iriecruising

I recently find myself mobility challenged but plan to still have the best time possible on my cruise. Does anyone know if there are rickshaws available at the Pier in Amber Cove?

TIA for any info!

On 10/28/2022 at 7:38 PM, cruiserbrianj said:

I'm borderline shocked that there's hardly anything on here about how Carnival has stealthy switched their fresh cut fries at Guy's Burger to an obvious frozen fry with some seasoning. I haven't really heard anything official about this but I'm inclined to think it's the whole "supply chain" thing. Does anyone have any insight on this? It may seem like a small thing...and it is, but several small things add up to big things and that's almost to where I'm at.  

I was on a cruise in March and then in May. In March on Sunrise out of Miami I got the good Guy's fries. Then in May on Paradise out of Tampa the fries were terrible. I went back a couple days later and they had the good fries. Guessing it is supply chain related and they just didnt have enough for the entire cruise!

5 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

To us a Vista Class ship is really a "Sunshined" Dream Class ship. It is on the same platform except that they added about 60' to the stern to support the Havana area on Deck 5. That Havana area is the only reason for us to book that class of ship. The Venezia doesn't have a Havana area, so that's our quandry. We had the same bowling alley balcony for our B2B on the Magic, so if they assign us to the bowling alley balconies on the Venezia, we still may go. Got to think about it. 😎

What is a bowling alley balcony? Do you mind me asking which staterooms offer this? I had a very long narrow balcony towards the front of the ship on legend that I loved. Not sure if this is what you are speaking of but would love to know what other ships have them!! Thanks!!

On 10/9/2022 at 10:57 AM, ObstructedView2 said:

 

Embarkation day is not a very good or relaxing day to book a massage. There will be many passengers walking through & checking out the spa. Some spa employees will also be giving embarkation day spa tours.

 

 

✌

Embarkation Day is when I have always done it.  There have been tours while I was having them done and it has never disturbed me. I am in my treatment room. There is usually an in room shower for the salt scrub part. and I love to start my vacation by decompressing and then after I am all relaxed and ready for a drink and sail away. 🙂 

On 10/9/2022 at 12:04 PM, kwokpot said:

Is there a reason you would want to have a spa appointment literally the minute you board the ship? What's the benefit in it vs any other time on the cruise?

I usually prefer 1 or 2pm but that is not an option. It is a 90minute treatment and I like to do it early on embarkation day so I am nice and relaxed for sail away. It is just my way of decompressing and marking the official start of vacation. I enjoy the ships, the onboard activities and spending lots of time in port so embarkation day is a great choice for me. I am traveling with my husband who can watch our carry on from his favorite spot at the red frog tiki bar! 

On 10/9/2022 at 10:18 AM, kwokpot said:

Is there a particular reason you want to book a treatment so early on embarkation day?

I usually prefer 1 or 2pm but that is not an option. It is a 90minute treatment and I like to do it early on embarkation day so I am nice and relaxed for sail away. It is just my way of decompressing and marking the official start of vacation. I enjoy the ships, the onboard activities and spending lots of time in port so embarkation day is a great choice for me. I am traveling with my husband who can watch our carry on from his favorite spot at the red frog tiki bar! 

I like to book a massage on embarkation day. The appointment available for the service I want is Noon. We cant check in for the cruise yet so what happens if my embarkation time is after my appointment? Wondering how big of a pain in the ass it would be to cancel it since you have to pay at time of booking. Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

12 hours ago, klfrodo said:

Since this is on the Carnival board, we can talk about what they call Cruise Cash.

 

I buy Cruise Cash, but in a limited amount.

Why? Just my little way of minimizing the end of cruise hit to my credit card bill.

If I anticipate my end of cruise bill to be about $1000, then I'll purchase maybe $750 Cruise Cash.

 

The problem with Cruise Cash is that it is non-refundable. In other words, if my on board spending is only $650, I can lose the $100 left over on my Cruise Cash account. (There are ways to get around that but I don't count on that method because Carnival will someday figure a way to stop that method. Of course they will figure it out just before MY cruise and now I'm screwed)

As Mz-S posted I use gift cards. Anything left at the end I creatively cash out. Worst case scenario it would get credited back to another gift card. It is not cash in hand but I also plan to cruise more in the future or can give it to someone else. Discounted Cards are available through AARP Rewards site and I believe there are a few others! Buying the cards in advance lets me know my cruise and my spending are paid in advance of me leaving.

On 9/19/2022 at 3:30 PM, Weeziblu said:

It would be lovely to disconnect all together but some of us have loved ones (aging or sick parents, young children, etc) that we need to keep in touch with daily.  And yes, I'm aware that they can EVENTUALLY get a message to us if there were to be an emergency but for some of us, an enjoyable vacation begins with peace of mind and knowing my kids can reach me if they should need to. 

