1st Cruise- Plans so Far with a few Questions

[Dreacrusingaway]

We are going on our 1st cruise on May 25th on the Carnival Sunshine out of Port Canaveral for 5 days. I will be traveling with my husband and 2 daughters ages 8 and 12. We are staying in an aft balcony room on level 5 the Promenade deck. I hear these are new rooms recently added to the ship. We also did anytime dining.

 

I have "issues" with overplanning so I am trying to NOT do that this trip. So if I seem like a planning freak at some point, by all means, call me out. LOL!

 

Our ports are Key West, Nassau and Freeport.

 

Here is what I am planning so far.

 

Day 1- Fun Day at Sea

Totally winging it here. I am going to let the kids check out Camp Carnival and Circle C. I really hope they like it. I would love for them to stay there through dinner at least 1-2 night so I can enjoy some date time. My only real concern is I am assuming they are given "kids" fare to eat. My 8 year old is not the chicken nugget mac and cheese type. She refuses to even eat at McDonalds. (I honestly don't know where she got it from) She really does not do kids menu's. She is more the grilled salmon, Caesar salad type. She may just have to suck it up for one night.

 

Questions:

 

1. Do your kids like the children's programs and on average how much time to they spend there?

 

2. What do they feed the kids there?

 

 

 

Key West- 8am-4pm

 

City View Trolley around town. My only "planned" stops are the southernmost point marker and the Eco Discovery Center. Both free. My girls are really into STEM stuff (science, technology, engineering, math) so I think they will like the Eco Discovery Center. We may swing by Ripleys or something, but I am trying not to overplan.

 

I think we will play lunch by ear. If you have suggestions for a place, by all means share it.

 

Questions:

Is it reasonable to maybe even plan to go back to the ship for lunch or will it eat up too much port time?

 

 

Nassau Bahamas 12pm-8pm

 

This was the hardest one to plan for me. I REALLY wanted to go the Blue Lagoon for the Dolphin encounter. But with arriving to port at 12, the 1st boat there was 1:30 and we would have to leave at 4. That would be only 2 hours there on the island assuming we got there at 2pm. I wanted to have time to hang out on the beach and for the kids to play. The cost is just too high for just 2 hours. We have to table this one for another trip.

 

So.....I think we are going to take the bus to one of the resorts on Cable Beach, get a day pass and hang out. Maybe the Melia. Then head back to the ship for dinner.

 

Freeport Bahamas 8am-4pm

 

For Freeport I was originally thinking of doing a daypass at the Grand Lucyan, but since Nassau became a resort day, I booked snorkeling with Pat and Diane tours. We are doing the 5 hour one with the snorkeling off the boat and beach time with lunch on the secluded island. So we get a mix of beach and adventure.

 

We have never snorkeled before so we are looking forward to it.

 

Oddball Question: Do they sterilize the snorkels well, it seems kind of gross to use one that someone else used. Do you usually use the provided equipment or do you bring your own?

 

 

I also have a few more random questions:

 

1. I really wanted to try FTTF. Mainly because I hate to admit it but my husband is a glass half full complainer. If I can do anything to make this a positive experience I want to try. When we gets grumpy it impacts all of us. I was honestly shocked he wanted to come, I originally thought it would be just myself and the kids because he does not travel with us often. Back on track to my question, is FTTF worth it just to get in and settled quicker? It is sold out right now but I have been checking to see if something opens up.

 

2. (Oddball Question) Irons. I know they have them on the ship, are they easy to get? My husband is former military and is pretty much OCD about ironing. In my house he does all the ironing, I actually think he enjoys it. LOL! (good for me). I guess if we get one I can have him iron everything and hang it up rather than asking daily. I know I can't bring one, I just want to make sure we can get it when we need it.

 

3. Bringing Drinks. I know we are allowed a certain number of drinks per person such as soda, water or juice to bring onboard. (12 bottles/can less than 20 oz each) How do you usually transport this? For 4 people we are talking 48 bottles of water, soda and juice. I just don't want to have to lug these around waiting on our cabin (another reason I want FTTF if I can get it)

 

4. Sail Away- What should I expect at the sail away party? I was initially thinking we could enjoy it from our balcony but with this being our 1st cruise, I think we should get the full experience.

