Time for a 12 day Scandinavian cruise out of Dover om the Carnival Pride

[SenatorsFan]

Thanks so much for another interesting review. It's too bad your cruise ended this way, but it's great to see how everything was handled to your satisfaction. 👏

[backbiter]

Yes, many thanks for your posts. As a fellow passenger on this very memorable cruise, I've really enjoyed reading this thread 

Agree with all your comments about the ship, the staff and the ports. As on every one of our 20 previous Carnival cruises, we have had exceptionally good and friendly service, from the cabin stewards to the bar staff to the waiters and servers and the entertainment crew. All have been a delight to deal with and a credit to the company.

We've had a wonderful time, and the extra 3 days aboard have been a bonus ( we get off at Dover tomorrow).

 

PS The Red Frog band (can't remember their name either!) are from Argentina. All very good musicians who seem to have grown in confidence during the cruise. The other performers around the ship have all been great, too.

 

Off for a farewell cocktail with the crew in the Taj Mahal at 4, to which all the guests are invited. A very nice parting gesture, after a thankyou message earlier from the CEO which was broadcast over the PA system.

[Jamman54]

Thanks for another fantastic review Jimbo! I'm sure that you will always remember this one. Looking forward to your Greenland review. We will be doing the same cruise on the Pride next year! 

[Hogladyrider]

@jimbo5544....thanks for taking us along on another fantastic voyage.  I have followed your reviews for years and when I grow up hope to be able to cruise like you!  First I have to convince my other half to fly someplace, he won't fly!

 

Things have a way of working out for sure.  Looking forward to following along your Greenland adventure.

 

My favorite ships for sure are the smaller ships.

[Etta1213]

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

It certainly did not end the way we wanted (who would want that), but we loved it.  Cannot say it enough.  Europe is hopping, lots of people EVERYWHERE.

 

Next up for us is the Legend out of Baltimore to Greenland in September.  Hope it can match this one.  Another bucket list cruise (and more to follow…).  

 

Adios for now….

Pure grace, class, the way you handled the ship's problems and mess to get home.

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, illinoisfive said:

Thank you for your wonderful review! You always seem to take us followers along with you!

My pleasure, thanks for following along

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, SenatorsFan said:

Thanks so much for another interesting review. It's too bad your cruise ended this way, but it's great to see how everything was handled to your satisfaction. 👏

Thanks for joining along, it sure was not a boring cruise.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, backbiter said:

Yes, many thanks for your posts. As a fellow passenger on this very memorable cruise, I've really enjoyed reading this thread 

Agree with all your comments about the ship, the staff and the ports. As on every one of our 20 previous Carnival cruises, we have had exceptionally good and friendly service, from the cabin stewards to the bar staff to the waiters and servers and the entertainment crew. All have been a delight to deal with and a credit to the company.

We've had a wonderful time, and the extra 3 days aboard have been a bonus ( we get off at Dover tomorrow).

 

PS The Red Frog band (can't remember their name either!) are from Argentina. All very good musicians who seem to have grown in confidence during the cruise. The other performers around the ship have all been great, too.

 

Off for a farewell cocktail with the crew in the Taj Mahal at 4, to which all the guests are invited. A very nice parting gesture, after a thankyou message earlier from the CEO which was broadcast over the PA system.

Huh, Argentina, I would have never guessed.  Agree on all your comments on the ship and especially the crew.  As I have said many times here, the people are Carnivals best asset, without a doubt.  Sitting by my daughters pool and my granddaughter who is with us just got a text from another still on board.  She said that there were 400 guests and 3 kids.  We would have loved to stay on but other things in life got in the way and unless it was mandatory, we just could not do it.  400 guests, wow almost like you were on a private sailing….enjoy the last day and saf travels home.  Classy move by the ship and also by Christine Duffy.  

[ryanpatricksmom]

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

It certainly did not end the way we wanted (who would want that), but we loved it.  Cannot say it enough.  Europe is hopping, lots of people EVERYWHERE.

 

Next up for us is the Legend out of Baltimore to Greenland in September.  Hope it can match this one.  Another bucket list cruise (and more to follow…).  

 

Adios for now….

Funny, our next trip is in reverse order of yours. We're getting ready to do a B2B on the Pride in September.  Our ports are Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, and Greece.  We had already done a cruise from Copenhagen a few years ago, so we've seen most of that area of the world, though we will also be starting our trip in London and Dover.  We have the Greenland sailing in August just before we fly across the pond.  You mentioned that you had some issues with your room at the Best Western.  We'll be staying there too.  Can you give a little bit more detail regarding the problem that you encountered?  Thanks!

