Carnival Pride in Europe?

[babsinpbg]

On 12/4/2021 at 4:30 PM, craig01020 said:

 

I watched this helpful video tour of the Pride. The interior design doesn't bother me; it gives the ship some personality.

 

 

Thanks for posting this! I'm booked on the British Isles cruise in July and so looking forward to it. Enjoy your cruise.

[BlerkOne]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:24 PM, kwokpot said:

The ship that really is over the top is the Splendor. I don't know why the higher ups thought that big round Pepto Bismol Pink circles plastered on every surface of the ship makes for a pleasant environment.  

You still have Joe Farcus to blame for the decorating, but Splendor was originally going to Costa before they decided to Carnivalize it. Several things are out of whack as a result.

[kitten816]

On 12/4/2021 at 3:30 PM, craig01020 said:

I'm quite surprised in the complete difference in layout? Been on 4 different carnival ships and this class seems to make the most sense! What other ships still have this layout? 

Also, any reason why they change it so much with the new ships?

 

 

 

[ShaniBell]

We wanted to do Italy on the Pride but can't get the dates to work.  We have to travel in June/July as our daughter is still in high school and the seem to do Italy in the fall.  We ended up booking on NCL instead.  

[let's go cruising]

Has anyone figured out how to get the testing we will need to complete the trip? My DH looked up one day Covid tests in England and found that they are as expensive as our flights! 

 

Renee

[charlesspinney]

On 11/15/2021 at 1:04 PM, derby lover said:

We are Hazel and James from Abbotsford just East of Vancouver. Looking forward to this cruise. 

 

On 12/28/2021 at 5:37 PM, MrandMrsBeee said:

We are trying to work out of the drinks package is worth getting. Has anyone had it and did they think it was value for money? 
 

If we order a gin and tonic are they counted as a soft drink and an alcoholic drink or is it one drink that needs to be under $12? 
 

We usually order wine with dinner. We would usually order a bottle but if we had the drinks package would order it by the glass. Has anyone done this?

 

On 12/4/2021 at 2:51 PM, kwokpot said:

I'll be on a b2b2b next May/June on the Pride and very much looking forward to it. Never done Europe on Carnival but was on her sister ship to Hawaii and I agree this class of ship is a great size (actually the +/- 90,000 ton ship class of ANY cruise line is an ideal size and I venture to say all the cruiselines really, really did some great things with this tonnage!)

 

Craig0120: I'm looking at your past cruises from your signature and looks like those from three different lines are the same ship size as the Pride, so you'll know about the size and general amenities the Pride will offer. Looks like your future cruises again are on varied cruiselines but it seems you're moving up in size (but then again the Vision will be the smallest and oldest ship you'll be on)

 

The only thing I will say about the Pride and older Carnival ships has to do with the aesthetics. Older Carnival ships went kinda overboard with designing the interiors of their ships with a distinct repetitive and frankly gaudy themes. With the Pride you'll see giant silver urns adorning every surface of the ship. While lots of long time Carnival cruisers love the wacky themes of their ships I don't think the interiors age well as opposed to some of the design choices of say Royal Caribbean's older ships which relied on brass and wood as design elements. In any event other than the Interior decoration the Pride will be a great choice for a European cruise. Enjoy!

We are booked on that b2b2b as well.  We have the same room booked for both cruises.  Does anyone know if we can leave our luggage in our room while in Dover?

[EllieinNJ]

We booked the Norway Pride for June 9, 2023 which was to be our first Carnival cruise, a replacement for one that was cancelled from 2020.  Just last week we got an email from VIFP for a Legend cruise this April for an incredible price so booked it.  I think they are sister ships.  If we like the Legend we may book the one before our June 2023 Pride cruise for May 28th.

[cruizergal70]

On 12/2/2021 at 6:07 PM, DrSea said:

There are catches, but they are the same catches on NCL and RCI. And it is usually a party ship atmosphere (a plus in my book bc I like the fun atmosphere). 

 

Enjoy your cruise. Relax. Go in with an open mind. 

