Oh Not Him Again

Having been on both the Fantasy class ships and the Dream class ships I would pick Elation for less crowds. Last year on the Breeze you had to arrive at any venue 45 mins to an Hour early to get a seat (main Theater, Comedy Club, thrill Theater, Dive in movies, etc.)

 

The Shows are pretty much the same with the Playlist productions so thats a wash.

 

The only thing going for the Magic is the extra day.

Agree Luke, the issue with the larger ships are the lines/crowds....If you want to see a Comedy show, you better be lined up 45 mins - 1 hr early. On the Elation, you can walk into the venue 5 mins before show time and find a seat....Now, you will always get the "newer/bigger cheerleader" who will say "oh, that isnt my experience", but read thru the threads and the majority of the cruisers will tell you that the issue with the newer/bigger ships are the crowds

Hello,

Family leaving Sunday on Carnival Conquest for 6 day Caribbean cruise.

I have android phone and wife/kids have iphone. ATT mobile share plan. I am looking to just be able to send and receive texts from my pet sitter back home in CT, but am confused by roaming, cellular, wifi, airplane mode, etc. I am not looking for data to watch videos, send emails, etc.

1. Can I send and receive texts with roaming and cellular off? I do have wifi calling on my phone.?

2. I read somewhere that ATT is .50/text to send and free to receive. If I do this, do I need to enable roaming?

3. Do I keep phone in airplane mode the entire cruise?

There is an internet plan, ATT has a cruise, talk ,and text for $50.00. If I chose that, would I still keep roaming off and airplane mode on?

 

 

Or for about $60.00 I could get Carnival Wifi plan---would I be able to receive and send texts through wifi?

 

 

My real dilemma is not knowing when to turn roaming on/off, airplane mode on/off, data on/off.

 

 

Thanks for any help you can suggest.

Do you have FB? Pet sitter have FB?....if so, sign up for the Social Internet Plan onboard and you can use FB Messenger to check in

Judging by your likes and dislikes, I'd skip Carnival.

Agree, i think Holland or Cunard would be geared more to the OP....Read a book, listen to a string quartet, finger sandwiches, in bed by 8 pm

Looks like FTTF is going to get alot more popular....Maybe that is the reason for the price hike. Take Dias/Plats out of the mix and make them line up to pay for it, I bet it will be a very hot commodity

My DW and I are thinking of taking a Carnival cruise. Are their any advice or tips you could share? We are used to Celebrity. What is Cheers? Im guessing a drink package?

Cost? Any discounts? Trying Carnival will we be disappointed? Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Cheers is a drink package that will run $51.95 + 15% gratuity....that will get you up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day and unlimited soda, water, powerades, milkshakes. If you purchase it on the ship its $5 more per day, so the discount is pre-purchasing prior to sailing. Dont listen to the dolts who spout "duhhhhhhhh, sail the newer ships" If you ask them "why", they will say "because its newer" :rolleyes:

More importantly, what are YOU looking for? Convenience for embarking? price? destination? Specialty restaurants?. The Sunshine hands down has the nicest Serenity Area (over 21 yrs old) in the fleet. Now, if you have young ones, the Serenity area wont be a concern of yours. i suggest going on the Carnival website and just play around with the different ships and places. Whatever one you choose, you will have a great time....Enjoy!!!!

Gourmet food definitely isn't a must -- I happen to like salad, veggies and fairly non-greasy protein so that's important to me. I think I have reasonable expectations for the buffet version of those.

 

And zero lines isn't a necessity, but when I read 45 minutes to an hour? That just isn't my personal preference.

 

I appreciate your comments and your Miracle recommendation.

I am glad you arent expecting gourmet food because you wont get it on any of the mass market cruise lines....Is the food good, absolutely. Its not gourmet (do not let any of the "cheerleaders" tell you it is, because it isnt) NO. Even in the specialty restaurants, (Steakhouse, Italian, Asian) the food is good, not great. Plenty of salad and fruit so if that is your thing, you will be fine. I havent been on the Miracle, but what I have found as a general rule is bigger ships, bigger crowds. Go look at the Vista threads, huge lines for the comedy shows and buffets. I tend to cruise the Fantasy class ships and depending on when you are cruising (if kids are out of school), there can be sometimes where there isnt a line for anything. Spring break, Summer time, Holidays, the ship will be more crowded. Enjoy!!!!

In the Caribbean I want a minimum of three sea days, and would prefer more.

5 Sea Days, 2 Days at HMC!!!!

Easy rule of thumb....sit down and figure out how much cash you will think you will need....got it....NOW DOUBLE IT!!!!

As far as luggage....pack your suitcase....once you have everything you will think you will need, now take 1/2 of the stuff out and leave it on your bed at home

Enjoy your cruise!!!!

If you do MTD. It’s faster, more like 60 minuts.

In regular MDR you enter at 5:30. and they don’t start until 6. Then the app lines in the kitchen so it takes time to get apps. Ect. MTD if you don’t go when it opens. Everyone is at a different point of there meals. So I am on apps and the table next to me is finishing up

If you had a set seating time of early seating and dinner is not until 6, why would you show up at 5:30? :confused:

i think they have that....MDR is for the full dining experience....if you want to "grab and go" because you may have something going on, there is room service or the buffet....i think Carnival should really designate this in their literature with something like "Please enjoy our MDR dining experience that will take 90-120 minutes". If time constraints dont allow this, please feel free to visit our buffet or utilize room service for this evening"

Because the majority of Carnival cruisers are smart enough to not spend 2-3 times as much money to sail with Mickey.

