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What did you learn on your last Carnival cruise?

marshhawk

By marshhawk,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Badfinger

Badfinger

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My last cruise was #13 , but I learned that I could get a free coffee at the coffee shop on the last day after 5 p.m. instead of my free "Gold" drink -since I don't drink alcohol, I wish I had known this on previous cruises. A great coffee is better to me than a free fruit drink.:D

 

What did you learn on your last cruise?

 

Cruise #6. I learned that the hot chocolate on the Breeze is very good. But hard for me to drink hot liquids when it is 90* outside. Also learned that I have been correct in never buying FTTF (more of a reinforcement I guess). I also learned that when cruising becomes familiar and routine, it must be time to try some other vacations for a couple years.

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BallFour4

BallFour4

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I learned that cruise number 37 was a much fun as number 1 on the Mardi Gras.

 

I've preached to all that would listen the value of getting there early, walking around, checking out the ship, etc is a grand way to spend your first day. Using that reason a five night cruise is really two days in port, two days at sea and then you're done kind of vacation. For years I've had my family and friends muster in our driveway at 10:00 am and head for Galveston. Not this past time.

 

We didn't leave here until after noon, traffic was light (30 minutes usual drive, I go to Galveston 3-4 times a week) dropped off luggage at a nearly empty terminal, let my family out, went to park the car and returned to a empty priority line. We were onboard the ship unpacking carry-ons in less than 20 min after I got back on the shuttle bus.

 

I also was "not in charge" for this trip. Our group can vary in size from just my wife and I to several families, and I'm always the tour guide. Not this time. We had them all over for dinner and I used Apple TV to show the excursions in advance, told them it's a do what you want vacation and we'll see you at 6:00 pm dinner if your choose fixed-time. Most did.

 

It was a delight to walk to the cab stand, taxi to Nachi Cocom, relax with the headphones, snorkel, float and chill.

 

If your still with me, the moral is let others make decisions on their own and not depend on you to plan their vacation. As a very light drinker I used this strategy along with the help of Bacardi to have a great cruise. 2017 saw my dad pass, a friend for 45 years take his life and my career path take a major detour. This vacation was different. The next one in a few months will be as well!

 

A pirate looking at 60 in 36 days... Still 200 years to late. The cannons don't thunder there's nothing to plunder I'm an over forty victim of fate.

 

 

.

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tw67

tw67

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I learned that cruise number 37 was a much fun as number 1 on the Mardi Gras.

 

I've preached to all that would listen the value of getting there early, walking around, checking out the ship, etc is a grand way to spend your first day. Using that reason a five night cruise is really two days in port, two days at sea and then you're done kind of vacation. For years I've had my family and friends muster in our driveway at 10:00 am and head for Galveston. Not this past time.

 

We didn't leave here until after noon, traffic was light (30 minutes usual drive, I go to Galveston 3-4 times a week) dropped off luggage at a nearly empty terminal, let my family out, went to park the car and returned to a empty priority line. We were onboard the ship unpacking carry-ons in less than 20 min after I got back on the shuttle bus.

 

I also was "not in charge" for this trip. Our group can vary in size from just my wife and I to several families, and I'm always the tour guide. Not this time. We had them all over for dinner and I used Apple TV to show the excursions in advance, told them it's a do what you want vacation and we'll see you at 6:00 pm dinner if your choose fixed-time. Most did.

 

It was a delight to walk to the cab stand, taxi to Nachi Cocom, relax with the headphones, snorkel, float and chill.

 

If your still with me, the moral is let others make decisions on their own and not depend on you to plan their vacation. As a very light drinker I used this strategy along with the help of Bacardi to have a great cruise. 2017 saw my dad pass, a friend for 45 years take his life and my career path take a major detour. This vacation was different. The next one in a few months will be as well!

 

A pirate looking at 60 in 36 days... Still 200 years to late. The cannons don't thunder there's nothing to plunder I'm an over forty victim of fate.

 

 

.

