Marciaab

Avoided the buffet after the first breakfast. It just was not to my liking. A lot of the dishes were not as warm as I like and holding food for long time periods dries them out. If I needed a pre or post lunch snack, the salads were nice, the desserts very good and the hard ice cream a nice bonus. We chose the venues where we would be served. The wait staff was attentive, and checked for food allergies at every meal if they didn't recognize us. The singing pastry girls were a bright spot every morning. The food arrived at the correct temperature and plated nicely. The wait staff did everything they could to accommodate us (extra anchovies on the ceasar salad, please). Nothing is perfect, but why complain on minor issues? When trying to please 4000 guests, you have to expect a glitch or two. 

Talked to some table dealers during the Bliss cruise. I commented on the lack of players at all the tables no matter what time of day. She said it was normal for the longer cruises. As per $ stakes, I did see some $5 tables.  Didn't pay much attention as to whether Black Jack, 3 card or Let it ride as I was enjoying conversations with the ladies and gents trying to maneuver their walkers and a cocktail to the 15 cent a play penny slots. Most of them were delightful.

I was on the March 30 Bliss cruise.  It was my choice to skip the buffet in favor of being served at the other venues. The buffet food was often cold and had been held too long; dried out and hard.  The staff did their best to promote sanitation. The guests were another  story. On one particular shore excursion the guide stopped by road side stand and picked up a bag of local fruit. Some people actually sampled it after others had taken a taste! I'll bet that none of those street vendors had handwashing facilities in their simple display.  Dont be stupid people. People in the countries visited are used to what they eat and the germs involved. Doesn't bother them at all. Most passengers dont think about it. Give me a sealed bottle of water or beer over those fruity, icy concoctions handed out on excursions. Dont even get started on the process of disembarking! Hundreds of people in one room for hours trying to get thru customs while those around them were coughing, sneezing, complaining of sick stomachs, etc.

Sailed the Glory on March 18th, the aft pool was made family friendly because the water slide was not operating, at least that's what I was told by guest service on the ship. I seldom complain because I am on vacation and in warm weather. I found this family friendly atmosphere horrible. Carnival now supplies little swim jackets that parents can either save deck chairs around the aft pool with or put on their little ones who are learning to swim (lots of kicking) and just ignore them. Put the jacket on the kid, and lay butt up in the sun, facing away from the pool sunning yourself. At one time I counted 25 little kids and 2 adults in the Azure aft pool. An adult would have a hard time getting in the pool because kids were hanging on to the ladders for dear life. Forget the jacuzzis...they are now kid diving pools. I wouldn't mind so much, but the screaming, fighting and parents yelling got a little too much. I guess the parents who weren't really watching the kids anyway didn't want to expose them to the bikini clad set around the main pool; Lots of drinking, swearing, etc. Serenity was still adult only as we're the Jacuzzis up there, but you wouldv die of thirst going to get a drink. That's a heck of a walk for an iced tea or even a cold beer. There were no services up there most of the time. So let Carnival do what they have to do to increase their bottom line. I can find other cruises that will live up to their word and not lie.

The pools and slides are all open on the Glory. Carnival had a huge ribbon cutting ceremony after thec3/18-3/25 cruise. Now it's a big deal. Nothing more for cruisers who put up with the inconvenience caused from the closings. Just an "hope to see you again in the future." Blah Blah Blah form letter. I'm sure you're family will have a great cruise on a ship thats 100% ship shape.

Sun trolley did not work out for us. Too crowded at airport pickup and didn't want to wait for another hour. Used UBER and caught a ride to Las Olas Blvd. Found a nice place for lunch and a cold drink and spent a few hours just enjoying the beautiful day "people and car" watching. Then UBER back to the airport for our trip back to the frozen north. FYI, if you fly Jet Blue, they allow you to check your bags 8 hours before your flight at FLL. Solved that part of the problem.

So were people seated in both dining rooms that had Anytime Dining?

I really don't know, but if you call Carnival and request Anytime Dining, I hope they will answer your question.

Hi, do u have any current updates? Mostly worried about the water slide being available for my kids to use.. we sail on April 1st.

