John Heald walking tours of Mardi Gras on FB

[JaniceB]

Just a beautful ship.

[sailingships]

20 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

What they did was after vista and horizon they opened up the sports bar area on Panorama and changed the name and decor to the hero’s tribute bar. Now they’ve pushed that into the back room of the BBQ place and called it the heros tribute room. But this is going to be where everyone watches their sports. And sometimes they’re going to have to listen to whatever band is playing in there or maybe karaoke while trying to watch Monday night football.

That great big ship with all that room and they have to double up on venues?

[jperry2011]

1 hour ago, crewsweeper said:

Unless they've changed the quality and cooking, Guy's BBQ is "meh" for those of us who have eaten fantastic BBQ across the country.  Brewery beers on the Horizon and Vista were good, better than the Bud Thirsty Red Frog stuff.  Just hope the barkeeps know how to pour.  Some do, some don't.  

 

Being from a small town where bbq is a restaurant pouring sweet baby Ray's all over some chicken I'm sure it'll be good to me.. lol a good beer or two will make it even better!

[toad455]

really like the decor of the Mardi Gras. I was wondering if there's any nod or tribute to the original Mardi Gras on the ship?

Edited July 26, 2021 by toad455

[Saint Greg]

30 minutes ago, sailingships said:

That great big ship with all that room and they have to double up on venues?

 

It seems that way.

[maryann2]

1 hour ago, sailingships said:

That great big ship with all that room and they have to double up on venues?

Lots of cabins.

[CruisingFromLA]

I am glad I did not book the Havana area for Mardi Gras. The area is so scaled down and looks sad. In addition, imagine how windy all those forward Havana Cabanas are going to be. It will be impossible to utilize them on sea days.

[BrotherCraig]

Love the cabin videos.  These cabins are very nice.  We were going to book another Royal Carib cruise for 2023 but going to book Celebration in 2023 instead now.  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Holy Jamoly  - Loft 19 Cabana pricing.... (thanks, but no thanks !!)

 

 

As a Carnival Excel Suite guest, you get complimentary access to Loft 19 and this priority offer to pre-reserve your private cabana for $2,000 plus 18% gratuity. Go to carnival.com and log in to your cruise booking to take advantage of this offer.

For all other guests, you can rent a cabana on embarkation day either in person at the Loft 19 reception or by dialing 1909 from any ship phone. Onboard cabana pricing will be $500 per day as pre-inaugural limited time offer, reduced from $650 per day.

[IntrepidFromDC]

6 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Holy Jamoly  - Loft 19 Cabana pricing.... (thanks, but no thanks !!)

  ... you can rent a cabana on embarkation day either in person at the Loft 19 reception or by dialing 1909 from any ship phone. Onboard cabana pricing will be $500 per day as pre-inaugural limited time offer, reduced from $650 per day.

😲

Edited July 26, 2021 by IntrepidFromDC

[ray985]

On 7/25/2021 at 5:05 PM, kelkel2 said:

I really think it looks beautiful. I also have concern with the buffet area seeming small. But honestly with the ability to get breakfast at the coffee house, where I’ll likely be anyways, I’m ok with avoiding the buffet. Lunch has so many options too, I bet they’re banking on the fact that people will use the other places to eat that are free.. blue iguana, big chicken, guys, cucina  and maybe others all being free for lunch hopefully will lighten the demand on the buffet. I can’t wait to

see more! 

Yeah, I think they really are counting on the food venues being all spaced out and getting people out of the buffet. On smaller ships like the Pride, for lunch I'd get food from Guys, the Pizza Place, The Deli and the Buffet all within a short distance and eat in the buffet. With the Mardi Gras, they've all on different floors, so people will naturally have to spread out. I loved the look of Guy's Burgers, a proper queue that's sizeable rather than a twisty line that runs into the Lido Pool area like on most ships. The one downside is if you're with a group, you're all going to have to agree on what to eat.  

[KmomChicago]

On 7/25/2021 at 4:05 PM, kelkel2 said:

I really think it looks beautiful. I also have concern with the buffet area seeming small. But honestly with the ability to get breakfast at the coffee house, where I’ll likely be anyways, I’m ok with avoiding the buffet. Lunch has so many options too, I bet they’re banking on the fact that people will use the other places to eat that are free.. blue iguana, big chicken, guys, cucina  and maybe others all being free for lunch hopefully will lighten the demand on the buffet. I can’t wait to

see more! 

 

Fresh Creations on the Serenity Deck, Street Eats.

[KmomChicago]

On 7/25/2021 at 6:53 PM, jperry2011 said:

I'm ready to try some of that bbq and some of that brewery beer already.. saturday can't come soon enough.

 

Enjoy the maiden voyage. We're right behind you. 🙂

[emm126]

I booked the Mardi Gras last October for the August 7 sailing. My casino offer was a free suite, I however talked it over with my niece and we decided it might be best to downgrade to a Havana Cabana. We would have a private area to lay by the pool and not with thousands of other people. ETC Today, watching John's video, I was pretty disappointed in the Havana area. Not like the Horizon or Vista at all- (and I can guess why) so I called and asked if I could switch to a suite. I figured it was a long shot  but she put me on hold and came back  with a couple of different suites to choose from. I am pretty happy with the change. All the other videos John showed, I really enjoyed and can't wait to be on board,  just not the Havana area. 

