SeaPeaInn

Carnival Cruise Line has two ships on order. The Vista starting in 2016 and a sister ship, unnamed, delivery in spring of 2018.

The fine print in their contract says they have the right to increase prices anytime up until final payment.

I have never heard of that happening but it is possible.

I am glad to hear of the suite upgrades and look forward to them. But I hope everone knows they will only take place after they have increased the prices that take this into account.

You will not get the upgrades at todays prices.;)

Melbur -

The room for breakfast on the Grandeur is not new. We have had it for at least the past two years.

Will be on board with you and in the lounge each evening. See you there.:)

We sail on both and have for the past several years. I would pick the Pride even with it's tacky decor.

Food in better on Pride.

We only do suites on the Grandeur and balconies on Pride. Wish Carnival had similar suite perks.

These are only required for some South American ports. I do know that they require them for the Amazon area. You cannot get them just anywhere.

When we got ours a few years ago I know that a person came to our house from a town 30 miles away. They are rather expensive.

I am just now remember that on our cruise 30 people were left behind and had to join the ship 3 days later and fly at their expense. They claimed they did not know about it but I am sure they did. This is something that is not required by the US but by the countries being visited.

Thanks to both of you. NCL may be taking a customer from RCCL. Like the Haven on the ships that have it. But any suite would suit me.:)

Just got off the NCL site. Could not find the suite perks. Could you tell me where to find them? Thanks.

The price of suites are already up to reflect the increased cost of the "free" perks.

The cost to repeat a cruise that I am going on March 31 is 1800 dollars more for the same cruise next March 30.

Would like to see them take the junior suites and make them into something like Aqua class on Celebrity.:D

We did three Carnival cruises in a row. It was 49 days around South America. We never had to get off the ship.

It seems that you only have to get off if you are returning to your original port and repeating a cruise.

Have to agree that the decor on the Pride gives poor taste a bad name. It has nothing to do with the age of the ship. It would have been just as depressing when it was new. We sail on it in spite of its appearance.

My wife and I were on an elevator and had just commented on how ugly it was, when two young girls entered and they were talking about how beautiful the elevator was and wishing they could take it home.

Some just see things differently.

If food is important I would definetly take the Pride. We have been on both and are booked again on both. Pride is also less expensive as you know.

Around South America -

Oceania does it each year. Highly recommend them.

We did it on Carnival but they only offered it twice. This was because the Splendor could not go through the canal.

We went through the canal a few years ago on a Princess ship. Through the first lock, anchored for the afternoon and back through the same lock. The toll was over 400 thousand and was the highest ever paid for any ship at the time.

Passages are booked many weeks in advance and must be paid in full two weeks prior to passage.

We are among the older cruisers but found Cunard much too formal.

Having said that, the food in the Queens Grille is by far the best at sea. The price puts this out of the reach of many.

Cannot recomend Cunard.

We have been getting dinner at the specialty restaurant as part of the suite package. Is this the same dinner or in addition to the "free" dinner?

The last lobster I had in Chops was even worse than the one in the main dining room. Cured me of ever ordering a cruiseship lobster again.

It is not overwhelming just a pleasant surprise. One of the first things you learn is that you are on a ship not boat.:D

To me it means "ignore this post".

For the money the OP is paying they should be sailing the upscale lines that are far superior to RCCL.

Certainly even Oceania has far better food and the experience in a balcony is far better than a suite on RCCL.

We sail on the Pride about once a year. It is without a doubt the tackiest ugly ship afloat. Cannot imagine what they were thinking when this ship was built.

It may be very good but I would bet that it is not grouper.;)

We are booked on the Pride 1-17-16 Baltimore to San Juan and back to Baltimore making this a 21 day cruise.

Thought Carnival would be promoting this by now.

Aknitter -

We also cruise Oceania and RCCL. You are stepping down several notches on the cruise scale with RCCL. It is a different experience with a different clientel. Just another case of getting what you pay for.