looking at some lifeboat instead.

 

I really think the 'view' information should be crystal clear!! It is not at all in my attempt to book C. Dream, unless I am missing something obvious? The agent I spoke with today was sure that Category 7C (Cove) or the available part of that Category was obstructed...hmmm.

 

 

 

Thx

[GTO-Girl]

Gto girl,

I don't see any option on the Carnival site for obstructed or clear balconies. I think the Cove Balcony sounds good, even better than regular Balcony because of closer view of water... just don't want to be looking at some lifeboat instead.

 

I really think the 'view' information should be crystal clear!! It is not at all in my attempt to book C. Dream, unless I am missing something obvious? The agent I spoke with today was sure that Category 7C (Cove) or the available part of that Category was obstructed...hmmm.

 

 

 

Thx

 

 

7C is going to be the cove balconies Your view is NOT going to be obstructed because the lifeboats are actually above the balcony. And because of the lifeboats you will always have shade, so it makes it nice to be able to sit out there without the fear of sunburn.

 

You might want to go to You Tube and look for Dream Cove Balcony and it will give you an idea of what to expect. These are very neat rooms!!

 

We have sailed out of PC probably 7 or 8 times now and have been on the Dream twice, so if there is anything I can help you with, please let me know.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise!!!!

[meengla]

GTO Girl,

 

Hey, I will certainly look up Cove Balcony videos on You Tube. Thanks a bunch for your help!

 

PS. We are probably too late for the 13 April sailing to get Cove Balconies on Dream and we still have to get approval from my respective bosses for the vacation; all our own fault. Sigh.

 

Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express

[meengla]

I watched a couple of videos of the Cove Balcony stateroom on You Tube--especially exciting to watch was a 'High Seas' video from that balcony. The view was not blocked. I was sold! Called Carnival to get some idea about the time to make the full payment for the 13 April cruise: He said: By 28th January. But made an online booking which showed the deadline until only January 7. That will be tight because of work related issues to get an approval but we should be okay.

 

 

 

***** We are booked for the 13th April Carnival Dream from Port Canaveral!!****

 

 

 

Thank you all!!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express

[GTO-Girl]

I watched a couple of videos of the Cove Balcony stateroom on You Tube--especially exciting to watch was a 'High Seas' video from that balcony. The view was not blocked. I was sold! Called Carnival to get some idea about the time to make the full payment for the 13 April cruise: He said: By 28th January. But made an online booking which showed the deadline until only January 7. That will be tight because of work related issues to get an approval but we should be okay.

 

 

 

***** We are booked for the 13th April Carnival Dream from Port Canaveral!!****

 

 

 

Thank you all!!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express

 

 

F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S :D :D :D!!!

 

I hope you have a wonderful Anniversary cruise!!!!!

[meengla]

Thank you again!

 

Oh, upon my request the full pay deadline extended to January 18. Sweet!

[meengla]

I am still a bit unhappy with the other travel agent (don't want to mention names again) who called me a few days ago: According to that agency, 7C, and 8A would be obstructed and so I was talked into getting a more expensive one. I decided to not take the bait and ask here instead and I am glad I did!

Is that pretty common for agencies to do?

 

BTW, the fares offered by the agency were similar to what you could get by going to the Carnival. And, by booking through the Discover Credit Card site there is 5% cash-back reward, which should come to about $90 saving for us. Not bad.

[GTO-Girl]

I am still a bit unhappy with the other travel agent (don't want to mention names again) who called me a few days ago: According to that agency, 7C, and 8A would be obstructed and so I was talked into getting a more expensive one. I decided to not take the bait and ask here instead and I am glad I did!

Is that pretty common for agencies to do?

 

BTW, the fares offered by the agency were similar to what you could get by going to the Carnival. And, by booking through the Discover Credit Card site there is 5% cash-back reward, which should come to about $90 saving for us. Not bad.

 

Obviously the travel agent wasn't familiar with the cove balconies or either they were trying to talk you into a higher priced cabin. Glad you didn't fall for it.

 

I never use a travel agent because I prefer to do everything myself. Keep in mind that once you book with a travel agent they "own" your booking and any question or problem you have after must be directed only through the travel agent. The cruiseline will no longer talk to you about anything.

 

I'm kind of a "control freak" so I like to know I can always go directly to my PVP with Carnival and handle everything myself.......:D

[meengla]

I never use a travel agent because I prefer to do everything myself. Keep in mind that once you book with a travel agent they "own" your booking and any question or problem you have after must be directed only through the travel agent. The cruiseline will no longer talk to you about anything.

 

I'm kind of a "control freak" so I like to know I can always go directly to my PVP with Carnival and handle everything myself.......:D

 

Excellent point about travel agents 'owning' bookings!

Indeed, in past, I had to make changes to my hotel bookings and if I called the hotel directly then they, while willing to help, still referred me to contact them through the travel agency.

 

Now, I am sure travel agencies have their place. All of us need to make our living.

 

PS. Our next step is to get time off officially from work and may be figure out any hotel stay; for the latter, @CruiseLuver gave us some good info.

[meengla]

(Partly Cross posting from the Roll Call thread)

 

We have a booking at the Cocoa Beach Suites which will also let us to stay the night of 12th and roundtrip to/from hotel-port and parking for a reasonable price.

 

We have been excitedly looking forward to this trip but just haven't yet figured out what to do in our pre-cruise day in Cocoa Beach.

 

But now...should we be concerned about readiness of the Dream? There is still almost a month to go and I am fairly confident that will be sorted out soon.