truecruiser

I'm surprised there are no threads about the disaster of a mess CCL has turned into since ownership last changed hands. For those who cruised them for years, there's no avoiding the difference. I used to love sailing CCL. I'm a Platinum cruiser with them. But my last cruise a few years ago was a disgusting disappointment. The ship was chopped up - cabins cut in half, no public space,  way too many guests for the little public space they had left. The greed ruined them. I booked back on NCL but like everyone else my cruise got cancelled due to Covid.

On 4/6/2021 at 7:31 AM, Marine Mom said:

I don't think it will hurt their business at all.  I watched Del Rio on TV last night and although he says he  isn't in the business of telling people to get vaccinated or not to, in order to get his ships sailing, he feels the only way the CDC would give them permission to sail is for NCL to require everyone on board be vaccinated.  This means all the crew and passengers.  This may change down the road but for now, it is the only way they can hope to get the CDC's blessing to start sailing from the USA again.

Agree. It'll hurt them if they don't require it. Not only with customers, but with keeping crew. The more people who refuse to get vaccinated the more opportunity the virus has to mutate - Mutate into variants that may get around a vaccine. It's amazing that people still don't get this after all this time.

On 4/6/2021 at 7:18 AM, BIG POOCH said:

With the reports of them requiring vaccinations, we will never be cruising on NCL again.  Hope they realize just how much this is going to hurt their business even more than it already has been.

They'll lose 1 customer.

We were members of Bob's monthly wine club. They managed to offer up some fairly decent wines!

 

Tom

You guys should have taken the lead management role of this line long ago - many years ago. I know that you know what works and what will fly more than the change in current management (who I sometimes wonder if they've ever cruised at all prior to getting their job).

I was not aware that YTD had been a Platinum perk at any point. We first sailed in 2010, though, so I'm not aware of anything prior to that.

 

YTD does not take reservations, and I don't believe that they ever have. If your group arrives together, they will be seated together. The larger the group and the more popular the time you wish to eat, the longer the wait for a table.

Yeah, it was. So if you wanted to go at 6:30 or 7, etc. you were pretty much guaranteed to be seated when you showed up. It doesn't sound like that will ever be a possibility anymore as I have seen nothing which says it's open to all but that Diamond and Platinum get preference.

If you always want to eat early, why not just set up early seating? You will be able to eat together that way.

Early is too early, late is too late, which is why it was nice when it was a Platinum perk and only limited to the amount of Platinum guests on any particular sailing. From what I read above, with everyone having the option, some had been told 9:00. Carnival messed up with this one.

I received a Tervis Tumbler on the Conquest last week. Also a ship pin shaped like a ship's steering wheel. I didn't need the tumbler, so I gave it away to someone who wasn't a Diamond or Plat but said they could use it.

Okay, thanks. It sounds a little bit different than the ones I'd been collecting over the years which were all in the funnel shape and had the specific ship name on it. That's too bad because I have ship lapel pins from ships that are no longer around, and it's nice to have these collectibles if you started keeping them early on.

I get bored occasionally and drop in to see what's new. :D

 

I've got a few cruises booked, but nothing on Carnival currently. I did have the Vista booked next year for our annual office cruise, but jumped ship to the Escape - I think the staff will have a better time on NCL. We sailed NCL as an office a couple times in years past (Epic and Getaway) and they still talk about it. They've enjoyed the Oasis two years - and it's always a hit. I'd say the best office cruise we've had (on Carnival) would have to be the Sunshine.

 

We also jettisoned the Vista as the GS cabin I booked (complete with NO perks) paled in comparison to the

on the Escape. Yes, it costs more, but that's not a deciding factor for me. That cabin will be a much better place to enjoy a group sail away gathering. What I'll miss most from the Vista would be the bidet in the cabin.... NOT ! Why in the heck does Carnival persist in adding those to their Grand Suites. I wonder what percentage of their guests actually use one. Can't say I've ever seen one in the top suites on Celebrity or NCL.

 

We're not far off (count wise) from our next Milestone sailing (75th) with Carnival, but their lack of the following likely means we'll never make it... hope some of the "beards" read this, though I'm sure they'll shrug it off as their bottom line is doing just fine without "complainers" like me... ;)

 

> No full/hot room service breakfast (could they at least offer that for Platinum... or Diamond... or maybe suite guests)?

