Newbie asking Carnival Glory Questions

[midwesthiker]

I have been lurking for a few weeks. Please forgive me if these are normal-everyday-run of the mill questions.

 

First, I booked rooms 7221 and 7225 for my husband and I, our 24 yr old daughter, and my mother for Dec 23-30, 2017 on Carnival Glory. We are tired of MN winters and long Christmas parties and want to get away. We are so excited for our very first cruise! My mother has been on one cruise before this - a few years ago on Carnival Breeze.

 

A few questions.

 

First, can the balcony between our rooms be opened up? My mom was able to have that done on the Breeze and we are hoping we can do that on Glory.

 

Next, do excursions really happen on Christmas Day? We will be in Amber Cove that day, and they have excursions available (which don't really interest us) but we are considering hiring a driver for the day to take us to beaches and to see the area. We have no desire to sit in the cruise port and "enjoy" a pool.

 

What about Serenity on this ship? It appears to be an add-on as compared to say the Vista (long story here- see below if curious). Does it fill up fast? We are all adults and would prefer the quiet of an adult area.

 

My husband is not a dress up kind of guy. Can he get by on non-casual nights with shorts and a polo shirt? I know we will have to skip formal nights, but the rest of the time are we safe in the MDR?

 

Internet - my husband is self-employed and even on vacation he can't get away - we have been trying for years. How is the internet service? I don't mind paying - tax write off for him - but want to make sure he can get emails and send the occasional file.

 

And that gets to the heart of the issue. My husband. He is not a fan of crowds and suffers from anxiety. While he does take meds for it, huge crowds tend to cause him issues so he is expecting to hate the cruise and spend it all in our room. I see how many people Glory holds, but does it really feel that crowded?? At this point you are wondering why he is even coming - and that is the ports. He wants to see them all.

 

Another question - can you take a drink back to your room? Say we want a bourbon before bed - can we get a glass of it from the bar and take it back with us? I have been reading that for some reason Carnival no longer has full bottles to sell for your room.

 

And to the "see below." We were booked to go on the Vista this March, but my sister and her husband got a divorce instead. Then my self-employed husband lost his biggest client and funds got tight. We had to cancel and used the credit to book a Christmas cruise since that is his slowest time. I was bummed but can wait now to see what happens in December.

 

Thanks!!!

[cucruizin]

Hey there! Hope you guys have a wonderful cruise.

-Yes, the balcony partition can be opened between 7221 and 7225.

-Never cruised on Christmas, but almost certain they will have excursions on Christmas day. Check the Ports of Call forum, and you should be able to locate some recommendations for outside excursions and a driver for the day.

-We traveled in August and visited the Serenity area at least 3 times; people there but never crowded.

-DH should be ok on the non-formal nights.

-Didn't get the internet package, so unable to advise.

-I'm not a big crowds person either, but didn't feel overwhelmed by the number of people at all. It may be a little more crowded during a holiday cruise, and I'm sure others will provide their feedback. Of course there will be lines, but it was not bad. There are plenty of areas to move around.

-You can still purchase full bottles for your room through the Fun Shops; we always pre-order a bottle to be delivered on embarkation day. You can also take a drink back to your room...or to dinner if you'd like.

 

Have a wonderful time!!

Edited January 17, 2017 by cucruizin

[Essiesmom]

Based on pics I found on cruisedeckplans.com, those two will connect.

Amber Cove is a Carnival created resort, sort of a private island, but not an island. It's a beach day.

Shorts are never acceptable in the MDR, although it is often not enforced. But to be safe, buy a pair of convertible pants that he can zip off the lower legs to make shorts. Polo shirt is fine.

They offer three levels of internet access, and your husband should be fine with the second or third level.

Yes, you can take a drink back to your room.

I have no idea how fast the serenity area fills up, but there are always places around the ship to avoid crowds. There are always lounges that are empty during the day. We found the sports bar to be one. Busy in the evenings, not during the day. EM

[aztekpm]

Some of the places your husband may be uncomfortable is in the buffet and the Lido deck during busy times. I don't know how severe his condition is, but, the one good thing about the conquest class ships is that the Lido deck is stadium type seating, so you can be around everything, but also up and removed from it.

 

I haven't yet been on the Glory, going in May :D, but, have been on others with the same set up. The Serenity does get full, but unless something is very different, it doesn't feel crowded. Usually only those with chairs, loungers, etc. tend to be in the area, plus, there is some room to spread out. There are upper deck seating areas where you can also get somewhat away from the crowds. The back adult pool is hit or miss, we tend to sit the deck above it and go down for a dip and that alleviated the crowded feeling.

 

While in the buffet, you can go upstairs to sit, which very few do, so there is usually plenty of room. Of course, you can always take food back to your room as well. The MDR also has a sit down breakfast for limited times, I believe to 9:30 (I usually don't make it, lol) and on Sea Days, there is the brunch.

 

Yes, you can bring your drinks back to your room or from your room if you're able to get the make of alcohol you want.

