eileen2664

I wish I could believe that but since they also said they were restarting in April and again in May I'm trigger shy (not saying it's their fault of course).  I really want to rebook in July since our April, then June, cruises were cancelled but holding off for now.

6 minutes ago, quattrohead said:

We are all talking and nothing is happening just yet.

BTW checked on SWA this morning and they are not flying to any of the Caribbean until June 28th at this point in time, so I doubt there is any chance of a cruise ship visiting either.

Might just be a SWA thing, or perhaps an originating airport thing.  I just looked on Kayak and was able to find flights from Cleveland to Honduras, Cozumel and Grand Cayman in early June.  Not saying that's indicative of whether there will be cruises then or not, just that the airports appear to be open in those places.

1 minute ago, UrbishN said:

I have one booked out of Galveston on June 6. Mine is much less now as well . My understanding is they apply the difference in obc . Not sure if that is lost if they cancel if you are past final payment . You may want to ask your agent first if you already paid in full 

How are y'all even seeing these?  We're booked on 6/20 out of Galveston (Vista) and it's no longer showing up, in fact there nothing prior to 6/27 showing for any port.  We have one couple in our party that couldn't rebook when the rest did (she works in healthcare are there were more pressing issues than approving vacation time), trying to find a way to get them on the ship with us (assuming we go, which is looking pretty unlikely nowadays).

4 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I think it is safe to say the chances of this virus spreading are significantly higher when people spend days to weeks together on a cruise ship, as opposed to spending minutes to hours together on other means of transportation. 

I'm not sure I agree (keep in mind I'm a layman, I have no background in medicine/epidemiology so I'm probably underthinking this).  Take patient X, he goes on a cruise unknowingly sick.  Throughout the course of 7 days he crosses paths with many people, no doubt, but the number of people he comes in contact with is limited to however many are on the ship....let's say 4,000 plus a few in ports.  But they also see many of these people many times over....from all reports (I've not yet cruised....someday, maybe, if we're ever allowed to leave our houses) room stewards, bar staff, and dining room servers all recognize cruisers.  These people could be key in saying "Mr. Smith, you seem to be coughing a lot more today than yesterday, why don't you visit the clinic just in case".

Patient Y, also unknowingly sick, decides to take a week long land trip.  He flies from LA to Orlando/Disney World with a 3 hour layover in Chicago.  Between his flights, buses, multiple theme parks, hotels, restaurants, etc I'd venture to say he has crossed paths with FAR more than 4-5,000 people.  Also keep in mind that all those various places have a variety of cleaning standards (while cruises have 1 level of standards, which in theory should be quite high).  Also, most of the people patient Y comes in contact with are for short visits, they wouldn't necessarily notice if he was coughing a lot or looked ill and if they did notice would they/could they do anything?

Now the difference is that when patient Y gets sicker the hospital is accessible whereas patient X is stuck in the middle of the ocean.  That is the part that should be the focus IMO.  How to effectively quarantine these people and, if necessary, get them off the ship to get the care they need.

This doesn't sound good 😞

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/index.html

7 hours ago, UGACamper said:

Here's more speculation, but what if they pulled the bookings so the first few sailings are not at capacity to "comply" with recommendations? I use those terms loosely.

I'm starting to regain a smidge of hope (we're booked for 6/20 out of Galveston, rebooked from 4/4) and thinking *maybe* this could explain it.  There are some, albeit very few, cruises available throughout June; though many are at the tail end of the month, not all are.  There appears to be no rhyme or reason to the what's available or not though most are short 3-4-5 dayers they are from various US ports.  Also, there's been no new cancellations announced this week, from Carnival or anyone else.  It's a longshot, I know, but maybe they're not ready to cancel June quite yet.

1 hour ago, Elaine5715 said:

My PVP told me everyone on the booking needs to be on the new cruise to get the FCC and OBC.  I wanted to rebook minus one person in the cabin and she said then I would need to take the refund

Our initial cruise was supposed to start 4/4 but we just rescheduled for 6/20 (crossing everything possible that it doesn't get cancelled).  We had multiple cabins and were booked thru a big box store, had no problem w/ having one person in one of the cabins take the refund instead of the FCC.  They issued a refund for him, used the FCC for the other two and ended up paying a difference of like $2.  The OBC is showing up as well. 

