cdm289

On 1/31/2023 at 9:57 PM, csm5986142 said:

 

I was debating mentioning the differing crowd. 🙂 The last Journeys we did was Spirit to Hawaii and next we will do Spirit to New Orleans.  I love the calmer atmosphere.  But I've read here that you can expect a huge percentage of people to be Platinum/Diamond so our Platinum perks might not mean much.  

I thought the same thing.  I am platinum and assumed that there would be a lot of Platinum and Diamonds onboard.  The non-platinum lines may be shorter...LOL.  

17 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I am fresh off of a 2023 Journey Cruise and am slowly posting pictures, activities papers, menus, etc.

Thank you!  I look forward to seeing them.  

19 minutes ago, TomCruise48 said:

Extra daytime activities could include ballroom dancing classes and lectures (Academy of Fun).

 

Additional evening shows will likely be performed by fly-on entertainers such as jugglers, magicians, vocalists, hypnotists...  There will likely be a couple of nights without evening shows.

Years ago Carnival did more fly-on entertainers on the 7 days cruises.  I remember seeing a hypnotist named Asad who was amazing.  Love the idea of unique shows. I also like lectures of different topics.  Thank you for the information!  

We booked our first Journeys cruise.  We are so exciting to take a 16 day cruise!  I know there are extra activities but I'd love to hear the additional activities that people have experienced on a Journeys cruise.  Do they bring on additional entertainment for the duration?  Usually Playlist Productions have 4 shows in a 7 day cruise so what is shown in the main auditorium the rest of the nights?  Any inside on Journeys cruises would be greatly appreciated.

Your chance is probably pretty good.  We are booked for the Vista at Christmas.  11 of us who all have YTD.  We are all fully vaccinated but 3 of us have the mixed dose that Carnival/CDC don't allow.  As of next month we are about to cancel.  I am sure that many people cancel for all sorts of covid/vaccine related issues.   I would get on the waiting list.  

On 8/12/2021 at 12:18 PM, ontheweb said:

It matters because those under 12 did not choose not to get vaccinated. Adults made their decision and should be prepared to live with the consequences of their decision making. JMHO

I agree.  Sadly though even though I have 2 vaccines and am considered FULLY vaccinated in Canada, the CDC doesn't recognize the mixed dose of AstraZeneca / Pfiser that I received.  Many (hundreds of thousands actually) Canadians have the mixed doses.  However, if the CDC and Carnival do not allow, I will NOT be asking for an exception.  We will not be sailing.  We have a Christmas 2021 booked with 11 family members.  All fully vaccinated but 3 of us have the mixed dose.  The CDC has to change their guidelines before Sept 25 or all 11 of us will cancel.  It makes me sad but that is life.  

I think the exception should be left for those under 12.  Not adults who choose not to be vaccinated.  

I am booked on the Vista December 24, 2021 from Galveston.  Normally the check-in date is 90 days before the cruise and I find it odd that my check-in date is December 14, 2021 which is only 10 days prior.  

Sherwood Park Alberta

In February 2018, Carnival announced a major port redevelopment in Ensenada Mexico:

"The project will provide guests visiting the destination with an unparalleled, one-of-a-kind dining and retail experiences ashore, along with unique attractions for guests of all ages to enjoy. Details about the development will be announced at a later date."

3 years later and I have never seen an update.  I realize that things may have taken a pause this last year but does anyone know if they have started a redevelopment of the port? 

I loved the times we have stopped in Ensenada but other than the main street and a drink at Papas and Beer, it would be nice to see a bit more added.   

I would go for 8 day over 7 days!  I have never been on the Panorama (we were 2 weeks away from going on March 28 when cruising shut down), however, we have done the Mexican Rivera about 5 times prior.  If you are looking for beautiful beaches and being in the ocean, I would choose the Caribbean.  Also, California is a little chillier in the winter and it doesn't get hot until you get to Cabo or south.  We are in Alberta and so flying to California is so much easier.