I've been on Carnival sailings in Europe. The vibe and party atmosphere is a bit different.  Still lively but less all out. 

[kwokpot]

12 hours ago, charlesspinney said:

 

 

We are booked on that b2b2b as well.  We have the same room booked for both cruises.  Does anyone know if we can leave our luggage in our room while in Dover?

I don't understand your question. If you're in the same room for all three cruises there's no need to do ANYTHING with your personal belongings in your cabin. Basically what happens is you'll be notified where B2B cruisers must meetup on disembarkation day. Usually the timeframe is towards the last group of disembarking guests. Once all guests have disembarked, the remaining B2B guests will be led off the ship in a group to clear CBP and once it's been confirmed that all prior guests have left we will be led back on the ship. In prior Carnival B2B's when we were led back on the ship we gathered at the Atrium bar and given our room cards and also given a free drink and were asked to gather for a B2B cruisers group photo at the Atrium Bar (1 free photo per cabin was handed out) An alternative situation could have the CBP officials come on board and clear everyone without physically getting off the ship. But to repeat if you're in the same cabin you don't need to do a thing with your stuff. 

 

For those who have to change cabins (We need to move after our 1st cruise) you packed up your stuff, leave it in the cabin, and the Cabin Attendant will move it to your new cabin.  It has been noted that clothes that are hanging in the closets can be left that way and the Attendant will just move the hanging items to your new cabin closet. Just check with your attendant to see if that's the case.

[charlesspinney]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I don't understand your question. If you're in the same room for all three cruises there's no need to do ANYTHING with your personal belongings in your cabin. Basically what happens is you'll be notified where B2B cruisers must meetup on disembarkation day. Usually the timeframe is towards the last group of disembarking guests. Once all guests have disembarked, the remaining B2B guests will be led off the ship in a group to clear CBP and once it's been confirmed that all prior guests have left we will be led back on the ship. In prior Carnival B2B's when we were led back on the ship we gathered at the Atrium bar and given our room cards and also given a free drink and were asked to gather for a B2B cruisers group photo at the Atrium Bar (1 free photo per cabin was handed out) An alternative situation could have the CBP officials come on board and clear everyone without physically getting off the ship. But to repeat if you're in the same cabin you don't need to do a thing with your stuff. 

 

For those who have to change cabins (We need to move after our 1st cruise) you packed up your stuff, leave it in the cabin, and the Cabin Attendant will move it to your new cabin.  It has been noted that clothes that are hanging in the closets can be left that way and the Attendant will just move the hanging items to your new cabin closet. Just check with your attendant to see if that's the case.

Fantastic!  Sorry, I  read my question and I added one too many b2's.  Only one b2b.  We cruise from Barcelona,  land in Dover, and then do the Norwegian Fjords cruise.  What a perfect system.   Thanks again for providing such a detailed procedure.   It's going to make for such a smooth transition, resulting in lots of time to explore Dover.

On 11/15/2021 at 1:04 PM, derby lover said:

We are Hazel and James from Abbotsford just East of Vancouver. Looking forward to this cruise. 

 

On 12/28/2021 at 5:37 PM, MrandMrsBeee said:

We are trying to work out of the drinks package is worth getting. Has anyone had it and did they think it was value for money? 
 

If we order a gin and tonic are they counted as a soft drink and an alcoholic drink or is it one drink that needs to be under $12? 
 

We usually order wine with dinner. We would usually order a bottle but if we had the drinks package would order it by the glass. Has anyone done this?

 

On 12/4/2021 at 2:51 PM, kwokpot said:

I'll be on a b2b2b next May/June on the Pride and very much looking forward to it. Never done Europe on Carnival but was on her sister ship to Hawaii and I agree this class of ship is a great size (actually the +/- 90,000 ton ship class of ANY cruise line is an ideal size and I venture to say all the cruiselines really, really did some great things with this tonnage!)

