dolfansam

The Ardastra Gardens (Nassau) is beautiful. It has lots of exotic animals and plants. You should have no problem finding a spot for privacy.

This is my first post on this site, and on top of that I am a complete noob when it comes to travel, let alone cruising - but in three days I plan to surprise my girlfriend with our first-ever cruise. We live in Maryland, so we'll be taking the Carnival Pride to the Bahamas on a 7-day, to Freeport and Nassau (and Florida) for a day each. It will be from January 12th-19th, and I hear that families are not swarming so much during non-summer months, which is good.

 

(I booked this cruise in November thinking I would have to do it then to take advantage of a sale since I did not know any better, but I feel it can still be a wonderful and romantic experience if we play our cards right...I hope!)

 

I know her, and so I know that if we could just find a great moment - one that is fairly private - I would be able to propose to her in a way that she would adore. I just want to be somewhere very close to nature with a great feel to it, and some relative privacy.

 

I have indeed come to learn that Freeport and Nassau are very built up, but I have found hope in some excursions to the more private islands. Again, I'm entirely green about all this, so I must ask - what recommendations might you guys have for places to go to pop the question? What sorts of destinations might work, specifically?

 

Thanks for any advice you all can offer!

 

EDIT: I did get the insurance so I can get a full refund in some circumstances, but in what circumstances? I'm thinking about cancelling for a 50% refund if you guys can come up with a much better place to go/thing to do for about $1,000.

I am thinking of some place that would be Ironic. Go to Atlantis' water park and propose to her a the top of the HUGE Slide that is aptly called the Leap of Fate.

I always look forward to the Prime Rib the first night. It is one of my staples each cruise. On Oasis for my birthday cruise in November, we went to the MDR we both ordered Prime Rib. It was disgusting, extremely slimey. So the offered to bring us another dinner, pork chops. Looked good, tasted different than the way I normally season it. I looked at it, it was still pink. That was the only time we ate in the MDR the entire cruise.

The good thing is it let us try the other venues on board without feeling guilty. We ate at 9 of the 23 restaurants and enjoyed the good tremendously.

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Same with me, my first cruise, the cruisiest drink I knew was a Pina Colada, so, I have had a Pina as my first drink on every cruise. I'm getting tired of the taste, though. On my last cruise, I had an Appletini. :) I've never had Mango, can you describe the taste?

Caribbean version of a peach, but not as sweet. Sort of like the way the plantain compares to a banana.

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We've only cruised Royal and my first "Miami Vice" was on our first cruise, and I order at least one "Miami Vice" on every cruise.

I have to have a Mango Pina Colada on every cruise since that was my first drink on a cruise.

I am going to be on board in 2 1/2 weeks. These pictures are amazing. Looking at the food pics from Giovannis Table, I am glad I have made reservations for there. I may end up there more than once. We have a complimentary dinner from the TA that I have to wait until I am on board to book.

Walmart, dollar store, but I've read they also have them on the ship. Probably for a premium. :)

If you go to the casino sometimes they hand out seapass holders. Lanyards or coiled key holders that latch on to belt loop or purse strap.

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They are, aren't they?! A friend had mine decorated when we sailed in 2010. We discovered this last cruise that it is SO much cheaper to order the chocolate covered strawberries once you are on the boat, so I am sure I will order some to be delivered on my birthday! I won't order my own "in cabin" decorations though -- some family member (or friend) will have to order them for me!

I am thinking about decorating my room for my milestone birthday cruise in November. It is also my best friends birthday cruise too. It is her first cruise so I am debating on Birthday or Bon Voyage decorations.

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Thanks for replying -- it's a milestone birthday for me on this trip, and I have the urge to do door decorations and make a big deal, especially since I picked the trip w/o any input from my family LOL. My birthday, my choice!

The room decorations on Carnival ae nice. My family surprised me when I sailed on my birthday and had the room decorations, chocolate covered strawberries and drink coupons waiting for me. It was my first time I cruised solo and it was my first birthday spent w/o family. They also had champagne and a cake sent to the table at dinner.

Stacy

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Yes the cabin doors will hold magnets. I use them all the time on Pride, Miracle and Glory.

I do too. I have car door signs I made through Vistaprint. It makes it a lot easier for my mom to find the room, especially when we are on the middle of a long hall, not near elevators. She had stroke a few yrs ago her short term memory is not so good sometimes.

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Oasis of the Seas Eastern Caribbean for my best friend (who has never cruised) and my 50th birthday. I am so glad I was able to get a good rate on Oasis. I was going to go on Explorer (itinerary was ok - Labadee, Domnica), but the day I went to book there was a $250 price drop on Oasis. I really wanted to go on Oasis but the price was too steep so I think my grandmother, who's birthday I share, provided a little divine intervention.

I am also booked on Quantum in March 2015 and possibly January 2015 now that Carnival is leaving Baltimore.

I am also going on the two other cruises between now and March 2015 - Carnival in January 2014 (Bahamas 5th year in a row HO HUM) and either Disney in September 2014 (Panama Canal) or Explorers last cruise from Bayonne in November 2014.

Anyone familiar with the Flat Stanley project?

