Carnival 55+

[kathy32259]

I don't see much activity on this site for those 55+. I am a loyal Carnival Cruiser and was wondering if there were any others out there?

 

We had so much fun on the Triumph New Years cruise we booked again for this New Year and the week after - back to back two weeks!:)

 

There are three of us - and if any of you were on that cruise you would probably remember us - they called us the Golden Girls!:eek:

 

Hope to hear from those who enjoy Carnival as much as we do!

[Cotton]

I don't see much activity on this site for those 55+. I am a loyal Carnival Cruiser and was wondering if there were any others out there?

 

Hi Kathy. I guess you just haven't read many of the threads on here. About half of us on this particular forum (55+) are diehard Carnival cruisers. Laura just 'gave us' this new forum a few months ago. Do a search and see what pops up.;)

[kathy32259]

Cotton - this forum is pretty slow. I was just hoping to meet some folks in the same category as I am - so thanks for writing. I keep watching the 55+ for new people - new info. What do you suggest I search on? Glad to hear it is a pretty new forum. Maybe the pace will pick up a bit!

 

I am pretty new to CC - just found it about a month ago. Wish I had known earlier. I have received a lot of good ideas and suggestions from the boards.

[duckman715]

We are a couple, over 55, who have sailed most of the major lines. For pure value our favorite is Carnival. The best food and friendliest staff. Sure, there are individual items which we like better on other lines, but for value for the money spent our vote is for Carnival. A late night for us is 10:00 so we are not real party folks but we have met some wonderful people on these trips and find a real mix of passengers there.

Bill

[kathy32259]

Nice to hear from you Bill! I have only cruised on Carnival - so I can't compare - but every time I look at the other cruise lines the fares are much higher for the time and itinerary I want to travel. So Carnival is a real value for me - and I don't know any better.:)

 

I would be interested to hear what ports you have visited - and what ships the two of you were on. I have only been to the Western Caribbean once and all the other times to the Eastern and Southern.

 

We have looked at the Hawaii cruises - but would rather go round trip and Carnival doesn't do that. If you have cruised the Pacific, Hawaii, or Alaska I would be interested to hear about your experience.

 

Have a great Weekend!

[mfeenker]

Hi All, Just wanted to post a short message. As a 55+. solo/single cruiser I have gained valueble information and hopefully given some as well. What a wonderful site we have been allowed to use to connect with others.

[Annieeee]

Hi Kathy, Michael, and Cotton

 

I am a 55+ cruiser. And I sometimes sail solo, though I am not single. My husband is not always able to travel and so I go alone or with the cruise club for ladies that I belong to.

 

I watch this thread now and then, but as you said it is a bit slow, maybe if we post every couple of days we will get some interest going and maybe some new solo cruisers.

 

Oops oh arrghhh! Well I see this is a Carnval thread, I have cruised on Carnival twice, and that was many years ago. I do prefer RCI. Still no matter what cruise line one prefers, solo cruising can be expensive, wish there were more solo cruiser friendly lines.

 

Annieeee

[kathy32259]

One of my dearest friends is named Annie! :D

 

I posted this as a Carnival thread because I was hoping to meet some solo's like me on some of my cruises. But you are certainly welcome! I would love to hear about your cruise club!

 

Though I am usually solo in my cabin - I have only cruised with friends or family. Never totally solo. I am trying to get up the nerve. My problem is, I am able to go more often than my friends are able. I would consider another cruise line - if the price was right - but because Carnival has historically been the better priced cruise line - and I don't know any better - I stick to Carnival. See all the Triumph cruises below!! The price was right and I love the Eastern Itinerary.

[caribbean dreams]

I'm not quite in the 55+ group yet but i hope you will still let me join you.

I am a grandma of 3 and very much enjoy hanging out with the 55+ groups while cruising. I like to have fun but am not the party animal i used to be, i find myself wanting to have a drink, just 1 don't drink much, as a matter of fact, i do not drink at all but there is something about getting on a ship that just makes me want to have a froo froo drink.

[Venturagirl]

I am 55+ and have cruised with my husband and children beginning with Carnival in the mid 1980's and late 1990's to the Mexican Riviera, with Princess in the early 1990's to Alaska, and with HAL to the Sea of Cortez and the Western Caribbean. Now my kids are grown and I, being retired, have more time to travel than my husband who is still working and hates to fly even when he can get away. So I've been reading this forum and the Solo one to see if maybe I might want to cruise alone. I'm struck by how many cruisers repeat the same itinerary. For those who do, could you discuss why you choose to repeat and also what you do ashore at ports that you have already seen to keep the trip fresh and interesting? I would be ever so grateful to hear your thoughts!:)

[NC_Biker]

I am in the 55+ group I guess. I've been 39 for about 16 years. I hear people die after 40:eek: . I look forward to my first cruise. My wife and I are on Carnival in Alaska. I'm just jumping from thread to thread trying to gain information that will help me on my first cruise.

