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I did the next to impossible- got on without a reservation!!!

Brianinidaho

By Brianinidaho,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Brianinidaho

Brianinidaho

Posted
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Just got back from sensation. I was in Florida anyhow and a few days before looked up available cruises to meet my schedule. One Cruise fit but was booked. I called. I called. I called. Booked. I went on wait list- like there were people ahead of me. I woke up Thursday morning in Tampa (where I was visiting) ]and called and ship still booked... no cancellations. I decided to drive to port (across florida) and roll the dice. I waited in Terminal for 3 hours. Told by friendly workers they have no space. Finally, as the muster drill was going on and the ship was to leave, the manager came down and said they had 1 last minute cancellation told me the price, and told me to get on board (I just had a carry on) and we did the sign and sail and meal times and such on board. I was feeling so lucky I almost went to the casino that night- but I knew I wasnt lucky enough to beat the rigged slot machines though. had a wonderful time and the thrill of being bold and getting lucky during a busy spring break season in florida... the workers said it was a rare thing to do what I did and have it work out like that.

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Florissouri

Florissouri

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Just got back from sensation. I was in Florida anyhow and a few days before looked up available cruises to meet my schedule. One Cruise fit but was booked. I called. I called. I called. Booked. I went on wait list- like there were people ahead of me. I woke up Thursday morning in Tampa (where I was visiting) ]and called and ship still booked... no cancellations. I decided to drive to port (across florida) and roll the dice. I waited in Terminal for 3 hours. Told by friendly workers they have no space. Finally, as the muster drill was going on and the ship was to leave, the manager came down and said they had 1 last minute cancellation told me the price, and told me to get on board (I just had a carry on) and we did the sign and sail and meal times and such on board. I was feeling so lucky I almost went to the casino that night- but I knew I wasnt lucky enough to beat the rigged slot machines though. had a wonderful time and the thrill of being bold and getting lucky during a busy spring break season in florida... the workers said it was a rare thing to do what I did and have it work out like that.

 

What price did you pay? Was it a single?

 

I live 20 minutes from Port Everglades and have often wondered if I could play "Last Minute Cruise Roulette" and get a bargain.

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Florissouri

Florissouri

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Last August I booked a 4 Day Bahamas on RC Majesty of the Seas on Sunday as Hurricane Issac was blowing through South Florida to go out the very next day. I paid $150 including taxes for a single inside cabin then they bumped me up to an OV cabin at no charge. Because the POM was closed the day before the previous cruise did not arrive back in port until after 5:00 PM, the ship was not cleared until almost 8:00 PM and it was almost midnight before sailed, so as a result they gave everyone a $100 refund.

 

In the end, I paid $50, all in, for a single OV cabin on 4 day cruise. I doubt I will ever have that much luck again.

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okgirl

okgirl

Posted
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Just got back from sensation. I was in Florida anyhow and a few days before looked up available cruises to meet my schedule. One Cruise fit but was booked. I called. I called. I called. Booked. I went on wait list- like there were people ahead of me. I woke up Thursday morning in Tampa (where I was visiting) ]and called and ship still booked... no cancellations. I decided to drive to port (across florida) and roll the dice. I waited in Terminal for 3 hours. Told by friendly workers they have no space. Finally, as the muster drill was going on and the ship was to leave, the manager came down and said they had 1 last minute cancellation told me the price, and told me to get on board (I just had a carry on) and we did the sign and sail and meal times and such on board. I was feeling so lucky I almost went to the casino that night- but I knew I wasnt lucky enough to beat the rigged slot machines though. had a wonderful time and the thrill of being bold and getting lucky during a busy spring break season in florida... the workers said it was a rare thing to do what I did and have it work out like that.

 

Interesting...........what ship were you on? I've never been waitlisted for a cruise so what kind of cruise documents did you have that even allowed you entry into the terminal building? And I wonder how they got around the deadline for turning in the manifest to Homeland Security?

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Essiesmom "Live from...." Rare

Essiesmom

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Interesting...........what ship were you on? I've never been waitlisted for a cruise so what kind of cruise documents did you have that even allowed you entry into the terminal building? And I wonder how they got around the deadline for turning in the manifest to Homeland Security?