 

5. When I booked I was given a VIFP number online. What do I need to do to get one for my husband and kids?

 

 

Also, keep your fingers crossed for me. Our district missed 7 days so far due to weather but only had 3 snow make ups on the calendar. We will know tomorrow what the plan is. Our state says the days can be waived, but our district never waives days, ever. If they extend school beyond Memorial Day I am going to be in a bind, especially if finals are delayed for my middle schooler. They were supposed to get out on May 21st so I assumed I was in the clear when I booked. Not sure if travel insurance covers snow days! I am hoping we don't have to find out.

 

Thanks in advance for your help. Any and all advice is appreciated. I am hoping my family likes cruising. I have a list of places in my head I would love to visit.

 

Cruise Critic has been invaluable in planning for this trip! :)

[deladypilot]

I cant really help you with Carnival or the kids club, but wanted to tell you Welcome to Cruise Critic and it looks like you have done well with your planning.

 

Do check out your sailings roll call under the roll call section. That will give you an opportunity to speak with others on your cruise and maybe find others with kids. They might be able to answer the food question for you as well.

 

Have fun with your plans and your cruise

[cb at sea]

In KW, yes...going back to the ship will take too much time. Eat in Key West! Sloppy Joe's is good and always fun...but there are tons of other places!

 

Unless you NEED to get to the ship early, I wouldn't pay extra to get onboard an hour earlier.....just have a leisurely morning, and head to the ship after noon!

 

You can get plenty of water and juice on the ship. Bring a refillable water bottle, if you must. But...whatever you do bring, put it in a bag with handles, like a small suitcase, slap a luggage tag on it, and let it be delivered!

 

At the ages of your kids, I'd just take them out of school...to hell with "snow days"...they will learn more from this experience than they will sitting in class for extra days! If they were in high school, my opinion would be different!

[Cruisin' Chick]

We are going on our 1st cruise on May 25th on the Carnival Sunshine out of Port Canaveral for 5 days. I will be traveling with my husband and 2 daughters ages 8 and 12. We are staying in an aft balcony room on level 5 the Promenade deck. I hear these are new rooms recently added to the ship. We also did anytime dining.

 

I have "issues" with overplanning so I am trying to NOT do that this trip. So if I seem like a planning freak at some point, by all means, call me out. LOL!

 

Our ports are Key West, Nassau and Freeport.

 

Here is what I am planning so far.

 

Day 1- Fun Day at Sea

Totally winging it here. I am going to let the kids check out Camp Carnival and Circle C. I really hope they like it. I would love for them to stay there through dinner at least 1-2 night so I can enjoy some date time. My only real concern is I am assuming they are given "kids" fare to eat. My 8 year old is not the chicken nugget mac and cheese type. She refuses to even eat at McDonalds. (I honestly don't know where she got it from) She really does not do kids menu's. She is more the grilled salmon, Caesar salad type. She may just have to suck it up for one night.

 

Questions:

 

1. Do your kids like the children's programs and on average how much time to they spend there?

 

2. What do they feed the kids there?

 

We haven't been on a Carnival cruise since 2002 (the next year we discovered Princess :)), but I'll try to answer based on what it was like back then, and you can check on the Carnival area of CC to make sure I'm not steering you wrong.

 

Meals are not taken in the kids' area (they want to keep things clean, plus it's hard to keep tabs of allergies if they serve snacks there). There was a kids' dinner or two that was held in the buffet. You drop off your kid at the time indicated, the kids eat whatever is available there, which could include kids' food and pizza, or they can eat the "adult" food. Then the staff takes the kids to the kids' area for the evening activities. Princess and probably some other lines do this. It's not every night though, so some families will feed their kids, drop them off for the evening program, and then go to dinner in the main dining room. There's also post-10pm kidsitting with an hourly charge that you can take advantage of. But your kids may be too old for that. I know my 8-year-old told me off the time we did that on a cruise -- she didn't want to be hanging out with the 3-6 crowd.

