antique sailor

AHOY SHIPMATES,

Normally only pay what is due on the due date, BUT when booking the

GRAND WORLD VOYAGE the 3% discount amounts to more than $1600.

When CD's are only paying about 2% at most it is a definite ADVANTAGE to pay early.

AHOY SHIPMATE,

I live in JAX about 15 min from PORT. Have cruised on FASCINATION 16 times in past 2 years. Pier staff is Very friendly and efficient. When you go aboard head for the LIDO and the MONGOLIAN WOK for lunch. IT'S GREAT !

MDR and maitreds / service is exc. First night dessert has the Black forest gateau which is better than the famous choc melting cake. TRY IT

1st day at sea the lido has KEY LIME cheese cake at lunch.

Front Desk staff is great as well as the entire staff. 1st day there is no ICE in the rooms, YOU must call room service. Luggage is delivered quite fast and rooms are usually ready by 1pm

DW and I are doing B2B on Sept 7 and 12. CASINO staff is ICHI BON.

enjoy your cruise SEA YA

Ahoy shipmate,

certainly agree no reason to rant

but the cataracts do create a need for caps for some of us.

Sea ya

I made a couple of my canvas bags into a vest. Should be a conversation starter on my upcoming cruise in September.

What a clever idea. Did you use a pattern? You will get a LOT of conversations started in the terminal while waiting before boarding starts.

HINT Double hem all the pieces before assembly. They unravel easily, especially in the washer. Do NOT use bleach.

SEAYA

GARY

AHOY SHIPMATE

The drop in stock market this week really had nothing to do the individual stocks but was caused mostly by CHINA and a little by the GREEK economy.

I am ONLY referring to CUK and RCL.

SEA YA

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I read this thread with interest. Was attracted to it because the word "CHEATING" caught my attention.

I am and always have been an avid fan of HAl because of the overall experience DW and I have enjoyed with them, but they are not perfect and have changed a bit over the years( in some negative ways) as has the entire cruise industry in my affordable category.

I live in JAX fl about 15 min from the Carnival cruise pier so I did some comparative shopping and also found some very nice things about Carnival especially $$$. The food is a bit better than HAL, Staff is just as friendly,eager to please , and attitude in general is much better than HAL at the senior staff level, ie the Capt , Guest Rel,Hotel Dir, etc. are very friendly at special functions , reception lines, remember your name for months,etc.

Only really bad thing is the entertainment. It is geared to target a younger easier to satisfy crowd but the eye candy around the hot tubs is better.

SO I have done about 15 5day cruises on the FASCINATION and enjoyed them all.

I still enjoy the longer trips on HAL and hope to join the CAPT CLUB in a few years when eligible .

DO I owe either of them "LOYALTY" NO I paid for all of my cruises and will continue to cruise where I am happiest and that I got my money's worth.

SEA YA

Ahoy shipmates,

best part of any cruise on any ship on any cruise line is standing/sitting in the casino in front of the poker slot machine

watching a royal flush come up lol

AHOY SHIPMATES,

The most meaningful THANK YOU note you can do is about two days before the end of your cruise, write the note and address the envelope to the GUEST RELATIONS OFFICER and turn it in to the front desk. Inside write the note to your steward. be sure to include your name and cabin number. The steward will receive it that day as well as his "bosses". and believe me he gets extra goodie points for it.

Ahoy shipmates,

this has turned into a much more interesting thread since they included the whine package. Lol

im crusing for the first time this september for four days through the caribbean to key west and cozumel. I imagine ill typically be up late so i was wondering what the weather feels like at night on the boat. Will it still be comfortable with shorts and a shirt or does it get chilly?

 

Thanks in advance for any responses

ahoy shipmate, the temp on the boats will be roughly the same as it is on the ship. Welcome to the life at sea and it's nautical slang.

