Live Horizon/Mardi Gras B2B 8/1-8/7and 8/7-814

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

Thanks Jimbo, for sharing your experiences the last two weeks. These posts are a breath of fresh air compared to whats been posted the last 18 months. If all goes well we'll be boarding the Horizon next Saturday! 🤞😎

Thanks Jeff, look forward to reading your review.  We had a blast, so so missed cruising

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, Joe817 said:

Great review jimbo! Thanks so much. 

Thanks Joe!

[jimbo5544]

5 hours ago, Hogladyrider said:

Glad you are back!  Enjoyed your reporting!  Looking forward to your recap and general comments.

 

I see from you tube that there were a few cases of Covid on the ship.  Nothing to panic over just part of life in today's world as they say.

 

We look forward to hopefully cruising this winter out of San Diego while we are wintering in Arizona.

 

Look forward to your next cruise adventures! 

Susan

When we got to the car rental she asked about the covid cases.  We had heard nothing.  

[cpshaye]

15 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

Thanks!   Snjcruisers is correct it is full access ro the area

Thanks to both of you. We have a Havana cabin, but it is deceiving since it clearly states "exclusive daytime access" which, to me, implies that in the evenings it's not exclusive. 

[KmomChicago]

34 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

When we got to the car rental she asked about the covid cases.  We had heard nothing.  

A popular vlog couple gave an update on their channel today.

[KmomChicago]

23 hours ago, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

 

 

According to Marine Traffic you guys only slowed about 6 knots went from 18.2 to 12.2knts. 

Just watching the ocean a couple of days ago at close to top speed, it looked like we were zipping along, though the ride stayed smooth. Yesterday more like meandering as Jimbo stated. Maybe an optical illusion.

[ShaniBell]

On 8/13/2021 at 4:27 AM, kdr69 said:

Oh priceless.  %*$&&#&@ TA's  so what do you do for work?  Were TA's . 🤣🤣OMG you should have been recording that one!!!

 

Funny...We had one of the Aft Excel Suites on the 7/31 cruise but Mom and I wandered down to Summer Landing one afternoon cuz...bar staff 😉 and happened to be sitting right under our actual balcony when a couple of folks sat down near us and started to point at the balcony above us and making the universal "spendy" hand gesture and rolling their eyes a bit.  I may have had a little too much fun pointing out that that was our room 😉 

 

People need to remember that they never know who may be sitting nearby when making comments.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 hour ago, ShaniBell said:

...

 

People need to remember that they never know who may be sitting nearby when making comments.

 

Isn't that the truth (thinking back of my BJ table encounter) !!

 

At sail away (from PC) we could hear people above us in Serenity speaking similarly about our digs. 

 

Tom

[ShaniBell]

Just now, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Isn't that the truth (thinking back of my BJ table encounter) !!

 

At sail away (from PC) we could hear people above us in Serenity speaking similarly about our digs. 

 

Tom

 

After posting I realized I was doing exactly what I was saying people should be careful of.  For all I know, the people that made the comment about my suite are on the forum.  We did end up having a pleasant conversation about the overall amenities etc.

[KmomChicago]

You all should enjoy your suites. This is a classic case of jealousy from the green eyed monsters. Obviously most Carnival passengers are not suites people, or haven’t been historically as evidenced by the % of such rooms per ship. But yet the rooms are there for a reason, because they’re worth it to some people, and your fare actually supplements everyone else’s price but I bet they never think of that.  

 

So who cares if someone else wants to stay in a different kind of room or spend their $$ on different things than they do? Their sour grapes and the fact they think it’s their business says a lot more about them than you, you, you. . . Suites sleepers! (I will not be jealous I will not be jealous I will not be).

Edited August 15, 2021 by KmomChicago

[ShaniBell]

Just now, KmomChicago said:

You all should enjoy your suites. This is a classic case of jealousy from the green eyed monsters. Obviously most Carnival passengers are not suites people, or haven’t been historically as evidenced by the % of such rooms per ship. But yet the rooms are there for a reason, because they’re worth it to some people, and your fare actually supplements everyone else’s price but I bet they never think of that.  

