The fall is just around the corner and that means Halloween is coming up! The past couple of months of 2021 have seen several Carnival ships coming back into service after the long coronavirus shutdown and additional ships are scheduled to return to service as the year continues. Carnival recently released some of the 2021 Halloween activities and the sail-dates for ships that are hosting Halloween events & activities for 2021. This post contains some information about Carnival's planned Halloween events & activities as well as a list of Carnival ships and departure dates that are scheduled to have Halloween festivities onboard. 

2021 Planned Halloween Activities
Carnival has a variety of different Halloween events and activities planned for this year. These events & activities will take place in addition to the regular activities normally held during a cruise. Below is a list of activities that Carnival shows as being planned for the 2021 Halloween cruises: 

• Patch's Halloween Deck Party
• Costume Contest 
• Dive In Movies*
• Patch's Halloween Pumpkin Hunt
• Themed Trivia
• "Patch's Spook-tacular" Bingo
• "Frightfully Fun" Dance Class
• "Guess That Frightful Song Line-Up" 
• Pumpkin Carving Competition
• Halloween Photo Opportunities 

Note: Dive-In Movies is not on every ship. 

UPDATE (9/26/2021) -  The October 2021 Dive In Movies list has been announced which includes some Halloween themed movies/shows. Click Here for the list of Dive In Movies that Carnival ships with a Dive In Movie theater are scheduled to show throughout the month of October. 

Additionally, Carnival's website shows youth activities such as a family trick or treat, kids costume contest, and a teen Halloween party are scheduled to take place. 

How can I know when Halloween events are taking place during my cruise?
              You can check your Carnival Hub App which includes events and activities taking place onboard for each day of the cruise. The app typically shows the time and location of each event. Additionally, at your Carnival ship's Guest Services desk a one-pager Fun-Times activity is available that has all of the daily activities. 

Does Carnival have any rules for costumes?
            Carnival's website lists out costume types/items that are prohibited. Please refer to Carnival's website by clicking here for the full list of things that are prohibited. 

Ships and Dates Halloween Events Will Be Held Onboard
                  This year not all Carnival ships will be back in service to hold Halloween activities. Below is a table that shows ships and a range of departure dates that are scheduled to have Halloween festivities onboard: 

My source for this information is Carnival's website. Click here to go to Carnival's website (link will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide). I highly recommend this page if you want further information. Also, please keep in mind things are subject to change. 

      A common question, especially for first time cruisers, relates to the dress codes Carnival has set for the main dining rooms at dinner. Guests who do not follow the dress code risk being turned away and asked to change at the door (I have personally seen it happen a few times). Knowing what the dining room dress codes will be for a cruise can help you better plan your packing. This post will discuss Carnival's main dining room dress code policies for the evening dinner experience. 

I. Cruise Casual Dress Code vs. Cruise Elegant Dress Code 
           Carnival uses two different terms to indicate what the night's dress code will be. Cruise Casual is a more relaxed dress code and is the most common dress code for the main dining room on a cruise. Cruise Elegant dress codes happen less and generally only happen 1 time on a cruise that is 2-5 nights in length or 2 times on a cruise that is 6 nights or longer. Carnival's website notes the exact timing of the Cruise Elegant dress codes can vary based on a specific cruise's itinerary, but typically the first Cruise Elegant takes place on the second or third evening of the cruise and for longer cruises with a second elegant evening the next one is the second or third evening prior to the end of the cruise. 

II.  How will I know what the dress code is when I am on the cruise?
               Check your Carnival Hub App for the dress code. If you cannot find the information in the app or do not have the app, you can ask at Guest Services and they will be able to tell you. 