Enjoy your cruise.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I'VE BEEN TO MORE THAN 50 LIFEBOAT DRILLS ON HAL AND RECALL THEM SAYING FAMILIES WILL NOT BE SEPARATED ON DIFFERENT LIFEBOATS WHEN DISCUSSING CHILDREN. I'M SURE THIS EXTENDS TO HANDICAPPED ALSO

IF STAFF IS NOTIFIED AHEAD OF TIME A SPECIAL BRACELET CAN BE ISSUED

SO THAT PERSON IS TAKEN TO PROPER BOAT BY STAFF GUIDE AT TIME OF DRILL.............AS THEY SAY IN JAMACKA(sic) "No worry Man" lol

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I'M NOT BEING EVASIVE BUT YOU CAN GET UP TO DATE INFO BY DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR AIRPORT AND JAX PORT HOTELS AND SHUTTLE SERVICES, BOTH FROM AIRPORT TO HOTEL AND HOTEL TO cruise port PORT. THESE ''PERKS'' CHANGE REGULARLY SO CALL NOW AND TALK TO HOTEL PERSONEL NOT A BROKER, TO GET ACCURATE INFO.

ALL OF THE HOTELS IN THAT COMPLEX HAVE GOOD REPUTATION AND PRICES ARE COMPETITIVE

THERE ARE A FEW RESTAURANTS IN WALKING DISTANCE(less than a block)

SEA ya

Ahoy shipmates,

this would be extremely difficult to do. Probably worse that the korean peace talks. Most of the cruisers involved would be looking for a freebee and that wouldn't happen in any appreciable amount, but would let some people try other cruise lines and still feel like a veteran rather than a newbee.

I have over 1200 days on hal and 100 on carnival so it would be great for me but i don't foresee it happening anytime soon

sea ya

Anyone wanna help a sister out who is about to travel on the fascination? I have a question for the cafe people but I'd like an answer BEFORE I go on the cruise. lol. Id like to know if I order 20 or so of these (I have a big group coming) if the cakes can be put on a cake stand like this and brought out (I'd assume carted out) during our assigned dinner time.

If so, do they have a stand or do I need to bring one?

Is there a way to order this before or do I need to wait to board?

AHOY SHIPMATE,

You will find the MDR staff on FASCINATION very nice. suggest you Email them at Fascination fsmaitred@carnival.com include your booking no. and all the details of your request. Have you requested group seating?

good luck

SEA YA

AHOY SHIPMATES.

In 2014 I traveled SOLO several times on the FASCINATION when my DW was not able to cruise with me. I am a very mature(old fart) sailor and did 5 day B2Bs. Best deal I got was RIVERIA deck reconditioned broom closet(LOL) for the first cruise and an OV for the second one at no extra charge. Total cost was very low.(secret) I could eat that much

So far this year regular prices have almost doubled in all lower categories and there are NO solo rates. I've called several times. Had some UPSELL offers but not worth it. I have 500 shares of stock so can't complain

SEA YA

Just back of a weeklong Eastern Caribbean on the Valor.

The short version is this: We had a great time.

If that’s all you want to know, mazel tov. I wouldn’t blame you. You can leave me here and start clicking on your ship’s roll call or maybe surf for cat videos. (Have you seen there’s a new Grumpy Dog to rival Grumpy Cat?)

But if you do want more details, I’m going to provide them … in spades.

The summary is that service was generally great. The ports were nice. And our excursions were both top-notch – especially “power snorkeling” in Grand Turk, which was one of our favorites ever.

The ship is a bit old – which is mostly noticed by its lack of dining amenities. (For a mid-sized ship, it seems way too limited to only offer two real sit-down options – the dining room and the buffet.)

But overall, we had a great time – which brings me to the one rant I want to get out of the way first … about other ranters:

Please tune them out.

We have used the Cruise Critic over the course of 17 cruises and 19 years – dating back to our honeymoon on the Monarch.

We love this site.

But in recent years, the amount of negativity seems to have skyrocketed.

