Carnival Glory Wedding 4/15/12 - Questions

[khutson]

My fiance and I will be getting married aboard the Carnival Glory on 4/15/12, departing out of Miami. I have a few questions for those who have gone through this process....

 

1) Any recommendations on hotels to stay at in Miami before the cruise. We are looking for something that has shuttle service to both the airport and the cruise port???

 

2) Ceremony music... we recieved the ceremony layout sheet and it gives you options on what songs you would like played during the ceremony, however, after reading other posts people have mentioned that they have brought their own ceremony music? Am I reading this correctly? How does this work?

 

3) Flowers... I don't want the boring white flowers that the cruise provides, and I dont want to pay for an upgrade. Any suggestions on bringing flowers?

 

4) Does the photographer try and steal you before the reception is over or do you have a say in when you get your pictures taken around the ship? If you wait until after the reception... do you have problems with other guests being in the background?

 

5) I am planning on bringing my own cake topper, probably my own flowers, and I may bring my own party favors.... anything else that is a must have?

 

Excursions

We will be going to Belize, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Isla Roatan. I know my fiance wants to do some deep sea fishing and we also want to go ziplining.

1) Is their a specific island that is better than others to do these at?

 

2) What about outside tour companies that are cheaper than booking your excursions through the cruise ship?

 

Thanks for your help!!

 

Khutson!

[kayysums]

My fiance and I will be getting married aboard the Carnival Glory on 4/15/12, departing out of Miami. I have a few questions for those who have gone through this process....

 

1) Any recommendations on hotels to stay at in Miami before the cruise. We are looking for something that has shuttle service to both the airport and the cruise port???

 

2) Ceremony music... we recieved the ceremony layout sheet and it gives you options on what songs you would like played during the ceremony, however, after reading other posts people have mentioned that they have brought their own ceremony music? Am I reading this correctly? How does this work?

 

3) Flowers... I don't want the boring white flowers that the cruise provides, and I dont want to pay for an upgrade. Any suggestions on bringing flowers?

 

4) Does the photographer try and steal you before the reception is over or do you have a say in when you get your pictures taken around the ship? If you wait until after the reception... do you have problems with other guests being in the background?

 

5) I am planning on bringing my own cake topper, probably my own flowers, and I may bring my own party favors.... anything else that is a must have?

 

Excursions

We will be going to Belize, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Isla Roatan. I know my fiance wants to do some deep sea fishing and we also want to go ziplining.

1) Is their a specific island that is better than others to do these at?

 

2) What about outside tour companies that are cheaper than booking your excursions through the cruise ship?

 

Thanks for your help!!

 

Khutson!

 

Hi and congratulations!

 

I am getting married on the glory on 11/13/11 (I will be writing a detailed review when I get back, so look out for it!) and have been stalking these boards since December. I could probably answer most of your questions just because I have also asked them.

 

1. I don't know the names but I know there are a couple that offer shuttle service and let you leave your car in their lot at no extra charge. I can look it up and let you know.

 

2. You can use there music or bring a CD. Some brides have brought burned CD's and they worked but the coordinator told me I HAVE to bring the original CD if I'm going to bring my own music. Copyright issues I guess. I hate to spend money on buying a whole CD for just one song.

 

3. You and I both do not like the flowers they provide and I was recommended by another bride on here to Kim at Alexis Grace Designs. SHE IS AMAZING! Her prices are great, I talk to her everyday, she sends me pictures all the time of flowers shes found for me and if I like them or not. She will not send my flowers till I'm 100% satisfied. She's awesome, seriously. Her email is alexisgracedesigns@gmail.com If you contact her tell her that Casey sent you her way! =)

 

4. I know that he takes pictures of everyone during the reception and then after it he takes pictures of you and your hubby around the ship. Of all the pictures I've seen (and I've seen a million) I don't ever recall people being in the background.

 

5. I'm bringing cake decorations (i.e cake topper, ribbon & rhinestone banding) I'm bringing flower petals in my wedding colors to decorate the aisle runner and guest book table..I'm also going to bring disposable wedding cameras and tell all my guests to take good pictures of us =) and then leave the cameras with us. I got personalized wedding napkins for drinks.