III. Cruise Casual: Carnival's Clothing Recommendations 
               Carnival's Frequently Asked Questions recommends the following for guests when the dress code is considered Cruise Casual: 
Men: ports slacks, khakis, jeans, long dress shorts and collared polo shirts 
​Women: summer dresses, casual skirts, pants, capris, dress shorts, jeans blouses and tops 
Not permitted:  cut-off jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, tee-shirts, gym or basketball shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire 

IV. Cruise Elegant: Carnival's Clothing Recommendations 
               Carnival's Frequently Asked Questions recommends the following for guests when the dress code is considered Cruise Elegant: 
Men: dress slacks, dress shirts, and we also suggest a sport coat; men may also wish to wear a suit and tie or tuxed
​Women: cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; ladies may also wish to wear an evening gown
Not permitted: jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, shorts, tee-shirts, sportswear, shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire

For additional information on Carnival's dining room dress code I recommend you check out this link on Carnival's website:  www.carnival.com/help?topicid=1093  (link will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide) 

       Carnival Cruise Line is adding second casinos to its Dream Class ships, which includes the Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Breeze. The second casinos will be located on Deck 4 in the spots where each of these ships used to have conference rooms. In the new casinos added on Deck 4 no smoking will be allowed. 

What casino games will be in these spaces? 
              John Heald's Facebook post noted that there will be both slots and tables in the second casinos, which is called the "Double Down" casino. 

Is smoking still allowed in the main casino? 
                 John Heald's Facebook post notes that smoking is still allowed in the main casinos on these ships. The main casino is located on Deck 5. There will be both smoking and non-smoking sections of the main casino. 

It is not yet known if Carnival is going to be rolling out a secondary non-smoking casino option to other ships in the fleet. John Heald's Facebook post mentioned that plans for the Mardi Gras' casino will be announced soon. 

If you would like to read John Heald's Facebook post check out this screenshot below: 

       Whether you are cruising Alaska this year or not, you can still enjoy the spectacular views Alaska offers from the internet. Many cruise ships have webcams that update periodically and this will allow you to see the same views the people on the ship could be looking at. Looking at ship webcams is a great way to get excited about an Alaska cruise or fulfill a desire to see more of Alaska. 
           Most major cruise ships sailing Alaska this season, 2021, have a webcam that is viewable online. I have tried to compile as many links to cruise ship webcams and port of call webcams as possible. All links to webcams are on separate sites and I take no responsibility for the operations of these cameras or the content of these websites. 

Thank you to those that are suggesting links for us to add here!  We appreciate your help and support. If you wish to have a webcam added to this list please let us know!!  

Ketchikan, Alaska
KPU Ketchikan Webcam's 
This website has 6 different cameras around the city and cruise docks. I am linking to each one separately. 
Click Here To View Webcam #1   
Click Here To View Webcam #2
Click Here To View Webcam #3
Click Here To View Webcam #4
Click Here To View Webcam #5
Click Here To View Webcam #6

Victoria BC, Canada 
Although Victoria is not a part of Alaska, there are many Alaska cruise itineraries that include a stop in Victoria.
​BigWaveDave's Ogden Point Webcam
Click Here To View Webcam
BigWaveDave's Dallas Road Webcam
Click Here To View Webcam

Seattle, Washington
Seattle is a homeport for many cruise ships that sail to Alaska. I have decided to include some Seattle webcams that have a view of the water as part of this webcam compilation. 
Space Needle Webcam:
Click Here To View This Webcam

  I love cruising and over the years there are songs that I enjoy listening to in the days before a cruise because these songs remind me of being on a cruise ship. This list is part 2 of 3 of my cruise music playlist. All of these songs have been heard by me on a Carnival Cruise ship. I have included the title & artist of the song as it appears on the playlist I have in Spotify. ​

        One of my favorite pre-cruise activities is to watch cruise ships arrive, depart, or sit docked in Galveston on webcams. Luckily there are some free webcams that typically show Galveston cruise ships on days when they are docked. 
​
      Below are some links to two of the video webcams I watch when cruise ships are either arriving, departing, or docked in Galveston. Both webcams are on Galveston.com's website and the links will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide. 

