wemjam

One thing to keep in mind with the gift cards, (and I personally have used them for years and will continue to do so), IF something happens and you have to cancel stuff, you will be refunded by Carnival in the form you paid with, meaning only in gift card. For those that cruise a lot, or know they will cruise again no matter what, it likely isn't a big deal. But if you buy and pay for everything in gift cards and a refund comes back from Carnival, you will get gift cards back not $$$ so just weigh that when considering how to pay for things and how much to tie up in gift cards. A lot of people got stuck with a lot of $$ tied up gift cards when the pandemic hit and over the last 2 years - you just never know what can go wrong 😁 (especially with the way things still are)

That is awesome! Thanks for the correction. I thought only members could buy them. Good to know.

Actually 3 day on the Conquest

Just an FYI for others out there. Right now we are not using Verifly until they make us, just one more thing I have to do paperwork wise and don't feel like it lol! So, I am doing the paperwork the normal way. We leave Sat for a cruise and both this one and our last one in May the Health Assessment did not show up on its' own in my "to do list." Even after I started getting emails to do it 2 days before our cruise it wasn't there. I have read where others had the same problem too. I just wanted you to know a quick call both times to Carnival's technical department and within 2-3 hours of my call it showed up. So if you run into this, contact the support group (not customer service). I it was option 1 "website assistance", then 1 again "need help with online check in" from the main menu. Just as a side note, not using Verifly we still breeze right through and it literally only takes 2-3 minutes. I just make sure I have my boarding pass, passport, and Covid vaccine card in my hand (mine is actually clipped inside the back cover of my passport) when I walk in the doors.

Diamond myself, and I don't believe so, even reading my entire booking document for my cruises it isn't listed. I always have to call my PVP if I need to know for some reason. Carnival does not make it easy sometimes.

One other thought on this matter to think about. We always got the letter because I wanted to make sure I was meeting all the legal requirements set forth by customs, etc. just in case. But the other reason was because my husband's ex could be a bit of a pill for sure. I would never have expected her to do it, but I always had it in the back of my mind that if we did leave out of the country with the kids and she wanted to create a stink, she could really make his life a mess if she contacted the authorities and said he was absconding with the kids. Like I said I would like to believe she would never do that, but through the years of dealing with her wack-a-doodle nature, there was always this nagging better safe than sorry feeling for sure. So anyone that has a tumultuous relationship with their ex, something else to take into consideration. Better to have their signature in case they get a bug up their backside.

Note the CAN charge you a percentage of your excursion if you decide to cancel once on board, now I will say I have cancelled some and they didn't, but that doesn't mean they won't or can't: CAN I CANCEL MY SHORE EXCURSION REQUEST? Cancellations are handled on board and the cancellation charges are as follows: 25% charge once on board 100% charge if cancellation is within 24 hours of arrival in port Refunds less cancellation charges will be applied in the form of a credit to the guest's Sail & Sign account. Note: Cancellations due to weather are the determination of the tour operator only. As others have said, I can't remember ever seeing any reduction in price once on board the ship.

