Carnival

[Christy Bennington]

I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand our
mindset:

Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it! (Basic
inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin) It
was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at TGI
Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of 'whatever'.
Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact that
it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid counselors
loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of unsupervised
children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
people thinking?

Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list following
the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we should
try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I stick
with RCCL and my comfort zone?

Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line. Can
someone explain?

Thank you so much!!!

--
Christy Bennington
Phil 4:13

[DaFlaBear]

This is just my opinion, first of all RCI just has an overall range of
quality than Carnival.
I have traveled on Carnival back in the late 70's and as recently as two
years ago (business meeting cruise), I find them to be the low end of
the food chain of cruise lines.
RCI is always clean, has decent food and entertainment, and has VERY
friendly service.
Also, your port has a little to do with it also.
You have a higher class of people leaving out of Port Canaveral (and
even Ft. Lauderdale) than you do Miami.

[Howard Garland]

A lot has changed since 1991. And a four-day Bahmas cruise in 2001
cannot be compared with a 7-day Caribbean cruise in 2003. Take one of
the newer ships on Carnival (Victory, Conquest, Miracle, Spirit, Pride,
or Legend). Your kids will have a blast, and if you like good food, nice
accomodations, and enjoyalbe entertainment, so will you.

Howard

Christy Bennington wrote:
> I'm asking for subjective opinions.
>
>

[HDawson228]

Jim, I couldn't have said it better. Was surprised at the quality of dining
room food on Fantasy though. Very good and sometimes better than Royal
Caribbean and of course the cabins are larger.

[villa deauville]

>You have a higher class of people
>leaving out of Port Canaveral (and >even Ft. Lauderdale)
than you do in
>Miami

I have sailed from Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Port Canaveral. I did not
change hats to cruise out of these ports. I wore the same one sailing
out of all three ports. So, where does that put me? Low, middle or high
class?

SUNNY<..........finds it personally insulting
for the poster to have made such a sweeping remark

S'nd I

[Gayle A Kortright]

Yippee! We just booked our dream cruise (Alaska) for May 22, 04 on the
Diamond Princess. This has been our dream for many years and it's finally
coming true. Of course, mom is going too (there's no way she'd let me out
of the house without her!) and so is a former co-worker of mine. Can't
wait.


Gayle <-------jumping up and down for joy!!

[Jim]

Christy,
Any ship that is doing the short 3/4 day cruises will show wear and
tear and the passengers will be different than on the weekly cruises. I can
say that 'generally' RCI has ships that are a bit classier, and better
personal service or at least more formal service. Carnival 'generally' has
better entertainment and food and a more relaxed atmosphere. This is also
subject to the ship, date of cruise, and itinerary as well so none of this
is hard and fast rules. The Voyager Class from RCI is very family orientated
with great shows and lots of entertainment and things to do but not much for
someone that wants to 'feel' like they are on a ship. The CCL Spirit Class
ships are much nicer than the Fantasy Class and have lots of energy but at a
'classier' level than the "megaships". I think you would do well on either
brand but you may appreciate one brand over the other when it comes to
itinerary and ships as well as what you are wanting to do on any particular
vacation.
Jim

"Christy Bennington" > wrote in message
...
> I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand
our
> mindset:
>
> Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
> Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it!
(Basic
> inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
> on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin)
It
> was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
> disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at
TGI
> Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
> cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
> hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
> wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of
'whatever'.
> Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
> loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact
that
> it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid
counselors
> loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of
unsupervised
> children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
> smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
> people thinking?
>
> Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list
following
> the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
> Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we
should
> try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
> wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I
stick
> with RCCL and my comfort zone?
>
> Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line.
Can
> someone explain?
>
> Thank you so much!!!
>
> --
> Christy Bennington
> Phil 4:13
>
>

[sheree]

Gayle:
we just booked for aug 04 alaska! Alaska is amazing.

are you doing a cruisetour, on your own?



--
Sheree
"Gayle A Kortright" > wrote in message
...
> Yippee! We just booked our dream cruise (Alaska) for May 22, 04 on the
> Diamond Princess. This has been our dream for many years and it's finally
> coming true. Of course, mom is going too (there's no way she'd let me out
> of the house without her!) and so is a former co-worker of mine. Can't
> wait.
>
>
> Gayle <-------jumping up and down for joy!!
>

[DaFlaBear]

Sunny,
I sail out of all three, it's just my opinion and observation.
Clearly Port Canaveral is a nicer venue (other than the gambling ships),
aside from any "passenger" considerations.
The Disney influence is obvious.

[Gayle A Kortright]

can't afford the cruisetour, just doing the cruise itself. Hopefully,
one of these days I'll win the Powerball Lottery and then will be able
to do the cruisetour FIRSTCLASS. Till then, peon ville!!

Gayle

On Wed, 17 Sep
2003, sheree wrote:

> Gayle:
> we just booked for aug 04 alaska! Alaska is amazing.
>
> are you doing a cruisetour, on your own?
>
>
>
> --
> Sheree
> "Gayle A Kortright" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Yippee! We just booked our dream cruise (Alaska) for May 22, 04 on the
> > Diamond Princess. This has been our dream for many years and it's finally
> > coming true. Of course, mom is going too (there's no way she'd let me out
> > of the house without her!) and so is a former co-worker of mine. Can't
> > wait.
> >
> >
> > Gayle <-------jumping up and down for joy!!
> >
>
>
>
>

[TBird]

As a former travel agent - I refused to sell Carnival after they offered no
customer satisfaction to two of my unhappy clients who'd had a miserable, and
even frightening cruise on Carnival. Carnivals response was totally
inappropriate. I don't know if that's changed or not, but I will not abide
poor customer service.

