SurferJoe57

Based on what I'm seeing on John Heald's FB page, it looks like there are a few "bugs" to work out on the Vista. But, when has there ever been a maiden voyage of a new ship that DIDN'T have a few issues to work out? As much as I would like to have been on the maiden voyage, I'm glad we didn't go. Hopefully, by the time we sail on the Vista next April, there will be no issues and we'll have a fantastic cruise.

Exactly - spent enough years at sea courtesy of the military (not even including pleasure cruising with Carnival, HAL, Princess..) that of COURSE there are going to be some issues - hopefully all the 'pioneers' on the maiden voyage are taking it in stride. I'll be on the TA to NYC in the Fall, and am happy to wait.

Meanwhile..what fun!

Based on what I'm seeing on John Heald's FB page, it looks like there are a few "bugs" to work out on the Vista. But, when has there ever been a maiden voyage of a new ship that DIDN'T have a few issues to work out? As much as I would like to have been on the maiden voyage, I'm glad we didn't go. Hopefully, by the time we sail on the Vista next April, there will be no issues and we'll have a fantastic cruise.

Exactly - spent enough years at sea courtesy of the military (not even including pleasure cruising with Carnival, HAL, Princess..) that of COURSE there are going to be some issues - hopefully all the 'pioneers' on the maiden voyage are taking it in stride. I'll be on the TA to NYC in the Fall, and am happy to wait.

Meanwhile..what fun!

Based on what I'm seeing on John Heald's FB page, it looks like there are a few "bugs" to work out on the Vista. But, when has there ever been a maiden voyage of a new ship that DIDN'T have a few issues to work out? As much as I would like to have been on the maiden voyage, I'm glad we didn't go. Hopefully, by the time we sail on the Vista next April, there will be no issues and we'll have a fantastic cruise.

Exactly - spent enough years at sea courtesy of the military (not even including pleasure cruising with Carnival, HAL, Princess..) that of COURSE there are going to be some issues - hopefully all the 'pioneers' on the maiden voyage are taking it in stride. I'll be on the TA to NYC in the Fall, and am happy to wait.

Meanwhile..what fun!

I know, $800 sounds like a HUGE amount to drink..:

It's a question of math. Mixed drinks run $9 on average. The break even is about 5 mixed drinks a day. If you're on a five day cruise, that's $45x 5= $225, You'd pay more if had 6 drinks a day without the package. But there's water, etc as well, and sometimes drink specials are $7, so...Now don't forget the Bev Pkg doesn't apply for HMC, any shore excursions etc., so in those instances, you're paying for something that you can't actually use. My rule is this, on a short cruise of 3 to 5 days, I'll get the package, because I'm pretty sure my liver can stand the strain. But the one time I tried it on a seven day cruise, I thought I was going to need a liver transplant.

I definitely don't do it on really long cruises because after a while i get into a routine, and try to stay healthy.

I'm also looking at a HAL world cruise, hopefully in 2018. I hope you've been following Pete's blog

 

www.theinsidecabin.com

 

of the 2016 HAL world cruise as it is the most comprehensive WC blog I've read and is proving invaluable for planning - plus it has a link to the 2018 WC itinerary which hasn't been released yet to the general public.

Fantastic..! No, didn't know about Pete's blog - thanks so much!

Is the cost of chairs/umbrella included in the price?

I believe so! I think a CABANA might be extra, but the distinction between Breezes and Colonial Hilton is that Breezes costs more, but 'everything' is included -

My son and i were thinking of going to Breezes for the day. My son is 14. Should bring proof of age?

We probably both read the exact same disclaimer:

-----

All-Inclusive resort on private Cable Beach! All guests must be ages 14 and up.

Day Pass from 10am - 6pm. Twilight Pass from 5pm - 11pm.

-----

I'd bring SOMETHING to prove he's 14...surely he's got a passport card or whatnot, that you'd want to keep on your person anyway.

(We all sometimes forget that we're in a foreign country on these port calls..!)

I just called Breezes in Nassau, Bahamas to inquire about a day pass while my ship is in port. The number is (242) 327-5356.