[SNJCruisers]

7 hours ago, emm126 said:

I booked the Mardi Gras last October for the August 7 sailing. My casino offer was a free suite, I however talked it over with my niece and we decided it might be best to downgrade to a Havana Cabana. We would have a private area to lay by the pool and not with thousands of other people. ETC Today, watching John's video, I was pretty disappointed in the Havana area. Not like the Horizon or Vista at all- (and I can guess why) so I called and asked if I could switch to a suite. I figured it was a long shot  but she put me on hold and came back  with a couple of different suites to choose from. I am pretty happy with the change. All the other videos John showed, I really enjoyed and can't wait to be on board,  just not the Havana area. 

If it's an Excel Suite you got shifted to, you will be able to relax in the Loft 19 area, which is like the Havana area on the Vista Class ships on steroids.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

9 hours ago, emm126 said:

I booked the Mardi Gras last October for the August 7 sailing. My casino offer was a free suite, I however talked it over with my niece and we decided it might be best to downgrade to a Havana Cabana. We would have a private area to lay by the pool and not with thousands of other people. ETC Today, watching John's video, I was pretty disappointed in the Havana area. Not like the Horizon or Vista at all- (and I can guess why) so I called and asked if I could switch to a suite. I figured it was a long shot  but she put me on hold and came back  with a couple of different suites to choose from. I am pretty happy with the change. All the other videos John showed, I really enjoyed and can't wait to be on board,  just not the Havana area. 

 

A free suite is a great offer (Ultra promo? That's what we're under for that sailing I believe).

 

We managed a suite offer once. It ended up being one of the most expensive FREE cabins we've ever sailed in. Could have booked a cabana several times over!!  

 

Tom

[crewsweeper]

4 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

If it's an Excel Suite you got shifted to, you will be able to relax in the Loft 19 area, which is like the Havana area on the Vista Class ships on steroids.

And the Havana deck was shrunk on the Mardi Gras, with so-called Havana cabins scattered throughout the ship.  Not in one area.  If you're in an Excel Suite, for free or upgrade, don't change it!

[helene109]

12 hours ago, emm126 said:

I booked the Mardi Gras last October for the August 7 sailing. My casino offer was a free suite, I however talked it over with my niece and we decided it might be best to downgrade to a Havana Cabana. We would have a private area to lay by the pool and not with thousands of other people. ETC Today, watching John's video, I was pretty disappointed in the Havana area. Not like the Horizon or Vista at all- (and I can guess why) so I called and asked if I could switch to a suite. I figured it was a long shot  but she put me on hold and came back  with a couple of different suites to choose from. I am pretty happy with the change. All the other videos John showed, I really enjoyed and can't wait to be on board,  just not the Havana area. 

We have a suite for 8-14. I will be curious as to what you think of it! We have always wanted to try one.

[ladylyn915]

4 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

A free suite is a great offer (Ultra promo? That's what we're under for that sailing I believe).

 

We managed a suite offer once. It ended up being one of the most expensive FREE cabins we've ever sailed in. Could have booked a cabana several times over!!  

 

Tom

We had that experience on land in Las Vegas -  Free is never FREE- hahaha

[ladylyn915]

Mardi Gras looks great but the standard balcony cabins look extremely narrow.  I am old with old knees ( but with a very youthful mind) and I just can't walk these extremely large ships.  I hate the idea of taking an ADA cabin away from someone else, but there is no way these standard cabins will hold a scooter.  

[BrotherCraig]

1 minute ago, ladylyn915 said:

Mardi Gras looks great but the standard balcony cabins look extremely narrow.  I am old with old knees ( but with a very youthful mind) and I just can't walk these extremely large ships.  I hate the idea of taking an ADA cabin away from someone else, but there is no way these standard cabins will hold a scooter.  

 

If you are using a scooter, than you need a ADA cabin and should get one -- if you don't book a suite.  You should not feel bad about it since that is what ADA cabins are for.  People who are disabled.  If you are using a scooter, that means you as well.  

[Tyro1]

In John’s newest post about breakfast offerings he is practically begging people to go anywhere but the buffet. Im concerned that causal/first time cruisers will not be aware of these options and end up with a miserable experience going to the buffet, with such a higher amount of people on the ship for what seems to be the same sized buffet. 

[KmomChicago]

4 minutes ago, Tyro1 said:

In John’s newest post about breakfast offerings he is practically begging people to go anywhere but the buffet. Im concerned that causal/first time cruisers will not be aware of these options and end up with a miserable experience going to the buffet, with such a higher amount of people on the ship for what seems to be the same sized buffet. 

 

For what it's worth we are usually buffet people but I may well never go there for breakfast on this one. We do MDR for Sea Day brunch anyway, and then there's Blue Iguana, Shaq's, Emeril's, maybe Cucina as John went there? the MDR on port days. . . seems easy enough to skip the marketplace. 

[Tyro1]

7 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

For what it's worth we are usually buffet people but I may well never go there for breakfast on this one. We do MDR for Sea Day brunch anyway, and then there's Blue Iguana, Shaq's, Emeril's, maybe Cucina as John went there? the MDR on port days. . . seems easy enough to skip the marketplace. 

Yeah, I am too especially on port days with an early excursion as it’s normally the quickest and most filling option, but my main concern is going to be on the first few days of the cruise for a causal cruiser who doesn’t keep up to date like we do on CC that will not know to never step foot inside of it, will be shocked at the amount of crowding in the buffet, and may be an guest service nightmare for Carnival. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Tyro1

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

9 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

For what it's worth we are usually buffet people but I may well never go there for breakfast on this one. We do MDR for Sea Day brunch anyway, and then there's Blue Iguana, Shaq's, Emeril's, maybe Cucina as John went there? the MDR on port days. . . seems easy enough to skip the marketplace. 

I'm game for any place where Eggs Benedict can be found!