FWIW - I'm not a fan of their brunch, especially what it's morphed into over the years. Good cost savings on their part though. And, to me at least, there's nothing about that meal (atmosphere/selections/etc.) that makes me want to mix in an adult beverage with it.

17 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

...

Absolutely nothing different.

 

...

 

 

Correct - just a different set of rules.

Tom

35 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Concentrated sunlight is powerful enough to melt rock.

Yep - but I wonder if it's hot enough to boil water... lol

I wonder if these really work, and if Carnival would allow them onboard. 

Of course, there's that whole "is there bright sun on my balcony?" issue...

LINK

Tom

34 minutes ago, vwgolf2 said:

As a UK resident, I can confirm this is quite likely! We've cruised with several cruise lines and it's only Carnival who don't provide a kettle. Safety could be their reasoning but I suspect not...

Carnival almost (ALMOST) "gave in" to popular demand. We had a presidential suite booked for the second sailing of the Mardi Gras - 8/7/21. I'd been keeping a close watch on various sites/pages trying to gather all the info I could. I was very pleased to see that, in that category at least, they were now listing a Coffee Maker as one of the features (that page was "current" as recently as 6/29/21). 

Wouldn't you know it... the one thing (I noticed) that they ended up pulling from the feature list - after appearing there for 2-1/2 years - with under a month before she set sail (updated page 7/13/21)? You guessed it !

I'm sure it was so that someone didn't accidently start a fire right above the bridge with the  Ronco 😉 coffee pot they provided... right... 

Tom

26 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Perhaps one day the VIFP program will be based on spend, but today it isn't. It is based upon nights cruised. It doesn't matter who pays for the room.

...

True. Our youngest was Platinum when the program started - and never spent a penny (that wasn't mine).

Tom

4 hours ago, MadManOfBethesda said:

...

 

And finally, passengers are allowed to bring curling irons on board. Perhaps you can explain how bringing a kettle on board is "playing with safety", yet a curling iron with a much higher wattage heating element is not. And if you can't, you probably shouldn't lecture others on safety.

We've made a few trips to the Naughty Room. Once was when they spied a flat iron (hair) and said they would not allow it onboard. Let's just say, don't tell Cheryl she can't take her personal items (could have been the last time we sailed Carnival, but they came around). Another trip down there they thought they spied a knife in our suitcase... turned out to be a metal shoehorn. Actually, almost every trip down there (there have been several) were cases of overzealous screeners or misinterpretation of their own guidelines.

I honestly can't recall ever being subjected to the same scrutiny on other lines. Some will hear that and cheer on Carnival, others will see it differently.  😉

Tom

2 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

 

...

As for onboard spend, the casino is a popular place to launder money. 

...

Well, at least being Diamond, our laundry is covered. 😁

1 minute ago, Elaine5715 said:

I don't know.  

I've scratched my head regarding this for years. It's like the owl and the Tootsie Roll lollipop... The world may never know!

To.

3 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

But you are okay with playing with safety onboard?

I wonder what makes Celebrity, NCL, Royal so different (wiring?) such that they offer kettles in some cabins (and coffee makers in many more).

Heck, on NCL I was able to request a full size iron for use in our room.

Tom

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

We were Platinum before there was a Platinum and Diamond before there was a Diamond and all on revenue cruises. Reduced rate casino cruisers are in fact in the regular program and should not be.

 

All loyalty programs are nothing more than marketing programs and none are sustainable without change. Nothing is earned or owed. It is basic marketing.

What if.... what if Carnival actually started to take onboard spend into account? I'd bet that some of those "freeloaders" are actually contributing more to the bottom line than you might think.

I, for one, have sailed on several free/reduced rate cruises. In some cases, I've left with several times less $ than if I had paid for the cruise in full and stayed away from games of chance.

FWIW, many of our cruises on the way to Diamond (yes, we were already "there" too when the program started in the summer of '12) were in suites. That's earned us nothing in Carnival land...

Tom

4 minutes ago, buncosquad said:

Define "upper level" -

 

In an IC, I've had Le Voyage delivered to my stateroom. At sunset. Course by course. With a bottle of superb champagne.

 

No questions asked.

 

That stateroom is worth every penny.

Upper level starts at appx an RS.

6 minutes ago, peanut head said:

Food in Craft Social would not be included in your unlimited specialty dining.  I don't think that regular room service would comp the food, either.  We ordered through our butler (upper level suite). 

But, is food in Craft Social covered if you're in an upper level suite?

Tom

22 minutes ago, peanut head said:

No, they are not.  Craft Social is considered a "bar" not a restaurant (look at the Daily for the list of dining options).  We have looked at their menu and ordered it via room service to our suite and were not charged. 

So, if I go there for a burger - that's not covered... but if I order it through room service, it is ?

Tom

14 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

Any specifics on the “casino drink package”?

I was curious about that as well - it's buried in the T&C:

Terms & Conditions:
 This offer is valid for one complimentary cruise fare and/or one cruise fare discount, as indicated, and may only be redeemed by the Individual named on the offer (“Cruise Invite Holder”) and one guest (together, the “Passengers”). The Cruise Invite Holder or casino club member (“Casino Club Member”) must be present onboard for the sailing. If the Cruise Invite Holder or Casino Club Member is not on board the sailing, MSC Cruises will charge the full cruise fare at the current rates for the individual guest who boarded. 