 

One time it may be overwhelming is getting off the ship. I recommend waiting awhile after arrival at the ports as there is a mad rush for everyone to be off first ... we always TRY to schedule everything to allow the masses to clear and then we can leisurely get off. Last year in Bermuda, due to an altered schedule, we needed to get off fast, yikes, hopefully won't face anything like that again soon, it was crazy, wall to wall people all down the hallway, stairs, landings, etc.

 

Have only had internet on the Pride last year and it worked pretty good. There were some times it was slow, however, usually no issues. I believe it was a sale, but, was only $99.00 unlimited, for the week.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited January 17, 2017 by aztekpm

[midwesthiker]

Thanks! It is all new to me, but I can't wait. I have wanted to cruise for years and years!

[scottsgal]

We just sailed the Glory over Thanksgiving. My family commented how the ship never felt really crowded for a holiday sailing. It was nice to see so many generational families sailing together over the holiday. There were a lot of kids but we didn't see any running crazy throughout the ship. Lido buffet does get crowded but it's fine if you eat at off-peak times.

 

As for dress code - this is from Carnival's web site directly so the poster above is incorrect - shorts are allowed in the MDR on casual evenings - they can't be athletic style shorts though.

 

"Main Dining Room(s)

Following is the dress code in the Main Dining Room(s) for both men and women and pertains to children as well:

 

Cruise Casual Dress Code

Men: sport slacks, khakis, Jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long) and collared polo shirts"

 

We really enjoyed the Glory - after 25+ cruises it was one of our favorites as both my adult sons and my sister's family were with us - we had a great family cruise.

[I Am Canadian, Eh]

Glad to see you're making the most of the situation! Hope you have a great time.

 

7221 & 7225 can be opened. Ask your room steward, this usually cannot be requested ahead of time. Some are quicker than others to do this for you.

 

Amber Cove was created by Carnival to make money, so it would not at all surprise me that excursions are running. Can't say for sure what may/may not be open outside the port area.

 

There's very few places you CAN'T take a drink back to. You CAN order bottles ahead of time or through room service, but I've been hearing that bourbon specifically is not available/hard to get.

 

Internet is good, not great (and sometimes awful). May be easier to check emails via a laptop/tablet occasionally (and/or in port) rather than trying to get them pushed to his phone

 

In terms of avoiding crowds:

 

If you have a set dining time, go 5-7 minutes AFTER your dining time. Otherwise you'll encounter a large crowd waiting for the doors to open, and it grows with every elevator that arrives.

 

While self-assist will get you off the ship the quickest, it's also when the stairways and elevators are the most crowded. If you have the luxury of a late flight or are driving, have breakfast and hang out at the Lido until they announce last call.

 

Many people want to be the first off the ship in ports, so the lineups can get big there too. If you don't have an excursion, or can wait for a bit, stay on the ship until they announce the gangway is open (without waiting to get a number)

 

The muster drill does have the potential of being uncomfortable - they're often outdoors, people lined up shoulder to shoulder for 15-20 minutes. Sorry, I wish I had better advice but it is a necessary evil of cruising.

 

Cheers!

[midwesthiker]

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

I forgot to mention we did purchase FTTF, and since we are staying in Miami until Jan 1, we will be able to take our time getting off the ship since we don't have a flight to catch.

 

So far the only excursion we have found that we really want to go on is the US Virgin Islands National Park, otherwise it will be very open.

[aztekpm]

snip :)

 

The muster drill does have the potential of being uncomfortable - they're often outdoors, people lined up shoulder to shoulder for 15-20 minutes. Sorry, I wish I had better advice but it is a necessary evil of cruising.

 

Cheers!

 

Forgot all about muster! You can ask at guest services, or contact special needs prior to cruising, explain your husband's condition and they will probably allow him to attend the special needs muster, which is held inside in a seated area (not sure where), so at least he won't be shoulder to should, back to front packed in on the deck. Unfortunately, the conquest class has their's out on the deck and packed in like sardines barely describes it!

 

ETA: FTTF will allow you to escape a lot of the crowds at check-in and debark too, I love the option!

Edited January 17, 2017 by aztekpm

[Namelocg]

I was on Glory last month and will be on her again in 12 days. If you email me specific questions I can try to get answers for you. My email is Namelocg at aol dot com. I will not have Internet on the ship so answers will be after Feb 4th when I get home.

[BoDidly]

Forgot all about muster! You can ask at guest services, or contact special needs prior to cruising, explain your husband's condition and they will probably allow him to attend the special needs muster, which is held inside in a seated area (not sure where), so at least he won't be shoulder to should, back to front packed in on the deck. Unfortunately, the conquest class has their's out on the deck and packed in like sardines barely describes it!

 

ETA: FTTF will allow you to escape a lot of the crowds at check-in and debark too, I love the option!

 

The library comes to mind ;) .

[midwesthiker]

The library comes to mind ;) .

