scrapperluv

Hi everyone,

I am really trying to find connecting cabins on Carnival's Dream and I'm so irritated with their site. Carnival needs to provide a search option: "need connecting staterooms" so I can see which connecting rooms are available. I'm going nuts checking every level and section.

Do you all know of another site where I can do a search and select "connecting rooms only"? You can PM me if you aren't allowed to state the name of the site on this board. The date I want is selling out fast. It's the December 21st Dream out of New Orleans.

Carnival needs to change their search options. This is the 2nd cruise I've booked with them and this part is always frustrating. Last time I called a travel agent to help but I'd hoped to do it on my own this time.

It sucks that this group of energetic, self-centered, 20somethings did this. I have not seen that happen at a tender port, but I have see other scenarios like this on other ships.

 

I was on the Valor and there was a really large group of nascar fans on a group cruise. The ship was packed, and I mean packed like sardines! The nascar group at every possible chance would take up entire sections of Lido deck. If there was empty blue rockers on the raised area going up to Panorama they were quick to tell that the seats were saved and that ALL the seats were saved...oh really....The same thing with the theater, they send in a bunch of people, staged where they say and said that whole row was saved....oh really.....They did this whole cruise. It wasn't only me who was peeved off, the two ladies at the table in the dining room were peeved at them too...

 

Another cruise I went on, there was a modest sized group of parents with their intellectually handicapped kids. These parent and the kids seemed to think they were all that and more. Everytime there was something going on in the lounge they all were in the first or second row...no one else could ever sit there. They even had the audacity to MOVE a "reserved" sign that, when I asked one of the social hosts when I came in and made a comment, was reserved for some VIP's that Carnival had on board for the week. I got there close to an hour before the show and the parents and kids showed up about 45 minutes before the show. The stink the parents raised to the two social hosts who told them they couldn't sit in the first row ...oh my....I was back a few rows and one mother was playing up the "But my child is special" line....ya, well he went to get the CD and they didn't want this woman making a bigger scene than she was making. They let a half dozen of then sit at the end of the other side. The VIP's showed up (first formal night and dressed, oh my) and there was enough room.

 

Funny thing, I saw this one mom with a daughter with DS and everywhere she went she tried to butt in line, get the best seats and used her kids disability.

 

Most cruises it's all good, but on occasion, there are some who just think they have run of the ship and can do as they please.....

Lol, this does sound frustrating but I'd have had the nerve to ask Nascar fans if they'd move over.

Thanks for all of your input! I'm glad to hear this isn't typical. My travel agent said Carnival may have offered or advertised specials for large groups and this group jumped on it.

It really didn't ruin our trip at all and we are dying to go on our next one! We have the cruise bug!

I was just wondering if this was the type of crowd Carnival attracts so maybe I'd try another cruise line (and have to pay more, ugh!). From your posts here it sounds like this isn't the norm and it was just bad luck! They weren't just young, drunk people. They were obviously a very rough crowd and (sorry to make assumptions based on appearances!!!) may have even been gang affiliated. THat sounds terrible of me to say...I'm just going on the specific type of tattoos and the dress/tough attitude. NO offense to people with tats! My husband has several and they can be very sexy ; ) It was intimidating walking my little ones through large groups of them, though.

I complained to Carnival saying they need to have better control of those tenders. Yes, the storm and behavior definitely happened very suddenly and the one security guard did a great job where he could. There weren't enough security guards to cover that gangway.

In the end, my main concern was that it came very close to fights breaking out as they pushed their way up the gangway. It could have turned very ugly and there were lots of children in that line (including my own). Luckily the folks in line were classy enough to step aside or just shout at them!

Woops, we sailed May 18th!!

Hi all,

I wanted to find out if this is normal aboard Carnival ships. I've already reported it to Carnival and I hope others have, as well. I'm booking another cruise (our 2nd!) and I'm a little concerned...

We were on the Breeze that sailed out of Miami on June 18th this year. The lido deck was PACKED with a large group (about 40-50 people) who were obviously traveling together. They took over the dance area and were loud and obnoxious. I'm not a super judgemental person, but I have to say I found it intimidating and avoided taking my 5 year old girl out there to dance. The men were about in their 20's with (no joke) prison looking tattoos and both the men and women were very pushy and intimidating (pushed in on the elevators, hogged the loungers, etc).

Anyway, my husband, 2 little ones and I got in line for the tender to board at Cayman Island about 45 minutes before the ship was leaving. Of course, the sky opened and there was a huge downpour. The line started at the top of the gangway, crossed an open area then wrapped in a spiral under a huge canopy. It was seriously pouring but there was nothing we could do but stand in it once the line moved forward and there was no more canopy. That's just life and at least it was warm rain!

