Kethry88

12 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

Not sure it works that way on a ship at all. But discussing land based keys. True Story . My daughter in-law goes up to the desk of a hotel🤐 and says she lost her room key. She gives them our room number and the front desk gave her a key/ card to my room. She then attempts to play a prank on us my dumping cornflakes on our bed under the top sheet. Funny stuff, right? Only problem being, somehow between the time she entered our room a pair of expensive diamond earrings were stolen. Honestly I've never become secure in Hotels safety after that incident.  Earrings were never found. and we were comped a free night, which we declined the offer. 

Since Sail & Sign cards are individual to the guest, I am fairly certain that making a new one automatically voids the old one. You can have guest services make you multiple copies of KEYS to your cabin if you want, but you only get one Sail & Sign per individual. Maybe someone who has worked on a ship can clarify.

As to your hotel experience, front desk shouldn't have given her a key without photo ID matching a name registered to the room, no ifs, ands, or buts. That's a huge security risk and people have legit been assaulted by strangers when that rule is ignored. Even if you have seen the person requesting the key with the people you know are registered to the room, you don't give them a key unless they are also registered to that room AND provide photo ID. Even without the jewelry going missing, giving out the key like that is a serious mistake that should require the desk agent go through retraining or possibly be terminated if they were already disciplined on doing the same thing previously. I'm sorry that your safety and privacy were compromised like that.

Tom, as soon as I saw the grass, I knew it was Celebrity before I even got down to that part of your post. XD

11 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

 Perhaps something from your dropped off luggage. They take your room key with a person never knowing what happen to it. So the cardless person goes to guest services to retrieve another then return to the room and drop off their bags then off to Lido. Meanwhile the thief is waiting ,watching for you to leave so they can explore the contents in your bags. Could be anyone, even the staff.

Do I think it's safe, fairly safe yes. Is there room for intrusion, you bet. I liked the old system better than having my card placed in a box where sticky fingers can retrieve it

To make sure I'm reading this right: you are saying someone steals the key envelope. The guest in that cabin sees they have no key envelope, so they go to guest services and tell them they had no key envelope. Guest services makes them new Sail & Sign cards. The guest then goes back to their cabin, opens the door with the new key, and drops off their carryon. They leave. The thief has been lurking in the hallway this entire time, sees them go in and then leave without their bags, then uses the old, stolen keys to get in the cabin and steal the belongings inside.

Now, I work in a hotel, not a cruise ship, and even with our less sophisticated keys that are NOT tied to an individual's spending account, this would not work. When we issue keys to an already checked in room, we can make duplicates, so all keys we have made for that room still work, or we can make NEW keys, which, when used on the lock, transmit a new code which voids out all previously made keys so they do not work anymore. I am 100% certain that every time a guest reports to guest services that the envelope with their Sail & Sign cards is opened or missing, the GSA makes entirely NEW Sail & Sign cards and voids the old ones so they will not work on the doors and flag as compromised if the thief attempts to use them to buy anything. In the above hypothetical scenario, the thief could not use the stolen keys to get in the cabin after the guest had used their newly issued keys to enter. It's impossible.

I hope they're on the Dream. The cakes with the gelatin layers and the cream cheese frosting on chocolate cakes are not to my taste.

On our last cruise on the Dream, I went to lunch at Blue Iguana on either the 1st or 2nd day and asked for the burrito/taco bowl. They had to go get the bowls from the back (they didn't keep any stacked up front), and the ladies in line behind me saw me get it and decided they were going to get it, too. Then at least three people asked me where to get the taco bowls on my way to a table. They're not listed on the menu, so a lot of people didn't know they had them until they saw other people ordering them.

I'm pretty sure the deluxe oceanview cabins on Dream, Magic, and Breeze have a built-in curtain to divide the room in half.

Question, Since you seem to know a lot about this, I am going to pick your brain. Is there any one type of power strip that you recommend? Thanks

I've found a power station tap with two outlets and two USB ports that does NOT have surge protection. You may want to get a short extension cord to ensure it will fit in the outlets because some ship outlets are a tight fit and may not allow for the orientation of the tap.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YU3BUTI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was at Mr. Sanchos last year. If you're on the AI side, you'll be assigned a table with chairs and an umbrella or palapa over it. The lounge chairs themselves are in the sun; the chairs in cover are chairs you sit upright in. They do have the romance package where you are guaranteed a bed cabana. If not all the cabanas are taken by reserved romance packages, they're available first-come, first-served. The non-AI side also has tables and upright chairs with umbrellas.

For activities, you could rent jet-skis, there was a snorkel excursion where they took you out in a boat to a snorkel site, and they have the inflatable water toys to climb on ($12 extra fee for a wristband for those, I think.) Kayaks are included with the AI package, you just have to pay a $5 deposit which you get back when you return the kayak and paddles.

There will lobster one night if you are on a cruise over 5 nights long and shrimp cocktail every night in the main dining room. The steakhouse has a grilled fish option and a surf and turf option. Other than that, seafood is pretty much non existant.

 

Seriously, if you are cruising out of FL, get your seafood fix on land before you leave.

