Miller_KC

We are leaving out on the Carnival Dream in mid February out of New Orleans. Will the pool be usable on embarkation day or will it be too cold? We have a couple of kids that will be eager to get in the pool. Thanks!

 

I wouldn't count on the being able to use the pool. Typical lows in the 40s, highs in the 60s in February. I'll be coming down from Kansas city so it should feel pretty good to me, but I don't think I'll try out the pool on the first day.

The selection of checkin times for my 2/21 Dream cruise has been open for a few weeks now. 10:30 and all other selections are still available so I would not think you need to rush. I wouldn't wait a long time if you have a specific time in mind but you should be able to get the time you want for a while.

Worst case you end up above or below a dance club or below the main pool on the Lido deck. Others may have a few minor noise problems but in most cases you should be fine.

The Dream class has Pasta upstairs, but I prefer the Fish and Chips.

I had forgotten about that. Deck 3 forward. It wraps around the theater and has steps going up to the Arcade and the Circle C club on deck 4, and camp Carnival on deck 5.

We found them on the Sunshine in the section of the buffet called Comfort Kitchen. They didn't have them every day, and I don't remember seeing the thin french fries.

I personally would choose Starboard. The Port side promenade on deck 5 is a smoking area so I wouldn't want a balcony too close to it. The Starboard side of the open deck on 11 is a smoking area but I don't see that affecting any of the cabins.

Leave for the MDR about 5 minutes late the first day. People line up waiting for the doors to open, then need to be directed to their table. After the first day most people know where their table is and don't line up at the desk. Don't be too late or you will make your table mates wait on you to get served.

One plate but 2 of everything on it. Same as with the canapes when they used to give those to us also. Always liked the chocolate plate better than the canapes. So far always had strawberries, and no bad ones yet. Some weren't great but not bad.

A small cooler is allowed and I've never heard anyone have any problem bringing food on. In many ports you cannot take food off unless it is sealed, prepackaged commercial foods. We went to Hersey PA before a cruise out of Baltimore and carried several hundred dollars of chocolate on and no one said anything. We also took it off again when we returned to Baltimore with no issues.

 

We had balcony and interior cabins on the Sunshine, neither had a refrigerator. I hear that some of the newer cabins that were added on have them but I can't confirm that.

It is a relatively new rule because of a fire caused by a surge protector on a non-cruise ship with a similar electrical system.

 

I probably wouldn't like the fact that it lights up. Otherwise you shouldn't have any issues.

Do call the Carnival 800 number and ask to have your 2 bookings linked as a b2b. That way you get expedited through customs and back onto the ship. You can keep the same dining, and the same wait staff if you want or change it for your second cruise. If you are like us, you will enjoy the traditional dining better. I feel the waiters do a better job if they know they will see you all week and get they to know what you like. The ships have been known to give you some little gift for returning on a b2b so it's worth it to make sure they get linked.

What about the guy whose plane lands at 10AM and he has to transfer to the port?

 

 

Have him sign up for the Carnival transportation to the port. If the plane lands at 10, he probably won't be at the port before 12:00. :rolleyes:

We sail from NOLA in 38 days. I set our arrival time the day that John announced the change. Checking today all of the arrival times are still available. It may only show that because I am platinum, but otherwise 38 days out and the earliest arrival time can still be selected.

Probably Carnival is try to spread out the arrivals at all ports but only 2 ports are currently set up to enforce the arrival times. More coming soon. If you are sailing out of Galveston or New Orleans you should look for the link on the page where you start you On-Line checkin and select your arrival time. If another port then watch for an email or John's Blog to see if your port starts enforcing the arrival times.

We are on the Fantasy next week and I have printed the paperwork and it states to arrive at 12:30 even though I have FTTF. I was never given the option of choosing a time to embark b/c this staggered check-in has not come to Charleston yet. We've arrived by 11 in the past & never had a problem.

 

My hotel says I have to check out by 11. We're not doing the park & cruise b/c I want to go by taxi.

 

Does anyone know what time I should have the taxi drop us off?

 

Thanks.

 

Even on ports where arrival times are not enforced Carnival is trying to get people to stagger arrival times. Since you have FTTF you can arrive earlier than your stated time. 11-11:30 has always worked well for us. We leave just a little before the hotel kicks us out (want to beat the front desk rush) and arrive at port whatever time later it takes to taxi there. Any earlier than 10:30 puts you in the middle of the departing passengers and the check in terminal may not be open. Long Beach is the worst for that. Miami seems to have it pretty well under control. Tampa has a small port area so arriving early can be a real hassle.

Yes, I've never been to a port in the Caribbean that did not take American money. Some credit card companies charge a small conversion fee but I've only had that happen 3 or 4 times and mostly in Canada. Once or twice they gave me my change in local currency but that's ok I usually try to get a few local coins from the ports we visit. Sometimes some of the shops don't even have local currency, just American money.

There are a lot of people out of the office this time of year. You can have anyone at the 800 number help book your cruise now so you get your room choice and price you are looking at. You could then call your PVP back later and see if she is back. They don't get commissions from your booking but they do have quotas to fill.

We often book on board with the future cruise rep. He doesn't have quotas and doesn't work follow up questions so after we book and get back home we call our PVP and tell him what we booked. We can then have him help with something on the booking so he can then get the credit for the booking moved to his name.

It is my believe based on very limited experience that the best room stewards get assigned to the suites.

You are correct about how the Priority Tendering works. They mostly seem to work you onto the beginning of the next tender to begin filling so you're not actually seen going to the head of the line. Sometimes they have you sit in the lobby until they have a small group then take them down to the tender. It is my understanding you can take a non-priority couple with you but I have not done so.

When you call the 800 number ask to be assigned a PVP. Once we were assigned one we had to get re-assigned because the one we got didn't work the hours we usually booked our cruises. We just asked, described what we wanted from a PVP and was quickly given one that we have used for many years now.

For general information. Carnival, has who I consider one of the top 3 Alaska ship naturalists- Michelle. I've sailed with her for years, and she gets better and better. (Celebrity has the other 2).

 

With Tracy Arm- in my opinion, especially for first timers- it is "necessary" to purchase the add on ship- Tracy Arm boat tour. Otherwise, plan on NOT getting past Sawyer Island, and getting only a distant, partial view of the South Sawyer Glacier. The boat tour is a grossly superior transit, compared to the cruise ship.

 

I agree. It is a relatively expensive excursion, but well worth the cost. If you are going to spend the money to go to Alaska consider this a must do part of the cost.

Depends on where you are looking. In general they are mostly "crew only" spaces. The large spaces on the lower levels like deck 3 and 4 are often the Galleys. You don't really want under them if you are bothered by noise. The smaller spaces can be the cabin steward closets where they store their carts, vacuum cleaners and other supplies. Or can be mechanical access rooms, pipes, electrical and such. A few times I've even seen some of the spaces to just be regular rooms assigned to the ships officers. Usually near the bridge.

The Debarkation port.

Hopefully you can book for early or mid may. Prices start going up towards the end of May because the schools let out.