cdamion

Thanks for the great review. We are booking our first MSC cruise on the Preziosa leaving from Guadeloupe and hitting a new Southern Caribbean port every single day. I was a bit leery, but will pull the trigger now. We will do the Fantastica experience instead so it isn't so a la carte. They matched us to their Silver level - still good for 5%.

However, we have not had a black Friday since Royal implemented non-refundable deposits and eliminated reduced deposits onboard and elsewhere. I think all bets are off this year.

I didn't realize that they eliminated reduced deposits onboard. When I lived closer to Florida, I have been known to grab a cheap weekend cruise partially to get away, and partially as an excuse to go book my next big cruise.

Doesn't look good.

I'm not impressed by reduced deposit sales. You're still paying the same amount for the cruise -- it's just that you're paying less up front /more at final payment time.

It isn't about you being impressed with it or not. It is about having cash tied up so early. For example, I am looking at cruises for December 2018 and need to put a deposit down now. In the meantime, I need to pay for trips in nov and dec this year. It would be helpful to not have to pay a large deposit for a cruise 15 months out.

Also, it seems to me that they would make money if they did non-refundable reduced deposits so people would book now. I think they would make money off of the deposits people forfeit.

Invest 92L, which is the storm that was expected in Cozumel, was destroyed by dry air and windshear east of Jamaica. I was watching it closely because it was originally expected to cut through Cozumel and curve up towards Louisiana or Galveston where I am leaving from Sunday.

NO computer models forecast the storm to develop anymore.

We had this issue in June of last year on Breeze. Night 1 we complained to the Maitre D, not really better service. Night 2 we complained to guest services and the waiter and Maitre D bent over backwards to make things right. Service was like it was back on my first Carnival cruise. It was the first time I had to complain on a cruise. No attitude from the waiter, he somewhat apologized and was friendly and super efficient the rest of the cruise.

Just got off the Breeze today. They made 2 announcements on Saturday stating that there was an electrical issue with the propulsion and that the ship could not speed more than 19 knots... and that we were also dealing with a very strong head wind. They informed everyone that we'd be delayed arriving into Galveston. We had very rough seas on Saturday morning and I believe that is when the issue happened.

Thank you for the info!!!

I sail next Sunday the 11th so it better be right lol!

Ditto!

How did you find out about this?

Carnival posted on a popular social media site.

I honestly believe the person posting made an error with the ships. Breeze left on time today and had no weather coming in.

Also, somebody who just got off Breeze this morning said they were unaware of any issues.

We are sailing on her next week. The people sailing today are also headed into a tropical wave that is trying to develop, so they may run into a few hours of stormy weather Tuesday or Weds.

Breeze has delayed boarding today due to an apparent propulsion issue. Anybody know anything about this?

Princess is the only line that I had to ask for a sheet. Carnival has always had one. I don't recall for Royal.

Not all Red Frog Pubs will have food served. Magic and Breeze do. Unless the price went up, all appetizers were 3.33 and they are pretty good (for greasy bar food). They are nice, large venues on Breeze and Magic with both indoor and outdoor seating and live music in the evenings. The bartenders in all Red Frog Pubs I have visited have been very friendly. Kids are fine in the venue as well.

They do not play sports on the TV in there when I've been there, but they do scroll through pictures of guests the bartenders take on a digital camera.

It is a great venue.

[quote name=Anyone have experience with this company or know about them

 

I am curious as well' date=' we are interested in seeing ruins while in Belize but at this point Xunantunich and Lamanai are not offered through Carnival. (Only Cahel Pech is offered). So I'm now considering booking privately. My main concern is missing the ship, but this company offers transport to next port?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app[/quote]

 

I know this is an old thread, but Lamanai is now offered as a Carnival excursion for my stop in September.

We were on the same cruise. Seems like we visited the piano bar at the same time and we were also in Nachi Cocom. I agree with your cruise review (especially the Nachi review- that day was Heaven). I only wish to add that I hope one day Carnival will enforce their dress code. On our way to dinner the first night, there was a guy walking around the ship with no shirt or shoes on. We also had unsavory balcony neighbors who smoked constantly and spit (yes, spit) off the balcony quite frequently. I agree also with your food review. I don't think we had a bad meal the entire trip! I don't regret our vacation as we spent some wonderful family time together. In fact, the one day we spent at Nachi (our 3rd visit there) made the trip entirely worth it. This was our first and will be our last Carnival Cruise, though.

I don't know that I would judge the entire cruise line based on a short cruise on one of the older and least-upgraded ships in the fleet. You would have had a different experience on the Vista, Breeze, or even one of the Spirit Class ships.

I was just about to suggest that too! Everybody laughs at the folks who pack duct tape, but you never know when you'll need it!

I always bring duct tape, and I'd say half the time I end up using it (if not for me, then maybe a table mate who mentions a problem). Duct tape is awesome.

You never cancel and rebook. They adjust the fare.

Not always. I had a cruise drop by $50/pp and I called to have the price adjusted and Carnival said they couldn't do it - even after being on hold while the person "checked with a supervisor." I called back about and hour later to cancel it and rebook and this time the person said they could simply refund the difference to my card, or else give me OBC.

Frustrating how two different people working for Carnival have differing answers.

On the ship? I don't recall ever seeing a Carnival-sanctioned pub crawl on board the ship.

We are using Galveston Express, but it is only two of us. I think the price is fair. I have to pay a similar amount to get to the San Francisco airport which is a little over 70 miles from me.

This seems to be a huge non-issue. Im willing to bet it was just some rich person getting kicks. I doubt it is some unmarked French spy plane trying to see how many pieces of bacon somebody was eating on lido.

Ok, retracting my doubt about it being a French plane since it has been confirmed. I still think it is a huge deal over nothing.

I for one would have been really pissed (if I didn't have my camera with me to capture the plane flying by). "Near miss" and people saying it was scary is definitely people being overly dramatic. It would have been so cool to see.

I have only heard this for cabins at the very front of the ship, not balconies. I've never experienced 'lights out' on balconies and all of my balconies have been in the forward most section of ships from Destiny up to Breeze.

John Heald said it would be posted tomorrow. Then again, he said that it would be posted "tomorrow" two months ago. While I do appreciate what the guy does, I would not hold my breath waiting for any announcements he says he is going to make.

This seems to be a huge non-issue. Im willing to bet it was just some rich person getting kicks. I doubt it is some unmarked French spy plane trying to see how many pieces of bacon somebody was eating on lido.

This has some great info on the reef and snorkeling at West Bay. A lot of people swim way out there... another option is to hire a boat to take you over there and hang out. Depends on how confident of a swimmer you are. http://www.snorkeling-report.com/spot/west-bay-roatan-honduras/

I have stayed in Roatan on land-based trips and there is great snorkeling in West End. However, there is a lot of water taxi traffic and I didn't feel as safe as other places.

This would surprise me since people seem mostly positive about it. I have an early time in Galveston, so I hope they don't.

I think tipping them at the end of the cruise for any extra work for teenagers is sufficient. Tipping at the beginning of the cruise is probably a tell tale sign, you don't have much confidence in their ability to do their job.

The last time I tipped in advance, the steward saw that I bought my son the towel animal book and left a stack of towels for him to practice. I don't know if it had anything to do with the early tipping.

Like I mentioned, I don't really tip in the beginning anymore because I dont notice a difference. Also, my kids are now older and more mature - we'll see in December when they come along again.