 

I just wanted to say hello.:D

[KSTAZMAN]

Hi folks.I`m in the 55+. My wife has a couple of years yet.

 

I just found this place too. And I have been in CC for years. We are cruising Carnival for the second time.First was on the Pride when she was almost new.We really liked it. Now that she is on the left coast we have an excuse to check her out again.

 

We picked Elation because of the new itinerary.Two new places. Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk. And getting to see San Juan in the daylight.

 

We don`t have a preferred ship line yet. Shoot we have had such good times on all of them it`s hard to pick.

 

I`ll have to check back with you and see how this thread is going.

 

John

[kathy32259]

KSTAXMAN, NC_Biker, ventura girl, mfeenker - Just wanted to take the time to say hello and to welcome you to this thread. It surely is a slow mover - and I am wondering - why is that do you suppose?

 

Even I was slow to respond this week - :eek:

 

I have a question - :confused: do you all have a favorite PVP that you work with all of the time, - or do you just pick up the phone and schedule your cruise with whoever answers - or do you use a TA?

 

I have personally just picked up the phone and called the cruise line. Spoke with whatever PVP answered the phone. I am wondering if I could get a better deal if I got to know and continued to call the same PVP??

 

Since most of us should be getting the 55+ discount.....:D

[KSTAZMAN]

Maybe it`s slow because we are all over 55.:D Don`t know for sure.

 

We use a TA. Her husband is my oldest friend. We met when I started going to his grade school. We were 10. So soon it will be 51 years we have known one another. We shared a cabin with them on the Disney Magic on our first cruise. That got us hooked. Once a year since.

 

Does this PVP stand for personal vacation professional?? Curious.

 

John

[KSTAZMAN]

Hi ho all.Still not much going on here.

 

Check back again.

 

John

[Faith77]

I enjoy looking at the different threads to read information about future cruises. I'll be 55 this year and I usually cruise solo.

 

I found very little real difference between my Carnival Miracle and Star Princess cruises. Some pluses for me about Carnival--I enjoy a more casual cruise atmosphere, lots of nighttime entertainment choices, and Carnival offers pretty good deals (the 1As) for solo cruisers.

 

On each of my cruises I usually try a different itinerary and always cruise on a new (at least to me) ship.

 

Faith

[KSTAZMAN]

Our cruise on Elation met a couple of those things. It`s a new itenrary. And is a good price.So I jumped on it quick. It`s the first time I knew where our next cruise was going to be before we took the one we had booked.Carnival had sent me an email telling me about it.

 

John

[georgette923]

Hi ALL,

We are both 55+ and on the same cruise as John (KSTAZMAN).

 

We use a TA to make our cruise reservations. She is a good friend of ours. Air and hotel we usually do ourselves.

 

We enjoy Carnival, this will be our 7th Carnival cruise. You can't beat the value of a Carnival cruise. We tell our friends the same thing. We've had several of our friends start cruising on Carnival.

 

Our first cruise was on the NCL Sun, we got hooked!! We enjoyed NCL cruises too.

 

This past January we went on the Coral Princess and really enjoyed the 10 days and Panama Canal. We would definitely do that one again.

 

I can't say there is much difference between the three cruise lines. The only difference was on the Princess ship they would put fresh fruit in your cabin if you liked and the cabin had a nice dressing area/closet.

 

There's no such thing as a bad cruise!!! Cruising and going to Vegas are our favorite vacations. (leaving for Vegas May 27 for 10 days :D )

 

Have a great rest of the weekend!!

[Venturagirl]

In answer to Kathy's question about using a TA or booking directly, I find that I am doing more and more directly these days. The reason I use a TA is to get advice from someone who knows the destination, or in the case of my upcoming Viking River Cruise, something about the type of trip I am booking if it is new to me. But even though I used a TA to book my river cruise, I have booked the rest of the trip myself through the internet. For example, based on advice from posters to the River Cruise board on Cruise Critic, I researched and booked my own air for this trip on the airline's web site rather than using Viking's air, and we will spend 2 days in Amsterdam on our own before our cruise. My TA sent me some reviews of hotels he pulled from his sources on the internet, but they were not available on my dates when I checked them, so I used TripAdvisor and Rick Steve's book to research and contact hotels. I find I like the process of doing it all myself, as long as advice from this board and other sources can be used to inform decisions. I learn more about the areas I will visit when I am researching on my own, and I enjoy email conversations with potential providers. I had a charming series of email conversations with representatives of the hotel I finally chose in Amsterdam, and I am looking forward to putting some faces together with the names I have learned. :)

[Faith77]

Venturagirl,

 

I did a Russia riverboat cruise last June. I was curious--what is the itinerary for your cruise? I'm sure that you will have a wonderful trip.

