xDisconnections

2 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

Wow, I just priced this out and its over $12,650 CAD for a balcony room for two which is $4792.00 more than i paid for with Carnival?  Roughly the same price? 

It’s within $200 per person for me.

Because availability isn’t as limited as the cruise lines want you to believe.

1 hour ago, crzndeb said:

My friends booked. I have done a Northern TA ( 16 night) that included Iceland and Greenland on another cruise cruise line, and as a solo cruiser, quite a bit less than this one. Of course, the big draw may be this is a RT from a US port (and Greenland).  I thought the price was crazy, considering I ,just booked a 14 night TA on a brand new ship for $1500 less. 😳

Transatlantics can be some of the cheapest cruises based on overall cost per person per day. On Royal and NCL, you can find some real bargains at times.

I would never compare the cost of a transatlantic cruise against a roundtrip voyage likely to have a more premium choice of ports compared to the standard and disappointing selection you find on most TAs.
 

I will say, however, the pricing is aligned with the amount I was expecting and I feel it is priced accordingly. It’s similar to other US based roundtrip options and on par with itineraries to Antarctica (without a landing).

We’re booked on this cruise. I’m also holding a comparable sailing the month prior on the Caribbean Princess. For those curious, the Caribbean Princess is roughly the same price and two days longer from New York but in August.

On 9/20/2021 at 7:15 PM, sd63 said:

I guess they have more Tinder app users who sail on Horizon 🤣

At least they know their target audience 🤷‍♂️

2 hours ago, Woodfaerie said:

SAD AND FINAL RESULT:  I received my questionnaire. Me and DD sat down to complete it, me 1st. All questions were a NO with the exception of one: have I been exposed to anyone in the last 14 days who tested positive for covid. I answered yes. Clicked on continue to do hers.

That's where it ended.  Big red exclamation point in the middle of the page. I could not go any further. Bottom line, it mattered not that we have both been tested negative since her positive last week. Always a symptomatic.  Thank you for your support and kind words to all who responded to what appeared as a desperate information seeking post. Cos it was exactly that. 

 

Attention: Please do not go to the cruise terminal if you have any symptoms of, or have recently tested positive for COVID-19. Call 1-800-314-9859 to cancel your cruise. You will receive a future cruise credit. For more information on symptoms of COVID-19, please visit cdc.gov.

This should have been expected. Thank you for doing the honorable thing and answering truthfully. When the time comes, I hope you have a lovely cruise.

12 minutes ago, rawley2 said:

Shh, You brought up tablegate. Don't want to get that started again!!

Shrimpgate 👀

I bring my own straws whenever I travel anywhere. Plastic straws have made a huge comeback in my area despite being alongside the beach and turtle nesting areas… hopefully the cruise lines will follow shortly.

#TeamPlastic

12 hours ago, jet228 said:

Hey cruisers! Just for a little background, I've cruised twice with each of Carnival, Royal Caribbean (after next weekend), and NCL. My cruises on Carnival were 7 and 4 years ago. 

 

I'm constantly dreaming and test booking cruises from a bunch of different lines,  and weighing the pluses and minuses of all. 

 

Carnival never seems to win when it comes to straight up value,  and I'm wondering from the die hard Carnival fans: why do you book Carnival? Is it itinerary,  ship amenities,  or something else?

 

I'll likely go on a Carnival cruise again soon as I want to see how the product has changed in the past 4 years so just curious for input from fans.

 

Thanks!

Many book Carnival based on the assumption it is the cheapest option available. Some also enjoy the “simulated fun” that is provided by the cruise line.

There is also a percentage of people who have an extreme loyalty to the brand and will consider anything else to be inferior.

Personally, I prefer a mix of Princess and Royal Caribbean depending on the purpose of the trip.

10 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Just because a cruise line owns an island does not make it not part of a country. Why would anyone think that the country's laws do not apply?

9 hours ago, skynight said:

The corporation owns, maybe leases, some beach front property on the southern end of Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. Probably less than 1% of the island's land. There are around 8,000 or so local residents on the rest of the island. 

It's more of a backyard that has been expanded into a resort area for cruise ship passenger use with some employees. I believe it is two people that live inside Princess Cays if I remember correctly. 

5 hours ago, bafinegan said:

It's the auto gratuities.  That's what MSC calls them too

Interesting. Princess also just rebranded theirs to Crew Incentive.

Hope you’re doing well, baf!

On 8/18/2021 at 11:14 PM, LHP said:

 

 what they called the Back To The Fun inauguration sailing was July 4th. !

Why isn’t he wearing his famous tan suit?

On 8/2/2021 at 4:40 PM, Cruise Related said:

Tell me, what does Carnival provide for you that other lines do not? What makes you choose the fun ships over other lines? I personally have tried RCCL and Carnival. Wanting to try MSC and have a huge massive like 16 day cruise book on NCL in 2022 to see what they are about. Totally excited for British style pub with all the wings. I’m a wing man! But carnival is budget friendly, wonderful booze, and overall just a good freaking time. So im kinda biased. RCCL, wasnt a fan of the food, the entertainment was freaking fantastic compared to Carnival, but I feel that’s their only leg up. So, what makes you sail Carnival over and over? 