And it’s not just negative. It’s hyperbolic negativity. People don’t simply dislike a cruise or cabin. They claim everything is “THE WORST EVER” or “MOST DISGUSTING EVER.” (All-caps superlatives are generally a good clue that reviews should be taken with a grain of salt.)

Over the course of researching this trip on the Valor, we saw people claim the beds were the “hardest thing imaginable,” that the “FOOD WAS TERRIBLE” and that they had “WORST EXPERIENCE EVER.”

It’s hard to tune all that out. But you should.

Because I submit that vacations are largely what you make of them.

My family (me, wife and two kids) have traveled on Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity – at least three times on each one.

And we had a great time on every one. Why? Because we go on vacation to enjoy ourselves. There are absolutely annoyances and room for improvements. (I’ll mention a few in a moment.) But how bad can a day at sea ever be?

I guess my point is that some people are determined to be miserable – on land or sea. And they will be. But I’d encourage you not to let a few ALL-CAPS ranters with a dependency problem on exclamation points (!!!) dissuade you from any one cruise.

Now, with that out of the way, here’s a review.

 

THE SHIP. She’s older -- and so patriotic, she makes the seagulls scream like eagles. This ship has more flags than the United Nations …except they are all American. It’s flags and presidents everywhere … except in places like the theater … where the theme is a medieval castle … which made absolutely no sense to me. But whatevs. The cabins are that signature Carnival burnt-orange that make the Brady Bunch seem hip. But we got used to it. And they are relatively spacious. Most importantly, the whole ship is headed for an upgrade soon. Renovated spaces like the Taste Bar are much more modern and look great.

 

THE PORTS. We thought they were great. St. Thomas and Grand Turk were the highlights. San Juan is a nice town to walk around. And Nassau … well, is Nassau. We’ve been there enough that we don’t need to go again. (And by the way, that market at the port has been closed for renovation so long that I’m not sure you can consider it a renovation anymore. It’s just a closure.)

 

THE EXCURSIONS. We did two through the ship – a day at the beach in St. Thomas at Sapphire Bay where you could snorkel from the beach. We thought this was good for the price ($45) and we saw plenty of fish in the water – even a giant stingray and school of baby squid. The other was power snorkeling in Grand Turk. All four of us liked this one. Why? Because we felt like James bond using hand-held SeaDoos to propel us through the water, even down to the ocean floor for those who could hold their breath. And the water was simply beautiful.

 

THE FOOD. The quality in the main dining room was mostly good. As we often find, the appetizers are the best. The entrees were hit and miss – but most good and pleasing. Only one (a meatloaf) really seemed bad. As for dessert, I thought the cheese plates were top-notch and that (is this heresy?) the chocolate melting cake has gone downhill. Overall, the main dining room is how we usually find it on most lines – mostly good, but rarely 5-star. Also, The buffet was pretty decent … again, like most lines. Our favorite parts were the specialty stations – including the burrito bar, the Manchurian wok and Fish and Chips with fried shrimp, oysters, etc. I also thought the burgers were particularly tasty. Our biggest dining gripe was the lack of choices. (We love that Norwegian, for instance, has a sit-down burger/wings joint on most ships.) Some ships have a dozen eateries. Valor has 3 – dining, buffet and steakhouse. (And no, I don’t count the deli station in the buffet as a separate eatery.) Also, the buffet was closed too often. Lunch is never offered before noon – which is a terrible plan when the ship docks at noon and people have to immediately catch ship-organized excursions. And in the morning, nothing is put out before 7 am. Lots of folks are up roaming by 6. I’m one of them. But nothing – not even a continental table with fruit and muffins – is exposed before 7. Room service was as speedy and accurate as we’ve ever had at sea … though the menu is a bit limited with nothing hot in the morning, for instance.

 

THE ENTERTAINMENT. We thought the production shows were both good – high quality singers and dancers. And, as I understand it, Valor is one of the few ships that uses live orchestras throughout. We love the Punchliner comedy club as an offering. But I have to say that we didn’t think any of the 3 comedians we saw were very funny. All were OK. Still, the venue is a nice offering – and we have seen some very funny ones there in the past. I also thought the Legends of Carnival show, featuring passengers, was cute and enjoyable, taking it for what it was – nonprofessionals trying something new. (My wife and daughter did not agree with me.)

