shibby sails

First time MSC cruiser. Diamond RCCL, Carnival. I am trying to understand their internet access. If I pay for one device, I can only use my phone and then if I want to switch to my computer I can't? I have to buy two device plans? Does not make sense. When you log in they know the previous device you used? Why should it matter if only using one device at a time? Advice appreciated, sailing Seaside in June.

I just got off a 4 day cruise on the Sunshine. It was a madhouse in the casino. Most people were talking about the "free" room and free play but with $5 minimums you couldn't get on a table. Madi Gras in January had $10 minimum at the roulette. Sunshine had $5 and it was impossible to get near the table, so I see them upping the ante on most tables when they have a lot of giveaway rooms. Also, whoever ordered the new chairs on the Sunshine is probably fired by now. Thery are so large and bulky you cannot fit 7 around a BJ table. They are comfortable and nice (the Mardi Gras chairs were already ripping) but they are not functional for a cruise ship. Hope they did not order these fleetwide. With the people and the chairs, you couldn't move around easily. I felt sorry for the drink workers.

Going on my fist MSC cruise in June. Want to use the status match program. For those who have used this is it better to use one cruise line over another? I am diamond in both Carnival and RCCL. Is one better than the other to get a comparable match?

Behind the buffet, at the Havana bar area the Cucina Italian restaurant is open for lunch and also the Asian wok stir fry is there for lunch. Free for lunch

Thank you. Hopefully we will have calm seas. Just thought for such a large ship it should handle rough weather better.

Was on Mardi Gras first week of November and first week of December. Chi Bang and Cucina were free with YTD. Is that still the case in January? I am sailing it again on January 21st. Also both trips the boat rocked all over the place, like it didn't have stabilizers. A lot of people were having trouble walking straight. Staff said it was storm and/or undercurrent. Really? Both times? Has it been smooth sailing recently, and has anyone else who has sailed this ship noticed this.

I hate how its the luck of the draw for some people and I have been on the wrong side of the draw twice. Once before vaccination and then last month. Been on 10 cruises since restart. First nine were heavily ruled by mask wearing. Last one, rules relaxed and I relaxed and i caught covid. Went on another the next month and went back to wearing  mask in populated areas and especially in the casino since I spend a lot of time there. Came home and was negative. Go figure. Have another cruise next week and don't know how I am going to act. Vaccinated and double boosted it just happens. I will say the covid I had before vaccination was serious and terrible. Second time after vaccination was sore throat and just tired. Lasted 3-4 days.

parking is a challenge on your patience. so is checking in but once onboard all is OK. There will be no expansion since the town of Charleston has not renewed Carnival's contract with the city. Carnival ends there in 2024.

Has anyone tried just getting it out of the casino. Like charge your room at a slot machine. Then cash it in? 

People actually pay this for a room on a boat? God, I hate recession.

Cruises are full, prices are up. No recession for cruise lines. People still taking their vacations. Airports and airlines are over booked. Gives people something to complain about. Prices go up. Is this where I should complain that a loaf of bread cost 25 cents when I was growing up? 

Got a little sidetracked here on original question. What a surprise. I recently sailed mardi gras. I am diamond. Had a boarding time . Went through the door and there was another line the length of a Disney line to get checked in. I got in it and then noticed a shorter line and asked if that is a platinum and diamond line. The answer was yes. So you have to ask or look around because it is not marked. Same thing happen to me on Sundshine. Diamond line was not marked. Look and ask. You are not let in earl or anytime, you still need a boarding time but there is a special line once you get inside.

Why not? They are floating Petri dishes and you are going t catch covid whether tested or not.

Sorry, a little slow on the uptake. Got off cruise June 16th. Tested positive June 17th from Walgreen's lab. Have a cruise July 9th. I don't have to get a negative test 2 days before and just show my positive test from June 17th? Show I was positive now gets me on a ship? Doesn't make sense to me but will go with it especially since Walgreens may be charging for tests now.

