kwokpot

Just remember the design of the Venezia doesn't remotely look like any Carnival Vista class ship. Tbh it looks more like the Venetian Las Vegas casino and hotel than anything Carnival designs.

The Martini Bar is the closest bar and it's not too far and the buzzer works there. The drink service varies from each dining room but for the most part good. We did have one night that I had to call for the sommelier since they didn't come over on their own accord.

The on and off rain squalls that's been going on all morning and right now as I type this message.

*In acknowledgement to another CC thread, Silent Disco was a fun event held in the Grand Plaza. It was well attended with people with headphones on all levels around the Grand Plaza and there were plenty of headphones for everyone. *Craft Social is a nicely designed space that resembles a fancy private home living room or family room. Unfortunately it's too small of a space for a ship this size. There are many expensive homes with living rooms or family rooms larger than Craft Social. We have the World Series going on now - GO Phillies!!! - and people are spilling out into the walkways to watch the game. *The gym seems the same as the other two ships. It's bright and has all the necessary equipment. Great forward views but the windows that allow for the beautiful views also allows the sun to heat up the gym. It's been a bit warm in here, they need to increase the AC.

This is my fifth E-class sailing, having sailed on the Edge 3x and Apex 1x. Some observations. * The ship continues the modern design aesthetic of it's predecessors and is stunningly beautiful with it's grey and taupe color scheme. *The IV cabin (4th time in one) is a great variation to an ocean view cabin. We enjoy leaving the folding doors open to enhance the size and light into the cabin. The speed and noise of the window is a red herring/non-event. I can confirm the AC shuts off with the window down and the bifold doors closed. It is not a balcony cabin in any way, shape or form. *The expanded rooftop garden is a beautiful space as is the Newly resigned Sunset bar with it's multilevel seating areas. *The main pool deck does have newly created seating areas. *There's a major change in the Oceanview Cafe/buffet. The self service beverage station that was to the right of the main walkway was moved to the left and faces the buffet stations. There are new high top tables on the left of the main walkway (the relocated beverage station is on the other side of these tables). There's a new bar in the rear of the buffet adjacent to the pizza area. *There's something missing on Deck 4 in-between the Cosmopolitan and Cypress restaurants. It's a very large space that's probably meant for either a sculpture or seating but now it's just two sets of two easy chairs which are woefully out of scale and doesn't provide enough seating for waiting diners of the new open-seating arrangement of the restaurants. *The Grand Plaza is definitely the heart of the ship. It is full of energy and yes gets noisy and crowded. That is the intention of it's design. It was never meant to be a library quiet place. One can go to Eden and find wonderful, private nooks and crannies to read, enjoy music through your headphones, chat, nap. * The show Arte in the Theater is the most impressive cruiseship specific show I've ever seen. While the individual elements, the singers and dancers, acrobatics, music, and video backgrounds are not new , the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. All the individual elements for the first time really jelled together to form something spectacular. The best number? Their rendition of Purple rain. Just WOW! * Service is indeed challenged on the ship. There are many wonderful and professional employees who are exemplify the Celebrity standard but there are many who are obviously new and in training. *The locker rooms in the Spa have added additional lockers and according to the Spa hosts they are open to be used to by all guests whether you have a thermal suit pass or not. *Daily spa pass costs $82. I'll add more thoughts as the days go by. Overall having a great time!

It doesn't matter what your reservation says, it said that for everyone that chose it pre cruise. But at least on the Beyond that option no longer exists.

To answer your question directly you would have to order one drink from your card and then wait 15 mins or so and order the second drink from another bar.

The only thing I can assume is he has a drink package from his casino status.

Waited 10 minutes for a table for four at 6:50 in Tuscan tonight.

7 & 9

I think you need to articulate what you're looking for in a cruise vacation. Do you enjoy using water slides and rock climbing walls? Do you want to participate in big deck parties? What type of cabin do you like to stay in? Do you spend a lot of time in your cabin? Do you like to spend time in various bars? How important is the dining room food to you? Do you like going to the buffet? Do you enjoy a sophisticated cruiseship setting or do you prefer a more casual, laid-back cruise vacation? The answers to these questions might reveal whether Carnival is a good fit or other lines such as Royal or Celebrity might be better options.

