Worst Deal on Carnival

[Lottacruises]

On 7/24/2019 at 12:12 PM, amyotravel said:

Not anymore. Changed to digital prints.

 

On all the ships?

[amyotravel]

Cannot confirm. If not, then likely soon.

[Shaded Lady]

3 hours ago, BND said:

What do you know about Thomas Kinkade?  We own one of his paintings, but we knew going in that how he operated was to paint an original and then copies were made and highlighted (some by him and the rest by artists he hired).  He could never have mass produced paintings one at a time by himself.   They are numbered copies.  His actual originals sell for a heck of a lot more than $1300.  We bought ours 15+ years ago for around $800 and today it's probably worth at least $1300.  You do also know he died several years ago, correct?    So, the biggest problem with the auctions is people going in with no idea what they are looking at or buying.

 

I think the point footballbabe was making is exactly what you said in the last line here- if people have no idea, then buyer beware, which is what she did! My first art auction, I was completely clueless!

 

I too have a Kincade that is 30 years old, I bought it and several other pieces on my first cruise. I paid about $300 total for 5 pieces, so I wasn't expecting an original painting from any of the ones I bought- a Thomas Kincade, a Christian Laasen, one by Leroy Nieman and a couple others by no name artists (at least unknown to me!). I didn't buy them because they were great value, I bought them because I really liked them. So I was very pleasantly surprised when I was advised to get the Nieman appraised and found out it was a limited edition water color original by Nieman himself! Appraised value 3 years after I bought it was substantially higher than what I paid for all of them!  Still don't care- just love the painting!

 

Bottom line is, I haven't attended the art auction since, for the very reason you gave- I am not furnishing a brand new house anymore like I was 30 years ago, and I know that you could print what I know about most art on the back of a penny and still have room left over so I don't bother anymore!

 

To the point of this thread? At one time the art auction was a great deal for me. Today, it isn't...

[ed01106]

Re: Art auction.  If you see something for a couple hundred that you think would look great in your living room, then you are getting a fair value.

 

If you are spending thousands with the expectation that the piece will appreciate in value you will almost certainly be disappointed.

 

 

[2wheelin]

On 7/24/2019 at 8:49 AM, indygirl76 said:

Just pulled up Carnival.com. Five days on Ecstasy, sailing on November 30th, $254. I will accept the eighty cents per day variance, as the cost of being too lazy to look at other ports and months combinations. 😄 

How is it you book without paying the $104 port fees and taxes?

[hotsauce126]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-12-14/ever-bought-artwork-on-a-cruise-prepare-to-be-seasick

[Joebucks]

On 7/24/2019 at 1:39 PM, MRSG29 said:

Was just there in Dec and not even close. All Star weekend not close either.

 

I was in Vegas last month. We bought 4 Moscow Mules at the Marquee pool bar. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say the tab was $225. Now that was the most egregious Vegas example I have seen. They probably snuck in top shelf. Typical Vegas for me puts a can of Bud Light at $10, and a cocktail at $20.

 

On 7/24/2019 at 1:32 PM, ed01106 said:

I consider the alcohol the most egregious, because it is the only one where you have no viable alternative.

 

As someone who agrees Cheers is a waste in most scenarios, I do not agree with this. I can get a Jack and Coke for $6.25. If you want to compare to the retail price, then maybe the entire cruise isn't for you at all. As far as standard bar pricing goes, that is not egregious.

 

What is egregious is thinking it is worth $860 for me and my girlfriend to suck down as many sugary cocktails as we can in an entire week to someone "get one by Carnival". My next cruise will be a bottle of Woodford reserve at about $120, bringing a bottle of wine, and a few cocktails as a treat at night. This system gets me a good buzz, and has never exceeded $300.

[ed01106]

5 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

I was in Vegas last month. We bought 4 Moscow Mules at the Marquee pool bar. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say the tab was $225. Now that was the most egregious Vegas example I have seen. They probably snuck in top shelf. Typical Vegas for me puts a can of Bud Light at $10, and a cocktail at $20.

 

 

As someone who agrees Cheers is a waste in most scenarios, I do not agree with this. I can get a Jack and Coke for $6.25. If you want to compare to the retail price, then maybe the entire cruise isn't for you at all. As far as standard bar pricing goes, that is not egregious.

 

What is egregious is thinking it is worth $860 for me and my girlfriend to suck down as many sugary cocktails as we can in an entire week to someone "get one by Carnival". My next cruise will be a bottle of Woodford reserve at about $120, bringing a bottle of wine, and a few cocktails as a treat at night. This system gets me a good buzz, and has never exceeded $300.

