LindaKE

Would you mind preparing a chart with what you liked best on NCL and what you liked best on Carnival? We, too, like NCL but have an upcoming Carnival cruise. Your review was very good, but so long with all the extra comments that I couldn't get all your points in a concise format. If you did that and I missed it (I skipped some of others' chit-chat) would you point me to it? Thanks!

Thanks! This is the clearest explanation I've been able to get of the traffic / parking situation. This helps us know how to plan.

I swear I read somewhere that you can request a topper, so you don't have to transport one.

 

Oh I found an old thread! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1686898

Thanks for the thread. I think my idea of bringing a foam topper is what we'll do. New or in a space bag they shouldn't take too much room in luggage.

Either a glacier helicopter landing probably in Juneau or a float plane in Ketchikan (We highly recommend Michelle with Island Wings.) or both. The views are unbelievable. You don't appreciate a glacier until you see it up close.

What time did you arrive for embarkation? How long were the lines of traffic? Was parking IN THE GARAGE a problem or were you early enough to get parking there? I know once we get into the parking garage everything will go as quickly as possible with Priority boarding (and maybe FTTF), but getting into and parking in the garage is worrying me.

I personally have never gotten a bad one and always sleep great. DH has an iffy back and he always seems to sleep fine as well, never complained once. The best that I can describe my average experience is a bit soft but not too soft at least for me.

That sounds great. It's reassuring for my back! Thanks.

Are mattresses comfortable? (I know that's subjective.) Hard? Soft? We'll be in a GS suite on Fantasy if that makes any difference. I'm wondering if I should plan to take a foam topper since my back aches if I sleep on too hard a mattress.

if you want little or no traffic,if the ship docks on time,come after one p.m.

But what about parking? We don't want to park in the overflow lot.

We just went on our first ever cruise (a rookie, yes, I know) out of Mobile. We live 3 hours from Mobile, in Jackson, MS and wanted to do a port that was closer, with a smaller ship. The getting to the ship/on the ship/parking when we got there was not the problem. it was getting OFF the ship that took FOREVER, to get the bags, then we ended up having to tote our bags to the overflow lot across the train tracks

What time did you get to the terminal? I notice you were parked in the overflow lot. We hope to avoid that and park in the garage.

What time did you get into the port and was the traffic back up clear by then? Did you park in the terminal garage? If so, was it hard to get in or did you have to go to the overflow lot? We're trying to plan for our cruise next year and seeing a lot of complaints about traffic and parking.

As others have said, we have not found a lot of difference in Carnival, Princess, NCL and HAL. There have been better points on some cruises than others and worse. But I think the difference has been the individual itinerary / ship. We were hesitant before our first NCL cruise, but would now probably choose NCL Spirit as our favorite overall over our 15 years of cruising. However, we choose based on itinerary, home port, and price and not on cruise line. OP, don't be afraid to try other lines.

Does anyone know how long it takes for the initial lines to get into the ship and parking garage to clear? Also, how late can we arrive and be assured that a parking spot in the garage will be available? We have a suite so can board anytime and are hoping to avoid some of the long lines without risking having to park out of the garage in the overflow parking areas.

We're in a suite. Do I still need to choose a check-in time? Right now my boarding info says Priority. Will that change to an actual time? If so, does it matter?

Thanks for that idea. That sounds like what we might enjoy doing. Since we're not coffee drinkers, I guess I'll have to order hot tea from room service to get a tray. If I do that once, can I keep the tray all cruise or do I have to do that every morning we want to eat on our balcony?

Bummer! Oh well. We'll still enjoy the balcony.

Is room service available for the full menu like on HAL or is it just for limited items? We'd like to have breakfast on our balcony on sea days, but really enjoy a hot breakfast, not just continental.

Thanks

If I have to cancel before final payment is due but after paying in full for the cruise, is there a problem getting a refund of all but the deposit? Not that I plan to cancel, but I'm wondering whether to go ahead and pay or wait to the last minute to pay just in case.

Thank you Drew. That solves my objections to the excursion. I can't wait to go!

We would like to do the Crystal Caves Excursion (Carnival), but wonder about the suggestion to bring a sunhat and sunscreen. Why would you need these in caves? The only explanation I can come up with is that transportation to the caves is via one of those open buses that may put the rider in the sun the whole trip. Is this the case? I'm thinking this mode of transportation would not be very comfortable.

If done through the cruise ship, is the ride one of those open tour buses or a closed in smaller van-like vehicle?

I know some people who bring 3-leg canes with folding seats or folding stools(lightweight ones that fold in like an umbrella) with them when they know they may have to stand for a while. That allows them to sit when they need to without having to look around for a chair or get out of line. QUOTE]

 

I rarely use my rollator (rolling walker with seat) at home now, but I still travel with it. It gives me someplace to sit when I'd otherwise have to stand for a while, and alerts people that I may not be able to do everything they ask of me. (I look normal to the casual observer.) It helps me with my balance when the ship is rolling. I also register with the special needs department and have learned to request a wheelchair for embarking and debarking when there is often a long line plus a long way to carry carry-on luggage. You may want to consider some kind of walking aid like the stools mentioned or a rollator. It's amazing how much it helps. For Muster on our last cruise, the crew actually came up to me and asked if I would prefer to observe Muster on TV in our cabin, but I was fine since I could sit.

Thanks, Susan. That is a big help.

We would like to to go to Capilano Bridge, Stanley Park and take the trolley around Vancouver.

Will the seniors have any trouble with these? I would like to know how much there will be to do if walking is a problem since I, too, have trouble with distances.

How accessible is the Capilano Suspension Bridge for someone with limited mobility? Is there much to do there that doesn't require a lot of walking?

Thanks for this thread.