 

Just because some of us desire to stay in touch doesn't mean we're disconnected from our vacation of spend our meals with our "faces in phones".  Everyone has different lives, needs, desires.   That's why the internet is an OPTION. 

 

This is exactly me. I get the social plan and only tell certain people I have it. They know not to reach out unless it is an emergency. There is significant peace of mind to know that I can be reached if there is an emergency and it actually helps me relax and enjoy instead of worrying.

On 9/16/2022 at 4:10 AM, FSHLOT said:

I'd rather smell the weed and deal with pot heads then loud obnoxious drunks. imo

 

 

I have to agree here. Last cruise I did had both and the pot smokers were mellow and happy and the drunks were loud, obnoxious and messy!!! 

Thank yo so much for this awesome review. I am cruising Mardi Gras for the 1st time in January and can't wait. Your photos have so much information that I was hoping to get in advance. Your wife is so talented and takes so many great pics for a review. I also love your writing style. I was sucked in for 3 hours last night and I am only half way through! I shared your post with a group of people who will be sailing in January so they could get a sneak peak as well! Thanks Again!! 

On 5/28/2022 at 9:32 PM, Jamman54 said:

 

 

I think they may be a combination of a cooler and a pool safe. One end has a keypad and I can make out the word "safe" in the writing. Thank goodness Patti takes pictures of everything! 

 

 

 

That is exactly what they are. A cooler and safe. First Visit there we went over to where they were and you got 2 chairs, an Umbrella and the cooler/Safe for around $50.00 for the day. This area also had wait staff to bring food and drinks which was a huge plus as bar lines we very long!

On 9/10/2022 at 1:40 PM, LadyDay73 said:

I thoroughly enjoyed your review.  It was very informative.  I looked online for the telephone  for accessibility assistance from Carnival.  I will need a wheelchair to embark and disembark and to board the tenders. I am hoping that you will be able to provide me with that phone number.  It would be deeply appreciated.  Thank you.

here is a link to the Carnival Disability Page. https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs  The telephone number is at the bottom of the page. I did not have to reserve a wheelchair for embarkation I just asked a Carnival port employee when I arrived at the Port and they pointed me towards the spot where wheelchair assistance was waiting. There is no wheelchair service for ports of call but on our trip a wheelchair was available for daily rental if we wanted one. There were special loading areas when a tender was necessary. I got that location from guest services the night before our tender port. Then for disembarking I again went to Guest Services the night before and they told us where to go when we were ready to get off the ship. Hope this info helps and you have an amazing cruise.

Thanks everyone for your feedback! It was very helpful.

I am posting for a friend who is working on legally changing their first name. The process will not be complete by the time they cruise. So their cruise is booked under their legal first name in order to match their original birth certificate and drivers license. However is it possible to have their sail and sign account show the name they have always gone by or just be printed with their first and middle initial and full last name. For reasons I prefer not to discuss their legal first name brings them some painful memories and they really do not want ship staff to address them by that name if at all possible. If anyone has any experience with this could you please let me know what you did, how it worked, etc so I can pass the information along? Thanks in advance!

I have had the scrub with massage three times. Each time they have given me a pair of disposable undies to put on. You lay on your back the entire time for the scrub and the only awkward moment is when they ask you to sit up to do your back. Because it that point you are exposed on the top. Make sure you have something to keep your hair up and off your neck and back. After the scrub you take a shower and lay back down for the massage. If you get unlucky like I did once and there is not a shower in your treatment room, you will be provided a robe to get to the shower and back. I have terrible dry bumpy skin and I have to say the treatment makes my skin softer than I have ever felt it. The first time I was given a hard sell after the treatment. They used the info I filled out when I arrived for the treatment to sell me on products that could solve my muscle aches, stress etc.  The last 2 times I was not given a hard sell but I also left out all that info on my form those times. One thing I did notice that confused the hell out of me was the way they bill for it. I book pre-cruise and pay with a credit card when I book. When I was done I was given a receipt that included the massage, the gratuity and the option to add additional gratuities to sign. On my sail and sign account the original amount paid by credit card was credited to my sail and sign account and the new amount with gratuities was charged. It can be confusing when you see it.

Hope you enjoy the treatment!  

While I cant compare these exact ships I can tell you I was on the sister ships for both recently. I was on Sunrise in March and Paradise this month and If I had to choose one to repeat it would be Sunshine. The ship is bigger, I liked the layout more and the fact it had more open air decks. My Dad was 75 and was on Sunrise with me and it wasnt so big that he could not get around. P.S. if Grandma is mobility challenged talk to carnival before boarding and they will provide you with some really valuable info on services they provide and ways to make cruising easier. I wrote a review that included a lot of those here on Cruise Critic. 

On 4/28/2022 at 9:43 AM, crewsweeper said:

I'm seeing taxi rates to Isabel at $US90 one way.  Is that correct?