TBird <---- yuck
~~~~~~~
One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[Mason Barge]

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:04:35 -0400 (EDT), (villa
deauville) wrote:

> >You have a higher class of people
> >leaving out of Port Canaveral (and >even Ft. Lauderdale)
>than you do in
> >Miami
>
>I have sailed from Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Port Canaveral. I did not
>change hats to cruise out of these ports. I wore the same one sailing
>out of all three ports. So, where does that put me? Low, middle or high
>class?

It depends, Sunny. Which cruise are you talking about :)


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Mason Barge]

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:57:29 GMT, "Christy Bennington"
> wrote:

>I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand our
>mindset:
>
>Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
>Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it!

[snip]

It's really kind of a silly question when you sit back and consider
the obvious. You liked RCL and didn't like Carnival -- so book
another RCI cruise.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Mason Barge]

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 13:22:49 -0500, Gayle A Kortright
> wrote:

>Yippee! We just booked our dream cruise (Alaska) for May 22, 04 on the
>Diamond Princess. This has been our dream for many years and it's finally
>coming true. Of course, mom is going too (there's no way she'd let me out
>of the house without her!) and so is a former co-worker of mine. Can't
>wait.
>
>
>Gayle <-------jumping up and down for joy!!

You will have a WONDERFUL time!


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Mike Schumann]

What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????

Mike Schumann

"TBird" > wrote in message
...
> As a former travel agent - I refused to sell Carnival after they offered
no
> customer satisfaction to two of my unhappy clients who'd had a miserable,
and
> even frightening cruise on Carnival. Carnivals response was totally
> inappropriate. I don't know if that's changed or not, but I will not
abide
> poor customer service.
>
> TBird <---- yuck
> ~~~~~~~
> One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[Christy Bennington]

Since I clearly stated I was looking for subjective opinions and also
wondered aloud if I was missing something I fail to see the silliness.

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[Christy Bennington]

Thanks. Just for the record, our Port Canaveral cruise had the trailer
trash. :)

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[villa deauville]

Well Mason lets see.I've been on this cruise, that cruise, the other
cruise and and have noticed on all these cruises people are people.
Had the Captain of the Mercury carry my lunch tray out on deck, pull
out my chair for me to sit on, have met people from all walks of life on
a ship even a grandson of a worker who helped build the Panama.

SUNNY<..........is so busy boarding a ship has no time to analyze who is
"better class "

S'nd I

[Mason Barge]

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 22:27:02 GMT, "Christy Bennington"
> wrote:

>Since I clearly stated I was looking for subjective opinions and also
>wondered aloud if I was missing something I fail to see the silliness.

Sorry, didn't mean any offense. I'd take RCL. You might try the
Carnival Spirit class though (Spirit, Legend, Pride) which has been
getting good reviews from a lot of people on this board.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Christy Bennington]

No offense taken. (Sometimes I hate this medium. It always look like I'm
being snide.) I was just confused as to the silliness. I'm just interested
in other opinions. Thanks for yours!

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[BJ]

Gayle,

We're going on the Diamond the week before you to Alaska - if we leave
anything behind will you grab it for us??? :-)

BJ in San Antonio

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 13:22:49 -0500, Gayle A Kortright
> wrote:

>Yippee! We just booked our dream cruise (Alaska) for May 22, 04 on the
>Diamond Princess. This has been our dream for many years and it's finally
>coming true. Of course, mom is going too (there's no way she'd let me out
>of the house without her!) and so is a former co-worker of mine. Can't
>wait.
>
>
>Gayle <-------jumping up and down for joy!!

I am a Travel Agent in Florida for a major Cruise & Tour Agency. I have
read all the posts for this particular subject.

First let me say, that I have heard alot of the same complaints about
Carnival. I have also een on Carnvial.... and there is a reason that they
are usually the least expensive. "You get what you pay for" is definetely
the truth with them. Carnival tends to move on a "book more make more"
process. So they are over crowded (much like an assembly line), not as good
service, and have put so much into their childrens programs they have
forgotten about the rest.

You SHOULD expect more from a cruise. Your paying more to get more.

I would also like to point out, that RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) is
also owned by the same company as Celebrity Cruise Lines. Hence, better
service, better food, better activities.

As for the class of people out of each port - I find this state untrue.
Ports are regulated as to what size ships can move in and out of them, how
many people will move through that port in a given year, even by how many
people each ship holds in ratio to the facilities capable of accomodating a
ships passengers when its in the port.

Radisson, Crystal, Silverseas - High luxury cruise lines (about 5,000 per
person) leave out of both Miami and Ft Lauderdale.

On another Note: I have always recommended a RCCL cruise and its price in
conjunction with each Carnival price I give.. Right down to the difference
in Service, Facilities, and Itineraries - 9 times out of 10 - clients go
with the lesser expensive cruise on Carnival.... only to come back and tell
me how it wasnt what they expected... and I should have known better.

The Lesson? Use a Travel Agent.... and actualy listen to her
recommendatios.

A TA In FL



"Christy Bennington" > wrote in message
...
> I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand
our
> mindset:
>
> Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
> Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it!
(Basic
> inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
> on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin)
It
> was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
> disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at
TGI
> Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
> cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
> hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
> wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of
'whatever'.
> Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
> loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact
that
> it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid
counselors
> loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of
unsupervised
> children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
> smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
> people thinking?
>
> Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list
following
> the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
> Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we
should
> try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
> wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I
stick
> with RCCL and my comfort zone?
>
> Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line.
Can
> someone explain?
>
> Thank you so much!!!
>
> --
> Christy Bennington
> Phil 4:13
>
>
>

[Howard Garland]

wrote:

> On another Note: I have always recommended a RCCL cruise and its price in
> conjunction with each Carnival price I give..

Do you get a higher comission from RCCL?

Right down to the difference
> in Service, Facilities, and Itineraries

I guess the "difference" applies to all ships and all itineraries.

- 9 times out of 10 - clients go
> with the lesser expensive cruise on Carnival.... only to come back and tell
> me how it wasnt what they expected... and I should have known better.

You bet you should have known better.

> The Lesson? Use a Travel Agent.... and actualy listen to her
> recommendatios.

Fortunately, the travel agents that I have used are a little less
forthcoming with their recommendations.

Howard - who loves to cruise on RCCL, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess,
HAL, and NCL.

[DaFlaBear]

My favorite Carnival story is this.
You have to first of all know I do not care for Carnival. It was the
first line where I saw a passenger with a martini glass shaved in his
hair (real class).
So anyway it was the winter of 1988 and I was in Denver to see a Bears/
Broncos Monday night game.
It was about 1:00 A.M and I had been out partying.
I was on the escalator in the Westin hotel going back to my room. For
some reason I turned around about half way up and RIGHT behind me was
Kathy Lee Gifford the then symbol of Carnival!
She jumped up a bit startled.
For a hot second, I thought about giving her a shove down the escalator
on behalf of all disenchanted Carnival passengers!
But then I saw Frank trailing behind her (major facelift) and I felt
sorry for the poor SOB.
True story!

[ArleneL]

Class, realllllllllllllll class!

Arlene

DaFlaBear wrote:

> My favorite Carnival story is this.
> You have to first of all know I do not care for Carnival. It was the
> first line where I saw a passenger with a martini glass shaved in his
> hair (real class).
> So anyway it was the winter of 1988 and I was in Denver to see a Bears/
> Broncos Monday night game.
> It was about 1:00 A.M and I had been out partying.
> I was on the escalator in the Westin hotel going back to my room. For
> some reason I turned around about half way up and RIGHT behind me was
> Kathy Lee Gifford the then symbol of Carnival!
> She jumped up a bit startled.
> For a hot second, I thought about giving her a shove down the escalator
> on behalf of all disenchanted Carnival passengers!
> But then I saw Frank trailing behind her (major facelift) and I felt
> sorry for the poor SOB.
> True story!

[DaFlaBear]

But Arlene, if only you could have been there! :-)

[Drew Shuller]

Christie, it's not the medium that's making you look snide, it's the things
that you write in your post.

What were the "beer swilling and cigarette smoking" people thinking? Most
likely that they were having a good time. What were you doing? Thumping your
bible and then posting that there's something wrong with drinking and
smoking, and then telling us that they were trailer trash.

Drew
Austin, TX

"Christy Bennington" > wrote in message
...
> No offense taken. (Sometimes I hate this medium. It always look like I'm
> being snide.) I was just confused as to the silliness. I'm just
interested
> in other opinions. Thanks for yours!
>
> --
> Christy
> Phil 4:13
>
>

[TBird]

>What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????

They were two twenty year old girls, both getting married, one in the mid-west,
one here in Colorado. Both were "good" girls, not party animals or anything,
they just wanted one last fun vacation together. They were constantly hassled
by their cabin steward (a couple of inappropriate entries into their cabin, or
they found him on one of their beds when they returned, I seem to recall them
asking for the keys to their room to all be given back to them and he refused,
running down the hall away from them) and also their waiter. The encounters
were enough to scare the girls away from seeking on board help for fear the
situation would worsen in the form of repercussions from other crew members.

When they returned, the local gal came running to me for help, telling me her
story and shaking the entire time. When I called/wrote/contacted Carnival, the
response was to send a coupon for "10% of their next Carnival Cruise". When I
pointed out that due to the nature of their Carnival experience, this was not
appropriate compensation, I was told, "Well, if they are never going to cruise
Carnival again, why should we care about them?" (That's almost verbatim from
my not-to-be-named Carnival rep.)

My response? My clients will not be sailing again on a cruise line that will
repond to complaints this way. I only sold vendors who would follow through on
customer service. Sh!t happens, yes. But to me, it makes all the difference
in the world as to how that is cleaned up.

Classic Hawaii flat out lied to me about a hotel being beach front after I
specifically outlined my clients needs with a pregnant Mom and active toddler,
and they didn't want to have to drive anywhere. Maybe the agent wasn't really
aware. But the bottom line is, Classic FIXED the problem to my customers
satisfaction, refunding a portion of the trip and also sending a Hawaii
Memories type hardcover book. I was always happy to work with Classic again.

See the difference? It's not that I didn't expect problems in travel, it's
that I expected the vendor to make it right in the end.

Carnival did not do that.

TBird
>
>Mike Schumann
>
>"TBird" > wrote in message
...
>> As a former travel agent - I refused to sell Carnival after they offered
>no
>> customer satisfaction to two of my unhappy clients who'd had a miserable,
>and
>> even frightening cruise on Carnival. Carnivals response was totally
>> inappropriate. I don't know if that's changed or not, but I will not
>abide
>> poor customer service.
>>
>> TBird <---- yuck
>> ~~~~~~~
>> One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


~~~~~~~
One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[SNUMBER6]

>From: (DaFlaBear)

>But then I saw Frank trailing behind her (major facelift) and I felt
>sorry for the poor SOB.
>True story!

