First Post / Questions

[JohnG67]

My long-distance fiancee is coming to visit me at the end of September. I surprised her with a "pre-honeymoon" to New York City in May, so I thought our September visit would be kind of low-key.

 

At first I was going to rent a condo on the beach for a week since the prices drop dramatically in the off season. During my research, I realized we could go on a cruise for about the same price (and meals would be included).

 

Since our vacation time was already set in stone with our employers, I had to find something that fit the dates. The best I could come up with was a 3 day cruise on the Carnival Sensation leaving from Port Canaveral, FL from 09/25 - 09/28.

 

She is scheduled to arrive on 09/23. My plan is to drive to the port on 09/24 (about six hours away) and stay at the Radisson. They offer free parking for cruisers, which should save me about $70. They also have a free shuttle to the terminal.

 

That's the story, now here are my questions...

 

1. What is the best time to arrive at the terminal? Since I booked a suite (she doesn't know about that part), the Carnival website says I'll get VIP check in.

 

2. While booking, I opted to prepay the gratuities but I was told I should do some extra tipping on top of that. Any ideas on how much tip cash to bring along for a three day trip? I'm really clueless here.

 

3. How long does the debarkation process take? The itinerary says we arrive in Port Canaveral at 7:00 am on 09/28 but I'm trying to find out if it would be best to reserve another hotel night for the return date or just take the shuttle back to the hotel and drive 6 hours home (she has to leave on the 09/30).

 

4. Does anybody have any insight on the Sensation, particularly suite #U89? I've read the reviews, some say it's a nightmare and others say it's great.

 

5. What's the least we can get away with wearing to the MDR? Neither one of us is a fan of dressing up, but we don't want to look like morons either.

 

Thanks in advance for the advice, and anything else you can recommend for a first time cruiser will be appreciated. If it helps, we're both in our late 30's with no kids and prefer a quieter laid back, and well shaded environment.

Edited June 26, 2014 by JohnG67

[Keith1010]

Hi Welcome to Cruise Critic and I wish you a wonderful cruise.

 

Since you have booked a Carnival Cruise I would suggest that you visit the Carnival cruise line board where you can get answers to all of your questions.

 

Keith

[anandaindonesia]

Congrats on your 'pre-honeymoon'.

 

1. You may come to the cruise terminal around 10-ish. Boarding generally starts around 11 so you can enjoy your first lunch onboard.

 

2. Since you have prepaid your tip, any additional tips are at your discretion. I guess you will be ok with 100 in cash. You may want to bring more, of course.

As a guidance, your room steward $10 or 20. Your MDR wait staff the same. And $2 to $5 for room service each. Add $5 to $10 for the guide if you are taking any shore excursion.

 

3. You can leave the ship shortly after reaching final port, and drive home. No need to book any hotel unless you want to.

 

I never sail with Carnival so you'd get better answers for your other questions at the Carnival forum.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

 

Sent using Tapatalk. Sorry for typho.

[dorisis]

My long-distance fiancee is coming to visit me at the end of September. I surprised her with a "pre-honeymoon" to New York City in May, so I thought our September visit would be kind of low-key.

 

At first I was going to rent a condo on the beach for a week since the prices drop dramatically in the off season. During my research, I realized we could go on a cruise for about the same price (and meals would be included).

 

You will also get great service and entertainment.

 

Since our vacation time was already set in stone with our employers, I had to find something that fit the dates. The best I could come up with was a 3 day cruise on the Carnival Sensation leaving from Port Canaveral, FL from 09/25 - 09/28.

 

She is scheduled to arrive on 09/23. My plan is to drive to the port on 09/24 (about six hours away) and stay at the Radisson. They offer free parking for cruisers, which should save me about $70. They also have a free shuttle to the terminal.

 

Good choice. You will be rested and have no worries about missing the cruise.

 

That's the story, now here are my questions...

 

1. What is the best time to arrive at the terminal? Since I booked a suite (she doesn't know about that part), the Carnival website says I'll get VIP check in.

 

Get there a little before noon so that you can have lunch onboard and then explore the ship before the boat safety drill which is mandatory.

 

2. While booking, I opted to prepay the gratuities but I was told I should do some extra tipping on top of that. Any ideas on how much tip cash to bring along for a three day trip? I'm really clueless here.

 

No extra tipping is necessary but many of us do tip extra for services above the norm and for any room service deliveries. You will need a small amount ($200) in small bills for shuttle driver, porters and bus drivers on excursions. Mor if you plan to shop or tour off the ship.