Puerto Rico is one of my favourite ports plus I have never been to St. Maarten and would love to visit Maho Beach.  

...but definitely an 8 day cruise over 7 days if I had to choose 🙂  

They will automatically be enrolled in the age that they are on embarkation.  You can go and speak to the staff and they can sometimes move them up.  I believe it depends on how many kids they have that week.  My youngest son was a few months away from Circle C about 4 years ago and the youth director let him move up when we went to speak with her on embarkation.  She warned him that he had to behave to stay and he was so happy that they let him move up, he was an angel in fears that he would be moved down.  

My oldest son was turning 18 during the last cruise we had booked.  It enrolled him in Club 02 even though half way through the voyage he was technically no longer eligible (I am sure he wouldn't have been kicked out).  He was so excited about his last time in the program.  We were scheduled to embark March 28, 2020 and then I don't have to tell you what happened 😞  He was so sad he never had one last chance for Club 02.  

This is the balcony in cabin 9477.  You can see that it is covered.  The two end balconies are also bigger than the middle ones.  I LOVED this balcony but I also don't sit in the sun so I appreciated the shade.  

On 8/24/2020 at 3:00 PM, liulady said:

This is what I think most are forgetting. It is not as if the ships can just pull out of port the moment the "no sail" order is lifted. They have to get their staff back. How long will that take?

I agree.  Just the logistics of getting staff back alone is so difficult.  It took 3 months to get most staff home.  I cannot imagine the 900 crew for each ship all flying to the USA, being in quarantine for 2 weeks and getting the ship ready to sail.  You cannot quarantine these people all together as if one has COVID19 then it will just circulate round and round like the ships that had the virus after the stop sail order.  I don't believe there will be cruises from the US until well into 2021.  I live in Canada and we cannot even drive to the US as the boarders are closed.  

My sister got the "birthday email" to rebook and get $200.  Her birthday is in March so I don't think it is specifically for the person's birthday.  Is it because Carnival just started promoting their 50th birthday next year?  I didn't get the same email as of yet anyway.  

I've had an AFT on the Dream, Splendor and Breeze.  LOVE THEM!  The thing I like best is that it is not windy back there when the ship is sailing.  Sometimes at night the side balconies can be so windy but not on the AFT.  I always get right below the Lido deck as there is a lip hanging over and it is not all sunny.  The other decks get alot more sun and you can see down into them.  The deck below the Lido is a bit more private.  You do get a bit of deck chair noise but that doesn't bother me.  

I don't think ships will start sailing in Aug or Sept for many reasons.  One that hasn't been discussed is the crew.  They are still in the process of returning crew home by ship because they cannot secure air travel.  So if the ships that are scheduled to sale in August, they would have to get the crew onboard by mid-July.  Even the Canada/US boarder is currently closed.  How are they going to get crew from places like the Philippians, Indonesia, India, European countries etc back INTO the US to get on the ships to get them ready? 

Also, the repatriation for many crew members isn't going well.  Jamaica for example just reached an agreement with RCCL to repatriate their own citizens as they didn't want new spread of the virus affecting their country.  These were their own citizens so I cannot imagine countries like this opening up to welcome thousands of cruise ship passengers in the next 2 months.  

I am booked on the August 1 sailing on the Freedom.  I am 99.99% confident that I won't be sailing but I am waiting for Carnival to cancel as I would prefer their incentives for a future cruise in 2021 (this sailing was a rebooking from a cancelled cruise in March).  I also know that I can cancel 48 hours prior and have 100% be used as future cruise credit so I am not worried.  I live in Canada and I don't see the boarders opening even if Carnival does decide to sail.  

On 4/26/2020 at 8:35 PM, sabrecatz said:

I currently have a cruise on hold for August 1 sailing with final payment of May 3 . I read on here that some did not have to make final payment til 30 days out. I am from Canada and the US/Canada border is currently closed til mid May and possibly longer,so would like to know options if I am unable to make cruise due to border closure. Thanks !!