 

I will be in Nassau on Carnival Glory May 29.

 

The price for a day pass from 10am to 6pm is $65 per person and includes meals, alcohol, beach, pool, water activities and entertainment.

 

You just go to the front desk and pay. No advance reservations required.

 

I'm not sure how close the resort is from the port or how much a taxi will be. Does anyone know?

I just booked the Breezes day passes myself for our Carnival Victory stopover on 6 May.

I used http://www.resortforaday.com - as the rate is a little lower online, and I'll note that sometimes the resorts 'sell out,' - so to make sure, I booked in advance. As the Victory will be in port a long time (12 noon to 11pm), I got both the "day" and "twilight" passes - there's a Carnival Live concert going on that we're not attending that day.

The hotel is about a $15 taxi ride; there's also a public bus - not sure which, but there's information here someplace. It's actually down the beach to the west (Cable Beach) as opposed to the 'island' where Atlantis is, or in the port itself, as the Colonial Hilton is.

And after a few HALs, we're unbelievably excited about a world cruise.

I only posted the thread as a precautionary tale.

Still no action. The excursion was "private cabana by the pool" in Nassau. I'd done it before, the wife really liked it.

This is a unique port call - it's a Journey Live concert, the wife doesn't care about Journey - but we're in port 1200-2300.

I suppose we'll just get a day pass at the Colonial Hilton or something.

I'm just upset that I'm being punished for their incompetence.

We just finished a 13-day Trans Atlantic on Holland America and had no problems finding a human being to take problem-ownership.

Sadly all Guest Care could come up with was "you should email shoreexcursions@carnival.com" I got an auto-reply:

---- the reply from shore excursions--

We've received your email, and we are happy to process your information and get back to you within 7 days.

Thank you for your patience; we value your business and appreciate this opportunity to assist.

Sincerely,

Carnival Cruise Lines

------------

The ship sails 5 May. Today is 27 April.

I've emailed John H, but this is ridiculous. I might just attend the Stockholders Mtg next year.

I understand people make mistakes. What I can't fathom is how CCL is hostage to its own bureaucracy. Literally Shore Excursions apparently answers to no-one, and there's no-one that can help me. I went up the alleged supervisor food chain to no avail.

I'll write a scathing letter to CCL, but I'm not confident they understand how utterly egregious this is. If they'd do this to a platinum level cruiser... What would a 1st time cruiser do if this happened?

I was about to recommend "Take the train!" but that would be a nightmare - almost 2 days, multiple transfers.. just not worth it.

Fly. Seriously. I lived in NOLA for a while; the drivers are like Romans (eg, in Rome) but not as skilled. Crazy driving. NOLA is the only place I've ever lived where I've routinely seen cars burst into flames on the highway. Not kidding. Lack of parking has been mentioned. As well, the whole "super deflating downer" of the long drive after your cruise.

As noted, a very walkable city, streetcars, regulated taxi-cab fares. Seriously, fly, don't drive. The cruise terminal's in a great part of the city (unlike many cities where it's shoved over into some industrial area) and easy to get to.

Have a great trip.

Here's another horror story for next Halloween:

I'm in a meeting at work, minding my own business, when the cell vibrates...caller ID is Carnival Cruise (Guest Admin). I leave the meeting, answer the phone - the upgrade fairy is offering to move me out of my 'handicap' room (I'm not handicapped, but it was the only room left when I went to book this cruise) into another room - better cabin actually - at no cost. "Sure!" says I, happy to make way for someone who needed the handicap room.

Go back to meeting. Phone vibrates. Email from Carnival: "Sorry you had to cancel your cruise. Your cancellation penalty is $500..yada yada yada.."

_$^&*@#_)(@#*_)(@!*_(!!!#$%^$# thinks I.

I call Carnival. "Ooops!" they say, but no worries, "we're so sorry, we didn't mean to push that button. You're still booked."

I go check my booking online. They cancelled out my transfers, shore excursions, cabin decorations, everything. I call them back, "Ooops, we're so sorry. You'll need to rebook everything. Sorry!"

