firefly333

The regular milkshakes are included but the breakfast milkshakes that taste like bacon I've seen posted are not included, at least that's the experience reported. You can get smoothies on oasis class at the vitality spa bar. Included. Not every ship has a vitality bar per posts. I dont get them just go there for vitamin water and what I've seen.

No argument from me. I do have wonder and utopia booked. For our 3rd group cruise that I've done with some from here on cc we went back to Oasis. He said oasis was cheaper than even adventure so he did our bella3 group back on oasis. So TA is aware of the moaning and groaning over prices. Wonder was my highest but now it's a 10 day leg in europe to greece and italy. Under $1800 still. But prices are creeping up. I'm not even that excited for Icon or Star. More cabins that hold more 3rd and 4th pax. Oh boy, more kids. Utopia is less because it's a 4 day. Utopia came out as 3 and 4 days. 1k for a broad walk balcony. Still high. Mardi gras isnt looking as high as it used to. But even a inside on mardi gras or jubilee is around $1500. At least on royal I can get a balcony for that. .. only because I'm a solo. I'm not doing much booking lately, just the TA and 2nd leg. Europe is cheaper than florida lol. Guess time to see europe. It's the flight home the yikes. Star and icon will be around ... I can wait. And jubilee and mardi gras. The 2 i still want on carnival.

Not a website. A particular person with group rates for insides and balconys. Not sure what he can do on a JS. I'd love to book a JS but the no refundable stops me. Maybe a last minute JS but I'm scared to book way far out no refundable...so balcony the best group rates he has.

I did read someone whose luggage was under a suitcase where someone smuggled a bottle of wine in their suitcase that broke and leaked into their suitcase. At least if soda breaks it's not as bad as red wine? Always been those who smuggle on wine and even booze. Always will be. So nice I get 5 free drinks and dont need to worry. Carnival used to allow cans or bottles but then said cans only, to stop smuggling. Limited the size of ice chests to carry it on. The more people break the rules and then come here and cry when they lose that perk.

I agree that all cruise prices are out of control. I do think rcl pricing is so variable its apples and oranges. I pick a cruise and let's say the rate shows as $5000. Ask my TA and he applies a group rate that royal seems to have on most cruises for inside or balconys. Then I get $250 off for D+ and early booking. Then i get DP340 which is 25% off the entire cruisefare which is even applied to my D+ so its reduced from $250 to $188. Final $2700. Almost 50% less than rate in public. Carnival doesnt do huge loyalty discounts. They used to do no solo supplement for 1A, then it was 50% and then 100% now. No discount solo. Now solo arent carnivals market, seems to be casino folks. Times change so did I. If I was a family what's cheapest would be a completely different . I get it some are willing to pay more for carnival. I dont feel I owe any line loyalty. I dont get this you need to be loyal to one. It's not a marriage. Fidelity forever.

I just happened to see someone on our roll call who didnt beat the weather last they posted. Honolulu blue im glad you got in safety. Reading drama elsewhere and it's going to get worse. Someone was stuck in pa last they posted. I hope everyone makes it to the ship. "We’ve been stuck at the Philadelphia airport since 6am this morning. Our checked bags are on a plane to Houston. Our carry-on bags are on a standby flight that they thought they could get us on and the last minute had to kick us off that flight because they messed up the available seat count. They couldn’t get to our bags in time. So those bags are going to Dallas. We been on 4 standbys and still haven’t been comfirmed. I’m in dire need of the Caribbean. 😥"

I'm not sure I could. I seem to have pinched a nerve or idk. I was in emergency 2 days ago. Xrays and sonogram and they didnt find anything but i cant hardly use my left arm. I assume shut off would be that thing in my tree lawn but you need a key I think to turn it on and off. I've watched it done. I'm packing so much stuff for pain i couldnt get in clothes. Taking my lightest carry on. Packed a overnight bag for the hotel. Not carrying the carry on up to the hotel room. Leaving my cabinets open and heat on. I have outside faucets that were changed out to the ones that dont freeze. I'm just trying to get there and do the best I can. Went to krogers again today and bought them out of those salanpas pain patches. They seem to help some. I'll be on a cruise and carnival has always had pretty soft mattresses. Hopefully i can manage. Sunday the pain got overwhelming and i didnt have time to gp so just went to emergency. I was booked a similar cruise last jan, radiance OTS out of Galveston and no showed. This time im going. This itinerary seems unlucky for me. Gotta break this chain .. going and crossing fingers. Only kitchen sink on a outer wall. Artic cold front and then maybe a freezing thing. Dallas forecast sounds bad. I need a handy husband to turn off water safely. Lol. I see Honolulu blue made it in. Ahead of the weather.