 

So who cares if someone else wants to stay in a different kind of room or spend their $$ on different things than they do? Their sour grapes snd the fact they think it’s their business says a lot more about them than you, you, you. . . Suites sleepers! (I will not be jealous I will not be jealous I will not be).

 

LOL...Suite Sleepers! 

 

I'm sure we enjoyed our cruise as did the folks in the various other rooms available on board from Havana to Family Harbor to Spa and Suites, Balconies, Ocean Views and Interiors.  That's the great thing about cruising, something for everyone.   We can all make our vacation exactly what we want it to be.  

[ShaniBell]

 

For the record, we are unlikely to splurge on a suite like that again.  At least not on Carnival.  We found the service just didn't align with the price point. 

 

We are booked in a Havana Aft Balcony on the Panorama in March and then in Balcony Rooms on NCL for Greece and Italy the summer after.  We book base on itinerary and timing more than room type although Balcony is pretty much a requirement these days.

 

 

[kelkel2]

5 minutes ago, ShaniBell said:

 

For the record, we are unlikely to splurge on a suite like that again.  At least not on Carnival.  We found the service just didn't align with the price point. 

 

We are booked in a Havana Aft Balcony on the Panorama in March and then in Balcony Rooms on NCL for Greece and Italy the summer after.  We book base on itinerary and timing more than room type although Balcony is pretty much a requirement these days.

 

 

Exactly! We do the same. We actually have a suite booked on the Mardi Gras. This will be our first cruise with our kiddos and they’re too young to have their own room. So we booked a suite just for the extra space. Will it be worth the money? No idea. I’m assuming it will be to us. But you never know! 

[ShaniBell]

1 minute ago, kelkel2 said:

Exactly! We do the same. We actually have a suite booked on the Mardi Gras. This will be our first cruise with our kiddos and they’re too young to have their own room. So we booked a suite just for the extra space. Will it be worth the money? No idea. I’m assuming it will be to us. But you never know! 

 

This is actually why we booked it as well.  Usually when we travel we travel with my mother in tow and she rooms with our DD.  Originally just me, DH and DD were travelling and we wanted a bit more space.  We lucked into the Excel Aft Suite about 6 weeks out the 7/31 sailing.  Oddly enough my mother wound up deciding to travel with us about two weeks prior.  We ended up getting her a balcony room just a few doors down from us but kept the kiddo with us.

[KmomChicago]

13 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

Exactly! We do the same. We actually have a suite booked on the Mardi Gras. This will be our first cruise with our kiddos and they’re too young to have their own room. So we booked a suite just for the extra space. Will it be worth the money? No idea. I’m assuming it will be to us. But you never know! 

And I know not everyone agrees but I’d rather have 2 adjoining insides than a suite. Extra floor space and real beds and a whole 2nd bathroom, and I actually like the pitch blackness and quiet. No, I love it. I’m sitting here at MCO waiting for our flight and wishing I were in a quiet interior right now. 😃🛏🛌💤😴🥱
 

When I’ve had balconies I don’t use them much. In fact when I’ve had oceanviews I don’t look out the window much. Crazy but true. I do like floor space but they always fill it up with more furniture. I’d like two inside cabins with ONLY upper berths to keep the floor clear but somehow I think this would be an unpopular configuration.

 

As Shani said the great thing is that all these choices are there and people can decide what they want and what will give them the vacation they will enjoy. But those people talking about Suite Sleepers are still just jealous.

Edited August 15, 2021 by KmomChicago

[jimbo5544]

13 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Just watching the ocean a couple of days ago at close to top speed, it looked like we were zipping along, though the ride stayed smooth. Yesterday more like meandering as Jimbo stated. Maybe an optical illusion.

I agree that it looks that way at times but viewing it can be deceiving at times.

[jimbo5544]

So time ti give some thoughts on this ship.  Carnival has been criticized for being the cookie cutter of the big boys when it comes to ship building.  Well, they (whoever they are) cannot say that any more.  While I knew the reason why they called her the Mardi Gras, it is much more clear now.  

 

She is big and she will have a while bunch of cruisers on her.  I can only judge her by our experience (4,000 cruisers).  So let me start with the ship.

