Thebosn1

On 2/26/2019 at 12:02 PM, Luke Saint Joe said:

Thebosn1, my husband & I are sailing with you on this TA. Neither of us speaks Catalan or fluent Spanish. Like you, I only know a handful of broken phrases. I visited Portugal in the past & had no problem. In fact, I picked up a few key words there rather quickly. We'll be fine.  We plan to join our FB group for pre-arranged excursions (none are planned yet). Excursions are not necessary in all ports, so we will just explore on our own.

Awesome.  I'm already in one group and will definitely be looking for ideas from folks that have been to these ports before.  My wife and I have also never had a problem just getting off the ship and exploring on our own.  In fact some of our best times were the adventures we never planned.  I look for you in the group, and we are already looking forward to our first TA! 

1 hour ago, dogs4fun said:

You will have no problems in Barcelona - English is widely spoken/understood in the tourist areas. I always write the name of our hotel to give to the taxi driver in case the driver does not speak English.

Good idea!  Thanks for the info.  I imagine its the same in the tourist areas of other Spanish cities.  We also stop in Murcia and Malaga.  I always feel a little bad not being able to communicate better in the host country language.   

I'm an experienced cruiser but have never done Europe before.  I was lucky enough to finally book the Radiance for the summer of 2020 to NYC out of Barcelona and my wife and I are very excited about the trip.  

I was wondering if there is a language barrier for people who only know basic broken phrases in Spanish?  We have been to plenty of ports where the official language is Spanish, but the good people in those ports always spoke fluent English.   Is it the same in Spain or should I start to work on a little bit better Spanish in order to communicate more effectively?  

Thanks

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 4:03 PM, heffy2 said:

I had to do the same thing in September, and I just showed up at the pier and everything was taken care of. CCL refunded the port charges and fee's for the PAX that didn't come to the CC that I paid with. This was my 4th solo cruise. The best part about sailing alone is meeting people that I probably wouldn't have talked to otherwise. I hope you have a GREAT cruise!

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for.  

39 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

You'll be fine. They're not going to move you.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks!

36 minutes ago, puppycanducruise said:

Sorry you may have to cruise solo.

Have a great time anyway.

Will not be the same at all, but there will be past cruise friends on there.  Thanks. 

40 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

And you are going to love the Havana area.  The lounge is beautiful.  

I can't wait.  Now I have a great excuse to book my wife and I in one in the future.  

40 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

The reason people said no to notify ahead of time is  for those sailing solo on a 3+ occupancy cabin or for those traveling with others who are going to be refunded their share of the cruise fare.  You (the purchaser)  are paying for two either way and you will automatically be refunded the port fees and taxes.  If you were in a 3+ and 2 cancelled, you are subject to being moved.

Great, that makes sense thank you.

1 minute ago, Elaine5715 said:

They do not reassign you at boarding because someone does not show up.  They also NEVER move someone who sailing solo and is booked into a 2 person occupancy cabin from that 2 person cabin.  There aren't one person cabins.

Right, I figured that.  I just thought they may try to downgrade me and re-sell the Havana.  That's why most people are saying not to say anything ahead of time, just show up at boarding and tell them then.  Thanks. 

16 minutes ago, champagne123 said:

Sorry your wife cannot go..what a bummer.  Do you have a friend or relative that would be able to take her place?  I mean, you already paid for it, right? 

Yes, it is a bummer.  Taking someone else in her place is a nice thought, but I only sail with her.  

I have read through most of the posts regarding sailing alone after one person can't make the trip.  Unfortunately, it looks as if I may be in that situation on my next cruise in April.  Booked for my wife and I but she probably will not be able to go.  I booked this cruise on Horizon SPECIFICALLY to get a Havana cabin.  Occupancy is listed for 2, I may be the only one in there.  I know these cabins are popular (and significantly more expensive), which is why I booked it over a year ago.  

Most previous posts recommend NOT notifying Carnival if one guest is not coming.  Most folks say just show up for boarding and then tell them one person booked in your cabin is not coming.  Has anyone, especially anyone sailing on Horizon, had a problem doing that?  The LAST thing I want is for them to re-assign me because I am alone and losing that Havana.  

I am a very experienced cruiser with Carnival, and I understand that the CAN move me, but I don't want to give them a chance.  I don't want the refund for the downgrade, and yes I understand that I am paying for two people even if one shows up, but I WANT that Havana!!!

Thanks in advance for your info and thoughts, ESPECIALLY anyone that has actually been in this situation.

Why eliminate formal nights?

Sorry,

But the Sunshine is still the ONLY Carnival ship where I have ever felt crowded.  They added a bunch of cabins but did not change the public spaces to provide more room.  

One of the best cruises we ever had was back on Miracle when she was brand new and sailing out of Baltimore (yes Baltimore) but we have been hesitant to go back to Carnival following all the reports and videos of bad behavior on the ships.

 

I’d be grateful for an honest assessment from recent cruisers - does Carnival deserve its new reputation ?

