KeithsKelly

1 hour ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

I am confused, but that happens easily.

 

The 23 July update from Carnival says the following about cancellations for Magic (which admittedly is different from what was copied into the second post of this thread):

 

• Carnival Magic Ft. Lauderdale and Miami sailings through and including September 30, 2020
• Carnival Magic Transatlantic & Barcelona sailings April 10, 2021 through and including May 3, 2021

So your cruise is still scheduled.  It is a Southern Carib itin out of Miami now - it was originally FLL, IIRC.

 

Maybe there was a glitch in the info posted at the top of this thread?

 

Thanks so much for your response!  Everything I have read shows the other dates that were included at the beginning of this post.  I appreciate the info!

Still wondering about all the cancellations.   Was/am scheduled on the 3/13/21 sailing of the Magic and to date have not received a cancellation email.    I checked carnival.com this morning and it still shows the booking active.  I also just tried to book that cruise and stopped right before I confirmed, so it is still letting people book.  Anyone else in this same situation?

Just curious if anyone has actually received their cancellation email yet.  I'm scheduled on the 3/13 cruise on the Magic (previously on the Breeze until the switcheroo two weeks ago), but haven't gotten an email yet and my cruise is still showing a countdown.  I know it isn't going to happen, just curious is all!

Personally, I would not have.  Hubs was trying to be helpful, I think!  He mentioned late last night that he had money sitting there and was going to just pay a couple of our upcoming trips so it's out of the way.  I really didn't THINK he was talking about the cruise, and just called him to make sure he DIDN'T do anything in regards to the cruise....   Fortunately, I was able to reverse the transaction so payment was not made.  His response, though, was to cancel the cruise and not rebook, he's tired of the cruiseline uncertainty.

Well crap.  I'm thinking we're just going to cancel entirely.  Just called hubs to tell him not to pay our remaining balance for our March 13 cruise on Magic only to find he JUST PAID IT.  Ugh.  Hoping I can intercept and cancel the transaction!

So glad this thread popped up!!  My passport expires in September and we're due to cruise in March.  I've been holding off renewing because I also need to get my driver's license switched over to a Real ID.  My DL isn't due until December 2023, but I'll need the Real ID for other planned trips since I won't have my passport in my possession.  Lots of things to take into consideration!

So I cancelled the prepaid tips so that we "may" be able to use OBC for them.  If not, no big deal!  Regardless, we will still continue to tip our room steward and waiters additional cash.  Normally, we give the steward $50 at the beginning, and another $50 at the end.  I don't ask for a lot from them, but I do like having my ice bucket full when we get back to our room! Not to mention, hubs and I both waited tables during our early college years and you never forget what it's like to work for tips!

14 hours ago, Runaway Parent said:

We never prepay our tips for this reason--use the OBC, if possible. 

 

If I'm understanding correctly, you added the tips to your original reservation and want to remove that prepayment? If so--yes! Remove them. Use your OBC. 

Thanks!  Yes, hubs took it upon himself to book the previous cancelled cruise (first time he's booked ANYTHING) and was trying to cover the bases so he just added everything in.  When it was cancelled and I moved the reservation, it just carried through that the tips were still prepaid.  I'll be removing them for sure!

14 hours ago, klfrodo said:

You have no choice what the OBC is used for.

You start your on board account with a negative balance (however much your OBC is for) and then as charges come thru on the account, your negative balance soon goes to positive and you owe money.

Great explanation!  THANKS!

5 hours ago, bury me at sea said:

Simply remove the pre-paid tips from your account.  Don't include them in your final payment.

 

When you board the ship you don't have to take any action.  They will be automatically added to your S&S account, generally around the next to last day of your cruise.  At that point your OBC will automatically cover them.

 

Just don't spend all of your OBC in the meantime!

 

Happy sailing.

Not sure why I was thinking I needed to add them back in once on board!  Good to know it's automatic and I don't need to remember to do anything other than soak up some sun and rum!

