Mardi Gras

[cntrydncr1]

Does anyone know when they will start showing the itineraries and selling sailings on the Mardi Grax?

[lele100]

They said January 

[heatherbelle]

An article in the telegraph (UK newspaper) says it will be on Tuesday 8th January.  Bookings open 31/1/19.

[Aplmac]

Said to look something like this, when the time comes...

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:00 PM, heatherbelle said:

An article in the telegraph (UK newspaper) says it will be on Tuesday 8th January.  Bookings open 31/1/19.

 

So we are well into Tuesday, and nothing on JH's FB page nor Carnival's website.  He had posted (yesterday I think) that some news would be coming soon - but he was cagey on details, as always.

 

Come on Carnival!  I need to study the ship layout and select ideal cabin locations for each class of cabin before I make a reservation the second you release the bookings!

[tallnthensome]

There's something about that ship that looks unappealing to me. It almost looks like a prison on the seas and with a 6500 proposed passenger capacity it will be wall to wall people and crowds a plenty .... Not excited about this one in the least. 

[heatherbelle]

23 hours ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

So we are well into Tuesday, and nothing on JH's FB page nor Carnival's website.  He had posted (yesterday I think) that some news would be coming soon - but he was cagey on details, as always.

 

Come on Carnival!  I need to study the ship layout and select ideal cabin locations for each class of cabin before I make a reservation the second you release the bookings!

There was a message from John yesterday on one of the social groups, saying he got it wrong and no announcement,  typical Carnival.  Hopefully we will find out soon, maybe they haven’t got all the ports sorted out as yet, hence the delay,

[jimbo5544]

On 1/8/2019 at 4:18 PM, tallnthensome said:

There's something about that ship that looks unappealing to me. It almost looks like a prison on the seas and with a 6500 proposed passenger capacity it will be wall to wall people and crowds a plenty .... Not excited about this one in the least. 

Maybe if it had NCL on the side?

[BoDidly]

I think it has the look !  Elegantly fantastic.  

1. n a graceful and stylish manner.

   "a handsome, elegantly dressed businessman" ·

   [more]
2. in a pleasingly ingenious and simple manner.

[tallnthensome]

7 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Maybe if it had NCL on the side?

Nah, not at 6500 passengers and I already have two other Carnival cruises booked. You however, would cruise with Gilligan and the Skipper on the S.S. Minnow as long as it said "Carnival" on the side of the boat. Nice try though ........

[jimbo5544]

4 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Nah, not at 6500 passengers and I already have two other Carnival cruises booked. You however, would cruise with Gilligan and the Skipper on the S.S. Minnow as long as it said "Carnival" on the side of the boat. Nice try though ........

Just cruised Azamara this past summer and am at 5 cruise lines to date and two more schedule for 2019 and 2020.  I prefer Carnival, that is a fact.  Was just an observation....

[jimbo5544]

11 hours ago, BoDidly said:

I think it has the look !  Elegantly fantastic.  

1. n a graceful and stylish manner.

   "a handsome, elegantly dressed businessman" ·

   [more]
2. in a pleasingly ingenious and simple manner.

Looks good, but really need to see the entire package.  There are a number of areas I want to see "on the inside".  Will def be there when they bring her over.

Edited January 10, 2019 by jimbo5544

[BoDidly]

23 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Looks good, but really need to see the entire package.  There are a number of areas I want to see "on the inside".  Will def be there when they bring her over.

Put the camera to good use, anxiously waiting to see your pictures . I only get on those big tubs when the new wears off .

[jimbo5544]

46 minutes ago, BoDidly said:

Put the camera to good use, anxiously waiting to see your pictures . I only get on those big tubs when the new wears off .

I can pretty much guarantee that to happen.