This offer may not be used for payment of any other services or products offered by MSC Cruises or any other fees, charges or expenses incurred by the Passengers including, without limitation, airfare, ground transportation, fuel supplement fees, land programs, travel insurance, gratuities, amenities, goods & services available for purchase on board MSC ships. This offer is valid only with a reservation made through MSC’s Casino Reservation Department. Reservations are subject to stateroom availability and may exclude certain holiday and blackout dates and cannot be combined with any other offer. This offer may be used in conjunction with the payment for a higher category stateroom, subject to availability, and the payment of additional charges, which apply. 

Third and fourth passenger accommodations may be provided, subject to availability, at an additional charge based on MSC’s prevailing rates. Promotional amenities are determined based on the complimentary stateroom offered not on the purchased upgrade. This certificate may not be sold, assigned, or transferred, is non-refundable and may not be redeemed for cash. If two qualified players in the same household receive an offer from the same promotion, they may be redeemed for separate cruise dates. A minimum deposit of $200 per person is due at the time of redemption, $400 for single occupancy. Deposits and upgrade charges are non-refundable within 90 days of departure. The selected sailing date cannot be changed within 90 days of departure date, any changes of sailing date must be completed 91 days prior to selected sailing. Deposits will be applied onboard as a shipboard credit and are non-refundable. 

Your cruise will include accommodations in a beautiful stateroom, port charges, taxes and complimentary drinks while playing in the onboard casino. The use of this offer is subject to all applicable laws and regulations. By redeeming this offer, Passengers agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of MSC’s terms and conditions. MSC Cruises reserves the right to refuse to honor any prices/sailings that are erroneously printed or quoted. Other restrictions may apply. Cruise offer is valid only for dates listed in the offer. Alternative dates will not be accommodated. Ships’ registry: Panama and Malta.

17 minutes ago, samofam said:

...Also, they seem to have gotten rid of all the wine stewards and now the waiters have to handle the drinks as well as all their other duties.

That happened many years ago on Carnival... it's the trickle down effect.

Tom

2 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Is there a specific email address or phone # for their casino department ?

Ask, and ye shall receive !

I guess I should have just been more patient!  I just received a certificate in my email good for (up to) 8 nights:

Suite Stateroom Aurea Experience + Casino Drink Package

Hopefully it won't be too much change to bump up to YC.  🙂

Tom

We're booked in early May. There are not any sea days on our cruise (Nassau and Coco Cay are the only ports), so I'm wondering... are they going to have The Porch and Lawn Club Grill closed for lunch both port days ? I really enjoy lunches there, but on longer sailings, I know that they're only open on sea days.

Tom

Is there a specific email address or phone # for their casino department ?

8 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

On the last night of the cruise, you usually go to the desk the hosts have set up to get a certificate for your next cruise. At 10K, it would be less than a free YC, but you can upgrade it to a YC room. 

Thanks

What if one is not aware of this (unwritten) protocol - for example, after the fact (off the cruise)?

Tom

Can someone shed a little light on something for me?

I was just on the Seashore (4-nt) and thought to inquire at the cage (after 3 nights of play) how many points I had earned. I was told it was just under 9K. I have no idea how many I received on the last evening, but it should easily exceed 10K total. On the last evening, after I pointed out to the pit boss that the host had yet to introduce themself to me, the host came around and took down my email address.

Should I expect them to get in touch with me at some point - and how do I go about cashing in on whatever points I received?

The only way we'll travel with MSC is in the YC. So, obviously it will be a matter of getting the regular rate discounted.

THANKS

7 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

YES!  A few weeks ago it was a massive cluster!  

Oh joy !

33 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

Yes, there is a tent at Port Canaveral.  Last month the rep only came out around 10:45am (as the parking lot opened at 11am).  

Boarding really varies based on how fast the last group - and the back to backers - go through the process.  11:30 is fairly safe.  

Thanks

Wow... so, if you drive to the pier, you can't get into the parking lot until 11? There must be quite the line backing up by that time.

Tom

14 minutes ago, Moparfiend said:

Thanks everyone for the details.

In a month or so, I'll do a comparison on the Grand Deluxe YC suite vs a Spirit Class Vista Suite (aft balcony). And then if all goes well, I'll do the comparison between YC RS and Mardi Gras Presidential Suite in September.

Now that I think about the pizza option, sliced peppers and sausage sounds pretty good 🙂 maybe I'll just wing it and say pepperoni 🙂

We sailed in the Presidential Suite on the second sailing of the Mardi Gras. The balcony rocks - as did the perks that sailing. I will say, some of the "newness/special treatment" has faded on return trips, and a few aft corners Excel suites. It's still a very nice balcony - even if all the cushions are cabled into place now. 🙂

We'll be in our first MSC RS come Sunday - and I fully expect the level of service to far exceed anything that Carnival offers up - even if MSC has tightened up a bit.

Something they probably aren't doing any more (just by asking) in the Presidential Suites:

Tom

I seem to recall this addressed on a couple of other threads, but what's a good time to arrive at the port (again, Seashore/Pt. Canaveral) this Sunday? It's my desire to get on as early as possible in order to make our group dining plans with the YC concierge. Our assigned time is 12:00. Can I arrive/board prior to that? What time does boarding typically begin? Apparently things have been changing at PC (no tent?), so this might be a moving target. With only 1 MSC cruise (Seaside/PC) last year - I don't have much experience with them - other than recalling that it did not seem well organized.

THANKS