DarthGrady

37 minutes ago, bstel said:

just wait till they "sunshine" the Spirit class ships and stuff in more cabins.  could easily see them getting rid of the comedy lounge under the theatre, since most other ships don't have dedicated comedy clubs.  or I could see them getting rid of the aft pool and putting rooms there.  3 pools is a luxury and one that doesn't generate revenue.

 

But yes this is the main reason we love the Spirit class.  Even pre-covid at full occupancy there were hardly ever any lines at bars.  Also having the serenity deck with a pool is awesome. 

Carnival could install "premium sky-view suites for diesel fume enthusiasts" on top of the funnels and it wouldn't surprise me at this point.  

Thanks for posting! Sensation was my first Carnival ship back in '99 and I had a few more on her over the years. It's very sad that she and the others done-in by COVID did not get a better sendoff. 

The Fantasy Class is, IMHO, the best overall class of cruise ship ever built. Not because they were the biggest or most feature-laden (even when they were new), but because CCL built a bunch of them and they were very successful in opening up cruising to a wider market. I can't even count how may fellow cruisers I've met over the years that had their first voyage on a Fantasy Class ship. The Fantasy Class ships just feel like home to me, I've been saying for years that it would be a sad day when they were all gone. Unfortunately that day seems to be rapidly approaching. 

I knew there was a reason I liked the Spirit so much. 😂

I've hit 15 many times, mostly on sea days when we're a captive audience. But I'm a bit of a night owl and go on cruises to party, so your mileage may vary.

I really do wish CCL would eliminate it, as they are the only major cruise line with an automatic cutoff. An arbitrary cap that takes nothing into account (but numbers) make Carnival come off as cheap.  The bartenders can cut off guests who have been overserved, and it should be left to them in my opinion.

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Thing is, you don't really know what the on board price will be.

 

Pro tip: get the best package price in the planner and if by some miracle the on board price is better, cancel on board and buy there (with the OBC generated by the cancellation of the old package).

Even better, thank you again! 

Just now, Biker19 said:

Right.

I'll have to keep watching it then, right now they're only offering the BOGO 50% Off (25% per package) for my sailing. Hey, 5% is 5%! 😁

Just now, Biker19 said:

It's D+ and up and even with the discount, the pre cruise price might still be cheaper.

Ok, thanks! Still 30% for D+, 40% for PC?

Hello everyone, tried to run a search on this but it's not working right now. Can anyone confirm that they're still offering Crown and Anchor discounts for the beverage packages for Diamond and above? Just want to make sure before the window to pre-purchase runs out. Thanks! 

On 2/21/2022 at 8:02 PM, Indytraveler83 said:

 

I like this view a lot more than the "rust buckets" view that gets tossed around a lot here.

 

These ships, along with the RCL ships of that same day offered early mass market cruising that was affordable and available to most people, a significant change in market and opportunity for the day.

 

While the Farkus design certainly isn't aging well, at the time it would have been a massive statement about the "Funship" experience that differed so much from the stuffy atmosphere that other lines provided.  It's like they felt it was necessary to remind everyone at every turn that Carnival was more like a visit to Vegas than a visit to the old, dark ocean liners that were being phased out at the time.

 

As the world has become less "suit and tie" and the resort style atmosphere overtakes modern cruising (not complaining, we found that the Horizon was gorgeous when we sailed her for the first time), these old ships don't offer the new, exciting experience they once did.

 

However, they still have an interesting and honorable place in time for the cruise ship market and even while I think ahead to booking the new Mardi Gras, I'll  be sure to sail a Fantasy class ship one last time, just to enjoy it for what it offered, and what it was, before they all end up on a beach somewhere, never to sail again.

 

Very well said! I was happy to get a cruise on Elation back in December, I was really worried they might all get scrapped during the pandemic and I'd never get another chance. Next up will be Paradise in May, I'll just have to enjoy them as much as I can in the time they have left. 

On 2/18/2022 at 11:49 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Ah - I found my old (nearly 16 years ago) photo of the lamps along with their current resting place 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have museum wax underneath them now, as cats can't be trusted !!  🙂

 

 

Tom

Wow, that's great Tom! It is good to know that a small part of her will live on somewhere. 

I knew it would happen eventually, but still sad that her time has come. Sensation was my first CCL ship back in '99. Wish I could've gotten one more cruise in. 

I'll miss her 80's era purple metal facades, giant plastic hands guarding the piano bar and the moving sculpture that once proudly stood in all its weird glory in her atrium. Farewell Sensation! 

