Carnival Won’t Let Me Cancel My Trip!

Did you book through the cruise line itself or a third party?

This sounds like a shakedown.

Why do you think anyone on the DL cares?

I'd rather go by Greyhound bus than sail Carnival again.

Please, G-d...don't ever allow my life to come to this.

I’ve done Norwegian and never had a problem. Pricey but worth it.

R2, I’d invite you but you are too large to be removed from your mom’s basement.

[quote]Did you book through the cruise line itself or a third party?

You need to deal with whomever you booked the cruise with. Same with airlines. If you book with Travelocity, you have to deal with Travelocity when you have issues.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha HAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

OP it sounds like you still want to go. You should. I would. Just be careful with who you talk to.

Anyone foolish enough to book a Carnival cruise deserves what they get.

Just go, OP. It's a big ship, you'll find a quiet spot

God Carnival sounds like a nightmare. No matter how good the price I'd stay home.

Fascinating

R6 don’t invite because I do not want to sail the seas and get nasty stomach bugs from bacteria floating barges

I would only go on a cruise of adults only.

R14 you probably get stomach bugs from eating week old sub sandwiches sitting around in your mother’s basement. I bet the sheets on your fifteen year old futon are HARD AND CRUSTY.

This looks like a post from a travel site just copy pasted to here, like the original Golden Corral thread.

[quote]Anyone foolish enough to book a Carnival cruise deserves what they get.

Especially a repeat customer, as OP claims to be.

Why would you want to be on a cruise with people who want to be on a cruise?

OP here.

I have never had a bad experience with Carnival myself. I last sailed with them in 2019. But the past few months they’ve been in the news with these brawls. In the past, the main issue was unruly teenagers. But these recent incidents are adults fighting and getting intoxicated.

In the water I'm a very skinny lady.

Pity

Update: some friends of mine from a cruise vacation website are going on the same trip. And the husband says that this crowd will be different from the usual ones because there won’t be any kids because they are in school. And an older crowd too, more retirees.

Drunks on carnival? Shocking. Who would have guessed that Carnival of all cruise lines would have lots of drunks?

People who know nothing about Carnival?

And BTW those best deals are usually non refundable. So read the small print as to cancelations before you book not after.

Next time book an adult cruise on a line like Celebrity which is not known for over the top groups of soon to be drunks booking cheap cruises.

I get the feeling that the lower classes spend ever dime they make, then max their credit cards out, then take out a loan. There is no way they can afford these trips. And there's no way they are going to deprive themselves of fun and bling.

Carnival has also cracked down on misbehavior, with large fines and no-tolerance enforcement. You'll be fine, OP.

I’m glad op

Ben and Dave were on a Celebrity cruise and posted their review on their YouTube channel…they loved the ship but they didn’t feel as welcome as they were expecting to be.

R28

Celebrity is not a party ship. It’s more sedate and quiet and has older customers. But the food is really good. Certainly not unfriendly in any way.

Carnival has always been know more as a party experience .

I hope you’re out several thousand dollars! That’ll teach your ass to book a cruise on Carnival.

If you want to avoid kids and rowdiness, avoid short cruises that leave from home ports near large population centers.

Carnival is the trashiest of a trashy industry

I’ve enjoyed Carnival in the past despite some ratchet people onboard. Those two cruises were in the summer. I think and hope that it will be different. The older I get the less flexible I become. I could deal with ratchet folks in my younger years but not now as I approach sixty.

I am picturing OP as someone of Andre Leon Talley stature with steamer trunks full of gorgeous new caftans.

Remember when Kathie Lee Gifford was the Carnival spokesperson?

Well start taking boxing classes

There are obnoxious people everywhere. You can't avoid them anymore. So, just think about how great it feels to have the sun warming your skin, or the refreshing jump in the pool you're about to make. If anything, others will be talking about it and you can join in.

[quote]So, just think about how great it feels to have the sun warming your skin, or the refreshing jump in the pool you're about to make. I

I can do that at home.

