DaisyGirl55

9 minutes ago, vache said:

Sailing on the Magic Sep 28 and it took 8 weeks exactly to get a response from the steakhouse.

WOW!! 8 weeks is a long time to wait for a response

I am sailing on 9/28 also.  I submitted my reservation twice, with no response.  I have never had that issue on other Carnival ships.  I sent in an email today as suggested so hopefully I will hear back in a day or so.  Especially since we want to go on the first night and will be celebrating our 43rd anniversary

Love-Love-Love the pictures of the ship!  We are sailing 9/28/19.  My Carnival Hub countdown shows 60 days, so I am really getting excited. 

I know these reviews are time consuming, so I appreciate the tons of effort in making this happen. 

Sailing on the reposition Mardi Gras cruise next year...yay!  I have been reading up on some of the details since this is a Journeys cruise.  I am beyond excited at all of the Firsts I will experience, even though I have been on 50+ cruises LOL.  

My question at the moment is this:  Since the Journeys experience encompasses a trip back in time to Midnight Buffets, a true Captain's cocktail party, and activities - is the dress code for the elegant nights more like the way it used to be?  Suits, tuxes, long dresses, a little more bling?  I kind of hope that it is.  I always enjoy dressing up (and yes, I know that everyone doesn't share my feeling this way - but that is okay!).  I just would love to see the guests all gussied up like it used to be - even if for only one night.  We do so anyway, and I have no problem with those who are more casual.  But it was fun, and the atmosphere was different.

So, like I said...I was just wondering....

Cruising with MSC for the first time in February 2020, sailing on the Meriviglia.  I read that some of you upgraded your drink package to include more premium drinks.  My DH prefer Jack Daniels but it is not listed on the Easy menu so an upgrade may be better for us.

My question is this...do I wait and do the upgrade after I board, or does it have to be done prior?

39 minutes ago, BoomerSoonerCruisers said:

 

 

Piano Bar Musician, Sam, was excellent at his job but again his personality was a little hard to get used to. He had a very dry sense of humor and didn't seem to care about the guest experience. I know its common for piano bar musicians to request tips but he seemed to mention it in between every song and refused to play one song because the tip attached to the request was not large enough. Again this didn't negatively affect my cruise, I enjoyed listening to him play and singing along with him I just ignored his banter between songs.

Wow...that is kind of rude to not play a song because the tip wasn't large enough.  Sounds rather egotistical.  I thought he was there to entertain us...not for us to bow down and worship his piano playing and singing.  I'm glad it didn't have a negative impact - but I would have walked out - even if I wasn't the one that got dissed.

Wow!  Great spreadsheet!  Kind of fun to see just how many Carnival ships I have sailed on...and how many more to do!

We actually like , and use, most of our Platinum gifts.  Tervis cups, toiletry bags, baseball hats, the blanket, Bluetooth speaker, binoculars, and coffee mug to name a few.

There are a few that we just did not use.  The Croc visors were probably #1 on that list...hahaha!  Funniest looking thing I have ever seen!

18 hours ago, evandbob said:

Since Amber Cove is a self contained unit, Carnival might use the scare tactic of going off on your own to keep their pax inside the AC corral. Similar to how they try to guide pax to their approved shopping stores.

 

Carnival will probably advise bottled water only if off the ship in La Romana.

 

When tainted liquor was verified in Cozumel and Playa del Carmen last summer or the one before, I don't think Carnival changed any itineraries.  If there is ever a confirmed cause connecting the DR deaths, then perhaps La Romana might get dropped in favor of AC.

 

I wonder what posters on CC would think if they found out the actual number of deaths that happen annually on a ship?  I'll wager more folks have died aboard ship than on any particular land vacation.

 

Of course, I have a biased opinion.  As the news reports continue on this issue, I waited for price drops at some hotels I've already stayed at in Punta Cana.  Sure enough, I found a rate too good to pass up - 10 nights in a Punta Cana all adult AI, RT air, and airport round trip transfers for way less than a week long balcony would cost on the Horizon or Vista.

Quote

 

My husband and I are booked for an AI in Punta Cana for my birthday in November.  Price is great, amenities are extensive, and it is adults only.  Am I worried?  Not really.  We will be careful, just like we always have on the 50+ cruises we have been on.  Yes, I read that there are still new incidents of problems, but I am not going to let mass hysteria stop me from going.  I'll do my due diligence, and go for what I am sure will be a fabulous week at TRS Turquesa in Punta Cana.

