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Terrible Havana Experience Aboard Vista


SailorMarg
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2 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Totally Agree with the "Carnival should get rid of the class status and leave that to Cunard"......The "Havana class section" needs to be rethought" 

 

 

would you call interior to balcony a class status, how about Cloud 9 Spa, or suites. I can't think of any resort or hotel we ahve stayed at that did not have some sort of "class status" 

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28 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

would you call interior to balcony a class status, how about Cloud 9 Spa, or suites. I can't think of any resort or hotel we ahve stayed at that did not have some sort of "class status" 

I think what the poster means is the complete exclusion of a group of people from an area of a ship/hotel based on whether they pay for it. NCL does it, and was one reason they turned me off, despite my loving their Freestyle Cruising Concept. The have the Haven area, plus their adult only area like Serenity is called The Vibe, and costs big bucks, just for the privilege of sitting where there are no children. Although I only book inside cabins now that we are retired, I don’t feel excluded because someone books an OV, balcony, or Suite. But I do feel excluded when I cannot enter an area because I didn’t pay enough to do so. 

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Hey grandmarnnurse - sorry to hijack this thread but need a favor. When you do your B2B on Magic in April, can you find out the process for the room safe. Does it reset that morning between the 2 cruises. Want to know if we have to empty it out that morning before we go ashore only to turn right around and embark again with the same stateroom.

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37 minutes ago, SDPadreFan said:

Hey grandmarnnurse - sorry to hijack this thread but need a favor. When you do your B2B on Magic in April, can you find out the process for the room safe. Does it reset that morning between the 2 cruises. Want to know if we have to empty it out that morning before we go ashore only to turn right around and embark again with the same stateroom.

I will let you know, but I suspect that since Im not vacating the room, and the room steward will know this, I won’t have to empty it out. But I will find out for sure and mention it in my review. 

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58 minutes ago, grandmarnnurse said:

I think what the poster means is the complete exclusion of a group of people from an area of a ship/hotel based on whether they pay for it. NCL does it, and was one reason they turned me off, despite my loving their Freestyle Cruising Concept. The have the Haven area, plus their adult only area like Serenity is called The Vibe, and costs big bucks, just for the privilege of sitting where there are no children. Although I only book inside cabins now that we are retired, I don’t feel excluded because someone books an OV, balcony, or Suite. But I do feel excluded when I cannot enter an area because I didn’t pay enough to do so. 

Thanks! I really don't think I could have said it any better!! I believe this "special section" is making a "us vs them" idea with some people....Since I started cruising in 1993, I have (especially on Carnival)believed in a " all of us" idea unfortunaly that seems not the case so much as before

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1 hour ago, SDPadreFan said:

can you find out the process for the room safe. Does it reset that morning between the 2 cruises. Want to know if we have to empty it out that morning before we go ashore only to turn right around and embark again with the same stateroom.

Have done several B2B's on Carnival and never had to empty the safe.

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5 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Totally Agree with the "Carnival should get rid of the class status and leave that to Cunard"......The "Havana class section" needs to be rethought" 

 
Carnival obviously feels differently considering Mardi Gras will not only have an exclusive Havana area, but also the new Loft19 exclusive area. 

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6 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Totally Agree with the "Carnival should get rid of the class status and leave that to Cunard"......The "Havana class section" needs to be rethought" 

 

Don't expect it to go away anytime soon. You'll see more of it before you see less.

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1 minute ago, jimbo5544 said:

As does Royal and NCL and possibly more


Like Coevan alluded to earlier in this thread, most things in the travel industry have different classes available to include ships. Not sure why some people have an issue with there being different options for a price available on a ship. 

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1 minute ago, PhillyFan33579 said:


Like Coevan alluded to earlier in this thread, most things in the travel industry have different classes available to include ships. Not sure why some people have an issue with there being different options for a price available on a ship. 

It’s a new paradigm, 😆The Bernie Sanders.On a serious note, I do get the point of how some might think it cuts across the grain.  As you know, I love it.  We will see how much I feel the same way on the Mardi Gras.  