 

> Suite perks, as other lines we enjoy have - such as: suite lounge, suite restaurant, etc.

 

> Booking "bonuses" (higher categories get to choose more from list): Free internet, free specialty dining, free beverage package, free shore excursions, prepaid tips, etc..

 

> Past guest program - So... we "made it", "we're Diamond". Carnival really offers nothing for its loyal/repeat guests compared to other lines. I've put together entire comparative threads on this topic. WOW... so after 200 days on your ships I get (WAIT FOR IT), one dinner for two in the Steakhouse!!! yawn... The other stuff is fluff. I don't care to book a 3rd or 4th guest for free in our cabin (again, once)... We enjoy our space, peace and quiet!

 

Tom

...and under their new system, I'll be Platinum for the rest of my life, probably. Not such a bad thing if they left the Platinum perks Platinum. Instead, they took half the Platinum perks away and threw them into Diamond. Then they started offering FTTF allowing a certain number of guests to purchase the perks we worked so hard to attain. It's disappointing. I really miss Uncle Bob. I'd even take Gerry back.

So another Platinum perk taken away and given to everyone?

Is this a backpack or a slingback (one padded strap). They gave the sling backs out a few years ago. Don't like them. Wish they gave the small soft sided cooler again. That is actually useful. Do they still give out the ship lapel pins?

Any drinks purchased on HMC is a pay for by the drink and has no impact on the cheers program....so basically you can buy 100 drinks on HMC. If you havent purchased any drinks on board before leaving for HMC, you will have your full allotment of 15 drinks for the night....better?

Okay, great. Thanks. This is exactly what I was looking for because it factors into my decision to purchase it. On an 8 day, in a port where the program cannot start until day 2, the program is for 7. If HMC, which is a stop, was also taken out of the equation but still charged for, I wouldn't have done it.

They dont accept the Cheers program on HMC....they do serve drinks, but you will pay for them by the drink....Its not true they are not letting you use it. Its similar to any other port stop. If you go into port, you cant use your "Cheers" card in a bar, you pay for drinks. No one is forcing you off the ship to HMC. Once you get back to the ship, your Cheers program is back in effect

It's not similar to any other port stop, which is why I asked. It's owned by Carnival corporation, so if they start entering drinks purchased on HMC into the cheers system when they get back onboard, possibly resulting in you not being able to use your cheers for that evening, it matters. Maybe a better way to phrase the question, though I thought it was clear, is "Do they enter the amount purchased into the cheers system once they go back so that the quantity of whatever you purchased out of pocket counts against the 15?" If they do, Cheers shouldn't be charged for any HMC day. You can't charge for a beverage program on a day they are counting what you had to purchase out-of-pocket against what they are supposed to provide.

Do the drinks you purchase at HMC count against the 15 on Cheers once you get back onboard the ship? Because if they do, they shouldn't be including any HMC port day in the Cheers package they sell. They're getting paid for a day you can't use it, if that makes sense.

I can confirm that, if F2F slots are offered at all, they are released in 'batches' of 15 per sailing: I queried the check-in lady at the Port of Miami when we were picking up our S&S cards and she said "30 for this cruise, in two groups of 15." When I asked her about that 'capacity-controlled' part, she said that sailings with a lot of P/D pax on them might only have 15 slots, and -- rarely -- none at all if it's a P/D heavy cruise.

 

It's really not a secret or some sort of conspiracy! :rolleyes:

This post is great and actually helps to shed some light on things considering you got info first hand and relayed it. It's the last part with the emoticon that I don't understand. I never said the system they use to control it was a conspiracy. I said I couldn't find any particulars on it other than a statement that it is "limited." And so, when I asked the person who posted those numbers where the numbers came from, she never replied. I also said that I think the people who can get this are lucky, and that I would have done it too had it been available before I became platinum. So not sure why you got twisted over it.

I have to think (and always thought when first started reading about this), that this is not limited to a ceiling of 30 cabins max, as the other poster stated. And this in fact seems to be the case based upon what you have posted.

