Big_Jim_61

I don't know how my room video ended up in my reply. This video shows guys burger joint in relation to the movie screen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_IAeCEavfs

I just did my second cruise on carnival Spirit. I don't have a food menu but can tell you about some of the food.

There is so much to do at night that i don't have time to do everything I want. That means no time to stuff about waiting for a set dining time in the dining room and waiting to be served. So, the dining room for me is only for Cruise Elegant nights or similar. I mostly eat, at a time that suits me, at the buffet.

However, I remember a couple of dishes from the Empire Dining room

- Pasta Carbonara

- Salmon steak

- Prawn cocktail

The Empire restaurant menu has several different sections.

- Set entrees which were the same every day.

- Set main meals which were the same every day.

- Main meals which were different every day

- A section for wine and drinks to pay for

- A section of food you could pay extra for. Presumably the same style of food being served in the Nouveau Restaurant

I can also tell you this,

- If you want the quality food that FOODIES talk about, you need to pay extra to dine in the Nouveau Restauarant. Dining is a set price. It costs something near aud $50 per head.

- If you want seafood, most of the time you need to pay extra for it. It is only provided in small quantities for free in dishes such as prawn cocktail. You can buy seafood in the Lido Deck buffet at the seafood corner. You can also buy Japanese style sea food at Bonsai Sushi

- There is free Pizza 24/7 at the Lido deck buffet. Just line up to order and about 15 minutes later you have your choice of pizza.

- There is free soft serve Ice cream 24/7 from the Lido deck at 2 outlets, either side of the Dive in Movies screen. You can choose from frozen yoghurt, chocolate, strawberry or vanilla.

- Popcorn is provided free during the Dive in Movies at night

- You can get free hamburgers until 5.30pm from Guy's burger joint. They cook the hamburger meat with cheese and put it in a hamburger bun with a side order of chips. You take it to the next door toppings bar and top with your choice of toppings such as onion, tomato, bacon, mushroom etc.

- Lunchtime you can eat for free at Fat Jimmy's C side barbecue. The sign says it is American style barbecue. One thing I remember from there is a pulled pork roll. Although being American they called it a pulled pork sandwhich.

- Breakfast on the lido deck buffet is very Australian or perhaps that is very British. That means breakfast is sausages, eggs done multiple different ways, bacon, grilled tomato, toast, VEGEMITE, peanut butter, jam, cornflakes, yoghurt etc. Plus waffles and pancakes. There was also a continental breakfast bar and an Omelette station. There were other chices of food too. All free.

- Lunch menu was different every day but I used to focus on the Snags and Pies counter. They had diferent types of sausages, different types of pies and sausage rolls plus my favourite mashed potato and gravy. If you are American, the pies and sausage rolls might not be what you would imagine as a pie or a sausage roll. I ate a "pie" in the USA one time and it was a ceramic bowl with meat stew inside covered in pastry. An Australian pie is all pastry on the outside and chunky meat on the inside. A sausgage roll is sausage meat cooked inside pastry.

- Lunch and dinner they had a sweet corner with cakes, slices, biscuits and jelly.

Eating at all the free food locations, there were enough choices to eat something different every meal on every day of the cruise.

You have to pay for the coffee and cakes in the fountain cafe but in case you are not aware, you can get free coffee on board 24/7 from the dispensers in the Lido deck. Deck 9.

For free 24/7 on the Lido Deck, you can get

- Soft serve ice cream

- Pizza

- Filtered water

- Real lemonade made water lemon and sugar

- Coffee

- Boiling water for tea. With multiple tea bag choices.

- Hot Chocolate

- Ice

The Fountain Cafe is deck 2. Last year, i filmed the whole of Deck 2 from the Empire restaurant to Pharaohs Palace. Including Fountain cafe and the bars off it such as the Skybox Sports Bar and Red Frog Pub plus the Casino

This was the pricing a year ago. I would be grateful if you would update it.