Well, when you get it up at 5am to go to work, going to be by 10 is the norm 🙃

A bit confused, are you saying Carnival doesn't allow curling irons or blow dryers. I think this is incorrect. I take mine every single cruise and have not issues at all. It does say "with heating elements", but they are specific about things like irons, hot plates, etc. I have never seen anyone in 20+ years have a problem with a curling iron or blow dryer (I think the women would revolt lol!) Here is the list straight from Carnival (no mention of blenders lol): Prohibited Items Any illegal narcotics/drugs including synthetic, designer drugs, Cannabidiol (CBD) and medical marijuana All weapons and any item made, adapted or intended for use as an offensive weapon: firearms (including replicas, imitations and their components), spears or spear guns, crossbows, crossbow bolts and long bow arrows; blunt weapons, including knuckle dusters, brass knuckles, clubs, coshes, batons, flails or Nunchaku; sharp pointed weapons, including throwing stars; air, BB, pellet pistols or rifles, stun devices and tasers, any projectile-weapon, including paintball guns, etc. All items containing incapacitating substances, such as gas guns, tear gas sprays, mace, phosphorus, acid and other dangerous chemicals that could be used to maim or disable All ammunition All explosives, including imitation explosives and devices Fireworks, flares, pyrotechnics Flammable substances and hazardous chemicals (e.g., petrol, methylated spirits, paint thinners) Compressed gas tanks, bottles, cylinders including dive tanks, propane tanks and aerosol cans (Refer to Exemptions) Alcohol (hard liquor) and beer Wine or champagne beyond the allowable limit of one 750 ml bottle per adult (21 years of age or older) Non-alcoholic beverages in containers other than a can or carton; excessive quantities per person (over 12 cans/cartons per person); excessive size per can/carton (over 12 ounces each) Electrical and household appliances containing any kind of heating element, such as irons, clothes steamers, immersion heaters, heating blankets, water heaters, coffee machines, hot plates, toasters, heating pads, humidifier, etc. (All Carnival ships provide facilities with ironing boards and irons; fleet-wide valet laundry service is also available for a nominal fee.) Knives, scissors and open razors. (Recreational dive knives are allowed, but must be held in the custody of the Guest Services Manager or Chief Security Officer and must be checked out/in by the owner for dive excursions during the cruise. Large scissors used by scrapbook and quilting enthusiasts are at times permitted with prior notification from the Security Services Department, but are held on board in the same manner as dive knives.) Handcuffs or other restraining devices Self-balancing hover boards and air wheels Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), communication scanners, wideband receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers. Satellite disk, routers and other internet related equipment Boom boxes/large radios Candles and incense Helium filled balloons Inflatable kiddie pool Hookahs Any footwear with wheels, such as, Heely’s type shoes Kava Surfboards, boats and canoes Fish of any kind; if fish are caught during an excursion, they must be shipped home

Have to join AARP and they offer them for sale at a discount 10% off. Limited qtys available.

Thank you for the correction, yes it is arrival time 😆

Yep, Diamond, but haven't had them do my laundry for years. Did before when Platinum a few times, but too many times they came back and were grey, faded out etc. So I just buy some powdered laundry soap (since we fly), and fill a quart zip lock about 1/3 full, fold that over and put it in another quart zip lock with 3 dryer sheets and I pack that whenever we travel anywhere. My emergency laundry pack. I have used it to wash clothes on longer (7-8 days cruises) around day 2 or 3 so I can still pack in carry on only. I don't mind throwing a load in late in the evening when things are quiet and dead, and then I have more than enough clothes even for a 7 or 8 day cruise in carry on only.

BINGO! I can pack for 2 people for a 5-6 day cruise in two legit (and I say that because some people don't really know what "carry" on means) airplane carry on size suite cases and two small shoulder bags that easily fit under our seat in front of us. That's a change of clothes for every day, all foundation items plus extras, an extra Tshirt or two, dress clothes enough as needed (slacks, shirts, skirts, sun dress), PJ's for both of us, all our shoes (dress shoes, water shoes, sandals), Beach stuff (bag, hats, sunglasses, camera), extras like our own snorkels & mask, tablet, book, toiletries, blow dryer, curling iron, jewelry and watches (in hard cases) even things like laundry soap/dryer sheet packet (just in case), clothes pins, neck wallet, purse, regular wallet, all our liquids in the appropriate 2 liquids bag (3 oz size or less for the whole week - and I have a LOT of products I take lol). I always still have a little room left in a shoulder bag to bring home a couple things I might buy. And hubby and I are both a little fluffy, so it isn't like we are packing size 4 clothing for me and Mediums for him. I watch people get on with suitcases I could back for 3 months in and just wonder to myself what the heck do they have in there, their kids? lol! 🤣 BEST advice we give people that ask about packing for a cruise. Lay out everything you plan to pack... then get rid of 1/2 of it.

EEEEWWWWWW! 😆 This EXACTLY! This is why I will not use the pools or hot tubs. 45 cruises on Carnival and I have gone into them one time, and only once, a few years back. Hubby and I decided not to get off in port and literally had the entire pool area and slide to ourselves (and he saw the pool empty the night before so we knew it was fresh seawater pumped in). So our 50 year old selves just wooped it up and rode the water slide and enjoyed the pool for about an hour or so. I KNOW what is going on in the water the rest of the time. I don't like even going out onto the pool deck at all on sea days unless I absolutely half too.... TOOOOO many people and that water is so gross for sure.

