How were the Good Old Days...not as good?

[SRQbeachgirl]

In contrast to the hot topic thread about the things cruisers miss about Ye Carnival of Olde, I'm starting this thread to highlight some of the things that are gone and cruisers are so glad they were tossed overboard. Or maybe just additions that have been made that make your cruising so much more special in these new-fangled, modern times.

 

I'll start...

 

I don't miss my DH turning green and being out of action due to the combination of smaller ships, less effective stabilizers, and rough seas.

 

I don't miss the only water slide on the ship dumping into the only pool on the ship, meaning that every adult and kid on the ship was competing for the same postage stamp-sized space on sea days.

 

I don't miss being forced to eat in the dining room at a set time with a table full of people I don't know (or don't even share the same language with).

 

I don't miss the only options for late-night dining being hot dogs and hamburgers of questionable origin.

 

I don't miss sweltering in the heat for muster station.

 

I love that the newer ships have glass shower stalls instead of clingy shower curtains that get way too friendly.

 

I love the variety of food available all day and being able to choose different dining venues at night.

 

I love that there are so many options for entertainment, activities, and venues (or just places and opportunities to do nothing at all).

 

I love that there is a ship, itinerary, and cruise length for everyone. 

 

 

[icft]

I love the ease of disembarking these days with the facial recognition.

 

I at first hated, but now love, using the app to make brunch and dinner reservations and being able to see our account summary at any time.

[mz-s]

I love the comedy on Carnival. So far, the other lines I've been on can't compare with Carnival's comedy program.

[BTromboneFrack]

I love the internet (HUB) on the ship.

I love the Steakhouse.

I love Guy's Burgers

I love a multitude of restaurants on the ship

I love the fact we can book our own cruise online

I love that the ships are much more accessible for mobility limited people.

I love the fact that there are TV's in every room.

I love the fact that cruise prices are actually CHEAPER than cruises 34 years ago.

I love not having my toilet and shower in the same cubby hole.

I love having a multitude of ships to choose from, rather than just 4 Carnival ships in 1988.

I love having lots of ports to choose from.

I love that the entertainment is better than it was 34 years ago--and it keeps getting better.

I love the fact that I can taking cooking classes on board some of the ships.

I love the fact that Carnival keeps putting out a great product, even after all of these years.

 

 

[Joebucks]

I can't even count how many times I try to convince a friend or family to cruise only to hear "I did one a long time ago. It was boring." They sailed on an older, smaller ship, and didn't like it. Little do they know they were living the golden age of pillow mints and tablecloths that should have been generations of fond memories.

 

On my latest Carnival cruise on the Celebration, I really enjoyed it. Nightlife was never dull. As there were often 2 comedy shows at once (which are tons of fun) and sometimes 2 stage shows between the theater and new atrium. The amount of bars and food options was great too. I got a solid Sazerc at Latitudes. I think I can speak for a lot of Whiskey drinkers that it's hard to find a bar anywhere that makes a decent whiskey cocktail without being through the roof in price. For me, it's more about the quality vs the quantity of how many I can get. Between the Sazerac at Latitudes and Old Fashioned at Alchemy, I was quite pleased. 

[luvs2beachit]

I love that we no longer are required to drag a separate suitcase packed with a tux, gowns. jewelry and uncomfortable high heels!

I love that we can dress casual or formal.  No judgement!

I love that there are so many dinner options. That our choices are no longer limited to early or late sittings in the MDR.

I love the app.

I love that there are so many activities to choose from.

Most of all I love that there is now a beautiful new Carnival ship sailing out of NY year round!

 

 

 

 

[MississippiMom]

Love the idea of this thread.  I sure wish my memory was better, so I could present a really nice comparison of that first cruise (in 1992) to more recents ones. 
- Back then, all we could hope was that our travel agent was guiding us correctly, since all we had was a brochure that we could glance at; no constant internet searching about ships/ports/etc

- Walking on to a CCL Fantasy for the very first time was NOT like being greeted on the TV show, The Love Boat 😂  (the only reference most of us had)

- There were very few U.S. cruise ports to choose from, which meant the added expense of flying (typically to Miami)

- We took crowded shuttle buses to/from the cruise port/airport, because transportation options were limited and/or expensive

- Shore excursions through the cruise line seemed to be the only options, unless you just walked around the cruise port 

- Limited photo options, since we didn’t walk around with cell phones back then

- Required formal nights.  (I think everyone looked incredibly elegant, which was lovely, however, what a waste of luggage space AND weight.)