1 hour ago, clo said:

That might be optimistic. Maybe Summer 2021. I just saw that the MGM Resorts in Vegas are closed til at least May 1. Reopening a hotel has got to be a lot easier than a cruise line. I especially think about the ports that have closed and may be n no hurry to reopen.

Yes I’m optimistic. These kids on our trip need something to be optimistic about. Their senior year went to crap...spring break? Cancelled. Spring sports? Postponed indefinitely. Competitions? Cancelled. Prom? Unlikely. Graduation? Big question mark. 
 

so, yeah, we’re being optimistic and re-planning our “spring trip” in late June. We’re hopeful that we can we can bring some joy into an other spectacularly sucky end to their high school careers. And if we need to postpone again then I guess we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. 

We would have been (and will eventually be) new cruisers.  We had a group of 7 HS seniors, 4 sets of parents and 1 younger brother ready to go 4/4.  Clearly that isn't happening 😭.  There were a couple of prior cruisers in the group but 12 of us had never cruised before.  With the exception of 1 teen, we are rescheduling for this summer 🤞  None of us are scared to cruise, many of us aren't sure we'll ever do it again, we're kinda doing it b/c our kids want to, but we're not afraid to go and who knows maybe we'll love it and make it a regular vacation option.

Looking for opinions:

Our spring break (4/4) cruise was obviously cancelled, we're looking to rebook in late June and we're cautiously optimistic that ships will be sailing again by then.  The concern isn't so much if Carnival cancels, but what if we need to cancel......the only reason we would is if our school district moves graduation (we're a group of 6 seniors and some of their parents) from mid-May to late June.  We don't really think it will happen, but what if?  What is the cancellation policy when booking with FCC?

I'm wondering the same thing.... 15 out of 16 in our Senior Trip group are working to rebook, the last one hasn't decided if he can make it work.  He was in a cabin with 3 we're trying to figure out if we can switch him out or if that cabin needs to cancel, get the refund and rebook (of course not getting the 600 OBC).

I understand.  While my 9yo will wear things (begrudgingly) other than gym shorts, the other day, when I made him try on his dockers-style shorts and broke the news that he'd have to dress for dinner each night he was so confused and basically gave me a "what the heck" look 😆 he'll survive it.  I'm only forcing the issue halfway....I'm taking nicer, plain (non screen printed) tshirts for him to wear on non-formal nights.  Not quite as casual of his usual uniform of a fortnite tee and basketball shorts but not so stuffy he'll give too much grief.  FWIW, I have no idea how people dress, we're first-timers.

We're the type of people that put everything on a credit card and pay it off at the end of the month.  We don't even have debit/ATM cards, so we need to make sure we have enough cash without carrying around thousands in small bills.  Assuming we pay everything in advance and/or charge it to the credit card....how much actual cold hard cash do we need?  Family of 4 (9yo and 18 yo kids the oldest will in separate stateroom w/a friend), 7 night cruise, 3 ports (Montego Bay: all inclusive resort thru Carnival; Grand Cayman: snorkel w/ 3rd party company can pay with credit; Cozumel: winging it).  We're not heavy gamblers (though I assume dh will visit the casino at least once), not heavy shoppers (we'll pick up some vanilla and maybe a few odds and ends but no expensive jewelry).

7 hours ago, Pyxie said:

Don't approach it from a "I have to get my drinks in" goal. This is the same attitude I take with the Disney Dining Plan at their parks. Of course the plan is slated in Disney's favor and you are likely paying for way more food than you can eat, but the benefit is being able to enjoy your vacation without worrying about additional food cost. Same thing with Cheers. Now this is a benefit to some and to others, it doesn't make sense. That's fine. But consider it paying for convenience instead of actually saving money.

Thank you.  That's the way we've decided to look at it for our upcoming first cruise too.  Between dh and I we'll probably break even.  We could save money by ordering a bottle, taking on soda, drinking tap water instead of bottled, etc. but that all sounds like a hassle to us.  I figure if we don't quite break even then the extra cost we'll just call a "convenience fee".

