AngAndBoys

I've done them a couple times. Best advice...bring lots of change so you can hand out winnings quickly when it's over and not have to deal with trying to get the right bills for change at the cage.

You can always set the up as cash account and then switch it. I'm thinking it will be too late to registeronnline Saturday, but I'm not sure.

We just returned from a cruise on the Miracle yesterday, and I got a Bounce Back Offer as well. Since this is my first offer, I am still confused as to how I can find all the offers that are available to me. I went into the VIPF offers, but even when I put in the ports and destinations I might like, things seemed to come in randomly. If anyone can give me some pointers on how to see what the offer can be used for, I would appreciate it very much. Also, excuse my ignorance, but what is a DUO (or is it DOU) card? Thanks!

DOU= Drinks On Us.

I took my son's friend last summer and cannot remember if they asked for the form to board, but I definitely remember the people in customs asking me for it when we got off the ship. Since I had it, don't know what would have happened had I not.

It sounds like she'll be 5-6 weeks out from surgery. Maybe y'all will be able to go?

You are right, food is subjective. Having been on 20 CCL cruises since 2003, I think I can say that quality and choices have gone down...but not by a lot, really. I eat buffet a lot because I have no patience for 1.5 hour dinners. I am of the school that finds this need to eat 3 or more times daily to be a rather inconvenient nuisance. So, buffet survival 101.

Some buffet recommendations: rice, if it involves rice, try it, they usually do well. Also pasta dishes are mostly edible. Don't touch the beef or pork. Don't say I didn't warn you. And no, I'm not Muslim, just don't enjoy tough fatty meat. I'm not a fan of chicken so, no experience there. The fish tends to be salty but is n ot bad. If they don't have tartar sauce out, ask for it. I like most of the soups, but the navy bean is icky. Love the cream of mushroom! I don't waste stomach space on vegetables of any kind, so can't comment, except tomatoes, eat those for vitamin c so you don't get sick. And Cole slaw, it's ok to eat because they've doused it in so much mayo and spices that it no longer tastes like vegetables. Dessert is hit and miss but the tiramisu is awesome and they sometimes have this chocolate fudge layer cake that is fabulous.

I'm a pretty picky eater, but I don't starve. I try a few bites of each thing first, then go back and load up on whatever appeals. For me, it's usually just one or 2 things. Sometimes it's just a bowl of rice and gravy, some fruit, some cheese, but that's my emergency rations if I hate everything. Anyway, you won't starve, and may even really like some of it. I do.

I sail both and like both fine. I sail CCL more because the port is convenient and price has been better in the past. Like others, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Also, prices appear to be evening out in a lot of cases. I've got 2 booked on NCL right l now, one on CCL, NCL because I wanted to try Escape, and then they had such an unbelievable price on Epic for November that I felt I'd be a fool not to take advantage with free drinks and all, so I booked a second one.

There are a lot of small differences, some better, some not, but overall, I can't come up with a strong winner, at all. I give CCL the slightest edge because there really is a "Fun" vibe that is not the same on NCL. Not unfriendly on NCL, just not quite the same vibe to me. The other edge ill give CCL is the inside common areas. My first impression of Epic was that I had stepped into an old office building converted into a ship. Lol. It gets better when you move up floors, but entering the ship is decidedly unimpressive. That being said, I was never bored or lacked someone to talk to on NCL, and my eyes have felt actual pain at some of the decor on CCL. So, take it for what it's worth. ;)

Has anyone had any luck getting a DOU card upon embarkation if you gambled on your last cruise? We earned right at 5000 points and we cruise again in June. Was hoping for the DOU card right away if possible. I am going to email and ask, I know they will probably give us a little casino cash, we got some last time but the DOU card is worth more over the course of a week.

I did last summer. Cruised the month before, got over 5000 points, had a DOU card waiting when I boarded the second cruise. :D

Nope, went into effect October 2014.

I was on that cruise. I didn't pay attention to the exact amount of the refund, but realized reading this that as disappointing as it was for us, what about the workers depending on tips? I'd guess the people stuck on the ship an extra day weren't charged an extra days tips, and people on the shortened cruise who did not prepay weren't charged for the lost day so....the crew worked for nothing that day? I wonder if Carnival does anything for them? I gave my steward extra anyway, but never even went to the dining room, so nothing extra for the wait staff.

Anyhow, I'm thrilled to death with the compensation CCL offered for the lost day. I thought it was more than fair. My only expense was a hotel, one lunch, one dinner, and getting up stupid early to fly there for nothing. :p

Know what I miss? Lobster on the short ones!!

