Bonnie J.

Back in the OLD days my husband always took & wore his tux. Then he took his suit. Now he just wears bright colored pants and a Hawaiian print shirt. Many are in polos and you'll see some in shorts.

When we started cruising- 30 + years ago, 2 formal nights meant a lot of tuxes, then 2 days of informal which meant the man did not have to wear a tie, and 3 relaxed night but no shorts or jeans.

Things have really changed- don't know if I like it or not.

Mahogany Bay has a big beach on the small island next to it. You can walk over the bridge, a long walk, or take a cable car over.

You only use a cab to get somewhere else away from the port. Cabs are outside the port.

In Grand Cayman, you can take a public bus to stops along 7 Mile beach, or to Cemetary beach. Its one fee for the whole route, but forget what it is. Or, you can swim with the Rays, go to the town of HELL or the turtle farm.

In Belize, there is no beach right there. It is a LONG tender ride in and if you want a beach there, you must take a tour. Or, go cave tubing but you will save a lot for a tour that is not the ship's!

In Cozumel its like docking at a mall with all the shops. Chananaub is a national park and has everything, a big beach, swim with the dolphins- fun to watch, bars and food, a small museum, things for kids to do and see. It is a flat cab fee to get there for all cabs, and you'll have to Google the park to see the cost to get in now.

Years ago we went on an NCL cruise (we now do not like NCL at all!) out of San Juan. We had NO sea days. Look at cruises from there. You don't have to spend a day to get to many islands from there.

We haven't but I know Carnival will not allow any TA to sell their cruise for less than Carnival's actual cost. Don't know whether other cruise lines do this. Sometimes a TA will lower their commission for you but the cruise line does get their cost.

Is Premier your classification on Carnival? If so you will get a silver sign'nsail card, a free Carnival logo gift, priority boarding a tender but no free drinks except at the Premier & Diamond party where all the officers are introduced, top # of cruises passengers have and this is led by the cruise director. It usually starts at 5 pm.

Our Diamond card is white.

Private tour operators want to make sure you are back long before you have to be. They don't want to get a reputation their tours are ever late returning to the ship. They would lose business if they got you back late!

I have read here people also go to the gym for showers when the cabin is crowded. There are showers u can use there and I think they have towels there.

Post your question on the 'Ask a cruise question'. More people will see it and answer.

You can get the ferry to THE BATHS, Huge boulders on the beach and in the water and cruisers drop anchor off the beach. Great swimming and fun going thru the boulders to get to the next beach. It was a best tour for us and we cruise a LOT. Google the Baths and you'll see what I mean.

The BATHS are in Virgin Gorda. When you Google, hotels there come up, but go to the Baths and there are tons of photos!

There was ship next to us in San Juan, don't remember the name, but it was all condos. You bought your condo with a full kitchen with doors automatically closing if you burned your toast or had a fire. But, you could also go to the dining room. You paid a million PLUS for the condo. And the owners decided where to cruise to. You could also rent your condo for however long you wanted.

Anyone know about this ship and its name?

We are Diamond on Carnival- 84 cruises with them- but do look at Princess! They are our next favorite! Food is better than Carnival, evenings are fun and we like their cabins better too.

We have been on Celebrity and think of that cruise line as more of a country club cruise. A lot of Tuxes and much more formal wear, not as relaxed as Carnival or Princess, more formal for everything.

Royal Caribbean is OK, food not that good except at dinner.

We do not like NCL at all. Once had to wait 40 minutes for dinner. Twice asked to share a table and ended up with table for 2. (We have eaten together for, now, 56 years, we like to meet others.)

We have been on 5 Costa cruises and 1st 4 were OK. It is the BIG ships of the Mediterrane. The Europeans discovered it in the Caribbean on a 5th cruise. When you go the dining room for breakfast or lunch, you are asked if you want your menu in English. French, Spanish, Italian or Dutch! And muster is in 5 languages too!

Again look at Princess, you will not be disappointed on them!

If you take your birth certificates they MUST be the official with a raised seal. NOT the ones a hospital gives.

Did you know passports and passport cards are good for 10 years? I don't know cost now but divide it by 10 and that's what it costs per year. But I think length for teens is less than 10 years.

Maybe just you and your husband get them, use teen's birth certificates.