 

6. As far as the excursions go, we have not booked any yet. But those are awesome questions because we are doing the same itinerary!

 

Hope I helped some! There aren't many glory brides on here but there are a few. Just search "glory".

[mrsgomez2011]

Hi and congratulations!

 

I am getting married on the glory on 11/13/11 (I will be writing a detailed review when I get back, so look out for it!) and have been stalking these boards since December. I could probably answer most of your questions just because I have also asked them.

 

1. I don't know the names but I know there are a couple that offer shuttle service and let you leave your car in their lot at no extra charge. I can look it up and let you know.

 

2. You can use there music or bring a CD. Some brides have brought burned CD's and they worked but the coordinator told me I HAVE to bring the original CD if I'm going to bring my own music. Copyright issues I guess. I hate to spend money on buying a whole CD for just one song.

 

3. You and I both do not like the flowers they provide and I was recommended by another bride on here to Kim at Alexis Grace Designs. SHE IS AMAZING! Her prices are great, I talk to her everyday, she sends me pictures all the time of flowers shes found for me and if I like them or not. She will not send my flowers till I'm 100% satisfied. She's awesome, seriously. Her email is alexisgracedesigns@gmail.com If you contact her tell her that Casey sent you her way! =)

 

4. I know that he takes pictures of everyone during the reception and then after it he takes pictures of you and your hubby around the ship. Of all the pictures I've seen (and I've seen a million) I don't ever recall people being in the background.

 

5. I'm bringing cake decorations (i.e cake topper, ribbon & rhinestone banding) I'm bringing flower petals in my wedding colors to decorate the aisle runner and guest book table..I'm also going to bring disposable wedding cameras and tell all my guests to take good pictures of us =) and then leave the cameras with us. I got personalized wedding napkins for drinks.

 

6. As far as the excursions go, we have not booked any yet. But those are awesome questions because we are doing the same itinerary!

 

Hope I helped some! There aren't many glory brides on here but there are a few. Just search "glory".

 

Yes definitely go to Kim!!! She's amazing. I got my flowers from her and had to tell everyone about her. She's awesome. I have tons of flowers photos on my photobucket http://s1091.photobucket.com/albums/i385/gomezwedding/

 

I'm bringing my own flowers, favors, OOT bags, napkins, flower petals, aisle runner, and I know I'm forgetting other things. lol

 

There are a lot of hotels that provide shuttle service to and from. I know reviews on here have listed some of them.

[mrsgomez2011]

3. You and I both do not like the flowers they provide and I was recommended by another bride on here to Kim at Alexis Grace Designs. SHE IS AMAZING! Her prices are great, I talk to her everyday, she sends me pictures all the time of flowers shes found for me and if I like them or not. She will not send my flowers till I'm 100% satisfied. She's awesome, seriously. Her email is alexisgracedesigns@gmail.com If you contact her tell her that Casey sent you her way! =)

 

How are your flowers coming??? Kim is just so awesome!!! Wait till you receive them!!!

[shortnsweet7676]

I'll try to log back on tonight and answer more of your questions. I'm at work using my blackberry. Not easy to do long replies on this phone. Anyway, I can also give you some suggestions on excursions since the hubby & I just did the same itinerary on the Legend.

[shortnsweet7676]

Sorry it took me so long to reply today. Here are some answers to your questions…

 

 

1) Any recommendations on hotels to stay at in Miami before the cruise. We are looking for something that has shuttle service to both the airport and the cruise port???

 

 

We stayed at the Residence Inn in Coconut Grove. I don’t think they have shuttle service to/from port and airport. We hired a charter bus to transport us and our guests from the hotel to the port. There is another board on cruise critic for “home ports” that talks about recommended hotels in the port area.

 

 

 

3) Flowers... I don't want the boring white flowers that the cruise provides, and I dont want to pay for an upgrade. Any suggestions on bringing flowers?

 

 

One thing to note is that you cannot bring real flowers on the ship and you are not allowed to take the flowers that you order through Carnival off the ship. Although, I’ve heard of some bride’s being able to get their flowers off the ship. That’s the reason I went with natural touch flowers, so I could keep my bouquet.