Nothing keeps me loyal to Carnival anymore. My preference leans more towards Princess and Royal Caribbean. All things considered, there isn’t much I enjoy on Carnival that I can’t find better elsewhere. 

Plastic straws have made an incredible comeback in my local area. Hopefully they will be restored to the cruise lines at some point in the future. I’m happy to bring my own whenever I travel and plan accordingly.

Sounds like the amenities included with the cabanas at my beach club. Both are priced similarly.

1 hour ago, robc1972 said:

I think Carnival is the only line that does not honor the drink packages at their private islands.

Well, to start, Amber Cove isn’t a private island — it’s just a port area/cruise center, similar to Grand Turk. The restaurants and bars may not be owned or operated by the cruise line and a franchisee might just be paying a fee to the cruise line for its location. Some cruise lines allow their drink package to be used at their private ports, but many do not. For example, Princess will not allow you to use some packages when visiting Princess Cays but Royal Caribbean will allow those similar packages to be used at Coco Cay.

2 hours ago, ctkathchick said:

that is the norm as is hotels have never had a policy to clean rooms twice a day so you and others are comparing apples to oranges. 

Depends on the brands you stay at. It’s the norm for twice a day full service or single service with a secondary turndown service whenever I stay at some of my preferred brands like St. Regis.

On 7/20/2021 at 10:11 PM, BlerkOne said:

Yep. People who complain about cruise line cabin service obviously haven't stayed in an average US hotel lately. 

 

The hotels also seem to require masks regardless of vaccination status.

13 hours ago, kirtihk said:

There is no reason to compare cruises with hotels - totally irrelevant.  Otherwise, one might compare cruises to lodging in the woods or house rental without any service.  Also, you wouldn't say "hotel don't offer 3-7 restaurants to choose to eat at, or shows to watch in a theater, or an art auction to participate in, or activities at the pool, or dancing, Zumba,  or palate classes, or drink packages in multi-bar or lounges".  And the list goes on...

Why shouldn’t Blerk be comparing cruises to hotels? Both operate within the hospitality industry as different sectors of lodging accommodations. Operationally, both are quite similar when the logistics are considered. Resorts, including non-resort hotels, can provide many of the above activities you suggested above. Many properties have several different F&B outlets, live entertainment, Zumba, drink packages/club level. I even have fond memories of your example including art auctions while visiting the Catskills frequently years ago.

As you stated, the list goes on. It’s important to remember that the shipboard executive committee position is generally referred to as Hotel Director traditionally and recently referred to as Hotel General Manager on some lines. 
 

Oh, and yes, I agree with Blerk. Those complaining about cabin service aren’t familiar with the current industry practices with hotels when it comes to stayover service.

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

Does it still show up there? Everything else about the personalizer seems to have been switched to their medallion app.

Still there 🙂

18 minutes ago, matymil said:

What we talking about man? Popcorn?! We talking about Popcorn man.....not the cruise operating....but Popcorn? We out here talking about Popcorn??? Not the cruise that we work all year to pay for,that we sweat for, that we bleed for...but Popcorn?? Look I know its important, I really do....but we out here talking about Popcorn???? 

Yes. Should we not?

My friend @jimbo5544 and I have discussed this topic several times on Cruise Critic.

9 hours ago, d9704011 said:

customer is always right, especially now!

 

No, the customer is not always right. Not only that, the customer who thinks the customer is always right is pretty much wrong during most occasions.

Depending on the industry you are patronizing, the consequences of his mindset can be rough… such as air travel and hotels.

This wouldn’t bother me and I’m surprised Carnival is still offering daily cleaning during a time when the lodging industry is moving away from stayover service. Some lager chains have moved away from it with many only offering it automatic at their luxury segment and upon request with the premium brands.

Generally speaking, I always have declined housekeeping in the past in exchange for bonus points. Not only does it save on labor and payroll expenses, it provided me with a benefit for something I preferred and never was a fan of. Now that green choice programs have been suspended as a result of housekeeping shortages, I simply leave a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

On 7/21/2021 at 7:56 AM, ontheweb said:

I wonder if it is the same with Princess. The difference being that Princess would allow you to use that OBC precruise for excursions if it showed up before being onboard. (Come to think of it did show up early on the 2020 summer Princess cruise that we booked that of course never sailed, but you never know what has changed post Covid.)

Princess shows up under Cruise Personalizer.

I usually have it credited within two hours of having it faxed to Princess if sent during normal business hours and have never waited more than the same day.

I don’t remember it taking as long as others have been mentioning in this thread from back when I regularly sailed with Carnival.

6 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

The grandkids like it when the night before we leave for a cruise we make popcorn at our home and serve it in our Carnival Popcorn boxes while watching videos of our last cruise together.

Sounds like a nice tradition for your family!