Tips for future guests on Venezia

[mleng]

Seems like some of the posts on this thread are going on a tangent and becoming not productive.  Since I started the thread, I will attempt to bring it back on topic.

 

A few other things that I forgot to include in the original post:

 

1. Melting lava cake -- still my all time #1 dessert on all cruises.  Venezia didn't disappoint.  Its lava cake in MDR is very warm and very melty and very chocolatey.

 

2. In general, Venezia had good desserts.  I remembered a good Pistachio cake, and several good chocolate cakes of different varieties (peanut butter, coffee, etc.)

 

3. Weather -- when we woke up the first morning, the ship was next to Virginia Beach, which is almost to North Carolina border.  It was warm enough to wear shorts that day.  We had planned to be cold for the first 2 days, but in reality, it was only cold for the first night.

 

4. MDR no wait -- we were on My Time Dining and each time I requested a table, we got one assigned within 2 or 3 minutes.  The meal itself is pretty quick too.  We always finish the whole meal (all 3 courses) within an hour.

 

5. Not happy about the fact there was no free herbal tea.  Lido and MDR only have black, decaf black, and green.  When I asked for a herbal tea after dinner in MDR, I was told that it would be $3.  I don't need fancy tea.  A regular Bigelow or Celestial Seasoning Mint or Chamomile tea costs 10 cents per bag at retail.  How much can Carnival save by not offering herbal tea?  So if you are a herbal tea drinker, bring your own!!!

 

We are going with my other side of the family on a Holland America cruise in Jan, leaving out of FLL.  It would be an interesting comparison to this one.  Stay tuned...

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, mleng said:

...

We are going with my other side of the family on a Holland America cruise in Jan, leaving out of FLL.  It would be an interesting comparison to this one.  Stay tuned...

Cruising both Carnival and HAL, I look forward to your thoughts and comparison - they are very different. 🤔 Those differences are what make keeping them both on my list enjoyable.

One note, if I may, on MDR dining - you may want to plan on doubling your time as I don't see you getting in/out of dinner in an hour.🫣 

Oh one more thing - they have a nice selection of teas 24/7 at the Lido at no charge. Enjoy!

Edited December 15, 2023 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[mz-s]

57 minutes ago, mleng said:

5. Not happy about the fact there was no free herbal tea.  Lido and MDR only have black, decaf black, and green.  When I asked for a herbal tea after dinner in MDR, I was told that it would be $3.  I don't need fancy tea.  A regular Bigelow or Celestial Seasoning Mint or Chamomile tea costs 10 cents per bag at retail.  How much can Carnival save by not offering herbal tea?  So if you are a herbal tea drinker, bring your own!!!

 

Carnival has a deal with Art of Teas now, that's why they stopped carrying the other brands more than anything.

[mleng]

11 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Carnival has a deal with Art of Teas now, that's why they stopped carrying the other brands more than anything.

If they want to give me Art of Teas for free, that will be nice.  I may even be converted to a regular customer when back on land.  But I cannot see myself paying $3 for each cup.  So if we go on Carnival again, I will just bring a couple of boxes of Celestial Seasoning.

[mz-s]

Just now, mleng said:

If they want to give me Art of Teas for free, that will be nice.  I may even be converted to a regular customer when back on land.  But I cannot see myself paying $3 for each cup.  So if we go on Carnival again, I will just bring a couple of boxes of Celestial Seasoning.

 

That's definitely the way to go. The price is very high.

[mleng]

16 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Cruising both Carnival and HAL, I look forward to your thoughts and comparison - they are very different. 🤔 Those differences are what make keeping them both on my list enjoyable.

One note, if I may, on MDR dining - you may want to plan on doubling your time as I don't see you getting in/out of dinner in an hour.🫣 

Oh one more thing - they have a nice selection of teas 24/7 at the Lido at no charge. Enjoy!

My wife and I took HAL in April 2023 on a Panama Canal cruise.  Enjoyed it.  And yes I remember they had good herbal tea selection.  😀 

 

Unfortunately for that HAL cruise, we were looking forward to Lincoln Center and other Classical music offerings and we were disappointed to find out that they didn't offer them anymore. 