I don't believe you ... A Bears fan would never feel sorry for a Giants player
....

Be seeing you
In the Village
Number 6

[DaFlaBear]

SNUMBER6,
Hey, I felt sorry for Y.A. Tittle in the 1963 Championship game!
But you're right, Frank has only himself to blame for being married to
that shrew. :-)

[Christy Bennington]

In a 30 minute period on deck 2 young men and three young women (20's) who
were already demonstrably intoxicated consumed a couple of beers each. They
dropped the empties on the deck or threw them in the direction of the chair
that they reserved but never used. They smoked multiple cigarettes and put
many of them out on the deck. (stepped on , not stubbed). They were loud
and lewd and I had 2 young children who were trying to enjoy the pool.
Since I am familiar with the folks who live in trailer parks and the
difference between residents and trash, I feel confident I hit the nail on
the head. They earned the comments. It may be a good idea if you reserve
judgment until you have personal knowledge of a situation. Also, my name is
spelled C-h-r-i-s-t-y.

My Bible was stateside as it was a 4 day cruise and I didn't choose to make
time to study. I quit smoking (after 16 years) in 1997 but the wine I had
with dinner each night was good, if grocery store quality.

Thanks,

Christy
Phil 4:13

[Jim]

Oh bull. Don't believe that for a minute. First the 'girls' need to be 21
years old or they don't sail without someone over 25. Second the room
steward would have been confined to his cabin pending further investigation
and fired if anyone had ever indicated he did this. Same for the waiter, not
to mention they just don't have time for this. You say the girl came running
to you shaking after her return, what, were you waiting on the dock to greet
them and they ran to your big safe arms? <G> I have also never heard of any
CSR dismissing anything like this with a "Who cares, they won't sail again"
attitude on any line, much less CCL who has proven time and time again to
bend over backwards to please their passengers. You story has too many
unbelievable reports to be taken seriously especially combining it with your
admission that you think CCL is very low class and supposedly do your best
to talk clients out of sailing on one. I actually doubt you are an agent.
Jim


"TBird" > wrote in message
...
> >What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????
>
> They were two twenty year old girls, both getting married, one in the
mid-west,
> one here in Colorado. Both were "good" girls, not party animals or
anything,
> they just wanted one last fun vacation together. They were constantly
hassled
> by their cabin steward (a couple of inappropriate entries into their
cabin, or
> they found him on one of their beds when they returned, I seem to recall
them
> asking for the keys to their room to all be given back to them and he
refused,
> running down the hall away from them) and also their waiter. The
encounters
> were enough to scare the girls away from seeking on board help for fear
the
> situation would worsen in the form of repercussions from other crew
members.
>
> When they returned, the local gal came running to me for help, telling me
her
> story and shaking the entire time. When I called/wrote/contacted
Carnival, the
> response was to send a coupon for "10% of their next Carnival Cruise".
When I
> pointed out that due to the nature of their Carnival experience, this was
not
> appropriate compensation, I was told, "Well, if they are never going to
cruise
> Carnival again, why should we care about them?" (That's almost verbatim
from
> my not-to-be-named Carnival rep.)
>
> My response? My clients will not be sailing again on a cruise line that
will
> repond to complaints this way. I only sold vendors who would follow
through on
> customer service. Sh!t happens, yes. But to me, it makes all the
difference
> in the world as to how that is cleaned up.
>
> Classic Hawaii flat out lied to me about a hotel being beach front after I
> specifically outlined my clients needs with a pregnant Mom and active
toddler,
> and they didn't want to have to drive anywhere. Maybe the agent wasn't
really
> aware. But the bottom line is, Classic FIXED the problem to my customers
> satisfaction, refunding a portion of the trip and also sending a Hawaii
> Memories type hardcover book. I was always happy to work with Classic
again.
>
> See the difference? It's not that I didn't expect problems in travel,
it's
> that I expected the vendor to make it right in the end.
>
> Carnival did not do that.
>
> TBird
> >
> >Mike Schumann
> >
> >"TBird" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> As a former travel agent - I refused to sell Carnival after they
offered
> >no
> >> customer satisfaction to two of my unhappy clients who'd had a
miserable,
> >and
> >> even frightening cruise on Carnival. Carnivals response was totally
> >> inappropriate. I don't know if that's changed or not, but I will not
> >abide
> >> poor customer service.
> >>
> >> TBird <---- yuck
> >> ~~~~~~~
> >> One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> ~~~~~~~
> One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[Mason Barge]

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 12:11:08 GMT, > wrote:

>I would also like to point out, that RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) is
>also owned by the same company as Celebrity Cruise Lines. Hence, better
>service, better food, better activities.

Now THAT is a crock of horse manure. I would like to point out that
Carnival is "owned by the same company" as Seaborn, Cunard and
Windstar. Although I very much like Celebrity, I would consider any
of these three (well, with some exceptions concerning Cunard) a major
step up.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Tom & Linda]

I don't think that Windstar is in the "step up" league like Seabourn is.

--Tom

Mason Barge wrote:
>
> On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 12:11:08 GMT, > wrote:
>
> >I would also like to point out, that RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) is
> >also owned by the same company as Celebrity Cruise Lines. Hence, better
> >service, better food, better activities.
>
> Now THAT is a crock of horse manure. I would like to point out that
> Carnival is "owned by the same company" as Seaborn, Cunard and
> Windstar. Although I very much like Celebrity, I would consider any
> of these three (well, with some exceptions concerning Cunard) a major
> step up.
>
> Mason Barge
>
> "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
> -- Abraham Lincoln

[SNUMBER6]

>From: (DaFlaBear)

>SNUMBER6,
>Hey, I felt sorry for Y.A. Tittle in the 1963 Championship game!

I was a Charlie Conerly fan ... and always considered YA a hired gun ... until
then ...
He earned respect and became a Giant ...


Be seeing you
In the Village
Number 6

[Thomas Smith]

It should be noted that Port Everglades and Port Canaveral are both newer
facilities and therefore will appear newer than the Port of Miami.

Tom Smith

"DaFlaBear" > wrote in message
...
> Sunny,
> I sail out of all three, it's just my opinion and observation.
> Clearly Port Canaveral is a nicer venue (other than the gambling ships),
> aside from any "passenger" considerations.
> The Disney influence is obvious.
>

[Thomas Smith]

From what I've seen, most people say Royal Caribbean is maybe a half step
ahead of Carnival, but then again, there are as many people who say the
opposite. Carnival didn't get to be the biggest, most profitable cruise
line today by providing a shoddy product. I've found Carnival food to be
good, if not gourmet. This is especially true considering that they serve
2,000 to 3,800 meals a night from one kitchen in less than five hours. I've
observed that Carnival seems to cater towards more towards the people who
want to have fun on their vacations, whereas Royal Caribbean seems to be for
the more active vacationer.

As for the "classes" of ships, this is like models for car companies. Ships
are designed and constructed on the same blueprints to save manufacturing
costs, with the only difference being the interior decor. For example, the
Carnival Fantasy, Ecstasy, Fascination, Imagination, Inspiration, Sensation,
Elation, and Paradise were all built on roughly the same plans. Usually,
they will refer to a class of ship by the oldest ship based on that pattern,
in this case, the Fantasy.

Hope this helps.

