trixiegal

I had to switch dates for our upcoming Vista cruise so I lost my Havana aft balconies and we ended up booking on Deck 2 with side-by-side cove balconies and 1 Interior Family Harbour cabin (3 cabins for 5 ppl). My DS will be 17 and I'll probably have him stay in the Interior by himself and my sis + baby nephew will be next to my DD and I in a cove balcony up the hall. They're not one of the FH cove balconies. I was just happy to get them next to eachother.

Anyway, I can't find any info on whether there is an age restriction on the FH Lounge. Is my DS-17 aged out? And how will they designate who can go in and who can't? It would be nice if we could all pop in there based on my sister's interior cabin (booked under her name) but I guess I'll find out after the ship starts sailing what the protocol will be.

Try looking at visitbaltimore.com. There are a lot of really nice hotels in the Inner Harbor area. Some of them major hotel brands like the Four Seasons, Marriott, Hilton, etc. I've done a staycation at the Kimpton hotel, the Hotel Monaco. It was very nice and quiet but a few blocks from the harbor.

Embassy Suites and other hotels near the airport are fine but are not really close to the city without a car. There is a casino nearby in the Arundel Mills area. It's adjacent to a huge outlet mall and lots of restaurants and a movie theatre. Some of the airport hotel shuttles will take you there. It's best to call and confirm.

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Subscribing from the Carnival board so I can come back and read this. My phone app doesn't let me star it if I find a thread in another board. So annoying...

Looking forward to your Jamaica port excursion. We are going in November on the Carnival Visit.

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I also posted on your other thread encouraging you to check out Southwest for cheap flights from BWI. We are doing this same itinerary in November of this year. I plan on writing a review so you can get ideas on excursions and what's happening on the ship.

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Great review so far. I want to take a Celebrity cruise for DS graduation present so I'm reading reviews on all the S-class ships. Leaning toward the Reflection for the Med next year. But I'm very interested in reading your thoughts on the Silhouette.

I like variety so I definitely don't stick to one cruise brand. We started with Royal 15 years ago for our very first cruise and I cruised with them 2 additional times over 6 years old with a Disney cruise thrown in there, too. The last Royal cruise in 2007 almost turned me off cruising altogether because the cabin, food, service, and fellow passengers were terrible.

I stuck with land vacations for the next 7 years and decided to do a last minute cruise on the Carnival Dream when I was visiting colleges with DD and DS. We had a blast! That cruise reignited my love for cruising and we have cruised Disney, Princess and Carnival the past 2 years since then. We have another planned for the Vista in November.

I'm still partial to Carnival because I like how it feels like home and the crew always makes us feel like family. We always have a good week on a CCL cruise. Perfect line for families with teens IMO. However, DS is graduating HS next year and I'm seriously considering a Med cruise on Celebrity for 2017. We are ready to try a more upscale line now that they are both approaching adulthood. Royal may be considered in the future but we'll probably go on one of the newer Disney ships 1st because my nephew is only 1 and will be the right age in a few years.

I haven't been through all of the posts so I hope this isn't a repeat. I am a fragrance fanatic and recently found two websites that have given me so much LIFE. Scentbird and Fragrantica. The latter is more of a forum/message board like CC but dedicated to all things fragrance for men/women/unisex scents. Scentbird sends you big trial bottles for a fee/month and you can try out those ones you've always wondered about but don't want to spend lots of $$$. I turned my sis and DD on to it and both of them look forward to their new scent each month.

When we were on the Sunshine last summer, we were also in the aft but on Deck 5. It was very easy to get to the Havana area by hopping on an elevator. So there were many nights we passed by there to get pizza or get to the Lido deck and they were playing loud music. Definitely around midnight or later. I'm wondering if it will be harder to hear the music if they aren't on the pool deck area and just in the lounge. Well, guess we'll find out with the first few reviews.

We are cruising 11/26 of this year. Can't wait!!!

I'm sure you will have a wonderful time on the Vista no matter what date or cabin your end up choosing in the end.

I'm also on Deck 6 in a Havana aft balcony. My family is me and two kids- one a teen and one in college who will bring a friend or family member the same age. So we aren't really concerned about the noise. I'm sure it will be noisy at night if the band is playing or it's a club atmosphere.

I know this wasn't one of the options you listed, but we had an inside on Deck 5 aft and LOVED this location. And these are the new rooms - actually had a cold refrigerator. And if you get one of the 4 on the "inside" hallway they are bigger.

 

Enjoy your cruise on the Sunshine. I know there are lots of mixed reviews but we had a wonderful time and can't wait to sail her again.

Last July, we had an aft OV cabin 5335 and we also really liked being in that location on the ship. It was so easy to get to the Lido deck and to dinner in the MDR on Deck 3. I also liked being so close to the Ocean Plaza and Red Frog Pub. It was very quiet and I felt minimal movement that week. I would keep checking to see if one of those insides or OVs open up!

I'd like to know the answer to that, as well

I am speaking here, one West Virginian to another. I would never steer a neighbor wrong, so trust me when I say "DO NOT TAKE THE PRIDE" go with the Vista. I work in Maryland, and many of my co-workers have sailed the Pride because they either didn't want to pay for airfare, or hate flying. Based on their comments I personally would not choose the Pride.

