2/11/24 LIVE Super Bowl Sunday Cruise from Manhattan to Anitgua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Maarten...

[EllieinNJ]

I, too, have lived in the NY/NJ are all my life and have yet to do a fraction of the amazing things to do here.  I remember a few years ago St. Greg did a cruise report when he sailed the Magic out of NYC.  He spent a few days in the city before the cruise and did so much that everyone was amazed at how he got it all in.

 

There are three different groups for this sailing on FB and most seem to be out-of-towners.  Lots of them have tickets for Broadway shows and many are getting together before the cruise to explore and dine.  Unfortunately in February the weather may not cooperate with some plans but hoping there will be no snow on embarkation day. 

[MaryZ]

Lots of posts about this cruise.  We will be on it also.  It's a great itinerary.  Normally we take NCL for these long cruises, but Carnival has offered spectacular deals all year for the Venezia.  This will be our 5th cruise on this ship in the past 6 months. 
It's looks like fun.  The wedding vow renewal for Valentines Day, the Superbowl, Mardi Gras, our anniversary!  Fun trip!

[SailingRNC]

I will be on this sailing too.  Looking forward to visiting NYC for the first time.

 

[SenatorsFan]

I'll be following along. 😀

[EllieinNJ]

Looks like we'll be having great weather for embarkation...low 50's.

[IntrepidFromDC]

It took a long time to achieve Diamond status, which I did last year.  I have cruised a lot since my first cruise in 2013.  I was really looking forward to all the special treatment Diamond status promised.

 

Unfortunately, I just received this letter from Colleen O, each paragraph like a body punch.

 

Only thing missing is a salutation, something like "Dear Diamond Steerage, this letter is being sent to remind you that you're not really that special after all, see details below"...

 

 

Thanks Colleen, you're doing a fine job!

 

Diamond Steerage Jeff

 

Edited February 5 by IntrepidFromDC

[MaryZ]

1 hour ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

It took a long time to achieve Diamond status, which I did last year.  I have cruised a lot since my first cruise in 2013.  I was really looking forward to all the special treatment Diamond status promised.

 

 

 

Diamond Steerage Jeff

 

It's always like this on Journey cruises.  We are Diamond also.  It's really not a big deal.  At least half the ship is Diamond and Platinum. 
Just look at it from a different perspective.  You are on a ship with tons of people who have cruised Carnival many times and know how to have a good time!
 

[nycruise1]

1 hour ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Unfortunately, I just received this letter from Colleen O, each paragraph like a body punch.

Just received this letter as well but not surprised.  A 12-day cruise out of NYC will attract many D/P cruisers.  It is my first Journeys cruise, curious to see if it is that much different.  My first Carnival cruise was over 30 years ago so maybe they will have activities I remember from 'back in the day'.

[EllieinNJ]

According to the 1000 members each of three different FB groups this cruise is mostly made up of casino people with a great comp.  This is only my 4th Carnival cruise so just a lowly gold but got a great price last year during their birthday celebration.

[MaryZ]

4 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

According to the 1000 members each of three different FB groups this cruise is mostly made up of casino people with a great comp.  This is only my 4th Carnival cruise so just a lowly gold but got a great price last year during their birthday celebration.

Yes, I'm sure the casino will be quite busy.  We just paid port charges and taxes, plus we have onboard credit to play in the casino   All of our cruises for the next two years on Carnival are booked like that.

[ninjacat123]

4 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

It took a long time to achieve Diamond status, which I did last year.  I have cruised a lot since my first cruise in 2013.  I was really looking forward to all the special treatment Diamond status promised.

 

Unfortunately, I just received this letter from Colleen O, each paragraph like a body punch.

 

Only thing missing is a salutation, something like "Dear Diamond Steerage, this letter is being sent to remind you that you're not really that special after all, see details below"...

 

 

Thanks Colleen, you're doing a fine job!

 

Diamond Steerage Jeff

 

I hope you get the Diamond lunch. 🤞

[bjd2]

We're getting ready to fly from Wisconsin for this cruise. I can't believe it's finally here. It's our 18th and 1st Journeys.

 

We did a B2B on Celebration last year and a week on Mardi Gras the year before. I hear many great things about this ship and can't wait to find out for myself.

[IntrepidFromDC]

12 hours ago, bjd2 said:

We're getting ready to fly from Wisconsin for this cruise. I can't believe it's finally here. It's our 18th and 1st Journeys.

 

We did a B2B on Celebration last year and a week on Mardi Gras the year before. I hear many great things about this ship and can't wait to find out for myself.

Focusing on the "Journeys" aspect of this cruise, which I failed to do, this is my third Journeys and the thing that surprised me was the additional free upscale meal all Diamonds get on Journeys cruises, I think both times I had it on Ledo deck and they marketed it as "al fresco dinner" - you get an invitation in your cabin (might include Platinum too?)... anyway it would be awesome if others who enjoy Journeys cruises could add their thoughts, TIA.  bjd2 I'll be looking for you on Venezia to say hi.

Edited February 6 by IntrepidFromDC

[ninjacat123]

8 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Focusing on the "Journeys" aspect of this cruise, which I failed to do, this is my third Journeys and the thing that surprised me was the additional free upscale meal all Diamonds get on Journeys cruises, I think both times I had it on Ledo deck and they marketed it as "al fresco dinner" - you get an invitation in your cabin (might include Platinum too?)... anyway it would be awesome if others who enjoy Journeys cruises could add their thoughts, TIA.  bjd2 I'll be looking for you on Venezia to say hi.