Tom Smith

"Christy Bennington" > wrote in message
...
> I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand
our
> mindset:
>
> Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
> Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it!
(Basic
> inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
> on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin)
It
> was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
> disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at
TGI
> Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
> cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
> hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
> wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of
'whatever'.
> Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
> loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact
that
> it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid
counselors
> loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of
unsupervised
> children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
> smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
> people thinking?
>
> Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list
following
> the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
> Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we
should
> try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
> wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I
stick
> with RCCL and my comfort zone?
>
> Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line.
Can
> someone explain?
>
> Thank you so much!!!
>
> --
> Christy Bennington
> Phil 4:13
>
>

[Marty]

Christy,
I went on Carnival years ago and hated it. Wouldn't even consider it
for many years. Then, hubby talked me into giving it another go and,
boy, had they changed! While I still prefer the slower pace, etc. of
HAL, Carnival now gives what I consider to be a great vacation for
reasonable price. Entertainment is above average, food is quite good,
as is service. I don't like the megaships, though. Went on the Pride
last year and it was so big I had problems getting around. But, I have
health problems, so that may not be true for most.

Just my very subjective opinion.
Marty


"Christy Bennington" > wrote in message >...
> I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand our
> mindset:
>
> Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
> Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it! (Basic
> inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
> on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin) It
> was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
> disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at TGI
> Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
> cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
> hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
> wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of 'whatever'.
> Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
> loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact that
> it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid counselors
> loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of unsupervised
> children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
> smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
> people thinking?
>
> Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list following
> the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
> Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we should
> try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
> wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I stick
> with RCCL and my comfort zone?
>
> Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line. Can
> someone explain?
>
> Thank you so much!!!

[DaFlaBear]

Tom,
That's true, and that is one of the reasons they ARE nicer.

[TBird]

>. I actually doubt you are an agent.
>Jim

Nice.

Polite.

Wrong.

I was a travel agent for ten years.
Maybe I got the girls ages wrong (it was a long time ago) but the story holds.

Yes - the girl shook, all the way back in Colorado, when she told me the story.
She was actually so upset, she was scared to tell ME the story. The girls
didn't know ship board regulations, they only knew that more than one crew
member was harrassing them, and it took all the fun out of the cruise and made
them feel totally unsafe.

And yes, my clients came running to me for advice and mediation. I was a great
agent, and I had wonderful customer service skills. I also had great bonds
with our various reps, including the fellow from Carnival. I was good at
problem solving, thanks to the fact that MOST vendors were willing to work
toward customer satisfaction as well. I also had my share of being cursed out
for airline schedule changes where even Rule 240 didn't solve the problem.
(Although, she brought me chocolate the next day.)

I said nothing about Carnival and "low-class" - feel free to re-read all my
posts on Google before you make false accusations.

As to my rep, he knows who he is, we had the discussion many many times over
the years, and never reached agreement. Guess what? It happens.

Or maybe some other regular poster here can let me know if I should even be
taking you seriously or if you attack all the newbies on this board?

