Pictures of Cats and also Carnival Venezia Maiden Inaugural First Revenue Cruise

[BlerkOne]

Think we are only going about 12 knots .. Must be a school zone 

 

 

 

 

[coscab]

51 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Think we are only going about 12 knots .. Must be a school zone 

 

 

 

🐟

🐟🐠🐡🐟 🐠 🐡  🐠🐡🐟 🐠 🐡     school of fish

[BlerkOne]

Tonight's menu

 

QR_Menu-D9_VX.pdf

[Haljo1935]

@BlerkOne being a maiden voyage, overall what's your impression of the service being provided - is the crew average, on par w/other ships, BOB (best of the best)...? Where would you say you're seeing the best service and is there anywhere you'd recommend avoiding, if possible?

[BlerkOne]

Just now, Haljo1935 said:

@BlerkOne being a maiden voyage, overall what's your impression of the service being provided - is the crew average, on par w/other ships, BOB (best of the best)...? Where would you say you're seeing the best service and is there anywhere you'd recommend avoiding, if possible?

Overall, this is the best maiden voyage I have been on, and I have been on a number of them. One reason is the ship was already complete before Carnivalization took place. There are some minor glitches - ice machines not working on passenger decks, no ice buckets, things related to Americanization of the ship. But there are refrigerators in the cabins and the A/C blows cold. You can get bags of ice from room service. There are a number of USB ports in the cabin.  I don't see zillions of technicians working on anything and everything. It couldn't hurt that the President of Carnival was on the ship for the first few days of the cruise.

 

Some of the crew is new, some are very experienced. I heard some of the crew weren't able to board in Barcelona so who knows if they caught up or will join in New York. I recommend avoiding the casino. I don't like what passes for pepperoni at the pizzeria, but it was the same on Celebration and I think a European source issue. When the ship reaches the States they will use Americanized pepperoni.

 

Many will complain about the open seating brunch, breakfast. lunch, and perhaps dinner waits. If you check in when the venue opens, there doesn't seem to be a wait. If you check in when most of the other passengers check in, there can be a substantial wait. Checking in for dinner a little before it closes has relatively little wait for us, and it really doesn't matter. If you check in before the venue closes, they will serve you. The ship doesn't run out of food. The comedy club is, as expected, popular. The shows in the main lounge seem well attended.

 

We've had no issues getting off of the ship in ports or back on.

 

To sum it up in two words - No Regrets.

[BlerkOne]

We have found the rain. That should clear the decks for a while. Now all the peeps will be inside. Those on Terrazzo, well, will get wet. Cove balconies are usually nicely covered.

[latebloomer56]

43 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Overall, this is the best maiden voyage I have been on, and I have been on a number of them. One reason is the ship was already complete before Carnivalization took place. There are some minor glitches - ice machines not working on passenger decks, no ice buckets, things related to Americanization of the ship. But there are refrigerators in the cabins and the A/C blows cold. You can get bags of ice from room service. There are a number of USB ports in the cabin.  I don't see zillions of technicians working on anything and everything. It couldn't hurt that the President of Carnival was on the ship for the first few days of the cruise.

 

Some of the crew is new, some are very experienced. I heard some of the crew weren't able to board in Barcelona so who knows if they caught up or will join in New York. I recommend avoiding the casino. I don't like what passes for pepperoni at the pizzeria, but it was the same on Celebration and I think a European source issue. When the ship reaches the States they will use Americanized pepperoni.

 

Many will complain about the open seating brunch, breakfast. lunch, and perhaps dinner waits. If you check in when the venue opens, there doesn't seem to be a wait. If you check in when most of the other passengers check in, there can be a substantial wait. Checking in for dinner a little before it closes has relatively little wait for us, and it really doesn't matter. If you check in before the venue closes, they will serve you. The ship doesn't run out of food. The comedy club is, as expected, popular. The shows in the main lounge seem well attended.

 

We've had no issues getting off of the ship in ports or back on.

 

To sum it up in two words - No Regrets.

No ice in the cabins? Never been on a ship without ice. But if I ask they will bring it to me do you know if this would have a service fee?

Thanks for your posts.

[kwokpot]

37 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

No ice in the cabins? Never been on a ship without ice. But if I ask they will bring it to me do you know if this would have a service fee?

Thanks for your posts.

In it's prior life both Europeans and ESPECIALLY the Chinese don't use ice in their beverages. For the Mainland Chinese it's considered not healthy to drink very cold beverages and actually most drink the opposite, plain HOT water instead of ice water.  

[BlerkOne]

Just now, latebloomer56 said:

No ice in the cabins? Never been on a ship without ice. But if I ask they will bring it to me do you know if this would have a service fee?