That sounds really high. I think we paid that for a Mini Van and driver for the entire day for 4 people. The rates are posted at the taxi stand maybe someone going there can take a photo for you. They appeared to be very regulated.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. I feel much better about Cozumel and will not go it alone in Roatan. I will check out Victor Bodden for sure. Thanks again. Really looking forward to my time away!!

I recently sailed Carnival Sunrise with my Dad who is diabetic with mobility issues. I called Carnival ahead of time. Here is the contact info.  access@carnival.com, or call us at 1-800-438-6744, ext. 70025

According to Carnival the refrigerator in the room is not cold enough for insulin. My Dad uses a pen so we did not have to worry about that part. But they mentioned being able to provide a different fridge or storing the medicine for us if needed. There was a sharps container for used needles in the room when we arrived.

As for mobility the people we talked to told us once we arrived at the port to look for any police officer or carnival employee and request a wheelchair for boarding. I dropped my luggage with the porters, dropped my dad with our carry ons. (I had a small rolling suitcase and he had a duffle he kept in his lap in the wheelchair. Then I went and parked the car while he sat on a bench. When I returned I asked an employee for a wheelchair and they directed me to a disabled boarding area where we were provided a wheelchair and an escort to push. We went through security and were taken by elevator upstairs to the check in area where our pictures were taken etc. we were wheeled to a sitting area where the escort left us with the wheelchair and said he would return when boarding began. (We had an early check in time) Once boarding started escorts for all the wheelchair people returned and we were taken on an elevator to the boarding area. We boarded the ship in the atrium where my Dad moved from the wheelchair to a barstool! (LOL) He managed the rest of the trip with just his walker. When we went in port with a tender we were told to go to guest services when we were ready to depart the ship and they would escort us down when an accessible tender arrived. Once one of these tenders arrived we were escorted by elevator to the loading area for the accessible tender. These tenders were wheelchair and walker accessible and did not require you to walk up or down any stairs. In a port with a dock we were offered wheelchair assistance off the ship but not to the end of the dock. If we wanted a wheelchair to get to the end of the dock we needed to rent one and keep it with us at the beach or where ever we went. My dad opted to go it alone and we managed. Not easy but we managed. During dinner  the waiter was able to take the walker to a holding area and returned it when we were ready to leave. For disembarking we were told to meet in the dining room and a wheelchair was brought up and we were escorted to bagage claim where we went through customs, grabbed a porter who assisted with all our bags including what we were carrying and then escorted outside to the port pick up area. I left my dad with all the bags on a bench and went to get the car. waited my turn to pull up to the curb and then loaded my dad and all the bags.

As for insulin in port. They sell small medicine "cooler bags" at pharmacies that usually come with a small ice pack. If you kept that packed in a bucket of ice from your room stewart or asked carnival to keep it in a freezer for you that would probably get you by while in post. Worst case scenario if it melts too quickly is you bring a ziplock and ask for a glass of Ice at a restaurant or bar while in port.

Hope this info helps!!

I am taking my first solo cruise in a couple of weeks with stops in Cozumel and Roatan. I usually love getting off the ship in Cozumel and just browsing the shops in San Miguel but Carnival uses the dock at Puerto Maya. Interested in your thoughts on whether it would be safe for a solo cruiser to grab a cab alone and head down to San Miguel. I feel confident shopping alone as it is a crowded populated area on the main drag but is a solo cab ride a stupid move? I am also interested in seeing the West End in Roatan and wonder if a cab ride and shopping and wandering around alone would be safe. I have never been to the West End (or even out of the port area in Roatan) so I am totally unfamiliar with the area. Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.

Amber cove does have a pool, also restaurant, bar, music, zipline and water slides right at the port. No charge except for the food and drinks. (Hmmm Maybe a small charge for zip line but I dont remember one.) There is one thing I did in the D.R while were there and that was to get a cab to Mount Isabel De Torres and take the cable car to the top. This was not an excursion offered but was absolutely amazing. If you go make sure you go early in the morning before clouds roll in.

On 4/21/2022 at 10:39 PM, tampabrat22 said:

I was wonder thinking of getting some kind of internet package for this trip. I have never done that before. Do you have any feedback on how good or bad the service is. I really just want the social package so I can message my kids. Thanks.

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On 4/1/2022 at 12:57 AM, B&P!!! said:

Thanks for the review! I especially liked the info on masking in Nassau and the screenshots. Do you know what the Magic Mystery Show was?

 

 

I am sorry I don't know anything about that one.

9 hours ago, JillK said:

My husband gets mystery past passenger offers that are better than mine for no particular reason. We both have the same nights cruised and don't use the casino so it's not related to that.

 

He's able to get a fantastic rate on a cruise in July we wanted to book, but our PVP said his offer can only be applied to his cabin and not extended/shared.... we need two cabins to accommodate our family of 6 so unfortunately we aren't going to book.... his cabin is half the price of mine! 

That is just crazy!! I hope both of you wind up finding a good deal tied to your individual accounts!!