MississippiMom

11 hours ago, mdjohn5 said:

not sure if you have boys,  but you can get kid size tuxedos online fairly cheep if you shop around.  They are awesome on formal nights and for pictures.

 

We find that the buffet is really hard with the kids,   trying to juggle food, etc.  Use the MDR as much as possible.  A lot of ships are moving to anytime dining,  but if you can make reservations so you have he same wait staff every night, they can make a huge difference.  

 

Make sure you hit the kids club the first day.  There is paperwork you need to fill out if you plan to use the club.  Our kids are hit or miss on the clubs,  sometimes they love it and sometimes they hate it....we never know which....

 

 

 

 

I HATED the buffets with younger kids.  It was too much work for this vacationing mom.   My kids were accustomed to restaurant eating, so the MDR was the way to go.  I would take some of those Color Wonders coloring books & markers to keep them busy, if needed, but most of the time it wasn’t necessary.  And they loved the waiter performances in the MDR.

I have been looking at the different ruins tours offered through Carnival in Progreso.  It is my 80 year old mother’s excursion request at that port.  But I am really worried that she won’t be able to climb the steps that appear to be at all the ruins.  Is there an option to stay on the ground, and just look at the ruins from there?  I certainly don’t want her injured in any way.

During dinner last night, my husband and I discussed whether or not we should purchase the Cheers package, since we never have before.  Actually, we aren’t even sure it was an option back in 2012 (the last time we cruised).  My husband was QUICK to remind me that our bar tab (that included LOTS of non-alcoholic Diet Cokes, bottled waters, and Shirley Temples, along with daily cocktails or wine at dinners) over our 7 night cruise was $1,100.  Yep, that’s right.  He still remembers, because it was a shock to us.  The cost of drinks add up FAST, especially when your cabin has super easy access to a particular bar.  My husband would step out EVERY morning for his Diet Coke (or two), and swing by there before dinner for a cocktail, while he waited for all of the females in the family to finish getting ready.  Then there’s the “We are on vacation, so let’s have wine and/or an after dinner dink with every meal” behavior.

We aren’t interested in that surprise bill this time around, so we will be purchasing Cheers, soon.  We decided that we will pay for one of us toward the end of January, and the other one of us toward the end of February, so we can spread out the expense before our March cruise.  I told him I will be ordering a bottled water every time I walk past a bar (or the cafe) the first couple of days, so we have plenty for port days.

1 hour ago, Eliot Ness said:

Like anything else you just have to decide if it's worth it to you or your family.  We fly in and I really don't like schlepping a 12 pack to the ship, plus the couple of times I bought a few cans in my luggage I never had a can with me when I wanted it.  Plus, since I only drink one or two sodas a day (max) the program wasn't worth it to me.  With kids it might be a different story and the convenience for them might be worth it.  And hey, I never thought of making a float, thanks for the idea MissippiMom!  Not sure if they have root beer on Carnival, but a Black Cow (Coke float) is good also.

You are welcome for the ice cream float recommendation.  Our middle daughter doesn’t like chocolate AND isn’t very adventurous with desserts.  In the past, she has often felt left out while the rest of us are trying the fancy soufflés or delicious tarts.  Barq’s Root Beer is on the list of Carnival sodas, so she will be thrilled when she realizes that she can create her own float.  I’m not sure if she’s ever had a Coke float, but now she can give it a try, and if she doesn’t like it, she can send it away and try again, with no issues on the cost.

We have tried taking our own sodas on the ship, and I understand the cost savings, but the inconvenience of having to go back to the cabin for a beverage just hasn’t really worked for us.  On this upcoming cruise, our kids are high-schoolers, so they will be wandering the ship a lot, and they would NEVER remember to go back to the cabin to grab a root beer, Diet Coke, sprite, etc.

I am grateful I saw John Heald’s FB post earlier today.  I went ahead and purchased BB for our two kids, today.  I envision a lot of root beer ordered to go with vanilla ice cream for root beer floats in the MDR.

On 12/11/2018 at 12:33 PM, Joebucks said:

 

The problem for me is I want drinks the most during the day when relaxing by the pool/beach. I wouldn't say that is uncommon for many. So what do I do when off the boat? I either buy more drinks on land, don't drink, or I start designing my vacation around Cheers. These Cheers "schedules" never account for that. They are more for here is how you drink your money's worth. By the time I come back, I usually need to rehydrate/rest and drinks really aren't at the top of my to-do list. This is why I believe there is a night and day difference between port and sea days with Cheers. That scenario seems like a stretch where people are getting 4 drinks by the time they get back on and dinner. Especially as a daily thing.

