DTL321

What a tough position to be in! I am hoping those with reservations this weekend get a call and accommodated on other sailings... There are other sailings also from Miami. Maybe Carnival could offer these guests a coach transfer to/from Miami from the Orlando International Airport?

I do wish all those waiting that they get a response as soon as possible, I know I would not be happy waiting by my phone/email for what is happening! Especially so soon. Good luck. 

52 minutes ago, MisterOJ2 said:

 

There were taco bowls on my Magic cruise last month. Sometimes they run out of things on a sailing. I suspect that was the case with the OP, because I've not heard about it otherwise.

Let's hope so! However, it was boarding day when I was told they stopped doing bowls for at least a month now... Hopefully it was just an excuse.

At the end of the day get all the usual "fillings" for a bowl on top of a tortilla. I found it just as good but I did miss the "crisp" of the bowl haha. Same as what I usually do at Chipotle.

17 hours ago, klfrodo said:

OMG!

The end of the world as we know it.

 

Just got off the Carnival Freedom on an 8-day cruise. While some of the things you say "may" be true.

I didn't notice a one. Had an excellent time and did not go away hungry.

Did I say it was the end of the world? No, I even said that in my post that these are not big problems lol! These was experiences and helping to temper expectations. Funny you "just got off the Carnival Freedom on an 8-day cruise." That was at least a month ago as the ship has now moved from Miami to Port Canaveral doing 4 and 5 night cruises.

We still had a great time and by no means were we hungry. Just hoping to help others going on a cruise soon and letting them know what food options are available or different.

Hello Everyone:

We just got off a 5 night Carnival Freedom Cruise, albeit we are not big Carnival cruisers we noticed a few cutbacks on food from our Carnival Magic Cruise back in September 2021. Some of these may have already happened on our Magic cruise and I did not notice. Are any of these a big issue in the grand scheme of things? Probably not, but thought I'd share my experiences. 

Buffet

• Mongolian Wok - only available for lunch
• No Chocolate Extravaganza on final sea day
• Limited options (around 5 mains, salad, a few sides and dessert station (dinner only 3 desserts))
• Menu for dinner was the same as MDR - just not as many options
• Am I wrong in thinking there used to be multiple stations with different "themes?" - maybe this was cut a long while back?

Main Dining Room

• About the same for both cruises
• Food was consistently decent - just stay clear of the striploin steak!
• Dinner was limited to MDR, Buffet, Pizza or Seafood Shack

Sea Day Brunch

• No more fillet in the steak & eggs - striploin steak was full of fat/hard to chew
• Hours now end at 12pm - used to be 1:30pm
• So no main dining room lunch option

Blue Iguana

• Limited hours - used to be similar hours to Guy's Burgers - ends at 2:30pm or 3:30pm
• No more tortilla bowls

Guy's Burgers

• Fries no longer the same as before - noticed same fries throughout the ship with different seasonings
• Closes at 6pm - which is typical for both

Afternoon Tea

• Was still served on our 5 night! We had two seas days and had two afternoon teas

Room Service

• Price of pizza gone up from $5 to $6

On 3/22/2022 at 11:34 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

And I'm curious as to how that works at Port Canaveral (Liberty @ new terminal) as well.

 

Tom

Hello:

I did Carnival Freedom last week out of Port Canaveral. Was super easy. No separate line but the first stop is to review your documents... Instead of showing all my documents all I had to do was show my VeriFly pass. Quick and easy, no pain. They even asked if we had VeriFly.

Hope this helps.

This is gonna break my mother-in-law's heart! She was so excited for tea time on our upcoming cruise. We weren't the biggest fan of tea time on the Magic a few months ago, albeit, we were comparing it to HAL. We tempered her expectations and she still was so excited to go! This will be her first Carnival Cruise... also we had sold her on Sea Day Brunch with the delicious steak.. uh-oh.

I am sure we will have a good cruise no matter what.

54 minutes ago, eccsr said:

Thank you for your replies. I just got onboard and looks like I get the perks. I wish that Celebrity customer service had known this info. Bon voyage…

The only item is if you used the term "perks" when speaking with customer service. All it takes is an agent who has selective hearing and hears the term "perks." With Celebrity "perks" mean OBC, gratuities and drink package. You keep the "perks" you booked... Especially confusing when moving into Suites as you do not get the premium drink package.

I know you meant "perks" as in Blu & Spa access... that is probably where the confusion lay.

