Tom-n-Cheryl

We're on the Liberty now, and I just noticed that our drink charges on our account are notated as "On Us Premium". I'm not sure if that represents some change to their system (either in function of the program, or just name).

It appears that this change occurred prior to us boarding the ship on Friday (image of some type of transaction):

Anyone have experience with this?

Tom

Update - now it's going to be 8-4 in Nassau today. I can see a patch of blue sky heading our way, not sure if that will be short lived or not. 🙂

Tom

1 minute ago, Haljo1935 said:

Sorry to read your trip is not getting better. I hope the shipboard experience becomes awesome.

Well, I'll have things to say about that (probably another thread). Some more territory has been ceded on the customer experience front.

I never planned on getting off the ship anyway so it's just three day getaway.

Ship wide announcement just now - they've cancelled Bimini for tomorrow, and instead will call on Nassau (10-7).

Sunday (Nassau): Windy with showers and thunderstorms likely. High 78F. Winds SSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tom

It's definitely dreary, windy, and rainy - but the seas are, thus far, not nearly as rough as I had expected.

If it's anything like this, and we are able to dock in Bimini tomorrow, I can't imagine it being a good beach day. Fortunately, we gave Bimini try earlier this year (after stopping there 1-2 times before and opting to stay onboard), and can honestly say that we were planning to stay onboard anyway this trip. 

Tom

5 minutes ago, nybumpkin said:

July 10, 2005 - We were supposed to be in New Orleans that day after our Carnival Conquest cruise. Instead, we spent the day sailing around rigs in the Gulf until they opened the port. We managed to deal with Dennis three times on that trip - once when leaving Montego Bay (we skipped Grand Cayman and went directly to Cozumel), once at the end of the cruise, and the last time on our flight home. Our only casualty was a drinking glass in our sons' cabin on deck 1.

We went in circles the entire day waiting for the channel into the Port of Tampa to open up. We didn't pull up to the pier until nearly midnight. At that point what do you think Carnival decided to do?

Do you think that they allowed us to stay on board and leave the next morning after a long day? Nope. Here you go. Get off the ship!

This was before they really became aware of negative publicity and started offering people some kind of compensation.

1 minute ago, Haljo1935 said:

Eek - you have a story to tell that should last a lifetime. 

Hopefully it won't top our trip back into Tampa on the Miracle many years ago (coming in on the tails of Cat 4 Hurricane Dennis in 2005). We dodged Hurricane Cindy leaving port and then got a lashing from Dennis on the way back home... ugh !

This poor guy sat hunkered down right where you see him for over a day. Any port in a storm !!

Tom

I will say - the forecast conditions have improved  ! ! !

Winds (same), but the seas are now going to be 11-17 feet rather than 12-17.

So, there's that...

Tom

6 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Good luck, have had our …. Interesting cruises this year as well.  Captain’s suite?

It was not available when we booked (rather late). I ended up with a GS. Often, on the Liberty - we'd opt for an aft corner (deck 6) for the balcony. I'm actually happy to be mid-ship for this sailing as opposed to the aft. 🙂

Tom

20 minutes ago, shof515 said:

will the ship be able to leave port? Recently the Venezia was stuck in NYC for about 12ish hours or so due to horrible weather similar to this 

Well - my dinners in the steakhouse would be much more enjoyable that way... and I'd lose a LOT less in the casino !!

The Mardi Gras will be coming in the next morning (same terminal).

Tom

Who needs something like BOLT (at an extra cost) - just jump on the Carnival Liberty with us tomorrow... LOL

Tom

14 minutes ago, mz-s said:

I think the "people are ruder now" mantra is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy to be honest.

Business practices have changed as well (or, COVID is used as an excuse). We're purchasing lighting for a new home - from the same place we did business with 5 years ago. After picking out several nice pieces and placing the order - I asked "how much down"? I was told, "it's no longer half down, it's pay in full". I asked "why the change"? The answer, "it's been that way since COVID".

uh huh... thanks

Tom

Question - since I saw the comment about dining reservations - our Rotterdam cruise next year is a splurge for us (Pinnacle suite - 40th anniversary). Will there be a concierge available to make reservations for us, and would they need to be done on day 1 as well? My experience on Celebrity (Royal or Penthouse suites) was that you could get in most anywhere "same day", at pretty much whatever time was desired.

