WOW - Galveston Port - 3/8 - Carnival Ship

[IBMelissa]

Just watched a YouTube video from the Galveston cruise cam channel of the Carnival Freedom Leaving the port of Galveston. They are zooming in on the ship very closely and there is not very many people on board. The top of ship and people with balconies usually are out to see the ship leaving the Port.  I’m leaving out of this port on 21 March not sure if that’s good or bad.

Edited March 8, 2020 by IBMelissa

[deepfry]

I have noticed that the last couple of weeks, some of the ships are leaving at 3 and i think they must be doing muster drill 

[mexicobob]

3 hours ago, IBMelissa said:

Just watched a YouTube video from the Galveston cruise cam channel of the Carnival Freedom Leaving the port of Galveston. They are zooming in on the ship very closely and there is not very many people on board. The top of ship and people with balconies usually are out to see the ship leaving the Port.  I’m leaving out of this port on 21 March not sure if that’s good or bad.

Might mean a less crowded ship. That is always a good thing for you. 

[Banditswife]

We noticed this too.  The ships are not sailing full or at least there were very few people out there at sail away on the cam.  My husband was watching Ft Lauderdale.

 

[deepfry]

you can see before the camera gets out of range that a lot of people are coming out to their balconies and up top and its only on the ships that leave at 3 30 the Liberty leaves at 4 and their are a lot of people outside 

 

[Ideb]

Passengers were still at muster and you can barely see them behind the life boats. Last week the ship was empty when they left and the cam op zoomed in and you could see some shadows but that's where everyone was at sail away. 

[embarkation75]

22 minutes ago, Ideb said:

Passengers were still at muster and you can barely see them behind the life boats. Last week the ship was empty when they left and the cam op zoomed in and you could see some shadows but that's where everyone was at sail away. 

 

Watched the same video 3 times and I'm not seeing what you are behind the life boats plus there are already a few folks out wondering around. When I've gone out of Galveston in the past Carnival always waited until after leaving the harbor before the muster drill. 

 

The original post was correct, the Freedom is not even close to being full. I originally thought I might see a 30% reduction for my cruise next week but after seeing this starting to think this might be the percentage remaining on the ship! Proves what I also thought, my odds of catching covid-19 will be lower on a cruise ship then making a trip to Walmart!

Edited March 9, 2020 by embarkation75

[BallFour4]

We were over at the pier today watching both ships sail away. The Freedom didn't start their muster drill until just before they passed the Elissa. They were out in mass as they started the spin. The LOS looked half empty when they went by.

 

 Who knows?

.

[IBMelissa]

1 hour ago, embarkation75 said:

 

Watched the same video 3 times and I'm not seeing what you are behind the life boats plus there are already a few folks out wondering around. When I've gone out of Galveston in the past Carnival always waited until after leaving the harbor before the muster drill. 

 

The original post was correct, the Freedom is not even close to being full. I originally thought I might see a 30% reduction for my cruise next week but after seeing this starting to think this might be the percentage remaining on the ship! Proves what I also thought, my odds of catching covid-19 will be lower on a cruise ship then making a trip to Walmart!

I watched the video several times as well before posting. Been on several cruises and the muster drill is usually done after the boat leaves the dock.  Gotta go back to your room after the ship leaves the dock. Then wait for the muster station announcement, grab your life jacket and find your appropriate station.   I've been cruising with Carnival since 2002 and last cruise was 2018.  Maybe it's changed ~ but hard to believe.  Regardless, I'm still a little bit concerned after the CDC puts an advisory out against traveling.  With a heavy emphasis pointing at the cruise industry.  Now I'm having my millionth thought about rescheduling the cruise leaving Galveston on March 21.  This whole coronavirus / cruise debacle has me stressing out for sure!!!!  Sure I'm not the only person that feels this way!  😞

[RWolver672]

4 hours ago, IBMelissa said:

I watched the video several times as well before posting. Been on several cruises and the muster drill is usually done after the boat leaves the dock.  Gotta go back to your room after the ship leaves the dock. Then wait for the muster station announcement, grab your life jacket and find your appropriate station.   I've been cruising with Carnival since 2002 and last cruise was 2018.  Maybe it's changed ~ but hard to believe.  Regardless, I'm still a little bit concerned after the CDC puts an advisory out against traveling.  With a heavy emphasis pointing at the cruise industry.  Now I'm having my millionth thought about rescheduling the cruise leaving Galveston on March 21.  This whole coronavirus / cruise debacle has me stressing out for sure!!!!  Sure I'm not the only person that feels this way!  😞

 

You haven't had to take your life jacket to the musters for quite a few years now.  We've been on eleven Carnival cruises now and the muster drill always ended right as the ship was pulling away from the dock, not after.