Thanks for your posts.

I wouldn't worry about it. There are ice machines but they aren't hooked up or otherwise working. The ice buckets will show up at some point but I doubt on our cruise. Or maybe they did show up and they are just postponing using them. Anyway, a temporary issue. There is no lack of ice on Lido and room service has tons.

 

Room service delivers bags of ice, no charge, although I usually tip a buck or two. They are fine to leave in the shower or sink although I picked up a small cooler in Gibralter that will keep ice for a few hours - much longer if we had room in the mini-fridge which really gets cold.

[BlerkOne]

I think tonight's menu looks weak. It would have been a good night to book the steakhouse or Italian restaurant. Instead I might just have another and check in for last call at the MDR.

 

 

 

 

[BlerkOne]

[BlerkOne]

5 hours ago, Jamman54 said:

It should be clear by the time you get here. 😎

I really hope so - things look bad. A NYC friend of mind has her gas mask on standby.

 

 

[Jamman54]

43 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I really hope so - things look bad. A NYC friend of mind has her gas mask on standby.

 

 

It got really bad this afternoon. Both the Yankees and Phillies cancelled their home games tonight. The sky is a funky yellow / brown / gray color, and you can really smell the smoke. The actual fires are 600 miles away. The air quality is listed as UNHEALTHY! It's said that this should end or shifted in the next couple of days. I wonder if you'll run into it as you approach the northeastern seaboard. 

[Drew B 58]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

I think tonight's menu looks weak. It would have been a good night to book the steakhouse or Italian restaurant. Instead I might just have another and check in for last call at the MDR.

 

 

 

 

I was just thinking that this looks like a great menu (for me) because there is exactly ONE app, entree, and dessert I would want.  Usually there are three apps I want and no entrees, or multiple entrees and no desserts.  I could definitely avoid indecision with this one, and I wouldn’t have to lean on the “always available” menu…

[latebloomer56]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

I wouldn't worry about it. There are ice machines but they aren't hooked up or otherwise working. The ice buckets will show up at some point but I doubt on our cruise. Or maybe they did show up and they are just postponing using them. Anyway, a temporary issue. There is no lack of ice on Lido and room service has tons.

 

Room service delivers bags of ice, no charge, although I usually tip a buck or two. They are fine to leave in the shower or sink although I picked up a small cooler in Gibralter that will keep ice for a few hours - much longer if we had room in the mini-fridge which really gets cold.

Thank you very much was thinking I would need to go to the buffet area each night to fill something for my ice pack I use at night, most nights.

[BlerkOne]

10 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Thank you very much was thinking I would need to go to the buffet area each night to fill something for my ice pack I use at night, most nights.

Even with the current situation, you would not need to. They will deliver.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

I think tonight's menu looks weak. It would have been a good night to book the steakhouse or Italian restaurant. Instead I might just have another and check in for last call at the MDR.

 

 

 

 

I changed my mind. I was pleased with my selections.

 

 

 

 

[BlerkOne]

51 minutes ago, Drew B 58 said:

I was just thinking that this looks like a great menu (for me) because there is exactly ONE app, entree, and dessert I would want.  Usually there are three apps I want and no entrees, or multiple entrees and no desserts.  I could definitely avoid indecision with this one, and I wouldn’t have to lean on the “always available” menu…

I changed my mind and ordered multiple apps. 🙂

[melsmom303]

may i ask why you said to avoid the casino. im thinking of booking this ship but the casino is important to us. ty

 

[BlerkOne]

26 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Thank you very much was thinking I would need to go to the buffet area each night to fill something for my ice pack I use at night, most nights.

They deliver. Not sure what brand of zip bags they use, but they seem to be leakproof.

 

 

[BlerkOne]

Just now, melsmom303 said:

may i ask why you said to avoid the casino. im thinking of booking this ship but the casino is important to us. ty

 

The casino is fine except it keeps taking my money. The non-smoking annex is tiny, but the main casino does have a non-smoking section. I have been close to winning hundreds if not thousands. As in I have been sitting near people who have had nice wins.

[melsmom303]

oh ok ty actually we are smokers.so i wont be in the annex lol

[melsmom303]

i guess im the outcast but im actually disappointed the magic moved from ny i really wanted to sail her. but dont want to sail from norfolk

[BlerkOne]

Today's Capers and Brunch menu

 

funtimes11.pdfQR-SeadayBrunch-Menu-012023-Beignets.pdf

[BlerkOne]

54 degrees and fog. No wonder Titanic ran into an iceberg. They don't care about foghorns.