Been hit or miss for us. Conquest and Sunrise in March and May, had the diamond get together (no Platinum/Diamond party). Sunrise they had a party and the main officers, not captain, showed and just introduced themselves and left. Free drinks and a few little sweet things they passed around. Conquest they had the whole normal Diamond party and all senior officers including Captain came around and sat and talked with us, normal food and drinks available. Last month on the Conquest though, no party of any kind, but hubby and I both got $50 OBC each to make up for it and a letter saying thank you for our loyalty. Honestly I liked that the BEST. Would take $100 free spending money over the party any day. 😁

Something a lot of people don't realize with this new system is you don't have to do the entire process just to get the boarding time. Just go in and click on the "select boarding time" in the list of check in things, and then select your boarding time and click "next" and it saves it. You can go back and do all the rest of the check in stuff later when you have the time. I have done it for all 4 of my cruises this year. I wake up sometime in the middle of the night (just excited to do it don't even need an alarm) and go log in, select my boarding time, click next and when I am in the next section and can see the completed check mark next to select boarding time, I log out and go back to bed. Then deal with the rest of it later in the day sometime.

Ok, I could be wrong, but I think the last two are a bit backwards? According to Carnival they say if you have tested positive in the last 3 months (and meet all the other requirements below) you don't have to have the test if you have the letter of recovery. I think specifically to avoid making people pay for the testing when they do not have to because generally speaking you are not at risk of being a threat or getting it and passing it around for 90 days if you just had it and are recovered (which is why we are testing) . It doesn't say you HAVE to forgo the test either. IF you take the test (since you have one) and it is negative and you meet all the other requirements (more than 10 days past, no symptoms, etc.), I would give them those results and call it a day (I am sure this would be way easier for you at embarkation) and it falls within the guidelines. However, if you do the test and it is positive, then I would just take your letter of recovery with you and give them that. From Carnival Site: DOCUMENT OF RECOVERY Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within 3 months of their sailing date do not need the required pre-cruise test if they are at least 10 days past their positive test result date, have no symptoms and produce document of recovery from COVID-19. A Document of Recovery is accepted from both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated guests (with a Carnival-approved exemption) and consists of a paper or electronic copy of the positive viral test result from a certified laboratory (dated no more than 90 days prior to the sailing date).

Agreed, and this is absolutely relevant in that corn is offered at Blue Iguana, and depending on what area you are from in the country the option of corn or flour is the norm for any kind of of preparation including soft tacos. TexMex draws inspiration from Mexico more so then anywhere in the US. Corn tortillas are more authentic to Mexican cuisine, and first hand experience, are more prevalent when eating in Mexico. The corn option also serves as an alternative for eaters with gluten issues which I would guess is why they are onboard.

I would do this and have the test just sitting there. Test and use the negative if it comes back that way and you always have your paperwork for 2nd option (would just be easier at the port to present a negative test I am sure). Make sure if you want to test Wed he is vaxxed AND boosted if eligible, otherwise you have to do it 2 days before so would be Thurs.

Over the last 20+ years of sailing and taking kids along we have always made sure we had the letter from my husbands ex-wife for my step son. In all the cruises we took over that time we were asked - once, just once. But if we hadn't had it wouldn't have been able to sail. All our last names were the same, but he happened to say something while standing at the counter about "calling his mom" before we boarded and bingo!

Try logging out, clearing out your history and cookies, and then go back in. Sometimes you have do this and it will show up.

You are just a ray of sunshine.

THIS! Don't know why the email they send you with the confirmation doesn't show it either. Other's do like spa times and excursions, but not the Steakhouse. I am glad though during Covid we started getting the emailed confirmations again. They had time to go in and fix the system I guess. Used to be we always got them, then for a couple years they stopped coming or were hit or miss. Then I noticed about the first year into Covid we started getting them again. LOL Isn't that funny how we now measure time by Covid standard.

Spare me criticizing others for doing good, OP didn't deserve it

We ALWAYS do. Main reason is because 80% of the cruises I have been on we get the "letter" about day 2 or 3 in our room because they were looking for someone's lost luggage. My mom had a bag go missing, but we found it about 10pm the first night when she reported it hadn't arrived and then was taken to a holding area and she found it (the tag had been ripped off and they didn't know where to deliver it). Also, I like to be able to unpack and get settled early, and sometimes luggage doesn't show up until later in the evening.