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We have done the Havana area on the Vista - not in a cabana - inside. 😉 I booked it for the havana pool area. We knew the music would be playing around till 11 and we were ok with this.  We loved the Havana area and actually were pleased with being so close to the Ocean's plaza, and coffee shop area. Although an inside was more than a regular balcony, I was ok with the price since we truly enjoyed the use of the pool and nice seating area. I am not a fan of huge ships so this was one way to battle the crowds.

To original poster - sorry you had a bad experience. 

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17 minutes ago, mumofsons said:

We have done the Havana area on the Vista - not in a cabana - inside. 😉 I booked it for the havana pool area. We knew the music would be playing around till 11 and we were ok with this.  We loved the Havana area and actually were pleased with being so close to the Ocean's plaza, and coffee shop area. Although an inside was more than a regular balcony, I was ok with the price since we truly enjoyed the use of the pool and nice seating area. I am not a fan of huge ships so this was one way to battle the crowds.

To original poster - sorry you had a bad experience. 

I booked an HI on Horizon for the exact same reasons & too am willing to put up with the expected Havana Bar music until 11pm.  
 

Maybe folks need to blast John Heald’s Facebook page suggesting the put up signs at the Havana Bar exit/Havana pool entrance that boom boxes are not allowed there.  Obviously doesn’t stop them from using it on their balcony/patio but gives a little distance from the pool/hot tubs.

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On 2/22/2020 at 2:51 PM, SailorMarg said:

It is not possible to enjoy the area when the Havana staff allow other passengers to loudly play their personal music on their personal speakers set up poolside where all other passengers were subjected to whatever that passenger chose to blare out of their speakers. 

 

If Staff won't do anything.

I can guarantee you I will tell them to turn it down or off.

If it persists I'll get all Boomer on them and throw the speaker off the ship and deal with the consequences.

 

 

Case closed!

 

 

 

 

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On 2/22/2020 at 8:07 PM, dave_k58 said:

Against my better judgement, I booked a cruise on Spring break on the Panorama. I hope that my worries are in vain. PS - the demographics of the cruisers is a huge part of determining how enjoyable a cruise is. Just my opinion. 

I am on a spring break cruise on Panorama in Havana area on spring break and I think it is the best decision I have made in a long time 😉 

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2 hours ago, thesmiths said:

 

If Staff won't do anything.

I can guarantee you I will tell them to turn it down or off.

If it persists I'll get all Boomer on them and throw the speaker off the ship and deal with the consequences.

 

 

Case closed!

 

 

 

 


I assume you are saying that in jest. If you did that (threw someone else’s property off the ship) you would be let off at the next port and banned from Carnival. 

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5 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:


Like Coevan alluded to earlier in this thread, most things in the travel industry have different classes available to include ships. Not sure why some people have an issue with there being different options for a price available on a ship. 

 

 

Even Sandals has a "club level", I don't know if I would call it a "class" system. Just like flying first class. You get what you pay for.

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5 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:


Like Coevan alluded to earlier in this thread, most things in the travel industry have different classes available to include ships. Not sure why some people have an issue with there being different options for a price available on a ship. 

Agreed!

Some people have issues because they do not want to be excluded from something, yet do not want to pay the premium price for it.  If I cannot afford(or choose not to pay for) a certain level of room, area, service etc, that is something that I need to live with.  

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We did the Havana area on Vista last year.  It was great.  We also had a person in the pool with his own speaker playing music.  We complained and he was asked to turn it off.  This person wasn't happy about it and made a fuss about it, but he turned it off.  Funny thing, is we ended up on an excursion with him and he turned out to be a nice person.  I don't think he knew the rules.  The rest of the cruise he didn't bring his speaker.  As for a class system, I don't think that is what is being created here.  If they did away with the "class system", there wouldn't be specialty restaurants, fees for internet, spa cabins, and all cabins would be priced equally.  That is what Carnival should do is make general admission cabins.  LOL

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38 minutes ago, dallasdan said:

As for a class system, I don't think that is what is being created here.  If they did away with the "class system", there wouldn't be specialty restaurants, fees for internet, spa cabins, and all cabins would be priced equally.  That is what Carnival should do is make general admission cabins.  LOL

So Diamond/Platinum would get first choice on the cabins??? Oh wait that would be a "class".... so free for all upon embarkation. I think I might pay for a ticket just to watch it... most likely half of the passengers would be banned for life after the first hour!