Galveston.com's Cruise Video Cam
​The Cruise Cam on Galveston.com is my favorite webcam. Generally, when a cruise ship is docked at terminal 1 the webcam will zoom in to see part of the cruise terminal's pier and part of the ship. When a cruise ship arrives or departs this webcam is controlled by a volunteer camera operator that follows the ship as far as the webcam can show. 
Click Here To Go To The Galveston.com Cruise Video Cam 
(When the page loads you might have to scroll down a little bit to see the webcam.) 

Galveston.com's Emerald Cam
              This webcam is located on the top of the Emerald in Galveston. When a cruise ship is arriving or departing this webcam will generally be operated by a volunteer camera operator that follows the ship in or out. While a cruise ship is docked in Galveston, ships at cruise terminal 1 or cruise terminal 2 can usually be seen. During times when a cruise ship is not docked, the webcam generally rotates to show different spots of Galveston Island. 
Click Here To Go To The Galveston.com Emerald Video Cam
(When the page loads you might have to scroll down a little bit to see the webcam.) ​

Please note, RyG's Cruise Guide does not own nor operate these webcams. I simply providing a link to them and you will be taken to Galveston.com's website. I am not responsible for any of the content shown on the webcams or if there are any technical issues with the webcams. 

​

      Do you like cruising on Carnival's Fantasy class cruise ships? I know I do! Test your knowledge of the Fantasy class ships both of the past and present.

Trivia Quiz Overview:   This trivia quiz is 15 questions and will test random Carnival Fantasy class ship knowledge. There is only 1 level for this trivia quiz. There are questions are various difficulty included. Just like all other trivia quizzes on here, this is just for fun and there are no prizes!
How To Begin This Trivia Quiz:
1)  To begin click on the blue button that says, "Click Here To Begin". 
2)  After pressing the blue button another window will open with the trivia quiz. It is hosted in Google Drive, but you do not need a Google login to play! 
4) When you are done you need to click "Submit". 
5) A confirmation that you submitted will appear. To view your results you will need to click "View Your Score". ​
6) If you think there is a problem with the quiz or an answer, use the report issues survey at the bottom of this page.

      Today, July 3, 2021, the Carnival Vista will depart on its first cruise with guests after the long Coronavirus pandemic shutdown. The first cruise back is scheduled to sail to Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. 
         Throughout the day I will be watching some different webcams in Galveston that usually show the ship when it is docked and sailing away in the afternoon. The actual departure time could be earlier or later than scheduled. Typically, Carnival ships depart Galveston either at 3:30pm or 4:00pm depending on the sailing. I recommend keeping a close eye on the webcams today to avoid missing out on watching if you are hoping to see the first cruise depart! 

             Below are some links to two of the video webcams I watch when cruise ships are either arriving, departing, or docked in Galveston. Both webcams are on Galveston.com's website and the links will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide. 

Galveston.com's Cruise Video Cam
              The Cruise Cam on Galveston.com is my favorite webcam. Generally, when a cruise ship is docked at terminal 1 the webcam will zoom in to see part of the cruise terminal's pier and part of the ship. When a cruise ship arrives or departs this webcam is controlled by a volunteer camera operator that follows the ship as far as the webcam can show. 
Click Here To Go To The Galveston.com Cruise Video Cam 
(When the page loads you might have to scroll down a little bit to see the webcam.) 

Galveston.com's Emerald Cam
              This webcam is located on the top of the Emerald in Galveston. When a cruise ship is arriving or departing this webcam will generally be operated by a volunteer camera operator that follows the ship in or out. While a cruise ship is docked in Galveston, ships at cruise terminal 1 or cruise terminal 2 can usually be seen. During times when a cruise ship is not docked, the webcam generally rotates to show different spots of Galveston Island. 
Click Here To Go To The Galveston.com Emerald Video Cam
(When the page loads you might have to scroll down a little bit to see the webcam.) ​

Please note, RyG's Cruise Guide does not own nor operate these webcams. I simply providing a link to them and you will be taken to Galveston.com's website. I am not responsible for any of the content shown on the webcams or if there are any technical issues with the webcams. 

      Carnival Cruise Line announced this past week two ships will be added to the Carnival fleet by 2023. 