- Cash tips for the staff were the norm, which meant you needed to take travelers checks (remember those?) with you and have them cashed, so you could distribute your tips in the provided envelopes.

- Travelers Checks (hadn’t thought about those in YEARS) had to be prepurchased, in person, and then you had to keep up with the identifying numbers in case they got lost/stolen.

- I don’t recall having shampoos, soap, conditioner, etc. included in our tiny cabin restroom

- Smoking EVERYWHERE.  (Sorry to those of you who are addicted, but GROSS.) The crew would sit around in the empty lounges during the day, using them as their own personal smoke rooms.

 

I do miss the ridiculous over-the-top midnight buffets, especially, all of the amazing ice & food sculptures.  It wasn’t about eating at that time for me, but seeing all the talent.

 

I also miss the free alcohol that would randomly pop up on trays that were carried around by the cruise wait staff.  (Yes, free.)

Edited February 28, 2023 by MississippiMom

[hard_eight]

Old nasty tablecloths, gross

 

[Eli_6]

I wasn't around for a lot of the things others have mentioned (or had not cruised with carnival), but my two are:

1. Less likely to get noro/other stomach virus (which my husband has gotten on a ship) due to babies in diapers not sharing pool with adults.

2. Cleaning/cleanliness at buffet seems to have stepped up which I like as a Germa phobe

3. Muster drill is so much better

 

[Eli_6]

Non smoking casino

[FSHLOT]

I do not miss all the paper  receipts we would get for anything and everything you would have to sign for.

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by FSHLOT

[pcvtmom]

17 minutes ago, FSHLOT said:

I do not miss all the paper  receipts we would get for anything and everything you would have to sign for.

 

Yes!  I also do not miss the endless ads for spa, jewelry, shore excursions, etc.  They killed a lot of trees back in the day!

[starstruck05]

I like this topic!

 

I Don't Miss:

 

The old muster drill. 

 

Set dining times only.

 

Smoke everywhere.

 

Twice a room cleaning. (I found it unnecessary and I'm a germaphobe so I don't like people in and out my space like that.)

 

Hairy Chest Contest.

 

 

 

 

I Miss:

 

Midnight Buffet (some of the best food Carnival ever made)

 

Hot dogs/cookies/sandwiches as late night snacks.

 

Hasbro Games

 

Samples in the bathroom.

 

Snacks at the Gold/Diamond/Platinum Party (now that I'm Platinum I can actually go to the party again. Lol)

 

More items at Tea Time and not as rushed.

 

Better deals at the gift shops/better items. There used to be so many cool trinkets and bags etc and now almost nothing. 

 

Libraries 

 

The captain having dinner in the dining room with special guests.

 

FRUIT PUNCH!

 

I Love:

 

The hub app (sometimes)

 

New bigger ships with more activities. 

 

Guys Burgers

 

The more relaxed dining. I still dress up for formal night but only by choice not because I HAVE to.

 

Movies Under The Stars.

 

Less paperwork to fill out at check in and no more declaration forms.

 

Facial recognition 

 

Holes in the sign card already there.

 

No fun times (I know it's back but I actually was okay with it being gone. I like tracking activities on the Hub App and they can do real time changes)

 

[EngIceDave]

I do not miss:

 

Hot, sweaty group muster drill

Two-a-day room cleaning, once is fine for us

 

 

I do miss:

 

The basket of trial sizes

Late night sweets/snacks 

Fruit punch (not that it was good, but better than unsweet tea)

Free room service

 

 

[asalligo]

Sorry, I miss so much more than I like about the new Carnival. If I could step back in time to the old small ships and processes of the past, I am there. I do appreciate that new cruisers do not know what they are missing so old cruisers griping's sound silly, but it was so nice compared to cruising now. 

