Sparky2

Check with your PVP or with whoever you booked to be sure both cruises are "linked" together.

ABC would definitely be my first choice.  Amber Cove is offered in many itineraries.

I canceled a B2B2B for Jan/Feb 2021 because due to our age we didn't feel comfortable sailing in case a 2nd wave of Covid appears.  I canceled on Wed. 6/10 and received new Carnival Gift Cards on Fri., June 12th.  Was really amazed because of reading about people waiting forever for their refunds.

3 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

We'd like to do a partial Panama Canal transit before too long. We met a couple on the Valor this past December and had a great time with them. In talking about cruises we'd all like to take, the Panama Canal came up and we agreed to make an effort to do it together. Did the experience of going through the canal make it that much better? We're really looking forward to it someday.

Ours was not a full transit.  It was a Partial Panama Canal transit through new larger canal into Gatun Lake where we anchored for 4 hours before it was our turn to go back out.

12 minutes ago, grandmarnnurse said:

You got on the day we got off the Glory! We had a wonderful time on that ship! I wish I stayed on for the Panama Canal cruise that you were on! 

I remember your CC name and thought you were supposed to be on that cruise with us.

Our last cruise was 2/9-2/23/2020 14-day Partial Panama Canal Journey's cruise on Glory.  Fantastic cruise.  Sure glad we got to enjoy this cruise before all the shutdowns.

If you're doing B2B cruises, you'll be very lucky if they let you take it back to your cabin at the end of 1st cruise.  They'll hold it till end of 2nd cruise.

We've also in the past used the stockholder OBC for gratuities.  We had $250 OBC on our recent 14-day Journey's cruise.  We had already pre-paid gratuities.  Only get a couple of inexpensive shore excursions.  On the last day after after cashing out my casino bank, I transferred the rest of my OBC into a slot machine, did one spin, and banked the rest.  Then went to casino cage to cash out.

We just got off Glory a week ago.  They have a temporary wall blocking where the repairs are taking place.  In different ports they were working on the outside repairs.

On our Journey's cruises, the MDR is open for breakfast every morning.  If it's a sea day it'll be a brunch menu.  If there are 7 sea days (Journey's cruise) there may be 3 or 4 of those days that it's breakfast and then later the MDR is open for lunch.  The other sea days it's open for brunch.

1 hour ago, Retired_to_Cruise said:

When you do B2B you will always get 2 booking numbers. All I am doing is telling you what a Carnival Guest Services told me and did for me. Since she could not see me, I have to assume it was not for my good looks.

As I said above, I think you really lucked out with the person who gave you that extra amount.  I send my proof of ownership and both booking numbers & each is counted separately.  Last year we did the 7 day + 12 day and only received $100 OBC on each one.  This year with our 14 day we're receiving $250 OBC.

On 1/24/2020 at 8:47 AM, Retired_to_Cruise said:

Just learned an interesting fact yesterday. We sent in two requests for OBC three days ago. One for each of the weeks on our February B2B.  Each on had a Fax Cover Sheet with cruise info and a copy of the Stock report and we sent them together in one fax. We received OBC for the 1st week but not for the second. So I called. Got a really nice lady who did the research and told us they thought it was only one cruise.  She gave me the OBC for the 2nd cruise which was $150 and this advice. Use 1 fax cover sheet and put both booking numbers and dates on that sheet and indicate that it is a B2B. You will get $250 because that is actually considered a 14 day cruise. You will get $100 on the first week and $150 on the second week. Who knew!

That didn't happen to us.  Last year we were on a 7-day B2B with a 12-day Journey's cruise.  Received $100 on each cruise.  You must have lucked out.  Each cruise is a separate cruise.

We're doing a 14-day Journey's cruise soon & have $250 OBC on my account.

On 1/21/2020 at 10:41 PM, nudistcruzer said:

This says "Please provide by fax or by mail". Then you give the email address to send a fax or mail to? They no longer accept email. Only Fax and Mail(i.e. USPS). The Best method for them is FAX, their whole work flow is based on their fax system.  

- 6 Year CCL Stockholder / Platinum Cruiser

I always send my request via. email.  I requested via email for my cruise next month.  No problem.

