Barsnikel

We have about 45 cruises now (Holland, NCL, Carnival) ... the past 4 have been on Celebrity.  So we are not BRAND new, nor are we under 50.  We have found the quality of food to be a little better (not significantly, but better), the ships about the same (some old, some new, some big, some small).  The entertainment was slightly better, but much less subdued.  If Celebrity is wanting a much younger crowd, they do need to step it up some.  A piano bar would work well.  We will continue to book Celebrity, as well as the others.

In other ports, I can often find an inexpensive massage, but as many times as I've been to Cozumel I have never seen one.  For example, in Costa Maya or Progreso, there are massage tables out on the beach.  I can usually negotiate a 1 hour massage for 25-40 dollars, and they are very good. 

I've never seen massage tables advertised or set up in Cozumel.  Has anyone ?  (I know there are professional massage parlors in Cozumel, but I'm talking about independent discount massages...)

Possible, but unlikely

well... as I just posted in another thread...

Cruise pricing is just like the airlines..., it goes up and down, and changes daily.  No one can figure out the math involved.  Based on my history of cruising, most all of it is "marketing" games.  Spin it a different way with different words, but the price stays relatively the same.

That's not to say that good deals can't be found.. they can.  But you have to be diligent in your searching, and knowledgeable in how they spin things.

Cruise pricing is just like the airlines..., it goes up and down, and changes daily.  No one can figure out the math involved.  Based on my history of cruising, most all of it is "marketing" games.  Spin it a different way with different words, but the price stays relatively the same.

That's not to say that good deals can't be found.. they can.  But you have to be diligent in your searching, and knowledgeable in how they spin things.

Jonekl3... just to add what others have already said....

Dinner service in the Main Dining Room has 3 types of seating : Early (ie: 6PM), Late (ie: 8PM) and Anytime Dining. You select which you want at the time you book your cruise. There are advantages and disadvantages to all three, depending upon your needs.   You need not worry about missing shows, as most show times are staggered and repeated so that all passengers have an opportunity to see them, regardless of dinner service. For families with kids, Early Seating is often the right choice, as kids tend to want to eat early. However, on port days, this may mean you have to rush back to the ship in order to change and get to the MDR on time. Late seating is often the choice of those without kids, and means you are not rushing back to the ship – but you eat late. And Anytime Dining is just that – you are seated anytime you wish while the MDR is open for service. Early and Late seating are assigned seating and assigned tables. This means you will eat with other passengers (and the same passengers) each night. It is a great way to meet others on the cruise, and life-long friendships have been made this way.

Conversely, you may also be seated the entire cruise with people you don’t particularly like or enjoy. Anytime Dining is somewhat “open seating” – meaning they may seat you at a table by yourself, or it may be with others… but it differs each night, depending upon what table is available at the time you arrive. With Anytime Dining, if you request, you can often be seated by yourself if a table is available). Anytime Dining offers great flexibility, but you may also have to wait several minutes for a table.

If you select Early or Late seating, you need to arrive in the MDR on time. Being 10 minutes late is acceptable, but late more than 10 minutes is not, and some people have been refused seating for being late. The dinner staff have this down to a science, and a late arrival can throw off service for the whole table. Be on time. If you are running late, it is probably best to just have dinner in the buffet.

6 minutes ago, patty1955 said:

I have to take it with a grain of salt since we usually book cruises over a year out. It's almost impossible to book airfare that far out. 

Yes, and they know that.  I experienced something similar.  All cruise lines advertise these "sales" with conditions that make it tough to really get the discount promoted.

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

If you are vaccinated and boosted, you DON'T need to test to fly from the US to Canada. You only need the test to board the ship. If the ship boarding test fits the timeline and can occur before you fly, that is acceptable.

As far as I know, testing is not required to fly from US to Canada, boosted or non-boosted. 

The Guest Services desk on the ship has a regular refrigerator, so if you need something kept at a really cold temp, they will store it for you.  I would also advise you to send an e-mail to guest services, just to let them know.  That way, if you do need some special consideration on board, they are aware of it

Without logging in to my current cruise booking, I checked Celebrity flights and found one for $170... but when I log in with my cruise booking number, that same flight is $270..