Yes the full price is accurate ... unless they raise the price. Watch for a while ..do you ever see the full price fluctuating, nope. Unless they raise it. Then it stays there until next increase. Bogo will be less. But chops lunch can be even cheaper and same fillet.

I just did 3 weeks on harmony and wasnt bored. I did break things up with food and excursions. B2b the lunch has short ribs which I like. Makes bogo hard to be hungry and do night 1. D+ 340 pts cheers with a officer was lunch day 2. Awesome meal. 3 weeks of fillet mignon. I went all 3 weeks. Last week meet friends at Jamie's and enjoyed that. Day 7. Only open sea day. We did that plank and the garlic bread and we all tried different things. I dont eat italian but just enjoyed going. Wonderland night 4 was fun. Izumi lunch once and once for dinner. I did see grease but liked columbus the musical better. A comedy. Drop by crown lounge for a morning coffee and WJ for my fresh squeezed oj. Harmony in the back of the wj had a ice cream bar with topping lunch and dinner. Where the egg station is for breakfast every night was something different. Crepes one night, burrito bar made to order another night. The pasta and stir fry nothing I liked but better than allure offered for variety.

There are also things people dont discuss. I'd never gotten sick for 20 years until twice 2022. First time sept 2022, over 50 people posted on my roll call they had the runs friday about dinner time. Some went to doctors when they got off and ecoli mentioned. Yes food related. People called rcl to report and ignored, not covid who cares. I was on the next week and tried to report it to customer service and yelled at, yep yelled at, impossible cant be our food. Dec and 2022 and this time picked up that respiratory thing that was going around. I was clearly sick. I was surprised they didnt confine me to my cabin. Sold me night quil and cough drops so there wasnt a question I was sick, and went to medical. Tested negative for covid, go and spread your germs, they werent covering room service. I have no idea how carnival handles if someone gets really sick. Another royal policy I dont like is if port fees go down you get nothing before the cruise and often nothing during the cruise. I wrote the vp office who said it's up to each ship if they want to refund fees overage. Twice booked cayman and jamaica and got changed to costa maya and roatan. Cheaper port fees and then we missed costa maya. Got 0 back. Weather related they said. Carnival has always refunded fees for missed ports. I know it's a small amount, it's the principle. The email said since they dont bill for extra when fees go up why would they refund if they go down. Well guess what. Bahamas built some new port and upped port fees. They sent emails they are billing the extra $13 to $16, though I had one go up $19 so email not accurate .. but they billed for increase 2024 and outward, which the email stated they dont do. I wouldnt say I prefer one totally over the other. As I said I like things on both. Things on both I'd improve. I cruise a lot and decided to lock in top tier kn carnival and rcl. Need 14 more days on rcl, then I'll be looking around. You never know when things will change. There are differences people say dont matter ... unless you cruise a lot. Neither is perfect. So far i havent gotten sick on carnival knock on wood. Actually I'd like to try HAL because friends say they have the best food. I admit food is a big draw.

I saw a post that had comments turned off how someone got some backing to pay his way. He promises to make drama and complaining about every little thing. TV channels, you name it . ...I'm hoping he doesnt like this passage and the waves. Give him something real to talk about drama wise. I love storms myself.