The project I did for my co-workers children was similar to flat Stanley except they were to send a small stuffed animal with people.

I also did a Military bear one for my friend in Afghanistan at the time. Lets just say many pictures were not for children's eyes. Teddy and the towel animals got real friendly.

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I'm happy with having an inside cabin too, but as I mentioned earlier, being on Deck 2, I'm now worried about engine noise.

 

Would love to hear from anyone who might be able to put my mind at ease?

 

:)

 

I have been on numerous cruises in an inside cabin. I real don't mind it, except the one cruise when we only had one sea day and I woke up at 2 in the afternoon:rolleyes:. I have only had one cruise where noise was a real problem. We were above the theater. Every morning after breakfast while getting ready for the day, we heard the rehearsals. No need to go to the show, lol.

It sometimes is a matter of timing. When we arrived at the Mendenhall Glacier it was extremely foggy and we could barely see any of the glacier. After about 15-20 minutes, the fog lifted.

Mendenhall Glacier on Arrival, a 10 mins later and then what we had been waiting for:

Got caught up in the booking frenzy..booked 4-12-15.

Doesn't mean I won't also sail in Sept.

I got caught up in it too. I am booked for March 21, an 8 day in a studio balcony. I am so glad they are offering single rooms. It may be small 119 sq ft, but it has a full size 55 sq ft balcony. I am not in the room all that much so it is ok for me. I sure I will make good use of the balcony on sea days.

Stacy

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I have not yet cruised to Europe, but in general we avoid ship-sponsored excursions, both to save money and, more importantly, to have a more personalized, small-group experience.

 

Your best sources for information are the port boards on Cruise Critic, and your roll call, to find other people on your cruise who might want to share excursions.

 

I see you are new to the boards - if you need help finding the port boards or your roll call, let us know what ship, date, and ports, and we'll be happy to help!

We went to Europe 2 years ago. We did a B2B on the Navigator and booked our own private excursions. We saved 1000s of dollars this way and were able to do what we wanted and not as crowded. Some of the ships excursions would only go to one place and we were able to go to multiple places. Quite often the buses from the ship were arriving as we were leaving. When you join a CC group for your specific cruise, put out feelers if anyone would like to do a group trip and you can save more money. We had a group of 30 of us on the first leg of the B2B and we had a blast. We made lots of friends this way, in addition to saving money.

I love the open air eating area's, arn't they a fantastic place to start your day, breakfast, hot coffee and the freshest air you can get, doesn't get any better. I wonder if we asked if they would put small lights out on the tables for evening dining, wouldn't that be great!!

When I was on a cruise to Alaska, I used the area behind the Windjammer type area (on Celebrity) for my own private balcony. I was sailing by myself so I did not want to pay a lot to have a room with a balcony. Other than sail away, there were no more than 10-15 people, more often than not less than 10, out there at any time. I ate my breakfast out there every morning and lunch on sea days.

With all the probs CCL has been having lately, I think we will start holding the CC meet and greets on the lifeboats, lol.

We actually arrange our own. Usually one before sail away (around 3pm) on Serenity Deck. Then another one the 2nd or 3rd day for late boarders.

Stacy

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I will have to do a future cruise credit when I go on Oasis in November. Maybe two of them because I am certain I will be going on a few RCCL cruises soon.I am sick and tired of Carnival out of Baltimore, we have done the same cruise 5 yrs in a row, because mom won't/can't fly because of her oxygen requirements. I go to spend time with them and help them out so I guess it should not matter, but I want to go somewhere warm in January and Bahamas is not warm enough.

Boy this seems like a great group, I hope I can work it out and sail with you guys. I cannot wait to get a look at what she has to offer itinerary wise at diff times of year. I am hoping to sail on her January 2015 with my parents and aunt for our annual January cruise. They were extremely excited when they got the flyer that was mailed out. So it may not be too hard to get them to agree.

I would definitely be interested in this cruise. I have been excited about this ship since watching the presentation.

I also agree with your Nassau post ... my Allure cruise will hit there as the first port and it will be my 3rd time there. As much as I love Atlantis, I've already crossed it off my bucket list of places to visit, so I'm looking forward to staying onboard as well.

I am bored with Nassau too, after 5 straight cruises to the Bahamas. My mom will not fly so we a stuck going out of Baltimore. The only cruise that fits into my dads school schedule is the Carnival ship not the RCCL ship. I am excited to be going down to Fort Lauderdale to go on Oasis in November. I would be staying on board in Nassau, but I friend who is traveling with me has never been on a cruise or anywhere outside the US other than Canada so I will be going into Nassau. It will be fun to see it through a first timers eyes.

Thank you for the info. I will definitely head to guest services on day one. I think $25 is reasonable enough. We are cruising ahead of our birthdays so it will not matter what day it appears in the paper. It is a great idea I had not realized they started doing this. It has been two years since I sailed on RCCL.

I wonder how you get the guest celebration announcements in the paper. I would love to surprise my best friend and wish her a happy birthday on the cruise. We are both celebrating our 50th on the cruise. I think this would definitely make it special.

I took this picture on my Alaskan Cruise. It is of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska.

Three years later, I still look at this picture with amazement that I was the one who took it.