Brand New 3rd Excel Class Ship
          One of the ships being added to Carnival's fleet is an Excel class ship that was originally scheduled to be built for Carnival Corporation's Aida brand. The Excel class ship is in the same class of ships as the Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration (scheduled to debut 2022). The Excel class ship is Liquid Natural Gas powered. This ship is scheduled to arrive to Carnival's fleet in late 2023. 


Costa Magica To Transfer To Carnival's Fleet
                The other ship coming to Carnival's fleet is the Costa Magica. The Costa Magica is a Destiny class cruise ship that is sailing under the Costa brand of Carnival Corporation. Before joining Carnival's fleet, the Costa Magica will be sent to dry-dock and will undergo a Carnival branding conversion. The ship's name will be changed. It is not yet known exactly what the ship's new name will be or any changes Carnival has planned to the ship's layout & features. This ship is expected to arrive in Carnival's fleet by mid-2022. 
                  The Costa Magica's general layout is very similar to the Carnival Destiny, which was converted in 2013 into the Carnival Sunshine. According to Costa's website, the Costa Magica has 3,470 guests, 1,027 crew, and is 893 feet in length. 

The homeport of these ships is not announced as of the time of writing. More information is expected to come later!

For Carnival Cruise Line's press release: Click Here (link will take you to Carnival's news website away from RyG's Cruise Guide). 

      Carnival Cruise Line has announced some temporary changes to the benefits offered to Platinum & Diamond guests in the VIFP Club. The VIFP Club is Carnival's loyalty program that has different levels based on the numbers of days a cruiser has sailed with Carnival. Due to the re-start of cruises after the coronavirus pandemic shutdown, some of the benefits offered to Platinum & Diamond guests are going to be a little different.

Priority Boarding
            Carnival's VIFP Club webpage notes that the benefit of priority boarding to Platinum & Diamond guests for July 2021 and August 2021 cruises is changing to where Platinum & Diamond guests now get to check-in for the cruise 48 hours earlier. Platinum & Diamond guests must select a check-in time slot and will receive an assigned boarding zone. Carnival giving 48 hours earlier seems to be their way of still giving some priority to get on the ship, but the old way of priority boarding seems to be going away for now. John Heald's Facebook post regarding these changed benefits notes that anyone that arrives early will be turned away, which seems to include Platinum and Diamond guests. 

Casino Tournaments
           Carnival's VIFP Club page notes that Carnival is unable to offer casino tournaments. As a result, Carnival is giving these guests US $25 in Casino FunPlay. 

Priority Debarkation
             Carnival's VIFP Club page notes that while the ship will strive to offer priority debarkation, it may not be possible. 

Stateroom Access
                John Heald's Facebook page notes that staterooms may not be ready for Platinum and Diamond guests with earlier arrival appointments. Platinum and Diamond guests can still drop off their luggage in their room when boarding, but keep in mind the room may still not be fully cleaned yet. 
                 
Chocolate Delight
                   John Heald's Facebook page indicates there will be changes to the Chocolate Delight benefit. Typically, under Carnival's VIFP program, Platinum & Diamond guests on 5+ day cruises would receive a Chocolate Delight dish delivered to their stateroom. Now due to safety protocols, guests will be asked to call room service to schedule a delivery. 

Carnival Logo Gift & Ship Pin
                    These items used to be delivered to guests' staterooms, but Carnival is trying to minimize the number of deliveries to staterooms. Now guests will be able to pick these items up at the photo gallery, according to John Heald's Facebook. 

I highly recommend guests keep watching Carnival's VIFP Club page for any changes as well as ask guest services once onboard your cruise if you are unsure if a particular benefit is being offered or if it is being done in a different way. Please keep in mind things could change again. 

​Carnival's VIFP Club Page:  Click Here To View (Link will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide to Carnival's website) 

For John Heald's Facebook page please check out his Facebook page. I included a screenshot of the post below for quick and easy reference. Please click the pictures to make them larger!