TBird <---- Certified Corporate Travel Counselor, 1997
~~~~~~~
One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[RW]

As a veteran cruiser I would tend to disagree with you. And many other
would also since Carvinal posted a 2.4 millons dollar sales gain over
last year. For your money Carnival is pound for pound the best deal
available. I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Conquest out of
New Orleans last week and the ship was as clean as a hospital.

Like Microsoft says " It's all how you look at it"

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:57:29 GMT, "Christy Bennington"
> wrote:

>I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand our
>mindset:
>
>Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
>Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it! (Basic
>inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
>on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin) It
>was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
>disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at TGI
>Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
>cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
>hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
>wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of 'whatever'.
>Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
>loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact that
>it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid counselors
>loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of unsupervised
>children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
>smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
>people thinking?
>
>Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list following
>the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
>Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we should
>try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
>wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I stick
>with RCCL and my comfort zone?
>
>Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line. Can
>someone explain?
>
>Thank you so much!!!

[Christy Bennington]

Thanks Tom, it did. Also, any chance you hail from southwestern Ohio?

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[Christy Bennington]

Thanks Marty!

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[Christy Bennington]

RW,

From what's been said so far, I think the main difference may be in choosing
a 4 day jaunt versus a longer cruise. Of course, there's always the chance
that we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, as can happen to
anyone.

It's nice to hear from others that they feel Carnival is NOT the second rate
outfit I felt I had cruised with. We'll be trying it again. Plus, darn it,
they are SO cheap!! :)

Christy
Phil 4:13

[sheree]

how was it? we're doing that trip in about 5 weeks! any hints?

--
Sheree
"RW" > wrote in message
...
>
> As a veteran cruiser I would tend to disagree with you. And many other
> would also since Carvinal posted a 2.4 millons dollar sales gain over
> last year. For your money Carnival is pound for pound the best deal
> available. I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Conquest out of
> New Orleans last week and the ship was as clean as a hospital.
>
> Like Microsoft says " It's all how you look at it"
>
> On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:57:29 GMT, "Christy Bennington"
> > wrote:
>
> >I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand
our
> >mindset:
> >
> >Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of
America
> >Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it!
(Basic
> >inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo
girls
> >on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin)
It
> >was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I
was
> >disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at
TGI
> >Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our
RCCL
> >cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
> >hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
> >wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of
'whatever'.
> >Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The
kids
> >loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact
that
> >it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid
counselors
> >loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of
unsupervised
> >children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging,
cigarette
> >smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are
some
> >people thinking?
> >
> >Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list
following
> >the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
> >Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we
should
> >try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
> >wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I
stick
> >with RCCL and my comfort zone?
> >
> >Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line.
Can
> >someone explain?
> >
> >Thank you so much!!!
>

[Bill C]

TBird,
You may have had the girls ages correct. As you said it was a long time ago.
It may have been before CCL started to clean up it's act as the "party"
cruiseline when they didn't restrict teens without adults in their cabin.

I think back in those days your story could very well be true. CCL's
customer service is better now than it was back than but feel it's slipped a
notch or 2 since I first cruised them in 1998. Seems back then they'd been
over backwards to make things right. I don't feel that's the case anymore.
Seems now they just give you the old 10% letter for any complaint and don't
really address the issue.

Bill
"TBird" > wrote in message
...
> >. I actually doubt you are an agent.
> >Jim
>
> Nice.
>
> Polite.
>
> Wrong.
>
> I was a travel agent for ten years.
> Maybe I got the girls ages wrong (it was a long time ago) but the story
holds.
>
> Yes - the girl shook, all the way back in Colorado, when she told me the
story.
> She was actually so upset, she was scared to tell ME the story. The
girls
> didn't know ship board regulations, they only knew that more than one crew
> member was harrassing them, and it took all the fun out of the cruise and
made
> them feel totally unsafe.
>
> And yes, my clients came running to me for advice and mediation. I was a
great
> agent, and I had wonderful customer service skills. I also had great
bonds
> with our various reps, including the fellow from Carnival. I was good at
> problem solving, thanks to the fact that MOST vendors were willing to work
> toward customer satisfaction as well. I also had my share of being cursed
out
> for airline schedule changes where even Rule 240 didn't solve the problem.
> (Although, she brought me chocolate the next day.)
>
> I said nothing about Carnival and "low-class" - feel free to re-read all
my
> posts on Google before you make false accusations.
>
> As to my rep, he knows who he is, we had the discussion many many times
over
> the years, and never reached agreement. Guess what? It happens.
>
> Or maybe some other regular poster here can let me know if I should even
be
> taking you seriously or if you attack all the newbies on this board?
>
> TBird <---- Certified Corporate Travel Counselor, 1997
> ~~~~~~~
> One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[Tom & Linda]

And I would disagree with you.

Pound for pound, based on what I want from a cruise (good food, good
service, relaxing atmosphere), Carnival is the worst deal available.

Like Microsoft... you leave enough glitches and holes... enough people
will figure it out.

People here at the group convinced me to try Carnival one time. Big
mistake. But... like on Star Trek... "Fool me once shame on you, fool
me twice, shame on me!" Our worst cruise out of about 23. Worst food.
Worst service. Tacky ship. No point making that mistake again.

You may like that kind of product. That doesn't make it the best deal
available. Far from it.

It really comes down to what each individual wants. If you don't know
the individual... you can't call it the best deal available.

--Tom

RW wrote:
>
> As a veteran cruiser I would tend to disagree with you. And many other
> would also since Carvinal posted a 2.4 millons dollar sales gain over
> last year. For your money Carnival is pound for pound the best deal
> available. I just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Conquest out of
> New Orleans last week and the ship was as clean as a hospital.
>
> Like Microsoft says " It's all how you look at it"
>
> On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:57:29 GMT, "Christy Bennington"
> > wrote:
>
> >I'm asking for subjective opinions. We are as follows so you understand our
> >mindset:
> >
> >Dad, Mom, 3 girls ages 11, 8 and 2. Dh and I cruised RCCL Song of America
> >Western Caribbean 7 nights for our honeymoon in 1991. We LOVED it! (Basic
> >inside cabin). For a Christmas gift 2001 we took our then 9 and 6yo girls
> >on Carnival Fantasy for a 4 day Bahamas cruise. (Basic Oceanview cabin) It
> >was fine and the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion was fabulous, but I was
> >disappointed. I felt like I was staying in a Holiday Inn and eating at TGI
> >Fridays. Nothing to ruin a vacation, but just not 'special' like our RCCL
> >cruise. Mind you, at home we eat at chain joints and stay in mid range
> >hotels so I'm no snob. We just expected more. Staff was ok with a few
> >wonderfuls but many exhibited the more recent American trait of 'whatever'.
> >Ship was fairly clean but not shiny and definitely showing wear. The kids
> >loved their program but the lack of daylight in their room and the fact that
> >it seemed to be afterthought bothered me. Almost all of the kid counselors
> >loved their job (or faked it well). Sadly, there were a LOT of unsupervised
> >children who made things tense not to mention the beer swigging, cigarette
> >smoking trailer trash by the swimming pool the first night. WHAT are some
> >people thinking?
> >
> >Given the above, and the fact that Carnival was off my short list following
> >the cruise, am I missing something? I keep seeing your comments on
> >Carnival's newer ships and longer itineraries and am wondering if we should
> >try one. We know we like the Western itinerary for interest and I'm
> >wondering if the new ships are better equipped for the kids? Or, do I stick
> >with RCCL and my comfort zone?
> >
> >Also, I see mention of different classes of ships within the same line. Can
> >someone explain?
> >
> >Thank you so much!!!

[villa deauville]

I will repeat again and again you cannot judge a fleet of ships by one
bad experience on one ship

SUNNY<.......found the Carnival Pride far superior in all aspects than
HAl's Zuiderdam. But that bad experience wont stop me from cruising HAL
again

S'nd I

[RW]

On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 19:36:18 GMT, "sheree"
> wrote:


For embarkation, get there early about 11:30. We only had about a 15
min. wait in line and then we were were seated to wait for
embarkation. We boarded about 12:30. Be on deck at 6:00pm to watch
the ship make a 360 degree turn down the Mississippi . In fact be on
deck to watch all the departures.Our cabin was on the main deck with a
window. You'l be surprised at how roomy the cabins are .
We had late seating in the lower Monet dining room and the meals were
excellent and the wait staff were the best entertainers. Whatever you
do Don't miss going toThe Point. This is the $25.00 per person
reservations only 5 star restaurant. The food was superb and the
service and presentation of the meal was excellent. Well worth the
money. Try the lobster bisque. Another overlooked area is Sur Mer,
the sea food restaurant which is located upstairs of the buffet.
Good food and never crowded. Avoid the city tours, not worth it.
Montego Bay as a city is not pretty. In the Caymans go to a shop
called KoKo Tok for beautiful linens at all prices. We bought a
beautiful appliqued tablecloth with 12 napkins for $33.00. Cozumel
has shopping right off the dock, alot of the same shops that are in
the city. Beaches in Caymans and Cozumel very nice.




TCW



>how was it? we're doing that trip in about 5 weeks! any hints?

[Jean O'Boyle]

"Christy Bennington" > wrote in message
...
> RW,
>
> From what's been said so far, I think the main difference may be in
choosing
> a 4 day jaunt versus a longer cruise. Of course, there's always the
chance
> that we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, as can happen to
> anyone.
>
> It's nice to hear from others that they feel Carnival is NOT the second
rate
> outfit I felt I had cruised with. We'll be trying it again. Plus, darn
it,
> they are SO cheap!! :)

Christy,
Of our 19 cruises, 9 have been on Carnival. We enjoy different experiences ,
not the sameo, sameo. If I were you, I would put more value in the opinions
of those who have sailed Carnival in the past year or two and sailed it for
at least 7 days.
That many people cannot be wrong. No cruise line and I repeat NO cruiseline
will give you the same food and service on a cruise less than 7 days as they
will for 7 days or more.. I would try the Pride or Spirit, as it seems that
most everyone that comes off of them has enjoyed them very much in many
ways. I know that we enjoyed the Pride. The food was especially good as was
the service. The deli and buffet were wonderful and with so many choices. We
have taken our grandchildren, ranging from 31/2 to 16, and they still talk
about the great time they had with the kids' programs available. There seem
to be some unforgiving people on r.t.c. who cannot forget their one bad
experience on Carnival and will probably still hold on to that perpetual
grudge even if they took a Carnival cruise, enjoyed it, but refused to admit
the difference. I can't understand why. Even if I had a very bad experience
on any ship, I would not constantly beat a dead horse and discourage others
from trying that particular cruise line. The behavior of adults on our
Carnival cruises has not been any different than those on NCL,
Celebrity, Renaissance or Princess cruises that we have been on. They all
have had a share of unpleasant happenings~the thing is that we don't let it
bother us to the point of not enjoying our cruise and don't dwell on those
things forever!!
You really won't know unless you take the cruise for yourself. Carnival is
not always cheaper than other lines and I did not find our experiences on
it, second rate.
Whatever you decide, go with an open mind, and don't let the little things
bother you and have a wonderful time!!.
Sorry to be so long winded! ;-)
--Jean

