briternik

I'm concerned about this also. I am ready to book air for next year and I'm afraid the cruise is going to be cancelled. 

19 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

This is incorrect. I have used my Starbucks app on multiple ships and never was a gratuity added. If you use the app, you don't sign anything to add a tip. And yes, you can use the gift cards in place of the app. Your app will not update your remaining balance until you connect to data but you can ask for a paper receipt and it will show your balance. I always go to the Starbucks and give a cash tip to the crew on my last day on the ship but that is just me. 

 

So you can use your app without internet?  I will be on the Joy. 

If I use a Starbucks gift card instead of buying the Starbucks package, do they still add a 20% gratuity, or is the tip at my discretion?  

I am looking to take a cruise in 2025 and have booked a solo room on the Prima.  I would like to also make another reservation with a TBD person in case one of my friends decides to go with me.  No one wants to commit this far in advance, but I would like to have the reservation in case the price increases.  Is this allowed? 

Thanks.  I went ahead and booked Louisbourg through Blackwood Tours that was mentioned above.   

I was disappointed with the Sydney offers also. The town itself looks pretty bleak to 

just walk around.

I've searched and cannot find the answer.  I made a booking last year for a cruise that departs in June 2023, so before the recent deposit changes. I booked a refundable fare on a JS.  Now, I am pretty confident we will be sailing and I would like to save the $600 and change it to non refundable. 

Should I just cancel and make a new booking?  Would it be to my benefit to call and ask them to remove the refundable rate?  If so, would I still get to play by the old rules and not lose it all if anything happened that I couldn't sail?      

I am planning to book with an American airline because they all will allow me to at least keep the credit and use it later. I have had two trips cancelled, one with Delta and one with Lufthansan, and I was able to get full refunds on both flights because of the schedule changes.

I really want to book it separately so that I can upgrade if flight prices drop, and I can easily move my seats if someone cancels and a better seat opens up.  

I guess I will wait a couple of more weeks to make a decision.  I know it's all speculation, but it "seems" things are progressing towards starting the cruises back. 

My Mom and I are looking at taking our first river cruise this year, probably on AMA or Avalon.  We were originally booked on a Rick Steve's tour that was cancelled. Our primary interest is Germany.  I have always just researched and booked travel on my own, however, doing my research this time, it seems like I should use a travel agent.

Therefore, I have reached out to a couple of different agents trying to find one that I feel comfortable with and who seems knowledgeable on the subject.  I'm not really having much luck.  The last agent I spoke with, today, told me I should wait until next year.  The other takes forever to get back with me.  

I thought I would just ask here, what is your feeling about river cruising this year?  Do you think it's going to happen?  What are your agents telling you? I don't want to book airfare and then find my cruise cancelled.  TIA

Could you please add me to the list?  ashley.teresa@gmail.com     We are going in June, so no rush.

TIA!

I read that if you decided to cancel that you don't get a credit or refund on the cruise cash.  I would purchase except my cruise isn't until 2021 and I might decide to take a different ship or change dates before then.  

I don't understand why everyone is still trying to compare it to the flu.  It doesn't compare.  Have we ever forced quarantine on a cruise ship because of the flu?  Have we ever stopped planes from flying because of the flu?  The Louvre is closed.  Disneyland Tokyo is closed.  They played a soccer game with no fans.  This makes me wonder how much they aren't telling us.  They wouldn't do these things if it wasn't serious.  They lost tons of money.  I agree it's mostly the elderly and immune suppressed at risk.  I'm not worried about myself.  I am worried that I will carry it home to my parents and other older relatives. 

Can someone tell me which way is most cost effective?  There are 2 of us and our flight isn't until 1.  I did a test rate on uber and it said $52?  I'm not sure that is correct.  I know NCL is $20 per person for transfer.  Doesn't seem like we will be in a big hurry.  Maybe super shuttle?   

Yes, it was .bz.  I was disappointed based on the stellar reviews, but still had a lot of fun.  

  I don't think I am allowed to say names, but just wanted to give a review on the cavetubing company that uses the yellow tubes :) 

I did extensive research before booking and it seemed like this was the best company based on reviews.  I was disappointed.
   First, after checking in we were escorted to the transportation vans.  There, we were met by a lady passing out water and also asking us to buy her jewelry.  She insisted on putting the bracelets on our arms.  We didn't purchase them, and she didn't act rude or upset about it, but it just made us feel uncomfortable.  I believe she was a relative of one of our guides.
    Then, we settled in for our 1 hr drive to the caves.  There was no a/c in the van.  We had to drive with all of the windows open, which left us unable to hear anything the guide was saying.  There were 3 rows of seats and only those in the first row could hear anything.
     Once we arrived at the caves, it was a relaxing walk to where we picked up our tubes and entered the water.  I was disappointed in the tubes.  They were moldy, and the backrests that are shown in all of the pictures were flat.  They looked very old.  The guides tied us together and we started the excursion.  It was interesting.  However, our guide was SO slow.  Group after group of other tubers kept passing us by.  I thought we were never going to get out of there. 
     Once done, we were taken back to the office area where we were given lunch.  It was sparse.  A very small piece of boiled dark meat chicken and some rice mixed with beans.  We didn't receive any of the rum punch I had read about in previous reviews.  
       We were then taken back to the cruise port in the scorching hot van.
     On a positive note, I will say that they are really good about responding to emails and were right where they said they were going to be.
      If I were to go back, though, I would book with a different company.  The groups with the blue tubes looked to be having a better time, and their equipment looked newer. 
 