FWIW we always get the Disney Dining Plan (even the deluxe plan on occasion) too because packing sandwiches or eating burgers all week just isn't the way we choose to vacation.  I know some people say to just buy gift cards and "prepay" that way but I know myself and I'd spend my week ordering the sirloin instead of the filet I want to try just to save a few bucks (not that that few bucks would make or break us, its an unconscious thing).

7 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

No, I’m guessing that wouldn’t apply ......

That was my guess too, but the "Best Price Guarantee" note is there on the page for the airport transfers so that's why I thought I'd check here before I just assumed.

Has anyone ever used Carnival's Price Guarantee for the pre/post-cruise aiport transfer?  Their prices are way more expensive than other shuttles (not Uber, we have 5 travelers so that's not any cheaper).

I just sent my renewal in but did new passports for my kids.  Applied at post office/mailed on 12/28 and got them back Monday.  So right around 4 weeks, even with the holidays in there.

Oh, this brings up an interesting point I hadn't considered.  What would everyone do in this situation: we're sailing with multiple 18 year olds in cabins with their friends (some of the parents will also be onboard, but 3 are cruising parent-free).  Each teen has $50 OBC from the travel agent we booked thru.  They'll likely be using debit cards without hefty bank accounts, gratuities excursions, etc will be prepaid.  I can't imagine they'll spend much more than the occasional milkshake, small souvenir, maybe slots if they get a wild hare but I'd say that's unlikely with this group. 

Would you recommend they purchase gift cards in advance and just use those for their S&S deposit? If so, how much?

3 hours ago, purplephenom said:

I think the piano bar is also 18+ after a certain time.  But, I don't think they card there- just announce/ask if people are 18.

 

It really depends what your group wants to do at night.  If the 18 year olds really want to go to the night club/casino/comedy, and one of the group isn't allowed, it could cause some issues among your group.  If they're likely to end up at the pool, wandering the ship, eating pizza, and just fooling around, that's probably less of an issue for you. 

I"m told she'll be fine if she can't do the night stuff; while some of the others might want to do it a couple won't so she won't be alone regardless.

Boy this took a turn.  I have no intention of getting written permission from each parent for their ADULT children to drink somewhere where it's LEGAL to do so.  I will make it clear to the parents that we will be at locations where the drinking age is 18, if they have concerns about that they should talk to their children.  We will be nearby (at the same excursion) and help keep an eye on things but our concern is safety, not micromanaging them.  We won't knowingly allow them to get plastered, we won't buy drinks for them or encourage them to drink or do anything they're uncomfortable with. I'm sure that some (if not all) of these kids have drank before.....not in excess to my knowledge but knowing their parents and knowing the kids I'd say it's pretty likely they've had a beer or two in their lives.  These kids are mere months away from launching into adulthood; be it college or full-time employment; they deserve a little trust on vacation.

The only written permission I'll be getting will be to take the 17yo out of the country and to allow emergency medical consent if necessary.

7 hours ago, jdemps said:

Is there a reason you need to cruise from Galveston?  New Orleans is another option in that same general area.  NOLA airport is only about 30 minutes from port area where Galveston is at least an hour depending on time of day and which airport you are using.  That travel time might make the difference of $200 or more for a group that size if you choose taxi/uber or maybe even shuttles. 

 

Also, the cheers package works out of NOLA on first day/night of cruise but it doesn't out of Galveston due to laws.  I just wanted to be sure you knew about that since we always spend more on booze on day 1 and having to pay drink for drink might add up really quick!

 

Good Luck with your cruise planning.

We looked at NOLA (we’re coming from MI so actual port isn’t all that important). But the schedule didn’t work for us. We have to set sail on Saturday so they miss little to no school Friday and are home before Easter. The kids prefer a 7day since the cost (once you figure in airfare and such) is only a couple hundred $ over a 5day. 

Thank you for your suggestion though. And I do know about the cheers program delay on sailing from TX, it’s a bummer but I can control my spending/drinking for 18ish hours. 😉

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Serenity is 21 and older.  Earlier this year we met a couple on Horizon who had a 17 year old daughter who  we hung out with a lot on the cruise. We went to Serenity almost every day on the cruise and no one ever said anything about the 17 year old who was in the Serenity area every day with us. However, she was very quiet and didn’t bring any attention her way. However, every time she tried to go to an adult comedy show with us they checked her age at the door and wouldn’t let her into the lounge. After being turned away for the 3rd time, she didn’t try any more. 