 

As for how many hours, it's up to you and your kids during the hours of operation. You should get a packet of info including a day-by-day schedule of activities. Go to the orientation meeting with your kids so they can meet the other kids. Attendance is not mandatory, but they may not want to miss a moment.

 

Key West- 8am-4pm

 

City View Trolley around town. My only "planned" stops are the southernmost point marker and the Eco Discovery Center. Both free. My girls are really into STEM stuff (science, technology, engineering, math) so I think they will like the Eco Discovery Center. We may swing by Ripleys or something, but I am trying not to overplan.

 

I think we will play lunch by ear. If you have suggestions for a place, by all means share it.

 

Questions:

Is it reasonable to maybe even plan to go back to the ship for lunch or will it eat up too much port time?

 

 

Nassau Bahamas 12pm-8pm

 

This was the hardest one to plan for me. I REALLY wanted to go the Blue Lagoon for the Dolphin encounter. But with arriving to port at 12, the 1st boat there was 1:30 and we would have to leave at 4. That would be only 2 hours there on the island assuming we got there at 2pm. I wanted to have time to hang out on the beach and for the kids to play. The cost is just too high for just 2 hours. We have to table this one for another trip.

 

So.....I think we are going to take the bus to one of the resorts on Cable Beach, get a day pass and hang out. Maybe the Melia. Then head back to the ship for dinner.

 

Freeport Bahamas 8am-4pm

 

For Freeport I was originally thinking of doing a daypass at the Grand Lucyan, but since Nassau became a resort day, I booked snorkeling with Pat and Diane tours. We are doing the 5 hour one with the snorkeling off the boat and beach time with lunch on the secluded island. So we get a mix of beach and adventure.

 

We have never snorkeled before so we are looking forward to it.

 

Oddball Question: Do they sterilize the snorkels well, it seems kind of gross to use one that someone else used. Do you usually use the provided equipment or do you bring your own?

 

 

I also have a few more random questions:

 

1. I really wanted to try FTTF. Mainly because I hate to admit it but my husband is a glass half full complainer. If I can do anything to make this a positive experience I want to try. When we gets grumpy it impacts all of us. I was honestly shocked he wanted to come, I originally thought it would be just myself and the kids because he does not travel with us often. Back on track to my question, is FTTF worth it just to get in and settled quicker? It is sold out right now but I have been checking to see if something opens up.

 

2. (Oddball Question) Irons. I know they have them on the ship, are they easy to get? My husband is former military and is pretty much OCD about ironing. In my house he does all the ironing, I actually think he enjoys it. LOL! (good for me). I guess if we get one I can have him iron everything and hang it up rather than asking daily. I know I can't bring one, I just want to make sure we can get it when we need it.

 

The laundry rooms will have irons in them that are fastened to the ironing board. So you can use them while the laundry rooms are opened (not sure what the hours are, but they should be posted on the door).

 

3. Bringing Drinks. I know we are allowed a certain number of drinks per person such as soda, water or juice to bring onboard. (12 bottles/can less than 20 oz each) How do you usually transport this? For 4 people we are talking 48 bottles of water, soda and juice. I just don't want to have to lug these around waiting on our cabin (another reason I want FTTF if I can get it)

 

4. Sail Away- What should I expect at the sail away party? I was initially thinking we could enjoy it from our balcony but with this being our 1st cruise, I think we should get the full experience.

 

Definitely go up on the open deck for sailaway. Hopefully there will be a live band to add to the fun.

 

5. When I booked I was given a VIFP number online. What do I need to do to get one for my husband and kids?

 

 

Also, keep your fingers crossed for me. Our district missed 7 days so far due to weather but only had 3 snow make ups on the calendar. We will know tomorrow what the plan is. Our state says the days can be waived, but our district never waives days, ever. If they extend school beyond Memorial Day I am going to be in a bind, especially if finals are delayed for my middle schooler. They were supposed to get out on May 21st so I assumed I was in the clear when I booked. Not sure if travel insurance covers snow days! I am hoping we don't have to find out.