I feel like I should jump in with a different perspective.  I HATE the way I feel when I mix the sun with alchohol. I am hydrating with water or, maybe, a lemonade, when sitting by a pool or on the beach.  But I like to enjoy “a pretty” cocktail (or two) with a meal, and I love a fancy nightcap.  These drinks run between $10 - $15 in our local area restaurants, so I suspect I will be charged that, at a minimum, on the cruise ship.  The Cheers package will also cover the indulgence of a milk shake, a specialty coffee, a bottled water, or a bottled tea, which are all things I would enjoy.  I am not the cruiser who is ordering a beer, a glass of house wine, or black coffee, so the math might actually work for me, even on port days.

On 9/20/2018 at 4:03 PM, noidea389 said:

We LOVE Alchemy! This is typically where we hang out in the evenings and have met some of the most amazing friends! On our last Carnival cruise, we had the kiddos, so this mama didn't get to visit as much as I would have liked . . . 

We will be experiencing  Alchemy Bar for the first time on our Glory Spring Break cruise, and I’m a little confused about this comment.  If I looked at the deck plans correctly, Alchemy Bar looked like it was just in the walkway on the Promenade Deck, not an actual separate bar.  I was hoping I could walk up and order, while my kids are walking around.  (Granted mine are teenagers, so not the same as cruisers with little ones.)

1 hour ago, strangstalien said:

The one thing I never see mentioned is the benefit of not talking yourself out of having a drink and enjoying yourself. If you buy the package upfront you will be more likely to enjoy yourself. You will stop and have a specialty coffee in the morning, a Bloody Mary at breakfast, a milk shake in the afternoon, and grab a glass of wine to bring back to your room. If you were paying for each drink separately, you might talk yourself out of most of those extra items. The next thing you know your vacation is over and you wished you would have enjoyed yourself more. Just like at dinner, if you had to pay for each appetizer, you might only have one or skip entirely. Since they are included, many people try a couple of appetizers. The last cruise I was on, I think I would have saved $40 by not purchasing the package. But I am glad I did, because I never second guessed myself when I ordered a drink. I was also able to splurge on top shelf drinks, which I may not have ordered if I was paying per drink. 

You have NO idea how much I appreciate your post.  It is EXACTLY what I needed to read.  My DH loves his top shelf bourbon and his top shelf vodka.  He also loves his Diet Coke.  Additionally, his CPAP will require bottled water, so if bottled water is included in Cheers, this will save us from having to worry about everyone drinking any pre-ordered bottled waters for the cabins.

I didn’t even think about milk shakes (Yum!) and specialty coffees.  If it’s part of Cheers, I suspect my husband will happily indulge.

Embassy Suites is where we stayed years ago.  Incredible location.

10 minutes ago, GROUCHPUSS said:

Carnival to charge for all room service!

Starting mid January.

 

 

 

I never, personally, used room service, but I know people who do.  It is disappointing that it will no longer be a free option on Carnival.

Odd . . . How are you not getting replies?  I am curious about the Jeep tours, too.

On 10/16/2018 at 11:42 AM, TMR2 said:

We booked with  https://cozumelcruiseexcursions.com/cozumel/cozumel-jeep-adventure-excursion/ and we drove our own jeep and followed the guide.  We considered renting our own but we were concerned that if we had any problems, flat tire, or if the jeep broke down, we could miss the ship departure. We loved this as we drove but had someone that knew the best places to go and saw so much of cozumel!!!

I just checked out the link.  This looks like EXACTLY what we need in Cozumel.  It will be our 4th time there, and we wanted to do more than just a beach or snorkel.

Were the jeeps automatic?  Or manual?  I can drive a stick shift, but I think I am the only one out of all of the adults, and there’s a total of eleven traveling together.

57 minutes ago, Host Carolyn said:

Check out the Progreso/Merida board in the Ports of Call Section under "Caribbean". There may well be some private tour operator information there

Unfortunately, the Progreso board is not very active.