[Haljo1935]

3 minutes ago, mleng said:

My wife and I took HAL in April 2023 on a Panama Canal cruise.  Enjoyed it.  And yes I remember they had good herbal tea selection.  😀 

 

Unfortunately for that HAL cruise, we were looking forward to Lincoln Center and other Classical music offerings and we were disappointed to find out that they didn't offer them anymore. 

Sadly, that is correct re LCS. They are working on another version that will return Classical music to their ships in the theater. Not the same, but it will have a presence. I don't know an ETA.

[mleng]

Just remembered another "pet peeve":  Carnival charges $5 per person if you want to use their Hub app to text other guests.  

 

I deliberately chose not to buy WiFi package, so that I could truly disconnect and not be tempted to pick up my phone every few minutes.  That worked well. 

 

Their Hub app was quite helpful -- no need to carry the paper version of the daily program, and you can see the restaurant menu and scheduled activities in advance.  It's really useful to plan which entertainment option to take, if I know that the same option is offered 3 days later.  However, on past Carnival cruises (before COVID), we had used their app to text each other while on board.  It was a free feature.  This time, they wanted $5.  So if you were a group of 4 people, all 4 had to pay $5 each.  The money was not a lot, but out of principle, I refused to pay it.  

 

I don't know when they started charging for this, but that's another thing (same as herbal tea) that I consider to be petty on Carnival's part.

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, mleng said:

Just remembered another "pet peeve":  Carnival charges $5 per person if you want to use their Hub app to text other guests.  

 

I deliberately chose not to buy WiFi package, so that I could truly disconnect and not be tempted to pick up my phone every few minutes.  That worked well. 

 

Their Hub app was quite helpful -- no need to carry the paper version of the daily program, and you can see the restaurant menu and scheduled activities in advance.  It's really useful to plan which entertainment option to take, if I know that the same option is offered 3 days later.  However, on past Carnival cruises (before COVID), we had used their app to text each other while on board.  It was a free feature.  This time, they wanted $5.  So if you were a group of 4 people, all 4 had to pay $5 each.  The money was not a lot, but out of principle, I refused to pay it.  

 

I don't know when they started charging for this, but that's another thing (same as herbal tea) that I consider to be petty on Carnival's part.

Do not ever remember it being free.

[staceyglow]

15 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Do not ever remember it being free.

Same here.

[mz-s]

30 minutes ago, mleng said:

Just remembered another "pet peeve":  Carnival charges $5 per person if you want to use their Hub app to text other guests.  

 

I deliberately chose not to buy WiFi package, so that I could truly disconnect and not be tempted to pick up my phone every few minutes.  That worked well. 

 

Their Hub app was quite helpful -- no need to carry the paper version of the daily program, and you can see the restaurant menu and scheduled activities in advance.  It's really useful to plan which entertainment option to take, if I know that the same option is offered 3 days later.  However, on past Carnival cruises (before COVID), we had used their app to text each other while on board.  It was a free feature.  This time, they wanted $5.  So if you were a group of 4 people, all 4 had to pay $5 each.  The money was not a lot, but out of principle, I refused to pay it.  

 

I don't know when they started charging for this, but that's another thing (same as herbal tea) that I consider to be petty on Carnival's part.

 

27 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Do not ever remember it being free.

 

11 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

Same here.

 

The Chat feature was released around the same time as the current wifi plans alongside the Hub app. It has always cost $5 per person for the duration of the cruise. It may have been free when it first released for a short period of time (like a beta test so to speak), I can't say for sure.

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Watch out for me on the Venezia next month....as I'm a rude NYer.

 

Our "subway and elevator etiquette" involves "keep to your right getting off and keep to your right getting on".  That way there's a flow of traffic.

 

Also...when on a bus...first one to stand up is the first one to get off.

 

This may not be how things are done in the Midwest or in small towns or cities....but if we didn't do it this way, we'd be left on the platform waiting for the next train...or the bus would start moving before we reached the door.