My recent experience with covid was better then the first. I got off a cruise last Thursday. The last night I went to bed and felt like I was getting a sore throat. Got home Thursday and home tested negative. Friday I was feeling tired and took another test and I was positive. I sailed solo so don't know about others on the ship but would assume with the lack or earlier protocols (not that that's a good or bad thing, no argument here) that others contracted it. Its going to happen. I am vaccinated and twice boosted with no underlying conditions. I have sailed 7 times since the restart and this is the first time getting covid from a cruise. I would have to say I was also slacking in being as careful as I was on other cruises. My first bout with covid was the original covid in November of 2020. Loss of taste and smell and had pneumonia. It was a rough month. My wife got it then also and still has not gotten her sense of smell back. Mine is only partially back. Hence my worry when I found out I was positive but was counting on the vaccine to do its thing. It did I was fine in a couple of days and wish I had the vaccine for my first bout. Maybe I was lucky, maybe I just had a mild case, if there is such a thing but I am happy for the vaccine. Cruising is a risk like a lot of things for catching covid but its a risk I accept and will just try and be more careful on my next one.

Little confused on this document of recovery. I had covid after my last cruise last month. Going on another cruise next month (within 90 day window) Has anyone just gotten a test 2days before and just used that or do you have to show the proof of covid and not need the test. Doesn’t make sense to me.

Just got off carnival sunshine out of Charleston. CD said it was full over 3000. Was my 8th cruise back since resumption. First time noticing they have a crew shortage but carnival will probably run at full capacity anyway. Little things like 2 stations open on Lido buffet instead of 4. Lunch buffet on ocean plaza closed all week. Italian restaurant open for lunch but not for dinner. Biggest complaint allowing smoking all over the casino and no masks. That’s a personal complaint but first time in 8 cruises back that I came home and tested positive for Covid. Will still go on future booked cruises just be prepared.

Just got off a 5 day on sunshine this morning. I love the sunshine and have sailed her over 10 times so this is not a knock on the ship. We are no longer in the Covid period. The ship was at capacity and it was being over run by children which I guess should have been expected being the week before Easter. I like children, I don't like out of control children. I just don't think Carnival is ready for full capacity. The lines were long and the kids were somewhat out of control. Pool had to be closed one day because some kid defecated in it. I always manage a good time but full capacity is back and I was spoiled because I cruised a lot during  the half capacity days. All good things must come to an end I guess. I hope you have a good cruise.

Be very careful. Pre covid getting the wifi package you could do wifi calling on your cell phone. I have been on three Carnival sailings since restart and wifi calling is being blocked. They have cellular at sea but my carrier charged$5.99 a minute after they told me 99 cents a minute. Took a month to have them remove my $500 bill. Don't know why they did this. has anyone else had any luck with wifi calling since the restart? I have heard that the whatsapp does work but have to have that set up before the cruise. The phone in the room is $1.99 a minute.

I asked about this after my Magic trip last November. Pre covid I had no problem buying ship's wifi and doing wifi calling. Now they block it for some reason,. Been on two cruises last November and it did not work. Was on two RCCL cruises last October and wifi calling did work. Don't know what they are doing. Guest services said you can try the whats app but I did not have that set up.

I have an iPhone 10. WiFi calling worked perfectly before covid back in 2019 on Magic. I believe for some reason they are blocking calls because guest services adamantly said you can't make WiFi calls. That makes no sense and is why I asked if anyone got around it somehow. I know I can use their phone for $1.99 a minute but I already brought their WiFi so I should be able to get through with that. 

 Just back from Magic. iPhone connected to ship's WiFi , airplane mode on, Wi-Fi calling on worked with no problem on RCCL. Could not get it to work on Carnival with premium plan. Kept saying turn airplane mode off. If I did that it would cost me $6.00 a minute. Gust services said you cannot make Wi-Fi calls. Need to use Whatsapp. I remember using it before Covid sailings. Anyone else have this problem and what do you do on Carnival to make a WiFi call while connected to ships WiFi plan.

Not being in the medical field I hear a lot of good things about the vaccine. Good luck with that. Just came back from my third vaccinated cruise. It was great.

yes, but I am asking if anyone has just used their phone and if they have had any major problems.

can't you just use your phone for the whole procedure? I will not be near my laptop when I need to take this test, only my iPhone.