dctravel

I don't know that anyone here can guarantee that you will have a zero bill at the end of your cruise. That said, if you prepay everything you want to/can (gratuities, excursions, drink package, wifi, specialty dining, [i'm sure i'm forgetting something)]), you COULD have a zero balance. Any purchases would be charged to your onboard account, which you are required to set up. Also consider whether you have onboard credit as part of your booking? The best place to answer your question is probably the Princess board, not the Alaska forum. We did a cruise when my kids were little and ended up have a negative balance at the end on Carnival. They have a policy that if there is a negative balance of less than $10, the money is donated to St. Jude, but anything more than $10 is sent to you as a check about 6 weeks after your cruise. Princess may have something similar.

I don't know if I can answer about the highest percentage off, as we haven't sailed Celebrity yet (this summer to Alaska), but I can tell you that I have been watching my planner for excursions and other potential per-cruise purchases and have noted that the percentages off change often. The biggest saving I have seen above been around holiday sales the last being for President's Day/Valentines Day. Not everything is discounted each time, but there does seem to be variation. Others on here have noted that they have booked things and if it gets cheaper they cancel and rebook. I haven't done that, but it is probably solid advice (just be careful of cancelling something popular and not being able to get it back again!) dctravel

Following too! Curious about life aboard Celebrity before our first cruise with them this summer!

Looks like there is actually crawfish this time!

We will pack wine in our checked luggage to fly. Put it in bubble wrap for the plane trip and then put it in your carry on for embarkation. dctravel

We went to the beach in Aruba using resortforaday.com. It wasn't the cheapest excursion, but it was all inclusive and property was very nice.

Following!

Yes! The older Carnival ships (before Breeze, I beleive) were all designed by legendary designer Jo Farcus, who was known for his over the top use of colors and themes (in a good way, IMO). Here is a good article about him: https://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/in-conversation-with-cruise-ship-design-legend-joe-farcus dctravel

You are, of course, correct. For us, we don’t land til after 9 pm, so straight to the hotel and then back to the airport for us.

I see the deal at the Hilton Galveston: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/glsgihf-hilton-galveston-island-resort/offers/park-go-2000000053/ The closest full service Hilton to Hobby is north of the airport. I do see the same language on the Hilton Garden Inn Hobby website (https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/houmrgi-hilton-garden-inn-houston-hobby-airport/offers/park-go-2000000053/), but I would doubt they mean the cruise port, and rather Hobby itself. The details says “select airports or cruise ports” As Texas Tillie notes, Hobby is 40+ miles from Galveston, it seems like the Park, Stay, Go would be for the airport, not the cruise port 40 miles away. I would call the hotel to reconfirm everything. dctravel

Do you mean a Park and Stay package in Galveston? Any of the hotels around Hobby are likely to only have a shuttle to the airport. Or do you mean having a shuttle pick you up from a hotel near Hobby to take you to Galveston and back?

For our late March cruise, we are flying to Hobby, staying at the Hilton Garden Inn (free airport shuttle), then returning to the airport the next morning to board a shared shuttle to Galveston. The only potential hitch here is the hotel shuttle back to Hobby in the morning. If there are a lot of cruise passengers returning to Hobby, I might have to spring for an Uber. The area around Hobby is only ok, but for one night, at a hotel overlooking the airfield, as long as the hotel is clean and safe, I don't think you can go wrong.

That's a great idea!!! Thanks.

According to SaintGreg (great source), it is Tyler Meehan until 2/18: https://www.saintgregtravel.com/carnival-cruise-director-schedule/. I have never sailed with him. As for time, it depends on when you sail. Cozumel is on Eastern time during standard time and the same as central time during daylight savings time. I got VERY confused by this for our upcoming Jubilee cruise. We have a non-carnival excursion, and I had a lot of trouble figuring out if we had a enough time (3:30 back aboard time). [We do!]

Any indoor foosball tables or other bar games onboard? Family loved those at the Red Frog Pub on Magic and specifically asked me whether something similar is on Jubilee last night.

Just make sure it does NOT have a surge suppressor. Those are not allowed on the ship because of the type of electrical system and they cause a fire hazard.

Which Renaissance? Its about 10 minutes from the Renaissance Arts Warehouse to Julia Street, and a bit more to Erato Street terminal. The Renaissance Pere- Marquette is more than 30 minutes. You did not ask this, but for your information, cabs from a warehouse district/central business district (CBD)/French Quarter hotel to the cruise port $14.00-ONE PASSENGER, 2 OR MORE PASSENGERS-$8.00 PER PERSON OR THE METER FARE (whichever greater) - https://nola.gov/next/ground-transportation-bureau/topics/new-orleans-taxicab-rates/ dctravel

Where was the Shawarma?

We have loved the Dream class ships (sailed Dream in 2016 and Magic in 2018 and 2019). As a family with kids, we loved the water park/slides area, the minigolf middeck above Lido, and the Ocean Plaza. The games/trivia, and Red Frog pub are all there and it is where we found ourselves spending a lot of time before and after meals when we weren't outside on the Lido deck.

Another option, which I used the last time I cruised out Port Canaveral, was to rent a car at MCO and stay in Orlando for the evening. We then drove ourselves to the Port in the morning, dropped off the rental car (no one-way drop fee) and used the rental car shuttle to get to the cruise ship. We liked having the car to go to Publix to pick up a few last minute things. dctravel

We are booked with Galveston Limo in March based on reviews and recommendations here and elsewhere. With them, I was only given the option of the shuttle in the morning from the airport. We are staying near Hobby the night before our cruise at a hotel with a free shuttle. We will have to take the shuttle back to the airport in the morning to then board the Galveston Limo shuttle. Not ideal, but I am trying to avoid a long Uber ride with a lot of luggage. I do worry about how crowded the airport shuttle might be to get back to Hobby. Have you found that any of these companies will pick up at your hotel? With 8, maybe you can get a private vehicle, but with only 4, that is prohibitively expensive for us.

We sail Jubilee in March! Following to learn more :).

Great trip so far! Following along as we sail in March!

For anybody who has sailed the Jubilee, does the Duty Free ship have Balvenie Triple Cask Scotch. I want to pick up a bottle and it used to be cheapest on board. Thanks! dctravel

Thanks c-leg5! We read a lot of reviews, and think this probably works best for us, even if it is a little busy and chaotic. Since we have the kids in tow, being in the middle of it all might make it better than a more relaxed atmosphere, at least that's what I hope!