Part of what makes NY so unique is the multi faceted culture aspect to the city.  Is cruising from there the same as cruising from Long Beach or Jacksonville (in terms of culture and the way people act getting on, during the cruise and getting off?  No way.  Not worse, not better, just different.

[Frank12]

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Do not ever remember it being free.

Never has been...not on any ships we've sailed !

[mleng]

1 hour ago, Frank12 said:

Never has been...not on any ships we've sailed !

I could be mistaken.  It's been a few years since my family last went on Carnival.  

 

I may be confusing Carnival with HAL.  I am pretty sure HAL app provides free chat, right?

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, mleng said:

I could be mistaken.  It's been a few years since my family last went on Carnival.  

 

I may be confusing Carnival with HAL.  I am pretty sure HAL app provides free chat, right?

It used to be free n HAL, not sure if it still is.

[ninjacat123]

My Thanksgiving cruise on Carnival's Elation out of Jacksonville was a mixed bag when it came to other passengers. If someone sits next to me, friendly and polite and if walking 4 abreast coming at me as I am walking supporting my 85 year old mom and not giving an inch, not so polite.  I think manners have disappeared since Covid and it's too bad. My 2 cents.

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, mleng said:

I could be mistaken.  It's been a few years since my family last went on Carnival.  

 

I may be confusing Carnival with HAL.  I am pretty sure HAL app provides free chat, right?

Yes free on HAL.

[mjkacmom]

17 hours ago, Frank12 said:

Never has been...not on any ships we've sailed !

I think NCL charges $10 pp to use texting in their app.

[Drew B 58]

I was on the same sailing.  I agree that embarkation and disembarkation were bad.  Worst I’ve experienced on fifteen cruises!  The biggest problem is that both getting on and off, they kept calling more and more groups before the previous ones had made it on/off.  It’s not rocket science!  Call one group and don’t call the next until most of them have been cleared.  Easy Peasy!

 

I disagree about the rudeness.  I thought these were some of the friendliest passengers I’ve ever sailed with!  And they were really into participating in the parties and events.  Fun crowd!

 

I liked the fun squad overall, but I think they need remedial lessons on how to run trivia!  One guy just talked and talked and talked about everything OTHER than the questions and answers.  Another woman just didn’t give the answers!  She asked “what did you get?”  Several people near her answered and she said “That’s right!”  However, I couldn’t hear what they said, and she didn’t repeat the answer on mic.  After that, I stopped going to trivia…

 

I thought the crew was mostly EXTREMELY friendly and professional, but I had one shockingly bad interaction with a bartender at the Gondola Bar.  The night before, I had seen a sign for an iced coffee drink.  The next day, I wanted to order it, but the sign was no longer there.  I asked the bartender to try to figure out what it was called.  She told me to go to Java Blue.  I pointed to the espresso machine she was standing next to and said “you serve coffee here”.  She pointed to the menu of coffee drinks, but I explained that the drink I was looking for wasn’t on there but had been on a separate sign.  She told me to go to Java Blue.  At that point, I realized there was no point in fighting with her, so I walked away without buying anything.  But I was shocked at how rude and unhelpful she was.  I’ve never experienced that on Carnival!

[WhiteOptima]

Our cruise had large groups from Detroit and Buffalo area.  I do not watch sports but my DH said watching the games were horrible as people become obnoxious.  The Browns-Steelers game there was actually only one Steelers fan and he wouldn’t keep his mouth shut through the whole game until he had to eat his words when they lost.  My gosh people it is only a game, chill out.

 

My issue is when you travel in large groups you do not own all the chairs on deck 11-there are others who would like to sit.  We had someone near us grab 3 round tables  and put 15 chairs around them( which meant tables now had no chairs) and sat there by themselves for at least 1/2 hour. Someone asked it they were taken-yep.  Well nope 4 people sat there with her to watch the 80’s party.