 

Thanks in advance for your help. Any and all advice is appreciated. I am hoping my family likes cruising. I have a list of places in my head I would love to visit.

 

Cruise Critic has been invaluable in planning for this trip! :)

 

Fortunately there aren't snow days here (even though we're desperate for rain and will have water rationing:mad:). The big issue when it came to trying to plan trips the last few years with the Los Angeles Unified was that there were 1) furlough days scheduled and then rescinded when some money was found. So by that time, the days were tacked on to the end of the school year, which caused havoc for anyone who tried to plan a vacay...and schools here are very tough on taking your kids out of school ($$$$$$ per student per day from the state of California). and 2) the school district was shifting from starting the school year right after Labor Day to mid-August, but it was started in stages, with multi-kid families having their high schooler starting in August while a younger kid still on vacation -- a few years ago. And it was hard to get a straight answer from the local offices about whether your kid was going to have a 6-week summer that year or not until May!

[kdawg954]

I think you have it down.

 

Key West - I'd also do the Trolley and just have a "tourist" day. Southernmost point, some of the Hemmingway stuff, Sloppy Joes, etc. Just have a relax day and enjoy the city. Being in the States still makes this alot easier and safer than being in a foreign country where having a guide is a smarter option.

 

Nassau - Cosign the daypass to a hotel on Cable Beach. Getting there at 12 sucks, but atleast with a daypass you can enjoy the beach until about 5:30/6:00 and get back to the ship.

 

Freeport - Best place for snorkeling and this is where you want to have an "excursion" to make it easier for you. I would do the same. I wouldn't worry about the "sanitizing" process lol, the salt water more than does that . . more than any sanitizer could.

 

Sea days - Definitely sign up for the kids club stuff, but I wouldn't force it on the kids, especially since your daughters are past the little kids stage. They may enjoy it, but they may enjoy just hanging around the pool area and doing activities with you guys. I wouldn't make the sea days a hassle unless there are certain activities you want to do in the Daily Planner they give you every night.

[grumpyjr88]

My nieces and nephew loved the camp carnival and circle c clubs. They will have a great time, but they won't get fed. You can however, feed the kids early and send them off to to their camps and then go to dinner yourself.

 

The snorkel gear provided is sanitized. Sometimes I bring my own and sometimes I don't. Just depends on how much space I have in my suitcase.

 

Everyone gets their own VIFP number, but the kids can't sign up online until they are 13. Their points will still count, however and will be there when they are old enough to get online.

 

Let the kids schools know that you've already purchased a vacation and see if they can take their finals early if need be. If you bought the carnival insurance, I think it is "cancel for any reason" but a quick call to customer service can answer that for you.

 

The planning is half the fun of a cruise, IMHO!

[Dreacrusingaway]

Thanks everyone!! Great advice.

 

They are adding 30 minutes to the school day from Monday until May 14th. The kids are like :eek: I am like....:D Ha Ha.

 

At least we don't have days added on. I hope we don't have any more snow!

[panoramaofthepast]

1. I really wanted to try FTTF. Mainly because I hate to admit it but my husband is a glass half full complainer. If I can do anything to make this a positive experience I want to try. When we gets grumpy it impacts all of us. I was honestly shocked he wanted to come, I originally thought it would be just myself and the kids because he does not travel with us often. Back on track to my question, is FTTF worth it just to get in and settled quicker? It is sold out right now but I have been checking to see if something opens up.

I really enjoy FTTF. The sooner you are on the ship, the more fun you can have. Being able to deposit your carry ons in your room and begin exploring unencumbered is in itself worth it to me. The Lido deck gets very crowded as people board; not having to trail suitcases behind is wonderful! What I didn't expect to use - and then ended up using several times - was the access to guest services. Special window; ignore the line and BOOM, you are taken care of.

 

Have fun!

 

 

[artist47]

If you are an "overplanner" I am missing something. That's what this whole board, the entire site of CC is all about. LOL! All of us are in that boat with you! (sorry could not resist.)