 

The key to getting around is knowing all forward to aft is done on the starboard side.  While we stumbled to find specific things for a couple of days, getting around became much more easy.  She rides like a big girl, meaning you can feel less of the ocean, kind of like when we sailed on Oasis.

 

The Zones concept def works, from a pool perspective for us, summer landing and the aft pool on 8 were flat out home runs.  We loved it out there.  By far the biggest Serenity we have ever seen, with lots of shades, prob the quietest one as well.  Loft 19, well I was shocked that it was full, we toured it during our TA visit and will experience it in January on our next visit.  The main and Tides pools are like any other ship.  The Havana pool is small and more hot tub like and has been a disappointment since the renderings, that said, we have a lot of group cabins booked there and will be staying next June.  

[jimbo5544]

Cabins:  they seemed a little more narrow, but prob the same sq footage, but i have not looked.  The sliders are a nice change as is a shower door.  AC over achieved as well.  The number of different cabin types is amazing.

[kdr69]

Thanks for the great review @jimbo5544 while it will be awhile before im on Mardi Gras I feel i have a greater understanding of how Celebration will be when i sail on her Inaugural TA voyage next November.

 

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, kdr69 said:

Thanks for the great review @jimbo5544 while it will be awhile before im on Mardi Gras I feel i have a greater understanding of how Celebration will be when i sail on her Inaugural TA voyage next November.

 

My [[leasure, we are talking about doing the TA on the Celebration.

[jimbo5544]

Places to eat.  There are a ton, possibly to many.  We had (as we always do) traditional dining, ;ate seating.  I would tell them if we had other plans for the following night.  I really sensed disappointment in them when we told them we were doing something different other than traditional.  Obviously not a major thing, but I thought it worth mentioning.  Everything we tried, we liked, but the leader was def Rudy’s Sea Grill.  A really, really good meal, possibly the best we have ever had at sea.  We did not have the chance to try Chibang, but EVERYONE we talked that did loved it.  They have def taken it all to a new level.  

 

Breakfast opportunities abound, we ended up doing Pig and Anchor more often than not because it was close to empty.  There are more lunch opportunities than can possibly try. 

[jimbo5544]

Entertainment:  Def more to do on a-ship than we have experienced in the past.  WAY more.  The band and lead vocals were better than very good, the shows were good as well.  There is more “other” entertainment all over the ship.  Lots and lots.  

 

Gambling:  We are not gamblers, but walking thru a non smoking casino (only part of it is) was a pure joy.

 

The staff:  Two side by side cruises and without a doubt the staff was always trying to excel.  They are as happy to be back at work as we were to be cruising again.  I had numerous conversations with them about what they did during the shutdown, how they adapted and even more specifically how they repatriated to their home countries.  What they had to endure (this is not a Carnival issue but the world) was simply amazing.  Some  were stuck on a ship for months only to then have to be transported home on a ship that literally went around the world to get them there……in isolation, and then isolate in. Their home countries.  I have a new level of respect for them and their jobs.  

[jimbo5544]

OK, if you are considering going on the Mardi Gras, my recommendation is DO IT.  If you DO IT soon, it might be the BEST cruising opportunity you have.  To be on ship at 60% makes it a flat out home run.  Thanks for following along.  Next stop Horizon 9/26…

[princess76021]

10 minutes ago, jimbo5544 said:

OK, if you are considering going on the Mardi Gras, my recommendation is DO IT.  If you DO IT soon, it might be the BEST cruising opportunity you have.  To be on ship at 60% makes it a flat out home run.  Thanks for following along.  Next stop Horizon 9/26…

thanks for you terrific review!!  again,  i will probably never be on her if she doesn't come to Galveston but i feel like i was.  

 

you are a special kind of guy to do this for us!!!

 

thanks again

hugs from texas

nicki

[jimbo5544]

33 minutes ago, princess76021 said:

thanks for you terrific review!!  again,  i will probably never be on her if she doesn't come to Galveston but i feel like i was.  

 

you are a special kind of guy to do this for us!!!

 

thanks again

hugs from texas

nicki

I t really was my pleasure.  Here is a little secret I learned., You might get your wish on theird build  excel class being home ported in Galveston when she comes out in 2023