Detroit Donna

Okay all you folks with Victory Experience. We will be on the December 9th sailing. This will be our 8th Carnival cruise. Looking forward to this one as I visited a lot of these ports while in submarines with the US Navy, but that was a "few" years ago. DW and I are from Florida and have booked a balcony on the Panorama Deck (1031 - nose bleed section). Have never been on one of the "bigger" Carnivial ships, however, we will complete a cruise on the Glory in September. Anyone with any experience on the Panorama Deck?

 

Here is what we have scheduled so far, and a lot is based on what I have read from the reviews on CC.

 

We will probably arrive in San Juan two days prior to the cruise (Dec 7th). Any suggestions for a hotel during that time. Will probably try and fly out the day the ship returns.

 

Based on CC recommendations have booked the following excursions so far:

 

St Lucia - COSOL Island Tour

St Kitts - Royston Island Tour

 

If you have any info on SR 1031 or the Panorama deck would appreciate it. Also, Any good suggestions regarding St. Thomas, Barbados, or St Maarten excusions would be great. Not into a lot of "water sports" - mostly just sightseeing and shopping. Age has a way of slowing you down!

 

Also - feel free to share anything you have learned that will be a help to us and others that read this board. Thanks in advance.

We stayed in a Panaroma Cabin while sailing on the Dream this past spring and didn't have any problems. I take a Bonine before bed every night for any cruise I go on though....just in case. ;)

We did COSOL's tour and we liked it enough to do it again for our New Year's cruise.

In St. Thomas we enjoy taking the Red Hook Ferry to St. John for the day. We go to Cinnamon Beach first for a few hours and then go to Trunk Bay.

In St. Maarten, we have gone with Bernard twice and really, really like this tour.

We've only been to Barbados once and we went with Silvermoon to swim with the turtles. Unfortunately, we only saw one turtle. :mad: Silvermoon is a great tour company (turtle sightings are not their fault - LOL) but we are going with Calabaza this time just to switch things up a bit.

I can't help you with hotel room info because we stay with family while in Puerto Rico.

You are going to LOVE this cruise! We've been on 17 cruises and we still name this one as our favorite cruise because of these ports.

Wife and I on first cruise this thanksgiving week. Was booked on glory, but switched to dream!

 

Love the board, lot's of good stuff for a first timer!

 

Rather than a nice, conservative, mid=ship, lower deck room for a first cruise........I'm in one of the front row, 4j rooms on lido - right next to secret door ! Would appriciate any comments on my room choice...good or bad!

 

thanks!

We walked by those rooms and they looked big. I think you'll like it, we have always discussed getting one of those and then we back out for whatever reason. We tested out the window on one to see if we could see in from the outside and we could, so make sure your curtain is closed if you don't want nosy (like us) people seeing if they can see in. :o I've also heard people complain that they can hear the door slamming shut from the wind when people use the door that goes outside. I made sure we closed it lightly for this reason. I think if I were in one of those rooms and this was a problem, I'd make my own door sign so people might be more considerate.

Cheers!

I believe you an use the gym without a spa pass. I think the spa pass is just for the thalassotherapy pool, sauna and that area but I could be wrong. They used to not charge for the gym.

You're right. You can use the gym without having to pay extra. It's the thalassotherapy pool, sauna, etc. that costs extra.

what form of ginger do you bring? and is it really good with motion sickness? ty

The Dream was my 14th cruise with Carnival and we were in cabin 11214. I have not gotten motion sickness prior to this cruise but the first night on the Dream, I did. Normally I take a Bonine before bed every night but had forgotten to start while on land the night before. I never got physically sick but could not eat and felt terrible. Our waiters told me to go back to my room and do not walk around as much as possible. They then said to call room service and have them deliver motion sickness pills, take them, and go to sleep and I'd be fine in the morning. They were exactly right. :) I did take some ginger gum with me that I think I picked up at CVS. I never did need to use it though because the rest of the cruise I had no problems and remembered to take Bonine before bed every night.

In January I was in 9456 and we had the same issue with our shower. We figured out that our shower didn't drain fast enough and the floor was sloping towards the shower curtain.

We were in 11214 and ours flooded too. We let our cabin steward know and he had maintenance come in and they resolved the problem. :)

Does anyone know if they have the murder mystery on the Dream? We were just on the Valor and it was in the Fun Times and then there were clues all week long. I missed out on the initial meeting so I want to be sure to make it this time if they have it.

Can someone please repost the toll free number to call.

I was given a number to call by my PVP, but it always goes to voice mail saying to leave my name and number and they will call back (which they haven't yet).

Thanks in advance

I called 1-800-522-7466

I don't ever leave my name and number. Instead I call at different times until I get the message that all reps are busy and to please hold the line.

I emailed them about 2 weeks ago and still haven't gotten a response...BUT, as in the past and for the future, for Donna and everyone else, I have always, whether I emailed them or spoken to them, ALWAYS ask for whatever I am told I would be getting to be put it in an email please. Then I carry that email with me on the ship.

 

Also, in the future, if any of you were promised something and get on board only to be told NO, not eligible, don't have anything for you etc.... You are most likely on that cruise between Monday and Friday 9 - 5... make someone in the casino call them.... If you are promised something, don't take no for an answer....

Just wanted to include a follow-on to this thread. We are cruising April 7th on the Dream and so I called and spoke with Mike. He said we would be getting a Bon Voyage package and then asked if we liked red or white wine (that wasn't asked before!). He also said I would be getting $100 to play with at the casino. :D At the end of our conversation, I asked him if he could please send that to me in an email and he said he would and repeated my email address. After I didn't receive anything on that day (I had called in the morning), I had thought I wouldn't be receiving one but the next afternoon, there it was! Now I feel like I can really have my hopes up that they will actually come through. :)

I emailed them about 2 weeks ago and still haven't gotten a response...BUT, as in the past and for the future, for Donna and everyone else, I have always, whether I emailed them or spoken to them, ALWAYS ask for whatever I am told I would be getting to be put it in an email please. Then I carry that email with me on the ship.

 

Also, in the future, if any of you were promised something and get on board only to be told NO, not eligible, don't have anything for you etc.... You are most likely on that cruise between Monday and Friday 9 - 5... make someone in the casino call them.... If you are promised something, don't take no for an answer....

Good idea Elaine. In fact, I called them from the ship (I was still on the cruise when I posted) and they made the call so I was able to get the comp in the casino at least. I only had one more day of the cruise left but something was better than nothing. I'll be sure to follow up like that for my future cruises.

I called the players club 2 weeks before we left and was told I would receive $50 in the casino and a bon voyage pkg in our stateroom. When I went to the casino, the manager said I wasn't eligible and I never received anything in my stateroom. I was so disappointed. On my last cruise I received free drink tickets, a Bon voyage package, free photo coupons, free drinks in the casino, a bottle of wine at dinner, and chocolate covered strawberries twice.

Also, every time I would email them, I'd get no response. :(

If anyone is still sending templates out, I would love a copy PLEASE!!! Keetoncorp@aol.com