IntrepidFromDC

I had a "Jones Fracture" in February and had to choose between canceling the Thailand/Vietnam/Cambodia trip or the cruise. I asked my doctor and he said "which one will you be doing more walking/hobbling?" Right now it looks like Italy in July, when the Cinque Terre blue trails open back up from repair. Then south Asia next late winter. Hope to hear about Japan!

I'll be interested to see how this affects demand for Carnival out of Manhattan. My best casino offers the past year plus have been out of Manhattan. From Baltimore to Manhattan it's only 2 hours, 15 minutes on the fast train, and about 3 hours on the slower Regional - and the train station (34th St) is less than 20 blocks from pier 88 (48th and 12th I think). The last few times I didn't even hail a taxi, just walked.

Dredge the Potomac River and give us a cruise port in DC! 😁 🏴‍☠️ 🍻

Just to add anecdotal confirmation, both my "turn platinum" and "turn diamond" cruises were cruises that I hit the milestone on embarkation day and both times I had the fancy new card and massively improved VIFP benefits day 1. My diamond day was just a couple cruises ago, so this is fairly recent experience (2023). It's exciting, load them up with laundry and watch in amazement as everything comes back GI Joe and Barbie sized!

I'm not sure I'd be trying to avoid the kids. Who's going to warn you when Dr. Seuss is on the loose???

This was fun and interesting to read. I agree with most of what you all say, and I'll add my 2 cents... The food on Carnival has always been sub-standard IMO but I've only been on Carnival and MSC. I think the quality of steaks, both MDR and Steakhouse, has diminished since covid. I KNOW the pizza is not as great as it used to be but it's still good. Pre-covid they used fresh, olive-oily mozarella balls they would slice to add to the pizza, now they use cheese pellets like everyone else. On the other hand, Mardi Gras has much-needed improvements on both variety and quality of food, like Shaq's chicken and shwarama. Glad to see others have experienced improvements in food too and I'm hoping to experience some that you guys talked about that I haven't had a chance to enjoy yet. Sorry to end on a sour note, but guy's burgers are crap-at-sea. It blows my mind that anyone thinks they're just moderately good. The quality at the fixings bar is also lacking. Don't get me started on donkey sauce. Cruise on!

Agreed with others. These offers seem like a joke; yet I don't find myself laughing. 🤔

I agree with everyone - Celebration for the ship, on-board activities and much better food. Magic for the ports plus one extra day. Magen's Bay Beach is a great excursion on St. Thomas, especially the excursion that also gives you the mountaintop view. Caribbean water temp will be better in February on the Magic trip, but if you appreciate "better" food for both quality and variety, Celebration. Tough choice, good luck... have fun!

Then you can add Citi Cashback to your list of "preferred credit cards" because I bet minimum on Heads-Up Hold'Em and that's the only game I play - and all my charges go to my Cashback card.

I've been on about 27 cruises and the last 26 have been free. On lose-money-at-sea days I am usually in the casino twice - afternoon for an hour or two and after dinner for hours and hours (unless I have an early excursion the next morning). On port days I am usually in the casino in the evening for 2 - 4 hours. On a seven-day cruise I only skip the casino one or two days, usually to help ensure I don't go over budget. I just got off my most recent cruise a few weeks ago and the best offer I currently like is a free cruise to Canada and Greenland, leaving from the port I can drive to in 35 minutes, Baltimore. Very tempting...

As others have said, there is nothing wrong with an inside cabin, just don't spend time there except sleeping, showering, etc. There is so much to see at all times beginning day two on an Inside Passage Alaskan cruise - it's not like a Caribbean or Atlantic cruise where you have lots of sailing in just open water, there's always things to be awed by as the ship sails the Inside Passage. In addition, there's a scientist or naturalist who will board and explain things that you are seeing in an entirely different, "educated" way that makes an Alaskan cruise SOOOO much more interesting than any Caribbean cruise. I never thought I'd cruise Alaska, but we got a casino offer for a free cabin in 2014 so I sorted the available free cruises by most expensive first and it came up Alaska. My daughter agreed to try it, although we both were wondering if we were making a mistake... four Alaska cruises later TRUST ME Alaska cruises are amazing in a different way! I hope you have lots of fun and stay out of the cabin or I'll have ye keel-hauled from bow to stern! 😁 🏴‍☠️

Eyepatch! Eyepatch! Eyepatch! ...

The only hurricane ye encounterin' be filled with four shots of rum at least! Arrrrr!

Jeff, You're gonna LOVE sailaway from NOLA! Thanks for the fun and interesting review!

I've stayed at the Choice (can't remember if it's branded Quality or Comfort Suites?) and the Holiday Inn Express. Both are right on 48th Street, it's a straight walk less than five minutes to the pier (Carnival sails from 48th & 12th Ave, I think it's pier 88). I haven't stayed at the 56, but I did have a couple drinks at their rooftop bar (pics in my review, on the Manhattan night) and it was not good - hardly any view and distored bass-heavy latino music. The distortion ruined it, and people were either talking really loud or yelling to be heard. I like the Choice hotel the best of them, for the service, it's always no hassle to store your luggage in a locked room, and the free coffee and bagels. And I like their rewards program, seems I get a free night for every third or fourth night I pay for. And the price is amazing for clean, comfortable bed and good shower in Manhattan, walking distance to Times Square.

I forgot to mention - on the wide-angle, panoramic pic above, you can see Statue of Liberty off to the left. It's tiny, but that little vertical light you see is it.

Home sweet home.

Sorry, should say "Guruwalk." They're the free tours where you tip extra well instead of paying a set fee. I guess this time I truly got my money's worth.

One thing I really like about Union Station is the 1-minute walk from your Amtrak train to the subway (Metro).

On 2205 now.

I have to stop cutting my Manhattan visits short, but I miss daughter, dog, ferrets. The walk back to the train station.

Lower Manhattan from under the Brooklyn Bridge

After 12 days of Carnival food I found myself in FOODIE heaven. These are the four dishes I spoke of earlier. Last 3 were 10/10. Crudo was 9/10.

Gueuwalk guide was a no-show and 3 of us were at the meeting point messaging him frantically until we realized he wasn't showing or replying. Fortunately the meeting point was a comedy Club with no cover so I made the best of it after spending $34 one-way for the uber from Manhattan to deep Brooklyn. Dinner was a much better experience...