 

 

Checked on the cost of my natural touch flowers from “wed ideas”, which was around $350. I ordered: bride’s bouquet, 2 bridesmaids’ bouquets, 3 groomsmen/usher boutonnieres, 1 father’s boutonniere, 1 groom’s boutonniere, 3 mother/grandmother corsages, cake topper, and free toss bouquet. Here are some pics:

 

 

Bride’s Bouquet, Bridesmaids Bouquets, Cake Topper, Toss Bouquet:

 

 

Corsages/Boutonnieres:

 

 

4) Does the photographer try and steal you before the reception is over or do you have a say in when you get your pictures taken around the ship? If you wait until after the reception... do you have problems with other guests being in the background?

 

 

It really depends on the photographer. Our photographer snapped candid photos during the reception and we took posed photos with lots of the guests. I didn’t feel like he was pulling us away from the reception at all. After the reception, he took photos of us around the ship. He continued to take photos through the muster drill. So, we did not even go to the muster drill. Great thing about missing the muster drill is that we didn’t have people walking around while we were taking photos. After the muster drill, people started filling the halls and if someone was in the way of a shot, the photographer would ask them to move. You can discuss your wishes with the photographer when you meet him/her.

 

 

5) I am planning on bringing my own cake topper, probably my own flowers, and I may bring my own party favors.... anything else that is a must have?

 

Maybe a guest book or signature frame for your guests to sign. I can’t think of anything else.

 

 

 

 

Excursions

We will be going to Belize, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Isla Roatan. I know my fiance wants to do some deep sea fishing and we also want to go ziplining.

1) Is their a specific island that is better than others to do these at?

 

 

Not sure about deep sea fishing, but I’ve heard that zip lining is best in Roatan. They also offer zip lining in Belize. I wasn’t adventurous enough to try zip lining.

 

 

2) What about outside tour companies that are cheaper than booking your excursions through the cruise ship?

 

 

The only excursion we booked through Carnival was the Belize City/Altun Ha ruins tour. I’ve heard that Belize wasn’t very safe, so I wasn’t comfortable booking outside of Carnival. A lot of people do Cave Tubing through local tour companies in Belize. Carnival also offers a cave tubing excursion.

 

 

We had never been to Cozumel before and wanted to have a nice relaxing day at the beach. We had heard that Nachi Cocum was a nice all-inclusive resort, but it was all booked up; they only allow 100 people at a time. So, I booked that all-inclusive at Mr. Sanchos Beach resort for only $50 per person. The great thing is you only put down a $10 deposit through PayPal and pay the remainder when you arrive. I booked this through Cozumel Water Sports. We loved it! It’s all you can eat (except lobster) and all you can drink (including alcoholic drinks) for the day. We also had our own private cabana, beach chairs and umbrella, and private table with chairs for the day. The waiters catered to us all day. We caught a cab from the port for like $20 over to the resort. We got there around 11am and left around 3pm, I think. You could also do horseback riding, jet skiing, and get massages. Here are some pics…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued in next post...

[shortnsweet7676]

We did a private tour of Isla Roatan through Victor Bodden tours just the two of us. It was $40 per person and the tour guide took us wherever we wanted to go. We visited the Iguana farm ($8 per person extra), Monkey Farm ($5 extra per person extra I think), and did a city tour. They also offer zip lining at the monkey farm area, but I’ve heard there better places to sip line in Roatan. We reserved the tour online, with no deposit required. We payed when we got there. Pic with monkeys…

 

 

I had been to Grand Cayman before and did the turtle farm and stingray tour when I was there. I would recommend visiting those places if you have never been. We did this through Carnival, but I think there are local tour companies that offer something similar for less. This visit, we opted for a day at the beach. We caught a cab to Royal Palms Beach Resort ($4 per person). They have a restaurant there and changing rooms. It was something like $30 to rent 2 beach chairs and one umbrella for the day. It was so peaceful and not crowded at all. Some pics…

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps!

[kayysums]

How are your flowers coming??? Kim is just so awesome!!! Wait till you receive them!!!

 

They are coming along great! I'm so in love and cannot wait till I receive them!!!