tak81288

Avoid cruising during school breaks, holidays...etc...if you can. We have literally saved thousands by cruising while school is in session because the prices tend to be lower.

I know due to certain professions (ie school teachers) or for those traveling with kids and can't take them out of school, this is not possible.

I plan on going to The Bahamas in May

 

 

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Try a short 3-4 day cruise around Memorial Day weekend.

Have fun!

It was uppers 70s-mid 80s when I traveled around that time of the year. It rained a little in Grand Cayman, but it didn't last long.

I wouldn't worry about the weather too much for March, but always double check the forecast 1-2 days before I leave.

Have a great cruise!

Where are you headed?

What happens if you loose your card say maybe when you in port and off the ship? How would you get back on the ship? Not that this has ever happened to me but I was just wondering if you knew anyone that this has happen to them.:rolleyes:

This has never happened to me, but I am assuming they would be able to verify who you are by your picture ID (assuming you still have your DL or something with you) and you could go from there.

Also,when you first embark, everyone's picture is taken. I am sure if you gave them a name, the ship could look up your picture for verification and go from there.

I create a list of things and outfits I want to take about a month before the cruise. This list may be tweaked a few times over that month and I will double check my closets, drawers..etc..to make sure I actually have those items. If there are little odds and ends I need to purchase, I will do that over the course of the month.

As far as actually laying things out, I may do that just a two days before I leave, but nothing goes into the suitcase until the night before. I check things off my list as I put them into the suitcase to ensure I have everything.

Just in own person experience, I have found some of the popular excursions that have limited availablity sometimes do sell out a few weeks before setting sail. I haven't seen an excursion that sold out months ahead of time (that doesn't mean it doesn't happen though).

My rule of thumb is that if I see something I really want to do (especially if they limit how many people can book it), we book the excursion as soon as possible to ensure we have a spot. If we are wavering between options, we wait to book at the last minute or until we board the ship.

I would just set up meeting places and times.

We DID bring some along on our first cruise because someone suggested that for us. They never even left our luggage. We found that it would have been a pain to have an extra item to carry around.

My wife and I are departing on the Carnival fantasy on Jan 15. Can we each bring a bottle of wine and a 12 pack of diet coke onboard with us?

Yes. Each passenger can carry on 12 bottles/cans (not to exceed 20oz each) of non alcoholic beverage and each passenger who is 21+ years of age can bring on a bottle of wine (750ml).

Have a great cruise!

No one has spoken to the fact you are currently pregnant. How far along will you be in April? Be sure that first you find out what the cruise line policy is for pregnancy. They do not allow pregnant women to board after a certain point, so get that cutoff date information first.

All pregnant women must have a letter from their Dr stating due date and health for sailing.

From the OP first post, it appears that she is planning over year in advance and isn't getting married until 2015.

I can't tell you how much to bring, but will advise to bring more than what you think. You can always bring money back home and deposit back into your account.

A lot of people on here budget about $100 per day. Some may spend more than that, while others don't even get close to that figure so it really is hard to say.

I probably wasn't much help, but have a wonderful cruise!

I like to experience any port stop at least one time, so in my opinion, I think it is worth it for you to get off the ship if you have never been there before.

I would grab a guide book, look at the ports of call section of this board, or even use Google to get some ideas of things you can do.

double post

Thanks for all of the great feedback! Very helpful! Now I am wondering how formal are the formal evenings?

what cruise line? Some cruiselines are more formal than others.

Any reviews/opinions on Carnival with teens?

HAL is offering really good rates right now but reading all the posts above i guess will have to take my business somewhere else someone can convince me otherwise.

Carnival would be great for teens. They don't have rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks..etc (you have to go on Royal for that)...But they do have a teen program, water slides, sports area, arcade...etc....If you have a specific ship in mind, I would look at the amenities/activities for that ship since it may vary slightly depending on the actual ship(s) you are interested in.

In everyday life, I actually prefer print books, however, when traveling, I take an E-reader because it takes up less space, I don't really have to worry about weight issues...etc...

Yes, there is a possibility that it can get damaged or stolen (anything can get stolen/damage though) but don't leave it out in the open or have someone look over it...etc...to lessen those chances.

I'm not condoning losing a towel, but I always wonder how Carnival keeps track of them. Every single cruise I have taken, we ended up with more beach towels than people in the room. We take our towels to sit out on deck or to go in port and come back to the cabin to fresh ones. So now we have 4 towels for only 2 people. The next day the same things will happen.

It hasn't been uncommon for us to have 4-6 beach towels in the rooms by the end of the week for only two of us. In my experience the beach towels have never been an even exchange of replacing new towels with old ones.

If I ever got charged for one, I would definitely challenge the charge unless I really lost it onshore.

With that being said, we just use the ship towels. I like having fresh towels daily and it really isn't hard to keep track of them. I also can find my lounge chair very easily because there is normally a book, beach bag or something else accompanying my chair.

 

 

Can i know how does the onboard account linked to credit card works? Do i need to inform/register with RCI which credit card i will be using?

Yup, but it is very simple. When you actually fill out your paper work/check-in online you can give the credit card information for your onboard expense account at that point. When you get to the pier, they will verify everything with you in person.

Can i just check on something? Since gratuities have already been pre-paid when we book the cruise...how much (for a family of 4) $ do we need to bring on board the ship? Is USD500 more than enough for a 7N cruise?

It may be enough...It really depends on you and your family though. If you have your onboard account linked to a credit card then more than likely you will be fine because everything you purchase onboard will be charged to your credit card. However, if you plan on using cash for your onboard account or make a lot of cash purchases while in port (excursions, souvenirs...etc) than the $500.00 may not be enough.

Try and figure out what you plan to do onboard and in port and how you want to pay for everything. This will give you an idea of how much cash you and your family will actually need.

It has worked great for me. We like the flexiblity of showing up to the dining room when want and being able to be seated with just our party.

It was just like eating at a restaurant back home, but we never had to wait.

Enjoy!