ZanzibarCreek

Please forgive me if this has already been discussed. I did several searches and I could not find the answer. I may have not searched correctly but I am not sure how else to phrase my question to find my answer.

When you are in the embarkation process and you give them your test results (or show them on your phone) and show your vax card, how do they record the data and how much do they record off the documents? I ask because I am looking in a B2B vacation (first time since before the whole Covid mess) and if I need to show my card and test results both times (I want to make sure I keep it accessible if needed) or if it is stored digitally somehow so once they have it, it's already in the system to expedite the 2nd half embarkation. 

I hope my question makes sense. 

I have been on a Carnival ship during a medical emergency. This was 2012 I believe. We just set sail out of the Aruba port and were probably an hour into sailing when the ship stopped moving and started turning around. The captain then announced that we were returning to Aruba for a medical emergency. The port was not navigable at night due to no lights and a tight trench. So we anchored as close as we could and they sent a medical transport boat out. It was pretty choppy but there was no other alternative. They got him on the transport boat and got him to shore safely.

Ships and captains all are fully capable and do their best. Not one of them want a death on their record. Also, these are also humans. Humans make mistakes on all sides when things go south in terms of a medical emergency.

We have done this before but we haven't done it on the last 2 cruises we went on due to other activities etc. This time around we want to do it again so we can enjoy other aspects of the whole experience better,

Excellent, I found it. Odd way to get to it. I went directly into the dining options for the ship and it gives the info about Chef's Table but did not have any info on how to actually get the reservations in.

Hopefully I am able to get a spot.

Thanks for the help!!

I searched the forums to see if I could find the answer for my question but alas... no info, at least recently.

Did Carnival change the way they do the Chef's Table reservations?

I remember being able to book online before but I do not see that option for us this time. I booked our cruise last year for this month and have been checking the website regularly. Nothing seems to be showing the ability to make reservations online. It seems like they only are able to be made once we check into the ship.

Can anyone confirm this?

We are leaving on the Fascination on Sunday the 20th this month.

Thanks in advance!!

I have done both.

Personally, I wouldn't use a Travel Agent again. For this year's cruise, I used one due to the large group we have going and I thought it would be easier on that part.

Except when I would call to make payments on the cruise fare, I had to call the agent. I couldn't just make them directly on Carnival's page like I have done in the past without one, and it was kind of a pain because the only time I have available to call anyone without interruption or anyone overhearing my giving a credit card number over the phone was peak call times. To have to sit on hold for an agent, then on hold again while they processed my payment (which sometimes was up to 10 minutes, which I didn't understand) was really irksome.

We really didn't get any better deal going thru the agent than going directly to the cruise line. I actually priced out the cruise just using my Carnival VIP log in while on the phone with the agent. I just didn't know that it would be such a hassle in the first place.

But that is just my experience. You may or may not have a similar one.

First - I did try searching the terms on here to try to find relevant information but nothing seems to have been posted past 2013 and not sure if things have changed since then with various banks/etc.

Hubby and I are taking the kids and my mom and dad on a huge family cruise in just over a month. We are experienced, they are not. When we cruise, we usually carry a bit of cash, keeping much of it in the safe provided and use a credit card for most other purchases at port, which are also pretty minimal aside from lunch or a unique souvenir.

Due to the fact that we are taking a larger group, and 3 of our 5 kids won't have their own spending money (the other 2 are 17 and 19 and have jobs), we are saving a large amount of cash to bring instead. However we don't feel comfortable carrying that large of a wad with us. Not to mention that while we have covered most of my mom and dad's expenses, they will want to spend their own money on things. BUT... they do not have credit cards (had a nasty financial loss a couple years ago) and do not want them.

So... has anyone had any experience in the last 6 months using prepaid visa or Amex cards (the kind you get with your name embossed on after buying the temp card at the store) in the Caribbean?

I ask this as it is something that came up in conversation and I didn't know what to say when they asked how they should pay for some stuff at the ports. That led me to wonder if I should get something like that for the large amount of cash we plan on bringing because honestly we would rather not load the credit card up with debt if we don't have to.

I did call AMEX and their Bluebird card has a 2.7% fee after conversion for foreign currency.

I am also waiting on a call back from the smaller credit union I have my business account at to see what their terms are with using my business debit/credit card outside the US.

I have purchased drink packages on both Carnival and Royal.

While I may not break even each time, I look at the packages as an insurance that I won't go over that dollar amount. Plus I like to be able to try upscale liquors at a discount. Glad hubby and I did that time because we had considered purchasing more upscale bottles at the duty free shops to bring back. We decided to try them first. Turns out, we didn't like many of them and that saved us from buying something we would end up not drinking.

I found this same info. I didn't know if they updated anything and the site just didn't get updated with the correct information.

Hopefully this remains true through the updates during dry dock.

Very interesting. Learn something new every day.

The reason I asked about your screen name: I am a big Freddie Mercury fan and he was born in Zanzibar. ha!

Good luck to you on winning the contest!

The road that goes along one side of my property is Zanzibar Lane, and it meets up at the edge of a park reserve called Elm Creek so i just combined the two.

I will be on the cruise with you! And there will be parties, some of the crew in costume, contests for best costume etc! I have been on three Halloween cruises and there is usually candy passed out for the kids by staff and some cruisers also. Decorations will be around the ship too.

 

Now, inquiring minds want to know....what is the Halloween capital of the world and why? And curious to know how you came up with the screen name?

ZanzibarCreek is my boarding stables. I have a small farm a few miles from the town I grew up in, Anoka, MN.

Anoka Halloween is huge in MN. The parade draws so many people that the city has 4-5x its' population on Grand Day parade Saturday.

Anoka is legitimately the Halloween Capitol of the World. http://anokahalloween.com/

Anoka girls put more thought and planning into their costumes than their prom and wedding dresses.

And y'all aren't gonna have nothing on my costume .... :cool:

We're taking our kids this time around and will be on the cruise for Halloween. Ship leaves on 10/30, so what would normally be the first formal night on the next day, is also Halloween. My family is from a town that Halloween is a huge deal, being the Halloween Capitol of the World. So we take this 'holiday' seriously, lol.

Does anyone know what, if anything, they do with/for the kids in regards to this? Is it acknowledged at all? Just need to know because my kids are certainly asking because they are giving up the sacred candy stash dash around the neighborhood for a cool vacation.

How about adults? I know I can easily find one of my suitcase-friendly costumes and have fun with it too. Honestly if they don't recognize it, I will still dress up because I will feel odd not doing so.

Thanks in advance!

Google and searching here has not produced any recent information on whether or not the ships still have a sealed-off type 'cigar smoker aquarium' like we had been in on the Valor in 2012. The most recent post here was dated 2013 from my searches. Google can't seem to find anything recent either.

Can anyone tell me if there still is this feature? I know the ship is drydocking soon so this may change and I am likely going to bump this post after to see if it has.