Day 2 dinner. My parents went to dinner at 6pm and tried to get seated right away. Nope, buzzer would be given, about 30 mins. They asked if there any other dining room. Was told no, but if you want to sit with others we can seat you now (they were at Tuscan) as they were walking to the shared table my dad spotted an empty table for two and said I want to sit here alone. The waiter for that table just happened to be there and overheard my dad ask to be seated there. The waiter chimed in to the escorting host, that's fine, let them sit there. So they did. They enjoyed the service much better than the previous first night. When they were leaving the dining room my mom asked how they can be assured to get a table right away. She was told to queue up at 5:15 before the 5:30 opening time and they should be seated when the dining room opens.

Same experience. We're in an IV cabin and it creaks. In smooth waters.

If I were you I would go into the cruise planner and see if you can actually make reservations for each night in the dining room and time you want. If you can, it means that the same changes are going to be implemented on all E-class ships. This way you'll be protected

The issue is that they only allocate 40% of capacity to precruise reservations. If the times you want are all booked up then you have no choice but to walk-up.

I don't think it's a short term change. When we spoke to the dining reservations host she was very clear that although the Edge and Apex has early and late fixed seating the Beyond does not. The problem is communication. There was no communication in the cabin about this change. Even when my parents inquired at Guest Relations the way it was explained is 'we don't have that on this ship. You just go to any dining room you want whenever you want.' We thought my elderly parents were confused by what was told to them which is why we asked this morning at breakfast for clarification. It wasn't presented as, 'We understand that you had booked a fixed Early Dining option but since you booked we have made changes on this ship and no longer offer this option.' That statement acknowledges what the guest presumed they were getting but there were subsequent changes. The current explanation is just flatly we don't have that.

For people following this review just be aware Beyond no longer offers fixed early or late seating in any of the 4main restaurants. It doesn't matter what you chose as your dining preference precruise. The ship is 100% Select anytime dining. It was explained that 40% of each dining room is allocated to precruise reservations, the remaining 60% for walk-ins. This would explain way there have been posts on CC of people choosing fixed early or late set seating but able to make whole cruise reservations in whatever dining room they wanted.

Exactly. It was explained that 40% of each dining room is allocated to precruise reservations, the remaining 60% for walk-ins.

Bottom line: the Beyond no longer offers fixed early or late dining with an assigned table for the whole cruise. It doesn't matter what you booked as a dining preference, the 4 MDRs are 100% open seating.

Just a heads up. I'm currently on the Beyond and the latest E-class ship no longer offers fixed early or late dining for dinner. REGARDLESS of what you choose when you book your cruise on the Beyond the four main dining rooms are TOTALLY OPEN SEATING. YOU WILL NOT BE ASSIGNED A WHOLE CRUISE TABLE. My parents had their TA give them Early Dining. Having previously sailed on the Edge and Apex, we knew that there would be a card in the cabin assigning them to a dining room. There was no card which we thought was an oversight. They went to one of the dining rooms to find out which one they were assigned to. That's when they were told of the change on the Beyond vs Edge and Apex. We just confirmed the change this morning to confirm what my parents were told. For anyone sailing on the Beyond REGARDLESS of what you think you chose for dinner it would behoove you to make reservations ahead of your cruise. There was very, very poor communication of this policy change and it will result in many upset customers.

Thank you Unfortunately the fog rolled in right when we are suppose to sailaway so authorities nixed the Statue 🗽 cruise by for safety reasons. We're sailing away now. The Tear Drop Memorial was visible from the ship.

Apologies for the sidebar/OT post. When we were originally going by ourselves from Philly we were going to drive to Newark and park long term parking and then take a taxi to the Port, then fly back to Newark. Now with my Parents from LI,Dad who's 93(yesterday's birthday 🎂) and mom who's 84, we decided not to drive ourselves. We did get a quote from a LI Chinese owned car service of $190 which is why I suggested Uber/Lyft. Lesson learned.

Booo. The fog rolled in and Statue 🗽 cruise by cancelled. 😥

We knew this was an issue when we previously took an Uber from Philly to South Jersey for a car repair. The time was only 20 minutes which is probably why the driver didn't mind (vs our current ride which is 2 hours) but we did have a discussion with the Uber driver about this issue of interstate rides. So for instance the same issue would apply for an Uber driver in Manhattan taking a ride from a Manhattan hotel to Newark airport. They wouldn't be able to take a return fare from Newark back into Manhattan.

I'll try to make it!