cocoaloco

You will love solo ! Been on a bunch of solo cruises and they are the best! Now you all with partners don't go getting all jealous - but just imagine: Do whatyawantwhenyawantifyawant.

The dining is great but if ya do not wanna play just go to the lido buffet and you will see 20 people just like you and you all can join up or not.

The ship does NOT matter. Pick the time and itinerary and price that work for you. I've been on the Vista B2B and just off the Fantasy. All are wonderful.

Enjoy the warmth of the sun, the aroma of the sea, the feel of the sky and then let your spirit fly !

Norman and Di are professional cruisers.... not many in that club...:D

You have hit upon an important issue with VIFP numbers. It will likely turn out you have more than one ! That makes their systems go haywire and it takes a concerned PVP to figure it out.

They can do it, and then consolidate all your cruises under one number. You make have to make multiple calls but it can be done.

In my case, I had 5 (!) VIFP numbers after 8 sailings. Always with the same address and phone number. No explanation from Carnival but I think it had to do with filling out the online surveys we are sent after cruising. The last screen asks you to click to enjoy the benefits of the VIFP club.... then ya get another number ! Go get em ! :cool:

Hey and a big thanks for doing this. I am late to the party (I know this cruise seems like a looong time ago to ya). I am on the Fascination in Sept and am really enjoying the review - a few pages at a time. I am only to page 33 but thought I would say thanks. :cool:

Sadly, it has been on SHIPS4EVER.com for almost two years. Hope we get to keep it for a while but I realize it is the oldest and so sooner or later....:loudcry:

:D My simple answer "Because I have to..." then walk away....:cool:

:p You will love the Sunshine. I have done the Vista and it is great. But the Sunshine has many things that work just right.... the lido buffet among them. It is just the right size !:cool:

It should be on Channel 18, the Map Channel - sometimes that can be a view that isn't as refined as you want so go to marinetraffic.com and put in the name of the ship. You will find out what ships are near you. :cool:

:) And my favorite, Jamie Dee, is on the Paradise making the first cruises to Cuba for the Carnival Brand. Thought she would be in the running for the Horizon, but now she will have been everywhere - Alaska, Australia et. al Maybe the next ship will be hers....

:) The snorkels sold at the shorex desk are $5 but are simple J-tubes with no valve on the top. You will get several mouthfuls of seawater if you use on of these. For many it is no big deal. For others it impairs the experience. :cool:

:) I agree that Grand Turk is the place to snorkel among your stops. Do an excursion.

Half moon will be a disappointment - little to see off the beach - even if you walk the 2 miles to the far end. If you do the Carnival excursion you will be in rougher water than you want....

At Amber Cover - just do something else.

In Nassau it will be hit or miss but not cheap. Snorkel tours can be in deep water with a lot of difficult logistics.

So do Grand Turk - Capt. Donovan at White Sands tours - on the internet are the best. :cool:

:) Just bought and used two of the e-cards. So much easier. No problems applying to balances due. :cool:

:) Thanks for the heads up. Was able to get AND USE 2 of the $500 e - cards. so much easier than the UPS delivery method. :cool:

This could be as sinister as forays to check the feasibility of real attacks - or as simple as a guy or two deciding they needed a few hours off the job...:cool:

:) Easy to make your noise fears go away - if ear plugs are not your thing go to bed bath and beyond and buy their cheapest ($20) white noise machine. With the machine, You will have choices of gentle rain and many other sounds. You will hear nothing from the ship.....:cool:

Try it at home for a few nights and you will have it with you always...:)

:) You will have a great time ! You will get to do what ya wanna do when ya wanna do if ya wanna do. It will be one of your best experiences ever.

Some of the best dining is your time - and ask for a 2 top table - you will be seated a small table between two other small tables - inches apart and it makes it easier to have conversations with 4 others than at one of the bigger tables...and the people are so FUN.....

As to Captain's Table - you will have a great time and there will likely be 2 or 3 other solos...the ones who are not solo may be envious...

This is from someone who has done 35 Carnival solos...:cool:

:) The above summary of shore snorkeling at Grand Turk is accurate. Just use caution going in and out of the water. Surprising drop off near the beach - and the best fish watching is at the "trench" dredged out for the ships.

At Nassau, you can take on of the ships excursions to snorkel, but I would recommend you do something else. Stay on the boat.

At half moon, it is a very calm wide expanse of sand so no open ocean worries. But it is just sand....I walked the 2 miles around the bay to the far tip where there is a little coral and a few fish. Not worth the long walk.

:) Let us keep things hypothetical. Voltaren gel - the double strength type - is (hypothetically) much cheaper in Cozumel than elsewhere.

Those hypothetical "pharmacies" outside the port are more expensive than others. There is also a small hypothetical store with a pharmacy counter inside the port. Very expensive. But convenient.

If you take a hypothetical taxi to Punta Langosta mall, there is a great price pharmacy called "Discount Pharmacy" on the lower level near the Starbucks. They have a sandwich board outside the store.

Voltaren Gel and z pack very reasonable. Buy z pack and other anitbiotics there. If you then walk 2 blocks back toward the ship you will find the hypothetical Mega Store - a great excursion. IF you need meds like blood pressure stuff they can help you out, with a real, not hypothetical. pharmacist And if in stock their prices on Voltaren are the best. And you can pick up any other supplies you need.

Then take the hypothetical taxi back to the port ($10 each way no matter the number of people - includes tip). You will have no trouble entering the ship or (hypothetically) the U.S. :cool:

:) Definitely do it... I have done two journeys cruises on the Pride - based in Baltimore, and it is great ! Wonderful crew and great ship.... Being of the Spirit Class it is distinctive. Go to the steakhouse on deck 10 and just look around.

You will make friends and have a wonderful time !:cool:

:) Congrats on your great upcoming cruise !

I left the Fantasy yesterday and there was total chaos at 10 a.m. as we were offloading. the official time to arrive is 11.

Things can go haywire so be patient. Sometimes weather delays the ship and sometimes a long train is blocking the cruise terminal.

As to the internet, if you want to watch cameras or videos you are required to have the premium plan, if you want to just use the internet without video, just get the value plan. Again, congrats. She is a great ship and has a great staff !:cool:

:) The people in Guest Services work really hard. Us cruisers can be ...um... difficult. The most common issue I have heard coming from newbies is they do not understand why there are "wrong" pending charges to their credit card.

The answer is always the same - Carnival has to ping your card every day or so to make sure you have not closed it. :cool:

I liked having the On Board Booking person. Loved gettin' the free money from OBC and if ya time it right there is no line.

But all that is gone, I left a Carnival ship this a.m. and the (soon to be gone) future cruise person was there at the exit to wish us safe travels. What a nice person Carla is....:cool:

:cool: You can tell that both God and I love the REPUBLIC OF TEXAS. :cool:

;) In a month the system will change for onboard booking. I was on the Vista when this was first introduced,,,,,basically the future cruise person on board will not exist. The only benefit to booking on board will be $50 OBC no matter the length (no more $200 OBC for the long cruises.) this is really bad...to do a future cruise you will go to the excursions desk.... need I say more...:*

sorry,meant to say Mobile....;p