I did a MoveUp a few years ago, problem now is we only want to do Aquaclass! Yes you get access to the spa and dining in Blu. Do not worry about the timing, it is come as you want. Only had to wait once and that was because they knew we would prefer a window. Amazing service.

Other "perks" as in drink package, gratuities, and wi-fi is based on your original booking.

Enjoy!

Went to the Celebrity website and looked at cabin availability on your sailing, LOTS of cabin available... You should not be worried. Definitely below 50% capacity. Probably more so in the 20-30%. It is school spring break right now but most will not be doing a 10 nighter! 

Have an amazing cruise.

Thanks Elaine for the input! With Celebrity they usually let you bid for an upgrade, because at this point they are not going to sell any more cabins BUT they can make some more money by people bidding to fill those empty cabins. A few hundred dollars per cabin is better than nothing.

I guess prior to COVID Carnival was able to fill their ships up to 95% so that a program like Celebrity wouldn't really work. Just thought with the ship I am sailing on which is 50% sold... Maybe they would try upselling us on the cruise? I am very happy in the cabin I have.

Have a Magic sailing on August 30. There are plenty of suites open... That would be nice but probably not going to happen. I am ok with paying just not $1k more! haha

Right I'm so confused why people seem so "shocked" this was coming... Mostly all Carnival cruises hit the Bahamas. With the new update from the Bahamian government saying all vaxxed over the age of 12 from September 3... This was going to happen. I think some expected Carnival to change the ports... But like where else would they go?

This isn't a debate of effectiveness of the vaccine, it isn't a debate on children being on the ship, it isn't a debate on antibodies... It is just the Bahamas has decided no vax no port.

One item, however, that seems to be forgotten on these boards... When you go on a cruise that departs the US... Once you get into international waters the rules and laws of the US are not applicable. ALSO the ships you are on are not registered to the US. So once you're off in the middle of the ocean you're following the laws and regulations of other countries. It's like going to France and expecting the laws and regulations of the US to apply...

Anyway I just did what I said I wouldn't lol. If you choose to cruise... Enjoy. If not... I understand and I look forward to the day you get to cruise and feel comfortable.

It's just like anything in life, you're not comfortable then don't do it and I respect you for that. If you are, I respect you for that. 

Seems like we are forgetting some common decency. Just because you can type it, maybe you don't always need to say it?

A promo video from back then! Such a fun watch 🙂

One option, that can be on the pricey side is the testing site at MCO. They do the rapid PCR tests that are acceptable for entry into Canada. You can book an appointment at www.mcocovidtest.com 

Lots of airlines send their passengers here if they turn up without a test. You can also make appointments at most CVS/Walgreens locations but you'll have to wait a day or two for your results. Hotels are reasonable in Orlando... Don't know why Don says a hotel would cost $200 a night? Well I mean you can spend that but there are lots of more reasonable options.

Interesting, I wonder what they consider "at home tests" the following article is about an at home test in which you do in front of a webcam and complete. It is acceptable for international travel back into the US. There are similar tests that are accepted for travel to Hawaii.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/abbott-at-home-covid-test/

I understand doing a test at home without anyone to verify the result... But the above and a number of other tests similar are acceptable for travel to and from the US.

Definitely interested in finding out what they decide for the September sailing. Still shocked they have not confirmed what their protocols are for September!

Had a September 4 sailing on hold from Port Canaveral as the Carnival website showed "all sailings of the Carnival Magic from August 7th" will be "fully vaccinated." I know their "fully vaccinated" means 95%. I reached out to their social team on FB and they mentioned they could not confirm if this sailing would be a "fully vaccinated cruise." Moved to the August 30th sailing in which it shows as a "fully vaccinated cruise," the sailing prior to the September sailing. When on the phone with customer service, even they were shocked they by now September has not been confirmed, this was over a week ago. Everyone I dealt with at Carnival customer service has been great!

Looking forward to our first ever Carnival, we know it is going to be different than our other cruises (Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess) but we just wanted to get back to sea as soon as we could! 

Working in aviation, especially during these times, I feel like Celebrity are using tactics the airlines are using. When airlines are not sure about a route they will be operating during a timeframe they will still sell tickets on the flight until they are sure they are pulling it or progressing with operating it. But during the time they are not sure, they will only sell the flight at "full price." This is because they know those who are booking are sure they need to travel and are comfortable with that fare. They are not trying to stimulate demand on the route and if they cancel it is easier to take care of these fewer passengers as they can be accommodated in most cases easily onto other flights, especially as they are paying full fare.