 

3. How long does the debarkation process take? The itinerary says we arrive in Port Canaveral at 7:00 am on 09/28 but I'm trying to find out if it would be best to reserve another hotel night for the return date or just take the shuttle back to the hotel and drive 6 hours home (she has to leave on the 09/30).

 

You can ask for an early debarkation number and then drive back the same day or book another night. I think I would opt for driving back the same day but you will know your own capabilaties.

 

4. Does anybody have any insight on the Sensation, particularly suite #U89? I've read the reviews, some say it's a nightmare and others say it's great.

 

Never stayed in that suite but suites are usually much nicer than standard cabins, but Carnival gives few perks other than embarkation.

 

5. What's the least we can get away with wearing to the MDR? Neither one of us is a fan of dressing up, but we don't want to look like morons either.

 

Smart casual is the rule. No bathing suits shorts or flip flops and long pants for dinner with a nice shirt not a tee.

 

Thanks in advance for the advice, and anything else you can recommend for a first time cruiser will be appreciated. If it helps, we're both in our late 30's with no kids and prefer a quieter laid back, and well shaded environment.

 

You can get a cab to beaches in the ports.

 

Go to ROLL CALL for your ship and sailing date to get ideas from fellow passengers.

[Sauer-kraut]

Just realize that a 3 day cruise is basically a party ship ... go go go all the time to get that 'cruise vibe' in in such a short period.

 

You might encounter a lot of drinking, filled venues and crowds ... at least you have a suite to get away from all the revelry. :D

[cb at sea]

As long as you pay the recommended tip amount...you're good to go.

 

Slacks and a collared shirt for the MDR at dinner is fine.

Edited June 27, 2014 by cb at sea

[cruisead]

You tip extra for room service and if any worker goes above and beyond, then you can tip more if you want. For any bar bill, 15% is automatically added to the cost.

 

Be prepared, three day cruises can be a party till you drop cruise. Sensation is one of the oldest ships and it won't have all the bells and whistles of newer ships.

 

For dinner, long slacks and collared shirts for the men and slacks, Capri pants and tops or a sundress for the women.

[OCruisers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and to having a great pre-honeymoon cruise. :)

Since it's a Carnival cruise, you don't have to worry too much about dress.

Decent long pants and a golf shirt will be fine all nights for the Main Dining Room including elegant night.

LuLu

[Cruisin' Chick]

...

 

Since our vacation time was already set in stone with our employers, I had to find something that fit the dates. The best I could come up with was a 3 day cruise on the Carnival Sensation leaving from Port Canaveral, FL from 09/25 - 09/28.

 

She is scheduled to arrive on 09/23. My plan is to drive to the port on 09/24 (about six hours away) and stay at the Radisson. They offer free parking for cruisers, which should save me about $70. They also have a free shuttle to the terminal.

 

Always a great idea (and recommended here) to get to your embarkation city a day ahead.

 

That's the story, now here are my questions...

 

1. What is the best time to arrive at the terminal? Since I booked a suite (she doesn't know about that part), the Carnival website says I'll get VIP check in.

 

We always try to get to the port as early as possible say around 11am or noon. The earlier on the ship, the sooner we start our cruise.

 

2. While booking, I opted to prepay the gratuities but I was told I should do some extra tipping on top of that. Any ideas on how much tip cash to bring along for a three day trip? I'm really clueless here.

 

If you get room service (which isn't necessary for most passengers), then tip your server. If you check any luggage (anything larger than a standard carry-on, you'll want to, but maybe on a three-day cruise, you can consider packing light with a garment bag for her dresses and your slacks and the carry ons for your valuables and toiletries), give the porter a couple of dollars per item. Don't know which port(s) you're going to, but consider any taxis, etc. If you feel your cabin steward and/or dining waitstaff does an excellent job, you can use a tipping envelope to reward them extra above your prepaid tips.

 

The actual spending on board will be a cashless system (you give them a credit card for your on board spending and that is tied to your cabin card which will be swiped for any beverages, photos, etc. that you want to buy).

 

3. How long does the debarkation process take? The itinerary says we arrive in Port Canaveral at 7:00 am on 09/28 but I'm trying to find out if it would be best to reserve another hotel night for the return date or just take the shuttle back to the hotel and drive 6 hours home (she has to leave on the 09/30).

 

The arrival time is the scheduled time for the ship to dock. Then customs and immigration do their thing. So you might be off around 8 or 9am. You'll be able to have breakfast if you get up early enough and then get on the road and take whatever breaks you want to.

