CanWeGoYet?

I love to cruise, have cruised a couple times with friends who agreed to go along with me.  Some people catch the cruise bug, others don't.  One friend has gone on 3 cruises with me, she thinks they are ok but it's not her ideal vacation.   The other never cruised again.

If a friend is somewhat positive about going and trying it, then fine.  But I'd never pressure someone or try to talk them into it.  If they don't like it & spend a lot of money - it could strain the friendship.  Even more so if they were pressured into it.  No cruise is perfect and there will always be something to fault.  I don't want to be the one trying to defend a problem that wasn't my making - I think it's asking for trouble to push someone on going.  

You are so welcome Theresa.  I hope you have a great time in Seattle before your cruise.  I know lots of folks like the airport hotels, but you aren't going to get a feel for being Seattle in  that area.   

The bars and lido will be open for food, likely some of the other spots on board too.  I liked the seafood shack on Conquest, it is an added cost place but worth at least one stop on your cruise imho.  The shrimp was excellent.  The shops / casino won't be open until you are underway and reach international waters.  Guest services desk will be open.  Make sure you check out what the cruise ship has to offer online, and then pick up a map once you are on board.

I've been on many carnival cruises, and two long cruises with Celebrity.  Transatlantic, transpacific.  I was surprised on my first celebrity cruise to see how similar the food quality was in the MDR, despite the menu descriptions of food sounding so gourmet on Celebrity.   I think the MDR is still fairly comparable, but imo quality has slipped a bit more since carnival has transitioned to the American Table.

Service from cabin steward is at least as good on carnival as I have found on celebrity. 

Gym classes, added cost exercise classes are better on Celebrity.

I prefer the production shows on Celebrity, now that play list productions are the standard on carnival.

I still like Carnival, but it seems to me fairly comparable price wise if you add in the free gratuity / drink packages that are often part of the promos on Celebrity.  I'd never buy an alcohol drink package on carnival, but even with the coffees I buy at the bistro, bottled water etc it really does add up.  

My only caveat for Carnival is if you are booking a cruise to see if it the cruise line fits with your expectations, find at least a 7 day cruise not on spring break.   The 3 or 4 day cruises / cheapest itinerary like Bahamas can attract a pretty rough crowd.  Had my 4 day bahamas cruise out of Miami been my first on carnival, it likely would have been my last.

12 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

I do a lot of business trips where I need to work in Seattle and then follow it up with some work in Long Beach and/or Los Angeles. Alaska often offers some crazy low fares between Los Angeles and Seattle. I routinely fly SEA-LAX and SEA-SNA for $75-$90 one-way.

thanks, will hope to find a rate that good!

On 2/19/2019 at 7:22 AM, tiger belle said:

we ended up booking the MarQueen for the one night before our cruise...we got a good rate for June and the hotel seems to be quite charming (fingers crossed) 🙂

 

I haven't stayed here since I live in Seattle.  But I drive by it frequently, I live on Queen Anne.  I've had cruise friends who've stayed there and seemed to like it.  The location is convenient to dozens of decent restaurants within a block or two walk.  There's also bartell drug store, CVS and a metropolitan market a block away or less.  Also a Caffe Ladro just beneath your hotel.  Parking is expensive and a real pain here though, as in much of Seattle.   I don't believe there is any elevator, so request your room accordingly if trucking luggage up stairs is an issue.  

In the past I've pretty much stuck to Alaska Air or (if memory serves) Jet Blue.  

I may have to look at SNA or LAX.   Cruise isn't until November but I'm going to keep a watch out for prices & cross my fingers.  

Pricing flights for my return after my cruise this coming fall.  I realize it's too early to buy, but am shocked by the prices.  No non stop flights & what I do see are way expensive.  Anyone know if airlines have dropped the nonstops between long beach and Seattle?  It's been years since I've flown this route, but there used to be a wealth of good cheap flights.  

I did like having a balcony on my alaska cruises.  It isn't a sunning yourself type of cruise, but I liked being able to pop outside, hear the cracking of the glacier ice or have a chance to see what was being announced by the naturalist even if I was in my cabin.   Also, on Glacier bay day, it was hard  to get a table anywhere in the lido for a meal.  People were camped out all day long at the window tables just playing cards and watching the view.  So in that case a cabin with a balcony or a window at least can come in handy.   We finally found a seat on a different deck by a window to take our lunch to, but wish I would have thought to just dine in the cabin or order room service.  

