Tootie

I agree Kendall. It is a pain but still practically not available. You bring your luggage onboard but you can't usually take it to your cabin. Thus, you have to lug it around until you can get to your cabin. My only embarkation point is at Galveston and because we aren't able to know the status of cabin availability, we hand it over to the "red caps" and it's loaded onboard. Usually it is several hours before it's delivered. Early delivery is rare and both the boss and I have needs specific needs that aren't met.

Unfortunately, this benefit is not regularly available. More often than not, we are directed to have a "red cap" or luggage handler take our luggage. I have aked how we go about taking our own bags to the room to drop it off and the red caps/luggage handlers know nothing about it. The end result is we don't get our luggage for up to 4 hours after boarding.

I can't say when we began using STEP but it was long ago. The State Department is the only place I know of to layout our trip plans and it has served us well. We have seen quite a few Level 4 reports but none to any place we go. I'm not sure about Jamaica right now but it was Level 3 in our last 2 or 3 trips. 

Based on many recent reports, Jamaica may be Level 4 or about to become that rank. That will surely have an effect on cruising both for cruise lines and the cruisers. Some of the reports are a bit scary in describing serious crimes and that might force Carnival and other lines to reconsider travel there much like Red Sea routes have been suspended. While crime is a far cry from war, its prevalence in ports is something we follow closely with STEP. 

While there is likely no way to disguise ourselves as locals rather than cruisers, you try to play down any affluence - rings, watches and other "flashy" jewelry, it is equally important to maintain awareness of your surroundings. Always take a wide view and be ready to respond immediately. 

When we first began cruising, we always carried our passports when we left the ship. Now, things are different. All we need is our sail and sign card and a government issued photo ID. At our age, health issues may crop up at any time so we do carry a photo copy of our passport. It's just so much easier to leave the passport in the cabin safe - no worries about losing it. We also go into a port with a minimum of cash and one credit card. We have photo copies of all of our cards and the appropriate phone numbers in case of any emergency. We've never had any problems off the ship but being prepared, to the extent we can, is the way to go.

We typically do buy the package but the new increase won't be an issue for us at this time as we're always on longer cruises. Having said that, these increases likely presage that happening fleet-wide in the not too distant future.

We've never approached the 15 drink limit - I've done, perhaps as many as 8. But one of my favorite pours is the Cadillac Margarita - simply a pour of Grand Marnier over a spoon into an otherwise normal margarita. It counts as 2 drinks, something I'm not too crazy about as I have to wait 15 minutes to get the Grand Marnier after ordering the margarita. In essence,my 8 drinks would count as 16 - not good. Still, if you have 5 or 6 drinks a day, you'll save some $$$ with the package!

BTW - coffee, sodas, and, I would guess water, do not count against the 15 drink limit. Unless something has changed, the limit only applies to alcoholic beverages.

On 11/9/2023 at 1:13 PM, Kendall James-Vargas said:

@TootieI hope Galveston does get a Fun Italian Style ship, and I do foresee this happening soon. Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze are the two Fun Italian Style ships as of late, and their Italian-style decor is over the top stunning! There is no way that Long Beach, Port Canaveral, and New York will be the only homeports for these beauties. Have you been on either of these ships before? 

https://www.cruisehive.com/additional-ship-joins-the-carnival-cruise-line-fleet/96896

Sadly, no, I haven't had that experience yet. I eagerly await that opportunity and I hope you'll be aboard in your new position. We always enjoy your presence, You're the premiere host across the Carnival fleet!

When will Galveston get a Fun Italian Style ship? It seems unfair to have them available on the east and west coasts but not the gulf coast.                                      Dateci una nave, per favore

That's almost a 25% increase in about 15 months. While I agree staff works, the gratuities are out of whack in my book. How long does it take to "clean" a cabin - we already pay 18% on all alcoholic drinks and that is ridiculously high. We hear that the tips are shared but to what extent? When we tip our room steward - on top of the assessed fee - is that shared or does the cabin team keep that among themselves? Same for the dining room staff and the bar. I'm pretty generous with gratuities but by the time you add up all of the tips you give to staff individually and kick in the 18%, your vacation is approaching 25% to 30% in tips. Way too much!

How strange that everything is rosy according to Carnival's CEO. So what is wrong wth the stock? Reported today in Cruise Hive News that records have been recorded in every facet of the Carnival operation. While the CEO and other officers are going to rake in huge performance bonuses,we stockholders are taking a bath. A little help please!

On 5/25/2023 at 1:38 PM, Cruising Caribbean said:

@Tootie That's so cool that you are able to cruise that often! This must be your favorite way to vacation; it's undoubtedly my favorite too. With the rate you are cruising and spending with CCL, how long would it take to become a Diamond loyalty member? It seems you have been really pleased with Carnival Cruise Line and have no interest in cruising with any other line. What do you think attracts you to CCL the most? 

We lack about 80 days to make Diamond. It's possible but we are thinking about going back to driving vacations. In 2 weeks, except for Journeys, we can see more of the U.S. that we haven't seen before. There's much to see worldwide and time is becoming more and more precious with grandkids being a huge focus for us.

On our cruise on the Dream this year, my wife and I both had a $25 casino credit. When we went to play the slots, we discovered there aren't really any penny machines anymore. Oh, they call them penny machines but the minimum bet is $ .75. Needless to say, our credits disappeared in less than 5 minutes. That pretty much tells me that where I enjoyed the casino on more than a dozen previous cruises, I won't be going back unless I choose a table game. Frankly, I consider the issue to be trying to "take the last nickel out of my pocket" - in this case at the rate of 15 at a time. This was in the smoke free casino.

