Carnival Venezia 29 Sep-14 Oct 2023

[Destiny0315]

58 minutes ago, JOHN 57 said:

Martinique, would be a dream come true, always wanted to go there.

Agreed! I have been there once 20 years ago on a Carnival ship in 2003 and want to get back. Enjoying French culture on a Caribbean island was/is wonderful but it seems that more of the main cruise lines tend to stop at Dominica now. Then of course there's St. Barts where the high rollers play.🙂  

[JOHN 57]

interesting

[JOHN 57]

good morning to one and all, our ship is in Puerto Plata, Dominican republic this morning 54 days to go.  Never been there, someday, I will go

[Jamman54]

Good morning all. Yesterday we finalized all of our shore excursions and all-inclusives for this cruise,  except of course Barbados. Only 49 more days for us as we are on the 6 day cruise before this one. Don't want to wish the summer away,  but we're ready to go! 😀

[JOHN 57]

there seems to be alot of confusion about Barbdoes, the lack of excursions, and if it will be canceled or not for that port, and a substiution made.  Unknown what will happen, keep a close watch

[retltrcrr]

I’m holding an excursion thru Viator for Barbados that’s an island tour with local cuisine lunch and a visit to a wildlife sanctuary.  This is one island I’ve not been to but am surely flexible if an itinerary change happens.  By the way, I’m Harriet and my niece is Lynette.  We’re close in age so more like sisters.   She’s from Missouri and while I’m currently living in Mexico City I’m Texan thru and thru….New Braunfels/Austin area.  Hope to bump in to some of you, probably you John as I walk that outside deck most mornings to wake the bones up.

[retltrcrr]

On 8/4/2023 at 12:43 PM, Destiny0315 said:

Agreed! I have been there once 20 years ago on a Carnival ship in 2003 and want to get back. Enjoying French culture on a Caribbean island was/is wonderful but it seems that more of the main cruise lines tend to stop at Dominica now. Then of course there's St. Barts where the high rollers play.🙂  

Deal me in!  I love a good casino!  With all the comments saying the Venezia casino is so smoky I may just come out ahead on this cruise by staying out of it.  

Edited August 5, 2023 by retltrcrr

[Destiny0315]

16 minutes ago, retltrcrr said:

I’m holding an excursion thru Viator for Barbados that’s an island tour with local cuisine lunch and a visit to a wildlife sanctuary.  This is one island I’ve not been to but am surely flexible if an itinerary change happens.

Yes that looks like a good island tour as would be any island tour of Barbados that includes the beautiful beach and rocks at Bathsheba. One of the most picturesque beaches that I've ever visited.

[Jamman54]

1 hour ago, retltrcrr said:

Deal me in!  I love a good casino!  With all the comments saying the Venezia casino is so smoky I may just come out ahead on this cruise by staying out of it.  

There is a non smoking casino annex. 😎

[JOHN 57]

It is that time of morning, a good morning to everyone, only 53 days to go and our ship is at Grand Turk, been there once before, the water and sand are amazing.

[JOHN 57]

[JOHN 57]

map of grand turk island, hope this can be of help

[retltrcrr]

Goo

On 8/5/2023 at 1:09 PM, Jamman54 said:

There is a non smoking casino annex. 😎

I saw that on one of the live streaming tours of the ship.   If my favorite machines are in the main casino I WILL brave the smoke.   I only notice it the first few minutes then I'm over it.  Order a drink, all's well.

[retltrcrr]

1 hour ago, JOHN 57 said:

map of grand turk island, hope this can be of help

I've did an island tour here on my first visit.  Seeing all the donkeys wandering about was cute.  Now I just stroll down the beach to Jack's Shack away from the crowds and rocks, rent a chair and umbrella, buy a drink and  relax.

Edited August 6, 2023 by retltrcrr

[Haljo1935]

27 minutes ago, retltrcrr said:

I've did an island tour here on my first visit.  Seeing all the donkeys wandering about was cute.  Now I just stroll down the beach to Jack's Shack away from the crowds and rocks, rent a chair and umbrella, buy a drink and  relax.

Beautiful beaches - love Turks and seeing the locals living their best lives is peaceful. 

[JOHN 57]

it is a beautiful island

[JOHN 57]

well time for a good morning greeting to everyone, our ship is at Half Moon Cay, the beaches there are amazing.  Only 52 days to go

[JOHN 57]

JUST checked only 1 inside cabin available for $929

[JOHN 57]

Looks like carnival stuck with the inside cabin

[Destiny0315]

5 minutes ago, JOHN 57 said:

JUST checked only 1 inside cabin available for $929

Yes I would say that 99%+ of this cruise has been sold out for more than a month now with just a few cabins(mostly insides)showing up in inventory off and on since then. CCL should learn from this and continue with longer (10,12,15 day) cruises out of NYC to the Caribbean even in the summer months. Sure you might lose some of the young families but then you will also likely get less people on the longer cruises interested in disrupting things as like what happened back in June/July on the week or less ones, imho.

[retltrcrr]

Their marketing schemes will fill the last of the cabins with the "pack and go" last minute bargain basement offer for those local Carnival cruisers.  When I lived a couple hours from Galveston I'd get those frequently for cruises out of there. They almost paid me to grab a last minute cruise.  I'm glad the cruise industry has survived the Covid shutdown and is making a come back, though I did enjoy the first few of last year that were going out at 20% and costing next to nothing.  It's time to open the pocket book and start elbowing through the crowds!  I stop short of throwing punches though💪

[JOHN 57]

this is the Torta de milanese, looks like a chicken sandwich.  I can eat all the chicken I want, but not steak.  Anyway this is available on Tomodora Italian restaurant on our ship, on embarkation day.

[JOHN 57]

this is the Italian sicilian chicken wrap available on our ship at Tomodora restaurnt, which is open on embarkation.  Years ago, Myriam and I use to own a Greek and Colombian restaurant called Puerto Aventura before we soldit and retired from corrections.  Ours was made from pita bread.

[JOHN 57]

good morning to one and all, 51 days to go and our ship is at sea

[foundmyMcGyver]

Hello from Keene NH. (Scott and Thomasina) Just found this forum for our cruise. So excited to be going on Venezia. We are going on the 10 day Nov 30th also 😀 I was trying to find affordable parking near cruise port when I came across this forum. Any help or ideas welcome from others going on thus cruise. We have cruised many times from Manhattan, but it's been over 6 yrs since cruising from this port. Wow have prices soured. Tried to get family or friends to book and car pool to share expenses cruise was to long to get any takers 🙃 we will be hiding ducks as well this cruise.