smokester

We always prepay gratuities and any excursions if we book any. Most cruises we never put any $ on our S&S cards and have a zero balance at the end of our cruise. If we do decide there’s something on board we want then we go to the kiosk and apply that amount on our account. It’s usually just my DH & I and he usually just has a couple of beers on the islands.

Water was a little chilly 11/12/17 BUT felt wonderful after the initial shock

We take a taxi to Manchibo Beach Resort. It cost about $15 you are allowed to use Manchibo's facilities, free wifi, order from their bar etc. You ARE NOT allowed to use their umbrella or chairs but the beach is absolutely beautiful we mostly spend our time in the water. We also walk about a 1/4 mile up and hubby snorkels around some rocks there. Google Manchibo Resort the beach is never crowded and breathtaking

Most definitely Bonaire go see Gea & Henk at Sea Cow carnival usually offers an excursion with Sea Cow

Any suggestions on a hotel in FLL that has airport & port transportation included or for a small fee? Will be arriving the day before our cruise. TIA it's really appreciated

You can take the excursion through Carnival with Sea Cow or you can book direct with them. Hank & Gia were awesome on the Sea Cow. I'm a great swimmer but I get a little anxious when in the middle of the ocean snorkeling. They made me feel so safe and even one of their helpers stayed right beside a lot of the time.....my husband on the other hand We saw a few huge sea turtles some lion fish and a lot of other sea creatures. Afterwards we just strolled the little area by the port and found a little bar with free wifi & some cheap cocktails Enjoy this port it's awesome one of our favorites

Sail on the 22nd, booked guarantee cabin, not assigned as of yet. Have booked guarantee before a few times, usually have assignment by now. From reading other posts, I realize it's possible to be assigned at the port but if that happens, there won't be a cabin on my luggage tags. Please tell me I'm not going to have to carry my luggage onboard :confused:

Yep. $5 for a 2 trip card for that bus line. Was pretty straight forward. Not much wait for pickup either when we wanted to head back.

 

Nice transit system.

 

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If you don't mind me asking where did you go ? PALM BEACH OR EAGLE? We will be in Aruba end of Oct, last year there was 17 of us and took taxis to MancheBo(?) Beach

How are thy getting all their money back?

Carnival already did a credit for the cabin that wasnt. Will use the deposit for the waiting list for a future cruise which they knew when they put the deposit down knowing that a cabin may not become available for this cruise . They will continue to cruise Carnival just nto this cruise

This did happen. Friends only book thru Carnival, usually with a phone call, so no TA involved. They are Gold with Carnival and a few other cruises under their belts from others lines. We have cruised together before so I'm sure them NOT wanting to cruise with us is not the case. One is a former Marine other is a college professor, so English is no problem for them. They both decided to call Carnival back and bow out of the waiting list as all that transpired really put a bad taste in their mouths, so to speak. I don't blame them at all. Thanks for all the input, negative and positive comments, I have one more shirt of work today then I off to sail on the Sunshine !!! ☺

Might it be that they booked a guaranteed cabin, but they haven't actually been assigned their cabin yet (hence the statement that they don't actually have a cabin)? That's what it sounds like to me. And the person saying they are on the waitlist just was using the wrong terminology?

 

If so, it could be a good thing. They could get upgraded.

No the cabin was assigned. Sounds strange to me that Carnival does this but they do. That's why I posted SHAME ON CARNIVAL ....OR NORMANL BUSINESS PRACTICE cause I've never seen read or heard of this happening

Yet another example of why having a good PVP is helpful. Could I book online (since when I call him I already have the screen open and know exactly the cabin I want and what it's going to cost)?

 

Yep. But I call him anyway. And if there were to be ANY issue, I could call and get a "real" response quickly.

 

My upcoming cruise has been sold out for a while and it was not showing up anywhere last week. It's now back, with a few insides showing.

 

I'm guessing it's a capacity issue. Perhaps the cabin is one that holds 3 or 4 and Carnival won't truly make it available until they see if that number of people want/need it.

 

Have you looked at the deck plans to see what this particular cabin holds?

They (as do we) have a Carnival PVP, as we have all cruised several times with Carnival. My friends just this past July ( this cruise would have been their 3rd this year w/ Carnival). I have never heard of cabins showing available then not being once a booking is made and paid for. I have heard about a waiting list. This cruise has not been showing availability at all the last 3 weeks so they jumped on it when they saw an open cabin for 3 available thinking AFTER they booked online they would then call their PVP to be removed from the waiting list

Wait list deposit does happen. My daughter had a friend that decided to go with us 2 weeks before our cruise. It was sold out but they put us on a wait list with a paid deposit. We saw an inside cabin open up online and called to get it but it was not available. Strangely, another cabin was but it was a higher category. Carnival worked with us and got us that cabin for the 1 A price since it said available online. We had to be persistent and go up the chain though.