In the case of Celebrity they are selling at full fare, they know those who are booking right now are avid cruisers who want to return to the seas. They know that overall those who are booking now will likely choose to be re-accommodated on a later sailing versus full cancel.

Secondly, yes fares for cruises over 6 months out are also very high but for the short term I think they are still getting some reservations and that they are getting higher than average returns on these bookings. This is a way to show to their creditors that though revenues are down their returns on the bookings they are getting are higher.

I think once cruises return, prices will come down. Once their balance sheets look healthier with a steady income we shall see prices come down. It is all about supply and demand.

Now are other cruise lines using other tactics? Yes, they are. But I think we are still seeing more "full fare" cruises than deals. Again, once cruises return we shall see an improvement across the board.

When will cruising return? It is for us all to see. I am hoping sooner than later. This business is lucrative and successful. I do not think we are going to see the end of cruising but what I think may happen... mergers.

This is just my 2 cents! I am for sure ready to be on the seas again.

I am currently booked on Celebrity Infinity 5 night in April 2021. Just did an online chat and the response was they are still "reviewing their schedules" and nothing has been decided yet. That the guests will be the first to know.

If they stick to Cozumel as one of the ports, probably Costa Maya will be the alternative? Or possibly Grand Cayman? This was just my first thoughts. Hey, I would even take two seas days! 🙂

I guess they are just sharing the link that Cruise Critic referred to: https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5700/

Edit: the link is now dead, guessing it was a fraud! With CruiseCritic also sharing the link, hoping not too many people entered their details thinking it was legitimate.

Haha the amount of times I forget about the marketing wording and read it how I would like it to sound!

Reminder, right now the lowest fare does include the drink package! The up to $1,700 OBC is probably only if you book the highest suite on the ship. At that point do you really need that much OBC? Most cabins you will be lucky to get $25-$50 OBC.

However, there are some great deals on the 5 night cruises! The question is, are 5 nights enough? Also it will probably be on the Infinity, though a wonderful ship (in my opinion) she is "rough" around the edges. She was due for a full renovation but that is no longer scheduled in the foreseeable future.

Sure, right now have it in hold for $1,670 for two with taxes and fees with drink package and $50 obc

I just looked! Wow... $1,058 more (for two)! Costs more than Aquaclass (A1) and Concierge Class (C1). I got a deck 10 center vs the deck 8/7 left two. What I have on hold is less than an Infinite Veranda E5. Would you think that is a good deal?

Been keeping an eye on the sales! Right now it seems like there continues to be good deals. Really is up to the person "what a good deal is." Was hoping this month would see some good sales but they just extended. Maybe the next "big" sale for Spring 2021 will be around Thanksgiving.

Thanks everyone! Right now still have the 5 night booked but currently have a 7 night Apex in a SV on hold ... 

Question, cruise is departing the day before Easter Sunday. Do you think the ship may be over run with kids? Had a Princess Cruise a week before Easter (we got back on Easter Sunday) and it's not that the kids were the problem it was the ship was obviously at capacity/over and the crew just didn't seem to be able to handle it... The 5 night is leaving later and think it's far enough away from school holidays 

Hi all:

I recently booked a 5 night Infinity cruise but still wrestling with possibly changing to a 7 night Apex, thought I would get the opinions of CruiseCritic! Here is the info:

• 5 Night Western Caribbean - Infinity - Aquaclass A2
• 7 Night Western Caribbean - Apex - Infinite Veranda E4/E3 - +$500

Some other notes:

• Utilizing FCC, so pretty much paid off the 5 night Western
• Not too bothered about the ports, we have done Western Caribbean to tears
• Yes we could do another itinerary but the dates "work for now"
• We have sailed the Infinity before, loved her even though she is "rough around the edges"
• We do enjoy Blu (seems controversial, never had an issue getting food from main dining if we really wanted it)
• We know the Persian Garden on the Infinity is not that great
• Getting an A2 on the Apex would be another $1,200 (which to some may not be that bad but love a good deal!)
• Like the idea of the four main dining rooms on the Apex
• Of course we want to try the newest and best
• Have cruised on the current flagships of HAL and Princess, so possibly trying Celebrity to "fairly" compare?
• This would be our first cruise in two years! It pains me that it has been that long...

So CC Community, what would you do? haha. Part of the fun is the planning phase, at least for me!

Thanks!