DavidsNana

@Prometheus1 @kwokpot @Mike45LCand @Old Fart Cruisers thanks to all for your replies/information.  That makes things more clear to me.  I have never done one of these but am seriously thinking about it.  Your information is very much appreciated.

Hello, I am a newbie here on Carnival but have sailed them twice in the past.  I have been sailing Princess for years now.  I have been offered what I would call an entry level casino offer of up to a free balcony on certain sailings.  Of course, I have to pay a $200 deposit since I am a solo and port fees and taxes.  As I understand it, that $200 will be credited for either OBC or casino play.  Can you tell me which it is?  Also, when I find a cruise I want to take, will I get to choose the cabin I want within the category such as balcony, outside or inside?  Or will it be assigned to me and I have no choice.  I don't mind anywhere on the ship except far forward.  Just can't handle that.  Thank you very much for your help.

Thank you so very much for this "live from" review and pictures.  I always look forward to them and do hope that you continue.  I know it is a lot of work but we all enjoy them so much.  I'll never get to many of the places that you travel to and almost feel as if I am there through your reviews.

Thanks so much for this detailed and fun review.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  So glad that you had a fabulous time.

@2 to SeaThanks so much for this live from commentary and the pictures.  I can't wait to be able to reschedule our cancelled cruise and rebook on the Enchanted or another ship.  The first time we were in Costa Maya, we did the Native Choice tour of Chaachoben and also had David as one of our guides.  They do such a good job.  Glad you enjoyed everything about the cruise.

Thanks for doing this.  I will be following along.  My family and I were supposed to be on this sailing but much to our dismay, a health issue came up and we had to cancel.  Hope to do the Enchanted later this year or early next.

@talkorpi Thanks for this Live From report on the Enchanted.  I will be following with great interest.  My family and I were supposed to be sailing on the 4/27 sailing but alas, I have a return of cancer and required surgery.  Just out of the hospital and will really enjoy seeing what we missed this time but will surely be onboard at a later time.

Fabulous pictures.  Thanks so much.

Looking forward to your ongoing live review.  You guys sound like you are going to have a blast.

@KarmaCruisersSo sorry to hear this but it happens to the best of us, sometimes more than once!!  I found the love of my life after two divorces and we were together for 43 years before he passed.  I hope you reconsider not cruising again.  I have always really enjoyed your live from posts. I wish you happiness in the future, it takes awhile.  Take care of yourself.

@azbirdmomThanks so much.  This helps a lot.  My son and his fiance like their steaks medium well so that is something to consider.  I like mine medium but can do medium rare.  I am not too enamored with the thought of octopus but after reading other's comments, I would definitely try it.  It just looks so interesting to me.  My son is saying nope it is too expensive but heck, I think we should do it at least once!  I checked on the app and there are still reservations available.  I just found a website with the entire menu on it for his fiance, she is pretty picky but I think she would like most of it.  I'm thinking that seeing the menu she might just want to do it and then we could talk my son into it.  Thanks again.  If I can't talk them into it, then I'm going to do it by myself on a future cruise when I am solo.

@azbirdmomThinking of booking the 360 Experience for me, my son and his finance.  But if you don't mind, could you please tell me why he was underwhelmed while you enjoyed it?  Just curious as my son's finance and I are very interested but my son not so much.  Thank you.

Thanks for this "Live From".  I am not a big gambler but I have thoroughly enjoyed your style and candid report of this solo trip for you.  I have often wondered just how much and what it takes to get the good Casino Offers.   I also love the ones that you and your wife post when she is with you.  Hope you both can take advantage of that great offer and have a fabulous time.

Totally agree!!  Looks like cat food!  Very unappetizing.

