Hooked Already

Another thing to keep in mind when looking at flights is that all the airlines are missing the 737 MAX jets.

This is causing a severe plane shortage. It has just been announced that they will not be back in service any time soon.

Due to this I don't expect prices to drop.

I did a partial transit on the Pride in 2017. 

Only crew members were allowed up in the Bow.

They did have a higher forward deck set aside for Dimond.

Everyone else including Plantinum were on their own.

I have done two 12 days,one 13 day & one 14 day.

1500 points has always been the magic number.

2 hours ago, mommio said:

I'm not sure.  My SIL brought a chardonnay to a family get together, but I was already drinking a cabernet.  I know better than to mix up my wines 😈

So is that my Issue? Don't mix different wines? I guess that my idea of just try, try again hasn't been the best of ideas. Been lurking and catching up for quite awhile. I do not post often but love this site and have always been a fan of Sid.

6 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Oh... and how about more bars...  there are never enough bars on these ships...  😂

True. Ships can always use more bars and servers.

But the Big Thing that I forgot has to due with the Casino. The Casino Needs to have a entirely separate Glass enclosed area for smoking like The NCL Bliss has created.

Maybe not in topic but my favorite ship has not been built.

I would like a ship themed like the Liberty.

Deck five would be like the Dream class ships With the 4 extra Hot tubes.

The Aft lido Deck would have a serenity area like the Spirit class ships.

The Lido Mid section Would also Have Two Pools with one Capable of Being Covered like the Spirt Class ships.

This Ship should have a water works Play Area Equal to the Breeze.

This Ship should also have a spa similar to the Splendors.

Starting of with this list, I believe this would be my favorite ship.

As Noted By CruiserBruce, The Snorkeling has not been very Good on Mexican Rivera Cruises. I have finally stopped Packing the snorkel Equipment. I just Bring a good pair of swim Goggles that are also shaded, Just in Case I see something I can get a picture of. 

I'm only about 80 miles out of Long Beach and it is not worth bringing the Gear.

On Carnival I believe that you have to put your card in the slot machines and set up a players account with pin number.

The reason for this is the machines do not give out cash or vouchers. All money is transferred to the players account.

On 7 day or longer cruises 1500 points will get you the drinks on US card for the remainder of the cruise, (in casino only)

Earn 5000 points or more and you should get a drinks on US card (in casino only) for your next cruise.

I earned over 5000 points on my last cruise and received a bounce back offer, which while not free saved me over 800.00 for 3 people on my next cruise. plus I get the drinks on US card.

I play Slots, 3 card poker and craps. The Slots are by far the most easiest points to track.

Just wait until you have been having a great time at an all inclusive beach excursion, Then waited in a tender line for 40 minutes. Finally you get back on the ship with only one priority in mind. 

Those fish swimming in one direction on NCL ships are a life saver. 

On Splendor I was not a happy camper when I realized I was going in the wrong direction.

I Have only sailed on Carnival and Norwegian so far.

with out getting into the details of cost, I feel that what you get with cheers on carnival is the best deal.

15 alcoholic drinks and all other drinks including shakes per day. If I understand right the new fresh squeezed orange juice on the new Sea Day Brunch menus are not included.

Cheers even includes bottled water.

 Well the situation on parking has not improved. I Know someone that left on the splendor on Saturday July 27 and they were not allowed to park at the parking structure. The structure had once again been rented for the weekend. No notice was sent out.

The worst part is that my friend waited in line for the curb side drop off for is wife and luggage, then went to park. It was at this point that he was notified that he could not park and the structure was closed. His wife was stuck waiting for 1.5 hours for him to get to the Public parking structure, wait for the bus and return to the terminal. 

If this Continues I feel that Carnival and the City of Long Beach will once again lose a brand new ship like happened when the Splendor first came out although for different reasons.

Some of these reasons To Include Economy at the time, Swine Flu Outbreak, Passengers robbed during ship sponsored excursion and Damaging a Coral reef in the hawiian islands And Sailing the same exact cruises 90% of the time due to logistics.  Several of these reasons are in no fact due to Carnival.

How ever as history shows Carnival will not be able to continuously sell the new Panorama if the local population can not even depend on being able to park on embarkation day. 

I' m booked for January 2020. 

However my excitement for any of the Vista class ships is low.

• The  reported design for the main theater's do not seem to audience  friendly.
• Losing space for the comedy club venues do not sound audience friendly.
• The Spa's on the vistas ships from reports and pictures do not even compete with the Carnival splendor or especially the NCL breakaway class ships. I haven't been in the Carnival Dream class spa's  to compare. Did not realize what I was missing on my Dream and Breeze cruises.
• The main thing that bugs me about the Vista class ships is the fact that that removed the 4 hot tubes located on deck5 that are located on the Dream Class ships. These really helped to disperse passengers throughout the ship. Now I Feel that they have left these out on purpose for the sole purpose to generate extra money by inciting people to spend more money for the Havana Class Cabins so that they can achieve an exclusive area of the ship with limited access. Yet at the same time even the pop out for the former hot tubes are still in place on deck 5. If Carnival continues with this trend we will soon find out they are just like NLC where Only the people paying the High prices for the Haven will even be able to the access the front of the ship on the outside decks. This was the case for our cruise on the Bliss last October.

The main reason for this cruise in January is because it works for our group. We are all on the west coast. I am only 80 miles out of Long Beach, the others can fly in easily.  

