Tom-n-Cheryl

I've really been enjoying your very detailed review! We'll be onboard 5/3 for a quick 3-nighter ... giving a Signature Suite a try. We really enjoy the Reflection. I was sad to learn from Sini & Liz that, on our cruise at least, the Lawn Club Grill will not be open for lunch (two days, two ports), so no specialty burgers for me. I was, on the other hand, pleased to see that they're going to have The Porch open those two port days (we're not planning on visiting Nassau or CocoCay). Mexologist - I like that! I'm kind of a lightweight, but I don't think I could manage 5+1 drinks then a swim, LOL !! Tom

I'd have to be very much in need to utilize their laundry service. We've used it on rare occasions, but don't send them anything you value (or don't want whites to turn slightly grey, etc). The fact that they now have the guest request/seek out most of the perks was a smart move. So much of the junk they give is something I'd either trash or give away anyway. Tom

FWIW - I'm not a fan of their brunch, especially what it's morphed into over the years. Good cost savings on their part though. And, to me at least, there's nothing about that meal (atmosphere/selections/etc.) that makes me want to mix in an adult beverage with it.

Correct - just a different set of rules. Tom

Yep - but I wonder if it's hot enough to boil water... lol

I wonder if these really work, and if Carnival would allow them onboard. Of course, there's that whole "is there bright sun on my balcony?" issue... LINK Tom

Carnival almost (ALMOST) "gave in" to popular demand. We had a presidential suite booked for the second sailing of the Mardi Gras - 8/7/21. I'd been keeping a close watch on various sites/pages trying to gather all the info I could. I was very pleased to see that, in that category at least, they were now listing a Coffee Maker as one of the features (that page was "current" as recently as 6/29/21). Wouldn't you know it... the one thing (I noticed) that they ended up pulling from the feature list - after appearing there for 2-1/2 years - with under a month before she set sail (updated page 7/13/21)? You guessed it ! I'm sure it was so that someone didn't accidently start a fire right above the bridge with the Ronco 😉 coffee pot they provided... right... Tom

True. Our youngest was Platinum when the program started - and never spent a penny (that wasn't mine). Tom

We've made a few trips to the Naughty Room. Once was when they spied a flat iron (hair) and said they would not allow it onboard. Let's just say, don't tell Cheryl she can't take her personal items (could have been the last time we sailed Carnival, but they came around). Another trip down there they thought they spied a knife in our suitcase... turned out to be a metal shoehorn. Actually, almost every trip down there (there have been several) were cases of overzealous screeners or misinterpretation of their own guidelines. I honestly can't recall ever being subjected to the same scrutiny on other lines. Some will hear that and cheer on Carnival, others will see it differently. 😉 Tom

Well, at least being Diamond, our laundry is covered. 😁

I've scratched my head regarding this for years. It's like the owl and the Tootsie Roll lollipop... The world may never know! To.

I wonder what makes Celebrity, NCL, Royal so different (wiring?) such that they offer kettles in some cabins (and coffee makers in many more). Heck, on NCL I was able to request a full size iron for use in our room. Tom

What if.... what if Carnival actually started to take onboard spend into account? I'd bet that some of those "freeloaders" are actually contributing more to the bottom line than you might think. I, for one, have sailed on several free/reduced rate cruises. In some cases, I've left with several times less $ than if I had paid for the cruise in full and stayed away from games of chance. FWIW, many of our cruises on the way to Diamond (yes, we were already "there" too when the program started in the summer of '12) were in suites. That's earned us nothing in Carnival land... Tom

Upper level starts at appx an RS.

But, is food in Craft Social covered if you're in an upper level suite? Tom