A cabin max would make no sense since every sailing is filled with a different mix of passengers, and every class of ship has a different cabin capacity. So, my hunch would be they do it on a %age basis, and my concern, if at all, was that they really do cut it off at the ceiling %age so that everyone gets what they expect.

The info is good. Thanks for the post.

I am always worried about loosing the passports in port as well. So I have made copies of the picture page of our passports and laminated them. I carry the copies with me into ports. I don't know if this will work if I should ever miss the boat, but, at least I have something.

I do exactly the same thing! Thankfully, the theory has never been tested for us *knock wood* but I figure if i have he photocopies of the original pages of the PP with the PP pictures and dept of state ids for each of us right on it, it will be faster for them to confirm their validity and get us moving without the need to carry them and worry about losing them, or god forbid, having them stolen.

:cool:Back in 2006 I was on the Imagination at Grand Cayman, we were on the tender boat heading back to the ship, I was sittin next to the tender Captain and listening to his two way radio and there were 2 people who missed the Fascination which we could see in the distance, anyway the Captain on Fascination comes on the radio and says just let the two people on our ship because we were both headed to Cozumel!! Lucky them!!:) I don't know what would have happened if we weren't going to the same port!!:confused:

wow, that's interesting. I wonder if they were able to use their S&S cards to get drinks and things from the shops, if necessary. do you know?

I have purchased this for April. I am taking my 86 yr. old mother and I thought it might be a little safer for her than the stampede! lol..This will be my 9th cruise, so I'm almost legal! lol...Hope not to offend the plats. and diam. Just trying to make it easier for my little elf of a mom! haha...

No offense should be taken by any diamond/platinum guests against any other guests who take advantage of it because it's Carnival that put the add on in place for your availability. Guests who avail themselves of it can't be faulted for it's existence. They had nothing to do with it.

The program is a good way for non platinum guests to get more advantages for less money than they would have been able to get in years past by booking a suite (suite guests got VIP embarkation, that was it. no tender priority, luggage priority, dining priority, etc, and booking a suite was the only way you cld even get "that" perk). so for you guys it's great, and not your fault it's being offered. I would have done it too had it been offered before I became platinum.

But for us, it's not great unless it's limited and controlled. Someone on here posted that it's limited to 30 cabins per sailing, being released in two increments of 15, so that if the ship has a large plat/diamond guest manifest, the other 15 will not be released. if this is true, that is more than sufficient to control the situation, if it's not true, then it probably won't be enough. i have asked that poster twice to let me know where she got those numbers, because i see that info listed nowhere on their site, but rather a simple statement that availability is limited. Surprise, surprise, i got no response, lol. so i have written to guest services directly. I am interested in what they will say the procedure is, and I'll post it when i know because i will know (right or wrong) from someone real, lol

My wife had a $3,000 diamon necklace stolen on our Carnival cruise in March. Our fault we forgot to put it in the safe. Stuff happens and you move on. We never mentioned it to anyone at Carnival. What's the point?

if this is true (that you lost this piece and never said a word about it), then you are doing a terrible disservice to all of us. if a theft of this magnitude occured aboard one of their ships, they should know about it.

if things are not reported, they cannot be investigated, fixed, or "shored up" to prevent this from happening in the future. compensation is a separate issue. just because you believed they wldn't compensate you, doesn't mean you shldn't have made it a matter of record.

Hello

 

I HAVE had something stolen from a carnival stateroom. At the end of Novemeber 2008 my husband and I were on the Carnival Splendor. After ariving on ship we ate lunch and walked around for a while. After a hour or so I decided that we need to go to the room so I could drop off my big ol' heavy purse and my husband could drop off his hoodie. And then we could walk around somemore. We dropped off the stuff and walked around. About 1 and half hours later we returned to the room to see if the luggage had arrived. It had. When I walked in the room I noticed right away that my PURSE WAS NOT IN THE ROOM . I immeditaly found the room stewart and asked her if he had moved my purse. She accused me of not being in the right room. I pointed out that my room key worked. She then told me that Carnival is not responsible for items in the room and that I should go to the pursers/information desk and file a lost report. I did right away. Time passed...Securty arrives searches all my other luggage for my purse..I guess they thought I had packed my purse and forgot?? Thirty minutes later they find my purse. I searched it and found that everything is in there credit cards, passports, Drivers license, medicine EXCEPT my husbands Nintendo DS. The games and charger were in there but not the DS. I was very happy we had our passports back and I kissed them. Securty then searched all our luggage looking for the Nintendo DS :(. Needless to say it was never found and on the last day of the cruise carnival sent/gave us a letter saying

