so are these recent changes the truth?

[Micahs Grandad]

True.

 

The Captain's Cocktail Party became the Fun Farewell Party because too many people came to the Captain's party.

 

Then the Fun Farewell became a free drink coupon because not enough people came to the semi-secret Fun Farewell.

 

The free drink coupon became a bottle of water because, it was said, most people would rather have a dollar bottle of water than a $10 drink.

 

And that is how a cocktail party became a drink of water.

 

The Fun Farewell was my favorite event.

 

Fun farewell was a nice party and is a lot like the new platinum and diamond party. Wonder if the platinums are the next to be disinvited.

[declansdad]

I think they hired some folk from Disney.

10-12 years ago WDW started doing many of the same things I am seeing Carnival do in the last few years.

A very similiar card about towels is in WDW rooms.

 

WDW started really eliminating ways that people in the know could save money and noticably extreme penny pinching about 12 years ago.

Plus eliminating traditionally "slow" times.

Carnival seems to be following the same model.

 

And the cutsie "Hi there" sort of mail and email was done first by Disney too.

 

Disney used to be wonderfully uncrowded right after Christmas, for example, and then they started a Disney World Marathon.

Instead of a marathon Carnival has Journey cruises and concert cruises.

 

At one time Disney had secret passholder lounges and such for Annual Passholders, but all that was eliminated much like the way Carnival has done with Platinum.

 

Just something I have been observing.

 

 

Just about every hotel I stay in provides a card with suggestions about reusing towels and saving water. One hotel even provides you bonus loyalty points if you forego daily housekeeping service.

 

As for WDW creating marathon weekend, that is just smart business. You have a traditional slow period so you create something that gets more people to come to your business. Don't see anything wrong with that.

[AguaMala]

Not to justify downgrading the tea to Lipton, but I do recall PAX helping themselves to handfuls of the premium tea.

 

I've seen pax do that with sugar too. I hope they don't start charging for that as well if that's the reason.

[sfaaa]

People will stop taking things if the stuff would cost them money.

[craycruzerlady]

We heard the same rumor about once per day service but that turned out not to be the case on the Sunshine. We could still shower in the afternoon and the room and towels were straightened up by early evening.

 

Regarding tea, my wife is not a coffee drinker and could not believe that they only had lipton. First time ever she couldn't get a good tea on a cruise. So, all tea drinkers who want something like an English breakfast tea will need to pack their own for the week.

 

This is a good tip! I've transitioned from coffee to tea since my last cruise so I will pack a little kit to keep with me!

[need2cruz]

Just curious if there is a hot water dispenser somewhere convenient, such as the buffet area? My wife will probably bring along her favorite tea and I'm thinking I could bring coffee singles depending on the availability of coffee. I believe the last time we cruised on Carnival they always had coffee available at a self-serve station but we've done Princess too so I'm not sure.

 

-Dave

[dietpepsi]

carnival has really cut back on a lot.....I think it is to help keep prices low...I have heard some say they only cleaned the room 1 or 2x during the whole cruise....bread at dinner is scarce now... live orchestra for shows replaced by cd's now...lines long all over ship for everything...not enough waiters or bar staff.....they have apparently cut back ...dirty restrooms....long wait for room service...AND THE BEAT GOES ON....not enough man power... I still cruise with them but I know what to expect after 16 cruises...it is about self service

[Cushing985]

Pretty sure that was answered a few times.

 

Those of you who say you require the twice a day service to replace towels, do you change your towels every day at home?

 

No, but then again when I'm home I'm not on vacation. When I'm on vacation I expect services not normally provided for at home. This isn't rocket science...if you don't want fresh towels everyday day let the steward know. If you want twice daily cabin servicing let your steward know. If you want ice every day let your steward know.

 

This nonsense about only have your cabin serviced once a day was the result of a poorly designed card the stewards use. I understand this has been rectified.

[declansdad]

carnival has really cut back on a lot.....I think it is to help keep prices low...I have heard some say they only cleaned the room 1 or 2x during the whole cruise....bread at dinner is scarce now... live orchestra for shows replaced by cd's now...lines long all over ship for everything...not enough waiters or bar staff.....they have apparently cut back ...dirty restrooms....long wait for room service...AND THE BEAT GOES ON....not enough man power... I still cruise with them but I know what to expect after 16 cruises...it is about self service

 

 

I have been on three cruises with Carnival since 2011 and I don't see anything that you list. We cruised on the Glory between Christmas and New Years and had plenty of bread, the cabin was cleaned twice daily, there wasn't a live band at the Playlist Productions but there was one at all the shows in the Atrium, never has a line longer than 5 or 6 people (Guy's Burgers at lunch), there were plenty of waiters and bar staff, everything was clean.

 

Not sure what BEAT you are listening to but it isn't the Carnival beat.

[eeyoreme]

Just curious if there is a hot water dispenser somewhere convenient, such as the buffet area? My wife will probably bring along her favorite tea and I'm thinking I could bring coffee singles depending on the availability of coffee. I believe the last time we cruised on Carnival they always had coffee available at a self-serve station but we've done Princess too so I'm not sure.

 

-Dave

 

Yes, there is a hot water dispenser where the coffee and hot chocolate are at the buffet; plain tea bags are usually with the sugar and sugar-substitute packets.

 

I will also be bringing my favorite tea bags. It has become a habit anyway since a lot of hotels either have 'blah' tea bags (if at all) or only coffee in the rooms, and I don't drink coffee. Usually I bring a large insulated mug and brew 2 bags at once - less trips to Lido.

 

- Emily

Edited April 14, 2016 by eeyoreme

[sfaaa]

.I think......I have heard .....

 

This pretty much sums it up. Your credibility just left the building.

Edited April 14, 2016 by sfaaa

[Susanbf]

I just found out that Carnival no longer rents tuxedo if sailing from a European port.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[sjn911]

Funny thing about the washcloths. When we went to England, France and Israel the hotels there didn't have wash cloths. It seems that they don't provide them or use them over there. We ended up in England at a dollar store buying some as my husband uses them all the time.

tigercat

 

 

I had forgotten about that. Even living with French family in 1980 had to go buy some little mitt washcloths..they fit on hand like baby ones used to be..everyone handled their own..we had to haul our laundry into town to do on a bus..she had a little washing machine and no dryer and 5 kids of her own and 5 foreign students...this was the tourist level hotels too...lol..totally had forgotten...thanks..:D.