UpstateCruizer

Exactly! If you opt to use only your credit and save your spouses the OBC is calculated on the base fare for just passenger. The best way to maximize the credit is to use it on a cruise that costs more such as Alaska or Hawaii or one of the international sailings. Some people splurge and get a higher category cabin on the ship as well. If you have always wanted to try a suite you will get more back in OBC.

The Red Frog Pub no longer sells food in the pub.

I totally agree with this. However my most recent cruise 11/26-12/3 left me wondering if the decline in food quality is going to result in higher revenue from paid venues. I mean some of the most basic menu items were absolutely awful and that was with the new menus! Luckily we have cruised so often that food isn’t a deal breaker for me.

They stopped using them because they were being thrown in with the food waste and not being separated. That’s on them for not following proper procedures and dumping them into the ocean! If I bring a straw in the ship and toss it away in my cabin trash there’s no risk of it making it into the ocean!

Cruisers who focus on the negative! I don’t have a pet peeve other than I’m not on a ship right now!

Is the $36.95 for the souvenir fishbowl that you get to keep? I can’t find the refill prices shown anywhere on the new bar menu.

We use cash in all the ports but never carry a wad of cash. We do have a credit card with us as a back up though. Last cruise we were in Nassau and the Pirate Brewery we stopped at informed us they no longer accept cash. It wasn’t a big deal but they had said it’s becoming an issue to accept cash.

You can request that your bookings be linked. My PVP links all of the bookings together so when we make reservations we are all shown together. It gives us the option to select who will be dining together in case someone wants to dine elsewhere.

In most cases unless it’s a question that is exclusive to John there’s no reason why a PVP or travel agent can’t answer it.

If you won $50 it’s not casino cash (unless they changed it in the last month). I thought I had won the $30 casino cash once and it didn’t show up on my free play. The casino didn’t have me on their list so they sent me to guest services. Imagine my surprise when I found out I had won $50 in cash. It was added to my sign and sail card but I didn’t realize it until they checked my actual account. The casino cash is usually $30 so perhaps you have the $50 on your card already. The casino has a sheet they can check for you.

You can ask for anything on the list and not add the pasta. They are very accommodating!

The easiest way to do this is to go to guest services and get keys for the rooms that are being switched. We do it all the time with no issues.

Yes, call room service and ask them if they can send cookies instead of the platinum strawberries. They usually say yes but they will be delivered that evening. Chocolate chip cookies and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies have been sent each time we’ve asked.

They will gladly send cookies instead of strawberries. The cookies are much better!

As a Diamond I see how many people have also reached this level. When we first started cruising there were usually a dozen Platinum cruisers. I was so excited to reach that level. Diamonds were rare with one or two at the parties. Now the Diamond level parties have been held in the main dining room as a luncheon for the past several cruises I’ve been on. I do agree that there should be something extra for those that have reached double Diamond etc. A complimentary meal in one of the specialty restaurants would be a nice gesture. However many of the seasoned cruisers are already receiving casino comps and perks so they may not be interested in that.

You can always ask but they may have you fill out a new slip. I asked if they had a smaller sized Fundertots so our table could “sample” them. The girl was hesitant but then handed me a new slip to circle them on. I’m guessing they aren’t supposed to allow it.

Platinum & Diamond are back to the normal boarding process. You still select a time but you do not have to wait for your boarding time to arrive. Last week they were strict about Diamonds only in the Diamond lounge. Friends we traveled with had to wait in the platinum lounge. The only exception is if they are booked in the same cabin as a Diamond member. Weddings board first. Suites were called, Diamonds next then Platinum guests. Just as it was prior to Covid. You have to watch closely as they didn’t make an over head announcement. It was actually very quiet and we only knew boarding had begun when we saw everyone getting in line. This was our experience in Port Canaveral boarding the Mardi Gras last week.

Definetly agree with you on this. The Mac n cheese has changed and is no longer the smoked version they had earlier this year and very basic. The beans were lacking flavor. The pulled pork was quite tasty but not much else. The desserts we tried were blah. The apple dessert was canned apples with a few crumbs on top of it. We only are dinner there once.

NO they have a new menu which I see someone else has posted below. This menu does not change nor are they offering the daily specials now. If you order the Fundertots make sure you realize it’s a very small portion although tasty! Also note the ribs are no longer free and have an added charge as does one of the desserts. We just got off the ship Saturday,

Don’t insult our breakfast buffet sausage and gravy lol That’s 4 stars compared to what Carnival is serving. I don’t understand how they can screw up so many really simple dishes.

That must’ve been years ago. We’ve been sailing since 2006 and a full hot breakfast has never been offered. It’s was one of the biggest breakfast room service complaints for many years.

I’ve read several comments since the switch from door hangers to the new system. Most of them say they called in their breakfast order the first day and were able to set it up for automatic delivery every morning there after. As long as you get the same thing every morning that sounds easier. You can also call your order in the night before for morning delivery. Based on reading those comments frequently it sounds like the new system with no door hangers is actually better. I remember those changes to the Captain’s cocktail party. When one of the cruise directors commented not many people showed up I asked why they didn’t advertise the party in the fun times…..he said “ Do you think we are crazy?” Well of course not since most people had no clue what a farewell party was and the complimentary drinks. That fell in line with having the $1 off to celebrate captains meet and greets. That didn’t last long either.

I came here to see if anyone had the same thoughts as I did about losing complimentary items after 10am. Looks like others have interpreted the email the same way I did. This doesn’t really effect me as I rarely order room service. I can see where it benefits the cruise line as people will be less apt to order if they have to pay. Less orders means less staff needed, lower costs and it encourages passengers to be out and about which may mean more impulse spending. We shall see. I missed the internet disclaimer at the bottom of the email so I’m thinking others will as well. Didn’t they just increase the wifi prices with the most recent increases? At what point does the cost make it easier to decline? We use the social package to check in with my son at home or the house/dog sitter if he’s cruising with us. We have friends that also purchase the package for similar reasons. We may end up sharing the cost of the package and only getting one.

Definetly not the good deal we used to get with future cruise certificates. Most of my cruise offers are better than the welcome back offer that the OBC is tied to. I loved the previous way where it applied to any cruise offer.

Actually the real issue wasn’t that the straws were mixed in with regular trash it was because they were being mixed in with food waste and dumped into the ocean. If you bring a plastic straw and throw it away in your cabin it will not be dumped into the ocean. During the period this became an issue for Carnival there were pictures circulating showing the lack of separation from food waste. This resulted in a hefty fine for Carnival and the changes from disposable straws, stirs, wooden coffee sticks, individual butter wrapped in foil, drink umbrellas are just some of the obvious items that I can recall. So please if you plan on bringing disposable plastic straws toss them in your stateroom trash and not in a dining venue or on the lido deck.