cantthinkofanythingfun

I've bought rounds of drinks many times on NCL with the UBP. I tell the bartender that I'm buying the drinks for someone else and they still throw them on the UBP. I do always tip bartenders extra with cash. I'm sure they aren't supposed to do it, but the bartenders on NCL are the friendliest I've seen, and one of the main reasons NCL is my preferred cruise line. Carnival is ultra strict with their drink package, yet they seem to have a bad reputation for drunken behavior that they can't shake.

Look at the economics for a second. Your cruise fair costs about the same as it costs to stay in a Hampton Inn for a week. With that fare you get quite a few choices of unlimited food and some kind of entertainment every night. Oh, and the thing floats and probably burns a gallon of gas every 2 feet. You aren't going to get a Tavern on the Green meal in the MDR that serves 2000 people every night in 3 hours. Personally, I avoid the MDR. I find it silly to go through all the pomp and circumstance for a meal that is rightfully of Applebee's quality. I do like a couple good meals on vacation and I will pay extra to dine in specialty restaurants for that.

I've heard Disney is the only cruise lines that do fireworks.:D

NCL does fireworks on all of their newer ships.

I thought the CD was supposed to be some guy named Jase who I've heard really good things about?

Did you make it to HMC, or was this the other itinerary?

Yes Parking in NYC is always high, maybe a car service is cheaper?

I looked into that last time I went out of NYC and I think it was like $300 each way. The parking isn't a problem. I save on airfare. NYC is only a three hour drive from me.

I have to really look into that deal. I have a future cruise voucher with NCL, and at that price it would probably cost me more to stay at home for ten days. The parking in NYC will cost more than the cruise.

That is my concern with a 10 day, I would think it would draw a lot of older people just because they can get the time off of work. That is Thanksgiving week, so it may free up some schedules. I usually book last minute, but that is a really good deal.

I've always wanted to try the Gem, and that's a good deal and I like the itinerary. I just tried to do a mock booking, but it still charged me the supplement. They are running an extra cabin guests are free promotion, but that's for the third or fourth guests.

I'm considering doing a solo on the Breakaway around that time.

And to add insult to injury, the drink prices on the island are fifty cents to a dollar more per drink then on the ship.:eek:

That brings us to the main motive behind the policy, fleecing their guests. If they were concerned about controlling alcohol intake they would invest, what is probably minimal for a company like Carnival, in some kind of real time register system. I can go to Grand Turk and have 10 drinks and still get back on the ship and have 15. The limit thing is ridiculous, but that's another topic. I was a bartender in my 20's, and it was a bartender's job to tell when someone has had enough and cut them off. For some people that may be 7 drinks. For others it may be 20.

I don't want to sound like I'm overly complaining. This will probably save me money. I won't buy the drink package now. There are some days where I will have 8 or 9 drinks, but also some days where I might have 1 or 2. I'm a single father with my son on this cruise, so I will be slowing it way down. I just think it's a bad policy by Carnival. If in the future, I am traveling with just a girlfriend, which I have done 3 times in the past 18 months, it's the kind of thing that could make me choose NCL over Carnival. Cruising in the Caribbean is very competitive. It's getting to be like bumper boats out there and little things can make a difference.

BTW, Jamman, I really enjoyed your review of the Pride. The drinks at HMC policy hasn't dampened my excitement for the cruise.

On my past two sailings with CCL, I got the drink program and Carnival made money off of me. Basically all I drink is Captain and Coke and an occasional shot of Southern Comfort chilled. I just like it because it's a fixed amount and I don't get sticker shock at the end of the cruise. On my July cruise, I probably won't buy it since it doesn't cover HMC. When I get that shot, I usually like to order a drink with it, and Carnival makes me wait 15 minutes. I understand why Carnival puts all of the rules on their beverage program, but they seem to have a far worse reputation for drunken behavior than other lines which are far more lenient, so they may want to look at other reasons for that reputation.

