PlanoTim

I'm glad you made it. The surprising part of you story is that JetBlue (or any airline) was willing to book you on another carrier. It seems like that happens so rarely these days. Now you can breath a sigh of relief and enjoy your cruise.

Thank you for the review. I’ve never done the wine pairings in the steakhouse. Can you please elaborate some on the experience? Did you get a pairing for the dessert as well (like maybe a port)? Did you have Cheers or do you know if this works with Cheers? Thanks, Tim

I figure our character flaws are what make us interesting. 😀

I don’t really understand when people feel the need to drink more than they may want, just to “get their money’s worth.” I mean once you buy it, the money is gone, right? So why not just drink what you want without any concern about coming out ahead? An assessment after the cruise can verify if Cheers was a good idea, if you are unsure. That can help you make the decision the next time. Once I buy Cheers I don’t worry if it was a good decision or try to come out ahead, since nothing can be done about it at that point. That's just my philosophy about it.

There are a few shops and I think a place or two to get a drink there. It's not a big place like Cozumel or Costa Maya. There is a small map of the port area on this web page. I hope that helps some. Tim

This site may give you some idea of the average February Weather in San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico. I hope that helps some. Tim

My wife and I did the Tabasco's Chef Maestro: Cooking, Tasting & Drinks, a Carnival excursion, a couple of years ago. It was really fun. This spring we're doing the Ultimate Mexology by Jose Cuervo with Lunch excursion, also through Carnival. We also did the Salsa and Salsa excursion through Viking a few years ago. It was fun for our group of 8.

Google "carnival-bar-menus-and-drink-prices-2024" and you will find what you are looking for. Hope that helps, Tim

I was looking at MALECóN 21. Does anyone have feedback or experience regarding this place? Thanks, Tim

In my experience, the beer selection differs some at the various bars on the ship.

In my experience, the fridges in the rooms don’t get very cold – even if the cabinet door is left open. I don’t know, but I suspect they are thermoelectric units rather than compressor models. Maybe they do this to keep costs down or because thermoelectric fridges are quieter or maybe because they require less maintenance. If I want to chill a beer or wine below cool, I use an ice bucket. Hope you have a great cruise. Tim

Thanks. I'll be there in a few months, so I guess I'll find out first hand. But the Jubilee menu looks less interesting to me than the other two.

Does this mean that a Ruben isn't available on Carnival Jubilee?

I have seen a post or two recently about a couple of Carnival’s dual-fuel ships leaving their home port late due to refueling delays. I certainly don’t know if this is related to the ships being dual fueled. Do dual-fuel ships - powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and traditional marine fuel oil - take longer to take on fuel than traditional ships? I don’t think this has impacted any itineraries, but I’m wondering if this is an LNG refueling issue? Can a ship take on LNG and bunker fuel at the same time? Do dual-fuel ships take on LNG after every cruise? I believe Carnival has three ships that are dual fuel - Carnival Celebration, Carnival Mardi Gras, and Carnival Jubilee. Just wanting to understand the new technology better and trying to understand how LNG impacts the fueling of these ships.

We have a light and small ceramic blow dryer that I suspect won't work. We'll probably just take the old standby unit on Carnival Jubilee in a few months that we know works on the ships.

You may want to check this thread: And this one:

I didn't know there was a cruisecritic app.

I don't see a date or a check-in button for my 4/27/2024 cruise either. I can't find the check-in date shown anywhere. Maybe because full payment doesn't happen till the end of this month. Not sure.

My son investigates merchant fraud for a major credit-card processor. He has some really wild stories to tell of schemes that fraudsters try. Many times they work with other merchants or just with themselves posing as another merchant or individual to defraud the bank. I'm not suggesting that the OP was involved in the fraud...but how does CCL know that. It could be that they have been burned by this before. Perhaps that is why they have taken this stance. I hope you can get this cleared up.

@TxTeach79, thanks for taking us along on your cruise. I really enjoyed it. Did you happen to notice a venue for dancing (to the band, not a DJ) on board? Ocean Plaza was used for that on Carnival Vista and we really enjoyed it. The dance floor always seemed to be busy in the evenings and I'm wondering if the Excel class ships have a similar space. Thanks. Take care and try to stay warm in our upcoming DFW weather.

You may want to check out this post by Saint Greg:

I'm not a local, but my wife is from the Sebago Lake area, so we get up there a lot visiting family. I second the suggeation of Gilberts Chowder House or Becky's Diner. They are both solid choices. Gilberts has more hole-in-the-wall vibe. I hear Portland Lobster Company is good but I've never been there. If a lobster roll is what I was wanting, my choice would be the food truck at Allagash Brewing. It's about a 15-minute Uber ride from the pier. And since you're not driving, you can check out the other 4 (I think) breweries right there. 🍺 I enjoyed the food at Gilberts (outstanding seafood chowder) and at the food truck just a couple weeks ago. Portland is a great town. I hope you have a wicked-good time. 🦞 Tim

The Texas birth certificates (long form) that we got for our kids' passport applications at the local state or county office (don't recall which) don't have a raised seal. But the paper does have a colorful watermark. 😀 So the raised seal may vary by state.

I agree with chengkp75. Portland is a great foodie town. Street & Co and Fore Street are a couple of our favorites, too. Becky's Diner is good for lunch as is Gilbert’s Chowder House. We like J’s Oyster too. Allagash Brewing usually has a food truck for good lobster rolls and good beer. Maine Brews Cruise has some fun excursion-type offerings like walk, talk, & taste tours and brewery/spirit tasting tours. There is so much to do in and around Portland. A sail on the wooden schooners is fun. There are also lobster boat excursions that can be interesting. Taking the ferry to Peaks Island and renting bikes for a couple hours is a nice way to spend some time. In addition to Crescent Beach mentioned above, we also like Higgins Beach and Pine Point Beach (might need a car). If you have a car and like shopping, Freeport is just 20 miles north. The patio at Jameson Tavern (right by LL Bean) is a nice place for lunch. If you like zany (overpriced, IMHO) museums, then the International Cryptozoology Museum may be for you. Trust me, it is like no other. 👽 Thankfully it has a brewery on one side of it and a distillery on the other. 😜 I hope you enjoy your visit.

I guess I'll be the dissenter here. I've been to a couple of Buc-ees, but it isn't worth the effort in my opinion. The parking lot is over crowded. The store is WAY over crowded. The bathrooms are clean, I guess, but the 5 minute wait (10 minute for the women) just wasn't worth it. I just don't get the Buc-ees craze.