I called Celebrity, and if I am already booked for a cruise, the best price they will give me is the $270.

In other words, they are giving a better airline discount if you book a new cruise, as opposed to if you are already booked.

23 minutes ago, Buckimion said:

Apologies if this is hijacking the thread (it is), but I've always been curious what happens with pay-as-you-go phones (x-minutes per month/unlimited monthly) if they're not put in airplane mode on ships?

The charges and bill come from your cell phone provider (not Carnival)... so you might be able to use whatever minutes you have on your account, but once that expires, you won't be able to use your phone (except for the Hub app /wifi).  But not all cell providers are supported.  You can go to this web site
--- >> https://www.wmsatsea.com   for more information  (look at the FAQ's).

It also said 1,350 cases over 600,000+ passengers.  That's about a 0.2% rate... pretty low in my opinion.

In terms of ship movement, moving a few cabins up or down is not going to make any noticeable difference.  The biggest difference might be what is above or below you.

yes.  The purchase of the tests has nothing to do with who uses the test.

As others have said, if you booked Early Saver, you have price protection.  If the price goes down, you get the difference.  However - you have to be proactive in getting that.  Carnival is not necessarily going to call and tell you there was a price drop.

And prices for cruises are just like the airlines (and gasoline, for that matter)... prices go up and down, without notice, and without any logical reason why.  So you have to be diligent, and check prices often.

The best method for doing that is a "mock" booking..  a price rebate must be for the same category of cabin, typically on the same deck and location  (sometimes deck or location will affect prices).  Also, make certain the new price includes any OBC (On-Board-Credit) you might have gotten on the original booking.

I think Cozumel, probably fine.  Don't know enough about the other area to comment

Correct.  Once the test is finished, it has to "soak" for 15 minutes.. you re-connect and they then examine the test vile for both results and integrity of the seal.

My job is to design wifi networks, so every time I am on a ship I am always looking to see where they placed the access points.  I do the same thing in restaurants (sigh).  I can't help it  🙂

On every Carnival ship I have been on, the access points are placed properly, in terms of where I would place them, as well as proper spacing for optimal coverage.

My point is, you're really not going to find any one place that has a stronger signal than another.  They have them deployed throughout the ship for ubiquitous coverage.  Remember, the wireless coverage isn't just for the guests.  The crew uses the wireless network for the operation of the ship as well.  The coverage has to be good.

Yes.  We do it every cruise.  We have gone out of multiple ports, and they have never once given us a hard time. In your carry on luggage only  (not checked luggage).

Make sure you bring a cork screw.  Many liquor stores sell an inexpensive travel cork screw.

I have switched from a higher to a lower, after final payment.  They just gave me the difference in OBC.

Mike, we are doing the same thing as you.  From what I have been told by people who have cruised out of Tampa recently, there are shuttles and taxis readily available at the terminal when you depart.  Costs appear to be in the ~ 15/person range

If the $300 is an OBC  (on-board credit), you can use that just like cash in your account... that is, for drinks, gratuities, excursions, steakhouse, casino, photos, jewelry..  whatever. 

The OBC is a credit against your Sign and Sale card, so anything you can use the S&S for, the OBC counts.

9 hours ago, simplynewt said:

It has been told that we are going on our very 1st cruise in a couple weeks and as the time draws nearer, the questions are starting to come up that I have thought about. If no excursions are purchased for any ports of call, is it still possible to disembark the ship and walk around the port where we are docked at? Sorry if it seems to be a stupid question but I have learned long ago that a stupid question is one that is never asked. 

 

Thanks All. 

The answer to your question is "yes".  We do that often. 

Now, having said that, I must state a qualifier... because of COVID, some ports have restrictions, and may or may not allow debarkation without being on an official excursion.  That's a limitation instigated by the port, not the ship.  It seems most of the ports are no longer as strict as they were at first, but just be aware that it can vary by port.

We will be staying at the Embassy Suites Downtown Convention Center... it appears that there is a TECO streetcar that stops at (or near) the hotel /convention center, and also stops at (or near) Pier 3 (the Carnival terminal).

Is that feasible to take, or would it be better to just take an Uber ?