Sounds like you deserved and needed that cruise! Hope all is well! I am a planner and find myself controlling everyone on cruises. I need to let go!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

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marshhawk

marshhawk

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I too am an over planner, but on a cruise, I do what I want when I want, and I am not the tour guide on the ship, nor do I drive it. It really is a time for me to let go. I am enjoying all the responses, and learning lots as I read.

 

tw-i am sorry for your recent losses, but the sea (as you know) is a healer. cruise on.

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Chris64

Chris64

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Last cruise i was on they now delivered to your room once again. No need to worry about prices, Carnival will price match, snap picture at store in Port and have them match.

 

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

 

Didn't know about the delivery since I saw no need to purchase the alcohol at increased prices. Not much of a deal anymore. Definitely not worth lugging all the extra weight off the ship!

Unfortunately, the stores in the port aren't dumb, they raised their prices to match Carnivals!

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PrincessMinion

PrincessMinion

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I learned that taking a new cruiser on their first real vacation is so much fun!

 

I learned that excursions can be really fun in places I don’t particularly enjoy exploring on my own.

 

I learned that my mom wanted to do more then I did and that some of those things I would have never done, like Tea time, are fun and I would totally do them again.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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BallFour4

BallFour4

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Unfortunately, the stores in the port aren't dumb, they raised their prices to match Carnivals!

 

Truncated your post. The shops right at the port in Cozumel won’t sell you anything without scanning your ship card either.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I’d think Carnival knows how much each cruiser spends at their port shops in including alcohol purchases.

 

.

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Milly1966

Milly1966

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Since it had been a few years since our last cruise, I was dismayed to learn that Carnival no longer offers taking your luggage to the airport when you disembark. :( This was one thing I was way willing to pay for. If I don't have to see my luggage again until I get home, that was fine with me.

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Lovefuninthesun

Lovefuninthesun

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We learned that the Paradise does not have any heat! :o

Our last cruise was in January. On our last day, a sea day, the temperature dropped precipitously, and by night it was cold as the proverbial witch's you-know-what. It was so cold in our cabin we slept in full clothes and shoes, and still froze. I even tried turning on the hot shower full tilt and opening the bathroom door to try and get a little warmth in there. When we debarked the next morning in Tampa it was 40-something!

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1lizette1

1lizette1

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I learned not to wait until I got home after the cruise to call Carnival about the excursion we had. Bright side is that they gave us a partial refund for the excursion in OBC to be used on a future cruise.

If I had only gone to the excursion desk during the cruise they would have given OBC and I could have used it then. But that just means I now have to book another cruise so I can use the OBC. Aww that's a shame lol

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christyran1228

christyran1228

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I learned that cruising on Halloween is an absolute HOOT!

 

 

Same. And we're going to get to experience it once again this year. :D

 

 

 

Last cruise was my 4th, and only just discovered the Coffee Bar on the last morning of the cruise. And Bailey's shots in said coffee. This coming up cruise I'll be getting more value of of our Cheers package. lol

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Badfinger

Badfinger

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Truncated your post. The shops right at the port in Cozumel won’t sell you anything without scanning your ship card either.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I’d think Carnival knows how much each cruiser spends at their port shops in including alcohol purchases.

 

.

 

Hmmm...we were in Cozumel on August 17th and bought some T-Shirts, a few Mountain Dews and a few other things and nobody ever asked us for our S&S cards.

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BallFour4

BallFour4

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Hmmm...we were in Cozumel on August 17th and bought some T-Shirts, a few Mountain Dews and a few other things and nobody ever asked us for our S&S cards.

 

I think you are correct. They did ask recently when I bought a particular tequila for someone back home.

Ron Jon does ask what ship.

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marshhawk

marshhawk

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I realized that certain family members will not have fun and say the person who planned the trip caused tension. It will not stop me from cruising. I also learned that eating in the MDR every morning is wonderful.

 

 

Family members or friends. I have often taken friends on their first cruise- they don't like cruising-one person said, it wasn't rough enough (loves to camp), one said the food wasn't good (she never ate much on land either), one said the seas were too rough (heck we sailed through a tropical storm) but at least she did book a second cruise, and is planning a third..... the only person in the world that you can make happy is yourself, attempting to make others happy sharing what you love to do is just frustrating.:confused:

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