 

I just wanted to say that I think you will be surprised at a slight change in your hubby. I am not married, but I was, once upon a time, before the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah, and I have also witnessed a similar thing with other women's husbands: suddenly, Grumpy cat becomes Fun Cat when cruising....I don't really know what it is about cruising that does that to people, but I suspect its a combination of fresh air, sunshine, the atmosphere on your ship and the drinks. ;)

 

I also wanted to comment on the Kids Club --- my daughter "grew up" , very literally on cruise ships. She was a member of Royal Caribbeans club, and also was very active on NCL, as well as other ship programs. She never once, complained and never once had a bad time. I have no idea what they fed her, but she loved it every time. I would say let the children sort of feel their own way around it, but be prepared to not see your children for 3 days. :D

 

It got so that I was almost fighting with my daughter to get her OUT of the club. Although I have not cruised with Carnival too much, I have heard wonderful things about their program. And I have never met anyone who was dissatisfied with it, except to say that their children sometimes missed them and wanted to see mom and dad...that's always nice isn't it???

 

 

RE: Irons --- I'm not sure what Carnival's policy is. You may want to try looking in their FAQ on their website. On some cruise lines, irons are not permitted and they won't give you one to use -- they cite fire hazard as the reason, which I can understand. But a friend of mine cruises Carnival all the time and I can ask her what her experience was if you want. I do know she would just send things out to the laundry if they were super important (like formal dresses or whatnot).

 

I can say that in the Bahama's, a good steaming in the bathroom will usually take care of most wrinkles in most fabrics. Just steam and then shake it out on a hanger and voila.

 

 

RE: your drinks. As long as you have checked with Carnival and they don't have restrictions, just put a label tag on those cases of soda and the case of waters, with your cabin number, when you get to the check in area. A stevedore will take all your bags, and your drinks and they will be delivered to your cabin after they go through security. as long as they are tagged with your name, cabin number, shouldn't be a problem (forgive me for saying this but don't forget to tip the stevedore a dollar or 2 per bag...if they are heavy/bulky, tip 2 dollars each )

Anyway, welcome to the world of cruising. I have been around this board for about 14 years, but only started posting recently. I have been on several cruises and hope that yours is magical, and full of wonder for you and your family.

Edited February 25, 2014 by artist47

[Amyracecar]

FTTF was really worth it for us. We were on the Carnival Valor and there were 3 huge queues at San Juan for bag drop, checking in and security. We walked straight past all 3 and felt a bit guilty about the poor people waiting! Nice to have the room ready too but not as important to us.

 

The other alternative is to check out threads for your port and you should find what times are naturally less busy. Probably later in the day as most people like to get on asap.

 

Good luck!

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[rfabfive]

Cruise Newbie Alert, Please be gentle :)

 

Hi everyone!

 

I've been reading the CC board off and on for several days,

taking notes on the info & tips listed here. Much appreciated!!

 

Quick question:

 

Is it possible to order a small birthday cake?

 

We are celebrating hubby's 60th with a cruise to New England and Canada.

I would like to have a small cake to celebrate privately in our cabin.

Brilliance of the Seas - OS, RCCL

 

Thank you,

[6rugrats]

Cruise Newbie Alert, Please be gentle :)

 

Hi everyone!

 

I've been reading the CC board off and on for several days,

taking notes on the info & tips listed here. Much appreciated!!

 

Quick question:

 

Is it possible to order a small birthday cake?

 

We are celebrating hubby's 60th with a cruise to New England and Canada.

I would like to have a small cake to celebrate privately in our cabin.

Brilliance of the Seas - OS, RCCL

 

Thank you,

It's best not to add an unrelated question to someone else's thread. It just gets lost. Question answered here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1997281

[mamajules]

Do your kids like the children's programs and on average how much time to they spend there?

 

My son loved the Carnival camp programs! He was 7 when he started and went through all the different age levels. Just an FYI - the first night there will be sign-up/orientation times for both Camp Carnival and Circle C - check your Fun Times. You need to go by then, sign the kids up and get info about activities. Circle C is a more relaxed type hang-out. They will give you a paper that has all their planned activities for the week. The kids can pick and choose what they want to attend - there is no signing them in/out at that age, they come and go. My son had that paper with him all the time and did most of the activities. Also, Camp Carnival closes down for about an hour at dinnertime, so if you have early dining the kids will be with you, unless like another poster said they have a planned dinner.