Al fresco sounds great!  Does Carnival cordon off an area so there is privacy? What time does this dinner occur?  Sounds fancy!😃

[IntrepidFromDC]

Just now, ninjacat123 said:

Al fresco sounds great!  Does Carnival cordon off an area so there is privacy? What time does this dinner occur?  Sounds fancy!😃

It was kind of fancy, yes they cordon off the al fresco area which seemed really weird at first - I think mainly because since there's no announcement about this special dinner, unsuspecting non-invitees who didn't have invitation in hand were curious and asking staff if it was a special event or something.  Hard to imagine, with the party atmosphere that Carnival provides and encourages, that people can't lounge on Ledo one evening without notice.  I can't remember if alcohol was free or not, but the food was better than most Ledo deck and MDR food, not as good as Steakhouse or Il Viaggo.

[IntrepidFromDC]

On 2/3/2024 at 2:14 PM, SailingRNC said:

I will be on this sailing too.  Looking forward to visiting NYC for the first time.

 

For a first-time visitor, I recommend walking around Mott St. in Chinatown and Central Park, and highly recommend walking around Times Square at night.

[ninjacat123]

3 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

It was kind of fancy, yes they cordon off the al fresco area which seemed really weird at first - I think mainly because since there's no announcement about this special dinner, unsuspecting non-invitees who didn't have invitation in hand were curious and asking staff if it was a special event or something.  Hard to imagine, with the party atmosphere that Carnival provides and encourages, that people can't lounge on Ledo one evening without notice.  I can't remember if alcohol was free or not, but the food was better than most Ledo deck and MDR food, not as good as Steakhouse or Il Viaggo.

I would wonder as well.  Our last cruise in January, there was a wedding before sailaway (fun to peek at the bride as she was getting ready to enter the room for the ceremony) and then after sailaway (I'm pretty sure) there was a private shindig in the nightclub around 5pm-ish.  I just assumed it was the wedding party reception.  I didn't care about not having access to the nightclub at that time but I would have thought the Lido area being cordoned off kinda frustrating.  And then I would have gone to Alchemy and ordered a Fiery Passion Tropical Martini and all would be right in Ninjacatland😹

[IntrepidFromDC]

6 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

I would wonder as well.  Our last cruise in January, there was a wedding before sailaway (fun to peek at the bride as she was getting ready to enter the room for the ceremony) and then after sailaway (I'm pretty sure) there was a private shindig in the nightclub around 5pm-ish.  I just assumed it was the wedding party reception.  I didn't care about not having access to the nightclub at that time but I would have thought the Lido area being cordoned off kinda frustrating.  And then I would have gone to Alchemy and ordered a Fiery Passion Tropical Martini and all would be right in Ninjacatland😹

 

Must try this mysterious mixture ninjacat call Fiery Passion Tropical Martini THIS CRUISE!

[ninjacat123]

3 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

 

Must try this mysterious mixture ninjacat call Fiery Passion Tropical Martini THIS CRUISE!

I like it best made with Mezcal🍹

Edited February 6 by ninjacat123

[Jamman54]

37 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Focusing on the "Journeys" aspect of this cruise, which I failed to do, this is my third Journeys and the thing that surprised me was the additional free upscale meal all Diamonds get on Journeys cruises, I think both times I had it on Ledo deck and they marketed it as "al fresco dinner" - you get an invitation in your cabin (might include Platinum too?)... anyway it would be awesome if others who enjoy Journeys cruises could add their thoughts, TIA.  bjd2 I'll be looking for you on Venezia to say hi.

I did a whole section about the al fresco dinner when we were on the Venezia. Click on the link and scroll down a bit.

 

Al fresco dinner

[ninjacat123]

3 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

I did a whole section about the al fresco dinner when we were on the Venezia. Click on the link and scroll down a bit.

 

Al fresco dinner

Thanks Jamman!  I was picturing an area like a "typical" Carnival Lido area (like by Guy's or Blue Iguana) and this looks more secluded.  Looks like you and Patti had a fun and yummy meal!

[Jamman54]

2 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

Thanks Jamman!  I was picturing an area like a "typical" Carnival Lido area (like by Guy's or Blue Iguana) and this looks more secluded.  Looks like you and Patti had a fun and yummy meal!

If this was done on a "regular" Carnival ship, it would have been between the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar and Blue Iguana Cantina on the port side of the Lido Deck. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

11 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

I did a whole section about the al fresco dinner when we were on the Venezia. Click on the link and scroll down a bit.

 

Al fresco dinner

Thanks Jeff, the pics are great and bring the experience back to life for me.  That salmon looks great, I might try that this time.

[IntrepidFromDC]

I have one more excursion to buy, for St. Lucia.  I just now logged on to carnival.com to see if they have one I want before comparing to independent local operators, and was delighted, momentarily, to see I can get discounted internet if I purchase the excursion and internet at the same time.  Momentarily...

 

 

Why would clicking on the Excursions link take me to a page with an expired code?  🤨

 

Colleen, get your minions working on this!

[IntrepidFromDC]

Lord!  It's a miracle!  Expired code worked!