Indytraveler83

Not to discount anyone's experiences, but I feel like this comes up a lot with various ships. A couple of thoughts: 1) How the temperature feels can be relative. If an area is 75 degrees, and you just came in front sitting in the sun, it may feel downright cold. On the other hand, if you just came back from a nap in your interior cabin with the AC on full blast, it might feel rather muggy. 2) Heat outside, doors and windows can play a huge role in things as previously mentioned. If a line of people move through a doorway, and hot air blasts in, it's going to take time before that area cools. If this happens a lot in a high traffic area, they may struggle to cool it. While Horizon's sister ships are similar, they all have their own floorplan tweaks. There may be a door that's always opening on Horizon, that isn't on Vista. 3) If there is a problem, it may not be the AC. A failing window seal, or even an automated door that's getting stuck open or leaking excessive air can cause issues. A large window that doesn't properly reduce the sun's heat can also cause part of the ship to bake. 4) Where is the Horizon when this happens? She's been running a Southern Caribbean route that can be absolutely scorching in the summer. Little things or open doors may play a much bigger factor there then on ships further north. Again, not trying to discount anyone's experiences here. But it's entirely possible that the AC is functioning perfect and other factors, possibly not fully in Carnival's control could be at play.

Hmm, a few interesting bits in this news. 1) The physical paper door hangers don't mean much (It's only the hangers that are changing, not the room service breakfast itself). I'm just surprised that they are having you call to place an order, rather than doing it on the app, as most dining interaction has shifted that way. We have noticed Carnival slowly shifting away from the free room service options, and wouldn't be surprised if that continues. However, they also quietly shifted dining room breakfast hours so that you can get a fairly early breakfast there every day. 2) While I'm not too worried about pizza not being 24 hours, it does seem extra crazy to have only a single place open late. Burdening the pizza folks with more menu items is going to make wait times worse unless they change the staffing there. This seems like the ideal time to offer grab and go options somewhere else. 3) I don't mind them narrowing the hours of some places in their least busy times. But it does seem like they are now funneling all passengers to the buffet for lunch (especially on older ships with limited dining options). Seems like these changes may not dramatically affect the extensive dining options on the newest ship classes, but it could create some crazy crowds on the older ships.

Just wanted to point out that straws weren't the only things eliminated. They also eliminated most/all of the single use food item packaging (such as foil wrapped butter squares or packets of ketchup), the drink decorations like umbrellas, and probably much more that I can't remember. Straws remain a hot button topic because it is likely the only item on the list that anyone really misses.

Our first cruise was on the Elation pre 2.0 upgrades. I remember the short water slide going directly into the pool, and I remember the weird upper aft pool that was basically just a large steel tub that no one wanted to go in. There was no Guys Burgers or Blue Iguana Tacos, and the bars were generic with no real branding. The pizza place was where Blue Iguana, and generic burgers were served where Guys is. I think the funniest thing was a Funship Freddie mascot walking around the ship accidentally scaring the snot out of unsuspecting passengers!

So a few of my favorites off the MDR menu: The grilled salmon and Caeser salad is always a good combo. Lasagna Bolognese was very good, the fried chicken is good and the shrimp cocktails are always tasty (usually order two). For desert we've liked this version of the baked Alaska far more than the last, and the key lime mousse is a very good sleeper selection as well. We've learned to stay away from the "From the grill - grilled chicken breast" as it's usually a dry, dense piece of chicken that feels like it was pulled from a TV dinner.

I wonder if this ship will also get branded "Costa by Carnival" instead of a full Carnival revamp?

I think I sort of agree. Carnival is attempting to reduce operating costs. No sense in maintaining two separate identities from top to bottom when the customer only really cares about the ship's identity. Costa could easily go on appearing exactly as it it, but all the shore side operations be moved to Carnival. On the plus side, if they fully integrate the loyalty programs from both brands, it would likely help keep Carnival cruisers from going to MSC if/when they select European cruises. (And European cruisers would have a reason to chose Carnival for their North American cruises.). Feels like a win/win for the consumer and the company if they head that direction.

