cruisinbanddirectors

Where would you go in Nassau? Not interested in spending the bucks for Atlantis. Looking for somewhere to do on our own, not through the ship.

Where would you go with a 4 year old and a 6 year old? Looking for an on your own beach...trying to avoid paying the higher dollars for a ship excursion.

Does anyone have any suggestions of ways to do a beach on your own that would be safe and would be okay for a 4 year old and 6 year old? I was hoping there was a cheaper way to do it than through the ship (though I know many suggest that is the way to go in Belize).

Which beaches would you recommend?

I booked a last minute cruise about 10 days ago on the Liberty. The cruise leaves on Saturday and we will be driving down to Port Canaveral on Friday. It will be my 6 year old son, my mom, and my 4 year old nephew traveling. My mom already knows, but the boys do not know.

I want to do some kind of fun surprise on Christmas when they're together, so I'd love some good ideas. I first considered wrapping their suitcases but that seemed like a bulky mess. Now I'm leaning towards doing some kind of scavenger hunt or something with clues, etc. For what it's worth, I have lots of Carnival stuff to use as clues like ships on a stick, medals, a blow up Carnival ship, lots of the chocolates they leave on the bed, and they both have stuffed Freddys.

Oh---this will be my son's 9th cruise, but my nephew has never cruised before. This will be so much fun with them together as they are as much like brothers as they are cousins.

Looking forward to some helpful ideas!! Merry Christmas everyone!

If I book two staterooms and pay for both as a single booking and set up both cabins' Sail and Sign accounts on my card would both staterooms be allowed priority boarding (I am the only Platinum cruiser)?

Is it easy to apply the e-gift card at the kiosks once on-board? Is it just like adding cash?

I'd like to know this too...would much rather do it myself than wait in line at guest services the first day of a cruise!

Also, if you go ahead and set up your S&S account with a credit card ahead of time but then add the gift cards once you got on board, does it automatically go against the gift card balance before being applied to your credit card?

As is probably obvious, I've never used a gift card on a cruise before!

I just bought 5 for $500 each...hoping to book tomorrow for a last minute New Year's cruise. So excited!!!

Does anyone know if you get double reward points on your Carnival MasterCard when buying gift cards?

Does anyone that has the carnival MasterCard know if this would be a purchase that would get double points? I would assume so since it's from carnival but just curious.

Also do you only get one promo card per person? In other words I can't make two separate purchases for $500 or more and get to promo cards can I?

This summer I was able to buy a gallon of distilled water from room service for $3 (was suggested by special needs department). Definitely worth not lugging me around when embarking.

I have a CPAP, which I didn't have last time I cruised. I contacted the special services department and they told me that I could bring a power strip and an extension cord onboard, provided they were in good condition. They also STRONGLY recommended carrying it on in the same case as my CPAP. As it's medically necessary, it's allowed.

I did this on a B2B on the Breeze this summer and no worries. Just put it in your CPAP case and carry it on.

Spirit and Dream class are pretty close for entirely different reasons. Conquest is definitely behind those two.

Here's a link for ya:

http://www.zydecocruiser.net/menus/kiddieMDR.jpg

I'm cruising with my son without my husband for the first time very soon. I'm excited but also a little sad my DH can't go. Also a little nervous I will forget something he normally takes care of. I know we will be fine once we get there.

nchikk...

 

How about the Quality Inn and Suites Gretna? I called and they do offer a shuttle to and from and free parking during the duration of the cruise with one night's lodging for $129. Is it a safe place to leave our car?

Bumping this because we are considering this hotel for an upcoming stay. Any thoughts or reviews?

Yay!!! We are officially booked! :D Never booked this late, so I'm about to go into panic mode to get ready now :eek:

He did clarify that just recently on Facebook. Indeed there is no charge :)

I do love the layout of the Legend, but with the 2.0 dining and waterworks on the Sunshine, I think it will work better for my son (since the money is so close).

Well, if nothing changes before tomorrow when my TA is in, my choice just got easier. When I last checked the Sunshine the balcony rate for past guests wasn't showing up. Now it is. So we can get a balcony on the Sunshine for only $120 (total) more than the Legend.

Trading balcony for balcony and two hours less driving, there isn't much left to decide!

Thanks everyone for your input!

I know it's all a matter of opinion, but which would you choose for a Christmas sailing? I know...very last minute, but we weren't sure we'd be able to go till now.

Choice 1---7 day Oceanview on the Sunshine (ports are Cozumel, Belize, and Mahogany Bay)

Choice 2---7 day Balcony (likely obstructed view) on the Legend (ports are Cozumel, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, and Mahogany Bay)

Things to note...

We have done all of these ports before. We've done both Oceanview and balcony before. We've sailed on the Legend before but not the Sunshine. Traveling will be myself and my 5 year old DS. We would be driving to either port (about 2 hours further to Tampa).

Thoughts?

Can you do a single spa pass? If so, how much is it? I am contemplating a cruise for just me and my 5 year old son. He obviously wouldn't use it, but I thought I might use it some while he enjoys Camp Carnival.

Works out very nicely for a B2B. Same ship but different ports. We did this on a different Carnival ship.

We did this in June on the Breeze. Best cruise ever!

She is a great ship (first one we ever sailed on). Do be aware that on certain decks (3 and 4 I believe), you can't walk from aft to midship or forward without going up or down a deck or two. This is due to the placement of the galley on Conquest class ships. It takes a little while to figure out, but once you have, you'll love her!

I agree that I wish they didn't close for lunch like they do. It chops the schedule up. Not everyone eats on exactly the same schedule, and if you don't do lunch when they are closed for lunch, it limits the times your child can go. As someone said, it feels like you only wind up with an hour or so before you have to go back and get them. We don't leave our son there all day or anything, but it's hard to make the schedule mesh with ours sometimes.

As I stated in another post, we are taking the Conquest Nov 16, the repositioning cruise. We have only sailed on the Pride before. I was looking at the deck plans and it looks like on a couple of the main decks you can not get from one end of the ship to the other. You have to go to another deck, go past the place you want to go, then go up or down and backtrack to where you want to go. Is that correct? It seems kind of inconvenient.

That is correct. All Conquest ships have this issue (one reason we prefer Spirit or Dream class to Conquest class). Decks 3 and 4 don't give you a straight shot. You must go up to 5 or down to 2 to get from certain parts of the ship to others.