 

 

 

Drive to BWI and take Southwest to FLL and the shuttle to MIA. Long term parking isn't that expensive at BWI, and the shuttle bus to the terminal is free & easy. Southwest doesn't book seats ahead of time, it's open seating, BUT they will not make your kids sit alone. At least one parent can sit with the kids. Southwest also doesn't charge for the first checked bad, nor for 1-carryone each. I have found airfare R/T from BWI to FLL for as little as $145 pp.

 

 

 

You said you like the ports better on the Vista and they are way better (And this is coming from someone that actually likes Nassau). The Pride trip is longer, because you need more sea days to get to Florida and the Bahamas. It can be cooler those first few days out and back.

 

 

 

I understand about being concerned about the cost, and that is a valid concern, but would you rather pay a lot of money for a nice vacation, or pay a little extra and have a great vacation?

I think the OP made the best choice for her wants and needs!

I also live in MD and my cruise planned for the Vista in November will be my 4th on Carnival. I actually toured the Pride a few years ago with a travel agent group but I wasn't very impressed. However, they did just undergo a dry dock last year and added Guy's Burgers and some other popular 2.0 offerings. So I may book Pride in the next few years IF the price is right. But usually, the prices are just too expensive and the ports are not where I want to go. I'm normally looking at summer itineraries.

As far as SWA, we fly that airline exclusively back and forth to Florida for cruising and to get my DD to/from Orlando for college. I NEVER pay more than $200 RT going into MCO or FLL. My average RT fare is under $150, though. And bags include 2 FREE checked bags per passenger. My family and I take whatever we want when we cruise. I love SOUTHWEST!

Simple, use Uber. It's a short ride to the pier and your Uber driver will pick you up at your baggage claim instead of having to go stand in the cab line.

Check on Groupon and Living Social for a discount on car transportation services. I used JJMA Transportation last September to go to DCA after buying a voucher on Living Social and it was a great experience. I highly recommend them!

Check on Groupon and Living Social for tour ideas for both cities. I get email from both sites everyday and there are usually good discounts on lots of tours, especially unique and unusual ideas like Italian Food Tours or Cocktails on the Potomac.

Does the $135 include any food or drinks?

Some of the newer reviews are better. However, I'd rather have pictures of the so-called nice house. Nice is such a subjective word. My nephew will be 2 on this cruise so I know my sister will appreciate having an A/C place to chill with him if he doesn't like being out in the sun.

Anyone else been on this excursion to give more insight or post recent pics?

I disagree about the food. It was delicious! And the drinks were great, too. We had a very chill day at Jack's Shack last July. The service was attentive even though they were a bit crowded that day. However, the were a lot less people than at Magaritaville. Which is why I enjoyed it!

I'm thinking of booking this excursion for my cruise in 11/16. I used RFD last year for a day pass to a resort in Curaçao. We had a great experience so I trust using them again.

How long were you at Jewel Runaway Bay? We are porting in Ocho Rios.

I booked the 11/27/16 cruise on the Vista and I'm not head over heels with going to Nassau. But I'm very excited to go to Grand Turk again as it was one of the highlights of our last cruise on the Sunshine. TBH, I'm happy to get on the Vista no matter where she's going!

I agree and the quattro formaggi with Gorgonzola was the best!

 

My mouth is watering! So good!

I pretty much only travel alone with just my 2 kids (one is 16 and the other is 20). We always have a wonderful time and pick excursions that we'd enjoy as a family- so usually beach clubs where we can relax, they can do water sports and I can have a cocktail or three. My DD is the older one and she exclusively hangs out with me. She's shyer than her brother. So we go to tea time, the art auction, hang out at the pool, buy a spa pass for the week and go to the comedy shows. We've also gone to trivia and karaoke. There's so much to do and so little time after eating breakfast, lunch and dinner that you all definitely won't be bored.

Do you remember if they had snorkeling equipment available either included or for a fee?

 

 

 

Thanks!

There is a small little hut on the left side of the beach as you approach the cove that has all of the snorkeling equipment, water toys and paddle boards available for a small fee. You can't charge it to a room of course, so carry cash. I would ask about it when you are checking it to receive the day pass at the front desk.

I agree with the other comments about not looking for things to be stressed about. You can find trouble or stress anywhere you go looking for it.

My advice is to realize, as I do every cruise, that the people that write reviews and complain have a different personality than you so they can only shape YOUR cruise if you let them. You know what experiences you enjoy and which ones you don't, so seek out the ones you enjoy and don't sweat the small stuff. Be kind to the employees, learn your steward's and dining staffs' names and treat him/her as a newfound friend and you will have the best service guaranteed!

I've been on 3 CCL cruises in the past 3 years after I swore off cruising in 2007. Each one of those cruises continuously surprised me and made me loyal to the CCL brand. Yes, some things weren't perfect but my overall perspective is that I had 3 awesome family vacations that have lifetime memories for my kids and I. Go enjoy yourself and stop making lists! [emoji6]

I'm a Jo Malone fanatic and I think they are only sold in specialty shops within high-end department stores or their own retail stores.

I'd be interested if anyone has ever seen the line sold in a duty-free shop before.