2 hours ago, EllieinNJ said:

I see my cruise price has gone down some.  I booked about a month ago for the refundable fare (no perks) using my Amex card.  I put down $500 and got the $100 statement credit.  If I ask for the lower price will they just cancel and re book using the deposit I already made or will they cancel that deposit and charge me a new one and I will lose that Amex discount?

Your AmEx statement credit is not like having OBC on your acct. & losing it.  The statement credit will remain on your AmEx acct.

If we want to stay on the ship longer due to checking into a hotel post cruise, I usually switch my zone 1 tags for last group.  We go to the MDR for breakfast, then to room to freshen up, then grab our carry-ons and find a place to sit till they kick us off the ship.

11 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

The benefits are nothing like they use to be. The OBC dropped to $50/cabin. I think it used to be $200. Half off deposits. Here's a rundown of the benefits: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4565/~/carnivals-future-cruise-vacation-welcome-home-program

 

When they first changed this, they said they were going to eliminate the future cruise desk and do it all from the excursions desk. Or you could wait until you got home and would have 2 weeks after your cruise to get the same deal. Now it looks like they give you 4 weeks.

We used to book onboard when it was allowed.  We received $100 OBC for a 7-8 day cruise.  It may have been $200 for a 14-day cruise, though.

My last 3 or 4 cruises have been totally paid for with discounted Carnival GCs.  Have saved lots of money that way.

5 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Is the anytime dining in that dining room? If so, I bet fixed time dinning becomes more popular.

 

If this had been the Vista or Horizon, it would have taken out the Havana pools and hot tubs.

Whenever we've been on any Conquest class ship, the back dining room was for Early & Late Dining with the center DR for Your Time Dining.

2 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

It was said tongue in cheek  

Yes, but you never know!

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

I think I might see the next loyalty gift somewhere on this thread....hmmmm

If it were a future loyalty gift I would enjoy using them at home but not on cruise.

4 hours ago, teacher32 said:

My thoughts exactly!  Carry a straw around with me? No way. And certainly not carry one around that I have to go back to my cabin and clean.  

I plan to bring my own plastic straws for my frozen drinks.  I can fit a few in the lanyard/purse I have around my neck.  I'm not about to keep going back & forth to my cabin for a straw or to clean a straw.

1 hour ago, purplephenom said:

Do you or your husband like the Gold Peak teas?  Or the Starbucks frappachinos?  Those are included after the switch over to Pepsi.  Do you both drink a ton of bottled water? Do you want to start your day with coffee from the coffee shop?  Would your husband drink virgin drinks?  

 

I think it would be difficult to break even, but not impossible- there are a lot of non alcoholic drinks that aren't free.  Why not find one of the drink spreadsheets, add in what you think you'd drink, and see where that puts you.  I'm not a huge drinker but I love those teas and bottled starbucks drinks.  If they weren't so sugary, I'd happily drink those all day long (but then I'd be bouncing off the walls so I'm not going to)   

 

If you find Cheers doesn't make sense for you, you can always buy discounted Carnival gift cards in various ways online, and then use those to buy Cruise Cash.  The Cruise Cash is on your account when you board, so you don't start your trip with a visit to guest services.  And you can cash out the leftovers in the casino.  

Or just apply the GCs to your S&S account.

18 hours ago, lagienomai said:

So I am looking to book a B2B2B cruise for my 20th anniversary. DH and I will turn Platinum on the last leg of the cruise. My question is we will be platinum for all or just the last leg? For some reason I thought I had read in the past where a individual was turning platinum on a B2B the second leg but was platinum for both legs.

We reached Platinum status on the 2nd of our B2B in 2013.  We were given the Platinum status when we boarded the ship.  Our boarding passes & luggage tags said PRIORITY. 

17 hours ago, Cruisinforsun8 said:

Hi, best place to buy discount carnival gift cards???  Don't see through AARP anymore........TIA

I also do not have Allstate Ins. but joined Allstate Rewards & have bought many discounted cards through them.

4 hours ago, CarolSW said:

THANK YOU to all the contributors of this thread!

You have been so helpful.

I am well on my way to forgetting all about how much I thought I was going to miss the AARP Rewards program lol!

I agree with you about not missing the AARP Rewards program.  Like Allstate Rewards better.