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Thanks for another fantastic review Jimbo! I'm sure that you will always remember this one. Looking forward to your Greenland review. We will be doing the same cruise on the Pride next year! 

Thanks Jeff, will look forward to your review to help us relive the adventure.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, Hogladyrider said:

@jimbo5544....thanks for taking us along on another fantastic voyage.  I have followed your reviews for years and when I grow up hope to be able to cruise like you!  First I have to convince my other half to fly someplace, he won't fly!

 

Things have a way of working out for sure.  Looking forward to following along your Greenland adventure.

 

My favorite ships for sure are the smaller ships.

Thanks for following along for the ride, appreciate the thoughts.  We have very good friends that cruise with us (we have a group of about 30 who sail with us frequently) who just will not fly.  I do understand it, but the world is such an interesting place, it eats at me not to explore it all.  Do not rush on the journey we call life, it will happen soon enough.  My better half and I got 19 months taken away (covid shut down) from us and we we are in catch up mode.  We do not know what the future holds for any of us, so my advice is live for today, in whatever way that means, enjoy the journey!!  After a couple of more cruises on Carnival this year, we will be doing an adventure on Celebrity to Antartica (the good lord willing), will. Be doing a review of that and posting a link here on the Carnival thread if they will allow.

 

Jim

[jimbo5544]

23 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

Pure grace, class, the way you handled the ship's problems and mess to get home.

Ahhhh, we had the easy part.  If I could have assisted the crew, I most certainly would.  We are sometimes dealt lemons in life, how we deal with them is all part of the journey.  I chose not to mention it in the review, but at the airport returning home we ran into someone who we recognized from the cruise and they recognized us.  As we spent a few minutes discussion the event of the past two weeks, they asked why we were so upbeat (sensed they were not).  I said it was easy, it is what it was, there are lots of things we cannot change, what we can change is the way we handle them.  Is it the way I would want the cruise to end, not a chance.  But as I previously stated, it was a fantastic cruise, and while it ended a day or two early for us, iat the end of the day, it made the cruise more memorable.  

 

We have had 5 trips in a row (three land trips and two land) in the last 7 months, and have had significant…what most would call negative events in each one (was hoping this cruise was going to break the record….).  They are what they are, why… who knows.  But we would be much worse for having never experienced them.  When they all are perfect….well never mind.  Thanks again for the kind words.

 

Jim

[jimbo5544]

17 minutes ago, ryanpatricksmom said:

Funny, our next trip is in reverse order of yours. We're getting ready to do a B2B on the Pride in September.  Our ports are Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, and Greece.  We had already done a cruise from Copenhagen a few years ago, so we've seen most of that area of the world, though we will also be starting our trip in London and Dover.  We have the Greenland sailing in August just before we fly across the pond.  You mentioned that you had some issues with your room at the Best Western.  We'll be staying there too.  Can you give a little bit more detail regarding the problem that you encountered?  Thanks!

Nothing big, the AC did not work (or at least well).  They sent someone up who said it was fixed, we went out and returned later and it clearly was not.  Called back and they said the maintenance ,man left for the day but they would address in in the morning…..  I laughed and said thanks.  We opened the balcony door (we had the end room on the first floor for an hour and the ocean breeze and the temps cooled it down.  The only other thing i would mention is their is only one elevator and it is small, so add some time in that for that.  Sitting at the outside area enjoying cocktails and the people whom you meet from all walks of life made up for the inconvenience.

 

We did Turkey and Greece on the Pride last September.  LOVED it.  Kudasi and especially Ephesus were big hits.  I posted lots of pics in my review from that trip if that is where you are headed.  At any rate, enjoy the journey.  

[DanvilleCruiser]

Thanks for a stellar review.

[jimbo5544]

23 minutes ago, DanvilleCruiser said:

Thanks for a stellar review.

Thanks, glad you could follow along.

[cellfree]

35 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

 

We did Turkey and Greece on the Pride last September.  LOVED it.  Kudasi and especially Ephesus were big hits.  I posted lots of pics in my review from that trip if that is where you are headed.  At any rate, enjoy the journey.  

Can you send a link to that review? (Sorry to ask this, I should know how to find it.)

[Traveller94]

Thanks so much for your review. I’m excited to board the Pride tomorrow and your review had a lot to do with that!

[jimbo5544]

26 minutes ago, cellfree said:

Can you send a link to that review? (Sorry to ask this, I should know how to find it.)

Here you go, not as long…but.

 

 

[jimbo5544]

18 minutes ago, Traveller94 said:

Thanks so much for your review. I’m excited to board the Pride tomorrow and your review had a lot to do with that!

Thanks for following along.  Hope it helps, enjoy your cruise.

