jym613

I have the Carnival Hub. It has always had my booking on it but this time it has my last cruise listed. I can’t get my cruise that is booked for next month. Any suggestions?

17 Days and counting

Could you please tell me who you rented the golf cart from? We were just talking about renting one. Thanks Pat

We just got back off the Liberty and loved it. Even though it was sold out it did not seem crowed. We never had to stand in line for anything. The Sunshine is nice but I have read where it seems crowded. It is a smaller ship but has more passengers and crew. Don't think you can go wrong with either ship. Have fun.

OK, I did take a picture with the boys as well, here it is (DH) just told me if I included his I need to include mine-LOL!

 

 

Great pictures!!!!!!!

Go to Jack's Shack website and click on the Free Rum tab & print out the coupon. I've got mine ready for July. http://www.jacksshack.tc/

Thank you so much. I am enjoying your review.

We also had a scare with DH being diagnosed with pulmonary embolisms (several blood clots in both lungs) in early February, so we were happy he was on the mend and would be able to join us (If he hadn’t been able to come we would have had to eat his fare because we opted not to take the insurance- I know, I know, we should have bought it but I never thought we might need it-best laid plans right but I digress again….:-(.

 

 

We did book the cabins with DH in the balcony with one son and me in the interior with two sons-this way both cabins got to partake in any past guest price drops since we booked Early Saver. Once we got on the ship DH & I went to guest services to get extra cabin cards, as I would be switching with DS#2 to stay in the balcony and he would go to the inside cabin.

 

 

Originally I was going to save my notes for the end but once I started to put the review together I decided to move them to the front.

 

 

Notes:

· I actually started writing my review 60 days out from our trip- in a word document. I was afraid I would forget some preliminary details that I wanted to make certain I added. This helped me keep track of those little details-plus I brought it with me in a notebook so I could jot down notes while on the trip.

· I used packing lists (excel spreadsheets) to keep everyone straight. I’m a little “type A personality” (if you haven’t figured that out already) so this really helped me with the packing for five people.

· I packed one swimsuit in everyone’s carry on going down to Fort Lauderdale. I wasn’t sure if the hotel was going to let us check in early-remember we were arriving EARLY to FLL and if the weather permitted I wanted to begin our vacation immediately. (Well again best laid plans). Hotel actually let us check in when we arrived and NO RAIN!!!

· I did over pack, I always do. Even though I pulled out several outfits and repacked several times before we left.

· I brought Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer and baggies to place the TV remotes in-at the hotel & in the cabin-nasty germs on them.

· I wiped down the surfaces of each cabin-drawers, desk top, phone and unpacked the balcony & inside cabin, you can never be too careful and yes I have done this every cruise, just a little OCD about germs. Plus DSs would have lived out of their suitcases for the week had I not.

· I brought different sized Ziploc bags to seal sand & shells in. I always bring sand back from any beach I have been too-my collection has sand from California to New York and the Dominican Republic, along with the Caribbean islands we have visited on cruises. I also bring them for those odds & ends you need along the way, like extra fruit from the buffet to have on the balcony or packing wet clothes in when leaving, or even dry cereal we use to get the fish to come close when snorkeling.

· I brought OTC meds for everything from heartburn to diarrhea to cough syrup, a small sewing kit that includes a nail kit, band aids & Neosporin- just in case.

· We had sun tan lotion/sunblock from 0-80 SPF and Aloe lotion just in case we got too much sun. It is expensive in port & on the ship; I would rather spend my money on other things.

· We had power outlets (Belkin) with charging ports, battery operated alarm clocks-all for each cabin, duct tape and clear packing tape, and yes I have had to use it on trips before, you live and learn.

· I packed soap and shampoo (the boys have sensitive skin, as do I) but please be aware that Carnival does supply you with two dispensers in the shower labeled shower gel & shampoo, should you like to use them instead.

· I packed a flat iron for my hair; it’s naturally curly so it was a must to get it to look decent for elegant night.

· I printed out our luggage tags on a color printer, packed them in my expandable file folder and attached them prior to leaving the hotel with clear packing tape.

· Yes, I use an expandable file folder to organize each day of the trip. I had a file pocket for packing lists in the front; then flight info; hotel confirmation; shuttle confirmation; boarding passes, passports & birth certificates (just in case). DSs carried their school IDs as well as Drivers Permit & Non driver NY State ID cards with them; Bon Voyage purchase receipts (which I had to call to get them to email to me); Cabana rental info & map (printed off the CC forum); copy of confirmation from Godfrey regarding the tour in St Thomas; walking tour & trolley map for San Juan; and copies of coupons for Jack’s Shack in Grand Turk (and you thought I was lying when I said I was type A w/OCD).

· I have envelopes for each day with spending cash. We took $3,000 for our family of 5, allotting so much for each day depending on what we did. I also had two envelopes labeled receipts for each cabin so I could keep track of our spending onboard. Each cabin also got $25 in singles for tipping when ordering room service.

· We used our debit card for our onboard account (I know how some feel on these boards-please do not flame me- as this works for my family). We have done this on every cruise we have taken- with 3 different lines and never had a problem. We just advise our bank(s) that we are leaving out of the country, when we are leaving & how long we will be gone, as well as where we are going on which day and have never had any issues-one card for the onboard account and the other for purchases on land (should we not have enough cash) and yes we have two different banks which equates to two different debit cards. We have never seen several charges or holds to our account-it has always been for the amount of our onboard account-I guess we have been lucky.

· We assigned a spending limit for our sons, $75 each-they don’t really drink soda, so the free lemonade & tea were fine with them but they like non-alcoholic frozen drinks & Milkshakes, so this way they could order them themselves without having to find Mom or Dad to get it, plus I didn’t want any surprises from fun times in the arcade-just in case. They only spent about $40 between the three of them.

· We brought refillable water bottles, coffee mugs with lids, sugar free flavor packets, and flavored non-dairy coffee creamer. The ship has Sugar, Sugar Cane, Equal, Splenda and Sweet & Low packets.

· We ordered room service most mornings- 4 coffees & 4 teas gave us a carafe each (DH only drinks tea) and I would make my coffee with my French Vanilla creamer & Splenda in the cabin. The ship does have a coffee shop if you want to purchase flavored coffee (I am too frugal, so I bring what I need). That coffee shop (Jarvin Café- deck 5) is where you can get Milkshakes.

Would you tell me where you got the coupons to Jack's Shack in Grand Turk? Everything I have read this is the place to go. Thank you for your review. I can't wait to see the rest of the new menu.

Love your review, we will be on the Liberty in early May but it will be a Southern Caribbean out of Port Canaveral.

Good to know it is sanitized every night.

Good review, we are sailing on the Liberty in May. Appreciate the info especially on the new menus.

I have a booking for May 2014. I can't pull up excursions. Maybe there is a problem with their site.