I think you missed my point.  If I stay at hotel in Vegas, I can go to the bar *OR* drink make a mixed drink in my room.  Cruise ships don’t allow me that option.  Whereas the rest of the items others mentioned such as casinos, overpriced watches, art, sundries, etc are avoidable

[MRSG29]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

I was in Vegas last month. We bought 4 Moscow Mules at the Marquee pool bar. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say the tab was $225. Now that was the most egregious Vegas example I have seen. They probably snuck in top shelf. Typical Vegas for me puts a can of Bud Light at $10, and a cocktail at $20.

 

 

As someone who agrees Cheers is a waste in most scenarios, I do not agree with this. I can get a Jack and Coke for $6.25. If you want to compare to the retail price, then maybe the entire cruise isn't for you at all. As far as standard bar pricing goes, that is not egregious.

 

What is egregious is thinking it is worth $860 for me and my girlfriend to suck down as many sugary cocktails as we can in an entire week to someone "get one by Carnival". My next cruise will be a bottle of Woodford reserve at about $120, bringing a bottle of wine, and a few cocktails as a treat at night. This system gets me a good buzz, and has never exceeded $300.

Thats my thing. I've seen people in FB cruise groups talk about how if you hit the 15 drinks a day its worth it. I'm not trying be counting drinks to make sure I get to 15. Further more, I dont see how you get to 15 on Port days. But yeah i'm not trying to drink 15 drinks a day just so I can justify getting the package. 

[coevan]

6-7 drinks is break even, port days are not a problem, plenty of time to drink

[PhillyFan33579]

On 7/24/2019 at 1:12 PM, amyotravel said:

Not anymore. Changed to digital prints.

 

Not true.  There are still a bunch of Carnival ships that don’ t have digital photos. Supposedly, Sunrise, which recently had a major dry dock, was not updated with digital photos.

[bingo3]

The delivery charge for items bought online, to deliver to the room. If I order $200.00 of items, they will charge $36.00 to bring it to the room. Should just be a flat fee, not percentage. I could ship it to my home cheaper! I am frugal, won't be ordering anymore, will take my chances to buy on ship or not at all.

[Joebucks]

12 hours ago, ed01106 said:

I think you missed my point.  If I stay at hotel in Vegas, I can go to the bar *OR* drink make a mixed drink in my room.  Cruise ships don’t allow me that option.  Whereas the rest of the items others mentioned such as casinos, overpriced watches, art, sundries, etc are avoidable

 

What is the point? Is it that Vegas is some money-saver, or that you can get away with cheaper drinking if we're just looking at the drink spending column? I love me some Vegas, but just my room and food for my last few 3 night stays have rivaled my 5-7 day cruise fares. For me, being out and about, it's way harder to drink in the room in Vegas too.

 

10 hours ago, MRSG29 said:

Thats my thing. I've seen people in FB cruise groups talk about how if you hit the 15 drinks a day its worth it. I'm not trying be counting drinks to make sure I get to 15. Further more, I dont see how you get to 15 on Port days. But yeah i'm not trying to drink 15 drinks a day just so I can justify getting the package. 

 

Some get hung up on the 15. Some say 6-7. Regardless of what number people get hungup on, here's mine: $860. 

[lottiegreen56]

We used to be Vegas people but the non-gamblers have ruined it. I'd rather go on a cheaper cruise or even to Atlantis than going to vegas these days because prices are so inflated everywhere, except flights. 

[MRSG29]

I get it, for some people it makes perfect sense for them just not me. $858 is almost what it cost per person to go on a 7 day cruise. Naw i'm good. I can put $500 cruise cash and that be more than enough for both of us to drink.

 

[Dicecatt]

15 hours ago, bingo3 said:

The delivery charge for items bought online, to deliver to the room. If I order $200.00 of items, they will charge $36.00 to bring it to the room. Should just be a flat fee, not percentage. I could ship it to my home cheaper! I am frugal, won't be ordering anymore, will take my chances to buy on ship or not at all.

 

What type of items are you referring to? I'm just curious as I was planning on ordering a few things through Carnival to be delivered to the cabin but when I put them in the cart it didn't show a delivery fee, and I don't want to have a surprise charge.  

[Shaded Lady]

44 minutes ago, Dicecatt said:

 

What type of items are you referring to? I'm just curious as I was planning on ordering a few things through Carnival to be delivered to the cabin but when I put them in the cart it didn't show a delivery fee, and I don't want to have a surprise charge.  

pretty much everything you order from the Fun Shops has the delivery fee- even the case of water many order for $4.50 comes to $5.31 when they add the SC... many people think it's a tax, but it isn't... it's an actual 18% service delivery charge for everything, so be prepared... you may not have seen it in the cart, but you definitely would when you cashed out.