 

THE CASINO. This is where we spent a lot of time – and, in fact, had a discounted fare offered based on play from a previous sailing. A pretty good selection of games. Winning seemed to go in spurts … and really died down near the end. But the staff was nice. And you couldn’t turn your head without being offered a drink by a server. (Yes, they were always there offering to sell us drinks. But even after I earned my “drinks on us” card, they were offering me free drinks just as fervently.) My wife ended up $50 ahead. I ended up down … much more than $50 … which is why they liked having me. Overall, nice setup, though. And, as an early riser (usually by 5:30), I appreciate that Carnival is one of the few that opens things up as early as 7 am.

 

THE KIDS CLUBS. We had one in the 12-14-year-old group and one in the 15-18. The room for the younger one was staffed great – but way too small. The one for the teens was so nice that my daughter said adults kept coming in to try to dance. Lots of kids were on board. And yes, they run around. (Not mine, of course. Other people’s. My children are perfect angels.) But the thumping feet never RUINED MY CRUISE. In fact, if anything, I like the energy.

 

THE GLITCHES. Over 17 cruises, we have never been incorrectly charged for anything. (That we caught anyway). This time, it happened twice. One time I was charged for a drink an hour before we even embarked … which made it pretty easy to prove that I wasn’t tossing back funships. And my wife was charged twice for the same bingo session … making losing even more insulting. Both times they ultimately fixed it. But I’d encourage you to pay attention.

 

THE ODDS AND ENDS. The saunas and steam rooms are really nice. Not only are the free here (many ships are charging nowadays), they are lovely with large windows that look out to the sea. Our cabin steward was completely professional and provided everything we needed. And we thought our balcony room (wife and I) was nice for us – and that the inside cabin (for kids) was a bit small.

 

GETTING ON AND OFF. Neither one of these was great. We often arrive around 11:30. This time we got a call saying we shouldn’t show up before 2 p.m. (while also saying we shouldn’t be later than 3). Well, we drove by at 1 p.m. – and the line to embark was wrapped around the entire port. So we went and got lunch at the marina (yes, we actually paid for it!) and came back at 2:15. Things moved better then - but still not lickety split. Debarkation I have to say was pretty much just dreadful. There's no positive way to spin this. Practically a half-hour standing still … before getting in long, slow lines to wait for luggage that wasn’t there. This was the one area that I think Carnival really needs improvement from soup to nuts – when they make the first and last impression.

 

YES, I'M FINALLY DONE. If you’re still with me at this point, you’re either married to me – or a true cruise fanatic.

I’d be happy to answer any other questions. But overall, we had a nice time. The ship isn’t the most modern. And it certainly doesn’t have all the latest amenities. We could think of others we liked more. But we still had (to use the style of the ranters) A GREAT TIME!!!! (Especially for the price.)

AHOY SHIPMATE, CC IS A DAILY READ FOR ME. Learned speed reading many years ago . now retired and seldom use it any more...only on the negative CC posts and daily paper.

I guess it is human nature to complain, especially for those who are narrow minded or not experienced in "the BIG picture". Rantig on here is rather harmless unless a NEWBEE takes it as all true etc.

I have cruised mostly on HAL for 18 yrs and 1200 days and could go on and on about" OLD PEOPLE" but now I are one so it is best to go with the flow and ignore the negative. Eventually the ahrshness will wear off (hopefully).