Thankyou!

LAUNDRY

-$3 for 40 minutes to wash clothes.

- $3 for 45 minutes to dry clothes

- $1.50 single use washing powder

- $1.50 single use fabric softener

- Free use of iron and ironing board. Iron was on a timer so it could not be left on accidentally

VALET SERVICE examples

- $7.50 wash and iron a dress

- $4 wash and iron a shirt or blouse

- $5 wash and iron trousers or slacks

- $2 wash undergarments

PHONE HOME to Australia

- $1.99 per minute from the phone in your state room

MINI BAR examples

- $9.50 scotch

- $8 gin

- $7.50 rum

- $2.75 can of soft drink or tonic water

- $4.50 1.5 litre bottled water

- Tooheys new or XXXX Gold $7.50

ROOM SERVICE examples

- $4 Wonton Noodle soup or greek salad or fresh fruit salad

- $7 Triple decker club sandwich or Tuna Sandwich or Baked Lasagne, or Aussie beef pie or pan pizza

IN ROOM MOVIES. A selection of comedy, action, drama and family movies

- $4.99 on demand

- Free....One family movie and one movie from the other categories, played all day, every 2 hours. They used 2 different movies from the on demand selection and changed them every night at midnight..

FOOD

- Free soft serve ice cream 24/7

- Free pizza 24/7

- Free food in the dining room. Order as much as you could eat

- Free food from the lido deck buffets. Eat all you can.

- Free hamburgers at Guys burger joint until 5.30pm. Add all your own toppings from the toppings bar

- Free barbecue food at Fat Jimmys on deck 10 at lunch time.

- There was food you could pay for in the Fountain Cafe (cakes and desserts), Bonsai sushi bar, the Freshies corner (fresh seafood) and Nouveau Restaurant but I didn't try them so don't have the prices. But there was so much free food there was no need to pay to eat.

DRINKS

- For free in the morning there was juice at the lido deck buffets

- For free all day from the lido deck buffets, there was ice, water, real lemonade, iced tea, coffee, hot tea, dairy milk, soy milk and hot chocolate.

- Bottomless bubbles (soft drink or juice) $79.75 for the 11 day cruise. Drinks available in the dining room and at every bar on the ship.

- $2.75 glass of soft drink

- From the Fountain cafe, a sample of pricing... $2.95 short black, $3.25 long black $3.75 Cappuccino or Latte of flat white. $9.95 if those coffees were served with alcohol. Milkshakes $4.50. Tea $4

- Asked for a fishbowl at the Red Frog Rum bar and was told they do not have but they offered me 10 full nips/shots in a jug for $29

- Fish bowl from the Red Frog pub. I tried multiple cocktails thinking I had a choice for the Fishbowl because I didn't want to get a fishbowl sized drink I didn't like. But when I asked for my choice of cocktail in a fishbowl they said sorry it is a limited selection and showed me the list with about 4 choices. All $23.95. Basically a fishbowl is 8 full nips/shots of rum with a selection of juices in a very big glass bowl

- Most cocktails were $9.75, some were $10.75. My favourite for $9.75 was the Twilight Zone (Midori, Bacardi, Blue Curacao, Coconut Cream and Pineapple, served with a small slice of pineapple and a glaced cherry)

- Smoothies and non alcoholic versions of cocktails was $6

- Thirsty frog ale in a 16 oz glass (473ml) $8.95

- Cheapest beer was Hahn Premium Light stubbies at $6.50

- Stubbies of Tooheys new, Tooheys Old, XXXX Gold, Hahn Premium. Corona, Heineken $7.50

- Stubbies of Carlton Dry, Carlton Draught, Crown Lager, Pure Blond, VB $8.25

- Beer on tap in a 15 OZ glass (425ml) Tooheys new $7.50 Carlton Draught $8.25

- 4 stubbies or 4 cans or 4 glasses of beer in a bucket of ice. $2 discount

- Glasses of wine ranged from $8.50 to $14

INTERNET (wireless from your phone or laptop or from an onboard computer at the fountain cafe