 

Craig0120: I'm looking at your past cruises from your signature and looks like those from three different lines are the same ship size as the Pride, so you'll know about the size and general amenities the Pride will offer. Looks like your future cruises again are on varied cruiselines but it seems you're moving up in size (but then again the Vision will be the smallest and oldest ship you'll be on)

 

The only thing I will say about the Pride and older Carnival ships has to do with the aesthetics. Older Carnival ships went kinda overboard with designing the interiors of their ships with a distinct repetitive and frankly gaudy themes. With the Pride you'll see giant silver urns adorning every surface of the ship. While lots of long time Carnival cruisers love the wacky themes of their ships I don't think the interiors age well as opposed to some of the design choices of say Royal Caribbean's older ships which relied on brass and wood as design elements. In any event other than the Interior decoration the Pride will be a great choice for a European cruise. Enjoy!

We are booked on that b2b2b as well.  We have the same room booked for both cruises.  Does anyone know if we can leave our luggage in our room while in Dover?

[Nataliea621]

Hi! First time with Carnival and debating on booking the on the August 11, 2023 from Dover throughout the British Isles. Thoughts as a solo traveler? How does the drink package work! I like glasses of wine and some beers with meals. So is it worth it? 
Thanks,

natalie 

[kwokpot]

21 minutes ago, charlesspinney said:

Fantastic!  Sorry, I  read my question and I added one too many b2's.  Only one b2b.  We cruise from Barcelona,  land in Dover, and then do the Norwegian Fjords cruise.  What a perfect system.   Thanks again for providing such a detailed procedure.   It's going to make for such a smooth transition, resulting in lots of time to explore Dover.

 

 

We are booked on that b2b2b as well.  We have the same room booked for both cruises.  Does anyone know if we can leave our luggage in our room while in Dover?

If you're in the same cabin then yes, you don't need to touch any of your belongings. 

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, Nataliea621 said:

Hi! First time with Carnival and debating on booking the on the August 11, 2023 from Dover throughout the British Isles. Thoughts as a solo traveler? How does the drink package work! I like glasses of wine and some beers with meals. So is it worth it? 
Thanks,

natalie 

You can carry on bottles of wine and liquor in Europe. They could charge you a corkage fee in the MDR. Often Carnival doesn't offer Cheers in Europe because of VAT and other tax considerations.

[Nataliea621]

5 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

You can carry on bottles of wine and liquor in Europe. They could charge you a corkage fee in the MDR. Often Carnival doesn't offer Cheers in Europe because of VAT and other tax considerations.

Okay! It’s listed to add in my Carnival account for this cruise? 🤔.

[Altermood]

I just booked a cruise for September 1st, 2023 on the Pride doing the British Isles. I had a Norwegian cruise reserved already for a similar itinerary that was literally twice the price. I've done 3 Norwegian cruises and 1 Carnival cruise before. Carnival wasn't bad. I was expecting it to be a little trashy to be honest, but it turned out to be really fun and I'm looking forward to another one with them. With the prices right now, I personally felt that it was a no-brainer. 

[lollylew]

On 12/5/2021 at 7:34 PM, IntrepidFromDC said:

We're booked on the Pride out of Rome in September 2022.  The Pride's theme for decor is Europe with Italy being the main focus.  David's Steakhouse has a somewhat smaller but otherwise fairly convincing replica of David in Florence.  

 

We've sailed Pride 4 times before and we've been on 21 cruises total, all Carnival. 

 

We were struck by the value, but also a chance to see Pompeii and Taormina again, and Mykonos and Santorini for the first times, plus add another country to our "been there" list - Turkey.  

I will be sailing on the September 21, 2022 cruise out of Rome!! I really want to book excursions but only see a few listed on Carnival's site. It looks like you have been to Europe before. Any idea about excursions? Also, what is the BEST way to get from the airport to the port?

[Eli_6]

We are booked on the British Isles cruise in late July. Going to The Open at St. Andrews in Scotland and then on the cruise!  Can't wait. 

[kwokpot]

14 hours ago, lollylew said:

Also, what is the BEST way to get from the airport to the port?

