Going Live! Carnival Venezia NYC 🗽 Canada/NE B2B Sept 16-29

[Haljo1935]

Good morning, Portland!!

[Haljo1935]

12 hours ago, happycruiser220 said:

...Is there a place to purchase future cruises? I was looking for one on Magic last year but didn't see any. So looking forward to Friday. 

Thank you.

I think I missed answering your 2nd question - no place to purchase future cruises. 😞

[Haljo1935]

Currently 57° 88% humidity, headed to 65°. Portland looks to be the warmest of our 3 ports.

[Haljo1935]

Few more pics as the sun starts to come up here in Portland; we got in hours ahead of schedule. NCL has joined us.

[Haljo1935]

Me and my French Vanilla creamers are waiting ever so impatiently for breakfast. Dining room mostly empty of pax, lots of Servers ready for them to arrive, though.

Also waiting on coffee refill.

Pretty view while we wait.

[Haljo1935]

Our orders: oatmeal, banana 🍌 vanilla Danish & crispy bacon; egg hard fried, ham, crispy bacon 🥓 chocolate muffin & vanilla Danish. Grapefruit OJ blend & coffee.

Server refilled the coffee w/decaf - I wasn't drinking decaf, but guess I am now.

 

[Haljo1935]

We have a small bit of time before our Kennebunkport tour to explore the port. Stopping by the cabin before we head out.

Ship time is an hour ahead of local time, so that's confusing - I hope I don't screw up.🫣

[Jules8888]

On 9/24/2023 at 4:46 AM, Haljo1935 said:

Hey @Jules8888 we're confirmed for Terrazzo Sea Day brunch Thurs 1130 if you want to go with us.

Hope you had an easy time getting on.

We would love to join you, but our reservation isn’t until 12:30 Thursday unless you have extra seats?

[Jules8888]

13 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

We have a small bit of time before our Kennebunkport tour to explore the port. Stopping by the cabin before we head out.

Ship time is an hour ahead of local time, so that's confusing - I hope I don't screw up.🫣

We are in Kennebunkport right now! Such a cute place. Look for me!  I’m in a blue sweater. 😜 

[skywalkr2]

I was on the 9/16 sailing, and my quick rundown:

 

1.) Somehow we got lucky and had great weather almost every day.  It was like a miracle.

2.) The boat was even more beautiful in person than it is on the website.  Honestly I was super impressed by this ship's design.  

3.) The crew seemed like they are still learning the ropes.  Not quite as happy, outgoing, etc as I see typically from Carnival crew.  Somedays they were moving very slowly and not enthusiastic (maybe due to the older crowd?)

4.) The only problem with the ship is the Theater.  This should be a newer ship with a newer theater, but its TINY and the stage is like the older ships with less area for big shows.  Coming from the Magic on my last cruise this was a HUGE disappointment for me.  First - you had to be in line about 60 minutes before showtime to even have a chance to get a seat and Second - the stage is so small the only real stage items they have is some small risers, no background objects, nothing coming out of the floor, etc.  At most they play with a big background video screen only.

5.) All that above being said, the entertainers did a great job and all their voices were fantastic.

6.) Food was the same as what I remember previously.  Maybe slightly less quality, but still good.  I thought the Lobster was actually pretty decently sized this time.

7.) The pay Italian restaurant is hit or miss.  I got the fried appetizer and the Steak Pizzaiola, and thought both were great.  My wife got the Shrimp Scampi and she didn't like it at all.

8.) The lido deck was NOT slippery.

9.) There was a midnight buffet quite a few times, but I never went.

10.) The Platinum gift was still a fanny pack.

11.) Did 3 excursions and all were great.  St John - St Martin, Halifax - Peggy's Cove, Sydney - Taste of Cabot Trail.

[MsTabbyKats]

@skywalkr2Thank you for the "not slippery deck" report!

 

[skywalkr2]

12 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

@skywalkr2Thank you for the "not slippery deck" report!

 

 

I mostly wore tennis shoes if that helps at all.  But I am not sure where the slippery/padded comments came from.  I didn't notice the flooring being any different than what I am used to.

[MsTabbyKats]

45 minutes ago, skywalkr2 said:

 

I mostly wore tennis shoes if that helps at all.  But I am not sure where the slippery/padded comments came from.  I didn't notice the flooring being any different than what I am used to.