About 15 minutes before departure, the unsavory group started arriving at the port in taxis. One group after the other, they jumped into the front of the spiraling line under the canopy. I think the 1 security guard there might have said something (or they were tired of waiting) because one group after the next got out of that line and RAN up the gangway all the way to the front and got directly on to the tenders! Every time their taxis pulled up another group of them ran right up, pushed by all the passengers lined up on the gangway, and went directly to the tenders. Most passengers just let them through (we did!) but some people were very angry and shouting. They just kept running and paid no attention. The only 1 security guard I could see was back in the spiraling line trying to make sure it kept in order. We were just waiting for a fight to break out but thank God it didn't!

It was our first cruise and I was so impressed by the Breeze. Other than that one group of passengers I couldn't find a fault with the whole trip. I'm just wondering, are the lines for the tenders usually this bad? I understand that there are going to be times when these things happen (large, rude groups) but is it typical? Was there something about this cruise that attracted rowdy people? Any tips to avoid this again would be appreciated. Thanks!

Bummer, having a separate room for the kids is a "must have" for us. Looks like I'll book 2 balcony rooms. My husband wakes up super early and like to sit on the balcony, that's his must have, lol.

I'm looking at other cruise lines, too. It seems carnival is the most reasonably prices, but the other lines include more perks for suites. I don't want to pay more for perks but it they sound luxurious!!

Any suggestions for other cruise lines that are priced like carnival?

Thanks, this is very good to know! I hate finding out after the fact that I'm limited on this or that.

Great! Thanks! So it looks like I'm limited on changing rooms if Ibook it this way?

Can someone help me figure out what this means? If I purchase an inner cabin will the upgrade me to a balcony? Does this expire? Can I use it on any ship?

Thanks so much!

Past Guest Offer with 2-category Upgrade

To thank you for sailing with Carnival again, enjoy an automatic two-category upgrade, refundable deposit subject to cancellation terms and no change fee.

Exclusive offer for guests who have sailed with Carnival. A valid past guest number is required from at least one person in each stateroom to book this rate. Two category upgrade is based on availability in like to like categories only (interior to interior, ocean view to ocean view and balcony to balcony). Change fees are not assessed outside of the final payment window. Refundable deposit subject to cancellation penalties. Click here for additional information and details.

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I'd do the Elation just for New Orleans!

Yes, I considered that! I've always wanted to see New Orleans but I hear Bourbon Street is definitely not for kids. Tempting, though!

I really loved your review!! I've been debating on trying out the Elation and would you believe my TA discouraged it??? I wonder if she was more concerned about getting less commission...

Anyway, I think we're going to book it! I kind of like the idea that it's smaller. There were hundreds of people everywhere on the Breeze last month and it was quite a walk back and forth to our aft cabin with 2 kids in tow.

Thanks again!

I get it that there are some saving if you book with an early saver, but it sounds like there are a lot of restrictions that I don't know. We've been on 1 cruise (last month) and booked 3 months in advance so it wasn't an early saver. The prices dropped 17% a couple weeks before the cruise so I asked our TA if we could get the difference as OBC. She said no, but she was able to upgrade us from an inner cabin to a balcony!

With ES would we be able to get OBC or an upgrade? I think there is a clause that says you don't get credit for drops after final payment is due? Do we get ANYTHING if it drops after that? When is the final payment due? We paid in full when we booked it last time.

Really, I don't know a thing about ES and I'm nervous about booking with it. Can someone please outline the pros and cons? We're booking for Christmas 2014.

Thanks!!!

Enjoy your cruise!

 

One way to visually compare ships is when they are in port almost side by side. Sure, the Fantasy and Elation are tiny compared to the behemoths, but their age shows too......lots of plastic, fake grass, palm trees etc., no balcony cabins. They are throwbacks to cruising earlier age.

 

If you enjoy 1950's auto's, you might like these ships.

Lol! Somehow an old, outdated ship doesn't sound as nice as a beautiful classic car!

Oh yes!!! I'd do it! In fact, we've only taking 1 cruise so far (with our 5 and 10 year olds) and wouldn't want to be without it. We were a little lost on the ship the 1st couple days and we loved having the pass to be first in line at the service desk onboard. I went to them about 6 or 7 times during the cruise and there was no wait! The line for everyone else was SOOO long.

We've been on the Elation and the Fantasy (2x) and actually love that size ship. To us it seems less crowded and hurried...however different people think differently.

 

There are more bars on the larger ships.......more bells and whistles on those big ships. Lots of balconies to choose from, too.

 

On the Fantasy class you have to book a suite to get a balcony.....Junior or Grand Suites. Because the cost of the smaller ships is usually much cheaper...we always book a Grand Suite. Early embarkation is only perk but love the size of the room, location, and the huge balcony.

 

We have been on 2 Conquest class ships (Conquest and Freedom) and still like the smaller size ships. We are booked on the DREAM in 3 weeks so we will really be able to compare then. We always enjoy ourselves but to us....the ship doesn't make or break our cruises......but can enhance them for sure.

