UPNYGuy

On 11/22/2022 at 8:26 AM, UPNYGuy said:

I mentioned on another thread that I have two bookings on Venezia currently. The first sailing on NYC (booked it for **** and giggles), and one in October. All the Terrazza cabins were not even showing up, not even marked as sold out for the first summer sailings. I grabbed one of the square inside cabins on deck 2. 4 days? I'll be fine with one of the large square inside. I usually go Havana on Vista or larger (or Terrazza on the Venezia sailing I have in October).  I am wondering if the Terrazza cabins are being reserved for those being inconvenienced by the redeployment. Guess we wont know until things shake out.

FINALLY was able to call and get myself moved into a Terrazza interior for the inaugural Bermuda run. Was thinking about the cabana, but I have one in October, and for 4 days it wont be a deal breaker. Not having the Terrazza was increasingly becoming one though. 

19 hours ago, popeyesChickenSandwich said:

The Vista overall felt cramped. It's the largest ship I've been on, but felt the smallest

DW and I do not book a cruise on a Vista class and larger without going in the Havana / Terrazza area. It cuts down on this exact issue. We booked 2 cruises blindly on Venezia in the Terrazza area without knowing exactly what it was just to get some privacy.

1 hour ago, RD64 said:

Sadly this is what Carnival has done to the Venezia - dumbing it down into a Disneyesque experience of Europe.

Carnival is supposedly keeping Venizia as is, and adding the standard carnival things to it (guys burgers etc)

16 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

So for extra $2 grand, yet no comped drinks in the VIP area?

not to my knowledge.

I mentioned on another thread that I have two bookings on Venezia currently. The first sailing on NYC (booked it for **** and giggles), and one in October. All the Terrazza cabins were not even showing up, not even marked as sold out for the first summer sailings. I grabbed one of the square inside cabins on deck 2. 4 days? I'll be fine with one of the large square inside. I usually go Havana on Vista or larger (or Terrazza on the Venezia sailing I have in October).  I am wondering if the Terrazza cabins are being reserved for those being inconvenienced by the redeployment. Guess we wont know until things shake out.

8 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i guess that is why they are not switching everyone yet. they want to sell out all of the good cabins and leave the crappy one to those with existing bookings 

 

i am on the same sailing, been booked it since the summer and now i have a tbd cabin 😞

I would have booked a Terrazza if available

Just booked the maiden sailing out of NYC. All the Terrazza cabins were sold out, so I grabbed one of the square inside cabins on deck 2. 4 days? I'll be fine with one of the large square inside. I usually go Havana (or Terrazza on the Venezia sailing I have in October).

On 11/14/2022 at 9:52 PM, jimbo5544 said:

While not the same as Vista class Havana areas, still worth the price.  Very relaxed area, even on a completely filled ship.

exactly my thoughts on the havana on the excel as well. And sometimes it isnt THAT much of a price differential on the excel. Sometimes it can be multiples of the standard cabin on the vistas. 

On 11/15/2022 at 7:13 AM, pyropoodle said:

 

 but nyc sailing, the people just felt extra rude.

NY here, and personally I dont feel that. But I am also quite blunt myself and have little tolerance for people moving slowly, so there's always that. 

unless it is XO or XR/18 I dont drink it. I dont get the fascination with crown royal. 

The best 'secret' is that the vistas have the havana area. DW and I love the Havana cabins. 

On 11/19/2022 at 5:51 AM, shof515 said:

i wonder if they will be like the havana area on other ship were it is open to the regular folks during the evening hours

Havana area (outside anyway) has been fully closed off for about 3 years now. It is Carnival's version of a ship within a ship. 

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We already see some key differences from Viking.  It does not look like Explora is going to have any prohibition against kids and Explora includes tips as well as all beverages.  There is also a big difference in "space ratios."  Viking puts 930 on a 43,000 ton ship but Explora puts about 900 on a ship that is over 60,000 tons.  While Viking has a passenger space ratio in the 40s, the Explora ships will be around 70 which is competitive with vessels of companies like Seabourn.

 

Actually, the Explora ships are nearly 50% larger than the Viking ships and carry about the same number of passengers.

 

Hank

so I was partially correct, but more of a luxury product vs viking.

Just booked a 9 day. 

This link really explains it thoroughly. 

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8828/~/carnival-venezia-(vx)-terrazza-carnevale-staterooms-and-experience

Carnival is introducing the Terrazza Carnevale experience inside and out on the Carnival Venezia. 

Terrazza Carnevale

Enjoy the best views on board at Terrazza Carnevale, a stunning terraced deck featuring comfortable sofas, private alcoves, two whirlpools and a bar serving refreshing cocktails and Italian wines. By night, enjoy the ambiance of a chic rooftop bar under the stars as you mingle with new found friends to the sounds of live music.