We are also booked on a cruise for August 1 and also live in Canada.  I booked this cruise in March as a replacement for the cruise that was cancelled March 28.  In March, I thought August seemed like so far away but now nothing has improved with COVID19.  If I cancel or rebook now, we lose our $600 US OBC per cabin (we have 2 cabins) so I don't want to cancel.  I would rather Carnival cancel as the incentives are better.  I spoke with my travel agent as I told her that my greatest fear was that Carnival would go ahead and sail and Canada wouldn't let us travel out of the country.  She told me that if that happens, Carnival has said they will refund the cruise.  I am not sure if that is 100% accurate but I know that there are many Canadians who would be in the same situation as us and this is information that Carnival has given travel agents.  On May 3rd, we will make our final payment (which is only a few hundred dollars with all of my credits from the previous cruise).  I really don't think ships will be sailing by August 1.  They are still trying to get Carnival employees home and there are some ships with employees and COVID19 onboard.  My husband believes there is a small possibility.  Who knows but we are waiting things out due to our onboard credit.  

Mine was still there until March 28 which was the day we were supposed to sail. 

My TA was told by Carnival that the $600 cannot be used for gratuities or the casino.  Has anyone had experience using an OBC for either? 

We also have a $50 OBC for booking and then a $100 OBC for being shareholders.  Do different type of OBCs have different restrictions?

My TA was told by Carnival that I could not use my OBC for gratuities or the casino.  Does anyone have an personal experience of this lately that would say otherwise?  

Worst cabin experience for me was spa cabin 12216 on the Dream.  See the little stairs beside the cabin?  I thought they would only be busy when the water slides were open but NO people run up and down them all night long.  Also, there is a door to outside right there as well that automatically slams shut and people used that door instead of the middle door that leads you to the main hallway at all hours as well.  From the running and jumping on the stairs to the slamming of the door, I am very careful of cabins I book.  

Great cruise though just crappy cabin selection.

I always carry authorization for my sons as we are in Canada and do not want to be denied entry to the US.  Carnival has never asked me so I have never shown them.  I have cruised alone with them and also with my partner who has a different surname and never asked.  

However, getting off my last cruise entering the US, the US immigration person at the port asked "Are these children both your biological children?"  I of course said they were my biological children and presented my papers from their father.  My boys were 14 and 16 at the time.  

When spending this much money on vacation, it would be horrible to be denied boarding.  I no longer get documents notarized but my sons are almost adults.  I think if I were to take a chance, I would make sure my children's father was accessible by phone and access to some sort of technology in case they insisted on written authorization.  

I am sure that if you wondered up to the serenity area or found a nice deck chair on an upper deck that the staff wouldn't bother you at all.  They have those nice round bed loungers in the serenity that would be divine to sleep on.  I cannot imagine anyone waking you up and asking you to leave.  You can wonder around at any time night or day so curling up on a lounger wouldn't be any different.  I hope you sleep well!  

I love Carnival but when we sailed to Alaska the dates on Carnival did not work for us because the cruise started on a Tuesday.  We chose HAL and it was wonderful!  Would I sail Carnival to Alaska if I were to go back?  Yes!  HAL went to Sitka which was different.  Sitka was one of my favourite ports.  I think any line that you chose to Alaska would be wonderful however I do recommend HAL because of my experience.  

We have chosen aft balconies for our last 4 cruises and loved them.  You are right about the privacy thing though.  I always get the one just beside the wrap around as they are a bit bigger (on the deck just below the lido) and then you only have one neighbour to contend with.  Most of the time we have had very quiet neighbours so I've been lucky.  I always feel bad for the people below because they have no privacy from above as well as I can see right into their balcony.  That is something you should consider as well if you are looking for privacy. 

We have booked our next cruise on the Panorama but a side balcony as all of the aft balconies were Havana balconies.  I haven't been on a side balcony in a few years so I am sure I will appreciate the privacy but will miss my lounger!  It's all good though as I am on a cruise!