Edited January 10, 2019 by jimbo5544

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 1/9/2019 at 3:37 PM, heatherbelle said:

There was a message from John yesterday on one of the social groups, saying he got it wrong and no announcement,  typical Carnival.  Hopefully we will find out soon, maybe they haven’t got all the ports sorted out as yet, hence the delay,

 

It occurred to me, while checking the Carnival site, that they may delay the announcement to milk their current cruise special as long as possible - any announcement might make a potential customer pause.  After the "sale" is over (not really a sale, just lowered deposits, etc), they announce Mardi Gras itineraries, then a couple weeks later release the bookings, and they don't need a "sale" for another couple of months...

 

Spacing out announcements to not cannibalize current sales has got to be close to the first rule or marketing...

[pyropoodle]

Y'all, I was hoping they would give us some itineraries today! this wait is terrible!   maybe it's because I've never waited for a new ship itin before, but I really, really, really just want to look at some deck plans.  is that too much to ask? come on Carnival!!!!

[ProgRockCruiser]

11 minutes ago, pyropoodle said:

Y'all, I was hoping they would give us some itineraries today! this wait is terrible!   maybe it's because I've never waited for a new ship itin before, but I really, really, really just want to look at some deck plans.  is that too much to ask? come on Carnival!!!!

 

In my experience, stuff gets posted around 9am to 10am Eastern Time (North America).  So maybe any minute now?

[pyropoodle]

1 minute ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

In my experience, stuff gets posted around 9am to 10am Eastern Time (North America).  So maybe any minute now?

where is the emoji that shows my fingers nervously tapping the table top???  

 

yeah, I think their last big announcement came around 10:00am.  I will be patient...deeeeep  breathsssss..

[Jamman54]

If you want a "feel" of the Mardi Gras deck plans, check out P & O (UK)'s Iona. It is a sister ship coming out before the Mardi Gras. I have my eyes set on the "hump" deluxe balconies.

[pyropoodle]

ooooh...going to check now.....thanks for the info. 

 

 

[jimbo5544]

Just looked at the booking engine, do not see anything yet. 

[pyropoodle]

me neither

[ProgRockCruiser]

2 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Just looked at the booking engine, do not see anything yet. 

 

1 hour ago, pyropoodle said:

me neither

 

I believe Carnival (or the press releases) said bookings won't be available immediately (not until late-Jan 2019), but the itineraries and ship details would be released around "now" (mid-Jan).

 

So I don't expect to see anything in the booking engine, but a press release with itineraries and a web-page with the deck plans are what I'm drooling like Pavlov's dog for...

[pyropoodle]

10 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

 

I believe Carnival (or the press releases) said bookings won't be available immediately (not until late-Jan 2019), but the itineraries and ship details would be released around "now" (mid-Jan).

 

So I don't expect to see anything in the booking engine, but a press release with itineraries and a web-page with the deck plans are what I'm drooling like Pavlov's dog for...

 yes, I've been to the carnival website 100 times today...  (and in the last few days if I'm honest,) just to see what the deck plans might be like.  I'm most likely going to book a family harbor dealio (if there is one) but I want to see ship location.  I've never cruised below deck 6 so if it's on say, deck 2, I don't know what that would be like.  and if there is an aft balcony, but it's not overlooking the water directly (like, if it is overlooking some kind of crew pathway instead of straight down to water) I have zero interest in that.  but I wanna know what is going to be available so I can get my booking finger ready when it's time to pull the trigger.

[ProgRockCruiser]

7 minutes ago, pyropoodle said:

 and if there is an aft balcony, but it's not overlooking the water directly (like, if it is overlooking some kind of crew pathway instead of straight down to water) I have zero interest in that.  

Indeed, I am very interested in the cabin layouts, and I don't think they will necessarily match the Iona's.

 

Question for you about your comment on aft balconies:

 

The aft balconies on Liberty and Sunshine don't look directly down to the water, which gives them a bit more sunlight (which I like).  There is a "slope" down, with a bit of a railing for crew access/cleaning, I guess.  But not like the Horizon, which overlooks the Havana area.

 

The aft balconies on Elation and similar have a more direct line of sight straight down, but therefore have a bit of an overhang above.

 

Which do you prefer?