Well Ms Mason.. 89% of my clients that book with RCCL come back to sail
again...

Only 23% rebook on Carnival.

as for Horse Manure.... Good to see that you have a nice professional
opinion.

As for ownership.. Go back to your facts. All of the above are
affiliated with "The Worlds Leading Cruise Lines".. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE
BACK OF ANY CARNIVAL BROCHURE..... Not all that you mentioned are owned by
the Carnival Corporation. Nor are they operated by the same person....

However Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Are.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Mason Barge" >
Newsgroups: rec.travel.cruises
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2003 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: Carnival


> On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 12:11:08 GMT, > wrote:
>
> >I would also like to point out, that RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines)
is
> >also owned by the same company as Celebrity Cruise Lines. Hence, better
> >service, better food, better activities.
>
> Now THAT is a crock of horse manure. I would like to point out that
> Carnival is "owned by the same company" as Seaborn, Cunard and
> Windstar. Although I very much like Celebrity, I would consider any
> of these three (well, with some exceptions concerning Cunard) a major
> step up.
>
>
> Mason Barge
>
> "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please
bring me some coffee."
> -- Abraham Lincoln
>



"Mason Barge" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 12:11:08 GMT,
>
> Now THAT is a crock of horse manure. I would like to point out that
> Carnival is "owned by the same company" as Seaborn, Cunard and
> Windstar. Although I very much like Celebrity, I would consider any
> of these three (well, with some exceptions concerning Cunard) a major
> step up.
>
>
> Mason Barge
>
> "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please
bring me some coffee."
> -- Abraham Lincoln
>

[MiamiCruiser]

Christy, I have been on more than 60 cruises. I too used to turn up my
nose at Carnival, but in the last year I have sailed on the Spirit and
the Legend, and they are both fantastic. The food was great, the ship
layout was great, the itinerary was great, and the shows were the best
I have seen on any cruise. At least on the Pride class, I can tell you
that Carnival has really cleaned up their act. Another recommendation
I might make regarding Carnival is the Paradise. A smoke free cruise
is wonderful, especially with kids. However, the most amazing ships
afloat are the Royal Caribbean Voyager Class, but you can get an eight
day cruise on the Legend or Spirit for far less than the seven day
cruise on the Voyager Class, and the itinerary is more interesting. I
would suggest the Southern itinerary rather than the Western though.
I'm not really crazy about Costa Rica, Belize and Colon unless you
stick with the (expensive) ship's tours. Those ports aren't safe
enough to go wandering off on your own.

[Mason Barge]

On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 06:09:36 GMT, "Thomas Smith"
-NO-SPAM> wrote:

>From what I've seen, most people say Royal Caribbean is maybe a half step
>ahead of Carnival, but then again, there are as many people who say the
>opposite. Carnival didn't get to be the biggest, most profitable cruise
>line today by providing a shoddy product.

And what is the biggest, most profitable restaurant in the world?
(Hint: Golden Arches).

To paraphrase P T Barnum, nobody ever went broke underestimating the
taste of the American public.

I'm not really a Carnival basher and I think, especially with the new
Spirit class ships, they provide a good product for the price. But as
far as I can tell (and I haven't sailed Carnival in a LONG time,
although I almost booked a Legend cruise this coming weekend just to
check it out), it is definitely less of a highbrow experience, even
compared to RCL.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[sheree]

thanks so much. the seafood restaurant sounds great!

planning to head to Mr Sancho's in cozumel, booked a stingray excursion with
capt marvin, not sure ab out montego bay!

--
Sheree

"RW" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 19:36:18 GMT, "sheree"
> > wrote:
>
>
> For embarkation, get there early about 11:30. We only had about a 15
> min. wait in line and then we were were seated to wait for
> embarkation. We boarded about 12:30. Be on deck at 6:00pm to watch
> the ship make a 360 degree turn down the Mississippi . In fact be on
> deck to watch all the departures.Our cabin was on the main deck with a
> window. You'l be surprised at how roomy the cabins are .
> We had late seating in the lower Monet dining room and the meals were
> excellent and the wait staff were the best entertainers. Whatever you
> do Don't miss going toThe Point. This is the $25.00 per person
> reservations only 5 star restaurant. The food was superb and the
> service and presentation of the meal was excellent. Well worth the
> money. Try the lobster bisque. Another overlooked area is Sur Mer,
> the sea food restaurant which is located upstairs of the buffet.
> Good food and never crowded. Avoid the city tours, not worth it.
> Montego Bay as a city is not pretty. In the Caymans go to a shop
> called KoKo Tok for beautiful linens at all prices. We bought a
> beautiful appliqued tablecloth with 12 napkins for $33.00. Cozumel
> has shopping right off the dock, alot of the same shops that are in
> the city. Beaches in Caymans and Cozumel very nice.
>
>
>
>
> TCW
>
>
>
> >how was it? we're doing that trip in about 5 weeks! any hints?
>

[Mason Barge]

On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 10:27:55 -0700, RW > wrote:

>
>As a veteran cruiser I would tend to disagree with you. And many other
>would also since Carvinal posted a 2.4 millons dollar sales gain over
>last year.

1) People keep saying this, as if CCL and Carnival Corp. are the same
thing. They aren't. Over half the Carnival Corp's income derives
from non-Carnival brands, and they are growing the non-Carnival
segment (especially HAL, Cunard, and Costa) faster than the Carnival
brand.

In fact, with Princess added to the Carnival stable, I imagine CCL
will be less then 1/3 of Carnival Corp. sales in the future.

2) Not to mention, your figure of "2.4 million dollar sales gain over
last year" makes no sense to me at all. What are you talking about?
For the last full reported year (fiscal 2002) CCL's sales *decreased*
by $170 million. (This was due entirely to the 9/11 general travel
decrease. I'm not saying Carnival is not growing revenues at this
point, just that you figure make no sense at all.)

Revenues for the last five quarters (earliest first, in $1,000,000's):

989
1.437
1.034
1,031
1,334

If you are thinking of quarter-to-quarter growth, the figure is $300
million, not $2.4 million.

3) And finally, even if you were correct, a 2.4 million annual sales
increase would be a corporate fiasco for CCL at this point. Heads
would roll. With Princess and the all the new tonnage coming
online, I imagine sales will increase by roughly $1 billion from 2002
to 2004 annual.


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Christy Bennington]

Thanks Jean!

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[Christy Bennington]

Thanks!

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[Mason Barge]

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 12:22:11 GMT, > wrote:

>As for ownership.. Go back to your facts. All of the above are
>affiliated with "The Worlds Leading Cruise Lines".. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE
>BACK OF ANY CARNIVAL BROCHURE..... Not all that you mentioned are owned by
>the Carnival Corporation. Nor are they operated by the same person....

And exactly *which* of the cruise lines I mentioned are not owned by
Carnival Corp?


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Mason Barge]

On 18 Sep 2003 18:53:11 GMT, (TBird) wrote:

>>What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????
>
>They were two twenty year old girls, both getting married, one in the mid-west,
>one here in Colorado. Both were "good" girls, not party animals or anything,
>they just wanted one last fun vacation together. They were constantly hassled
>by their cabin steward
[snip story]
>
>My response? My clients will not be sailing again on a cruise line that will
>repond to complaints this way. I only sold vendors who would follow through on
>customer service. Sh!t happens, yes. But to me, it makes all the difference
>in the world as to how that is cleaned up.

I tell you, from long professional experience, these stories are so
hard to evaluate.

I used to handle sexual harassment suits, and it is so hard to get the
facts straight due to the wide variance in human personality. I have
seen women who REALLY got sexually harrassed with complete denial by
an employer. And I have seen the exact opposite --women who
practically made the whole thing up, usually by severly misconstruing
innocuous conduct. I swear that you couldn't tell the difference by
talking to them.

But still, I have to say, I would not be happy to find my steward
lying on my bed, and I can imagine a young woman's reaction would be
much more serious.

But it is certainly utterly stupid that Carnival would not conduct a
thorough investigation of such an allegation, no matter how bad their
customer service may be. Really, their legal liability after a
warning of this sort is huge, like if this same guy rapes a passenger
after a complaint of sexual harrassment.

Finally, I also want to say that almost all of the mass market cruise
lines seem to do a poor (or at best inconsistent) job with individual
problems. Carnival may be worse than most, but I have heard credible
horror stories about all of them. It's part of the commoditization of
cruising I think. They can't make money unless operations are
standardized, due to low prices.

Who is the rudest staff person on your average cruise? The front
desk/customer service personnel, in my experience.
Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Charles]

In article >, Mason Barge
> wrote:

> Who is the rudest staff person on your average cruise? The front
> desk/customer service personnel, in my experience

I have heard that from others, and seen people walk away from the
pursers desk mad, yet I don't recall having any bad words or
experiences with them yet on any cruise.

--
Charles

[Howard Garland]

Mason Barge wrote:


> Who is the rudest staff person on your average cruise? The front
> desk/customer service personnel, in my experience.
> Mason Barge

I've observed this many times, myself, Mason. In fact I have written to
at least three different cruise lines about this problem and never
received a satisfactory response. The guest relations staff ought to be
the most polite, most friendly employees on the ship, as they are direct
representatives of management; yet, the reverse is true, more often than
not.

The problem is that ships are very poorly managed. There is rampant
nepotism and cronyism. I have been on ships where the guest relations
manager is the girlfriend (or boyfriend) of the captain or hotel manager.

Howard

[Doug McDonald]

Howard Garland wrote:
>
> Mason Barge wrote:
>
> > Who is the rudest staff person on your average cruise? The front
> > desk/customer service personnel, in my experience.
> > Mason Barge
>
> The problem is that ships are very poorly managed.


Highly unlikely. The rudeness is probably a corporate
policy. The idea being that often people will make
requests of this person that might cost the company money.
And making money is, of course, not the most important
thing for the cruise line, it is the ONLY thing. Being
rude is a good way to get people to buzz off.

Doug McDonald

[RW]

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 15:17:15 GMT, Mason Barge >
wrote:

Mason, good girls in the mid west like a little fun every now and
then!!!

rw


>On 18 Sep 2003 18:53:11 GMT, (TBird) wrote:
>
>>>What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????
>>
>>They were two twenty year old girls, both getting married, one in the mid-west,
>>one here in Colorado. Both were "good" girls, not party animals or anything,
>>they just wanted one last fun vacation together. They were constantly hassled
>>by their cabin steward
>[snip story]
>>
>>My response? My clients will not be sailing again on a cruise line that will
>>repond to complaints this way. I only sold vendors who would follow through on
>>customer service. Sh!t happens, yes. But to me, it makes all the difference
>>in the world as to how that is cleaned up.
>
>I tell you, from long professional experience, these stories are so
>hard to evaluate.
>
>I used to handle sexual harassment suits, and it is so hard to get the
>facts straight due to the wide variance in human personality. I have
>seen women who REALLY got sexually harrassed with complete denial by
>an employer. And I have seen the exact opposite --women who
>practically made the whole thing up, usually by severly misconstruing
>innocuous conduct. I swear that you couldn't tell the difference by
>talking to them.
>
>But still, I have to say, I would not be happy to find my steward
>lying on my bed, and I can imagine a young woman's reaction would be
>much more serious.
>
>But it is certainly utterly stupid that Carnival would not conduct a
>thorough investigation of such an allegation, no matter how bad their
>customer service may be. Really, their legal liability after a
>warning of this sort is huge, like if this same guy rapes a passenger
>after a complaint of sexual harrassment.
>
>Finally, I also want to say that almost all of the mass market cruise
>lines seem to do a poor (or at best inconsistent) job with individual
>problems. Carnival may be worse than most, but I have heard credible
>horror stories about all of them. It's part of the commoditization of
>cruising I think. They can't make money unless operations are
>standardized, due to low prices.
>
>Who is the rudest staff person on your average cruise? The front
>desk/customer service personnel, in my experience.
>Mason Barge
>
>"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
> -- Abraham Lincoln

[Jean O'Boyle]

"DaFlaBear" > wrote in message
...
> Also, your port has a little to do with it also.
> You have a higher class of people leaving out of Port Canaveral (and
> even Ft. Lauderdale) than you do Miami.

Perhaps your concept of Miami taints your opinion, but I find people are
people no matter where your ship leaves from. They all come in different
shapes, nationalities, behaviors, etc. As I sat in the Fleet Bar and watched