I try to rebook my shore excursions. SOLD OUT, NOT AVAILABLE.

I call Carnival back..

"Look, you're killing me. I have to work right now. The cruise is in 7 days. My shore excursions disappeared, I can't rebook online. I'm Platinum, I'm a stockholder. I didn't do this, YOU did. FIX IT. Please."

Carnival agent: "Oh, we're so sorry. We can't fix it that easy."

Me: "Get ahold of shore excursions and put them back please."

Anyway. That was 6 hours ago. They offered me $25 in OBC. You gotta be kidding me. I don't want the $25, I want the $300 excursion back. I can't believe they did this to me and can't fix it.

---rant over----

Granted this has never happened to me in 18 CCL cruises, but it's absolutely inexcusable that they screwed this up and it's my problem?

Carnival normally says "put in the hallway" as has been noted here.

- granted, it does impede foot traffic; makes it harder for room service carts to get by, and there's the off chance someone will step in it. BUT, it does make pickup easier and quicker.

Holland America provides a little tent card on every room service tray, imploring the passenger to CALL WHEN they're ready for TRAY PICKUP. They're usually quick about retrieving the tray as well.

Princess Cruises doesn't seem to have a position on this.

The 12 foot came in very handy for us.

I'm 100% positive there's a Carnival regulation someplace prohibiting this. Definitely "appliances" like hair dryers and irons are prohibited.

When I was in the Marines on US Navy ships, we NEVER let anyone have an extension cord, everything was 'hard wired,' if at all possible. They short out, moisture gets in there, causes electrical fires, etc.

That being said..I just got off a Holland America cruise 2 weeks ago, and they PROVIDED a power strip JUST like the one in the photo here.

Nuts!?

The "time back on board" probably is more dependent on the shore services people than anything else - that's the port workers that do up lines, pull the gangway back, disconnect any shore services lines, etc.

Just one of those "read the sign on you way off the ship" and don't try to second guess what "time to be back on board" really means. We all have stories about "pier runners," - I've seen "spring breakers" in golf carts speeding down the pier barely making it, etc.

8 days! Victory over Mother's Day!

I've used Luggage Forward, which is the service HAL prefers. (Oddly enough, Princess Cruises does it in-house - though of course it's Fedex that actually ships their bags).

http://www.luggageforward.com/

You can see what'll it cost; of course overseas will be more, but I found them very reliable and easy to work with.

I really like this ship and love Ken's singing. I think I read he will be the Maitre d on the Vista.

Oh that'll be fantastic.

Can't comment on Freeport.

Taino Beach - as has been mentioned. The tour with lunch & drinks isn't bad, and I recommend it (Usually shows up as Taino Beach Club).

Thing about Freeport, which I consider a 'throw away' port, is that it's a shipyard and really it's for the cruise line's convenience to stop there - not much of a tourist port at all.

You will also be given a choice to have your sheets changed and use of a Carnival Robe. We also tip our steward on the first day and last night of the cruise.

Oh no! The robes aren't automatically available in the room..? On Princess you have to request the robe in advance; and they weren't the nice, long, thick robes I am used to on Carnival.

Can anyone comment on how the staggered boarding works when they've done it?

It's a CCL Corporate initiative, so all the lines (HAL, Princess, Carnival, etc.) are adopting staggered boarding times - simply to reduce the mob scenes in cruise terminals. My most recent cruise, Emerald Princess out of Ft. Lauderdale in December, had it, and as I couldn't fine tune the hotel shuttle van, we showed up an hour early. Nobody got excited; wasn't like I was banned from standing in line; nobody asked to see any documentation until I got to the check-in desk.

It works fine. Reduced the number of people just milling around, which I think from a security standpoint is a good thing.

If you watch the video I linked to, you'll see this is a very manpower intensive experience. There is a waiter and an assistant waiter for the entire dining experience which takes maybe 90 minutes. I do understand that it is limited to four per evening. The service is fantastic and a large tip is merited.

It really was an incredible experience. Thanks for the tips. I heavily recommend it.

And for those who are angst ridden about what night to book - whatever the first formal night works out to be is a great night to call it in.