mz-s

As long as the phone is in airplane mode, calls and SMS won't go through.

They at least have plausible deniability until it is reported to them as happened in this case.

I was on a cruise last year or the year before and a group of folks had LAMINATED sheets that said something to the effect of "table reserved for so-and-so game group" that they would put on Lido tables when they decided they wanted to play Uno or whatever stupid game they played. Rude inconsiderate and the wrong cruise line for that kind of behavior. Charter a yacht if you want public areas of the ship for your exclusive use at a whim.

When I've had late flights out of MIA and been able to stay on the ship longer, typically last and final call to disembark is around 9:30, 9:35. Boarding for the next cruise often starts around 10:30. Disembarkation typically begins around 7AM so you can choose to leave the ship any time in that window depending on the disembarkation zone you select. You'll get information about that onboard.

It is not Cucina del Capitano for lunch, it is the Captain's Pasta Bar. Much more limited menu. Just simple pasta dishes, Cesar salad, and bread. But yes it is included and open every day, including embarkation day.

You can play for a bag of Cheetos or a pat on the back and it'll be fine. It's the fact that money is involved that makes it gambling and not allowed. I am choosing to believe John when he says that there are regulations that they have to follow because they have a casino and the only way they can ensure they are in compliance is to ensure that the only gambling on their ships is done in the casino. It makes sense.

So far only Virgin Voyages includes wifi in their base fare. While they are getting good reviews they're not a big enough player to really shake up the industry. The rest of the cabal is careful not to really step on each other's toes too much. They tend to cut from the experience rather than add to it.

If there is an airline critic, resort critic, restaurant critic, etc., website I am sure those fees are discussed there. This is cruise critic so we're talking about the racket of shipboard wifi at a time when it has never been faster, cheaper, or more available - or, why cruise lines are ceding the "work from anywhere" demographic to AIs, Hawaii, etc.

That probably is the plan behind the scenes but customer-facing they are not sharing all the information because anything could change.

People are willing to pay $15/gal for gas after a hurricane because they need it - but that is in fact criminal. I am not equating internet access to fuel, but Carnival evidently thinks internet access is their key to paying off the debt because they are charging ridiculous rates for it. They won't get it out of me, I can say that for sure.

$75/day for wifi is absolutely criminal in my opinion. I cannot fathom even considering paying that much money for internet access on a cruise.

Obviously Job #1 is to get industrial traffic flowing ASAP.

They'll come around with the pastry basket and offer you a pastry or two, but they no longer drop off a basket full of assorted pastries by default. If they still serve the cream cheese flavor, you can just ask for it then!

Looks like it's just a limited time trial for May for the time being. Maybe they'll expand it for your cruise if the testing goes well. This is the first I'm hearing of this. Interesting!

Carnival serves several kinds of Danishes but I don't know if I've ever noticed a cream cheese flavor.

Carnival blocks Wifi calling.

You'll be using Cellular at Sea which does work well for calls and SMS. I have not used the data portion but my hunch is it's fairly slow compared to the wifi on Carnival ships.

I don't know what they're recommending this year. Last year when I cruised out of Norfolk, Carnival told everyone to go to Cedar Grove parking, even if you were being dropped off. They had porters and shuttles there. This was to prevent congestion in the downtown area and to ensure everyone had the assistance they needed. I chose to park at Asphalt Lots, which is a private offsite company not affiliated with the cruise port or city at all. They ran their own shuttles and dropped us off across the street from the cruise terminal. We had to wheel our luggage to the terminal on our own. My wife and I travel light (we shared one suitcase) and are able bodied so that was not an issue at all for us.

I like Bulleit

Oh nice good to know...in the past the best the bar at the casino would have was woodford. Still makes a darn good Old Fashioned.

I am frankly surprised that the modern cut-rate Carnival experience where even bacon is a bridge too far still has a cruise director on every ship. I wonder if perhaps they're required by SOLAS or some international seafarer's union or something.

Some CDs are better than others. Some do go above and beyond. I acknowledge that it is much rarer for that to happen today than it was several years ago. Very few crew on Carnival are able or willing to put that special touch on things anymore. They just go through the motions. And they don't make an impact. I guess I just feel for folks who haven't felt that special touch on Carnival from the crew or from the experience itself, because it used to be there.

A lot of folks get the last minute offers, yes they do go quickly. I don't think location has much to do with it. I get last minute offers for Alaska cruises, Long Beach cruises, even Australian cruises sometimes - and I'm in NC, nowhere near any of those places.

Thank you for sharing, I'm sure you can get through it.

I never understood why people on here are proud of the fact that they don't know any CDs. It makes no difference to me or anyone else on here I'm sure...