2young2care

I've done the horseback ride on HMC about 5 years ago. It was one of my most favorite experiences! I had only been on a horse twice in my life before. They were great at matching you up with a horse based on your experience level. They give you a different horse for the swim portion and it is very cool. Almost feels like you're on a carousel horse!

I can't see the pictures either.

It's been awhile since I've cruised... before you had to pick check-in times. Previously, we've gotten on the ship at the absolute earliest time they would let us on. So what if we had our carry-ons with us. We had our swimsuits on underneath our clothes, would grab a deck chair, throw the carryon underneath it, and commence with DOD's.

That is so awesome!! Thanks for posting this. I've been hoping she's having a fabulous time! I absolutely can't wait to read her review!!

Have land-based restaurants had so much discussion amongst their customers when they've retired tablecloths? Do people stop going to those restaurants because there are no tablecloths anymore?

It really is a shame that they stopped it. :( Several years ago I was just about to join a Saints and Sinners Carnival cruise, but stuff happened and I couldn't. I was so disappointed but told myself I would get to go on another one in the future. Guess not. :(

I am so disappointed! Those group cruises looked like so much fun!! Why in the world would they stop doing them????

I've looked through several pages of threads and don't see any postings for group cruises started by members like there used to be in years past. It's been a few years since I've cruised and I'm ready to start thinking seriously about booking one. I'd be a solo cruiser now, so I thought one of the CC member groups would be fun to join but I don't see them anymore. :(

My prayers are with the poor victim's loved ones. My prayers and greatest concern is for the individual(s) who activated the elevator just as millions of people do every day, not knowing that there was someone in the shaft. That soul is the one who will need counseling. And I daresay, probably more than three sessions.

Videocamera Guy should pay for one or more counseling sessions for each person who viewed his video. They all saw the exact same thing he did and he is solely responsible for that.

Wow, Sweetie. You have a lot of good advice given to you in this thread. I was all for begging your parents for at least one night in the MDR until you mentioned your sibling who is autistic. I agree this might be a reason your parents are resistant to the MDR. The length of time to finish your dining experience can be a situation in your parents minds that they are not wanting to undertake for a wonderful vacation that they have worked very hard and saved all year for. Siblings in this kind of situation are often expected to relinquish their wants for the greater good of the family unit. That's not an easy spot for you to be in. Nor is it an easy spot for each and every other member of your family to be in.

If I were you, I would approach the parents with a non-emotional request for just one night of the cruise when you could all go to the MDR together. If this isn't acceptable to them, you might ask if they would join the roll call for your cruise on cruise critic so that you can virtually meet another family and physically meet them early in the cruise and then dine with them. If I were a parent of a 14 year old, I would not be comfortable with scheduling Any Time Dining and letting them go by themself. A companion you meet at the teen club would absolutely be acceptable in my eyes after parents meet the friend and parents of the friend. Going with your mom OR your dad may be an idea they are willing to entertain, while the rest of the family enjoys the buffet. You could present it to your parents as if it were just another excursion that costs nothing on the ship, but could give you and that one parent some quality time together or the entire family some quality time together and an experience to remember.

If none of your approaches to your parents are effective... I am so sympathtetic. If you are not contributing any of your own money for the vacation then your parents wishes take priority. I know it seems like forever and a day, but you could make it a personal goal that when you are of age to plan your own vacation and pay for it that you will dine as often or as least often as you want in the Main Dining Room.

Good luck with your efforts to compromise. The skills you learn and use to persuade your parents will truly be invaluable to you in your future. Please come back and update us with news of whether you were able to enjoy such a simple pleasure for yourself on your cruise. Regardless of the outcome of your MDR request, I hope you have a blast on your cruise!!!! The food is wonderful on a cruise, no matter where you choose to eat it!

Ouch!

Actualy, that depends if somebody is funding the deduction or not. There will be times when a taxable item is chanrge tax even though the item is free.

 

These "free" cruises though. Does the customer pay sales tax? (not income tax as some are suggesting)

True. There's always something to look out for when you're talking about taxes. But income tax on it? Really? Where are the posts from the people who got their free cabin offers last year and took their cruise before Dec. 31, 2013? They would have had to receive their 1099 by now if they were going to get stuck with one.

Edited to add: Carnival would have to disclose that they would be issuing a 1099 before the consumer accepted the offer. Just like my bank had to disclose to me they would be issuing a 1099 for the Kindle Fire HD they gave me when I opened an account with them. It's in the fine print.

The IRS will tax prize winnings. They don't tax discounts given by a company. This wasn't a contest and nobody won a "free" cruise. Nobody "entered" themselves in this perceived contest. It was simply a 100% discount offered by Carnival on a category of available cabins. All other associated costs must still be paid by the consumer. The IRS doesn't tax your savings at the Mattress Warehouse when you buy the mattress and get the box spring for free. They don't tax your savings at Target either when you save a bundle at their 90% off sales. But, hey, anybody who is worried they will suddenly have a larger tax burden next year, consult your accountant.

Once upon a time, journalists would not have printed an article like this without doing their due diligence.

I've enjoyed reading your review so much! So much, in fact, that I want to take your exact vacation! Minus the zipline, but otherwise, a complete copycat! Beginning to end!:p