Thinking about the fleet overall: By the end of this year, Carnival will have retired 6 Fantasy class ships since 2020. By the end of 2024 they will have been replaced by: 3 Excell class ships 3 Costa transfers (2 Vista class, 1 Spirit class-ish). They also completed the Carnival Radiance conversion. So if they don't scrap anymore ships, they'll find themselves with the same number of hulls in the Carnival fleet, but with a ton more berths and a lot newer as well. Not too bad of an overhaul in this financial environment.

My (totally uniformed) opinion would be no, they'll leave it and just do basic scheduled maintenance. This feels like a test run... Seeing if the ships will do well here as is, yet preserving their state in case Carnival wants to put them back into another market. Edit: Just looked at photos, these ships are GORGEOUS.

Wow... So Carnival is adding 2 Vista class ships to North America without even needing to refurb then? 1)Makes me wonder if Carnival Corp is working toward making Carnival and Costa operate under the same umbrella, instead of as two separate brands? This is 3 Costa ships pulled from Europe and now operating under Carnival. 2) Wonder if this will impact any of the other older ships in the Carnival fleet?

Prior to the craziness with COVID, I typically found the best deals in fall, sometimes Carnival's Black Friday sales are really good too. It's not unusual for us to book 2 or more cruises during the same call on those deals.

$180 total? Definitely worth it. I'd snag that upgrade in a heartbeat. Enjoy the spa perks and being on a deck that makes getting around the ship easier!

I've never experienced a line like pictured above or an hour long. A few thoughts though: 1) Summer cruising can be very crazy. Combined with staffing shortages, things like this are most likely to happen now. 2) For me, every cruise it feels like the passengers get obsessed with one or two things. Herd mentality kicks in and everyone flocks there. Guys, the piano bar, the omelette station and other places will get swarmed, while some places are empty. My mentality is: If everyone is here, there's no wait somewhere else.

We absolutely hated the true interior room when we stayed in it. The pure darkness 24/7 was disorienting. We also found that the live cam trick didn't work very well, as our TV would go into sleep mode during the night. From that point on, our strategy was to never book a true interior. However, if cost saving is the primary goal, there are several rooms labeled as "interior" because the Oceanview is obstructed, blocked or otherwise doesn't qualify. For us, that's fine as long as daylight can get into the room. Lots of awesome cruise options in the cheap, "weird" rooms.

Holy cow. This thread is terrifying. In general, the service industry for Americans (and yes I mean for American customers) pays below a minimum wage, and expects customers to bridge the gap (or more) with gratuities. It's not a great system, and I totally understand anyone who has a problem with it. But... If you don't like it, don't do business with anyone who pays like this. Lobby the industry or government to change it. If you are going to do business with these companies, understand that your servers rely on you to make a living, and your tips really determine if these folks can feed their families or not. DO NOT have a "moral" objection to this method after services are rendered, then say "oh this is a garbage system/I object/Get a better job" and then leave no tip. That's not changing the system, punishing Carnival or otherwise fixing anything. It's just violating the trust of everyone who thought you were participating, and it's being ok with the idea that you essentially do not plan on paying them for their services. (Let me be specific, I'm only targeting the non-tippers here. I'm not speaking to people who choose to tip in cash, choose not to add extra, tip in a way they feel more appropriate, etc etc.)

We had a similar set of choices for our cruise in October, and went with the 8 day on Horizon. The 7 day Mardi Gras trip also was very attractive though. In the end, that 8 day southern trip isn't always easy to coordinate/afford for us, so we chose it. The other trips are usually a bit easier to make happen. If everything else seems the same, I'd avoid 5 or 6 days, just to make the trip more worth your while. Not sure how much ship age/size plays a role, but the Mardi Gras and Horizon are much newer ships. I'd also be concerned about the more northern ports temperatures being too cool for water activities.

I've cruises both classes and here my thoughts for a laid back cruiser: The Vista class, while technically more crowded, makes better use of the lanai and other public areas to give you quiet places to spend time. The Vista class also has a far superior serenity deck with better wind blocks, more space and a full bar. If it were simply down to ship vs ship, I'd choose Vista. That said, if one has a better itinerary or homeport, I'd say the ships aren't different enough to override those preferences.

