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Bolt Roller CoasterIf sailing the newest Carnival ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration, Jubilee), then by far the most attention-grabbing activity is the Bolt roller coaster. The only coaster at sea, the ride takes you up to about 40 miles per hour around the top deck of the ship. It’s a short ride, but the adrenaline will be pumping long after you finish. In recent years there has been an arms race of sorts among cruise lines pushing to have bigger and better things to do on the ship. In our opinion Carnival trails in this respect, especially what we consider the industry-leader in onboard activities, Royal Caribbean.
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Carnival has been rolling out faster Wi-Fi systems across its fleet in the last couple of years, such that you can now stream video on some ships. Pricing changes over time, but the fastest "premium" service on Carnival vessels was recently priced at $21.25 per day when bought in advance ($25 per day when bought onboard). The quality of the food (and drink) on Carnival ships always surprises us, given the budget pricing of the brand. Deciding whether drink packages are a deal for you depends on your consumption habits. If you usually drink a soda or two a day, it's tempting to buy the soda package, to simplify things.
Complete Guide to Sailing Carnival Cruise Line (What It’s Like)
Tours canceled within 24 hours of arriving in that port are not eligible for any refunds. If you're in the market for a new card, apply for one before you book your vacation at sea and apply the cost of your cruise toward your minimum spend to earn the signup bonus. Carnival Cruise Line rewards servicemen and women with a military appreciation gathering on every sailing, a Heroes Tribute Lounge on select ships and military discounts on every cruise. However, not all its vessels always are based in North America.
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But you could save money because under Carnival's policies, you can bring up to twelve cans of soda onboard on embarkation day. If, however, you also plan to drink a few alcoholic beverages per day, the Cheers drink package would include the sodas and cover the cost of beer, glasses of wine, and cocktails (up to $20 menu price). On many Carnival cruise ships, you can find small outdoor seating areas at the forward end of several of the cabin corridors. These tucked-away public verandas of sorts are not well known, so you can often have them to yourself during scenic cruising, such as sailaway or when you're approaching a port. Carnival is all about relatively short, affordable cruises from U.S. ports.
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Carnival adds an automatic service gratuity of $16 to $18 per person, per day to final bills, depending on the cabin category (children under the age of 2 are exempt). If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking. Also, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills and the cover charge of the Chef's Table.
In general, Carnival ships are among the most affordable at sea. It's not uncommon to find Carnival voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico starting well under $100 per person, per night including all taxes and fees — at least in the offseason. During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. A slightly more expensive "value" plan, at $19.55 per day when bought in advance, adds access to email and most websites.
However, it's not as difficult as it might at first seem to hit the more rewarding higher-level tiers in just a few years if you're cruising a lot. In fact, the lower tiers of the Carnival program are among the most stingy in the entire cruise universe. You'll receive things like a single complimentary bottle of water (at the Red tier) and a single free drink that only can be ordered on the last night of a cruise (at the Gold tier). As is typical with cruise line loyalty programs, lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. During the evenings, there is an official dress code, but it's pretty laid-back. Most nights are designated "cruise casual," which means just that — khakis or jeans, polo shirts, sundresses, etc.
Don't miss the sea day brunch
A cruise can be an affordable vacation or a hefty investment, so make sure you make the most of your purchase. Active and retired members of the U.S. and Canadian militaries can take advantage of a few extra dollars off their cruise bookings. You learn so much on that first sailing that you may wish you could go back and get a do-over to maximize your time on board and ashore. Shorter Australia voyages might include a stop at just one of the above destinations or even no stops at all — a so-called "cruise to nowhere."
Cabin locations on cruise ships you should definitely avoid - The Points Guy
Cabin locations on cruise ships you should definitely avoid.
Posted: Fri, 31 Jul 2020 12:02:32 GMT [source]
Bring your own beverages
Carnival ships embark passengers from more U.S. ports than any other major cruise line. Notably, Carnival is the only cruise line to base ships in Long Beach year-round for voyages to Mexico. One of the line's newest vessels, the 4,008-passenger Carnival Panorama, is based year-round in Long Beach for seven-night Mexican Riviera voyages. The smaller, 2,764-passenger Carnival Radiance operates three- and four-night trips out of Long Beach year-round to Mexico. You'll also find Carnival ships in secondary cruise ship ports such as Baltimore; Charleston, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; and Jacksonville, Florida. Specialty restaurants offer different fare — Asian, Italian, steak, BBQ, and more — allowing you to skip the main dining room or buffet during the evening.
That would be hard to accomplish and still offer a great value for a cruise. If you’re the sort of person who wants to stay at the Four Seasons and drink nothing but the finest champagne, then Carnival might not be the cruise line for you. But if you enjoy having a burger and drinking a fruity cocktail or a beer next to the pool, then you’ll have fun. Food is decent to good (with lots of included options), and the staff is attentive to passenger needs. One caveat is that you can only get up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day (no limit on non-alcoholic).
Pay the deposit when you book, and the cruise line will charge your credit card once a month until the cruise is paid in full, with no added fees. For example, Alaska cruises in May and September will be cheaper than peak-season sailings in July. Caribbean cruises in November before the holidays will be more affordable than the same itineraries during winter or spring break weeks. Like nearly every cruise line, you’ll have to pay gratuities when you sail aboard Carnival.
Pick fun designs to readily identify your chair in the sea of sunbathers. Book your Carnival sailing with a credit card that earns points, miles or cash back. Even better, use a card that earns extra rewards on travel purchases. Carnival EasyPay is available on select cruises booked at least five months in advance.
The wide menu runs the gamut from traditional breakfast items to more savory lunch entrees and includes menu items you won't find on other days. If you don't get to try every dish you'd like, don't worry; you can always come back the next sea day. Bolt is Carnival's new roller coaster attraction found on Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. The thrill ride is tons of fun, but a maximum of four people can ride it at any one time. Reserve a spot as early as you can to make sure you get to try the attraction. The app is free, and you do not need a cruise ship internet plan to access it.
For dinner in the main dining room, you must sign up for either Your Time dining (you go whenever you want) or Traditional Dining (you have a fixed table and time for dinner). Note that Carnival's two oldest ships — those that are part of the 1990s-built Fantasy Class — have relatively few balcony cabins by today's standards. (After retrofitting, several have around 150 balcony cabins, out of a total of more than 1,000 cabins in all.) In part because of this, Carnival has been phasing these ships out of its fleet in recent years.
However, the line's next-biggest vessel, the 4,090-passenger Carnival Venezia, measures just 135,225 tons. That's about 40% smaller than the biggest ships operated by Royal Caribbean. Entertainment, at times, is as lowbrow as the line is low-cost. This is, after all, the brand that for many years held a Hairy Chest Contest around the pool deck on every voyage, to a standing-room-only, hooting and hollering crowd.
This means you have your own oasis with only a handful of other guests, away from the crowds found on the rest of the ship. Havana rooms are located in their own special area and have a Cuban-theme different from the rest of the ship. While the theme of the rooms might pique your interest, it’s the exclusivity that many enjoy about the Havana cabins. In addition, Carnival has introduced a few new room options on some ships like — Havana rooms, Cloud 9 rooms, and the Family Harbor cabins. Personally, we like to stick with newer ships (those built around 2010 and later).
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