kangforpres

I pre paid my gratuities yesterday, $496 USD. It's nice to have out of the way. 

FYI, I checked in for the cruise today and the website says it ends on May 2. It ends on May 2 Australian calendar, but May 1 US calendar.

-Paul

When is the best time to call about an Upsell Offer. This is only my 2nd cruise on Carnival. On Hal they start sending upsell emails about 10-14 days before sailing when they start assigning GTY cabins.

I'm perfectly happy with my Premium Balcony but it does look like there are Suites available in every suite catagory.

Thanks, 

Paul

Just got my Austalian E-Visa, it's $20 AUS. Don't for get to do this before you head down under.

HAL use to station a smaller ship at Tampa during the Carribbean season, but now it's Port Everglades or bust. Which Means for lots of us Bust.

Carnival is pretty good about having a solo dinner table or daily solo get together on sea days

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-cruise-ship-industry-having-165431737.html

-Paul

Just paid off my balance! Now just 98 or 97 days to go. An entire month at sea crossing the mighty Pacific Ocean!

-paul

Yes any cruise ship casino is much worse for payouts then a land based one. I know the HAL ships even have something posted about meeting the minimun Neveda State gaming laws.

Slot Machines payout in the 85-88% range, Video Poker maybe 90-92%. Whereas my favorivte place for land based gaming Reno, Slots usually pay out around 95% and Video Poker 98%

Vegas strip casinos are also very tight, better chances are off strip or downtown.

Good Luck, 

Paul

HAL needs to prove to the parent company CCL that they can sustain profitablity and are worthy of new capital investment. CLL is awash in junk bond debt and ordering new builds is not fessable until they pay that down. Maybe a new HAL order in 2027 or 2026 at the earliest.

There is a rumor that CCL has a Sister Ship to the new Cunard Queen Anne on hold with Fincanitieri and that order could easily be converted to a Pinnacle class ship for HAL since it is the roughly the same size as the New Queen Anne.

-Paul

the ship will be working the Alaska season so additional tipping "face to face" crew in US dollars will be appreciated. You can't get out of the on board daily gratituty fee. My Carnival Cruise consultant who I booked with advised to remember to pay in advance so it doesn't come as sticker shock on May 1.

We stop in a few Alaskan ports before Seattle and you can get USD out of ATM's there.

You luggage question?? I think you might have to lug it to SEA and check it in for your HNL flight.

Hope this helps,

Paul

I've been on 1 carnival cruise (4 stars on HAL) they had seen my gambling habits on HAL since they are in the same corporation and offered me a free 22 day transpacific in a Balcany room. So I took them up on the offer. 

Now I'm booked for a 30 day transpacific in April 2024. original offer was for a free OV, but I upgraded to a Premium Balcony for $1500 for a 30 day cruize that makes stops in Japan. I pretty good deal I reckon.

I dropped about $4k on my first 22 day cruise on Carnival, the alogrithim for casino cruise offers is mysterious on all the major lines. If you see a great offer and it fits your schedule take it. I'm retired so I can practice what I preach.

Good Luck, stick to your budget and enjoy the cruise

Paul

Just booked,  Japan was the hook. I was on the Luminosa last April for a 22 transpac that took the southern route via Tahiti and Hawaii. I'm hoping the dinning room has gotten better since the ship has been in the Carnival fleet longer. It felt like crew was just still learning the ship since it was a hand over from Costa

There is a nonstop to BNE on united from SFO, also one from YVR on Air Canada and I think Quantas has one from LAX

-Paul

You would have to re-book and lose all the perks in your current offer

I'm sailing right now as a solo on a casino offer. I get around the solo penalty by using casino offers. Now if I can only get a tax deduction for not having any kids.

Thanks for posting this, we did the Indonesian discovery cruise in February.  It's a remarkable country full if wonderful people

I'm pretty sure you have to go on one of the smaller expitition lines to actually step foot on the 7th continent. I don't think any of the major lines are permitted to do that or have the equipment and properly trained staff.

I saw a few weekends ago 50k pax passed through Canada Place, I'm assuming that was a F, Sat, Sun with 3 ships each day?

I know it's port specific as far as having a well trained boarding staff who are on the ball. You would thing a place like Canada Place which handles so many cruises would be one of the better ports to embark

I know this is trivial thing to complain about. But I would think HAL's software could dectect a passengers mariner level and give them an A boarding group. It dosen't matter but I just got assigned a G group and I'm 4 stars. I just tell the terminal staff I'm 4 stars and show them my boarding pass and  they usually understand I get to skip the line and assigned time.

(emoji of grumpy middle aged man shaking fist at the sky)

-Paul

has you get closer to your cruise date. check the 14 day forecasts for the ports you are visiting

I was able to purchase a "Have it All" package for my upcoming cruise with my FCC's I got for being in Covid isolation on my last cruise. I called the PCC line and was able to do it.

I could not pre-pay gratuities or book and shore ex's with the FCC, but the Have it All package has $200 in Shore Ex credit.

I hope that clarifies the current state of using FCC's.

-Paul

I will contact my PCC next week when she is back from vacay, prepaid gratuities and a post  cruise transfer would be great. I already have a HIA package for this cruise.

1 hour ago, aledomom said:

I'll be interested to hear the response to this.  I was under the impression that FCC could only be used to book a new cruise.

According to the Website 

Yes, FCCs can be applied to an existing booking. Please contact your Travel Advisor or your local Holland America Line reservations Call Center for assistance.

I would like to use them to buy some shore ex's for an upcoming cruise but it sounds like I either have to call my PCC or the general sales number to do this and not online. Also can you transfer an amount of the FCC to become an OBC?

Thanks, 

Paul