That's great to hear! Do any of these cabins have an actual separate bedroom? I'd book a Grand Suite if I could put my kids in a room and close the door so my husband and I could stay up later!

Hi all!

I'd like to book a cruise out of New Orleans or Charleston but that would mean booking the Fantasy or the Elation. We could do the Dream out of New Orleans but it looks like there are good deals for the Elation. I know they're older, but what does that really mean? We've been on the Breeze and that was the only cruise we've ever been on. It was AWESOME but I don't mind an older ship if it's still relaxing and has some of the newer features.

Also, it looks like I can't book a balcony on either of these. Does that mean they don't have ANY balconies? What's the deal...

Thanks so much in advance! I'd love to hear what you loved or hated about these!

The newer ships have family cabins with a second bathroom. Someone will come by with the names of them.

 

The four Spirit class ships have several balcony cabins that connect to an inside. The only problem with these us that they are near the bow. Spirit, Pride and Miracle are the three that I can name off the top of my head.

This probably sounds silly, but what is the problem with being near the bow? I hear being too far forward is too windy but haven't heard of bow issues.

Yes, we'll be booking 2 double occupancy rooms that are adjoining. I don't think Carnival does a suite that has a separate bedroom, do they? I really don't want my kids sleeping in our room since we stay up late having some drinks and chatting.

Hi all! We're traveling with our two young children and would like to tuck them in bed in the evening and have a private space for us to use. Do any Carnival ships have suites with separate sleeping areas for the 3rd & 4th passengers? If they do, what ships and what are these suites called?

We've been on one cruise and we booked 2 balcony rooms with an adjoining door. That was very nice, but I'm wondering if it'd be cheaper to book us all in one cabin. I just don't want my kids' beds in the same space we're having some drinks and watching movies late at night.

Thanks for all the info. We're going to drive to the port so we're flexible on dates. We can leave out of any southeastern ports (from Charleston to Miami to New Orleans.

Are there any difference onboard during the holidays? We've sailed during the summer but that's it.

Hi all!

My family has decided to book an 8 day cruise over during the week of Christmas. I noticed on Carnival's site that the price really shoots up that week. I'm assuming it's because kids are out of school and some people like the idea of cruising on Christmas.

Do prices generally stay the same at peak times like this or should I wait for the prices to drop? Any info or tips would be SO appreciated! This is only the 2nd cruise we've been on so we're not really familiar with trends in prices yet.

Also, can anyone recommend a travel agent who gets good deals from the cruise lines? The one we used this time booked it for the exact same rate as I would have been able to book it directly through Carnival.

Thanks!

Hi all!

My family has decided to book an 8 day cruise over during the week of Christmas. I noticed on Carnival's site that the price really shoots up that week. I'm assuming it's because kids are out of school and some people like the idea of cruising on Christmas.

Do prices generally stay the same at peak times like this or should I wait for the prices to drop? Any info or tips would be SO appreciated! This is only the 2nd cruise we've been on so we're not really familiar with trends in prices yet.

Also, can anyone recommend a travel agent who gets good deals from the cruise lines? The one we used this time booked it for the exact same rate as I would have been able to book it directly through Carnival.

Thanks!

I just got back from a 7 day cruise and YES I got my money's worth. I agree that it probably wouldn't be worth it if you strictly drink beers and they are only like $5 each, but if you like cocktails and will drink 5-6 per day then go for it!

We were told the Cheers program does not include the main dining room, but our drinks waiter did submit my card every time and made sure I got them at $0. That really helped me get my money's worth as I drank a couple glasses of wine at dinner.

We just got back from a Carnival Breeze cruise and formal night was anything from a sundress or capris to evening gowns. I actually did wear a super elegant gown one night just for the fun of it! I wasn't out of place at all as there were a handful of others that were really dressed, as well. It's so much fun!

The "check" has the Carnival emblem and name, but under that is says, "Cruise Reservations are Serviced By Infinity Travel."

I Googled the name Infinity Travel Carnival Cruise and found a lot of complaints out there. I'm not going to be attending this...that's for sure! I've been to timeshare presentations in the past that were legit and offered some great rewards so I was hoping this was similar. Guess not! Thanks all!

Check out this article:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Infinity-Incentive-Group/Lake-Havasu-City-Arizona-86405/Infinity-Incentive-Group-SCAM-SHEISTERs-RIP-OFF-ARTISTS-Lake-Havasu-City-Arizona-849070

Hi all,

We booked out first cruise through with Carnival a couple months ago. Last month we received a voucher in the mail for 2 free 7 night cruises and 2 free r/t airfares. I called the number today and we need to sit through a presentation to receive it. The man said it's a 90 minute presentation on saving money on traveling. He said it isn't a timeshare.

According to him, there are no blackout dates and we can fly any major airline. Anyone else ever received one of these and gone to the presentation? We're scheduled for Thursday night. Is it worth it? Is it a scam?