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I had this argument on another board than cc. 90% told newbie cruiser to prepay tips. No one else agreed with me, might have been a rcl board though.

 

My argument is why give the cruiselines a interest free loan because you cant manage money or afraid of  big bill at the end. I get stockholders credit at the very least  though I do a lot of shopping. Sometimes shopping in ports or private excursions. As a solo my tips are covered by my obc. 

 

I always make sure I leave owing money so I feel I'm wanted back by carnival or whomever. 

 

I spend 1k to 2k as a solo, so it's not like I'm not spending, I just feel I like to leave with a amt charged to my credit card. I lost that argument. No one saw it my way. I think was bad advice to a new cruiser to prepay tips. Unless you are so broke you live paycheck to paycheck how is getting a bill on your credit card such a big surprise. 

 

And I'm not just talking about this time where you have so much obc. I honestly cant understand preparing tips unless you cant manage money. Makes no sense to me. But then i dont budget my spending at home either. I watch sales and buy smart, but I never have budgeted. I manage my spending. Managing your money is different than budgeting.

 

 

We always owe money when we leave, and I'm cool with that!  Hubs normally leaves details to me and is just along for the ride.  I commend him, however, for TRYING to be on top of it! 🙂

We're currently booked on the Magic March 13-21 (just switched from the Breeze last week) and we have so much OBC that I was thinking about removing the tips from our account FOR NOW for a couple reasons...  I've never done this before, so any advice is welcome!

First, as I mentioned, we have $1150 in OBC for this cruise and I wouldn't mind using some of it for tips.  Second, our final payment is due the first week of December, while we will be in Disney with our kids and grandkids (insert we pay for most of the stuff).  And third, if they do cancel the March cruise it would be less $$$ that I have tied up until refunds come through.

So, with all this info, is removing the tips a good idea?  We never do the tipping ourselves, but rather use the tipping on our account as well as giving our room steward and waiter a healthy bit extra, and I would definitely add it back on as soon as we're aboard the ship.  Thanks for any input!

1 minute ago, 19cruiser59 said:

On the Carnival website login to your account and go to Cruise manager and then print your documents, you can just preview them. it should be listed on there under your itemized charges.

Thank you!  🙂

Drawing a total blank!  How do I find my onboard credit on a future booking?  My cruise was switched to the Magic in March and I just want to make sure everything transferred over correctly, but I absolutely cannot remember how to find the page that shows my OBC.  HELP!  Thanks all!! 🙂

43 minutes ago, Brad1972 said:

I got the same letter for our cruise out of Fort Lauderdale on Breeze in April 24th 2021 it’s been moved to port of Miami and will now be on the Magic with same itinerary.  Basically all it said for the minor inconvenience of having to change ships on us Carnival will add $200 OBC tou our accounts. Didn’t say anything in there that it was not applicable for those who have already rebooked from a previously canceled cruise by carnival since March 2020.  So ya,  it sounds like we will have $800 OBC.  We also got in on the deal when they did a promo code of 20% off Cheers drink package online that is already 10% off of in person price on board.  So all of our drinks are taken care of and will have $800 free OBC?   Ya, no problem, change ships with a sister ship and move us to a better port.  I like Port of Miami better.  Better choice of hotels by the port and more things to do along Biscayne Blvd and Bayside Market place right across the street from the usual hotel we stay at.

Thanks for the info!  Do you have a recommendation for the hotel?  I cannot remember where we stayed last time we cruised from Miami.... 🙂

Our March 2020 cruise was cancelled so we rebooked for March 2021 as that was the first time that would work for us.  By rebooking we were receiving a $600 OBC.  Now we're being shuffled to Miami/Magic as we were on the Breeze for March 14.  The notice says that we will receive $200 OBC because of the change.  Will we actually get this, or not because we already have $600 OBC?  Just trying to make sure I understand before I try to explain it to hubs!  THANKS!

Not till March 2021 on the Breeze.  That's the soonest we could make it work with my schedule, hub's schedule, etc.  Sounds so far away!!  My daughter is booked on the Breeze for August 29, 2020, though!