[thesmiths]

On 12/12/2023 at 5:12 PM, mleng said:

We just came back from a 10-day cruise on Venezia out of Manhattan.  
2.    Maybe due to the location of embarkation, the clientele of this cruise was much more multi-ethic and multi-culture.  What you may take for granted of certain etiquette and standard practices on a cruise are not necessarily the modus operandi by these folks.  My advice is that just be prepared as you go into this and try to be more patient.
 
 

We did an 8 day in September and saw the same, it was bad, We have two 11 days booked for 2024 on her and was hoping the longer cruise changed some of that But I guess it doesn't.

 

Only good part we are in the Terraza so we can stay out of General Population for most of the time.

 

I will find a Havana cruise for the 2nd 11 day to switch out.

 

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, thesmiths said:

We did an 8 day in September and saw the same, it was bad, We have two 11 days booked for 2024 on her and was hoping the longer cruise changed some of that But I guess it doesn't.

 

Only good part we are in the Terraza so we can stay out of General Population for most of the time.

 

I will find a Havana cruise for the 2nd 11 day to switch out.

 

We were 13 days B2B in Sept in a Terrazza - reminder (unless it has changed) it is open to the public in the evenings, which was the only time we saw it busy.

Sea day brunch for Terrazza pax, which is held in the Steakhouse, is heaven...

If they'd open a kitchen out on Terrazza so you really can stay out of Gen Pop...

Edited December 19, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[MsTabbyKats]

On 12/12/2023 at 5:12 PM, mleng said:

2.    Maybe due to the location of embarkation, the clientele of this cruise was much more multi-ethic and multi-culture.  What you may take for granted of certain etiquette and standard practices on a cruise are not necessarily the modus operandi by these folks.  My advice is that just be prepared as you go into this and try to be more patient.
 

Seriously....what bubble are you living in?

[MadManOfBethesda]

On 12/15/2023 at 10:26 AM, mleng said:

4. MDR no wait -- we were on My Time Dining and each time I requested a table, we got one assigned within 2 or 3 minutes.  The meal itself is pretty quick too.  We always finish the whole meal (all 3 courses) within an hour.

At what time(s) were you requesting a table? On embarkation day, we were tired and hungry having not eaten all day, so we requested a table at ~5:45pm and like you, had only a 2-3 minute wait. However, last night, we didn't request a table until 7:10pm and the app came back with a 50-60 minute wait, which eventually actually turned into a 45 minute wait as we got seated a few minutes prior to 8:00pm.

 

I'm not complaining about the wait, just relaying our experience so far on this cruise. I must say that the food has been delicious both nights so far in the MDR. I'm really enjoying the variety of choices on the new Vegan menu. Much better than what I had to choose from on my two cruises earlier this year on Carnival, and even in the MDR on my Celebrity cruise last month. (Curiously, on that Celebrity cruise, there was an entire section of the Lido Buffet dedicated to just Vegan items with multiple entrees and side dishes, but the MDR didn't even offer one standard Vegan dish each night, only a vegetarian menu with dishes that could be altered if you pre-ordered the night before.)

[thesmiths]

On 12/15/2023 at 9:57 AM, MsTabbyKats said:

Watch out for me on the Venezia next month....as I'm a rude NYer.

 

Our "subway and elevator etiquette" involves "keep to your right getting off and keep to your right getting on".  That way there's a flow of traffic.

 

Also...when on a bus...first one to stand up is the first one to get off.

 

This may not be how things are done in the Midwest or in small towns or cities....but if we didn't do it this way, we'd be left on the platform waiting for the next train...or the bus would start moving before we reached the door.

 

14 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Seriously....what bubble are you living in?

 

I know it's not addressed to me but I don't live in a bubble,

I live to NOT enjoy rude people such as yourself and other's that come off as entitled and think they own the ship!!

 

I grew up in Philly so I've seen and can give it as well, but don't. Unless,

Say, act or do something rude to me and my family on purpose and I will tell you where to go!

 

Just because you are from NY and not a small Midwest town does not give you the right to act like that!

 

You should pop that bubble and blow another!

There will always be another train or bus!

 

You (your kind, rude )are the reason this will probably be my last from NY