Jbethel, I had a fun vacation.  I just don't like certain aspects of this ship.  

Bobbyandali, the meat dishes were either way too tough or had big chunks of fat.  

    I didn't discuss the waiter with anyone because I just felt he was overworked.  We were a table of 12 and he had no help.   I would have hated it too, were I in his shoes.  

Agree.  We did cave tubing through an independent vendor.  I don't think we are allowed to say a name, but I would choose someone besides the vendor who uses yellow tubes. We feared we wouldn't make it back in time with just the tubing.

  I am a frequent cruiser and have cruised RCCL, NCL, Disney, Celebrity, and Carnival all in the past.  I find that Carnival has the best deck parties and just seems more fun in general.  However, this ship deserves the poor reviews.
   The Pro's:  Great Deck parties
                     Stage Show Flick
                      Sports Square and all it entails like Sky Ride and Ropes Course
                      The Thrill and Imax theaters
                      Guys Burgers, the Lido Deli

The Con's:     Horrible Dining Room Experience- I was unable to eat any of the meat dishes I was  served.  We had one waiter for our table for 12.  The service was extremely slow. Drinks were hard to get, and even harder to get a refill.  I had requested a great table location, but more importantly FUN waitstaff, ahead of time through John Heald's blog.  I don't think my request was met.  The location wasn't the worst, but our waiter seemed to hate his job.
                      Cabin Steward:  I only asked to have ice delivered twice/day and service in the evening.  I repeatedly had to request ice, and my beach towels  weren't replaced.  I had to find him and ask about it and he said he ran out of towels  before he got to my room.  WHAT???  We were only given 2 bath towels per day.  We requested to have 4, as we girls need a hair towel, as well as a body towel.  Half the time, we still just received two.  We also didn't receive any debarkation information. We got it from other family members.
                      Elevators:  SUPER SUPER SLOW.  I took the stairs.
                      Liquid Lounge:  Seating was awful, as others have stated.
                      Punchliner Comedy Club:  Not enought seating. If you arrived 30 minutes early, you still may be standing.  
                      Debarkation:  Total nightmare.  Took us about 1 1/2 hours.  I read that it took others up to 6 hours.  We had Faster to the Fun.

         We actually had a fun vacation, and I will probably cruise Carnival again in the future.  However, I had a Panorama cruise booked for next June and I cancelled it this morning.  I don't want to sail on a ship that is a sister to the Vista.  I really didn't like the layout or the "closed in" feeling of it.  If the shows and the dining room experience are important to you, I wouldn't recommend this ship.  

Great!  Thanks for the replies!  Yes, I thought it was a Carnival owned spot, so I thought I could just charge it to my room.  I will bring cash.

I'm sailing on the Carnival Vista.  Will I need cash for rentals or will I be able to use my ship card?  Thanks!

I'm pretty open.  I have sailed RCCL, Celebrity, Disney, NCL, and Carnival.  I prefer the new ships.  I sailed on the NCL Jade and it was the worst cruise I have ever been on.  That being said, I am going to try the Bliss in September. 

I like RCCL for the stage shows, the aqua theater, the promenade, and the ice skating. 

I keep coming back to Carnival because it's just more FUN!  No one does the sail-away party like Carnival does.  What Carnival lacks in stage shows, it makes up for in Comedy shows, dive-in movies, and other fun stuff.  I will only ice skate once per cruise.  I will do the ropes course and sky ride at least twice each!  Give me a water slide over a rock wall any day!

Ok, thanks!  

Thanks so much!  Perfect!

I have booked a Havana cabin on the Panorama for next year.  In looking at photos, I have never seen a Havana cabin with the beds apart.  All of them have a bed with bedposts and don't look like they could be separated.  I am going with a friend and don't want to share a bed.  Does anyone have a pic of one of these cabins where the bed isn't together?  Thanks!

Ok. Thanks for the replies.  I will email the mtre'd before we leave.  I have been on a cruise once where a couple of ladies brought a friend they had met who was solo cruising and they let her join us.  It was a big tabletop, though, and there were empty seats of other guests who didn't show that evening.  I remember the staff seemed perfectly fine with it.  In this instance, it will just be our family at the table, therefore, wouldn't intrude on other people's "space", so I thought it might be more acceptable.