I'm gonna keep the Serenity deck our little secret 😉  I don't think a single 17yo with her parents is a problem and wouldn't even get a raised eyebrow from me.....but a group of 7 teens, even the best behaved teens, are pretty likely to disturb the "Serenity" vibe.

It's a bummer that she was turned away from the comedy club though.  Really, I imagine most teens today have seen/heard much worse than an adult comedy show; but thank you for the info!  I will warn the 17yo that she's likely to get turned away so if she tries to attend she should be prepared.

2 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

The 17 year old cannot go to the casino, where as the 18 year olds can. As for the Serenity Deck, I’m not sure if the age for that area is 18 or 21. If 21, none of them can go there. Please be careful when ashore, as kids will get served alcohol in bars. Also, not sure what itinerary you are choosing, but always use caution when ashore in some islands, such as Belize. Human trafficking is a problem there, and my 21 year old granddaughter had an issue there with a stranger that she and her BF met in a bar. I won’t go into it, but I’ll say she got lucky, as police arrived in time. 

I have traveled with large groups before, and the one time we all flew together and needed transportation together, we booked a shuttle. Try Viator to book a private shuttle for just your group. As for when on the islands, just have everyone book the cruise excursions they choose, as transportation will be provided. Since you are all newbies, pick only cruise line sponsored excursions, for safety reasons. If you are late returning to your ship, a cruise line sponsored excursion will wait for you. The ship will not wait for you if late on a private tour company. They can promise and guarantee all they want, but things happen. Then you, and your group, are stuck on an island as your ship sails away.

So glad your granddaughter is ok, that sounds very scary!  I've already warned the kids that while on the ship they can pretty much do anything except jump ship, they're gonna have a very short leash in ports (ie: within eyesight at all times).  We don't go to Belize, but we do go to Montego Bay which I'm not sure is much better.  I don't care if they drink though; I don't want them to get to the point of drunk but they're all looking forward to being able to order a beer or frozen drink and I'm fine with that (it took me 18 years, but according to my son I'm the cool mom....since it'll be legal I'll continue to be cool in the Caribbean too 😉 )

2 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

Now, as for the picky eater. There is so much food on a cruise ship, I bet he’d find something. The MDR does have a kids menu with kids favorites, and there is pizza available 24 hours a day. Not sure about whole milk. You may have to settle for 2%. It has less fat, but still a lot of protein. Does he eat Greek yogurt? That’s loaded with protein, and I know they have that. And there’s always plenty of ice cream—LOL! I can’t believe you won’t find anything he’d like to eat. My kids from our generation were raised to eat what’s in front of them, or they didn’t eat at all. Solved any issues with picky eaters, as soon as their belly’s were rumbling! LOL! I wouldn’t worry so much, mom. Go, and enjoy yourself. Everything will work out fine. 

This kid's picky eating would astound you....they say kids won't starve themselves, but I disagree, he would.  I was one of those "if they're hungry enough they'll eat it" people before him.... he changed that.  If they have milk, plain noodles/rice/bread/cereal and fruit he'll survive.  He will eat ice cream....only vanilla though and I'm not completely sure he'll eat the softserve kind (I assume that's what they have); haven't tried Greek yogurt in awhile he will eat some regular yogurts though so maybe.

28 minutes ago, MEUB1112 said:

How soon should we book?  I assume the sooner the better since we're probably already behind the 8 ball here, right?  

 

Book as soon as possible. It will allow more options for cabin type, location, etc. Beware, as this is your first cruise, you may get hooked on cruising. We did. Have Fun!!

I'm ok with that 😉  My hope is that my husband (who really isn't looking forward to this trip; would prefer a different cruiseline) likes it enough to go on more.  🤞

3 minutes ago, MamaBraz said:

I may have missed it in your original post.  What port are you sailing from?  That would help my advice.

No, you didn't miss it, I didn't put it there, sorry!  We're sailing out of Galveston. We'll fly in the night before and likely stay near the airport (hotels near the port are pretty pricey).