keiko618

CCL has thrown a lot of money at this to keep it quiet with comps, FCC, cash, etc. NDA required to get those as well. Seems like overkill for just some urethane odors especially when guests were notified in advance. Their usual damage control is to deny, minimize, and change the subject. Good corporate PR. I think something smells here and it's not just urethane.

31 minutes ago, groundloop said:

I wonder if they were forthcoming with the affected passengers about what they were exposed to..... I'd want something a lot more specific than "paint" or "chemicals".

Unlikely they will be that transparent. The "hush money" will be time limited, like until they get off the ship. CCL does not need to follow US laws. Coast Guard jurisdiction is limited, especially in international waters. 

Latest update is all seems well other than hot tap water is staining towels and not looking clean.

Updated. She says the Captain reports unknown reason why they lost power. They are working on it and some essential services were getting generator power. They are back underway now but going slow.

Captain says they have limited generator power, not AC, no elevators, etc. They are 65 miles off coast of San Francisco.

My sister is on the ship and engines have stopped and they do not have power. Captain has verified the same. They are coming back from Alaska and due to dock tomorrow morning in Long Beach. She was able to send out email using the services available now.

A friend sent this story about show last night in main showroom. Sounds like some poor judgment in use of pyrotechnics.

Funny-ish story. So, last night's show in the Taj Mahal theatre was 'Beach Getaway'. Cute musical/dancing production with beachy tunes and the 'setting' was Hawaii with a pretend volcano in the background. They tried spicing up the production with some 3-D special affects and smells to make it 'real'. So, they had a pretend pig roast and the 'aroma' was that of a BBQ. It smelled pretty real. Then, a fictional eruption of the volcano happened and the drama was intensified by pyrotechnics on the stage. Just as the main characters started to sing my favorite version of Somewhere over the rainbow' and they were about three words into the song, the smell of the volcano and smoke was a bit stronger. All of a sudden, the singers ran off stage, the lights came on and the fire crew was extinguishing a fire on the stage! It was a small fire and they put it out right away but the shows were cancelled for the rest of the evening. Kinda scary when you think about the pyrotechnics onboard a ship and what could go wrong!

I checked for date in Nov. from FLL to Marriott in Miami and it was 86, 52 if I could share and only have two bags. Not quite the deal.

I respectfully disagree with jwalk (maybe it's a California thing) but MAYBE a courtesy call, email better and if I don't want to work with you, get the hint. They put the online reservation there for people who may not want to be on the phone.

I used TA a few times, then looked to book myself and got an annoying (pushy and not too bright socially IMO) call. She kept bugging me instead of respecting the boundary I set. Pushy sales people have a place, social decorum prevents me from typing. I had a friend who had a good PVP and I switched. You would think I held her kids hostage they way the previous PVP reacted. I get it's a sales job and commission. I've been happy with my PVP for quite some time and she has learned how to best work with me. So I hope a few of them are the desperate outcasts of CCL and not representative of how the company trains them. Complain to CCL if you feel inclined or ask for a switch. I do agree with jwalk that other than them being counter to your needs, they can help with such things as multiple bookings, connecting bookings, dining, etc. Good luck.

You also have option of bon voyage package for 4 packs. Price is about the same and delivered to room but no 15% gratuity. Steward does ice............all is nice.

I will when I stop at in and out burger! (Eventhough we are getting one here at home finally).

Well avoid the major munch times, can be crowded. Luckily right by hwy 44 so back on your route to I 5 should be easy. Our town is not laid out well so some tolerance is needed. GPS is a gift.

BTW, when do you post more about the rest of the trip? also............did you smuggle or buy bon voyage? Inquiring minds want to know..........:cool:

Thank you so much.. been slow posting and I apologize.. work has been crazy and I leave for NYC on Sunday morning but driving to Sacramento Friday.. and I still haven't packed.. see my pattern here when I travel? :D And yes!! DING!!! MAN I LOVE THAT SOUND SO MUCH! i forgot to mention that one of the ladies during embarkation that was helping "ding" the cards she heard me say "man that is the best sound EVER!" and she busted out laughing... she was like "that is the best thing I have heard all day" good times!

 

Nope she just wanted it and ordered it. :)

Wave when you pass Redding, I can see the freeway from my home! We are on right after Thanksgiving. Enjoying the pictures and salient points you make.