[sholly]

This may be some indication that they're not sailing full, I don't know.  Just for kicks I logged on to Carnival's website yesterday to check prices for April 2020 sailings out of Galveston.  I was totally shocked at some of the prices I was seeing.  I then did another search for March sailings and was even more shocked.  I called up my cruising buddy, who happens to be a Diamond, and told him to take a look.  He did but his searches returned what I considered to be normal pricing out of Galveston and when I searched without logging on, my searches returned the same results as his.  I proceeded with a mock booking for the 3-14-20 sailing for an inside cabin and they even offered $100 OBC with this.  As of 7:00am CST, these same rates are still showing up for me.  I'm attaching some screen shots of what I'm seeing.

[james318]

29 minutes ago, sholly said:

This may be some indication that they're not sailing full, I don't know.  Just for kicks I logged on to Carnival's website yesterday to check prices for April 2020 sailings out of Galveston.  I was totally shocked at some of the prices I was seeing.  I then did another search for March sailings and was even more shocked.  I called up my cruising buddy, who happens to be a Diamond, and told him to take a look.  He did but his searches returned what I considered to be normal pricing out of Galveston and when I searched without logging on, my searches returned the same results as his.  I proceeded with a mock booking for the 3-14-20 sailing for an inside cabin and they even offered $100 OBC with this.  As of 7:00am CST, these same rates are still showing up for me.  I'm attaching some screen shots of what I'm seeing.

 

I am not seeing anything like this. 

[RiotAct]

who would have thought a few people with a craving for fresh bat stew could have caused all of this economic chaos???

[sholly]

9 minutes ago, james318 said:

 

I am not seeing anything like this. 

James:

I don't understand why I'm getting this.  When I check my VIFP Club offers, I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary stuff I'm offered.

 

Regards,

Steve

[sholly]

10 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

who would have thought a few people with a craving for fresh bat stew could have caused all of this economic chaos???

 

Good one RiotAct.  My sentiments exactly.

[embarkation75]

12 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

who would have thought a few people with a craving for fresh bat stew could have caused all of this economic chaos???

 

🤣🤣🤣

[Joe817]

1 hour ago, RiotAct said:

who would have thought a few people with a craving for fresh bat stew could have caused all of this economic chaos???

Ewwwww!  🤢

[ADD Boy]

I almost booked the March 8 Freedom, and was constantly checking cabins for 4.  Balconies were sold out, 3 quad insides left as of Saturday evening.  Not many 2 pax in inventory either.  Maybe they had a lot of people bail Sunday morning?

[cmukid87]

2 hours ago, sholly said:

James:

I don't understand why I'm getting this.  When I check my VIFP Club offers, I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary stuff I'm offered.

 

Regards,

Steve

It is a special offer code.  Not all VIFP members have this opportunity.  For example, I have a special rate where I can go for as low as $10p.p (including the $100obc).  If I log out and login with my wife's or my in laws VIFP that offer goes away.  

[Mother27]

12 hours ago, embarkation75 said:

Proves what I also thought, my odds of catching covid-19 will be lower on a cruise ship then making a trip to Walmart!

Exactly. I watched a drunk coughing all over the orange juice in Walmart this weekend. We're in Arkansas and there's no virus here - yet - but I just couldn't make myself buy the OJ this time. Just goes to show - if we're gonna get it; we're gonna get it - no matter where we are.

[sholly]

Thanks for the info Cmudkid87 and thanks for jogging an old mans memory.  You would think after so many years of sailing with Carnival and being on this site, I would have remembered this.  It appears my CRS syndrome has kicked into high gear!!!  I did log on using my wife's credentials a few minutes before posting this and she is being offered the same deals.

 

Regards,

Steve

Edited March 9, 2020 by sholly
Acknowledge the members post

[deanaw72]

14 hours ago, IBMelissa said:

I watched the video several times as well before posting. Been on several cruises and the muster drill is usually done after the boat leaves the dock.  Gotta go back to your room after the ship leaves the dock. Then wait for the muster station announcement, grab your life jacket and find your appropriate station.   I've been cruising with Carnival since 2002 and last cruise was 2018.  Maybe it's changed ~ but hard to believe.  Regardless, I'm still a little bit concerned after the CDC puts an advisory out against traveling.  With a heavy emphasis pointing at the cruise industry.  Now I'm having my millionth thought about rescheduling the cruise leaving Galveston on March 21.  This whole coronavirus / cruise debacle has me stressing out for sure!!!!  Sure I'm not the only person that feels this way!  😞

We went on the Dream last Labor Day, which was the first we'd been on since 2016. We didn't have to take our life jackets, and we actually mustered in the theater. I believe several muster stations are inside now, so maybe there were more people, but they were in dining rooms, etc. We leave on the Valor this Saturday and are not at all concerned. Just keeping our hands washed and watching out for others.