[paul914]

5 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Thanks for following along.  Hope it helps, enjoy your cruise.

Looks like just 2 more hours till you're in Dover.

[BlerkOne]

7 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

 After a couple of more cruises on Carnival this year, we will be doing an adventure on Celebrity to Antartica (the good lord willing), will. Be doing a review of that and posting a link here on the Carnival thread if they will allow.

 

Jim

I thought Celebrity was good, but kind of wish I had gone on Princess. HAL might be best of the main lines but was more days than I wanted to cruise.

 

 

[staceyglow]

8 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Thanks for joining along, it sure was not a boring cruise.

Whenever I have situations (especially pleasure travel) that does not go my way, I try to have the mindset of "some day this will be an interesting story I can tell". It helps a lot. 

 

For example, in Spring of 2021, I took a land tour of Bavaria. That was back when you had to have a negative Covid test to return to the US. Guess what? I was the only one in our tour to test positive. I was stuck by myself in Germany until I could produce a negative test. 

I ended up having to stay alone in Fussen for six days. I could get outdoors for some lovely solo hikes. I kept my friends entertained with my social media posts. I finally made it home and reunited with my DH who had to leave me in Europe.  And yes, it is on the top of my list of "interesting things that have happened to me". 

 

TL;DR   It's all about attitude. 

 

[jimbo5544]

10 hours ago, staceyglow said:

Whenever I have situations (especially pleasure travel) that does not go my way, I try to have the mindset of "some day this will be an interesting story I can tell". It helps a lot. 

 

For example, in Spring of 2021, I took a land tour of Bavaria. That was back when you had to have a negative Covid test to return to the US. Guess what? I was the only one in our tour to test positive. I was stuck by myself in Germany until I could produce a negative test. 

I ended up having to stay alone in Fussen for six days. I could get outdoors for some lovely solo hikes. I kept my friends entertained with my social media posts. I finally made it home and reunited with my DH who had to leave me in Europe.  And yes, it is on the top of my list of "interesting things that have happened to me". 

 

TL;DR   It's all about attitude. 

 

Yes it really is

[gabbygal99]

On 7/20/2023 at 5:27 PM, jimbo5544 said:

To London, but we can make our original flight home as was intended.  Part of why we were different from others is we used fly2fun and others did not for several reasons.  They def did fly2fun first.

I booked via Fly2Fun and they never scheduled us a charter. I got a last minute call saying if we could be at the bus in 10 minutes, then we could fly out today - they gave us seats on a flight from a B2B cruiser who had changed their mind and decided to stay on board.
 

Yes, you read that correctly. They assigned a chartered flight to someone who had planned to be on the ship until the 30th before they assigned a chartered flight to me and my husband. And we HAD booked Fly2Fun!
 

When we arrived to the airport (***8*** hours before our scheduled flight) we received no vouchers for food, in a tiny airport with one café in it, and then we discovered a few hours later that we were actually NOT on the flight manifest. Carnival then asked us to pay for a taxi with our own money and drive to Hamburg for a different flight? When we finally landed at the airport, Carnival was supposed to drive us all to our hotels - but the Carnival rep informed everyone the bus would only be driving to Heathrow. Everyone had to get their own taxis. 

 

There are literally hundreds of people who encountered the same types of screw ups. The OP in this post is probably one of a dozen people who had their accommodations work out fine. 

[fair-winds39]

On 7/23/2023 at 1:40 PM, jimbo5544 said:

Ahhhh, we had the easy part.  If I could have assisted the crew, I most certainly would.  We are sometimes dealt lemons in life, how we deal with them is all part of the journey.  I chose not to mention it in the review, but at the airport returning home we ran into someone who we recognized from the cruise and they recognized us.  As we spent a few minutes discussion the event of the past two weeks, they asked why we were so upbeat (sensed they were not).  I said it was easy, it is what it was, there are lots of things we cannot change, what we can change is the way we handle them.  Is it the way I would want the cruise to end, not a chance.  But as I previously stated, it was a fantastic cruise, and while it ended a day or two early for us, iat the end of the day, it made the cruise more memorable.  

 

We have had 5 trips in a row (three land trips and two land) in the last 7 months, and have had significant…what most would call negative events in each one (was hoping this cruise was going to break the record….).  They are what they are, why… who knows.  But we would be much worse for having never experienced them.  When they all are perfect….well never mind.  Thanks again for the kind words.

 

Jim

Thanks for taking us along. We love your outlook and agree with what you said…it is what it is, and you made the best of it. We too really like the Pride and have been on her many times from Baltimore. In fact, we have Venezia next and Legend after that and I’m giving serious thought to switch Legend in March to Pride for April. We look forward to your next Live review.