 

On behalf of Carnival Crusie lines, we thank you for choosing the Carnival splendor for your vacation. Our guests are important to us we appreciate your patronage. Whith regard to your Nintendo DS that is missing, unfortunately we have been unable to locate it. I have enclosed a copy of the report and your refrence # for your records. You may contact out corporate office on your return home, the address and telephone number are listed below. Should you locate the itme before leaving the ship, please advise us so that we may update our records. Carnival Cruise lines guest relations Department 3655 NW 87th Ave. Miami, flordia 33178-2428

 

No mention of how they found my purse...

 

Moral of the story...from now on I will put my purse in the safe and my husbands wallet in the safe and all of our medicine. And if it's not nailed down or in the safe consider it steal able.

i am still waiting for 2 items to "show up" for me too. they were left in the stateroom by my kids (as opposed to being taken from it during sailing), but apparently, they were either not found by the crew when they cleaned it and were taken by the next pax, or, they were found, but chose not to turn them in. this was a first for us. we are disappointed. more in that they weren't turned in than the value itself. :(

i am glad you recovered most of your items.:)

You may not, darling ..but I sure do!

 

I also flash my Platinum card to let lesser people know just how rich and important I am!

I have status to maintain.

 

Meooww!

i hate to tell ya this, but from what i understand from a friend who just cruised last week, your platinum card now looks basically identical to the gold card with the new card changes...and the staff can barely notice.

It is so easy to steal on a cruise ship if you wanted to . Two weeks ago i was on the carnival liberty I left the pool to go back to my room. When i arrived the door was propped open and my cabin steward was in the next cabin talking to the passenger.i guess she had a question or problem . I went in got my sunblock exited the cabin and started down the hall . when it hit any one can walk in .I went back and closed it so he would here it and he did not come out to see who it was .So my point here is anyone could distract him so they could get in you cabin and take what was laying around .. Awalys use the safe or hide in your dirty underware

so true. i have also read accounts of maintenance men entering cabins while in port through unlocked balcony doors, so ALWAYS lock your balcony.

About 10 days ago, Ense Mexico, Kahlua, 8.99 1 Lt... I got several!!

but he wld have to surrender that until the end of the cruise.:(

Afternoon ladies.:) What's all this talk about slidin in the mud?? :eek: :D

hey, tyde (one on last night)! have any plans for the week of 7/20? this is turning into quite the partae!:p :D

waiting for jessie bay-bae and fin to reply.

We usually do that too, but for some strange reason, we were out! :(

 

A Mudslide sounds pretty good too!:)

check mail, sista. in about 5 mins.:D

M'kay.

 

Note to self: smuggle extra kahlua.:D

Yaowza! i bet you are regretting this post now, huh?

get that countdown clock in your siggy!!!!!:D :p

Now this is a GREAT thread!!!

 

I repented and no longer smuggle booze. I now only take aged carbohydrate beverages. I do make sure they are packed well, to protect from leakage however. It is always wise to be safe.

 

However, regarding a blender. If I were to take one on, I would STRONGLY suspect the Bullet works great... using the softserve ice cream for making my own virgin mudslide smoothie.

 

Not that I would ever do such, but coffee liquor and vodka pre-ordered through the appropriate channels mixed with milk from room service works well. (Yes always give a cash tip to room service) Since you will have the pre-ordered through the appropriate channels vodka, take along some spicy V8, it makes a good Bloody Mary.

 

Again, with the pre-ordered through the appropriate channels vodka, keeping a water bottle of it around to top off DOD’s which tend to be weak is never a bad idea.

 

Of course, tequila that is pre-ordered through the appropriate channels is also nice to have around, I do enjoy a shot or two.

good info! :D

...Note to self: smuggle extra kahlua.:D

yes! please do.:p

i need to get on this smuggling bandwagon.

repete -- i want one of those mudslides, please.:p