My honest assessment? If you go during spring break you will have a large number of young drunks being loud and acting pretty disgusting. So I never go then. You will always have some adults that are drunk at stupid, and completely classless as well. But the one thing that has me on verge of leaving the only cruise line I have ever sailed is the out of control kids, the inattentive parents, and the complete failure of the ship's staff to hold either of them accountable.

With each and every cruise I have taken, the kids get worse, more out of control. At this point I have already seen people hurt.

This is where the super-parents will jump in and say "Oh I have seen plenty of drunk adults acting bad!" I'm sure you have. Congratulations. Go ahead and tell me that YOUR kids are perfectly well mannered, I get it. Your kids are not the ones I'm talking about then.

I'm telling you the truth. The kids are unattended, and running around in unchecked packs until the early morning hours. The go wherever they want, including every hot tub, bar and the serenity decks. They knock elderly people over and keep moving. They drink. They have sex in the covered lounges. One kid threw a glass bottle off the lido deck and down 10 decks into the atrium bar, narrowly missing a man's head. it could have killed him. While THAT family was removed from the ship, I have seen virtually NO action of any kind, on any other ships. When you report the behavior to the a crewmember, they just smile at you and say there is nothing they can do. The CD herself on the Carnival Legend refused to take action regarding kids that were leaping back and forth from the front row of seats to the stage DURING the show. Her actual response when made aware of this? "What do you want ME to do about it?"

Hope that answers your question Winchester Ranger;57056143. Go ahead and flame away super parents, I don't care.

That is quite a review, seems more damning of the Clientele and mother nature then Carnival but then again I have already been rebuked by the poster so......

 

For what it is worth the seaweed at GT may have been storm driven.

 

 

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Has anyone else experienced what he said in the review about the Bluetooth speakers and the blaring personal music at the main pools and from balconies? I have to say, that would be the last straw for me too. I understand the review is not answering the OP question about the SHIP, but unless he went in the middle of spring break, that type of crap would make me leave too. I'm already at the end of my rope with them over the uncontrolled kids, the loud personal music would snap it for me.

Howdy guys,

 

I was about to pull the trigger on a vista cruise out of galveston texas earlier but when I checked the reviews on here they don't seem to be very good for the vista. People complaining saying ship is simply too big and feels overcrowded etc etc.

 

Ive only ever been on the magic before and that was amazing, I'm keen to try another ship but dont want to feel like ive downgraded - especially as it's a 10-hour flight from the uk to Houston Texas before we board the ship!

 

Sell it to me guys, is the vista as good as the magic?

I thought Vista was wonderful. When I sailed on her she was completely booked, and I NEVER felt crowded. Of course the pools were always packed, and the serenity area is not as good as on ships like Legend, but overall I was very pleased with the ship and crew.

I see the negative reviews also, but they seem like nit-picky things most of the time. I thought she was great.

I don't know why people on Carnival are so OBESSED with trying to avoid following the rules. 20 people just said (and showed) you are NOT supposed to wear shorts in the steakhouse. WHY didn't we just stop when we answered her question? No wonder people call Carnival the Wal-Mart of cruise lines.

We recently cruised on the Horizon and ate in the steakhouse. There was a large family group including several children and babies. They allowed one of their babies to run around the dining room in a diaper only with no other clothes and all of the children ran wild around the restaurant. One child was dragging another across the floor by his shirt. They were getting in the way of the servers but no one said anything. Not the atmosphere I paid for.

I would have demanded a refund and left. then I would have went to guest services and threw a fit. I am no longer allowing Carnival to get away with allowing ANY part of my vacation to be degraded just because they are too weak to make parents mind their out of control kids. I'm sick of it.

If I am understanding what you are saying correctly, what COMBOY and others of us have said is incorrect? The Hotel's restaurants and bars are NOT open to the public without buying a pass?

The hotel employee said that after 6 PM you pay $10 and you can go to the chowder house of the observation bar. The $10 is applied to your bill.

I did finally get an answer on this BTW. After 6PM you can purchase a $10 pass and go to the bar or the chowder house. The $10 for the pass is applied to your bar tab.

Why don't you call the hotel and ask them direct?:)

Probably have to. I tried emailing them got no response.

It's been many years since I stayed at the Hotel Queen Mary, but the Observation Bar was part of the hotel's facilities. It was open to all at that time. Just checking the hotel's web site, it still is. Parking price and menus available are also listed. Check out the hotel's web site.

Thank you. I'm not staying at the hotel though. My question was whether I would need to buy a ticket just to get on the ship to go to the bar.

That Carnival has absolutely no intention of doing ANYTHING to control out of control kids, or hold the parents accountable.

Has anyone gone to the Observation Bar on the Queen Mary when they were NOT staying on board? I have already done the tours and stuff, I just wanted to meet some friends there for drinks before our October cruise.

Are you able to go to the bar without buying a pass to the ship, if you are not staying on board?

Thanks.

OK I see the NEW menu now, doesn't look any different to me.