 

We love to read so this sounds like our kind of place!! :D

[midwesthiker]

Forgot all about muster! You can ask at guest services, or contact special needs prior to cruising, explain your husband's condition and they will probably allow him to attend the special needs muster, which is held inside in a seated area (not sure where), so at least he won't be shoulder to should, back to front packed in on the deck. Unfortunately, the conquest class has their's out on the deck and packed in like sardines barely describes it!

 

ETA: FTTF will allow you to escape a lot of the crowds at check-in and debark too, I love the option!

 

Thanks. As long as he takes his meds he should be ok for this. I think he will probably spend time after in our room though. :) He is lucky I love him. lol

[midwesthiker]

I was on Glory last month and will be on her again in 12 days. If you email me specific questions I can try to get answers for you. My email is Namelocg at aol dot com. I will not have Internet on the ship so answers will be after Feb 4th when I get home.

 

Thanks! I will email you if I have any more questions!

[RWolver672]

I would suggest if you go on an excursion to come back to the ship early. For about the last hour before the ship sails again, there is a huge influx of passengers coming back at the same time. The line stretches back for quite a ways and once inside, it's a madhouse trying to get on an elevator.

[midwesthiker]

I would suggest if you go on an excursion to come back to the ship early. For about the last hour before the ship sails again, there is a huge influx of passengers coming back at the same time. The line stretches back for quite a ways and once inside, it's a madhouse trying to get on an elevator.

 

Good idea! Thank you.

[sjcruiser]

In the MDR on casual nights he will be fine. Lido and the Buffet, along with the main pool area on the Lido are the crowds at areas. Go up one deck, and he'll avoid the crowds, which is where I hand out. During formal nights walking around the ship, especially on the Promenade and Atrium Lobby will be crowded with those taking pictures, and waiting to take pictures, along with the traffic to and from the MDR. I've sailed at Christmas twice, and this is not a non-peak season. Even though the prices are higher, in most instances, the ships will be at full capacity. Besides the Lido and going to and from on Elegant night, I've never found any one the ships really crowded.

 

 

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[beshears]

It looks like you received some good answers here.

 

We are to do the Glory (8 of us) in March, and even though I have cruised over 26 years, off/off, each ship is different. So thus, I have ask (some of responded to some questions I had had) questions about this ship too.

 

I have also gone to the "review member" section. Sometimes people can be very negative, etc, and sometimes very positive. Of course this is "their" opinion. When I read negative/nit picky, I just figure that I will soon find out for myself. There is no need to get ready for something negative/bad that may not seem that way to you, as I always try to think POSITIVE when going on a ship that I have never been on before.

[sid_9169]

By the way, don't skip cruise elegant night in the MDR just because you don't want to "dress Up"... A pair of pants (jeans even) and a decent shirt are all that's required, you don't need a suit or anything...

[RogueMonk]

Just off the Glory.

 

Internet is extremely slow, even the higher packages. Your husband will be able to get emails and send the occasional file--but its won't be quick. (Took me 35 minutes just to do a flight check in.)

[cruise pup]

Forgot all about muster! You can ask at guest services, or contact special needs prior to cruising, explain your husband's condition and they will probably allow him to attend the special needs muster, which is held inside in a seated area (not sure where), so at least he won't be shoulder to should, back to front packed in on the deck. Unfortunately, the conquest class has their's out on the deck and packed in like sardines barely describes it!

 

ETA: FTTF will allow you to escape a lot of the crowds at check-in and debark too, I love the option!

Special needs muster drill is usually in the library, right off the Atrium. But sometimes there is an overflow and those guests are taken elsewhere. But best thing is to check at Guest Services.

[firemanbobswife]

By the way, don't skip cruise elegant night in the MDR just because you don't want to "dress Up"... A pair of pants (jeans even) and a decent shirt are all that's required, you don't need a suit or anything...

 

 

Well no jeans on elegant night but I agree that it's far from formal.

 

[simplelife]

My son has anxiety and we have learned to navigate dining situations to deal with it. I encourage you to eat in the MDR rather than the lido -the sense of crowdedness is greater on the lido, especially due to the lines and people moving about. Choose fixed dining so you can go straight to your table rather than waiting in line (the earlier post about going 5 minutes after your set time to avoid the initial rush is a good one). I would also encourage, as suggested, to contact Special Needs ahead of time and ask for a table for just your party, away from crowds. They are very helpful. I encourage you to eat in the MDR even on elegant night. All he needs is one pair of long pants -khakis are fine- to wear with his polo shirt -his shorts are fine on the other nights. . I think the discomfort of long pants will be far less than having to navigate the buffet crowds.

 

 

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[cruizergal70]

I don't have anxiety but I don't like dealing with people on vacation. The key to avoid crowds is to go to the buffet early and scope out seats in the rear end of the ship. Look for deck areas on the least traveled deck. In the theater, get the upper level seats.

[midwesthiker]

Thank you so much everyone! I am feeling much better now. We are very excited to go on our first cruise. We have generally avoided them in the past because of my husband's anxiety, but as long as he takes his medicine and sticks to the less crowded areas I am sure he will be fine. :)