Prairiefrozen

9 hours ago, MsMaybelline said:

I'm in the same boat as you. 🤣🤣🤣 Our cruise is in November and we are flying into Sanford. Our flight gets in just after 11. Our hotel is at the port so we don't have to worry about getting there in the morning. I'm still working on the transportation. What's tricky is that our flight home is around noon so I need something that isn't going to stop here and there picking up people. And, there are 4-6 of us. 🤔 If you come across anything wonderful in your search, I'd love to hear what you came up with. Good luck!

I am flying into Sanford as well in Jan.  Staying best western cocoa beach.  Cocoa beach shuttle quoted us 160 one way for a group of 7. If we land before 8pm.

On 7/20/2022 at 7:54 AM, cruisegirl1976 said:

It all depends when you are flying in?.. the day before the cruise?, if so , then catch a shuttle to a hotel at cocoa beach, I like to stay near the cocoa beach pier, or further down near Ron Jon Surf shop, there are lots of restaurants around there. We either use Cocoa Beach Shuttle or Cruise Control to get from the airport to cocoa beach, and back to the airport after the cruise. Most of the hotels around cocoa beach offer a shuttle service for around $6-7, per person to the port. 

How is your experience with those companies,  Cocoa Beach Shuttle or Cruise control?   Trip advisor reviews have been pretty varied.  some 1 one stars,  some 5 stars.  I'm looking at using Cocoa beach shuttle for January 2023. 

3 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I think you are confusing the rules on Mardi Gras and the "included" (free) specialty  dining.

I think you are right on that. Im unsure why that restriction is in place.  Is that rule only applicable to the mardi gras?

Add on to this.  Does a set dining time affect your ability to go to speciality dining? I have heard that if you have the 6pm  slot, you cant check into speciality dining until 730 pm.

6 hours ago, JohninDC said:

7 passengers in a rental van would work; 7 passengers plus bags (especially if anyone in the crowd packs like my wife) will never fit.  Look at two standard rentals - usually about the same price as one minivan with much more room.  All of the agencies are in the PC/Cocoa Beach area with free shuttles to/from the port - we have been happy with Avis, but use them mostly for a corporate rate I get.

 

Cortrans and Cocoa Beach are good options, even if you just use them post cruise to get to MCO.

Thanks for the advice.  I am looking at the van that sits 7-10 people and room for 12 bags.   I am hoping that will be enough.  Not planning to rent from rental agency as that price includes a driver as well.  Probably be a bit cheaper if we drove ourselves but it's a vacation.  

Im curious about the same topic as well.  I am travelling in a group of 7.

I was thinking a shuttle like cortrans but at 40 round x 7 = 280 vs a private van service costing about the same per aceluxury.com.  i am leaning towards a private van.  No need to wait for others to load up and unloading first.

On 12/20/2020 at 10:42 AM, cb at sea said:

It's not as if they will NEVER see each other, you know!  The activities are really quite "age appropriate".

Its more of a comfort thing especially for day 1 or 2.  New kids on a massive big boat barely knowing their way around yet.  It will be my family's first ever cruise as well.  Its a lot us to wrap our heads around.  As well, my wife will be worrying her pretty head and thinking the worst possible thoughts while her 2 babies are out of sight.

I imagine that experience will be similar like being on the high dive until you build up the nerve to jump in and realize your fears were overblown. And its a lot of fun.

Video walk-through,  any 3xpectations carnival releasing or docking the ship somewhere to allow some notable vloggers to do  a video tour?

What is your experience with keeping siblings together in carnival kids clubs?

Per the carnival site, it seems to be hard no on allowing an age up/down to allow siblings to be together.

2 boys, 11 and 13 at time of sail. 18 months apart.

Is there any beach clubs that offer an experience similar to Mr sanchos or Paradise beach in Cozumel?

I am having an issue in finding any beach clubs with water inflatable obstacles.  Can anyone provide any top 3 ideas for more review?

Im aware that there is no guarantee of the seeing the ports as originally promised by the cruise provider.

I am sailing in last week of November 2021 for the western caribbean.  What is the likelihood of last minute change of ports?  Its all docks as well, no tender ports.

Or do most cruise manage to stick to their schedules fairly reliably?

Newbie question.  From what i have read here before, cheers usually doesnt get discounted.  Is 20% off cheers fairly unusual to see?

My 1st cruise is booked in nov 2021 on the mardi gras.

I am a first time cruiser and it's my first time working with a pvp.   Are the pvp fairly limited to offering only what is on the website?  Or can you get them to add extra stuff like OBC or something else.   Or is it a better idea to take what they are offering and then shop it around via various TA's?  I have submitted offers via cruise compete and they were able to throw in some extra OBC.  Carnival has changed the offers since I last had communication with the TA. 

Looking at a sailing on the Mardi gras in Late November 2021 out of port canaveral