Cruisin Broad

Yes. You could also apply it to your sign and sail account via the self service kiosk, if you're comfortable using it. It can be applied any time during your sailing. I was on a Carnival cruise earlier this year and had a gift card applied to my sign and sail account at embarkation.

If you're giving the glasses you mentioned, what about Maitre D'?

FlyingCruiserNJ, thanks again for the response. As long as my friends and I get to cruise together, we'll be happy whether the casino is up to our standards or not. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.

Thanks for the response. I was thinking that would be the case (sigh).

Thanks for the replies. I've looked at the partially covered balconies and their locations, and I think we're going to stay with the Dolphin deck mini-suite we've reserved. This will be the first time with a "fully exposed" balcony. We have one sun worshipper, so I'm sure she'll love it. Thanks again.

Enjoyed the review! Thanks for taking the time to share your photos and adventures with us. I'll be cruising on the Grand in February 2018. (I know, such a long time to wait.) I noticed you mentioned the casino was small, but do you think it was smaller than on other ships you've cruised? My friends and I love to play roulette and occasionally we play the slot machines just to pass the time.

Enjoy your upcoming cruise. Wish I had one scheduled for 2017, but there's still time to schedule one.

Thanks sknight for your response. I'll check the balcony cabins on deck 10 to see if they'll accommodate a third person. We booked the mini-suite thinking we might have a third traveler and would prefer the mini-suite, but the partially covered balcony might win over cabin space.

For anyone who has cruised on the Grand Princess, are all of the balcony cabins either fully covered or fully exposed? From reading various posts on this forum and from other internet research, it appears there are no cabins on the Grand that are partially covered. Is this correct? I've booked a mini-suite on Dolphin deck, but may want to change the location if there are partially covered balconies on this particular ship. Thanks.

I agree with phillygirl63. Two female friends and I have cruised together many times in a balcony room. We do as phillygirl63 suggests regarding showering, dressing, etc., although we've never brought an over door holder of any sort and always had enough space.

My preference is a balance of sea days and port days. For most of the cruises I've taken, the majority of ports are back to back, with one or two sea days at the beginning or end, and occasionally a sea day in the middle. It would be great if there could be a sea day followed by a port day, another sea day, another port day, etc.

Have you checked the location of the club class mini-suites? On the Grand, they appear to all be mid-ship. I was considering a club class mini-suite, but decided against it since they all appeared to be located mid-ship, near the elevators and stairs.

Great ideas on saving money for cruises.

Does anyone know of any way to buy Princess discount gift cards? For example, Verizon customers can get 10% off Carnival and Royal Caribbean gift cards by redeeming points and paying some money. I'm wondering if anyone knows of anything similar for Princess. I know about the stock benefit. Thanks.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'll have to book one of the aft cabins on Dolphin deck, but C753 looks like, and from what I've read is, a great cabin, at least for two.

Hello. For anyone who has stayed in state room C753 on the Grand Princess, will the room accommodate a 3rd traveler? On the deck plan diagram, it doesn't indicate that C753 will accommodate a third person, but when I select 3 travelers and select that state room, it allows me to book it. I'm not certain whether I'll be traveling with one or two others, so I'd like to book a room that will accommodate a third person. Thanks.

Comfort Suites Miami Airport North.

I believe there are some hotels that offer pick up service from the port for a fee. Another option is to take a taxi to the airport and then call the hotel for the shuttle to pick you up from the airport.

The description of the OP's mother could be me (almost), right down to the RV. Still in our 50s, my husband and I have been RVing in a 41' motor home for 3 years. I have always been afraid of the water, but I love to cruise. My husband loves the water, but does not like to cruise. I'm not a swimmer and I don't like to go in water in which I can't stand with my feet firmly planted, but being on a cruise ship doesn't make me afraid. As others have suggested, maybe there's something else, other than being afraid of the water, that's causing your mother's reaction. As others have suggested, try talking with her to see if you can determine if there's another cause. Remind her that you'll be close by should she get anxious while on the cruise. Maybe she has concerns, since it's her first cruise, that she'll feel uncomfortable, which will make the cruise less enjoyable for the others who are going. Good luck in convincing her to go.

Comfort Suites Miami Airport North offers free shuttle from airport to hotel, and free shuttle from hotel to port, breakfast included in price.

I chose Carnival for an upcoming cruise because the itinerary offered a "never before visited port," and we wanted to depart from Florida. We would have preferred a 10 day cruise, but chose our February 2016 cruise (a 7 dayer) because of ports. We're staying over a couple of days in Florida to make it a 10 day vacation.

Regarding La Perla, my husband and I visited Old San Juan a few years ago and we were warned by a local to stay away from that area. We did walk past the area with others during the day as we were heading to El Morro and San Cristobal, but chose to follow the local's advice and not go down the street that led to the community. We were told that it was a dangerous, drug ridden area.

I'm enjoying your review as a friend and I will be on Splendor in February, although a different itinerary.

Comfort Suites Miami Airport North offers a shuttle from the airport as well as to the port. Both are free.

Here is a link to the baggage storage facility inside of MIA: http://www.miami-airport.com/baggage_storage.asp

Thanks, JohninDC, that takes care of my question.

Can one store bags at the airport without having a flight scheduled the day you want to store your bags? For example, we disembark on a Sunday morning in Miami, but want to spend part of the day around South Beach (without lugging luggage around). Would we be able to store our bags at MIA while we tour South Beach? We're then heading to Ft. Lauderdale late afternoon and won't be flying out for several days.

My last Carnival cruise was in February 2014. The ship was scheduled to dock at 7:00 a.m. in Ft. Lauderdale. I had a 10:35 a.m. flight from Ft. Lauderdale and there was no problem making it. I took a cab to the airport, and was sitting at the flight gate with at least two hours to spare.

$500 value gift cards still available, no $100s.