I'm finding that they are restricting price drops by using clever language so it's not the same category or booking type. Example, new bookings only, super saver, instant saver, pack and go, or the one that got me this week, guarantee cabin and with ES I booked a specific cabin, 6A. But they say there is different category 6 and if I wanted that, the 200 I get for the price drop would cost me 300 to rebook. Really? It used to be in all my past ES bookings that they honored lower fare for same category. Now they put too many restrictions by saying it's a special promotion so I don't qualify. Really poor business to advertise you have price protection but then get tricky to avoid honoring it. I guess CCL is like ATT and other huge corporations, they didn't get big by being nice. They also don't seem to care about my loyalty or keeping me satisfied. I don't want free money, I just want to pay the lowest price like they guarantee but that is what they want to avoid.

Agreed.

 

There are reasons to book Early Saver(ES) and reasons to not book ES.

 

Yours sounds like a case where booking ES should be avoided (too much at risk vs. the benefit you may or may not get).

 

As well, the benefit of ES is to get price drops (after final payment date) if the cruise isn't selling well. That used to work very well. However, recently in my experience, all the price drops I've seen on my cruises have stipulations (pack N go for example) that don't allow ES to apply, so the benefit is pretty minimal. As the consumer gets smarter, so does the business. :p

 

GP

I concur, I just missed out on 200.00 as they have a lower price for oceanview but it's a guarantee room and I did pick my cabin. Irks me they call it something to avoid price protection. The person next to me may pay less but I have price protection. Just not right. Can they do this and should have I read the whole contract? I did, just didn't imagine how much would be under "special promotions". So they call it super saver, instant saver, pack and go, or only odd number rooms aft and you do not qualify. There is a consideration of Good Faith when they advertise differently than they intend.

My plan is to leave luggage after debarkation at Canada Center and see the town since train doesn't leave until close to 6pm. I've heard they will store them most of the day for small fee. Take skytrain thingy to train station, hop on, get off in Seattle, walk a block to metro and it goes right to my hotel. Anyone see a problem with this plan? I know we will be in late, we are staying the night again. thanks for input!

Post loud and clear people, CCL is watching this I'm sure.

Can you cancel and get refund (ES) if they changed the itinerary? Might trigger some price drops I'm hoping.

I just got an email from my TA about a change in the ENTIRE itinerary for the 2014 Alaska & Hawaii sailings.

 

Please go to you TA or Carnival directly to see what changes have been made so you can adjust your excursions if needed!

Anyone have a clue what would cause it not to be able to go full speed until dry dock repairs?? Looks like our little trip will be altered a bit, hopefully not a lot!

All I have found has been discontinued in the downtown area. I would prefer to be there rather than airport. I need a pre cruise stay, parking for 8 days, and post stay. Budget considerations would be helpful too. Thanks for any help.:)

We did this last May after our Alaska cruise. We stored our luggage at Canada Place (it's right before you exit the building to catch a taxi), toured for the day and returned just before they closed to retrieve our luggage and catch a taxi right outside the door to the train station.

 

We felt it was much simpler than heading to the train station and then back into downtown Vancouver, then back out to the train station in the afternoon. Plus, we felt the luggage was more secure at Canada Place than sitting at the train station.

What was the service charge?

Best deal on park and cruise hotels? Would be staying at both ends of cruise so parking days should be covered by both overnights. Thanks.

My wife and I would like to do an Alaskan Cruise in 2014. We have done 4 Caribbean cruises and in May we did a 12 day Mediterranean Cruise, and we loved them all.

We live in Tampa, FL and I cant take more than 2 weeks off of work.

I have used Cruise Critic message boards to plan my cruises in the past and everyone has always been so helpful.

I have started my research and it seems lately the more I research I do the more confused I get (just like when I wanted to buy a new TV and upgrade our cell phones).

 

Things we would like to see during the cruise are glaciers and wildlife. Here are some of the questions I could use help with.

Best time to go-seems like offseason is May and September. But the best time to see wildlife is July-August. Is this correct?

Cruise line-we have taken multiple cruises on Carnival, and have had great experiences. They have an 8 day cruise leaving September 10th with this itinerary:

Seattle, WA

Fun Day at Sea

Juneau, AK

Cruise Glacier Bay

Skagway, AK

Sitka, AK

Ketchikan, AK

Fun Day at Sea

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Would this be too late to see wildlife?

This one does Cruise Glacier Bay. I guess the way to see wildlife is to arrange shore excursions in the Ports.

 

So bottom line is this a cruise that would do what we would like or should I consider something else?

 

Thank you for your help

Do the cruise above, I am. Part of the wildlife will be ocean based which I enjoy or do excursions inland and hope for some sightings. Hope to see you up on deck! :D Go on over to roll call and check it out.