notyours75

What would that tell you if zip ties were removed? You wouldn't know if it was by security or not. A false sense of security as anyone can easily remove them.

 

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Its like locking your car doors. Makes the thief work a little harder to get your stuff but won't prevent them if the thief is determined. They see a bag, they go through it if its open and easy. By adding zip ties you add an additional barrier to the luggage that the thief will need some type of tool (and more time to dislodge). So if you don't have that tool handy you move on to the next bag. If you do have the tool is this bag worth the extra time and effort to get the ties off of or move on to the next bag? Most crooks are lazy, they will move on. If they really want in your bag they will get it in TSA locks, zip ties or not.

Our last cruise on the Freedom I found it much easier to use the showers in the gym while DW got ready in the cabin. Much bigger showers with a lot more space, at least on that class of ships.

On our last cruise we got the Cheers program and overall I found it worthwhile. While DW is not an avid drinker she will have a few each day. Mostly I like the fact that I know what the drink costs will be ahead of time and that she and I can have whatever we want, when we want it. On previous cruises I'd have an alcohol budget in mind and was always thinking "do I want this drink, or wait and have that drink later? Or where am I on the budget? am I going over? " With cheers if we want it, we drink it. I don't worry about counting drinks (unless I'm at 15) or if I'm breaking even or not, nor do I pressure DW to drink more than she wants for the sake of "breaking even". On our last cruise we also found a number of drinks to try for the first time that we would not normally have, some of which are our favorites now. Cheers gives us permission to explore new things and if we don't like it (which there were some) we didn't feel like we wasted our money. The peace of mind and the freedom to drink whatever we want, whenever we want makes for a much more relaxing vacation. No sticker shock at the end of the cruise.

Signed up with Allstate Drivewise this morning. Download the app, create your account, then log onto the website. They give you 5,000 points for signing up which is enough to buy 5 $100 or 1 $500 gift card at 10% off. Electronic delivery. Just need 3 more $500 cards to pay of our cruise.

We would let our wait staff and/or tablemates know if there was a night that we were not planning on being there just as a courtesy. If something were to come up at the last minute that would prevent us from attending I probably wouldn't worry about notifying them.

I would be more concerned about notification if you were going to be more than 15 minutes late and still wanted to eat.

Its a personal preference, however, it would seem the vast majority of people on CC complaining about the MDR service (not food just service) are ATD people. We prefer having "our" table with "our" waitstaff through the entire cruise and we don't mind the set times so it works well for us.

This has to do with the Jones Act which has been in place since 1920 that regulates US port to US port commerce.

Here is an article about it:

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2011/09/articles/flags-of-convenience-1/why-cant-you-cruise-from-one-us-port-to-another-us-port/

We felt like they put us in a corner and forgot about us. I think that the waitstaff can't get a timing down with people coming in all over the place. Which we believe makes them very overwhelmed!

 

This is why ATD is not for us. We will not try again. No need to get frustrated with the staff that's is normally awesome.

It seems like a vast majority of people complaining on CC about the service in the MDR (not the food itself) are ATD people.

While I don't have direct knowledge of this it would seem likely to me that the more experienced waitstaff will be in the assigned dining rooms because they are more likely to get extra tips directly from their guests that they've seen every night on a cruise. But that is just speculation on my part.

We would fly into IAH. Our flight doesn't leave until 5PM on disembarkation day. The long transfer to the port is the only thing I am concerned with but we might fly in 2 days before so will be rested for the cruise.

That is probably the biggest complaint about the port of Galveston for cruising is that its not really an airport friendly port because of the distance from the airports and Houston traffic issues. I think they originally started using Galveston because it's within easy driving distance of over 15M people in Texas. We live close to Dallas so its a 5 hour drive for us which keeps the costs down. I bet the vast majority of people on the ship will be from Texas.

They keep talking about starting commercial airline service back at Galveston airport but its just a little too close to Houston to be cost effective for the airlines. Probably not likely.

Thanks! School won't be out here in Canada...not sure about US. We are thinking of the April 9 sailing. I heard sailing out of Galveston is quite casual..why is that?

 

The airfare is so cheap from here and a short flight so we are thinking about it for sure! We don't like too formal but don't like too casual either...if that makes sense!

Houston has two main airports, Intercontinental in the north and Hobby in the south. IAH is 1.5 hours from Galveston with NO traffic (which is rare in Houston). Hobby is 45 minutes. IAH is by far the largest of the two so be sure to check your transfers to/from the airport so you have plenty of time. A 2pm flight from IAH on a weekday debarkation day could be a problem.

Hi, this will be our first 5 night cruise and our first cruise out of Galveston on the Liberty. Just wondering what the demographic is typically like. Is it a younger or older crowd? Is the cruise more casual than normal? We will be flying in from Calgary, Alberta.

 

Thanks!