Terrazza Staterooms 

The Carnival Venezia will offer a wide variety of well-appointed, beautifully designed staterooms. Terrazza Cabanas feature accommodations with private outdoor patio cabanas that face the expanded lanai ocean-air outdoor promenade and offer magnificent sea views. The ocean-air promenade alongside the cabana staterooms will be for the exclusive use of guests in these staterooms. 

Children must be 12 years of age or older in order to cruise in a these staterooms. The Terrazza Carnevale staterooms and experience is designed to be a place where guests can relax and recharge in a more intimate and private setting and the age requirement will enable us to sustain the desired atmosphere.

Exclusive daytime access to Terrazza Carnevale; guests under 21 must be accompanied by an adult. 

The inside bar area is also marked as an exclusive area as of right now. Unlike Havana, only guests booked in Terrazza can use the bar (at least according to goccl).

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Very true.  We were recently on the Seashore, in the Yacht Club, and stopped to chat with one of the Future Cruise folks who had nightly hours in the YC.  We asked her if MSC was promoting Explora and was it possible to book Explora from the YC.  She said it was now being handled as a completely separate company and the future cruise folks (on MSC) did not have anything to do with Explora.  To me, it seems like a lost opportunity as those who book the YC would be the perfect group for marketing purposes.  

 

I will mention that we also cruise on Seabourn (which is a favorite line) and it is a completely different kind of experience than being the YC.  We enjoy both types of cruises but being in a "ship within a ship" is quite different than being on a luxury cruise line.  Our question is whether Explora Journey's will be a true luxury line or will it morph into more of a Premium product like Oceania or Viking.  Time will tell.

 

Hank

I personally believe (and this is only an assumption) that it is going to like an Italian version of Viking Ocean. Viking already offers a European product, so guess that is easy for me to make that assumption in that comparison.  The ships are roughly the same size.

23 minutes ago, pirate4me2 said:

Looks like from the deck plans on the CCL site there are 2 hot tubs, that’s it. 

ok i thought so

9 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I don't see how this is going to draw much of a following without at least a hot tub...

I think there are hot tubs back there, on the sides. Looks like they are on the very edges. On the top photo, taken at night, appears one is on the left side of the photo.

unless that is a reflection in the glass that I am seeing

the issue I see is that these are obviously vista class ships, and those used to vista class will be expecting an experience similar to Havana. I Like the Havana area ,and would book in the terrazza area.

I can see an issue occurring when someone does not do research and automatically assumes it would be like the Havana area. This issue is twofold (and possibly three). One, Carnival could do a better job confirming the changes that could occur on this ship. Two, Guests should do research ahead of time instead of automatically assuming it will be Havana. I found these pics by looking at Costa deck plans and doing google searches. Three, see two and assume it *could* end up with a pool back there.

they arent trying to *go after* the Y/C guest so to speak, they are trying to keep them in house and keep them from going to Regent and Seabourn. It is a logical progression. There is some bleed in there (I know some pax that sail on both Regent and Carnival, but that is the exception, not the norm)

On 11/16/2022 at 7:32 PM, gmbhardy said:

I was one of the lucky ones who got matched to black (now diamond) with Platinum on NCL. So without ever cruising on MSC we were at the top of their loyalty program. Had to laugh, on our first cruise on the Seaside we were invited to the Black reception for our past loyalty … ok. We’ve been on five more MSC cruises since, all in the YC.

I did this back before FDR re-did the loyalty tiers, and plat was the top. DW and I were immediately matched to black. We have done quite a few more since then.

On 11/16/2022 at 1:35 PM, Cherries Jubilee said:

Did you enjoy it? Would you sail her again?

 

Meraviglia is a stunningly beautiful ship, but can feel crowded when at capacity. It is also quite inward facing. The  promenade design funnels everybody through the center of the ship (like a Royal Caribbean ship, with the royal promenade). It also does not have an outdoor promenade area like a vista ship.

HOWEVER... you have more pools, and the Yacht Club is superior to the Havana area. Havana is great (DW and I love it), but it does not have a private restaurant, butler service, and covered pool. 

Meraviglia is roughly the same size as an Excel ship, so at times it can (and does) feel like you are cruising with 5000 people. 

this is what is back there

4 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Yeah, but I don't think there is a pool or hot tub...

this is correct. Unless Carnival adds one, it is a private lounge area.

7 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

I actually liked the design of the Seashore better than the Seaside. We couldn't find the restaurants on the Seaside and when we did find them they were so dark felt like being in a dungeon.  They moved them on the Seashore to a much better location. 

Other people have made similar comments about Seaside being dark as well. personally I find it relaxing when it is like that.