Good question and I was just on harmony. I think I posted above my experience...dec 10 to dec 17 week. I'd call that recently. First I was told izumi sushi no, then wonderland no, then they would make a exception for me, whe I pointed out neither were excluded in their own publically written policy. 5 more times back and forth. I made the mistake of asking the crown lounge ambassador.. find someone else to ask. He kept coming back to me and ok, then he said I had to do wonderland first, it was more expensive. Then ok then you have to do izumi sushi twice... I asked where are these rules written. I had asked him to book me for the following week. This is when I wrote to mbayley... might be who told them to make a exception for me... exception to what? Idk. He acted like he expected a big tip for booking and aggravating me 5 times saying no. If I'm having to fight to get something... no tip. Dont keep telling me how you are doing me a huge favor. It's still unclear to me if izumi sushi sit down set price menu and if wonderland are included. Push. If the policy doesnt exclude then they should be included. Fix the policy if it's written wrong. I dont give a extra tip for making me upset. Do it. I was on for 3 weeks arguing with them about bogo. But they will allow 2nd night to be later in the week. I'm solo so I cant split one meal at one setting.

Oh here is another one I'm sure you will love. carnival wins in the mattress dept ... almost afraid to jinx dream cruise but carnival mattresses have always been softer. At home I have a foam topper on the bed. 3 weeks on harmony in that cut rate balcony had the worst mattress in 20 years. By the end of week 2 I asked for a topper and they said they changed out my mattress but the damage was done. Sleeping on a hard mattress on my side is how I pinched a nerve in my upper arm. I wouldnt have been at the hospital in pain this week if I'd been on carnival. I'm almost afraid to say I've loved carnival mattresses in the past and jinx myself. But when you are listing things carnival does better, mattresses for non suite guests might be top of the list though I do like food lol. Thank you harmony for a pinched nerve. Harmony newer sister to oasis. If I could combine my favourite things on both I'd be loyal to one. Big thing for me from now on lol.

Well I'm hopefully boarding dream for 2 weeks Saturday. Just my luck seem to have pinched a nerve or whatever so that's why its iffy, nothing to do with carnival. I am looking forward to white pizza and guys hamburgers. I'm hoping its dream where there is a seafood place with lobster rolls. I have always said all lines have stuff I like. I know people who are loyal to one and only one. Even on the rcl threads I post carnival has better pizza. If the bribe is more free perks, then thats me. I miss my free wifi and drinks and discounts on carnival. On rcl I ate pizza once in 3 weeks. I pulled off the cheese and toppings. Uggh. And I post I wish royal would take lessons from carnival on anytime dining. They stink at it. I loved on carnival I could push a button and be seated without standing in a long line. I just dont agree any one line does it all the best. I used to go back and forth to get Mdr variety. Not because one was the best, for variety. This will be my diamond cruise and here I am in pain leaving tomorrow. Hope I make it onboard. I was in emergency tuesday the pain was so bad so I'm not exaggerating. Disappointed. I booked a couple of excursions now I'm worried about. I will never agree one is all perfect .. they all have pluses. I'll be heading to guys burgers asap when I board. I dont touch royals free burgers btw. Another thing carnival does better. Fast food. I like junk food not a solid burger and cheese and all that, give me a greasy burger on a toasted bun .. im hoping for guys. I read they got rid of the sauteed onions. Darn. My favorite part of guys burgers. Why does it have to be 100% loyalty?

Cherry picking a date to compare isnt really accurate. I'm sure other dates tell another story. We all know cruise prices have fluctuated widely over the last 10 years. I dont see cruise prices rising thr way they were, seems to have slowed down. Noticed when price checking new sale is offering a big wad of obc to book. $150 obc on a rather cheap mariner 7 day cruise. My condo hoa just went from 475 to 680. Allstate raised car insurance from 1100 to 1500 in the last 6 months. Called progresso 659 same coverage. Cancelled after over 30 years loyalty. Obviously this is to see how many like me will stay loyal no matter how much they go up. Talking heads of course totally divided on fed rate cuts. Some think 6 cuts faster faster. Some think maybe 2 or 3 this year but many things still going to make this last percent sticky. 25 of 50 states are raising minimum wage this year. Deficit. Military spending. On and on. Inflation less but not near dead. I'm in the inflation isnt dead camp. I do hope you are right and air fare quits rising.