It doesn't seem that it's a matter of fixing anything. It's all about profit, and I do get that, but you're not going to get more than your 15 drinks a day.

Now I have to ask, do you have to pay for food on the island? I hate to keep making comparisons to NCL, but they have free buffets and hot dog and hamburger stands on their island.

Really? I have to admit, that is pretty ridiculous. With NCL it wasn't even a question, and their drink package is five bucks a day less if you book it before boarding, and now they give it to you as a promotion. CCL owns the island. I'm assuming many of the bartenders from the ship serve you at the bars on the island. I'm certain that the registers on the island are linked to the ones on the ship. You do still use the S&S card to make purchases at HMC, right?

Maybe a stupid question, but if you buy the Cheers package, does it cover drinks at HMC? I'm assuming it does.

What is the advantage to cruise cash over just setting up an onboard spending account?

We were just on the Pride 2 months ago with two 6 year olds and they loved it from the Camp to the waterworks and the slides (even the green one that drops) and one of the greatest things was that the Pride has the Dr Seuss on it now. The breakfast is a do not miss (even just for adults). Then they had parades with Dr Seuss, story time and opportunities for pictures. They loved it. I have a complete review in my signature line if you are interested in it and it has TONS of pictures. :)

It was actually your great review that made the decision for me. The updates to the Pride look great, and the cost savings and port convenience make it a great value. I think he'll enjoy the new kid's features, and since I'm not the type to frequent the MDR, the new optional dining choices look great. Since it is just him and I, I'm not really worried that the entertainment on Carnival is pretty abysmal compared to NCL. I don't plan on taking him to any shows outside of the movies. I'll save my NCL voucher for a cruise with another adult in tow.

Writing your congressman doesn't really do anything in this day and age. Not to get political, but they don't read the bills they sign. Do you think they read letters? What does work is writing checks to congressmen, and I'm sure cruise lines write a lot of those. If they want this changed, they will pay the price to have it changed.

This is really going to mess up a lot of cruise line schedules. CTN's are typically filler cruises between 10 and 12 night cruises. Cruise companies aren't going to have the ship sit there empty for two or three days.

If you can get your TV to "malfunction", you will probably have a flat screen by the end of the cruise.

I haven't been there in 10 years, but I remember there was a cemetery on the water. I'm a funeral director. I notice that sort of stuff. I don't recall any beaches, but it is a great town to just walk around an enjoy.

red is a pretty color.

I believe that NCL does it this way.

NCL has you go to the store the night before or the morning of disembark to pick it up.

If you travel on NCL's newer ships the differences become more dramatic. At that point, NCL's entertainment is light years better than Carnival. You get real Broadway shows, dueling pianos, great blues bands, and they do have Second City comedy shows. Even the various solo performers in the different lounges are amazing.

I'm not a foodie, but I do like the variety of NCL's specialty restaurants, but I also think Carnival's steakhouse is great and am interested in trying some of the new offerings next month on a ship with the 2.0 upgrades. I never eat in the MDR.

One other thing I like about NCL is that they aren't strict at all on their drink package. They will frequently give you more than one drink at a time. They will suggest better liquors so you get more value. For drinks that marginally go over the ten dollar limit, they charge less to make it work. I even bought drinks for someone else on a cruise and told them to charge me and they just put it on the package. Not that I really hit the limit, but they don't have a 15 drink limit. With me, Carnival has always been incredibly strict with the drink package. Sometimes I like to order a drink and a shot. With Carnival you need to wait 15 minutes.

All of that said, Carnival still provides a great vacation. They sail close to my home and they are a few hundred less than NCL. I'll continue to give business to both.

Has Carnival been sued a lot for drunken mishaps (man overboard, injuries, etc..)? These recent new policies sound like Carnival is trying to build a legal defense that they control liquor distribution to the best of their abilities.

It sounds like the odds are pretty good. For the sake of convenience and the $1200 savings, I'm going to book on the Pride and hope we make it to HMC. I have no intention of getting off the ship at Freeport. Thanks for all of the input.