 

I felt that my Russia riverboat trip was the best way to see/experience Russia the first time.

 

I was thinking that maybe next year I would do a cruise out of Amsterdam and spend a few days touring before the cruise.

 

faith

[2CrusinOldies]

One of my dearest friends is named Annie! :D

 

I posted this as a Carnival thread because I was hoping to meet some solo's like me on some of my cruises. But you are certainly welcome! I would love to hear about your cruise club!

 

Though I am usually solo in my cabin - I have only cruised with friends or family. Never totally solo. I am trying to get up the nerve. My problem is, I am able to go more often than my friends are able. I would consider another cruise line - if the price was right - but because Carnival has historically been the better priced cruise line - and I don't know any better - I stick to Carnival. See all the Triumph cruises below!! The price was right and I love the Eastern Itinerary.

 

Hi Kathy,

 

Since you are hoping to find other people cruising solo, you might try checking the boards titled "Solo Cruisers" and Single Cruisers."

While searching around on this site, I happen to see those two titles and thought of you.

Can't wait to meet you on May 6th.:)

Since this is a 55+ I would imagine sooner or later it will be filling up with couples as well as solo/singles who are 55+.

[momoforthodoc]

hello all!

 

i too am 55, turning 56 in two months so i do fit into this group!

 

i traveled solo last may, a transatlantic/repo on the star princess. i have never been on carnival but by reading some of these posts it seems people our age do enjoy the line. i remember when carnival was basically a party ship. while i enjoy a good time and usually stay up late while i'm on board, i'm not the party person i once was.

 

my next cruise is in may on hal, my first time with them, and i'm traveling with a friend from australia. i hear they're much more traditional so i wonder if that means sedate, should be interesting to compare.

 

i usually use a ta, the same one for three of my trips. she seems to get me decent fares although now as a solo cruiser i get to pay the big bucks. has anyone found any good deals for those on their own?

 

jeralyn ;)

[Venturagirl]

Venturagirl,

 

I did a Russia riverboat cruise last June. I was curious--what is the itinerary for your cruise? I'm sure that you will have a wonderful trip.

 

I felt that my Russia riverboat trip was the best way to see/experience Russia the first time.

 

I was thinking that maybe next year I would do a cruise out of Amsterdam and spend a few days touring before the cruise.

 

faith

 

Hi, Faith,

 

The cruise DH and I are taking is Viking's Grand European Tour, Amsterdam to Budapest. It starts with embarkation and the following day in Amsterdam and then stops in Cologne, Rudesheim, Mainz, Wertheim, Wurzburg, provides a bus excursion to Rothenburg, stops at Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. So it covers the river towns and cities of 5 countries -- Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, with walking tours and coach tours and free time included in the price of the cruise. I understand the scenery along these rivers is spectacular and that the towns are charming. I'm VERY excited, and I think I, too, would like to see Russia in the same way. Do you have a trip report of your Russian trip posted somewhere? I should have looked before asking. I will be posting a report on the River Cruise board when I get back. If you have any specific questions, ask now and I'll make sure to get answers while on my trip and post them when I return.

[Faith77]

Venturagirl,

 

I think that you will love the combination of rivercruising and touring that is your itinerary for your trip. Since these boats can go and port in more places than large cruiseships, this type of trip, IMO, would be more relaxed than cruising on a larger ship where a big part of one's day is travelling back and forth to large cities.

 

Anyway, my Russia rivercruise started with 4 nights in St Petersburg, than we travelled for 7 nights stopping at the smaller towns & cities along the way, and the trip ended with 4 nights in Moscow at a Stalin era hotel. I did the cruise with Grand Circle Travel and they did a wonderful job. I look forward to hearing about your trip.

 

Faith

[Venturagirl]

Faith,

 

I've noticed in some of your posts that you sometimes travel solo. I am thinking of doing that because my husband can only get away once a year and I have the travel bug and want to go more often, particularly overseas. Did you go solo on your Russia cruise? If so, was that a good or mediocre experience going solo with GCT?