You did not advise when your cruise is. The demographics will vary depending on when you are traveling. If its during the summer then you will see more children and families. The 5 night cruise does tend to be cheaper than the 7s (and even than the 4s for that matter) so you will see more budget oriented people as well.

That being said we have done this itinerary twice with a third time coming up next week on the Freedom. We usually cruise in the winter Dec/Jan when its the fares are lower and the kids are fewer. (We leave our kids at home.) You will see a wide variety of people on Carnival, newlyweds, drunken college kids, families with kids, extended families (multi-generation), retirees, and some solos. Our last cruise we met a couple who were on their 45th cruise. There will probably be a couple of old men in speedos to round it out.

You will find that the different areas of the ship will tend to attract a particular demographic with different activity levels. Find the area that you are comfortable in and hang out there. People on cruises are happy, friendly, and people from Texas are generally easy to talk with. Chances are you will have some great memories and new friends when you leave.

We took our first Carnival cruise 18 years ago on the then named Destiny. We had nearly every meal in the MDR with the same waitstaff and I remember the experience fondly. If we missed a meal and ate at the buffet on the lido deck I remember that being not so good. We cruised with Carnival every 2 or 3 years after that and the dining emphasis has slowly shifted from the MDR to the more casual options. Today food on the lido deck is MUCH better than our first cruise with a great deal more variety and flavors. Guys' burgers, need I say more? The addition of specialty restaurants further stratifies the options. In that same time service in the MDR has lets be honest, gone down, it was a trade off. I miss the relationship with seeing the same wait staff for each meal, but I enjoy the other options available to me.

Today I would not miss the evening meal in the MDR unless we were eating at a specialty dining option but I'm happy to have our breakfasts and lunches on the Lido deck. We do try to make the seaday brunch at least once because I do like eggs Benedict.

That being said I'm sad about the MDR but happy with the other options.

https://www.facebook.com/JohnHeald/

He's on constantly and has answered some questions for us.

Make sure you have a CC with enough credit for the holds then bring cash and/or gift cards to pre-pay your account with on the first day after you board. Then all that Carnival will need is the initial hold and then you will actually be spending out of your cash/gift cards that you put on your S&S.

On our upcoming cruise we anticipate about $800 in on board expenses, Cheers, chef's table, excursions, etc. We have $500 in gift cards and the rest the remainder in cash. The first day we'll put the $500 in gift cards on the account then the last day we'll top off the remaining balance with cash to have as close to a zero balance as possible.

It also possible to setup your account as a cash account and not supply a credit card but we've never done that.

Pretty much every island and port in the Caribbean. Cozumel has the title as the most visited cruise ship port in Caribbean and has a number of all inclusive beach clubs that would allow you to engage in such activities.

It is rare for a cruise ship to sail that is not at capacity. Now keep in mind that capacity means different things. Take the Carnival Freedom for instance, its normal occupancy (often times referred to as 100%) is 2980. This figured is derived from each cabin having two occupants. However the max capacity is 3754. This number is reached by every available bed in every available cabin being full. Many cabins have a couch that turns into a bed and others have upper beds that fold down so cabins can easily sleep 2, 3, 4 sometimes more depending on their configuration. These would typically be families with children. There could also be single occupants in each cabin, even though they probably paid a single supplement (usually 150%) to be there, but on some sailings that aren't selling well Carnival will waive this fee.

So if they say that the cruise ship is full, no cabins are available it means someone is in each cabin that is available for sale. Sometimes cruise lines put employees, visiting executives, entertainers, etc in guest cabins depending on their status and availability. Lets be honest if the Carnival CEO comes on ship he's probably not going to stay in the crew decks.

For the most part if they say we're at 105% capacity that would tell you that there are around 2980 adults and 150 kids would be a good estimate. Keeping in mind that you could see 4 adults in one cabin or two kids in one cabin with two parents in another, there are endless combos.

The fares charged by the cruise lines are just paying their bills. The costs to run a ship are pretty flat whether there are 1000 guests or 3000. They make most of their profits on alcohol, excursions, gambling, and art. If the cabin is empty, no one is buying those profitable items. That why you'll meet people who paid next to nothing for your cruise but are say huge gamblers, drinkers, etc. Carnival knows who their big spenders are regardless of your VIFP level and when the bookings aren't up to speed those PVPs get on the phone and the email offers start going out.

That seems high for the 4-day cruise. We're on the Freedom 5-night Jan 25 sailing and we paid $479/pp for a category 8B balcony (we picked the cabin) and suites were running $669/pp if you let carnival pick your cabin, $769 if you picked. While the 4-day Galveston-Cozumel-Galveston trip is more expensive per night that seems excessive unless its like one of the Captains' Suites.

do they ever open up additional FTTF? we just booked last night and they are sold out...

TIA

Yes keep checking, they open up more spots as the bookings fill up and they get an idea how many diamond/plat guests will be on board. On this cruise I found it right at 60 days out, our previous cruise I got it at 16 days out. If your on a FB roll call someone will typically post when they find it. You have to move fast. I found ours at 12a and when I checked again at 4a (I work nights) it was gone. However they put more out over the next few weeks and everyone in our FB roll call that wanted one got one. Just keep checking!