On 12/19/2018 at 5:28 PM, wwcruisers said:

If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, they have ginger mints (very portable), ginger chews, plus crystallized ginger (in their dried fruit section). They also have ginger teabags. I usually take an assortment of their ginger products, when I cruise -- just in case someone I'm with has need of them.

Good to know!  We just got our first Trader Joe’s a few months ago, and I wouldn’t have thought to look at their offerings.

This is a fascinating topic.  It’s been over six years since we have cruised, and it wasn’t a problem to book our own tour operators back then. Guess I had better check the small print on the websites, before I schedule anything outside of Carnival.  In Cozumel, I am leaning toward booking an excursion through the tour operator that one of the big warehouse companies recommends through their travel company.  Hhhhmmm . . .

Let me quickly state that on past cruises we have scheduled many of our excursions on our own, and not through the cruiselines.  However, for our multi-generational cruise in March, my mother is insistent that she wants a cruise line sponsored tour to one of the ruins (port stops - Progreso & Cozumel).  We had narrowed down that we were touring the closer ruins in Progreso, and selected the Carnival excursion that made my 80 year old mother happy - Mayan Ruins with Mexican Fiesta & Traditional Lunch. A couple of weeks ago,  I added that excursion to the cart for only two of our eleven family members.  Last night, I went to add it to everyone else, and it is no longer an option.  It is still in the cart, though, for two of us.  What the heck!?!

Yes, I am assuming that I will need to call Carnival directly.  But, if that particular excursion is really gone from the Carnival options, do you have a tour operator or a driver that you might recommend in Progreso? (We have never been to this port, so it is all new to me.)

Thank you!

What's the latest scoop on Playa Bonita?  That beach was listed as one of the most beautiful in Cozumel in a Travel & Leisure article, so I was hoping to see it with my own eyes.

Any more recent travelers that went on this excursion?

This is an older post, but I was hoping if I “ revived” it, some additional recommendations might pop up.

2 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

I know it's just semantics and most of you are aware, but in case some are not, there is a difference between your Checkin time and your boarding time...

 

If you are a VIP (wedding, D/P, FTTF) then the checkin time you get doesn't really matter- check in as soon as you arrive at the port. For everyone else, you will get a checkin time when you do your online paperwork. That is the time you should show up at the port and will be allowed to check in. As mentioned by RWolver672, once you check in you'll be given a zone pass and that will determine when you board.

 

One note, not from personal experience... someone mentioned that when they printed their boarding passes before the cruise it already had a boarding zone assigned... not sure what this means or how it changes anything, if it does.

I’m so glad that you clarified this, because I was about to ask.  I was looking over the check-in section on Carnival.com just last night, and wondered about “check-in time.”  So that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the time we would get on the ship?  We will be traveling as a party of 11 in 5 cabins, and I sure don’t want to recommend that we select an early check-in time and then discover that we have to stand around and wait for hours to actually get on board.

It seems like most people are telling you that 7-8 days is about right.  I think it all depends on your personal situation.  We are scheduled to take a multi-generational cruise over Spring Break, and those of us with school aged children agreed that 5 nights was the maximum for us.  Not only did we not want the expense of more port days on a longer cruise, but we are all driving to/from the port, so needed the days around the cruise for road travel.

We have retired relatives who only take the longer cruise itineraries, because they have plenty of available time, and enjoy seeing new places.  Their last cruise was 16 days, and I think their longest was 30.

We are a family of 5, which is a huge challenge when booking vacations.  When we have cruised, it has always been two cabins.  The additional cost is worth it for a second bathroom.  

To save on money, we have driven to the port.  Airfare for five is just too much!

Atlantis is AMAZING, but really expensive.  (My hubby qualified for a couples trip their with his employer many years ago.)  Make sure you compare your in-port hours to the waterslide hours.

I like the ginger gum, but it’s hard to find.  I think CVS Pharmacy is the only place in town where I have purchased it in the past.

Thanks, bigdog1958!

I suspect that no one would even realize that she was only 16, especially, since she is physically fit and knows how to work the equipment.  I was worried she might have to scan her S&S card, and be told she couldn’t go inside.  I guess we will find out in March.

How do they control the age of the passengers allowed on the fitness center.  Our 16 year old read on the Carnival site that it is for 18 and over, but she was hoping to run on the treadmill in the mornings.  If she goes with a parent, will the 16 year old be allowed to use the equipment?