 

 

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Thank you for this.

There is another thread on here I started where several people have put various amounts down pp to be on a wait list. They called and asked and were put on one

so they paid $300 to be on a waitlist then booked online paying in full with a cabin number only to get an email stating you are on a waitlist?

 

1 + 1 = 3.:confused:

 

Bill

Yes they went ahead and booked it online when they saw a cabin was available thinking maybe Carnival forgot to call them since it was showing available cabins on the website. They did not want to lose the cabin so they booked it & was gonna call Carnival afterwards to take themselves off the wait list.

3rd party info..yes do I think my friends are lying..no. They talked to 3 different Carnival reps about this because they couldn't believe it either. When she booked online it gave her a booking number, took all her info, cc #. When she received the email back from Carnival it stated this was a booking reservation only. One rep apologized said she was the fourth person he had spoken with that had booked that same cabin. It's a sad but true story. Have also NEVER heard such BS in my years of dealing with Carnival BUT I have never booked online within the week of sailing date either

I promise this has happened. I don't understand either why they do t have a cabin They spoke with 3 different Carnival reps. This is legit and has made them so upset and frustrated. They are not first time cruisers and have sailed carnival several times including this past July. This sucks for them unless someone cancels between now and sat with a room for 3 then all will be smooth sailing.

Did your friends put a deposit for a wait list and then separately booked a cabin when they saw it open up online? There may be two separate booking numbers and the agent that they last spoke to only pulled up the wait listed booking. Have your friends contact a Carnival rep and pull up both booking numbers. They may still have a confirmed booking in which case the wait listed one needs to be canceled and refunded.

Yes they did . After they booked online, they received an email stating that they really didn't have a cabin, only put on a waitlist for a cabin. They immediately called Carnival & were told that they now had 2 numbers on the waitlist. Carnival removed the latest one, the online one. Carnival told them it is normal practice to show availability on the website even tho the cruise is sold out because they expect people to cancel and this way Carnival sails with a full ship because people are on a waitlist. I will never ever book online always call

Hi,

It sounds very strange that people would give full payment before getting a cabin??? It even sounds strange that they would pay money to be on a waiting list?

I agree that if they have a cabin number how can they be on a wait list?? It all sounds very weird and not normal business at all!

Are you sure they were using the actual Carnival web site??

Yep Carnival website. They paid online, like if you do a mock booking but they BOOKED instead of backing out. Did a mock booking this morning, cabins still available but Carnival says ship is sold out & they are expecting people to cancel this week. Maybe people normally cancel week of cruise and this is normal practice??? :confused:

Yep sad thing is, what if my friends didn't read their email and just showed up in PC? 7 hour drive from home? How many others booked thinking they have a cabin? Looked this morning and a few cabins, including,the one they booked still showing available.

We sail this Sat on the Sunshine. Have friends that wanted to sail,also but had to wait to book. Called 2 weeks ago, no availablity. They put down a $300 pp , 3 people, to be put on a waitlist. So far, no calls from Carnival. Last week , on the website, a cabin showed available so our friends tried to book onine & it would not allow them to book . They called Carnival said computer error & reassured them that they were 1st on the waiting list. Well yesterday several cabins, inside & Oceanview showed available. They were able to book a cabin. They were so excited for a very short period. After an email & a phone call to Carnival they were told that they really did not have a cabin-just put themselves on a waiting list again, only Carnival got full payment this time. Carnival open cabins in expectation that people will cancel so they are assured all cabins are sold. I know had I booked online, received a cabin number, input all my information and input my credit card number I would think I was sailing this Sat. Really seems like bad business to me.

How is 17 in Mt Pleasant ? You think we will have problems with the roads traveling thru to get to 95 from Myrtle?

Because of the flooding? We still plan on making our cruise on the Sunshine this Sat as we are so far some of the lucky ones with no flooding. Hope everyone stays safe :):):)

Tried to book online wouldn't accept the cc# released the mocking booking called no cabins available sold out cruise. Looked this morning same cabin available even after looking many times last night and it showing nothing available

A cabin available but when you call carnival they say it's not? The same cabin has been available then cruise is sold out then this same cabin available again when doing mock bookingson different days . It's frustrating ! :mad: