Mardi Gras 2 Oct - live(ish) impressions!

[mondello]

1 hour ago, KmomChicago said:

 

No robes for us lowly Ruby Plus (okay not a thing - we are just standard red cards but a gal can dream). 

I thought robes used to be in the closet but, apparently we have to ask for robes now.

[mondello]

@Virga Did you try to go online to book a cabin so you could stay aboard for another week? B2B guests are tested free the last day before turnaround. I'm not sure when they stop taking bookings, just curious if anybody could book at the eleventh hour?

[Virga]

1 hour ago, mondello said:

@Virga Did you try to go online to book a cabin so you could stay aboard for another week? B2B guests are tested free the last day before turnaround. I'm not sure when they stop taking bookings, just curious if anybody could book at the eleventh hour?

 

It had already disappeared from the Carnival site by then - it was a late night, 'You know, work didn't actually melt down this week without me, and hubs does have an awful lot of PTO saved up...' light bulb moment.  By the next morning, I was more curious in a, 'Is it really possible to book a cruise same day still??' kind of way.  We live really close to two ports, and we'd be pretty interested in knowing if that's still a thing.  I had proctored home tests in my bag!  

[Virga]

2 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

 

This phenomenon is partly due to the service quality of the bartenders, but I submit it says more about your general awesomeness.  In spite of my current phase of my life where I have a good management desk jockey sort of job in the corporate world, I did spend the obligatory years as a server in my younger days at various venues (a country club, a small-town mom and pop basic restaurant, Medieval Times) and it is truly a pleasure to serve kind people. 

 

They stand out as memorable as much as the troublemakers.  If you are friendly and enjoy what you are being served (and I bet you didn't whine while drinking something with the loathesome anise / licorice flavor - you knocked it right back anyway with a smile and a demeanor of gratitude, didn't you?), you are handing de facto compliments to these folks on a job well done. A bartender's job is to make a drinker happy and obviously your demeanor is reinforcing and encouraging their daily mission.  It doesn't matter if you are a heavy drinker or a light one, a frequent visitor or occasional.  What stands out is pretty simply, are you a nice guest or a jerk? You mention you are adding grats on top of your package and that added to your attitude makes you a dream customer. And also, workers talk to each other about guests, and human nature is pretty simple everywhere. The whole sugar and vinegar equation, if you will. Karma. You reap what you sow. Well done, Virga. Nice review, nice person.

 

❤️ of the six of us, I think we might have fifty years of bartending experience, and one still bartends.  I have patrons I still remember fondly - so I'm sure you're right, our 'attitudes of gratitude' play into their recognition.  

 

That said, it's still pretty amazing that the staff can possibly remember so many people changing EACH WEEK!  I'm pretty lousy with names - some of those patrons I was thrilled to see every time would have their drink waiting by the time they hit 'their' seat long before I could spit out the right name - so the fact that their clientele is an ever rotating cast of characters and they STILL manage to provide corner pub level service is incredible.  

 

You made my heart swell an extra couple sizes this morning, many thanks 😃

[mondello]

56 minutes ago, Virga said:

 

It had already disappeared from the Carnival site by then - it was a late night, 'You know, work didn't actually melt down this week without me, and hubs does have an awful lot of PTO saved up...' light bulb moment.  By the next morning, I was more curious in a, 'Is it really possible to book a cruise same day still??' kind of way.  We live really close to two ports, and we'd be pretty interested in knowing if that's still a thing.  I had proctored home tests in my bag!  

You'd have been golden if you thought of it about 24 hours earlier.

[Virga]

1 minute ago, mondello said:

You'd have been golden if you thought of it about 24 hours earlier.

 

I know!  It's probably all for the best, I'd have had a difficult time explaining to my boss why I thought it was a good idea.  I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on truly last-minute pricing, though, and might even stop by the port sometime soon just to see if there's really a standby desk.  We keep a go-bag packed, why not try??

[Colorado Beach Bum]

16 hours ago, Virga said:

Another on the list of small-potatoes complaints: why were ALL the Lock-It-Link machines in the no smoking sections of the casino?  Who knows how much money they lost sending me over to the video poker machines when I wanted some indoor nicotine?

 

 

I played Lock-It-Link machines in the smoking section over by the cashier.

[mondello]

2 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

I played Lock-It-Link machines in the smoking section over by the cashier.

Is that like the game in Wreck-It-Ralph?

[Colorado Beach Bum]

1 minute ago, mondello said:

Is that like the game in Wreck-It-Ralph?

It’s a slot machine.  First time I played was on Mardi Gras and I really enjoyed it. 

[mondello]

Just now, Colorado Beach Bum said:

It’s a slot machine.  First time I played was on Mardi Gras and I really enjoyed it. 

I only remember the ones I win on. Had a Wheel of Fortune that kept spinning out $100 for me several times. Also, a Larry The Lobster game that had me pulling up pots of bonus money. I've had fun must of the time. As long as I remember it's not my money anymore and don't keep trying to win it back.

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

 

No robes for us lowly Ruby Plus (okay not a thing - we are just standard red cards but a gal can dream). 

You can ask for them. I dont think they were in my cabin either. A lot of people dont want them in the cabins taking up space. They will being them to anyone.

[SNJCruisers]

12 hours ago, Virga said:

 

You made my heart swell an extra couple sizes this morning, many thanks 😃

I thought that the Grinch wasn't seen until Christmas Eve.

[Virga]

8 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

I thought that the Grinch wasn't seen until Christmas Eve.

 

Fittingly, I recently posted in another thread about how it's nice to have a less Grinchy sounding reason to choose a seat away from children these days =p

[KmomChicago]

10 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

I thought that the Grinch wasn't seen until Christmas Eve.

 

There are plenty of Grinches here on ol' Cruise Critic's boards year 'round, I'm afraid. And even the best of us have our Grinchy moments, if I'm being honest.