But, I have to say, your theatre report disappointed me.  I'm not that picky about "what's on the stage"....doesn't have to be b'way caliber....but having a seat would be nice!

[Hogladyrider]

@Haljo1935...excuse me for asking a personal question, but why up at 5 am when on vacation?

 

Is anything even open on the ship at 5 am?  Or maybe up for room service delivery of coffee.

 

Enjoy your day in Portland!

[skywalkr2]

47 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

But, I have to say, your theatre report disappointed me.  I'm not that picky about "what's on the stage"....doesn't have to be b'way caliber....but having a seat would be nice!

 

It was my biggest disappointment.  And I honestly do not understand how they designed a 4000 person cruise with a theater this small.

[noshoobie]

2 hours ago, skywalkr2 said:

 

It was my biggest disappointment.  And I honestly do not understand how they designed a 4000 person cruise with a theater this small.

Our only disappointment was the size of the two pools. Both of them were clearly too small for the amount of passengers on the ship.

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

@skywalkr2Thank you for the "not slippery deck" report!

 

Yes, I agree I have not found it to be slippery.

[Haljo1935]

11 minutes ago, noshoobie said:

Our only disappointment was the size of the two pools. Both of them were clearly too small for the amount of passengers on the ship.

Yes, they are very small. I think the originally intended passengers likely had different pool preferences than the current US passengers. 

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Hogladyrider said:

@Haljo1935...excuse me for asking a personal question, but why up at 5 am when on vacation?

 

Is anything even open on the ship at 5 am?  Or maybe up for room service delivery of coffee.

 

Enjoy your day in Portland!

Well, first, thanks for the concern 😊 I'd like to say it's something as fun as morning room service coffee, but not that glamorous  - I am working most days, so not not a full vacation. And I am so used to getting up early, I don't know how not to.🫣

I planned on working from my glorious aft wrap balcony, but Mother Nature surely had other plans. Makes for nice pictures, though, right?

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, skywalkr2 said:

 

I mostly wore tennis shoes if that helps at all.  But I am not sure where the slippery/padded comments came from.  I didn't notice the flooring being any different than what I am used to.

Me neither, I've just worn my sandals & been fine. I think the honed tile instead of polished tile makes a huge difference. 

[happycruiser220]

9 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

I think I missed answering your 2nd question - no place to purchase future cruises. 😞

It's ok. Thank you. I know you're on your awesome cruise and trying to answer our questions.  Much appreciated. 

[Hogladyrider]

22 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Well, first, thanks for the concern 😊 I'd like to say it's something as fun as morning room service coffee, but not that glamorous  - I am working most days, so not not a full vacation. And I am so used to getting up early, I don't know how not to.🫣

I planned on working from my glorious aft wrap balcony, but Mother Nature surely had other plans. Makes for nice pictures, though, right?

Oh now I understand, thanks!  When I was working I also got up early.  After I retired in 2016 it took me about 6 months to stop waking up every day at 4:30 am....now 8 years later, no problemo no more waking up that early. 

 

Three days a week this summer we are up at 6:30 to go to work at 9....we need our coffee and computer time and that is enough early wake up that I care to deal with! 

[happycruiser220]

3 hours ago, Hogladyrider said:

@Haljo1935...excuse me for asking a personal question, but why up at 5 am when on vacation?

 

Is anything even open on the ship at 5 am?  Or maybe up for room service delivery of coffee.

 

Enjoy your day in Portland!

I wake up at 5am when I'm on the cruise so I can do my 3 miles around the track then head to the gym. I'm an early bird at home. Wake up at 4am to go to work. 😃😃

[Haljo1935]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:15 AM, Haljo1935 said:

...All walls except the "wood" around the mirror and the padded headboard are magnetic, including the door. That's the excursion ticket envelope held in place w/hook magnet on the inside and outside of the door, so our door is magnetic, as is bathroom door. It must vary be location. We are aft wrap, for reference. 

Here are the other pictures showing both the inside and outside of our cabin door is magnetic. I believe it depends on where you're located - we're aft.

[Haljo1935]

3 minutes ago, happycruiser220 said:

I wake up at 5am when I'm on the cruise so I can do my 3 miles around the track then head to the gym. I'm an early bird at home. Wake up at 4am to go to work. 😃😃

See - ship laps, that's glamorous 🤭 and congrats!! I aspire to that.