 

Read thed first line of their post: 'Just got back from sensation...' EM

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Tapi Great Review Rare

Tapi

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I've never been waitlisted for a cruise so what kind of cruise documents did you have that even allowed you entry into the terminal building? And I wonder how they got around the deadline for turning in the manifest to Homeland Security?

 

When you are waitlisted, a reservation is actually created with a confirmation number, just like a regular reservation. As the OP mentioned, you are not confirmed on the ship until an actual cabin becomes available (at which time you're told what the prices is) but your names are already in the system.

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S.S.Oceanlover

S.S.Oceanlover

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$300 per person is cheap. If you were 4 people thats still would be cheap. 2 people should have been closer to $500 or more. Thats awesome! Glad you had fun. I live close by so maybe we'll try that in the future.

 

$500 pp for an ocean view cabin on a 3 day Bahamas cruise on the Sensation is certainly not cheap.:eek:

 

Heck you can get a 6 day cruise on the Freedom to the Caribbean for less than $500 for an ocean view.

 

Quite impressed with the OP for pulling this off though at any price.:)

 

Bill

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FlaGrl4Evr

FlaGrl4Evr

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$500 pp for an ocean view cabin on a 3 day Bahamas cruise on the Sensation is certainly not cheap.:eek:

 

Heck you can get a 6 day cruise on the Freedom to the Caribbean for less than $500 for an ocean view.

 

Quite impressed with the OP for pulling this off though at any price.:)

 

Bill

 

 

I believe that his last-minute cruise is on the Paradise out of Tampa. That ship sails both 4 and 5 say itineraries. So they are either on a 4 day with a port in Cozumel or could be the 5 day with ports in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The 4 day cruises on the Paraside, for the remainder of March, are currently going at $329 pp and $474 pp for the 5 day.

Seeing that it is spring-break and it was a last minute booking, it sounds like he did ok for whatever length of cruise that he is on.

 

:)

 

 

.

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S.S.Oceanlover

S.S.Oceanlover

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I believe that his last-minute cruise is on the Paradise out of Tampa. That ship sails both 4 and 5 say itineraries. So they are either on a 4 day with a port in Cozumel or could be the 5 day with ports in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The 4 day cruises on the Paraside, for the remainder of March, are currently going at $329 pp and $474 pp for the 5 day.

Seeing that it is spring-break and it was a last minute booking, it sounds like he did ok for whatever length of cruise that he is on.

 

:)

 

 

.

 

OK I certainly got confused by the opening sentence then.

 

I also got thrown by the fact that he woke up in Tampa and drove to port across Florida which lead me to believe he drove to Port Canaveral.

 

Also when he said he just got back from his trip i figured he meant he just got back to Idaho but with todays technology he probably just got off the ship this morning and posted from an ipad,phone, or laptop.

 

Color me embarassed.:o

 

Bill

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S.S.Oceanlover

S.S.Oceanlover

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I believe that his last-minute cruise is on the Paradise out of Tampa. That ship sails both 4 and 5 say itineraries. So they are either on a 4 day with a port in Cozumel or could be the 5 day with ports in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The 4 day cruises on the Paraside, for the remainder of March, are currently going at $329 pp and $474 pp for the 5 day.

Seeing that it is spring-break and it was a last minute booking, it sounds like he did ok for whatever length of cruise that he is on.

 

:)

 

 

.

 

After doing a little research I think you are incorrect and he couldn't have been on the paradise. he said he boarded Thursday which was march 7th.

 

The paradise sailed on March 4th and March 9th so it couldn't have been that ship.

 

I see others think he was on the Sensation as well.

 

I agree that for $300pp he did well. I was disagreeing with the poster who said $500pp would have been good.:)

 

Bill

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Florissouri

Florissouri

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After doing a little research I think you are incorrect and he couldn't have been on the paradise. he said he boarded Thursday which was march 7th.

 

The paradise sailed on March 4th and March 9th so it couldn't have been that ship.

 

I see others think he was on the Sensation as well.

 

I agree that for $300pp he did well. I was disagreeing with the poster who said $500pp would have been good.:)

 

Bill

 

The first five words of his post is a very important clue to the mystery...

 

Just got back from sensation.

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