I wonder who came to the conclusion that there was a man overboard? This comment at the facebook link got my attention:

 

 

 

WHAT? RCCL had no clue a passenger was missing?:eek:

Yeah, I remember reading about it when it happened. It was a young guy, fell from pretty high, late at night if I remember correctly. Absolute miracle he survived and was found.

Are these constant "cutbacks", industry wide?

Or a Carnival trend only? I haven't taken a cruise in the last three years, so wondering if this is occurring on all the cruise lines?

Hmmm, I don't cruise other lines much, but what I've noticed lately is NCL and RCL cruisers really upset about increased prices for items onboard, like drinks and such. And, on NCL in particular, charging for venues that used to be free, like Jimmy Buffetts Margaritaville on Escape. They also say the free food is bad and no lobster there at all in the free restaurants. So, probably, yeah, across the budget lines, anyway.

NCL has made a lot of changes recently, most of which do not benefit their customers. This just happens to be another. Replacing MDQ with an acapella group?? Really?! :rolleyes: I agree with you ... craziness!

I agree too. I don't like the disrespect for the customers.

I've taken my kids on 10+ cruises without their father, never been asked for the papers. At most, coming back, the border guy asks the kids a few questions like, is this your mom, what's her name kind of thing.

There's no couch in the OV.

The free coffee is pretty bad, imo. I don't drink much tea, but it seems to me they had other brands besides Lipton. They also have tea time around 3:30 on sea days. Look for it in your dailies. I don't know of an unlimited coffee card you can buy. They used to give you a punch card and after so many coffees, you got a free one, but I didn't get one my last few cruises, so not sure if they're still doing that.

:confused: Could you not just check both?

Does anyone know where you can smoke on the Triumph or is it about the same? It's going to be my first cruise so I actually wasn't sure where on the ship smoking was allowed.

Triumph is on deck 10, pretty much away from the pool, starboard side, mid/aft area, one end of casino bar, in casino (most areas, not all), nightclub, and I believe on one side of deck 3.

I guess I'm a safety kind of person and I want the "crew" (you know the guys and gals in white uniforms with insignia on...not the "staff" who service the ship) to conduct the muster drill in a manner they feel comfortable with. Many of us tend to "tune out" safety drills whether on an airplane or on a ship...and that's kind of sad, since all ships are configured different as are all the different equipment types the airlines use.

 

In this day and age I never enter a space (such as restaurants, arenas, movie theaters) without noting the exists...could save your life during a fire or an "armed" attack. Wonder if kids find fire drills at their schools as long and claustrophobic as people do the safety drills on a ship that "could" save their lives. A half hour out of my life on a ship isn't a big deal. My life and the lives of those I love ARE.

Well, having been on many flights and cruises, I feel like I know what to do anyway. And, I'm an optimist. My ship or plane wouldn't dare go down. :D

It would be nice if you could just take a test. If you can put on your life jacket, show the light and whistle, and navigate your way to the station, you're excused. But you're right, it's 30 minutes of my life. I dutifully show up, listen, and do what I'm told. It's not a big deal.

The drills do vary by class of ship, and I too hate the inside/outside kind. I'm sorry, but it's loooooong and claustrophobic and I don't see the "necessity" of going outside when you don't go out on other ships. It is annoying. And yes, I'm well aware that being on a sinking ship and not knowing where to go would be even more annoying. :p

They're calling specific people? Are you quite sure they're calling them for muster? I always guessed they were calling specific people to get off the ship, like for wedding parties, not muster.

As far as I know, CCL counts the number of people there for muster but doesn't account for individuals.

Just FYI, I got a pack n play offer last year when I already had one booked. I used it on an existing booking, so it does happen. Maybe it IS random. Who knows.

Actually, I'm not sure the cards in the priority line is a problem. In January we were in the regular line, but at the time we reached the front of the line there was no one in the adjacent priority line so they sent us to an agent over there. When the time came to get our cards the agent looked in the box at the priority desk, and our cards where in there.

 

"Wait a minute, how did they know we'd end up at the priority desk to put our cards there?" I asked my wife. She said she thought the cards must all be somewhere behind the long desk and when we started our check-in with the agent someone moves them to the appropriate box for that agent. By the time the check in in done, the cards are are there.

Yeah, my bad. It totally depends if the port has an entirely different place for Plat/Di to check in. I'm usually out of Galveston, which does, and that's the issue there. But I hear they're pretty strict on it everywhere anyway.

The Cream of Mushroom soup is really good.