I completely agree with this point. Carnival employees work hard... Very hard. And they do their best within the structure they are given. Tip them based on how well they do, not the cruise line's policies. If you don't like the line's policies, choose a line that better suits you. But don't punish hard working folks for something beyond their control.

We really like the Elation. But it is an older ship, and if motion is an issue for you, these older, smaller ships are likely a bad choice. Based on your concerns, you may find cruising far more enjoyable on the newer, larger ships (regardless of the cruise line).

Western Itineraries are really nice, I think they just get overlooked because they are common. That said, Southern itineraries are much less common, so if you find one that is just as easy to cruise as the Western, go South, as these stars don't always align so easily.

I think some people see anything older than the Vista class as a worn out old ship. The reality is that the Freedom was built in 2006, and is sitting at 16 years old. If this had happened to the Elation or Sunshine (and especially Ecstacy) scrapping might be more of an option, as those ships are in the 25 year old range and Carnival likely doesn't have long term future plans with them.

Sounds like Carnival doesn't intend to cancel anything after the June 6 sailing. Not sure what I can share, but Carnival did make a statement cancelling only sailings through then, and that the expect to welcome guests back shortly. It'll be interesting to see what they actually do for repairs in that short time frame.

We've informed Carnival at the port that someone wasn't cruising (medical emergency) and we did not get charged. I'm wondering if 1 of 2 things has happened: 1) They figured out the no show strategy and are now assessing they penalty onboard. If you cancel the 2nd person in advance, they charge the remaining passenger with the solo suppliment (or whatever that fee is called). Maybe this is closing the loophole? 2) The booking going from solo occupancy to dual, back to solo might have weirded things out. Carnival's systems aren't always known for accuracy, and it may not have recognized you'd already paid these fees, so it assessed them again? Either way, hopefully your traveling companion is feeling better and can try again once their health condition stabilizes!

I think a lot of what you need to do is set expectations for this cruise. It sounds like your son is engaging in a beautiful gesture, but it may be aboard ships that you and your family are not accustomed to sailing. My vote, personally would be Elation. And here's why: - Both ships will have similar age based problems. You will see some areas that look great, and others that are very worn down. Some parts will be rusty, and the staterooms will be worn. Either way you are getting one of the oldest ships in the fleet. -Elation though is a smaller ship. Yes she has less amenities, but she's also less crowded. The Sunshine is a modified ship that had a lot of staterooms added to it. You've got a much better chance of experiencing very good service on the Elation. A few hints to help the experience: 1) Know going in that the ships are aging. Especially if you chose Elation, you can frame it as an era of cruising that's almost gone, giving them the opportunity to sail on a ship they likely won't have in the future. See the age as "retro" or "classic" in a way. Not many people get to cruise small ships these days! 2) Eat in the MDR, and don't be afraid to reject food you don't like. Far too many people are too polite in the moment to say they don't like something, then regret eating it. No matter what, it's totally ok to reject food you don't like and try again. If you find yourself struggling with Carnival's food, you'll struggle the most at the buffet. If I dislike something, I politely tell the server "I'm sorry, the ***** isn't for me. May I try **** instead?". They will happily substitute the dish and make sure you like the new item. 3) Use cheap/easy solutions to common problems. Those cone air fresheners at the dollar store last an entire cruise opened all the way up. We put one in the bathroom and one in the room, then never smell anything else. Earplugs help muffle noises at night, especially if you find yourself in a room with lots of creaks (or next to loud neighbors). Either way, if everyone goes into the cruise thinking "I hope this isn't as bad as it seems" you'll hate it. But if you go in thinking "Let's try something different, and really appreciate the gesture" you might find a lot of joy in one of these older ships that isn't quite done yet.

Yeah, scrapping is a crazy idea. Freedom is nowhere close to that, and they've repaired ships with FAR more damage in the past. I feel like a cropped/modified funnel seems most likely though. They obviously don't have a random funnel they can just slap on, and won't keep the ship out of service waiting for a mostly cosmetic part. Much like the Glory, it'll probably get a band-aid and sent back to sea, while they plan the real repairs around the next drydock.