 

4. Does anybody have any insight on the Sensation, particularly suite #U89? I've read the reviews, some say it's a nightmare and others say it's great.

 

Actually my second cruise was on the Sensation for an Western Caribbean cruise, but that was when it was fairly new, in 1994. We've only been in insides and oceanviews so I don't know about suites.

 

5. What's the least we can get away with wearing to the MDR? Neither one of us is a fan of dressing up, but we don't want to look like morons either.

 

My hubby likes to wear tropical shirts and slacks on non-formal nights. Other men like polo shirts. Sundresses are nice for wearing in the MDR (with a sweater or shawl for me as it tends to be on the cool side). IMO jeans are too warm for Caribbean/Mexican cruises (unless you're going on a Mexican Riviera -- the west coast of Mexico -- for the first and last day when it gets cool on the Pacific). The rest of the time, shorts and tees are fine for breakfast and lunch. As someone said, no swim suits during the day in the MDR or buffet unless dry and completely under a good coverup.

 

Thanks in advance for the advice, and anything else you can recommend for a first time cruiser will be appreciated. If it helps, we're both in our late 30's with no kids and prefer a quieter laid back, and well shaded environment.

 

Definitely go to the Carnival website and read their FAQs. Back when Carnival used to send a pamphlet with the cruise docs, we would both go through it before every cruise. Also google your port(s) as there should be an official website for the port as well as many tourism websites. I also like to go to the library and borrow some guide books. If there's a book I really like, I might try to buy the latest edition to take along.

[KirkNC]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[DonnaK]

2. While booking, I opted to prepay the gratuities but I was told I should do some extra tipping on top of that. Any ideas on how much tip cash to bring along for a three day trip? I'm really clueless here.

 

.

 

Just to be clear, you are NOT expected to give additional gratuities on top of the prepaid ones to food service and housekeeping. Of course, you can if you want to, but you do not have to. We only give the wait team and/or the cabin steward an additional tip if they do something very extra-ordinary for us that's outside the realm of their normal duties (which only happened on two of our cruises). There are very generous people here on cruise critic who like to give more, but onboard, the reality is that the prepaid gratuities are more than sufficient for the waiters and cabin steward.

 

15% gratuities will be added to your bar/beverage purchases.

 

If you are checking bags at the pier, then you can tip the porter a few dollars per bag. (on a 3 day cruise, I suppose it is possible to have only carryon luggage)

Edited June 27, 2014 by DonnaK

[jammen]

My long-distance fiancee is coming to visit me at the end of September. I surprised her with a "pre-honeymoon" to New York City in May, so I thought our September visit would be kind of low-key.

 

At first I was going to rent a condo on the beach for a week since the prices drop dramatically in the off season. During my research, I realized we could go on a cruise for about the same price (and meals would be included).

 

Since our vacation time was already set in stone with our employers, I had to find something that fit the dates. The best I could come up with was a 3 day cruise on the Carnival Sensation leaving from Port Canaveral, FL from 09/25 - 09/28.

 

She is scheduled to arrive on 09/23. My plan is to drive to the port on 09/24 (about six hours away) and stay at the Radisson. They offer free parking for cruisers, which should save me about $70. They also have a free shuttle to the terminal.

 

That's the story, now here are my questions...

 

1. What is the best time to arrive at the terminal? Since I booked a suite (she doesn't know about that part), the Carnival website says I'll get VIP check in.

 

2. While booking, I opted to prepay the gratuities but I was told I should do some extra tipping on top of that. Any ideas on how much tip cash to bring along for a three day trip? I'm really clueless here.

 

3. How long does the debarkation process take? The itinerary says we arrive in Port Canaveral at 7:00 am on 09/28 but I'm trying to find out if it would be best to reserve another hotel night for the return date or just take the shuttle back to the hotel and drive 6 hours home (she has to leave on the 09/30).

 

4. Does anybody have any insight on the Sensation, particularly suite #U89? I've read the reviews, some say it's a nightmare and others say it's great.

 

5. What's the least we can get away with wearing to the MDR? Neither one of us is a fan of dressing up, but we don't want to look like morons either.

 

Thanks in advance for the advice, and anything else you can recommend for a first time cruiser will be appreciated. If it helps, we're both in our late 30's with no kids and prefer a quieter laid back, and well shaded environment.

 

 

The time they will let you know when

 

Bring whatever you feel good about on cash

 

Ask the infornmation desk

 

You want to dress up, why not?