CARNIVAL VENEZIA

You have to go, OP. Get a hat and some great sunglasses. If you drink, keep a nice little buzz going. Find quiet spots. Talk to strangers. Live it up. And know the whole that we fully expect you to come back here and report all the details. Think of it like you are an adventurous travel journalists. What else are you going to do that is more fun that that?

i went on Carnival last summer from Seattle to Alaska (and back), my first cruise ever. i didn't think it was that bad, to be honest. And i'm in my 50s. There was a pretty decent mix of all ages and nobody (that I know about) got into any brawls. I got the drinks package so i was drunk a LOT though. Usually for me that just means being amused by everyone, laughing a lot, spending a lot of time in the bathroom pissing out the alcohol and eventually going back to the cabin and passing out. I'll bet it would be a different experience this time though as I've stopped drinking at this time in my life.

However over 75 people *did* get Covid, myself included. However, that was my 2nd Covid go-round and it was pretty unremarkable in terms of illnesses. I had a worse cold at the end of July/beginning of August that was Snot City and took FOREVER to go away. Not Covid.

I'd be okay to go on a Carnival Cruise again if that's what my finances could afford. If i had more money to spend, i might go with another cruise line. but i'm not clamoring right now to go on another cruise - i'd rather go to Europe and visit any number of places i haven't been to and would like to see.

Oh, to dream though. Not rolling in the dough right now, that's for sure.

Awe poor Gerg

I’ve also sailed with Princess and MSC. The latter was my favorite to date. MSC has learned to read the room when it comes to American cruise passengers. It was amazing and I loved it. Of course, I traveled with friends, which made it even better.

Did you managed to get it all sorted OP? I googled the Carnival Venezia and it's massive.

Yes r44, it’s all good. Thanks for asking. Now I’m getting stoked about it.

R35 what a time capsule this is. I actually love some of Kathie Lee’s outfits.

Pre covid I sailed on Carnival a couple of times. No problems at all. Had a wonderful relaxing trip both times. Did not eat buffet and didn’t mingle with the unwashed.

Some travel websites are saying that Carnival will phase out the libraries on their ships. Admittedly, their libraries suck, with hardly any books. You can go there for board games. A lot of the older passengers do that. Maybe I’ll bring my Rummikub.

Yeah, I don't think that people who go on cruises would be big readers, unless the library is stocked with Colleen Hoover.

I cancelled and rebooked a cruise on Virgin Voyages recently to get a lower price and it was very easy.

I read more on cruises than I do at home. But I always bring my Kindle. I've never taken a book out of a cruise ship's library.

I've done 11 cruises on Celebrity and always had a good time. It was a good way for three generations of family to get together. Good for older folks who can't walk as far as they used to. There are fewer kids during the school year. One cruise had less than 10 children on it and 3 of them were with my group. Celebrity is quite gay friendly; I've met several gay couples on ships. A couple years back my mum and sister in law's parents were chatting to another couple of older folks - turns out they were the mum and aunt of one of the Eagles players fresh off his Superbowl win. He had taken his whole family on the trip. He was so sweet and his wife was hilarious. I've had nothing but good experiences. Food is really good as well. Celebrity also offers a top notch liquor pass that includes all the specialty cocktails at the frozen top martini bar, the world class lounge, etc. It's a good way to relax.

OP sounds like a nellie prisspot worrywart.

I’ve printed out all of my documents for the trip. In a week I’ll be on my balcony, listening to music on my phone while I’m watching the sunset.

Only one solution OP...

Just got back this morning. Great time in spite of the rain. But I have to say that I may have been one of the skinnier people from my age bracket on this trip. Some really massive people onboard. Including a woman who decided to take half of the compound butter to put on her four slices of toast. I’m serious. But most of the passengers were nice and polite; few if any children. There were quite a few LGBT folks onboard as well. There was a lesbian couple celebrating their anniversary and they were quite romantic. No one said a word about it.

I loved the cabin and the shows. The buffet was hit or miss but I loved the steakhouse and Teppanyaki restaurant. I may go back there next year but with Princess.