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2 hours ago, dallasdan said:

We also had a person in the pool with his own speaker playing music.  We complained and he was asked to turn it off. 

 

 

Don't these people have ear buds? I would never think of playing music aloud, how rude, especially if it were country (LOL)

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3 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:


I assume you are saying that in jest. If you did that (threw someone else’s property off the ship) you would be let off at the next port and banned from Carnival. 

I'll wait until we are heading back to the home port then, Thanks.

 

 

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My wife and I booked Havana for our next 2 cruises on Mardi Gras (2021) and Horizon (2022). Hopefully we have a better experience than the OP.

 

We had a similar issue last year in Serenity on Horizon with people playing music on their BT speaker. It was very rude and inconsiderate. We thought about complaining, but instead moved to another area of Serenity where we couldn't hear their music. We are usually pretty chill and laid back. Now, this only happened one day (our 1st sea day I believe), because we never heard anyone playing music on speakers in Serenity after that. Maybe someone complained and those people were told they couldn't do that. 

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First of all, sorry that staying in the Havana section was not the best.  However, no matter if staying in the cheapest inside cabin or penthouse suite on any cruiseline, you have no say or idea what the cruisers next door, across the hallway or near your cabin will be like.

You will meet some of the best and worst, not just on Carnival.  I sail just as much on Holland America as Carnival and have fellow cruisers that while not playing music loud, but rude, nasty, not controlling their children running while.

Yes you paid extra for another level of cruising, but others can also and in this time we live in, there are some who don't care about others, only about their good time and forget everyone else.

The same can happen on Royal Caribbean, Holland America, NCL, Seabourn,.  I can't afford Seabourn, but personally know a couple who sails with them often and she tells about the behavior of fellow cruisers.

At times can't escape rude and stupid.  Hopefully your upcoming sailings will have little or no issues

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Generally speaking, I think Carnival is trying to offer its version of NCL’s Haven and Royal’s Suite Class.  Obviously, they didn’t come close.  And, their execution leaves a lot to be desired.  That said, hard to differentiate passengers when a TA or Carnival books them.

 

This a.m., there was what obviously an older couple talking about their bathroom habits and how the Havana bathroom doesn’t suit them.  This was right outside my Havana cabin door at 6:00 a.m.  Not what I want to wake to.

 

I also agree that Carnival really did the Havana Bar and Bands in the bar poorly.  Talent’s not that good.  Plus, for reasons that befuddle me, they leave the Havana area open until 3:00 a.m.

 

I’m not a fuddy-duddy.  But, when the Havana’s patrons are yelling in a drunken stupor at 3:00 a.m. by the pool and hot tub, they might want to close that area down so the other Havana patrons can at least get some sleep at 3-ish.  Not too much to ask in my humble opinion.

 

Mentioned this in another thread, I’m on the Vista right now in a Havana balcony cabin.  It would be hopeful if they made the glass from the cabin into the porch area as “one way” glass so we don’t have to close our drapes every time we go in our cabin.

 

Plus, maybe some 8 foot glass doors between the Havana bar/pool area to block the sound from the Havana Cabins?  Shut it down at a reasonable hour, too (say 1-ish).

 

Lucky for me, I didn’t pay anywhere close to what some of you have reported paying for the Havana, as I would be more upset.  But, I got a “deal” on the cabin (maybe related to the complaints logged?).

 

I’ve sailed the Haven on NCL several times.  I could have booked a Haven cabin on one of their newest ships (Escape) for this week for $3,800 for the entire cabin.  That would have included spa access, too.  Drink package included, specialty dining package (3), some internet minutes and a $50/excursion credit.

 

Taking that amount and extrapolating it out, I paid ~$1,500 for my Havana Cabin on the Vista.  Add in drink package, specialty dining, internet, etc that comes with the Haven, and you’re not too far away from a Haven  Spa Cabin.  The experience between the two is night and day, with the nod going to NCL.

 

Not trying to dismiss Carnival lovers.  I absolutely love some things about my cruise.  Havana ain’t one of them.

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