Tom

Perhaps I was just not sufficiently observant - but years ago (decade+ ?) they didn't offer Eggs Benedict at the buffet. So, from my perspective at least, I'm pleased that that was added. Having said that - PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY EGGS BENEDICT AWAY (hearing Paul Simon in my head now)...

Tom

40 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

i agree. the old deli sandwich had a ton of meat and was very filling. the new deli sucks with only like 2-3 slices of meat on very dry bread

Cheryl has spoiled me (makes a great Reuben). I don't bother with that thing Carnival offers up.

21 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

One was last September on the Voyager , unstaffed , untrained staffed , lack of supplies they ran of butter on the cruise ! , ship was in very poor shape , made the M class ships look like brand new 

only good thing was the itinerary , friends on the cruise and the 4 Diamond drinks 😁

That's like booking on a Carnival Fantasy class ship (really, I don't know - never been on the Voyager). But with Royal, I can say I'd never consider a sailing on any pre-Oasis class ship.

Tom

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Nobody s going bankrupt

Agreed. I'm pretty comfortable with that now. I wish I had felt (fully) this way back when CCL was dropping below $10 !! 

At least I'm out of the red now - and CCL is slowing crawling out of their deep hole.

Tom

15 hours ago, h_blond2 said:

No food on a cruise ship is worth an extra $150.

I said the same thing on the Pride 21 years ago about the Supper Club (when it was $25 per person).

10 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

For you.  

Boy, was I wrong about that - so many years ago. Having said that, I'm pretty sure I'll never pay $150 for a chef's table dinner in Carnival. . . And, having said that (!), we'll often hit that pp figure in the Steakhouse when the wine/champagne is figured in - especially now with the changes to the half price bottle program. Frankly, a smart move by Carnival.

Tom

5 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

The same can be said of all cruise lines. Those who switch will never know what they missed - at least not first hand.

That's what the past fans of Celebrity told me (and anyone who would listen) when we "discovered" the line. I thought it was great. Of course, from my perspective, it's not like it was 15 years ago - and it's changing quickly...

Sky Suites no longer have a butler, etc...

Tom

Well, if it's just the savings (from limiting what omelette you can have) that added a few grand to my CCL stock today, I'm for more of this... LOL

Tom

6 minutes ago, Earthworm Jim said:

...

Strange the don't have a Western omelet. They are pretty standard and I'd think would be one of the 3. ...

Perhaps that sailing was an Eastern itinerary... yep, must be it.

20 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

...I know there's plenty of people racing to their keyboards after that statement to inform me "that I need to listen as to why the removal of the option has ruined cruising for them."

When they dropped Gravlax - that was it for me (I really dislike the MDR to begin with - so I need a reason to go there).  😉

Tom

At least it's not (yet):

Cheeburger Cheeburger, Pepsi (no Coke), chips...

Tom

1 hour ago, goofysmom99 said:

I priced a range cabins at base fare for two on the 2024 Silhouette 13-night TA out of Barcelona:  

 

Veranda  $1610

Concierge  $1908

Aqua  $4533

S1  $11007

 

That's a whopping ↑$2923 difference between a veranda (V2) and aqua (A2), especially since the cabins are the same size!  You gotta really like Blu for close to $3K.  From my own experience, the larger S1 cabin, the Retreat, and Luminae aren't worth ↑$9397.  Heck for the V2 price, booking two adjoining cabins (2-room suite with 2 bathrooms and double balcony) and dining every night in a specialty (Murano, Tuscan, Lawn Club, The Porch, Sushi on 5, Le Petit Chef) would still leave plenty on the table for airfare.  BTW, those fares would be $200 less for vets.  So yes, if I were still traveling with DH, we'd downgrade from a suite to two adjoining verandas.  Doesn't work on E-class, and not as well on M-class, but it'd definitely be my sweet 'suite' spot on S-class.

Good point about the big $ jump to AQ. I don't value the spa benefits enough to justify that amount of $ either. Wait though... you do get a nicer shower/bedding/shampoo?  😉

Man - I could hit it pretty hard in the casino before I even get to the "suite level" expense, let along an upper level suite!

Tom

Perhaps they'll offer discounts if you're OK with a party line...  😉

Tom