the people walk by after boarding the Zenith, I saw the same type of people
that I have seen on all other cruise lines that I have been on. Granted,
sometimes there are more of a certain group than others, but that does not
mean that it is always that way. People from all points of our country and
other countries, fly into Miami to board the ships.

--Jean

[Mason Barge]

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 10:05:07 -0700, RW > wrote:

>On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 15:17:15 GMT, Mason Barge >
>wrote:
>
>Mason, good girls in the mid west like a little fun every now and
>then!!!

That has been my experience <vbg>

But then, I didn't break into their rooms and lie on their beds (at
least not until I'd bought them dinner once or twice).


Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

[Cynthia Taylor]

I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
cruise was fantastic.

I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out why there is
so much Carnival venom in this group, and I just can't. Maybe my
standards are lower. But I went on the cruise to see if I would like
cruising. I went to relax, and have fun. I'm a 30 year old software
architect with 2 small children, and this was our first (my husband
and I) trip away from the children. I don't consider myself to be
trailer trash, even though we did sail out of Miami.

I didn't take part in a lot of the on-board activities, because my
primary goal was to kick back and relax. But whenever we wanted to do
something, there was something fun going on.

The room was much better than I expected (size wise and shape-wise),
and while my room stewerd was probably not the best available, he
certainly did his job and we had no complaints.

The ship was in good shape, the sit-down dinners were fantastic, the
buffets were what you would expect from a buffet, maybe a step up.

The cruise director was hilarious, the stops at port were well
organized, and anytime I had a problem, the information desk was
friendly and immediately helpful.

The pools weren't crowded, I never had a problem finding a deck chair.

My husband (who is VERY hard to please at times) can't wait to go on
our next cruise based on the one that we had (a 7 day cruise that
includes Belize), so I was stunned when I came to this newsgroup and
read all the negative Carnival comments. All I can think is that if
the 7 day cruises are that much better than the 4 day cruises, then
our next cruise is going to blow us away, because we loved the 4 day
one.

Cyn

[Jean O'Boyle]

"Cynthia Taylor" > wrote in message
...
> I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
> Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
> qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
> cruise was fantastic.
>
> I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out why there is
> so much Carnival venom in this group, and I just can't. Maybe my
> standards are lower. But I went on the cruise to see if I would like
> cruising. I went to relax, and have fun. I'm a 30 year old software
> architect with 2 small children, and this was our first (my husband
> and I) trip away from the children. I don't consider myself to be
> trailer trash, even though we did sail out of Miami.


Good for you, Cynthia!
No, your standards are not lower, you just went with an open mind and had a
good time.
Good to hear this about a Carnival 4 day cruise, as that length cruise is
usually one that does not have all that a 7day or more one offers and the
passengers are more likely to participate in a party like manner, but that
is okay as long as they don't go to extremes and annoy fellow passengers..
You found places to relax in as well as have fun. To hear that a 4 day
cruise has you "hooked" is great news! You are certainly qualified to report
your opinions~~after all, you actually experienced the cruise and are not
are reporting from hearsay!
Now book a 7 day one!! ;-)

--Jean

[sheree]

you went with the right attitude! knew you didn't have to participate in
things you didn't want to do, relaxed and had fun!

--
Sheree
"Cynthia Taylor" > wrote in message
...
> I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
> Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
> qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
> cruise was fantastic.
>
> I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out why there is
> so much Carnival venom in this group, and I just can't. Maybe my
> standards are lower. But I went on the cruise to see if I would like
> cruising. I went to relax, and have fun. I'm a 30 year old software
> architect with 2 small children, and this was our first (my husband
> and I) trip away from the children. I don't consider myself to be
> trailer trash, even though we did sail out of Miami.
>
> I didn't take part in a lot of the on-board activities, because my
> primary goal was to kick back and relax. But whenever we wanted to do
> something, there was something fun going on.
>
> The room was much better than I expected (size wise and shape-wise),
> and while my room stewerd was probably not the best available, he
> certainly did his job and we had no complaints.
>
> The ship was in good shape, the sit-down dinners were fantastic, the
> buffets were what you would expect from a buffet, maybe a step up.
>
> The cruise director was hilarious, the stops at port were well
> organized, and anytime I had a problem, the information desk was
> friendly and immediately helpful.
>
> The pools weren't crowded, I never had a problem finding a deck chair.
>
> My husband (who is VERY hard to please at times) can't wait to go on
> our next cruise based on the one that we had (a 7 day cruise that
> includes Belize), so I was stunned when I came to this newsgroup and
> read all the negative Carnival comments. All I can think is that if
> the 7 day cruises are that much better than the 4 day cruises, then
> our next cruise is going to blow us away, because we loved the 4 day
> one.
>
> Cyn
>

[Milli276]

>
>What exactly would happen on a cruise that would be "frightening"?????
>

They must have gotten the sail & sign bill brought to their room..

[Tobie Gerbrandt]

Hi Cynthia,

I'd like to say "welcome to the group", and suggest that you ignore those
that insult the intelligence of the general cruising public. Learn how to
use your kill file for those you'd rather not read and you'll do fine.
Abusive language and personal insults are not appreciated by most of us, and
is a clear indication that the persons acting in this way are, for the most
part, "TROLLS" who just want to make someone feel bad.

The "Carnival Bashers" are a small minority here. Most of us thoroughly
enjoy all the cruises we go on regardless of which line we sail.

In my personal experience in 26 cruises with all the popular lines, and some
obscure ones, I'd rate Carnival about even with RCCL, and slightly below
Princess and NCL. I'd rate Holland America and Celebrity another notch
higher, and have never sailed on the "Luxury" lines due to the fact that I
don't have "money to burn". I don't believe the experience on these so
called upscale cruises are worth the exhorbitant price tags.

Tobie>>>>>on an Island in the Pacific

"Cynthia Taylor" > wrote in message
...
> I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
> Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
> qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
> cruise was fantastic.
>
> I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out why there is
> so much Carnival venom in this group, and I just can't. Maybe my
> standards are lower. But I went on the cruise to see if I would like
> cruising. I went to relax, and have fun. I'm a 30 year old software
> architect with 2 small children, and this was our first (my husband
> and I) trip away from the children. I don't consider myself to be
> trailer trash, even though we did sail out of Miami.
>
> I didn't take part in a lot of the on-board activities, because my
> primary goal was to kick back and relax. But whenever we wanted to do
> something, there was something fun going on.
>
> The room was much better than I expected (size wise and shape-wise),
> and while my room stewerd was probably not the best available, he
> certainly did his job and we had no complaints.
>
> The ship was in good shape, the sit-down dinners were fantastic, the
> buffets were what you would expect from a buffet, maybe a step up.
>
> The cruise director was hilarious, the stops at port were well
> organized, and anytime I had a problem, the information desk was
> friendly and immediately helpful.
>
> The pools weren't crowded, I never had a problem finding a deck chair.
>
> My husband (who is VERY hard to please at times) can't wait to go on
> our next cruise based on the one that we had (a 7 day cruise that
> includes Belize), so I was stunned when I came to this newsgroup and
> read all the negative Carnival comments. All I can think is that if
> the 7 day cruises are that much better than the 4 day cruises, then
> our next cruise is going to blow us away, because we loved the 4 day
> one.
>
> Cyn
>



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 9/1/2003

[DaFlaBear]

Jean,
Actually I LOVE Miami, and go there at least three weekends a year for
either concerts or auto races.
Great food and hospitality.
But my observation still is, that the Port of Miami is on the low end of
the Port food chain.

[Ed]

So glad to see all this. My family took the Carnival Victory on a 5 day
to Canada out of NYC this past July and it was wonderfull!! Never
understood the Carnival bashing. Service was great as was the food.
Definitely above the "restaurant chain" type of food people on this
groop had talked about. I'll be on carnival again next year... possibly
the Legend or the Miracle.

Ed


In article >,
"Tobie Gerbrandt" > wrote:

> Hi Cynthia,
>
> I'd like to say "welcome to the group", and suggest that you ignore those
> that insult the intelligence of the general cruising public. Learn how to
> use your kill file for those you'd rather not read and you'll do fine.
> Abusive language and personal insults are not appreciated by most of us, and
> is a clear indication that the persons acting in this way are, for the most
> part, "TROLLS" who just want to make someone feel bad.
>
> The "Carnival Bashers" are a small minority here. Most of us thoroughly
> enjoy all the cruises we go on regardless of which line we sail.
>
> In my personal experience in 26 cruises with all the popular lines, and some
> obscure ones, I'd rate Carnival about even with RCCL, and slightly below
> Princess and NCL. I'd rate Holland America and Celebrity another notch
> higher, and have never sailed on the "Luxury" lines due to the fact that I
> don't have "money to burn". I don't believe the experience on these so
> called upscale cruises are worth the exhorbitant price tags.
>
> Tobie>>>>>on an Island in the Pacific
>
> "Cynthia Taylor" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
> > Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
> > qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
> > cruise was fantastic.
> >
> > I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out why there is
> > so much Carnival venom in this group, and I just can't. Maybe my
> > standards are lower. But I went on the cruise to see if I would like
> > cruising. I went to relax, and have fun. I'm a 30 year old software
> > architect with 2 small children, and this was our first (my husband
> > and I) trip away from the children. I don't consider myself to be
> > trailer trash, even though we did sail out of Miami.
> >
> > I didn't take part in a lot of the on-board activities, because my
> > primary goal was to kick back and relax. But whenever we wanted to do
> > something, there was something fun going on.
> >
> > The room was much better than I expected (size wise and shape-wise),
> > and while my room stewerd was probably not the best available, he
> > certainly did his job and we had no complaints.
> >
> > The ship was in good shape, the sit-down dinners were fantastic, the
> > buffets were what you would expect from a buffet, maybe a step up.
> >
> > The cruise director was hilarious, the stops at port were well
> > organized, and anytime I had a problem, the information desk was
> > friendly and immediately helpful.
> >
> > The pools weren't crowded, I never had a problem finding a deck chair.
> >
> > My husband (who is VERY hard to please at times) can't wait to go on
> > our next cruise based on the one that we had (a 7 day cruise that
> > includes Belize), so I was stunned when I came to this newsgroup and
> > read all the negative Carnival comments. All I can think is that if
> > the 7 day cruises are that much better than the 4 day cruises, then
> > our next cruise is going to blow us away, because we loved the 4 day
> > one.
> >
> > Cyn
> >
>
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 9/1/2003
>
>

[Sue and Kevin Mullen]

Cynthia Taylor wrote:

> I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
> Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
> qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
> cruise was fantastic.


Cynthia,

There are no qualifications for posting here, everyone is welcome. The
only exception is the trolls and I am sure you will figure out who they
are and ignore them of killfile them.

We sailed on the Fascination a number of years ago and enjoyed the ship
very much. I think it was a good choice for you to try cruising and am
glad you enjoyed yourself. Once you take a 7 day cruise, you will not
want to take a shorter cruise again.

sue

[Christy Bennington]

Cynthia,

If I can post you can post....I've only been on two! :)

When I started the thread I was specifically looking for subjective
opinions. I was pretty disappointed in our Carnival cruise but saw several
good reviews here from all types: veterans to newbies. I know that we will
try Carnival again because of what so many others have shared. Hopefully we
were just in the wrong place at the wrong time!!! :)

--
Christy
Phil 4:13

[TBird]

>The problem is that ships are very poorly managed. There is rampant
>nepotism and cronyism. I have been on ships where the guest relations
>manager is the girlfriend (or boyfriend) of the captain or hotel manager.
>
>Howard

And THIS is exactly what scared my poor young clients away from telling on
their cabin steward. They were afraid they tell one of his friends and things
would get worse.

They were young, inexperienced, and timid.

No excuse to treat them the way they were treated either.

TBird <---- who couldn't offer up any compensation and felt frustrated and
helpless
~~~~~~~
One of the Four Horsewomen of the ATH Gutter