 

Your plans for the ports sound good.

 

As far as bringing drinks on, you can have one 12-pack of soda/water/other non-alcoholic drinks per person, and you MUST carry them on with you - DO NOT put them with/in your checked luggage (that is Carnival policy). This is where FTTF paid off for us - our cabin was ready and we dropped sodas and carry-ons in the cabin and headed to the Lido deck, well ahead of the crowds.

 

Irons are located in laundry rooms for your use, you cannot have one in your cabin (fire hazard) - they will confiscate it.

[clarkg]

Maybe try a cruise tip book, here is a link to the whole list of them.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/159959011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_1_6_last

[A2Mich]

We are going on our 1st cruise on May 25th on the Carnival Sunshine out of Port Canaveral for 5 days. I will be traveling with my husband and 2 daughters ages 8 and 12. We are staying in an aft balcony room on level 5 the Promenade deck. I hear these are new rooms recently added to the ship. We also did anytime dining.

 

I have "issues" with overplanning so I am trying to NOT do that this trip. So if I seem like a planning freak at some point, by all means, call me out. LOL!

 

Our ports are Key West, Nassau and Freeport.

 

Here is what I am planning so far.

 

Day 1- Fun Day at Sea

Totally winging it here. I am going to let the kids check out Camp Carnival and Circle C. I really hope they like it. I would love for them to stay there through dinner at least 1-2 night so I can enjoy some date time. My only real concern is I am assuming they are given "kids" fare to eat. My 8 year old is not the chicken nugget mac and cheese type. She refuses to even eat at McDonalds. (I honestly don't know where she got it from) She really does not do kids menu's. She is more the grilled salmon, Caesar salad type. She may just have to suck it up for one night.

Make it a family dinner night and she can order something more grown up off of the regular dinner menu

Questions:

 

1. Do your kids like the children's programs and on average how much time to they spend there? Can't help on this one - we are taking our kids on their first cruise next year, though wife and I have been on several.

2. What do they feed the kids there? That's generally up to you to get them fed.

 

 

 

Key West- 8am-4pm

 

City View Trolley around town. My only "planned" stops are the southernmost point marker and the Eco Discovery Center. Both free. My girls are really into STEM stuff (science, technology, engineering, math) so I think they will like the Eco Discovery Center. We may swing by Ripleys or something, but I am trying not to overplan.

 

I think we will play lunch by ear. If you have suggestions for a place, by all means share it.

 

Questions:

Is it reasonable to maybe even plan to go back to the ship for lunch or will it eat up too much port time?

 

I wouldn't waste the time trying to get back onboard to save a few bucks for lunch. If you love key lime pie, like I do, go to the Blonde Giraffe - excellent chocolate dipped key lime pie.

Nassau Bahamas 12pm-8pm

 

This was the hardest one to plan for me. I REALLY wanted to go the Blue Lagoon for the Dolphin encounter. But with arriving to port at 12, the 1st boat there was 1:30 and we would have to leave at 4. That would be only 2 hours there on the island assuming we got there at 2pm. I wanted to have time to hang out on the beach and for the kids to play. The cost is just too high for just 2 hours. We have to table this one for another trip.

 

So.....I think we are going to take the bus to one of the resorts on Cable Beach, get a day pass and hang out. Maybe the Melia. Then head back to the ship for dinner.

 

I'm not a big fan of Nassau, so I would likely stay on or near the ship, though a walk through the straw market is nice, except for the overzealous vendors.

 

Freeport Bahamas 8am-4pm

 

For Freeport I was originally thinking of doing a daypass at the Grand Lucyan, but since Nassau became a resort day, I booked snorkeling with Pat and Diane tours. We are doing the 5 hour one with the snorkeling off the boat and beach time with lunch on the secluded island. So we get a mix of beach and adventure.

 

We have never snorkeled before so we are looking forward to it.