SEA YA

if i don't do breakfast in the mdr, i create a breakfast bowl at the buffet. Scrambled eggs (they are otherwise inedible), hash browns, crumbled sausage, grilled onions and peppers (from the sausage conconction), tomatoes, fresh pico, melted cheese, and salsa.

ahoy shipmate

you can order scrambled eggs using fresh cracked eggs. The cooks get many requests for them and have several ready , 2 t0 a bowl sitting in a reefer under the line and ready to cook upon request. I do this on every cruise.

call the milestone desk 1-877-225-8477, they know what to do. the credit doesn't go on until like 3 days before your 25th cruise. the obc is 25% of your cruise. you don't get to pick before 25, but you can pick after 25 what cruise you want to use the obc on hope this helps

AHOY SHIPMATES,

THANKS! sEVERAL OF YOU HAVE HELPED ME GET IT STRAIGHT.

sea ya

I have a question about this that I hope someone here can help me with. My 24th cruise will be the Splendor in January but it will only be my husband's 23rd. We have a BtoB booked on the Vista in Oct. My 25th will be the first one so after the Splendor, If I understand correctly, I can apply for my OBC for the first Vista cruise. We would like to use my husband's OBC for the second Vista cruise but his 24th won't be until the first one. If you can't apply for OBC until the 24th one is completed, is it possible to get his OBC for that second leg? I hope this isn't too confusing!!

Pat

AHOY SHIPMATES,

YES........according to everyone who has replied to my question and has personally done it.

Another really good thing, although it says must be used or booked (not sure which one) within 18 months, that's not true anymore... You can use it whenever you want... :) it doesn't really "expire" ...

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I HAVE LEARNED that it is good until,the 50th....must use it or lose it before the 50th when you get the 50%.

tks.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATIONS. Since we were doing our 24th and 25th B2B I was afraid I would lose the opportunity to use the credit on my most expensive one and the people at the ADMIN desk wouldn't clarify that I could request it after I had done the cruises. All I can do is hope.

Thanks for the info.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I AM CONFUSED........I HAVE 19 CRUISES COMPLETED AND 8 FUTURE CRUISES BOOKED (4 B2B)s 2... 5 days, 2 ... 7 days, 2... 5 days, and then

an 11 day and a 10 day.

Naturally I would like to use the 25% OBC on my most expensive cruise. I can still cancel some at no cost cause I booked Mil.

I read the explanation on FAQs on the Carnival website, ?? Then I called the booking number and asked how to do it and got a moment of silence and then was told to call GUEST ADMIN DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS.

The_ nice_ lady I talked to could easily hold press conferences for the PRES. never did give me a direct answer.

English is my native language, I'm a HS grad, 3 yrs college, Retired NAVAL Officer, 76 yrs of living, and do the daily crossword puzzle etc. but

still don't understand exactly how to get my 25% OBC on my longest cruise.

Seriously HELP tks, PLS DON'T LAUGH.

sea ya

i suggest you ask this question in the carnival forum since the 25% obc is evidently unique to carnival?

when i posted i didn't realize i was not in the carnival forum ,

but thanks. I'm in the process of doing so now.

AHOY SHIPMATES,

I AM CONFUSED........I HAVE 19 CRUISES COMPLETED AND 8 FUTURE CRUISES BOOKED (4 B2B)s 2... 5 days, 2 ... 7 days, 2... 5 days, and then

an 11 day and a 10 day.

Naturally I would like to use the 25% OBC on my most expensive cruise. I can still cancel some at no cost cause I booked Mil.

I read the explanation on FAQs on the Carnival website, ?? Then I called the booking number and asked how to do it and got a moment of silence and then was told to call GUEST ADMIN DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS.

The nice lady I talked to could easily hold press conferences for the PRES. never did give me a direct answer.

English is my native language, I'm a HS grad, 3 yrs college, Retired NAVAL Officer, 76 yrs of living, and do the daily crossword puzzle etc. but

still don't understand exactly how to get my 25% OBC on my longest cruise.

Seriously HELP tks, PLS DON'T LAUGH.

sea ya

Ahoy shipmates,

we get so little to eat that it would be great if you would let the filipino cooks make some ethnic pork lumpia (deep fried) and

any of the chefs make their favorite version of buffalo wings.