I dont know if its smarts or they can no where near afford it ....you can only get so much equity out of the double wide ;p

Then you must have a flying car! We are in Summerville, SC, 20 minutes north of downtown Charleston. It takes us about 30 minutes to get to I95 and then another 3.5 hours to Jacksonville.

To the OP: Charleston as a pre or post-cruise destination is very attractive (Charleston consistently ranks at the very top of places to visit and not just ion the US, but globally). I live 20 or so minutes from the port of Charleston but have no desire to sail on Ecstasy as that class of ships does nothing for me (worst cruise ever was on Fantasy when she was in Charleston, just blah) and I certainly would not pay a premium for it, but I do understand why it sails full and at higher fares than Elation.

From Charlotte, i make the Jax port in 5.5 hrs, door to door....To get to Charleston, it takes me about 4 hrs....Ergo, 90 more minutes for me coming down I95....that is without the wings extended ;p

Supply and Demand! You can drive about 3.5 hours more to Jacksonville and save several hundred dollar...

Its not nearly that far....Jax is only 90 mins south of Charleston on I95

Ordering an extra appetizer equates to this, seriously?]

Ordering an extra appetizer courteously with a smile is more than appropriate and acceptable. Ordering it with your attitude of “you work for me” is rude and condescending. If you can’t see the difference, that’s a YOU problem. Whomever your server is, they have my condolences

The Elation just got the 2.0 upgrades and brand new waterworks....it’s a great ship with a great crew

The Fantasy class is a great class of ship. Much less crowded than the larger ships

Glad most of us here are the 5% unlike you. But that's ok you don't feel this way. You see, some of our bosses actually told us we play an important role and have a unique set of skills at work. My boss actually pays for my internet package while I am on vacation so I can keep tabs on things and stay in touch with him while I am on the ship, something you obviously don't understand or have experienced first hand.

LOL, i can see you dont have a self esteem issue....I never said many of us arent good at our jobs or play an important role....That doesnt mean you arent expendable or replaceable. A "unique" skill set is subjective. I consider a neurosurgeon as a "unique skill set". A middle manager at a corporation can be excellent at their job, doesnt mean they arent expendable or replaceable

 

 

 

 

 

Being complacent and over confident at work are a bad thing. If someone can just step in and take over while you are gone, you clearly are expendable and replaceable at your work place.

Let you in on a little secret....about 95% of the workforce is expendable and replaceable. There are way to many people who think "they cant get along without me and what i do"....guess what, that person usually is not that important (y)

"I don't want to be a problem for the wait staff." seriously? they work for you

With that attitude, you must be an absolute joy to serve :')

Just a FYI, most tables are very close together, so even if you are at a 2 top, its almost like being at a table with others.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, TELL ME IT AINT SO!!!!!!!!!!

You mean i am actually going to have to sit in close proximity with strangers and may have to say hello to them and i wont be in my little bubble with my lovey-dovey spouse and people will see me make goo goo eyes at my spouse....this is horrible!!!!

(Yes, my post is loaded with sarcasm. I feel i have to point that out to the dense people here....the post is for the subset of people who have this thing against "strangers" on a cruise ship) :rolleyes:

Yes if compared to something like they did to the Destiny. I guess you've recently been on it.

i have been on the Elation both prior to and after the upgrades. Even prior to the 2.0, she was no where near "worn out". Now after the upgrades, worn out doesnt remotely apply to that....Now you do have the subset of cruisers that only said "newer and bigger" ships. You can ask them why, but they dont know. All they know is "we sail the newer and bigger ships". My point is just because a ship is 20 yrs old, doesnt mean its "worn out"

Yes, I've been on it. It was not rebuilt, just simple upgrades.

I didnt say it was rebuilt. It received upgrades to rooms, balcony cabins, new restaurants and bars....does that constitute "simple"?

Elation from Jacksonville is just as bad as Charleston. No other ships to compete with. My brother booked the Elation for a 7 day in an OV and paid the same price I did to sail in a Balcony on the Oasis for the same amount of days. Oasis class with RC or a 20+ year old worn out CCL ship for same price? Shouldn't be a hard decision.

You have been on the Elation? The Elation just came out of drydock with 2.0 Upgrades, so how is it "worn out"? :confused:

Like Tears for Fears sang years ago "Everybody wants to rule the World" You really think you should dictate how others manage their trips. SMH

Dictate, no....Just a recommendation....work will be there when you get back.....since we are quoting song titles, i want to tell these people to be more like Elsa and "Let It Go, Let It Go"....put down the laptop and go enjoy your cruise ;)

A 5:30 excursion return is plenty of time to make a 6 pm dinner. Just don't plan on a shower or anything, just go as you are.

 

 

 

It seems very unlikely that an excursion coming back that late would arrive even later.

I am sure the other diners at your table would appreciate the sweet smell of your lack of hygiene. But hey, you just gotta be there for feed time, right? [emoji849]

These type of people are the idiots. There have been many posters on different Cheers threads that bemoan the fact that they will not get their monies worth on a port day. If you're back on board by five and stay up till 1230 am, you can still get 10 drinks in at a 45 minute interval. Even if it's all beer, you're ahead of the game and if it's mixed, you're way ahead of the game. You only need 5 drinks from Alchemy Bar to be on the positive side. And a 45 minute interval is not slamming drinks down.

Thats what I meant by my immaturity post earlier. Are people so fixated on getting their money’s worth? What if you don’t get your monies worth? Is that ok. I mean can you get Cheers and only have say 3 drinks in a day, is that ok or is the mindset of “I don’t want another drink but I need to get my monies worth” [emoji849]