On 5/24/2020 at 7:09 PM, lovecaribbean6179 said:

Saw on local news that the Party Cove at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri jam packed with boats, no social distancing and no masks.  Guess they think it's back to normal.  

lovecaribbean6197 we saw this as well.  Hubs and I live in St. Louis, but are fortunate enough to have a place on Lake of the Ozarks.  We were down there most of last week, but came home on Wednesday evening.  For us, being at the lake house is still social distancing, just a change of scenery.  We stay home, cook at home, eat at home, etc.  We're also fortunate that our cove only has 7 homes.  We can "socialize with the neighbors" by talking loudly from deck to deck or dock to dock while still being 20-30 feet apart.

We saw other footage last night of a bar called Backwater Jack's, that was incredibly packed.  It's an establishment that we haven't been to for a couple years as we've always had rude service there.  While I was surprised by the amount of people, I was not surprised by the bar they were at.

Great info, everyone!  THANKS!

55 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

Right? 
This is where I am.  Also hoping for a chance to upgrade.  

Exactly!!  Hubs and I discussed, we are NOT cancelling.  If for some reason we cannot port, then we have glorious, uninterrupted sea days.  He takes a couple meds, so we'll take extra with us just in case anything else happens. 

Can anyone enlighten me on texting with Hub app?  I haven't found much info, but it looks like it carries a cost of $5 (per person?) to text while on board.  Would I be able to text others at home through the hub as long as they have it as well?  Any other info is also much appreciated!

5 minutes ago, melissa84 said:

We bought Albuterol inhalers - the brand we get here is Pro-Air.  The pharmacist put them side by side and showed us that they were the same.  Cozumel Drugstore has a website, so you might look to see if they have other brands/medications.  

THANKS!!

On 2/21/2020 at 11:31 AM, melissa84 said:

We went to Cozumel Drugstore last summer - very nice people, great prices.  At that time they mentioned that if you contacted them ahead of time they would have your order ready and you could just run in and pick it up.  We spent about 45 minutes there, debating over the Retin-A, and also looking at inhalers.  Now that we know, I would just contact them ahead and run in.

 

We have also bought inhalers at Mega ($4/each! ) but not the Retin-A.  

Question about the inhalers?  Can you tell me what kind?  My mom has COPD and uses 4 different inhalers daily (not sure off hand what they are) and would be happy to pick some up for her....  THANKS!

Thanks so much!!

Hubs and I will be in Cozumel in about two weeks and are thinking just a nice, laid back, chill on the beach day.  I want to book Nachi Cocom if it's not already sold out, but naturally hubs needs more details......

How far is it from the port for Carnival, and I'm assuming just a cab ride there?  Any other helpful info?

THANKS!

Thanks for all the info so far!

The cruise is specifically Carnival, and the certificate has a code number and mom's name printed on it. Mom received the postcard from the casino, then we had to call and "accept" the cruise. They gave us an appointment at the casino to pick up our stuff and I immediately expected some type of sales pitch when we got there. Instead, we checked in with the host and he pulled mom's packet of stuff including her cruise certificate and handed that to her along with a Carnival book that listed all the upcoming cruises available and maps of each of the Carnival ships.

One final statement on the certificate says to call Carnival or your TA to book the cruise!

Hi all! My mom has received a certificate from one of the local casinos for a free cruise for two. The only restrictions I see on it are that it is nontransferable and is good for an interior room on a 4-8 day sailing. Other restrictions are only for the deadline date for booking.

Has anyone used one of these before? Can she do ANY interior room, like possibly the spa rooms? If I book a room/cruise that is eligible for the triple play promotion, would she actually get the OBC? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!

DD and I sailed on the Dream in 2011 to do an Eastern itinerary and had a wonderful time. My mom was just given a cruise certificate for two so I've chosen the Dream again, this time in July out of NOLA. I've never been to this port and just didn't realize we would head upriver, can't wait to see it!