On 1/27/2022 at 3:08 PM, John&LaLa said:

 

Did you ever sail any of Carnivals original 3🤔

Unfortunately no, my first CCL ship was the Sensation back in 1999. 

She was before my time, but I wish I could've sailed on her. I'm really going to miss the old ships. I guess I'm one of the few folks who don't care much for the giant ships. It's going to be a sad day for me when RCI gets rid of the last Vision and Radiance class ships, same with Carnival and the remaining Fantasy class sisters. I wish the big cruise lines would get back into building sub-100K gross ton ships again. 

Walgreens has been having issues recently, I had one booked for last week that got canceled, three others in my party also got canceled. 

I take my own extension cord and have never had a problem. I forgot it once and the steward brought me one right away, they're pretty used to guests having them by now. 

7 minutes ago, CCBB said:

Questions to recent cruisers: are diamond lounges open on ships? If so, are they only open for certain hours? Can we take bottled water or bottled juices from the lounge? Does anyone have tips or comments regarding the use of diamond lounge?

 

Thank you. 

Just on Serenade last week, DL was open as usual. I only went in once during the cruise to get a coffee. The food and coffee machine area was roped off, but I was able to snag a cappuccino since a crewman was in there that afternoon working. The continental breakfast is served each morning, but no food during off hours. 

They are still having the nightly happy hours for D and D+. Pinnacles had their own dedicated lounge space cordoned off in the forward area of the Vortex nightclub. Concierge Lounge continues to be for suite guests only.   

I've been in a couple of promenade view rooms over the years. The window (and its seat) does make the cabin feel a bit more roomy. While I do think they are slightly nicer than an interior cabin, I would not pay much extra for them. As others have said, be aware that some of them are directly above bars and lounges on the promenade so noise could be an issue. 

I have a friend who just came off the Mardi Gras with the same report. It seems CCL has taken it to the next level with her. Since she is named after their first ship, I suppose they really wanted to do it right. I hope to see her for myself someday. 

Great review! And great timing for yours truly as my November Brilliance cruise has been switched to Serenade. I'm very excited for it, not only will it be my first cruise since before COVID, but it will also complete the Radiance Class for me. 

Yes, seems to be the case, I just heard my Thanksgiving cruise on BR is cancelled. 

Very sad pictures indeed. I always knew we would get to the point where the classic ships were all gone, but unfortunately COVID will cause it to arrive much sooner. I enjoy the old ships so much more than the huge, gimmicky monstrosities the companies have been producing lately. 

I generally go through a TA, but I'm lucky enough to have a couple of excellent ones. They keep on top of price drops, saving me from having to contact the cruise line. As with most things in life, the experience can vary greatly if the TA just wants to get the booking to make a buck and not provide any service. 

On 5/15/2021 at 10:11 AM, jperry2011 said:

Looking for opinions on the best 5 day Florida departure cruise to use my jackpot casino free suite offer on. 

Next fall into winter would be ideal.

We've been on the pride 4 times to the Bahamas and Bermuda it's time to change it up.

 

If available, I'd look for anything going to Half Moon Cay. I prefer private island stops over regular ports-of-call, and that place has the most amazing beach. 

On 5/19/2021 at 3:30 PM, xpcdoojk said:

Photoshop should do the trick. 😉

Beat me to it.

On 4/28/2021 at 7:38 AM, Bobal said:

 

I highly doubt he will respond since he didn't do so to any of the people who asked questions of him when he first posted about the ban.

 

I haven't followed the Celebrity boards for some time now but must admit the discussion here piqued my interest so I read his post and subsequent responses. I remember finding his updates interesting - as are yours and other such updates.

 

He was one of their highest points cruisers (and liked to let it be known) and Celebrity always made a big deal of feting their top cruisers. Thus, I agree with others on his thread that there was more to this than he is admitting and he clearly overstepped some boundaries. I find it hard to believe he wasn't given some sort of warning before such a draconian measure.

 

I therefore wouldn't worry about a ban for yourself, you simply provide information which has been supplied by other cruisers and not - as seems to be the case with him - pestering staff for information about their whereabouts.

I've heard of a few high-level past guests getting bans over the years, it was rarely due to just one issue. Some (but certainly not all, or even most) high-level past guests have been known to push the boundaries thinking their status allows it. Most, if not all cruise lines keep files on guests and document conduct issues. My opinion is that may have just been the straw that broke the camel's back.