You're flying in the day of the cruise? If so hire a private car from the airport to Civitavecchia. The port is nowhere near Rome but about 1 hour way from the airport. DO NOT take the train. REPEAT, DO NOT TAKE THE TRAIN.  It's a PITA. There's no direct connection to the cruiseport from the airport, so you would have to take a train from the airport to Rome, change trains in Rome, then once you get off at Civitavecchia take ANOTHER bus from the train station to the port. All the while lugging your luggage up and down stairwells, and train platforms and such.   

Here's a couple of companies to start with.

https://romehabicabs.com/en/fiumicino-to-civitavecchia-port

 

http://www.romeinlimo.com/transfers/

Edited February 23, 2022 by kwokpot

[IntrepidFromDC]

On 2/22/2022 at 9:13 PM, lollylew said:

I will be sailing on the September 21, 2022 cruise out of Rome!! I really want to book excursions but only see a few listed on Carnival's site. It looks like you have been to Europe before. Any idea about excursions? Also, what is the BEST way to get from the airport to the port?

Either before or after the cruise, spend at least two, preferably more, days in Rome.  Book a hotel near Piazza Navona and you'll be close to everything, including fantastic restaurants.

 

For the Messina port, you don't want to miss Taormina.  Taormina along with Salzburg, Austria and Toledo, Spain are the three most charming towns I've ever visited.

[IntrepidFromDC]

On 2/23/2022 at 11:45 AM, kwokpot said:

You're flying in the day of the cruise? If so hire a private car from the airport to Civitavecchia. The port is nowhere near Rome but about 1 hour way from the airport. DO NOT take the train. REPEAT, DO NOT TAKE THE TRAIN.  It's a PITA. There's no direct connection to the cruiseport from the airport, so you would have to take a train from the airport to Rome, change trains in Rome, then once you get off at Civitavecchia take ANOTHER bus from the train station to the port. All the while lugging your luggage up and down stairwells, and train platforms and such.   

Here's a couple of companies to start with.

https://romehabicabs.com/en/fiumicino-to-civitavecchia-port

 

http://www.romeinlimo.com/transfers/

I agree with Kwokpot that the train is not the answer to get from the airport to the cruise terminal.  But if staying in Rome before the cruise, I recommend the train.  It's only a one hour ride and the price is hard to beat, $6.50.  Just take a taxi from your hotel to the train station.  Then at the port, depending on how much luggage you have, you can walk to the port from the port train station, or take a taxi ride that's less than five minutes.  We walk because the only luggage we ever use is one rolling carry-on and one backpack.

[mumofsons]

Spirit class ships are my absolute favorite! Pride is the only one we haven't sailed and hopefully if all goes well - we will be sailing her in October for a transatlantic. Fingers crossed :)!

 

[el344]

Thanks for starting this thread, craig01020! Based in large part on this thread and on the fact that this cruise hits all of my remaining European bucket list ports, we've booked that cruise as well.

 

There's already a roll call for this cruise:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2830418-carnival-pride-may-282023/#comment-62632577

[kwokpot]

Heads Up. Carnival hasn't yet published their Europe TA Covid protocols, but Royal has, so expect Carnival's polices to be similar if not exactly the same. It's confusing to say the least.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

[shiner6]

On 2/7/2022 at 8:21 AM, EllieinNJ said:

We booked the Norway Pride for June 9, 2023 which was to be our first Carnival cruise, a replacement for one that was cancelled from 2020.  Just last week we got an email from VIFP for a Legend cruise this April for an incredible price so booked it.  I think they are sister ships.  If we like the Legend we may book the one before our June 2023 Pride cruise for May 28th.

We are on this cruise also for June 2023.  wondering how much wine are we permitted to bring onboard during Embarkation in Dover?

[Clairescurtains]

This is what J Heald said about bringing wine aboard, not necessarily about Dover but all the ports. In the past you were able to bring liquor aboard at the ports so not sure the "as usual" will apply. We will see when we get there. 

 

 

Meanwhile the Cheers and Bottomless Bubbles programs will be available as usual and will not be subject to VAT.

You can also while sailing in Europe bring locally purchased wine on board and it will not be confiscated. However liquor and beer will be as usual and returned to you at the end of the cruise as normal.