[EngIceDave]

[SRQbeachgirl]

On 2/27/2023 at 9:16 PM, Joebucks said:

I can't even count how many times I try to convince a friend or family to cruise only to hear "I did one a long time ago. It was boring." They sailed on an older, smaller ship, and didn't like it. Little do they know they were living the golden age of pillow mints and tablecloths that should have been generations of fond memories.

 

On my latest Carnival cruise on the Celebration, I really enjoyed it. Nightlife was never dull. As there were often 2 comedy shows at once (which are tons of fun) and sometimes 2 stage shows between the theater and new atrium. The amount of bars and food options was great too. I got a solid Sazerc at Latitudes. I think I can speak for a lot of Whiskey drinkers that it's hard to find a bar anywhere that makes a decent whiskey cocktail without being through the roof in price. For me, it's more about the quality vs the quantity of how many I can get. Between the Sazerac at Latitudes and Old Fashioned at Alchemy, I was quite pleased. 

 

We often heard the same thing over the years - we'd talk about what a great time we have on cruises and people would say they went on one years ago and hated it because it was boring. They're surprised to hear about all the entertainment now compared to then.

 

They used to just have the nightly show, a nightclub, maybe a piano bar and sometimes a deck party or live music in a couple of venues. Only a couple of bars open at night. No movies under the stars, no multiple comedy shows, no multiple bars with different themes and music options...

 

I'll take the newer ships and offerings over what we had 25 or 30 years ago.

 

[gazingm42]

WE DO NOT miss the muster drill.  My kids at 7 and 8 begged me not to go because it was

so nasty and hot.

 

Love the selections of quick food such as guys burgers etc. 

 

Don't missed the smaller ships and feeling every wave.

 

 

[Drew B 58]

On 2/28/2023 at 4:25 PM, EngIceDave said:

I do not miss:

 

Hot, sweaty group muster drill

Two-a-day room cleaning, once is fine for us

 

 

I do miss:

 

The basket of trial sizes

Late night sweets/snacks 

Fruit punch (not that it was good, but better than unsweet tea)

Free room service

 

 

So many people talk about the basket of trial sizes.  I guess I miss the fact that we got a good laugh out of how pointless it was!  Even if something in it was useful (and that is a big “if”), you didn’t know in advance what would be in it, so you had to pack the things you’d need, anyway.  For example, we often got sample toothpaste, but it’s not like we weren’t going to bring toothpaste already!

[kelkel2]

We didn’t cruise back in the good old old days, our first was in 2010. But I remember the goodie baskets. They were fun, you never knew what you were going to get. I remember I had forgotten a razor and there was a really nice disposable one in the basket so that was s a huge win.

Honestly the one big thing I really miss is the turndown service. It just was nice… you came back from dinner and your room was magically ready for bed. It was a really nice touch. 

[crooooze]

I don’t miss the only way you can research a cruise at home is by thumbing through 10 different cruise line catalog brochures.

I don’t miss having to drive to a travel agent to price and book a cruise and a flight.
I don’t miss waiting anxiously for the cruise docs and luggage tags to come in the mail.

 

 

[hard_eight]

2 hours ago, kelkel2 said:

We didn’t cruise back in the good old old days, our first was in 2010. But I remember the goodie baskets. They were fun, you never knew what you were going to get. I remember I had forgotten a razor and there was a really nice disposable one in the basket so that was s a huge win.

Honestly the one big thing I really miss is the turndown service. It just was nice… you came back from dinner and your room was magically ready for bed. It was a really nice touch. 

Ask for evening service from your steward 🙂

[kelkel2]

21 hours ago, hard_eight said:

Ask for evening service from your steward 🙂

Oh well that’s a whole different topic. But just this past January in a suite on the Mardi Gras we weren’t given a choice. We were told he cleans cabins in the morning. 🤔

[hard_eight]

Not my experience in January...YMMV

[Lee Cruiser]

On 3/1/2023 at 6:53 AM, asalligo said:

Sorry, I miss so much more than I like about the new Carnival. If I could step back in time to the old small ships and processes of the past, I am there.

There are cruise lines out there that have the smaller ships where you can get that type of experience, but not Carnival.  Just expect to pay much higher prices.