Who is booking your cruise? A travel agent or directly with Carnival? A TA should be able to tell you when you can get it. I'd call Carnival and ask them.

We are Diamond and get more than FTTF and there is a specific number of FTTF sold but I think you can get on a waiting list. And, I do not think FTTF is less than the regular price for the cruise.

Bring magnets to put things on walls and door!

When you tender into a port most ships give numbers that says which tender you get on. They announce where and when to get your ticket so the 1st in line will get #1 tickets. This is usually the morning of the day you get into port. You just stick your number on your shirt so they know when you get on. They announce what numbers are getting on. When you hear your number head to the tenders.

Around 11:30. Then when you get on, go to the buffet for lunch, explore the ship then go to your cabin. You can usually get to your cabin 1 or 1:30. They are closed off til then for room stewards to remake/clean, etc., cabins from previous passengers.

If ship leaves at 4pm passengers must board at least an hour before then. We really like getting on early as possible and we've been on 100+ cruises since 1985.

Disney is more expensive because they have no casino. Ships make a lot of $$$ with casinos- that's why almost all have them.

Don't forget Carnival, it is now a family ship with lots of teens.

somewhere I read about a ship that goes only to ports in Cuba, it was longer than 7 days and had about 7 ports- all around Cuba. Don't remember where it started though.. Was it here on CC? It only held 210 passengers and was not a US ship.

Anyone know what ship?

I take only 3 pairs of shoes on any cruise. I have sandals for day, white shoes ( which are sort of like fancy sandals with open toe), and black shoes for night time- formal or not. Both have very low heels. Black or white goes with anything. In the old says I used to bring shoes for each outfit but no more and suitcase isn't heavy with shoes!

All the walls & doors in your cabin are metal so magnets stick to them. You don't have to bring tape. I have 4 strong magnets I use for a poster we put up. I used to use blue painter's tape but now just the magnets. The poster is rolled up on large rolled cardboard and the magnets are stuck together in it.

And, hang things from the ceiling too!

We have been on the Fantasy many times before it moved 'south'. The band across from the casino bar is a fun place to sit before dinner and dance to their music, then after the shows!

Believe it or not, once we HAD to take our passports off the ship to be able to get back on the ship. This was announced many times before and right after we made it to their pier. Of all places, this was KEY WEST! I think this was because we were at the Navy Pier. They used golf carts to get us back to the ship but before the cart moved, our passports were checked.

This is the only time in more than 100+ cruises we've taken our passports off the ship. Thieves get BIG bucks for stolen US passports. Ours always stay in our safe.

Go to guest services and explain your situation. Ask them how you can get off in the very 1st group.

And call their school just before you leave on the cruise and explain why the kids won't be there at the beginning of the school day. Maybe their teachers can think of a way of welcoming them on their 1st day, something about their cruise they can explain in front of the class. See if this is possible before the cruise so your kids can think about to tell their new class.

Many years ago we were on the 1st ship to stop in Roatan and took a cab, along the beach, to Tabyanna. It was like swimming in an aquarium with all the fish. There were so many flies you had to keep one hand moving over your food.

Later on, we wanted to go back but as was said it was for ship's excursions but our cabbie took us to the hotel right next to Tabyanna. We walked from the hotel beach right to Tabyanna - the beaches adjoined each other.

Carnival handles food allergies wonderfully. Contact their special need department (on line or call) and tell them who has what allergies. The when you board also tell the Maitre'd. He will notify the hostess. My husband has acid reflex and can't eat any red meat with spices. Every night the hostess would bring him the next night's menu and he would choose what he wanted. They made sure whatever was on the menu he wanted would have no spices at all.

Once we booked a Carnival cruise Very last minute. It happened to be New Years Eve, 1st night. My husband usually had lobster AND prime rib this night. He decided he just have 2 lobster this night. WOW! what a surprise when the hostess came with lobster and prime rib for him! The Maitre'd and the hostess both remembered him and ordered for him what they knew he's like. (the prime rib was spice-less!)

Carnival will have no problem making sure you have what you must have.

And they have a deli, every lunch, - from 11am to 11pm- where they make the sandwich you want, while you wait. They have all sorts of sandwiches where you can take whatever you want off or add and I even got a grilled cheese once!

Check, but take the letter anyway! Maybe see if he'll email/mail another current one. Have her ask her father for this!