- SOCIAL for social network sites such as facebook and twitter and nothing else. $9 per day $25 for the cruise

- VALUE all sites except for streaming sites such as skype. $30 per day $70 for the cruise

- PREMIUM for everything. $50 per day or $110 for the cruise

SNORKEL HIRE

- Adult sets $49.99 for the whole cruise

- Childrens sets $29.99 for the whole cruise

SPA SPECIALS. I didn't use it but with your daily newsletter, there were SPA specials every day. Some examples

- Teeth whitening. $164 for a single and $284 for a couple

- IONITHERMIE Corrective treatment $154

- Massage $131 for 50 minutes or $158 for 75 minutes

- Elemis pro collagen quartz lift facial $135

- Happy hands and feet pedicure with finger polish $77

- Tri enzyme resurfacing facial $118

OTHER FACILITIES, all free

- All the usual gym facilities plus a spa bath in the Gymnasium, all for use by adults only

- Shows in the comedy club

- Shows in the Pharaohs Palace such as magic show, hypnotist

- Basket ball court

- Putt Putt mini golf

- Trivia. There were about 5 trivia competitions per day. The prize was a piece of shi(p) on a stick.

- Three swimming pools and 2 other spa baths. One of the swimming pools and spa baths is in the serenity bar area for use by adults only

GAMBLING. You could lose your money

- Playing bingo

- Betting on the Melbourne Mug (Melbourne Cup). There was a horse race every sea day decided by the throw of a dice.

- Gambling on the poker machines and gaming tables in the Casino. It was only open when at sea.

- There is a billiard/pool table in the casino, it cost $10 per hour

My one and only time on carnival Spirit. I paid for a guaranteed balcony, expecting a room with an obstruicted balcony but got an unobstructed balcony room.

I did try and look at the obstructed view balcony rooms. They seemed to me that if you sat down in a chair, you would not see anything but if you stood up on the balcony, you could see over the boats.

In any case, if you search youtube, you will see some examples of obstructed view cabins.

I forgot to mention that you should check the deck plan to see if the balconies are on the same alignment.

For instance, my balcony room 6149 was at the end of a row. The cabin next to me, 6151, was indented. So, there was no partition. The same happens between rooms

- 6153 and 6155

- 6146 and 6148

- 6150 and 6152

- 6217 and 6219

- 6182 and 6184

- 6253 and 6255

- 6218 and 6220

- 6281 and 6283

- 6234 and 6236

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the info.

And also thanks for your Videos.(y)

 

Regards, Leigh

You're welcome!

I was in balcony room 6149 on carnival Spirit. They cleaned the balconies twice on my ship. They opened the partitions so they could clean properly between balconies. The partitions take seconds to open.

So, the next issue is just getting some one from the ship to open the partition for you.

If you want a non smoking casino with Carnival, travel on the Carnival Spirit out of Sydney.

There are 2 smoking areas on the whole ship. Deck 10 forward on the starboard side and deck 9 forward on the starboard side. That is it. You can;t even smoke on your private balcony.

How much is it?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That will depend on your ship.

I travelled on Carnival Spirit. In April this year, it was aud $23.95

I had a fishbowl drink from the Red Frog Pub on my cruise.

It is a very large cocktail with 8 full nips (shots) of alcohol in a very large glass that I would call a brandy snifter.

From memory, there were about 6 different choices of cocktail for the fish bowl.

I didn't know it was only available from the Red Frog Pub. I asked for it first at the Red Frog Rum Bar. They said they couldn't give me a fish bowl but could give 8 nips (shots) of rum in a jug.

Americanisms? I mean Australians celebrate Halloween, I spent a few weeks in your country over the years, you would be the first I've seen/heard to not appear to enjoy the day...

You didn't travel very far then.

