I just noticed that my cruise document selection magically changed to electronic and I can't change it back. For the thousands I am paying they should print them not me. Not to mention luggage tags won't survive if I print them. Anyone notice this? Anyone know how to change it back. Used to be button to select but that is gone.

sailbmore,

Sorry for the bad news, but in the middle of this year Carnival discontinued giving us the option of either mailing the documents to us in its little booklet or electronic.  Now its only electronic....yes, we have to download them.  About the luggage tags....I am cruising today on the Glory...Oct 24, 2009 and I don't fly with them from home, but rather fold em up and borrow a stapler at the hotel I am staying at the night before.  The first time I used these paper bags tags, they actually remained on the handle and the person who I am cruising with today did the same thing and they remained on the handle.

 Hope this helps you.

Rob

Thanks. I just searched their website for luggage tags and found the new Q&A on it. What a bummer. I should ask for a refund credit since that was included in my original cost. Seems stupid. I'm going on Pride out of Baltimore so bags only have to go a few feet so shouldn't be too bad. But I can see some ports where bags will get lost. Can't be cost effective. The new lack-of-service world keeps encompassing more and more things. I already got stuff from last cruise so I really just need the luggage tags. My flimsy printer paper seems not sturdy enough to survive handlers. I have lost leather tags before. I usually use my came with luggage tag and put an insert in there with the info as secondary. Plus one inside.

Enjoy your cruise. Hope your bags join you.

sailbmore:

Thanks. I just searched their website for luggage tags and found the new Q&A on it. What a bummer. I should ask for a refund credit since that was included in my original cost. Seems stupid. I'm going on Pride out of Baltimore so bags only have to go a few feet so shouldn't be too bad. But I can see some ports where bags will get lost. Can't be cost effective. The new lack-of-service world keeps encompassing more and more things. I already got stuff from last cruise so I really just need the luggage tags. My flimsy printer paper seems not sturdy enough to survive handlers. I have lost leather tags before. I usually use my came with luggage tag and put an insert in there with the info as secondary. Plus one inside.

Enjoy your cruise. Hope your bags join you.

I'm sorry you are so disappointed about the luggage tags.  This is just one way Carnival is trying to keep the costs down, instead of going up on our cruises.

Might I suggest, after you print the tag, cover it in either a piece of laminate, or simply use clear shipping tape.  This works very well, is hard to tear, and you can still clearly see your information through it. 

It has worked well for many cruisers over the years, not just since Carnival's new policy.

You have fun on your cruise as well.

sailbmore,

If you do not want to print out the luggage tags you can get them from one of the porters.  Carnival is trying to go green and since you do not need to print off all the doc. just the tags it does help going green.    what you do need to print is your funpass.  

Let us know how you enjoy the Pride I am going to be sailing on her in May and really looking forward to it.

Went last May. Loved it. Obviously, going again. Food, ship, crew, passengers were excellent. And being able to drive a half hour to ship beats everything. And Baltimore is the easiest port ever.

 Going green is just code for increased profits by not providing the services you used to provide. The sad part is the advent of paper reduction has actually reduced forests. As a renewable resource there never was a loss of trees. In fact the taking of the pulp wood (which would die off anyhow) actually helps the trees grow by reducing competition. For companies like Georgia Pacific who had reserves of forest for future demand growth which did not materialize had to get the non-producing costs of their books. So the land got sold to developers, hence the loss of trees, not increase. Always look at the complete picture. I know some one who lost his life savings because the bank claimed they never heard of him and he had no statements to back it up.  I lost my 401K account and had the statements to get it back. Remember that the next time you go green.

 Sorry for the ramble. Just tired of getting all my services cut in the name of going green when it really is just increasing corporate profits at the expense of the customer.

Don't be sorry for the ramble...  it is always great to hear someone elses view on things, it is one of the best ways to learn.

I wish Carnival would give a better choice of ports sailing out of Baltimore.  But since I just like to be onboard, I am going to be happy with the cruise.  Would even be nice if they would offer a little longer cruise so they can make better ports.  at least a couple of times of year.