Does the free bag of laundry for suite guests apply to each guest, or 1 bag for everybody?  I'm platinum but the other 2 guests in the suite with me aren't.  

Getting started on the trip insurance, did you get primary coverage or secondary?  Unless you got primary coverage, you will have to get a denial for your claim first from your regular health insurance.  So submit that first, you will need a letter denying coverage for the trip insurance claim.  Just send a copy of that letter in with your packet of info when you submit the claim to the travel insurance company.

On 2/1/2019 at 12:11 PM, deedle7544 said:

We were just on Miracle over Thanksgiving and it was great!

 

 

Did you happen to save any of the funtimes to repost, or the MDR menu for Thanksgiving?  I've been on a Tgivng cruise on Carnival - but not a 7 day & not the Miracle.  Trying to find funtimes & menus!

 

 

I really enjoy the fitness classes.  Was so disappointed on my last cruise, when the spa employee scheduled to teach them all managed to bag out of every single one I signed up for & got there to take.  This is why I'm a little leary of buying the unlimited class, with no detail on how many I would be having a shot at.  Maybe there would be more pressure on them to actually teach if people bought the pass.  I've been to some fitness classes where I was the only one there (alaska cruise) but the teacher was still willing to teach if I was up for it.  It must be up to the instructor.  This fellow on the Conquest would blow off the start time of the class, to continue to try to a high pressure sales tactic to the couple he was trying to sell some sort of "change your life" health promotion plan to.  I'm sure he would make more on commission doing that than leading a class.   I was the only one who hung around late to take the class, then he barked at me that *I* was late and told me he could teach - but he'd be charging for a private training session.  Anyway - maybe if enough sign up for unlimited the fear of carnival needing to refund the cost of the pass would make a difference.  

Aside from fitness classes I take, always take the stairs.  It makes a difference!

9 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Not that I would ever book a fitness class, but I came across this information.....

 

SELECT CLASS PASS X3

 

Sign up for any 3 fitness classes including Yoga, Pilates and Indoor Cycling* *Check with spa reception for specific classes included. Read more

 

Starting At $39.00

Duration: 60 Minutes

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Yes, the detail on both the 3 class pass and the unlimited is the same - shows 3 different classes 15 min apart and the price is shown on all 3 class boxes, on the first sea day of the cruise.   Just odd.  Maybe the cruise is still too  far away to have any better detail.  

1 hour ago, summersigh said:

We always buy insurance at the time we book .... but if I'm not mistaken -  if you have a preexisting condition you have to get it sooner after booking than regular

I get my insurance now through Squaremouth.com, or Insuremytrip.com, but in general I think you have 2 weeks after booking to get insurance with a pre-existing condition coverage.  If you book last minute & have to pay everything right then - perhaps it is less time.  I know I have bought full insurance with pre-existing coverage months after booking, which cost a lot & had few options for carriers - but I was able to do it.  

For any future cruises you book, you can get trip insurance on your own.  I book most of my own cruises, but when I did go through a big online travel agency - he asked if I wanted to book trip insurance through him.  I declined, and got mine on my own through squaremouth.com   I like their site a little better than Insuremytrip.com, but both sites are good.

You absolutely need pre-existing condition covered, I think everyone should get this -  I would not cruise without it.  On Squaremouth.com there is a box to check off on the margin for cruise travel.  It is a good filter that will make sure you have adequate medical & medevac coverage.  Check off pre-existing condition for things you are shopping for on your trip insurance.  I also always select primary coverage.  It may not cost a lot more and saves you  the  trouble of submitting the claim to your own insurance first, and waiting for them to deny it before your trip insurance covers.

Buy your trip insurance soon after putting down your deposit.  You can buy a policy that has a pre-existing condition waiver even if you don't get it right away, but it costs so much less if you make sure you get the coverage soon.  I think with the policy I bought last, it showed I had up to 2 weeks after initial booking to buy the coverage at the good rate.  

I hope the treatment goes smoothly and that you have a fanastic, relaxing cruise.  

Anyone booked this?  I see it as an option, but it lists as $49 for 5 to 7 day cruise, and has basically no detail listed on it.

Just wondering what it actually goes for on a 7 day cruise.  Pros / Cons from anyone who has booked this?

37 minutes ago, Mommawo said:

So there is a weight limit on suitcases?