Disney has candy straws for some of their slushy-type frozen drinks, and they are just nasty!  These are just candy coated thin paper straws, but they fall apart, are sticky, and the kids all hated them. 

I can drink a regular soda or water without a straw, but would like one with my frozen drink.  Just another change the lines are making.  Sigh...

Oh well, I'm still cruising - straw or no straw!

I love the Seafood Shack!  I always go once or twice during my cruise, and always get the same thing:  clam chowder and fried clams!  So yummy!

I for one am happy to see the switch to the Seafood Shack as I am not one for Indian food.  But that is just me.  My kids love it, I just never developed a taste for it.

As for the cost, I do not believe the prices are outrageous or gouging. I think they are pretty reasonable for the size of the dishes they give you!

MSC Meraviglia

Feb 16, 2020

Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya, Ocean Cay

Just booked my first cruise with MSC.  I am looking for any and all info regarding dress codes, and are there formal/elegant nights?  I am told that the food has a Eurpoean taste to it, but I am not sure what that means LOL!  I am very excited to try out a new cruise line.  Appreciate anything you want to share!

We are booked on MSC Meraviglia

I always liked the notepads and pens, and used them long after my cruise.  However, I have to be honest and say I didn't even realize they were gone as I usually bring my own pens and a small notepad or sticky notes myself

Great info...thanks maryred!  Sailing on the Magic in September going to Bermuda and we are in the planning stages so appreciate the info!

Thanks for a great review!  Paradise is a bit smaller and some folks seem surprised when they get on board.  We enjoyed our time on this ship and enjoyed the many opportunities for some R and R

So sorry the OP had a bad experience on The Glory.  We have sailed on this ship three times, most recently last summer for our family cruise with a group of 15.  We had an absolutely great time!  Windjammer was mostly breakfast and lunch, but the food was always good and lots of choices.  Lines were not too bad except for Mongolian Wok which is always a wait.  Dinner in the dining room was awesome!  Great service, great entertainment, delicious choices and great table.

The kids enjoyed the slides, and yes - the pools are crowded on sea days but we always found a place to sit.  I don't go looking for broken things, but I do notice when a ship shows it's age.  Then again, so do I   The Glory has some fun shows and entertainment, and the grandkids loved Camp Carnival.  We had balcony rooms, cove balconies, and outside cabins and one inside cabin.  No issues with room maintenance, and we all compared our towel animals each morning. 

Our cabin steward told us about the luggage tags, so no issue there either.  I hope the OP gives Carnival another try.  Perhaps the OP would be more comfortable on a new ship.  Happy cruising!

My DH and I recently sailed on Adventure OTS.  I know it is not the newest or the biggest, but it was perfect for us and for what we wanted to do on a cruise  This was my 51st total cruise, and I am Diamond on Royal.  This carries some nice perks which I will go into in a bit. As there aren't too many reviews for this ship, I wanted to share my thoughts

We drove down the night before.  We live about 3 hours or so from the port but I have learned not to arrive the day of.  We stayed at the Embassy Suites and took a taxi to the port.  As my DH travels we had points for the hotel and free rental car.  So we rented a vehicle from Deltona to the airport in FLL, and then rented one for free to go home.  Worked out great.

We arrived at the port about noon, and we were on the ship in about 15 to 20 minutes.  Since our room would not be ready until a bit after 1pm, we decided to just relax in the Schooner Bar and enjoy a couple of drinks.  Once our room was ready we went and got our room keys and dropped off our carry on.  We explored the ship a bit until it was time for Muster.  Once Muster was finished, we went back to our room.  Our suitcases were there so we unpacked.  The cabin has so much storage space!  We only used about half the drawers, and there were plenty of hangers in the closet. 

Our cabin number was 7618, which is a Hump Balcony mid-ship.  Lots of room for the two reclining chairs plus a full size table.  The bathroom was a bit smaller than some of the ships I have been on, but it was adequate and everything was good.  Love the shower doors instead of the clingy curtains on some other ships!  The biggest downside was the bed and the pillows.  I would have been as comfortable sleeping on the floor!  I cannot believe how hard the bed was and how flat the pillows were   Definitely a negative in my book.