Not sure what NYS law applies. I have sailed on NCL numerous times and was able to buy and use their Ultimate beverage package as soon as I boarded. However, any drink received before we first sailed into international waters was charges NYC sales tax. That tax was based on drink menu price. No worries, I'll just have to pay for 7 day Cheers package for my upcomming 8 day Sunshine cruise this Summer.

I would imagine its not so much about state law prohibiting it as much as some of the taxes they may have to pay to do it. While I can't speak for New York state I'm pretty sure that is the issue here in Texas. That's why you'll notice that while in port only certain types/sizes of drinks are available, that's because they've paid the state taxes on them. Once out in international waters the rest of the booze comes out. i.e. the ones they didn't pay the state taxes on.

From Carnival's website:

Due to state laws, we cannot sell CHEERS! until the second day of the cruise for voyages departing from our Texas, Mobile and New York home ports. Drinks purchased on the first day of the cruise will be charged to the guest’s Sail & Sign card in the usual manner. When purchased on the second day of the cruise, guests are charged for the remaining days only (cruise duration less one day).

So on a say a five night six day cruise you are only charged the cheers daily rate for 4 of those days. You don't count embarkation or debarkation day.

Do you know if that is true for Galveston cruises? A friend just returned on the Magic and said they were told the sticker would not be applied until the first sea day. I thought that sounded odd, but maybe so.

This has to do with Texas liquor laws and taxes on alcohol. Basically if you board on Monday, Cheers will start Tuesday morning at 6a. Whatever you drink when you board and that night is on a per drink basis.

No, I don't have it removed. I know the idea of the auto-gratuity came about so that people wouldn't have to put cash in envelopes to give out to the staff. I have also read on here that the staff know if you've had your auto-gratuity removed. If the charge doesn't get posted to your S&S account until the last day or so of the cruise, how would the staff (cabin steward, waiters, etc.) know ahead of time? I realize that some people pre-pay the gratuities (days, weeks, even months ahead of time) as a convenience to themselves, to "get it out of the way", as some have put it. If you're happy doing it that way, fine. However, in my mind, you're paying far in advance for a service that has not been rendered yet. That's a concept I'm having a hard time understanding. Would you pay someone else in the service industry (plumber, carpet cleaner, furnace/a.c. repair person, etc.) before the work is done? Maybe I'm looking at it the wrong way, but pre-paying a tip before service is rendered, and particularly a specified (not suggested) amount, just doesn't seem right to me. If it's going to be prepaid, and it's going to be a specified amount, then let's stop calling it a "gratuity" and call it what it really is. An income supplement.

By the same logic your paying weeks, months, if not years in advance to Carnival for a service they have not yet rendered either. Yet they demand payment in full at least 60 days ahead of time. Are they providing any less of a "service" than your waiter or room steward?

I do agree that the cruise industry has boxed themselves into a quandary by call it gratuities when it really is a service charge or supplement. Some cruise lines such as NCL have even gone to mandatory, no changing, no removing "gratuities". This is simply an excuse to pay employees as little as possible but have their income supplemented directly by the passengers. Thus keeping the cruise fares themselves to a minimum.

The only way to fix this would be government regulation that forces cruise lines to put all their mandatory costs up front in their cruise fares. Similar to how hotels have to disclose resort fees, etc. And lets be honest, who wants more government regulation and which government exactly is going to do that in international waters?

We pre-pay and consider it part of the cruise fare itself. We will give out some limited cash tips to persons who have exhibited truly exceptional service on our cruise. I do not feel an obligation to tip more for normal service, because again I've pre-paid my tips in an amount that was not my choosing. If Carnival is comfortable with that amount then I am as well. Our service has always been good and never had cause to think about trying to reduce the amount.

I don't really like the whole system but it is better than dragging around envelopes full of cash to everyone on the last day and allows us to better budget our actual expenses. And yes ultimately cruise lines should be paying their employees a living wage that does not depend heavily on passenger gratuities and cruise fares should reflect that.

Don't forget about the gift cards available from Verizon, AARP, and Citibank that you can use to apply towards you S&S account. Your cost is $90 per $100 value. (Citibank ships for free and has electronic cards available.) We know the things we are going to get from carnival (cheers, chef's table, etc) and their costs so we have enough gift cards to cover those. The remaining excursions, shopping etc, we bring cash to either spend onshore or to apply to our account on the last day so we don't end up with unused gift cards at the end. The goal is to have less than a $50 balance at the end of the cruise.

We do however open up our account with a credit card so I don't have to manage a hard limit and be constantly worrying about the balance. I don't like to use a debit card in these situations because the holds can be unpredictable and I don't want our regular cash flow getting gummed up.

Did they not toss everyone some OBC? We missed a port once and everyone got $50pp OBC.