Ultra Cruises on Carnival

[WinterHavenCruiser]

We've got a March cruise booked on Mardi Gras with a casino offer. DOU for me throughout the ship, $500 funplay, free ocean view. 

 

I just got an offer for the same sailing for an Ultra Cruise. Free inside cabin, DOU in casino for me and companion, no funplay. 

 

Here's my dilemma: I've done several premier sailings but have not been able to do any Ultra sailings yet. The difference between an ocean view and inside cabin is nothing to me. It comes down to the $500 vs the Ultra promos. Are both me and my wife (who did not receive her own ultra offer) eligible for the big prizes and drawings? 

 

Also the thought of hearing a bunch of Ultra only announcements over the PA in the casino while not being an Ultra guest is a little annoying in my mind. 

 

For those who have done ultra cruises, which offer would you prefer and why? 

[lazydayz]

If your cruise is an ultra sailing, I would switch.  There is the welcome aboard cocktail party, gifts delivered nearly every day, and tons of drawings just for ultra.  Plus the chance of winning a really cool prize.  I won the big screen, smart TV so was very happy with my ultra cruise.  

Your spouse will not be entered into the drawings, but can take advantage of the other ultra offerings.  

[EZ1]

Yes, do the Ultra. We just did our 2nd ultra - on the Mardi Gras Aug 7, & it was great.

My husband got an apple watch on the 1st one, & on this past one he got the Samsung 65" TV.  There are 2 electronic gifts or $500-$800 free casino cash you can choose from, on each prize card - given to each Ultra player.

[rwilk1129]

My husband and I both got the Ultra offer. Will we both be entered into special drawings or do we both need to bring a copy of offer with us?

[urbanhawk]

10 hours ago, EZ1 said:

Yes, do the Ultra. We just did our 2nd ultra - on the Mardi Gras Aug 7, & it was great.

My husband got an apple watch on the 1st one, & on this past one he got the Samsung 65" TV.  There are 2 electronic gifts or $500-$800 free casino cash you can choose from, on each prize card - given to each Ultra player.

That is encouraging to hear. Have you done an elite cruise? Would that be worth waiting for? Thanks.

[EZ1]

3 hours ago, urbanhawk said:

That is encouraging to hear. Have you done an elite cruise? Would that be worth waiting for? Thanks.

Also a good offer-we did our 2nd elite cruise on the Horizon July4'21, drinks all over ship, including coffee shop, free parking at Miami (or other) terminal or they pick you up at airport, soda & drink bottle of your choice in your cabin, free excursion or $300 spa credit, & all the group activities in the casino. And casino isnt as crowded because there are fewer in eh elite group, as compared to a premier one.

[urbanhawk]

6 hours ago, EZ1 said:

Also a good offer-we did our 2nd elite cruise on the Horizon July4'21, drinks all over ship, including coffee shop, free parking at Miami (or other) terminal or they pick you up at airport, soda & drink bottle of your choice in your cabin, free excursion or $300 spa credit, & all the group activities in the casino. And casino isnt as crowded because there are fewer in eh elite group, as compared to a premier one.

I have the elite offers, for cruises out of Australia, but none for the U.S. (yet!). Are the gifts the same, or better than the ultra?.  Less crowded sounds great-less smoke😇. Thanks.

[EZ1]

9 hours ago, urbanhawk said:

I have the elite offers, for cruises out of Australia, but none for the U.S. (yet!). Are the gifts the same, or better than the ultra?.  Less crowded sounds great-less smoke😇. Thanks.

elite doesnt have the electronic gifts given like Ultra does. but we got an elite beach towel, & a gold plated ship elite keychain. also on the ultra we got an Ultra pillow & a twin pack of Ultra gold playing cards. mardi gras's casino has a smoking side & a bigger nonsmoking side!

[urbanhawk]

6 hours ago, EZ1 said:

elite doesnt have the electronic gifts given like Ultra does. but we got an elite beach towel, & a gold plated ship elite keychain. also on the ultra we got an Ultra pillow & a twin pack of Ultra gold playing cards. mardi gras's casino has a smoking side & a bigger nonsmoking side!

Except for the perks, the ultra sounds like a "better fit"for me!

The one local Indian run land casino I go to, went totally smokeless earlier this year. What a difference. Now I don't have to worry about those smoking, using their portable oxygen tanks!😬.

Happy cruising!

[nlktx49]

On 8/19/2021 at 2:43 PM, WinterHavenCruiser said:

We've got a March cruise booked on Mardi Gras with a casino offer. DOU for me throughout the ship, $500 funplay, free ocean view. 

 

I just got an offer for the same sailing for an Ultra Cruise. Free inside cabin, DOU in casino for me and companion, no funplay. 

 

Here's my dilemma: I've done several premier sailings but have not been able to do any Ultra sailings yet. The difference between an ocean view and inside cabin is nothing to me. It comes down to the $500 vs the Ultra promos. Are both me and my wife (who did not receive her own ultra offer) eligible for the big prizes and drawings? 

 

Also the thought of hearing a bunch of Ultra only announcements over the PA in the casino while not being an Ultra guest is a little annoying in my mind. 

 

For those who have done ultra cruises, which offer would you prefer and why? 

Just did an Ultra on the Vista in October, our second. It was a big disappointment. No more first night cocktail party with some good prize drawings, the few gifts in cabin were disappointing, I think they were leftovers they had stockpiled during the shutdown. The big gift/prize drawing you were assigned to attend was a crowd gathered outside the Reflections MDR - when you got in you drew an envelope from the box. When you opened it you had a choice of three gifts - ours was a sound bar, a Dyson fan, or $500. Really? On our first Ultra my husband won an iPad 10, I won $750 cash, at an organized sit-down meeting where when your name was called you spun a wheel, then won a prize based on the number you landed on. All the prizes were good. This Ultra, we didn't feel "special" at all.

 

My SIL and her husband were with us. He was the one who got the offer, so he got the prizes and drawings, his wife didn't. I don't understand this, as my husband is the one who got our offer, but I was included in all the drawings and other perks. They've never gotten an answer on why this is so.

 

Were I you, I'd stick with your original booking, sounds like a better deal than the Ultra.