While I agree that safety comes first re tendering to the 2 Greenland ports, the refund is puny. Too many days at sea now, and with all of the Canadian stops - no offense, eh - $200 per person, assuming 2 people in a cabin - just seems more than a little meager. Carnival should re-think their compensation offer. You can put lipstick on a pig but in the end, it s still a pig!

He does the entire job once we decide on a specific cruise. And that is how he makes his $$$. We don't use him for menial things that we can do ourselves but he would do anything we request. The important thing to us and him is once you establish a relationship and let him handle the details, keep going back because he is the best and you are his priority. Reach him at bbell@carnival.com

We have always paid gratuities in advance of the sail date. While I feel the gratuity rate is getting too high, it makes things easier to get it done early. There are many crew members who provide service that don't get specific recognition. I'm a cigar smoker and I appreciate someone emptyng the ashtrays.

I typically smoke about the same time of day and always find an employee who comes by regularly. I tip them every day or two based on my time outside. Once we've established knowing each others names, I get superstar service and get to learn a little about them - family, home, sometimes we get to the point where we talk about kids, our future, etc.

Brandon does a wonderful job for us. He will often advise us of things we are totally unaware of that result in a reduced charge, a better option, or even excursions.

Because Dream sails out of Galveston, yes they do. My wife has become an avid fan of "Da Boys" as evidenced by her smelling like an ashtray after watching the game at the deck 5 bar next to the casino. While I am a cigar smoker, I find cigarette smoke to be insufferable despite having smoked for about 30 years some 30 years ago. 

I've seen my share of pier runners over the years but none so nonchalant and inconsiderate of her cruisemates as the one mentioned. I have been on a cruise where we left someone behind as CCL claims but not a regular event I suppose. 

We have never had an issue as a stockholder. We always email our most recent (monthly) report to our Carnival travel expert - and he is an expert! He handles everything necessary to get our OBC and sends us an email confirming it. I include a copy of the most recent report from my brokerage firm with me but have not had a need to use it.

I was on Dream in January of '23 for a 50th anniversary cruise. My wife and I both thought the food was mediocre at best. While the service in the dining room was excellent, the offerings left something to be desired. While I'm a finicky eater, the Boss is not.

We also didn't care for the steakhouse based on 2 previous visits. Likewise, Bonsai Sushi was just horrible and was so disgusting on our last trip that we quickly passed it up as did our 6 traveling companions. We had 14 days of it and I was glad to get back and head to Lockhart for some world class Q.

I'm hoping the new menu will add some great choices. I ate a lot of pizza during the last trip and, while I love their pie, it would be nice to have a great meal. If it doesn't change for he better, there are several cruise lines leaving out of Galveston and after 100 days of Carnival, maybe it's time for a change

I don't see it! I've been to the Bahamas at least 4 or 5 times. If not for the fact all of them began in Key West, I would be done. Even with KW, I grow increasingly ready to give up anythiing going to the Bahamas. Frankly, there's not much I really enjoy  there. Increasing taxes strikes me about the same as increasing tips on the ship. I've relished the many, many ports the wife and I traveled to and we use those brief stays to help decide what places we want to return to for a week or two. Almost all rate more highly than the Bahamas.

I just lost my taste for a port of call anywhere in the Bahamas! Cruise lines have committed to spend more than $1 billion to upgrade facilities. Add to that the visitors per day are scheduled to rise by 50%. And yet the Bahamian government wants to increase taxes to visitors. Talk about killing the goose that lays the daily "Golden Egg." Cruisers are sick and tired of getting nickled and dimed to death by port officials bleeding travelers. I WON'T CONTRIBUTE ANOTHER CENT TO THIS GRAB.

On 5/26/2023 at 11:26 AM, RLL said:

If they change the loyalty program to include spending then it is no longer "loyalty", you are just buying your way.

Agreed! I hadn't really thought of it in those terms but it cetainly does apply. Before we became cruisers, you simply could do 10 3 or 4 day weekend cruises to make platinum/diamond - I'm not sure anymore as to which is correct but 30 to 40 cruise days is a bit more than half of what platinums now require and diamonds are currently at 200.

On 5/25/2023 at 1:38 PM, Cruising Caribbean said:

@Tootie That's so cool that you are able to cruise that often! This must be your favorite way to vacation; it's undoubtedly my favorite too. With the rate you are cruising and spending with CCL, how long would it take to become a Diamond loyalty member? It seems you have been really pleased with Carnival Cruise Line and have no interest in cruising with any other line. What do you think attracts you to CCL the most? 

Carnival's Galveston port is only 160 miles away and CCL happened to be the first we saw. After the 3rd cruise, we discovered 2 couples of friends were also sailing Carnival so we usually buddy up on 1 or 2 of their cruises. Being they're retired, they go 4 to 6 times a year. We're still working. Now that we're platinums, we will likely try one of the other lines porting in Galveston. That's saying nothing bad about CCL, we just want to see how other cruisers enjoy their lines but we will return to CCL after that 1 "disloyal" event

We began cruising shortly after the change from the number of cruises to the number of days. We're just now platinum and while it would be nice to make diamond, I doubt we'll be able to do it as we typically cruise once or twice a year now. We don't spend a lot on board - maybe a couple of specialty dinings and excursions. We always get the cheers package, Any of those would seem likely to add to points. We take Journeys every 2 or 3 years and those can get pricey. We always take an interior room as we do virtually nothing more than sleep or nap. It all works for us but it would be nice to be able to add points. We're about to go on our 14th and 15th cruises and we've never sailed any line but Carnival.