My sentiments exactly. I plan on talking to them on board about increasing variety of destinations and yes increasing to 9 day to do more carribean cruises. Thay said last time if Baltimore goes well they will bring another ship in. Pride is here for 2 years at least. From what they said it is doing well. Interviews with Captain and Hotel Manager both say they love Baltimore and the people. It is the number 1 port for number of drive up people. Hope it does well. I'm doing my part. The port was far superior to others people have used. I have done Ft Lauderdale and it is leaps above that.

My first cruise was on HAL in a deluxe suite so never going to get that on Carnival. Was apprehensive about Carnival. But was totally surprised at ship and crew. Not counting desserts the food was actually better. They have 3 big (vegas style) shows in lounge. Met other people in same situation and they all said they were pleasantly suprised. Everyone loves the convenience of Baltimore. I'm like you and like the time at sea so the 2 day trip down to Carribean was fun and relaxing. If you got any questions about the ships or ports please feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer.

 I like your points.

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Carnival Victory 6/2006   New York, USA/ Halifax, Nova Scotia

The sailing I am going on is going to Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Freeport.  So I will be able to sail again without repeating the ports.   I love the spirit class ships.  They include the Pride , Spirit, Miracle (which does sail out of NYC during the warm months) and the legend.   I think Carnival has just gotten a bad rep from the old days, that they are trying to get rid of.  

You'll love Half Moon Cay. It is Holland America's private island. It is georgous and big. Some of the other private islands are so small. I've been there twice and would go again and again. Great beach. Good excursions. Crew sets up a barbeque. You have to tender. But the Pride did good to get all the excursion people off on time. THe island has its own large tenders so faster than the small ships. I was just hitting beach so waited for the rush to die down and wondered over.

 Grand Turk has a nice port area. Beach is recovering. Hurricane pretty much wiped out island 2 years ago or is it 3 now. But it was nice last year. The rest of island you may drive through to an excursion is still in bad shape. Apparently local gov has been replaced by British since they took the hurricane money and didn't give it to people.

Hopefully they bring another of the spirit classes to Baltimore. That and the other small class fit under bridge. Plus the captain mentioned they were built for Alaska run so have double hull which will be nice in the winter for the ice in the bay.

Yeah I had that rep about Carnival in my mind. It is has persisted for decades. A bunch of people were on the ship since local and they all had the same rep in their mind and they were all plesently suprised.

You'll have a wonderful time. Hope you have the same weather we did last May. Tropical storm had crossed over to gulf and left us with smooth waters the whole week. Freeport had just had fires a few weeks before since coming out of their dry season. One of the crew said they were coming back to the ship in a cab and he just drove through the flames. Bonus ride.

OK I have to ask. What is a monkeyhead. See the monkeyheads all over these pages.

the monkeyhead group is a long story,  it started almost 2 years ago now... there was someone on the boards here just complaining so much about carnival and we got tired of it and felt it was fun to waste money on a carnival cruise.  And since they have the monkeyhead cup one day onboard... that is what we became... the monkeyhead wasters.   And we have just kept on growing in numbers... and now we are meeting onboard ship to just have more fun.   the cruises I have planned right now are with fellow monkeyheads.... on the Dream cruises we also have included the cruisecritic people... so that should be a lot of fun

I was bummed out to find out I had to print everything!  I'm really going to miss the luggage tags when I start scrapping our cruise.  I always used them on a scrapbook page.    Maybe I can get one from the receptionist? 

when you get to port just ask one of the porters... they should have some

HI!  I noticed that too.  So I was also afraid that the luggage tags wouldn't last so what I am going to do is this.  I am printing each tag out on bright colored card stock and each person gets a different color.  Then I am going to place the sticky sheet protector over each one so that it makes it strong.  Then you can either punch a hole into it to attach it or staple it your choice.  Hoping it works well.  I am cruising on the pride Jan 31st 2010 can't wait.