I wasnt even aware you could still book a JS with a refundable deposit? Comparing to a refundable fare might not be a good comparison ...but I agree prices are up for cruises. Cpi numbers came in today with hotels and airfare up. They dont track cruise prices but if hotels and airfare are up why wouldnt cruisefares?

Well my hotel they do have mattresses with the foam toppers in them. They fixed up the furniture so it matches and opened a breakfast room near the lobby. But it's clearly old. No elevator. No elevator and the king beds are on floor 3. I'm going to try and pack a separate overnight bag and not climb those stairs with a full suitcase, not even a carry on. Just a shoulder bag. Unfortunately it's not the only older hotel I can name without a elevator. Gaidos is quite popular. .. embraced as retro, I call it old. Lol. I got a so called suite at a la quinta with a ocean view. Didnt expect stairs. No elevator at the one I stayed at for breeze. Once and done. It was a flea bag. My friends fly into hobby and stay there. They arent paying Galveston prices for old. Though I enjoy being near the ocean. Ocean is a draw for me over Houston. Lol Galveston touts itself as historic not old. And even has ghost tours. A few newer hotels but on the outskirts of Galveston. Grand galvez is awesome but expensive. Well I have to pack and get ready to hit the road. Cant say I'm ready at all.

Texas is expecting a cold front by Tuesday that our houses arent built for. They say keep the taps running during freezes. I really dont want mine to run for 2 weeks while I'm gone so those of us Texans are worried. Hard freeze, 10 to 17 degrees by Tuesday. My first though yea I'll miss it then oh oh hope my pipes dont freeze. My hotel in Galveston probably is a flea bag, what's your definition? I started to say under $100 but cant get under $100 there at least fri or sat nights. IAH hotel doesnt sound fun but convenient. Too bad you couldnt get to a more fun area. Welcome to texas. Today isnt bad but by sunday it will be downright cold here. Is jubilee boarding the same day as us. I have a friend keeps saying he is sailing jan 13, same date. Hes already done this cruise so grabbed jubilee same date I think. I had emailed him about the birthday sale. It was a hard choice for me as I'd have liked both. Jubilee was cheaper on a per day basis actually, now gone higher. This was a bucket list cruise. This isnt a cheap cruise for some of us, just the casino folks who post oh I got it for $100. Hard not to be a bit jealous.

Yes yes and yes. A few times I asked for a coke at dinner and often got a glass they didnt charge me for. Had to ask for a can when I ordered.

If royal says carry on only in faq, just because someone pushed and got it checked doesnt make it right. I'm sure some have broken royals rules and checked it. Doesnt say this is only for some markets. Says carry on only. Period.

I'd love sailing wonder over and over but it's too high for my blood. I've never done a TA before but it was all I could find the price was kinda ok. Right after adventure southern so timing isnt even good. Nothing booked the whole rest of 2025 after may 2025 TA. I'd hoped to sail over and over but not at these prices. Being much more picky and choosy. So looks like I see spain italy and greece.

Well I have mariner harmony adventure wonder utopia adventure voyager then oasis booked already. I'd like to get on and know ahead of time. Allure was the one who decided you had to eat night 1 and 2 and moved my 2nd bogo night from 5 pm night 4 to 7:45 pm night 2 without telling me. This shouldn't happen.

I wrote to mbayley asking they standardize the rules. Which restaurants can we do. If it's not listed as excluded why cant we eat there. Izumi sushi and wonderland arent excluded so why not included. Then they said there is a rule to eat at the more expensive one first. If all these are rules put them in writing. Bogo has been a pain imo to use. Every ship has different rules as noted above.

Since you know only 1 bottle of wine is allowed per adult, why even take bottles you cant board with. Just leave them in your car or at home rather than worry how to collect a item you got caught with at embarkation. .. idk if they will hold it. I accidentally had a tiny pocket knife and they held it.

What's wrong with treating yourself a few times. I didnt used to but now I've been adding a meal or two at pay restaurants. Or bogo which I get as D+. I know already I hate italian night in Mdr. Went once on b3b and still hated it lol. Go and find something else seems ok to me.