 

Oddball Question: Do they sterilize the snorkels well, it seems kind of gross to use one that someone else used. Do you usually use the provided equipment or do you bring your own?

 

I enjoyed Freeport less than Nassau, though there is a Winn Dixie there if you'd like to replenish your soda/water stash.

 

 

I also have a few more random questions:

 

1. I really wanted to try FTTF. Mainly because I hate to admit it but my husband is a glass half full complainer. If I can do anything to make this a positive experience I want to try. When we gets grumpy it impacts all of us. I was honestly shocked he wanted to come, I originally thought it would be just myself and the kids because he does not travel with us often. Back on track to my question, is FTTF worth it just to get in and settled quicker? It is sold out right now but I have been checking to see if something opens up.

 

I have never used FTTF, as it wasn't around last time I cruised Carnival, but I wouldn't personally spend an extra $50 just to get onboard faster.

 

2. (Oddball Question) Irons. I know they have them on the ship, are they easy to get? My husband is former military and is pretty much OCD about ironing. In my house he does all the ironing, I actually think he enjoys it. LOL! (good for me). I guess if we get one I can have him iron everything and hang it up rather than asking daily. I know I can't bring one, I just want to make sure we can get it when we need it. Last time I was on a cruise you had to send your clothes out to be pressed, but that may be different on the Destiny, err, Sunshine.

 

3. Bringing Drinks. I know we are allowed a certain number of drinks per person such as soda, water or juice to bring onboard. (12 bottles/can less than 20 oz each) How do you usually transport this? For 4 people we are talking 48 bottles of water, soda and juice. I just don't want to have to lug these around waiting on our cabin (another reason I want FTTF if I can get it)

 

Mixed feelings here. I have brought some soda onboard before, but I don't think it's a great investment to spend $50 to be able to unload $20 worth of soda and bottled water. I just decided to purchase the soda card for our upcoming cruise - much less hassle.

 

4. Sail Away- What should I expect at the sail away party? I was initially thinking we could enjoy it from our balcony but with this being our 1st cruise, I think we should get the full experience. From what I hear, Carnival no longer has live deck bands. Most of the time, Carnival has played music blaring over the loud speakers (as well as the annoying Kathy Lee Gifford commercial back in the days when she was their spokesperson), but there are no streamers or confetti - nothing terribly exciting. Most of the time it's been a matter of casting off the lines and pulling away from the dock quietly and a few whistle blasts in the harbor on the way out to sea. Nothing exciting like they portray on "The Love Boat."

 

5. When I booked I was given a VIFP number online. What do I need to do to get one for my husband and kids?

Just go to Carnival's website after you get back and enter their personal info and the cruise dates and they will be issued.

 

Also, keep your fingers crossed for me. Our district missed 7 days so far due to weather but only had 3 snow make ups on the calendar. We will know tomorrow what the plan is. Our state says the days can be waived, but our district never waives days, ever. If they extend school beyond Memorial Day I am going to be in a bind, especially if finals are delayed for my middle schooler. They were supposed to get out on May 21st so I assumed I was in the clear when I booked. Not sure if travel insurance covers snow days! I am hoping we don't have to find out.

 

Thanks in advance for your help. Any and all advice is appreciated. I am hoping my family likes cruising. I have a list of places in my head I would love to visit.

 

Cruise Critic has been invaluable in planning for this trip! :)

 

Sorry, I answered what I could!

[Dreacrusingaway]

Thanks so much for everyone's input! We decided to do Pat & Diane's snorkeling with beach day in Freeport. I did end up getting FTTF am few days a,go. I hope it's worth it. I'm super excited and the kids are looking forward to the kids program.