There is at least one seafood dish in the main courses every night, as well as a fish fillet in the grilled/every day section. On most nights, there is at least one seafood appetizer in addition to the shrimp cocktail. This is from recent Freedom American Table 7-day menus:

Day 1

Apps - Fried Calamari, Shrimp Cocktail, Chilled Vietnamese Roll (with shrimp), Cured Salmon, Candied Tomato

Main Courses - Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Salmon Fillet

Day 2 (Elegant Night)

Apps - Shrimp Cocktail, Fried Oysters

Main Courses - Seared Striped Bass, Broiled Maine Lobster Tail, Salmon

Day 3

Apps - Seared Tuna, Shrimp Cocktail, Flatbread (Cajun shrimp, corn, pineapple)

Main Courses - Seared Tilapia. Salmon Fillet

Day 4

Apps - Shrimp Cocktail

Main Courses - Salmon Cake, Mahi Mahi

Day 5

Apps - Shrimp Cocktail, Fried Shrimp

Main Courses - Penne Mariscos, Salmon Fillet

Day 6 (Elegant Night)

Apps - Shrimp Cocktail, Chesapeake Crab Cake, New England Clam Chowder

Main Courses - Teriyaki Salmon Fillet, Grilled Jumbo Shrimp, Striped Bass Fillet

Day 7

Apps - Shrimp Cocktail, Steamed Mussels

Main Courses - Tiger Shrimp Creole, Salmon Fillet

Sure, salmon and shrimp are over-represented, and this doesn't include port of call selections which sometimes include seafood dishes as well, but it looks like plenty of seafood options to me. Non-American Table menus are similar, with shrimp cocktail and salmon fillet available every day, and at least one seafood main course every night.

double post

We were staying at the Doubletree last time, so we walked down to Miller's Seawall Grill for breakfast. It was a weekend so it was packed and there was a wait, but the food was really good. (The other place we ate at was Fisherman's Wharf after we visited the maritime museum, and it was good, too, but not really different from other Landry's run restaurants.)

She'll have to get a copy of her marriage license. The name on the photo ID has to match the proof of citizenship (birth certificate in this case,) and if it doesn't, there has to be documentation of the name change.

Off the top of my head, I can only think of one ship that allows pet dogs and cats on board (there may be more that I'm not aware of.) The QM2 allows them on transatlantic voyages, but they have to stay in the on board kennel, and there are some other restrictions/requirements as well. They can't be kept in the guests' staterooms, and they're not allowed to roam the ship.

Looking at the schedule, the Saints have a home game that day at 1:00PM. You might want to plan to arrive a bit earlier than noon to give yourselves extra time.

Looks like they're planning to add this to every ship that has had an aft grill area left empty since the addition of Guy's Burgers. If you go to Carnival's site and explore the Dining Options by ship, Liberty, Freedom, Triumph, Victory, and Valor all show the Seafood Shack as "Coming Soon."

$110 for the normal passbook plus a $25 application fee

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If you're renewing a passport, they don't charge you the $25 fee. That's only for new applicants.

As a previous poster said, there have been reports from people with limited/specialty diets that are accommodated at the Chef's Table (gluten free/allergies, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, etc.) My understanding is someone meets with people that have booked the Chef's Table a day or two prior to discuss any allergies or food preferences.

As for the steakhouse, there is a chicken dish on the menu, as well as seabass, lobster, and lobster ravioli. If contacted ahead of time, the steakhouse might even be able to do a vegetarian dish - I've read reports of people doing that. It usually seems to be some sort of mushroom dish.

Steakhouse menu posted on Carnival's website - https://www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/explore/dining/menus/steakhouse-menu.ashx

Nice review!

About the grape trees that someone asked earlier if they were edible - yes! They're sea grapes (they're actually in the buckwheat family and not "true" grapes) and people eat the ripe fruit - the purple ones - raw, or make them into jam, jelly, or wine. The fruit has very large pits, so you don't actually get much actual fruit with each berry.

I'm cruising on Triumph out of New Orleans in Nov 2017, staying one night in the city after it ends, and then hopping on Dream the next day. I was able to select a check-in time for my Dream cruise, but the option is not showing up on my Triumph cruise. I have not made final payment on either cruise yet.

Pouches are okay, too, if you can find it in a 12oz or smaller pouch.

I think it has to be booked in the minor's name. If I'm reading this right, you booked your daughter in the suite with you and your husband in the inside room?

I'm sorry, I still don't understand. You say Carnival will provide a Meet and Mingle when 25 or more have registered on Cruise Critic, meaning joined their roll-call? I'm not sure what you mean by register? And how will Carnival know email address for people on our roll-call?

 

I have a group traveling together of 20 on our Valor cruise and I've contacted group dept for a room to hold our roll-call meet and mingle. For neither group have we been contacted by Carnival w an email for meet and mingle they have put together. Btw we sail July 29th if this helps.

No, this has nothing to do with Roll Calls. Cruise Critic has teamed up with Carnival to provide sponsored Meet & Mingles. You sign up via Cruise Critic here: http://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcall/cruiselinel2.cfm?cruiselineid=8

It has a surge protector. Not allowed on the ship due to being a fire hazard. I have purchased this one, which does NOT have surge protection - GE 25337 Power Station Tap, 2 USB and 2 AC Outlets 2.1A Horizontal, White

Unfortunately, it doesn't swivel, but a short, basic extension cord would solve the problem of it possibly not fitting into the space for the outlet.

That's such a shame to send a ship as good as the Breeze away from Florida to Galveston.:(

Florida is getting Carnival Magic in return, though, and they'll have Carnival Vista when she's done with her Med and New York sailings...

My wife said the Chilean Sea Bass was the best she ever had. The menu says Main Lobster which i love, but i swear this was Caribbean (Spiney) lobster with no claws. The best part of Maine lobster is the claw. The lobsters in the MDR are definitely Spiney.

Both the steakhouse and the MDR menu explicitly say MAINE LOBSTER, so I would hope they're being honest about that. But in both places, all you get is the tail, not the whole lobster, so you wouldn't get the claws anyway. It'd be nice if the steakhouse served the lobsters whole instead of just the tails, though.