Water slides were opened Friday afternoon around 4pm. Hope they are still working when you sail. Children were allowed everywhere because of this and the adult (Azure) area looked like a Day Care Center. Can't blame the kids, but parents who save the limited number or deck chairs with life jackets that their kids should be wearing need a reality check.

is the aft pool still adults only?[/quot

 

Aft pool (Azure) was loaded with kids the entire Cruise 3/18 sailing Glory. There were times the only seat available was at the bar. Also adult supervision was questionable as life vests are available. Saw parents put a jacket on kids with limited swimming skills, and let them swim as the adult went face down sun bathing. At one count there was 2 adults and 25 kids aged 5 and under ( some still diaper age) in the pool. Forget the hot tubs, too many kids jumping in and out. Serenity hot tubs looked restricted to adults when I was there, but no place to get a cool drink was very close. Disappointed in Carnival's explanation that because the slides were closed, Azure was made family friendly. We were not informed about this even when I asked via pre cruise phone call. Hope it's back to business as usual now that slides are open.

Just off from Glory 3/25. Flexible dining is available but has to be asked for before cruising, as quickly as possible as there are only so many spots available. Platinum dining room is after and movement of ship can be felt and seen thru windows spanning back of room. Golden dining room is more midship and smaller. Menus are the same and both are very nice, I likes the Golden as we had a few rocky days and ship movement was not as noticeable. You can request dining room/table change and they will try to accommodate. There is an arcade, did not see any video type games other than that. Might not have found that part of ship as I wasn't sailing with kids.

Arriving back in Miami on 3/25 from the Glory. Have purchased transfers to Ft Lauderdale airport but our flight doesn't take off until 7 PM. Looking for suggestions as to what to do for the day and how to handle the luggage. Certainly don't want to stay in the airport and it seems like the excursions posted on Carnival website all start at so early. No need to rush for the last day of a vacation. I'm sure others have faced this dilemma and would welcome suggestions. Thanks!

Also on 3/18 sailing. Really looking forward to warm weather as its a balmy 18 degrees in the Syracuse,NY area today with sub zero windchill. Hoping all is shipshape on the Glory and our post dry dock fears will be resolved before we board. I'm sure we'll be updated by those sailing today on the real story.

Nicole9s, or Spencercoop, or someone, would you please forward to me, or send me something "showing" the OBC, as there are 8 of us sailing on the 18th, and I know they are very concerned, since this has happened, as their money is very tight, and they need ME to get an answer for them, or some type of compensation.

According to advance notice from Carnival, passengers booked on the 3/18 Glory sailing will receive $200 per cabin OBC. We also have the option of cancelling and getting a 100% refund or choose another cruise. Nothing more or less since this initial report that was sent the first few days in March. Google Carnival Glory compensation post dry dock. If you booked thru a travel agent, you have to contact them to get the initial notice. They did not contact passengers who booked thru an agent.

I was notified by my Travel agent. But, if they were not supposed to talk to me, why did they take my call after the notice to the agent? They were more than happy to talk with me then even after i told them i booked thru an agent. They were vague in their answers then, too. So, they are in conflict with their policy of not talking to customers who book thru agents if it is not convenient for Carnival.

Also of note, the cruise for 3/18 was not booked until the end of December 2016. I spoke with carnival directly prior to calling my Travel Agent and no mention was made of construction issues. When it was first announced that the ship would not be done for the March 18th sailing, Carnival did not contact me. They emailed my agent to tell me. They are truly afraid to speak with us, the customer.

Got notice from carnival today after I emailed regarding post dry dock compensation believing that those on cruises without a complete ship should receive a fare reduction. 200 bucks per cabin ship credit didnt cut it and I didnt want to eat $950 in plane fare should I cancel. There are no other cruise options. Their reply was a form letter that did not address my concerns but did say that since I booked thru a travel agent that they could not talk to me, the customer and said that they could only talk to my agent. Talk about lousy customer service. My agent handled my booking, she didn't pay for my Cruise. Why won't they talk to me? So now mtpy agent is contacting carnival to say it's OK to deal directly with me. They don't really want to talk to passengers on the post dry dock cruises. I was told prior to my email to them that I could cancel it to the 18th, the sailing date. That also sound iffy as the guest service phone agent put me on hold after every question. Can't wait to see what shape the ship is in on the first sailing post dry dick.