We went on the cruise for some much needed R and R.  We never got off the ship, and stayed on all week.  Our days were spent in the Solarium, out on the balcony, in the casino a bit, or sitting on the Promenade.  It was pure bliss.  We had the Your Time dining, but still had a reservation for each night.  I know it seems a little bit of an oxymoron to have reservations for dining on my time, but it worked for us.  We sat at the same table each night with the same staff.  Dinner was great every night, and took about an hour.  Meals were brought out hot, my water glass stayed full, and I enjoyed my banana split for dessert each and every night.  Breakfast was usually at the Windjammer, although we did eat in the dining room twice for breakfast.  Lunch was always the Windjammer.  It is spread out in a great way and there was little if any congestion or lines during the times we went.  The Washy-Washy woman is a pure delight and always made me smile.

The casino was very tight both on the slot machines and the tables.  The casino was surprisingly not too smoky.  I did not notice too many people who were smoking without playing.  I am not sure if that is due to good policing by the staff or if less people are smoking.

Diamond Perks:  We used the free 8x10 photo, and definitely enjoyed the three cocktails loaded onto our Sea Pass card each day between 4:30 and 8:30.  Since the drinks were available we never did make it to the lounge for pre-dinner snacks.  We were also able to get off the ship a bit quicker since the Loyalty Ambassador was outside and saw us and two other couples who met with him during the week.  He literally escorted us through the line and we were off the ship, collected out luggage, went through Customs, and in our car in about 30 minutes.  My DH and I just looked at each other and said WOW!

I am not sure if I covered everything, but if you have any questions I will try to answer them.  We did go to a couple of the shows (don't remember the names) and they were very well done.  I didn't keep the daily sheets as they are pretty generic in my opinion.  Most folks dressed accordingly to the suggested dress each night for dinner, but there were a few in shorts and jeans on the more dressier nights.  I don't care, but thought I would mention it since it comes up in discussion.  My DH and I get a bit dressy, but we do it for ourselves and for each other. 

All in all it was just what we were wanting and needing, and except for the horrible mattress - a perfect cruise for us.

3 more days till we sail on Adventure OTS for my DH birthday.  It has been two years since our last Royal cruise, and we are beyond excited to go!

Woo-Hoo!

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 4:25 PM, kentuckytravelgirl said:

Never Bourbon 🥃 ☹️.  BTW DaisyGirl55, you can’t use the drink vouchers at the Bionic Bar.

Thanks!

So between 4:30 and 8 we can go to any bar/lounge on the ship?  Not just the Diamond lounge?

Sweet!

I read somewhere that the cruise port at Costa Maya has restaurants, and a large pool.  If this is so, are there loungers or chairs?  And what is the charge?

We really don't want to go to a beach, but would not mind walking around some stores, getting a bite to eat, and then taking a dip in the pool to cool off.

Or I suppose we can just stay on the ship and go in the pool there...

19 hours ago, matj2000 said:

It looks like you have been on plenty of RC cruises.

 

You should probably know this already..

19 hours ago, matj2000 said:

Yes, I have been on quite a few cruises, but things change and what was allowed before is sometimes no longer allowed.  Back in the day, you could buy a bottle and bring it to your room.  As you know, this is no longer the case.  Rules change.  Plain and simple.  No need to be rude or snarky

 

I am sailing on Adventure OTS next month.  I looked on the website to see if I could purchase water or soda for my room, similar to other cruise lines but didn't find anything.  So I called the cruise line and was told that I can carry on a 12-pack of soda in cans.  After I hung up I had another question.  Is that a 12-pack per cabin?  Or can my husband and I each carry on a 12-pack of soda?

TIA for your help

17 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Our first cruise as Diamond members: We turned Diamond on our cruise last year on Adventure and have been looking forward to experiencing some of the perks associated with being a Diamond member. We used the 20% spa discount, the BOGO glass of wine, the free photo and our free spins in the casino (I won a tee shirt!). The biggest perk for us was the Cocktail Hour in the Diamond Lounge and the 3 drinks loaded daily onto our Sea Passes. 

My cruise next month on this ship will also be my first as Diamond.  I knew about the Happy House/Cocktail Hour in the Diamond Lounge, but did not know about the 3 drinks loaded on to our Sea Passes.  

Every Day?  How do I know if they are there before I go and order a drink only to be charged instead?  This is so cool as we are not big drinkers, but I do enjoy a glass of wine or a foo foo drink here and there.

We sail on this ship next month!  So excited 😀

How are the restaurants along the Promenade?  Also, since we will be on a 6-day cruise, is there only one dressy night?

Weather looks great.  Enjoy your cruise!