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 5:05 PM, katstoy said:

 

Hope you are getting excited for your upcoming cruise!!!  There's another thread on this board regarding Long Beach from a person who works at the carnival terminal.  I asked about parking for the Saturday departures and here is part of their response:

 

"The terminal opens 10:30 AM daily, and now they have began opening it at 10 AM on Saturdays due to the volumes of people coming in. But I would not plan on coming to the parking structure before 10 AM since people are still coming back from their cruise, driving away/being picked up. Sometimes when I have been dropped off at the terminal, it is total chaos over there between nine and ten on Saturdays."

 

So when you get back from your cruise can you report back as to how the parking situation went?  Thanks and have a great trip!!

 

Sorry it took me so long to respond after the trip. Reality, such as work set in. Darn. But as for the week of our cruise, Starting on June 29 2019, the majority of the parking structure was off limits.

Apparently someone was holding a large scale event at the Queen Mary and reserved the majority of the available space for that night.

We had to go into down town Long Beach to public parking structure A. Free bus service was provided and the cost of parking was $54.00 cheaper. However the 45 min wait after debarkation to return to the structure was frustrating.

As always the cruise itself was great.

Glad I found this review in the early stages. I will be sailing o the Splendor again on 06/29/2019. This Review will help Keep me excited about my upcoming trip. Thank you for taking the time to make these reviews.

Also I was on Carnival Pride relocation cruise in 2017 from Tampa to Baltimore. That was a fantastic trip.

My Uncle and myself were on the Carnival purchased excursions that held up the departure from Limon Costa Rico during that trip.

The company running the Excursion did not understand the difference between Local time and Ship Time

11 hours ago, Athankfulheart said:

If you check your sister's luggage for her, that might make it easier and quicker for her when she shows up later. She should, of course carry her docs and valuables. I would also suggest a ride to the port rather than messing with parking if she is cutting it close. 

I personally would not check someone else's luggage in. the luggage tags are printed with the individuals names. In the off chance that Carnival realizes that an individuals luggage is on board, yet they have not been Dinged onto the ship. Could sail away be held up to investigate? This would be a good way to make new friends.

Or in my mind using a luggage tag with your name on it, and the person you are checking the luggage in for doesn't show up. I can see myself sitting in a small room, claiming no that's not my bag, as the police respond with then why is your name on the tag?











 

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Nope, the great part of the longer cruises is that it is still the same 1500 points.

I could be wrong, but I don't believe that this would be allowed due to the Passenger Safety Act. Foreign flagged vessels are not allowed to transport passengers between American ports with out first stopping at a distant foreign port being involved. 

If the B2B trip starts and ends in the same port it would not be a problem. However getting from Fort Lauderdale to Miami to start the 2nd cruise will most likely be a violation of the PSVA.

For this reason most of the repositioning cruises require a stop over in either Aruba, Curacao, or Bonaire. Cartagena Columbia also appears to count for Panama Canal cruises.

Every cruise that I have taken so far that started and stopped in different ports have stopped at one of these ports.

Due to the reasons above I think you will have to transport yourself between the ports.

Just wondering if any of the parking issues have calmed down lately?  I have sailed many times out of Long Beach usually arriving between 9:30 to 10:00. But I have not sailed from there since 4th of July week 2018, on the Splendor.

I will also be leaving out of Long Beach on this upcoming June 29 2019 departure on the Splendor and I am  getting worried about the Parking situation after reading this.

1 hour ago, esm54687 said:

another reason Nationwide Trip Insurance is invaluable travelling in Europe or long cruises with multiple ports....... that itinerary change coverage can be profitable. 

At the current rate that NCL is going, how long will it be before Nationwide refuses to insure NCL trips?

Im not sure but I thought if one adult in the cabin gets the beverage package then all adults in the cabin have to get the beverage package. Meaning that if there are four in the cabin, two would have to buy them.

That would be a lot of money.

On the 10 day western Caribbean on the breakaway out of New Orleans on the January 17 2019 sailing, a woman sitting next to me on a Different Machine hit for $10,125.00 give or take a few dollars. Sorry it was late that night. The amazing thing was she was on a so called penny machine, bet minimum 0f $.50 to $5.00. She was Playing $1.00 and hit the grand jackpot.

Then When NCL showed up, after multiple people myself included went to the cashier counter to let them know they were needed, they proceeded to inform the women and her husband that they would only give them half in cash, and the rest would have to be a check. 

The arguments over this lasted the last 5 days of a ten day cruise between NCL, the couple who won, and those of us there to witness. We all told them that they had more then enough money to pay cash, just start opening up the machines taking all the money, (aka) slot machines. The machines only took in cash, not checks.

alas the machine next to hers did pay me out $1,125.00 in a jack pot at $3.00 per bet.

I'm sorry but I can't help myself. DID You fall and hit your head?

I have many people asking me to check into River cruises. My response is when I find one with a Casino I will think about it.

The one that showed as processing was for a standard balcony from an ocean view for $110.00 per person.

then it reset to pending. 

Another person on the same cruise went from a ocean view to a balcony for $75.00 per person yesterday.

It must really just be a roll of the dice I guess.

I used the email link to check in, and that's when I show the processing for 1 of the bids. I Did check my credit Card and there was no sign of activity. There is still time left, maybe I will get lucky. Either way I get to spend 2 nights in New Orleans and then the 10 day cruise. Life Is Good.

By the way does anyone know if upgrades are ever processed on the weekends?

I'm on the 1/17 Breakaway sailing. Yesterday when I checked I showed 3 expired bids and 1 Processing.

When I checked later in the evening they were all set back to pending. Not sure what that is about.

But I was really bummed out.