It is a recent phenomenon within the last 20 years or so. When i was a kid, there was no halloween and no thought of doing anything for halloween.

I just asked the youngest people where I work if they would be doing anything for Halloween and all said no. It is not something they are interested in or even know much about.

There are holloween things for sale locally. They are found in very small displays in each store and don't sell very well.

Knowing Carnival celebrate Halloween on an Australian ship is enough to put me off sailing with them. So unless this is a sticky to warn other Australians like me who do not appreciate Americanisms being forced on us, I am not sure why this is a sticky thread.

It must way way different for you Americans.

In Sydney, a check in time is check in time. Check in then board.

Every one is kept outside the passenger terminal building until it is their check in time then you enter the building, pass immigration, get to the check in counter, if you have already checked in on line, they hand over the sail and sign card then you board the ship.

Check in is staggered so there is no waiting.

I would liberate some snacks from lido and bring back to your cabin

Exactly what I was thinking!

Just grab a plate and fill it up with snack type items and take it back to your cabin

I just found this from my cruise

Your first day

- Lunch will be served, on Lido Deck, (Deck 9), from start of boarding until the safety briefing

(known as Muster).

- Luggage is loaded onboard throughout the day.

- Due to the quantity of luggage to be loaded it may take a few hours until your luggage is delivered

so always bring essentials in your carry-on bag – including swimmers for the kids!

- The dress code in the dining room for embarkation day is ‘come as you are’. Footwear must be

worn at all times

I never noticed Guys Burger Joint on embarkation day as it is outside the buffet area and I spent all my time in the buffet area or in the next door adults only Serenity area. But if they mean the whole of the lido deck then that will include Guys Burger Joint and the next door Toppings bar where you load up your hamburger. The deli mentioned by the previous poster is just a different section of the buffet area.

I was wondering if Carnival or any other cruiseline has any non-smoking casinos. If not totally non-smoking, a non-smoking area that is truly smoke free in the casino.

 

My wife's asthma bothers her terribly in the casinos and that is one of her favorite parts of the cruise.

Carnival Spirit is non smoking except for 2 designated smoking areas. You can't even smoke on your private balcony

Pretty sure it is buffet only.

If I have to store insulin at guest services, .

 

Any suggestions?

I use insulin.

My insulin is good for 28 days un-refrigerated, so long as it is kept below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).

Check with the manufacturer

We've not personally done that, enjoying the MDR for most nights. But we have friends who NEVER go to the MDR. They enjoy all of the optional venues, the buffet, Guy's, Tandoor, etc as they are available on various ships.

 

They love dressing casually and just going to eat as they feel up to it. It works for them!

I am just like your friends.

I am on holiday,

I want to dress as I please.

i want to eat when I please

Guy's burger joint was my dinner for most nights on my cruise on carnival spirit. Guys burger joint was right next to the toppings bar and I shoved on all the toppings that made the burger tasty for me.

All at no additional cost

Are power strips allowed? And if they are should I place it in my luggage or carry on?

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

You haven't said what boat you are travelling on. they are not allowed on Carnival ships departing from Sydney. If you want a power strip, the ship supplies it for you

Shore excursions booked through the ship are way over priced.

However, if you are late back from a do it yourself shore excursion, you wave good bye to the ship. If you are late back from a ship organised excursion, they hold the ship.

For anyone who has travelled on Carnival Spirit - do you know if the layout of the rooms alternate between forward facing and rear facing?

 

For instance each room down one side - one cabin would be forward facing bed and sofa and then the next room rear facing etc. etc. I am trying to book a balcony cabin that is forward facing. I don't like the idea of going backwards (I know I am fussy). I know that you don't feel the motion much but I just prefer facing forward.

 

Hope some previous travellers on this ship can help.

 

Thanks

Kazza :)

Yes they alternate.

No idea how you can tell which room will face the right way except that I can tell you my room was forward facing. It was 6149