@nbsjcruiserI feel your pain about Princess not notifying its passengers of port schedule changes ahead of time.  I have 2 cabins on Enchanted Princess for 4/27.  There have been some indications that we weren't going to dock at MB as there were none of the beach items to book on our excursion list such as the clamshells and snorkel gear etc.  Then someone on the cruise noticed that our day in Roatan had changed on the Mahagony Bay Port Schedule.  No word from Princess.  Frankly, I wish they would change us to docking at Coxen Hole as Mahagony Bay is so problematic with the wind and seas that one of the two cruises that I took last year bypassed due to winds.  Then both of them bypassed Costa Maya due to high winds and surf.  I'm just hoping that we are able to make all the ports on this cruise.  Actually, if we were to miss one, Belize would be my choice as it isn't my favorite port on this itinerary.

3 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Thank you!  That's the same one I was looking at but for whatever reason it wasn't showing the later dates.  I clicked the refresh link and it brought it up.  Good to see that the Enchanted is still on the schedule the 29th.

I think we are on the same sailing, 4/27 Enchanted.  My itinerary is still showing that we are to be in Costa Maya on 4/29 and Roatan on 5/1.  Has your itinerary on the website been updated to change the port order?  I see that the port schedule has Enchanted in Roatan on 4/29.  Have they changed the port order and not told us/me?  Fine with me as I really do not want to miss Roatan if possible but let us know so we can book independent excursions if we want.

Has anyone ever tried to do the Ultimate Balcony Dinner with more than two people in the newer ships that have the small balconies?  If so, how is it done?  Would love to do this but we have 3 people on the Enchanted in April and that balcony is pretty small.

Just now, Steelers36 said:

I have not done this for a while, but does the payment section allow you to put in name and billing address?  If not, it will be defaulting to the booking information and then the CC database check will fail and payment denied.

When reserving and coming to the payment screen, it automatically gives the person who's personalizer is being used, I used my son's, with all their information.  But no credit card info.  That must be filled in.  I tried changing it to my name and address etc and then my cc# and then tried leaving it with his info and using my cc# and it still rejected it no matter how I did it.

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

How about booking the excursion for them in their Cruise Personalizer and use your credit card to pay?

Tried that and kept saying that something was wrong with cc information and couldn't book.  I tried 2 different cc's and my paypal account and no go.  I was almost certain that it what I did last year, book on my son's personalizer and used my credit card.

I'm still using the old app until I have to change over.  Cruise not until 4/27.  Is there a way in the old app that I can give permission for my credit card to be used for pre cruise charges such as shore excursions for my son and his finance?  We are in separate cabins so separate booking numbers.  The CVP says that our bookings are linked.  I tried to book a shore excursion for them yesterday as there were only 4 spots left on it and I couldn't get the app or website to accept my cc.  I might be wrong but I thought I was able to book excursions for them on the website and it would take my credit card on our last cruise.

Too funny!  What a great sense of humor.

Oh boy , all this is making me nervous.  I have 2 cabins booked on the Enchanted for W. Caribbean for 4/27 out of FLL.  The itinerary is Costa Maya, Belize, Roatan and Cozumel.  The day we are to be in Roatan, the Carnival Mardi Gras is to be there with us.  We are to be there 7am-4pm and Mardi Gras 8am to 5 pm.  Mardi Gras holds over 6400 passengers.  I'm wondering if Princess is going to change us at the last minute.  I was on the excursions yesterday looking around and saw that there are none of the beach related stuff for MB like the clam shells etc. to book.  Just the outside excursions.  Since we are already going to Belize, if they change Roatan, I hope they can dock us at Coxen Hole and not just eliminate Roatan.  I'm not fond of Belize as it is and like Roatan.  We already have plans for Roatan for an independent excursion.

1 minute ago, SargassoPirate said:

I'll give it some thought.  I sort of unplug from the world/wifi when I cruise.  I mostly use my smartphone for a camera and to check in occasionally with SWMBO.

 

Did you follow the 2023 running review? 

Yes, and I really enjoyed it.  I can fully understand your unplugging on cruises.  Have a wonderful time.

@SargassoPirateSure hope that you will do a running review of your upcoming World Cruise.  Would love to follow.

@MissP22Looking forward to your review/comments on your Christmas sailing on the Enchanted as my family and I have 2 cabins booked on that ship for late April.  I know things can change in 3-4 months but all info is good info.  Always good to be prepared.