Edited July 27, 2019 by Shaded Lady

[Bases5]

1 hour ago, Dicecatt said:

 

What type of items are you referring to? I'm just curious as I was planning on ordering a few things through Carnival to be delivered to the cabin but when I put them in the cart it didn't show a delivery fee, and I don't want to have a surprise charge.  

It's most defiantly there when you proceed to checkout.  Cruise cash bar photo is not charged but everything else is. 

[indygirl76]

On 7/26/2019 at 4:17 PM, 2wheelin said:

How is it you book without paying the $104 port fees and taxes?

None of that is Carnival revenue, so it's not relevant to trying to apportion their revenue to meals. 

[deepfry]

On 7/21/2019 at 7:48 PM, lottiegreen56 said:

I'll start, I think the Bingo is an absolute travesty. They rake in about 10x as much as they pay out.

 

Dishonorable mentions, the spa is really expensive but they do a good really good job so it's tough to completely fault it. On the other hand the steakhouse is very reasonably priced (for steakhouses) but I don't think it tastes very good. 

I agree with the steakhouse comment we ate there for the first time last week nothing special not worth the upcharge

[Eli_6]

Nothing to add but in defense of the Vista, grey color schemes are "in" right now.... although, I understand that to some people that feels institutional. I have heard other people say they felt like the Vista was more closed off and claustrophobic than other ships and did not like it because of that reason, but I actually liked the understated decor better. When everything is gold-gilded and marble, it reminds me of the 1980s.  

[Eli_6]

On the drink package issue, I feel like that I would feel the need to try to "get my money's worth" if I bought it....and mhusband is a light drinker who never drinks more than maybe 2 a day.... so I would have to drink my 6-7 drinks and then 4-5 for him to make up the difference. 

 

This would lead to 😛🤸🙆💃🙃 and eventually 🤢🤮...or, even worse, 🤰👣.

[DebJ14]

On 7/22/2019 at 12:57 AM, cruisologist said:

The whole interior decor of Vista.  The main dining room looks like it was designed by Russian cold war decorators.  I've been on 74 cruises and Vista is the ugliest ship I have ever seen.  The dining room looks and feels like hospital dining area.  Gray....ugly gray.  Sterile and completely uninspiring.  Vista is not an old ship but the inside looks tired and worn out.  The comedy club chairs on the floor wobbled side to side and front to back.  The chairs have one center leg and are not meant to move and are not meant for people of size.   I couldn't believe the stains on the chairs and couches.  I am top tier with carnival and it saddens me that they made this ship look so cheap.  I can't wait for Vista to be moved to another port.

 

 

I want another Conquest class ship back in Galveston!   So sad to see the Valor leave!  I've been on 44 CCL cruises and I agree it is the ugliest and worst laid out ship in the fleet. The Magic decor was kind of soothing in the blue, green and tan while the Breeze looked like a stick of cheap butter to me.  At least grassfed is a vibrant yellow.  

 When the computer malfunctions those towers in the atrium are really an eyesore.  The Liquid Lounge is a joke.  The room has terrible sight lines with all those poles and not all the seats are pitched, so you usually can't see over (or around in many cases) the people in front of you whether down on the dance floor or up in the balcony.  I wish they would have sent the Vista to New Orleans instead of the Valor.

[cruisologist]

5 hours ago, DebJ14 said:

 

I want another Conquest class ship back in Galveston!   So sad to see the Valor leave!  I've been on 44 CCL cruises and I agree it is the ugliest and worst laid out ship in the fleet. The Magic decor was kind of soothing in the blue, green and tan while the Breeze looked like a stick of cheap butter to me.  At least grassfed is a vibrant yellow.  

 When the computer malfunctions those towers in the atrium are really an eyesore.  The Liquid Lounge is a joke.  The room has terrible sight lines with all those poles and not all the seats are pitched, so you usually can't see over (or around in many cases) the people in front of you whether down on the dance floor or up in the balcony.  I wish they would have sent the Vista to New Orleans instead of the Valor.

Thank you for understanding what I was pointing out.  The Conquest class ships are great and I miss them very much.  Magic was my favorite in the Dream class of ships.  Dream and Breeze were ok.  Carnival is fast becoming the K-Mart of the seas.

[beshears]

This is a good question, and I would like to read what other's felt disappointments on when cruising on the Carnival ship.  I really haven't had that many disappointments in the many cruises I have taken, other than it seems like the quality of pictures are the same, but.............the price keeps going up!!! 😞