ANSWERED INLINE:
"Ray Contreras" wrote in message
news:FM6dnWiPiZ8hSI3eRVn-1A@wavecable.com...
> Carnival Victory, 8/7
> Sailed out of Ft Lauderdale to:
> San Juan, PR
> Docked at 5 PM and getting off the ship was a major headache. Almost all
> of the shops were closed with the exception of the "Carnival Recommended"
> ones and the few street vendors. >
Ray, when you read this tomorrow, will you feel as if you went a* tad* bit
overboard on some of your statements?
I know, the cruise started with San Juan being a big disappointment with no
shops or much to do.That was a bummer..was it a Sunday? We have never had a
problem like that on other days there.
Then your excursion in St. Maarten was not to your pleasing. Maybe this
discolored your view of the cruise some right from the start....just a
guess, not a criticism.
> The cabins were typical Carnival 185ft². Clean and the service was very
> good. Some of the most comfortable beds that we have ever encountered on a
> cruise ship. While I always bring a portable water filter, the water was
> very palatable. Almost every deck had a small launderette but the ones on
> the lower decks were almost always in use by ship's crew.
>
> We had a group of 13 so seating at dinner was split between three tables
> and two waiters. One was very friendly, entertaining and fun to be
> around. The other was a very fast "professional" and we couldn't even
> hardly get a smile out of him. Service was excellent from both.
All they are required to do is give you good service...As overworked as they
are, it is a plus to get one in a jovial mood..but we have had both and
understood as long as we got good service and as you stated, the service was
excellent...
> The food was not what we have become accustomed to on other lines or even
> for those that had been on previous Carnival cruises. Nobody could name
> one meal or dish that had any "WOW" factor. The desserts were pretty bland
> and the cheesecake in particular was a gelatinous mess that resembled what
> you get at Hometown Buffet. The ones that paid for a little sweet said
> that the cheesecake at the coffee bar was great but expensive. I guess
> that is what we can expect from Carnival ... if you want the good stuff
> you gotta pay. However, on this ship, there is no alternate premium
> dining.
This truly suprises me...as the last few Carnival cruises that we have been
on (Pride and Conquest) the food was outstanding..
Just shows that every ship does not have the same quality of food that so
many have been talking about lately. It will be interesting what *Poncho
Liner* will report about this after his Sept 11th cruise on the Victory.
> Drinks were pushed just about everywhere (as usual) but were much more
> expensive than last year. Beer was $5 and our mixed drinks averaged
> $6.50. The dinner wine selection was mediocre at best and priced at $20+
> for $7-10 bottles but that is to be expected.
Drinks are pushed on most all the ships anymore..it is a big revenue maker
and the crew *hustles* for tips..Some more..some less. Drink prices were
close to the same as those on HAL, Princess and NCL cruises that we have
taken this year.
> This was the first cruise that any of our party has ever felt threatened.
> Of the 2700 people on board, 1100 were under 20 and there was NOTHING for
> them to do. After the first night, there were actually "gangs" of hoods
> running around bullying, using foul language, fighting and destroying
> things. At night the security team was nowhere to be found ... must have
> been too dangerous!
It is hard to believe that you were actually threatened...Did you report any
of this to security or call the front desk?
There was a time on the Sun Princess where a bunch of 20+ young men ran
around the ship, running into passengers on the stairs and played football
in the hallway past midnight, but a couple of calls to the Front Desk
stopped that..(ours and our neighbor's we learned the next day). I can
imagine that summer time must be the worst time for this type of
behavior..But if security is not there to see it or is not summoned, who is
to stop it? I seem to remember a Royal Caribbean ship having furniture
broken and tossed over board and a young bunch running amok on one of their
ships several times... But it does happen on other lines. I am certainly not
defending Carnival, but such behavior has to be reported when it is
occurring to get action.
> Camp Carnival, the kids program was run very poorly. My nieces looked
> forward to it because of past cruises, but were quickly turned off. One of
> the "activities" was a 3 hour session of reading in the library for 9-11
> year olds! Then there was the video tournament but my niece had to leave
> because she didn't bring at least $10 in quarters. Teen activities were
> non existent but that was OK because the bar tenders had no problem
> serving them drinks. A 12 year old girl was found passed out in one of
> the glass elevators. On one night, there was an all night "party" for kids
> under 9. At 1:30 in the morning we heard some of the kids crying on the
> mezzanine over the restaurant "I wanna go to bed!" and the counselors
> telling them, "NO ... not until your parents come for you". Turns out
> that little "activity" cost $6 per hour after 10 PM. Our nieces preferred
> hanging out with us old timers to going to "Camp" ... how sad is that!
This is amazing....a 12 year old girl passed out in the elevator...did you
actually see this yourself or did someone tell you ? I know what I would
have done if I saw that myself, I'd have stayed with the girl and had my
husbnad go to the security office or front desk and had someone who had some
authority, come up and find our who this young lady was and WHERE were her
parents? Sheeesh from the sounds of the above, there were some pretty
negligent parents on that ship...
When we had our grandchildren on the Carnival Celebration with us one year,
our 31/2 year old grandson, loved Camp Carnival so much, he couldn't wait to
go back for their activities after we all ate together...Big difference from
what you are reporting...But then, his parents didn't stay out at 1:30 AM.
When they were out after 12, I babysat and slept in his cabin that night.
> Scheduling of what activities there were was terrible. There would be
> almost nothing all day and then 5 or 6 things that happened within an hour
> of or during first seating. The reception for past Carnival cruisers was
> held on formal night during first seating dinner.
You probably meant the Captain's Welcome Party...that is always held
pre-dinner on formal night on most of the cruise lines now.
The past passenger party is by invitation only and held a different day and
time.
> The exercise program was a joke. You had to pay around $10 for almost
> everything.
Please explain further...did you have to pay to use the treadmill or ride a
bike?
> Overall impression - most of the staff worked hard to try to make our
> trip enjoyable but the ship was full of just plain trashy people. And
> the lack of activities for them to do led to just a wild drinking and
> destroying party. While it was very enjoyable spending a week with family,
> this was definitely NOT a family oriented cruise. I cannot recommend this
> ship on this itinerary. In fact, my family has notified me that this is
> the last time that we will hold our family reunion on Carnival.
You cannot blame a cruise line for the behavior of the people that are on
the ship..It's just the luck of the draw most of the time..where the
majority of the passengers are from and the time of the year have a lot to
do with it. I don't know where the majority of your passengers were from,
but their behavior sounds extremely offensive.
I hope the cruisers from previous Victory sailings will post their opinions
here, as well as the ones that are leaving in September after school
starts..
Thanks for your review...sorry it wasn't a pleasant one all the way around.
--Jean
|