At least in theory, yes.  I rather doubt this is enforced, as I've never seen a porter weighing  the bags.  Maybe just to discourage huge heavy bags & the likelihood of back injuries for the curbside porters & then carnival workers who deliver them to cabins.  

According to this link, there are even size restrictions which was news to me.  https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1373

I lucked out on the one transatlantic I have taken, only patch of rough water was when we reached the coast of Spain at La Coruna.  The water was like glass at times in transit in Spring.  Beautiful and warm when it was that calm.   I would avoid a northern crossing in late fall / winter - have read those are rocky and stormy.

I know from experience the Pacific coasts cruises have rough water.  Going past Cabo is particularly bad.  Did this cruise on (an upgraded, lol) cabin at the very front of the ship on my first cruise.  It was like riding a maliboomer with the extreme up and down motion - they kindly put me in a porthole cabin on a high deck way forward.  I wish I had declined it and stayed with my mid ship / mid deck inside cabin I had been assigned originally.  My name was Ralph on the days we went by Cabo - high speed and rough water.  So do take the advice of mid ship and lower deck to minimize how much you feel the ship motion.  The higher up, the more sway of the ship you get.  

You also may want to avoid hurricane season - this is basically 6 months of the year - but a time when more prone to tropical depressions or outright hurricanes.  This year begins June 1, ends November 30.  

As for luggage, no size limit like the airport.  But there are weight limits - 50# for the suitcases you hand off to the porters at the cruise terminal.  For bags you carry on yourself, just whatever you can manage wheeling around in possibly tight quarters.  Although boarding late, much of that issue is not a factor.  You should be able to drop off your bag to your room by then.  Just remember if your family will be hungry, the lido may be closing up & not serving if you board too late.  

I am a fan of flying in the day before, but even in that scenario one time we nearly missed the ship.

Friend loves to push things to the brink & valued Miami driving around time & sightseeing more than boarding early.  We had trouble finding our way back to the car rental by the airport to drop off car & take their shuttle to the cruise port.

I had the Carnival cruise port emergency number with me, and called to let them know we were running late.  It made a huge difference.   I don't know if we were just given an exception, but we were told so long as we made it before 3:30 with 4 pm sail away, we would be able to board.  Had also of course completed the check in online long before.  So take the  port number with you, and let them know in case worse comes to worst.  We made it, but I learned a tough lesson on "just get to the ship early and don't give yourself a stroke."  If you run into  a serious traffic issue or mechanical breakdown it could really turn out badly.  

Will definitely walk outside the cruise terminal to find a taxi, and confirm the rate before  hand.  I am already fairly well versed in the gringo or cruise rate from prior bad experience in Cabo.  Got a taxi to a beach restaurant with my son & parents, confirmed the rate before hand.  Did not think to ask though how much the return  trip would be, it was the same route.  Well lo and behold it was double the rate to get back to the cruise ship.  And I was so mad I stopped and checked with so many of the dozens of other taxis sitting empty & waiting - same for all.  They were all in on it.  Finally accepted we could either pay the inflated rate or miss the ship.  Never forgot though.  When its time to leave the Botanical Gardens will do so in mid afternoon, to allow time to find an expected rate back, or take the bus if need be.  

Thank you so much for the information Hlitner and Ine!   I really appreciate it.  The taxi fare isn't bad if it is per cab, not passenger.  I will be certain to pin down any fare before the ride.  I am one of the few I guess who has not used Uber, probably not a good idea to start this learning curve in Puerto Vallarta when I only know a few words of Spanish.  

Trying to gather info on visiting the Botanical Gardens on my port day in PV.    Any advice on do it yourself transport?  How difficult to catch the bus, distance / cost etc, or is a taxi much more convenient?   One bus ride within walking distance from the pier would be great, probably not wanting to have to transfer or take multiple buses.    Would not want to linger too long & have a hard time getting transport back to the ship.  Thinking of spending at least a few hours there, gardening & exotic plants a big interest for us - then having lunch at the restaurant.  Any feedback from past visitors much appreciated.    There is no shore excursion for this offered from my cruise line.  Plus if we could do this inexpensively on our own, & have more freedom from being part of a group tour - so much the better.  

12 hours ago, coevan said:

They had to tell him the surf and turf is a 1/2 steak. They even have one on the demo tray. The full steaks are huge.

 yeah, I don't even think it should have needed to be said.  If you are getting a lobster & steak I don't think its possible you'd be getting full sizes of both.   Must have been wishful thinking.