PhillyFan33579

Could you go into more detail about this process? 😊 Very informative post.

I am dying to break news that cruises are resuming from US ports.

Carnival isn’t doing anything differently than other cruise lines. I have received countless e-mails from RCI and Celebrity trying to sell stuff for cruises I have (or had) booked with these cruise lines.

Hopefully it is a simple change, but like Saint Greg mentioned, there is the possibility the cruise is at it’s maximum capacity.

You might be waiting a long time. Everything I have read and heard about vaccines at work (I work in the medical field) indicates initial vaccines are likely to be more like flu vaccines. It will take years, if not longer or possibly never, for a vaccine to be developed that will eradicate this virus. In the mean time COViD guidelines like social distancing and wearing masks are likely to be with us for a long time. However, guidance like these will likely also change over time as scientists, doctors, etc. learn more about this virus.

Understand, since I get these offers all the time. However, most of the upsell offers I get, especially the ones by e-mail, are never that good. I have gotten several good upsell offers over the phone that I have purchased over the last several years. I think the previous poster has a good idea in theory, but I don’t think it should go to the extreme of upselling from an interior cabin to a balcony cabin for around $200.

I think from a business perspective, this would not be a good idea. If word got out that Carnival was upselling passengers in interior cabins to balconies for $200 you would have a lot of upset passengers who paid significantly more for balconies, plus you could create an environment where people started booking interior cabins if they knew this became a standard practice, which in the long run could result in less revenue from bookings.

I haven’t priced cruises lately but in my opinion RCI offers a lot more value even when their fares are significantly higher than Carnival. If Carnival cruises are similar in price to RCI cruises like you stated, it is a no brainer in my book to book RCI. My loyalty level is much higher on Carnival, but Carnival is no longer my preferred cruise line. Carnival can’t compete with what RCI ships offer. Since I have been to most ports in the Caribbean multiple times, the ship is more important to me than the itinerary/ports.

A lot depends on your situation and your cabin. If you are currently booked alone, it should be simple to add a second person to your cabin since you already paid for two people. If you currently booked a cabin for two people and want to add a third person, there has to be a cabin available that allows three people. Without knowing the specifics of your situation it’s hard to give you a decent answer.

So now you work for Carnival? 😊

Since this thread is 2.5 years old, I think it is safe to say the OP’s cruise in question took place a long time ago.

I wouldn’t spend 5 minutes at any facility that didn’t enforce social distancing and mask rules. To me you are just as guilty if you spent the weekend there after observing the behavior you mentioned. We have been to Disney World multiple times since it reopened. They strictly enforce wearing a mask at all times when you are moving. Even if you have a drink or food in your hand, you have to wear a mask unless you are stationary. I think cruise lines will have no problem enforcing any COVID related rules, although this goes against Carnival’s fun for all, free for all culture.

I still find it interesting that Royal and Norwegian got together for this and didn’t include Carnival. I wonder if Carnival wasn’t invited or if they simply decided to do their own thing.

I hope cruising resumes from US ports by next May, although I am not overly optimistic. However, I think it is safe to say the chances of things being back to normal by then are close to zero percent.

I just tried to book cruises on several ships in November and December and didn’t have any issues up to the payment screen, which is where I stopped.