[villa deauville]

Cynthia
welcome to the group. I am so glad you enjoyed your first cruise. There
are some folks here who have never cruised Carnival but who have heard
from a friend's friend's friend how awful Carnival is. Then there is
another group who took one Carnival cruise and had a bad experience
which happens, believe me, on any cruise line you travel.

SUNNY<.......hopes you cruise and enjoy many more cruises,

S'nd I

[Melanie's Phony Email Address for NGs]

Cynthia Taylor > wrote in message >...
> I just took my first cruise, a 4 day cruise on the Carnival
> Fascination. It hooked me on cruising. I don't know, maybe I'm not
> qualified to post here having only taken one cruise, but I thought the
> cruise was fantastic.

This is good news to me Cynthia, as I am booked on this ship and
cruise for Jan. Technically it's my second cruise (first on the Nile)
but it will be my first cruise on a big ship.

From my point of me, all hotels and rooms are the same. Nothing ever
beats my nice comfy sheets and bed, my soft towels in the bathroom or
our soft Vancouver water which is heavenly to bathe in. Or a fridge
and kitchen stocked with what I want. So no matter where I go, the
beds, towels and water are never up to my standards and that is all
important to me, but I have never stayed anywhere that has that "at
home" feeling. So I do not spend $200 more a night to stay in "nicer"
place because those things will still be the same. A hotel room is a
hotel room everywhere.

I hope the food is good on the ship, as I am vegetarian, and if not,
it will be a no-food diet. LOL It certainly won't be the first or last
time this vegetarian has gone hungry but from what I've heard, the
food is edible. Okay, it can not be as bad as food in England!
<stomach clenches in fear>

See you all on the Fascination second week of Jan!

~Melanie