 

These boards have been priceless in planning this trip.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[A2Mich]

Well, I'm glad that these forums have helped you out. If it makes you feel any better, I'm a bit OCD, ok EXTREMELY OCD about trip planning. Even though our next cruise is over a year away, I'm on CC for hours on end researching as much as I can about RCI. All of my previous cruises have been Carnival, except for one Princess, and am trying to learn what I can about Royal. I'm so intent on learning that I'm probably ruining the trip ahead of time! LOL. There is a lot of good info to be found here. Sometimes you need to sift through some BS and drama to find it, but I truly think that most people here are indeed trying to be helpful. There are a few Negative Nancies or Debbie Downers (whichever you prefer to call them) here, but most people truly are helpful. Not everyone here always agrees on everything, and some of us get tired of the same old, same old beaten to death topics, and you'll heat the complaints on those threads (which incidentally all tend to be about the same topics - usually MDR dress codes, CHOGS, removing tips, smuggling alcohol, smoking, my balcony is bigger than yours, kids onboard cruises, etc.).

 

Just due your due diligence, separate the wheat from the chaff, and take what you need to.

[rfabfive]

It's best not to add an unrelated question to someone else's thread. It just gets lost. Question answered here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1997281

 

 

Thank you for the info.

[nursemom2]

I did a blog page on key west and included tips for children.

take a look if you like.

http://karanandmichael.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-do-you-fit-everything-into-one.html

Have fun!

[UPGrandma]

Key West- 8am-4pm

 

City View Trolley around town. My only "planned" stops are the southernmost point marker and the Eco Discovery Center. Both free. My girls are really into STEM stuff (science, technology, engineering, math) so I think they will like the Eco Discovery Center. We may swing by Ripleys or something, but I am trying not to overplan.

 

I think we will play lunch by ear. If you have suggestions for a place, by all means share it.

 

Questions:

Is it reasonable to maybe even plan to go back to the ship for lunch or will it eat up too much port time?

 

I wouldn't waste the time trying to get back onboard to save a few bucks for lunch. If you love key lime pie, like I do, go to the Blonde Giraffe - excellent chocolate dipped key lime pie.

 

also Check out the Key Lime Pie Factory. Also, on our Carnival 2010 cruise, there were irons and a board in the laundry room on the Freedom.

 

2. (Oddball Question) Irons. I know they have them on the ship, are they easy to get? My husband is former military and is pretty much OCD about ironing. In my house he does all the ironing, I actually think he enjoys it. LOL! (good for me). I guess if we get one I can have him iron everything and hang it up rather than asking daily. I know I can't bring one, I just want to make sure we can get it when we need it. Last time I was on a cruise you had to send your clothes out to be pressed, but that may be different on the Destiny,

Edited March 22, 2014 by UPGrandma

[Cruisin' Chick]

RE: Irons --- I'm not sure what Carnival's policy is. You may want to try looking in their FAQ on their website. On some cruise lines, irons are not permitted and they won't give you one to use -- they cite fire hazard as the reason, which I can understand. But a friend of mine cruises Carnival all the time and I can ask her what her experience was if you want. I do know she would just send things out to the laundry if they were super important (like formal dresses or whatnot).

 

I can say that in the Bahama's, a good steaming in the bathroom will usually take care of most wrinkles in most fabrics. Just steam and then shake it out on a hanger and voila.

 

 

 

As far as I know, every cruise line PROHIBITS passengers from bringing irons on board. It's a major safety issue. There are some lines that do have irons for passengers' use in self-service laundry rooms. Carnival is one of those. Princess and Cunard too. In fact, having access to a self-service laundry is a dealbreaker for us as we're doing longer (two weeks) cruises and don't want to pack two weeks worth of clothes, even when we're driving to the port (we're an hour's drive from the Port of LA). We have a family member who is allergic to regular laundry detergent so we rather do our own laundry with our allergen-free detergent.

 

As far as I know, most cruise ships (don't know about the really small ones that cater to under 500 passengers) do have ship laundry services that include pressing. So even if your ship doesn't have the self-service laundries, you can pay for pressing. Or you can try putting your wrinkled items in the bathroom and let your hot shower take care of the wrinkles; roll up your clothes before placing in your suitcase, use a spray dewrinkler that you buy or make (google for more info).

[FireStation46]

Nassau is a scary place. If you pay extra and go to Atlantis you may like that. I did the snorkel trip throughout RCL and enjoyed myself. Nassau however, is not great. I had so many hustlers trying to sell me drugs and whatever, I turned around and got back on the ship.