Carnival Cruise Babies

[jetsfan58]

Hello my favorite Carnival Cruise Nuts. I wanted to add some real "Needed" fun to our Cruising hiatus. Let's break up the stress sometimes resulting from our "Fierce" debates here on the Cruise Nuts Network. Watching a child being birthed is one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences a Dad can witness (my wife and other mothers may differ a bit with my conjecture). My first family cruise that I witnessed being "born" with me in attendance was many years ago. Since then my family and I have enjoyed many Carnival Cruises; to the point where many of us are considered Cruise "Addicts" or a more loose term "Nuts". I would like to hear about your personal Carnival "Birthing" stories, your Cruises and when you too were initially "mesmerized" by Carnival Cruising.

 

Who knows, this segment may lead to a suggestion to Host Carolyn that we initiate a "Carnival Cruise Nuts Hall Of Fame"? Who's the Oldest (in terms of Cruise Years) and who will admit to being a "Carnival Cruise Nut". I know that we personally have a few Carnival "Legends" of the Seas on this forum.

 

Let Her Rip!!!     

 

 

[asalligo]

My first cruise was the Carnival Sensation and I knew I was hooked immediately. Also spoiled for later years. On that first cruise we often joked that the steward must be hiding in our room. We would literally walk to the buffet for coffee and the bed would be made when we returned. They were still having the midnight buffets multiple nights on the cruise and steaks on the MDR menu for free.

 

Why I knew I was hooked was that I had never had a vacation that was so relaxing. No logistics to be worked out by me who always had to handle that. Previous to that we had some awesome vacations, but I usually would come home more tired than when I left. Often vacations for them were work for me. Wife still loves a land vacation and now I know why, but I want at least one cruise a year.    

[jetsfan58]

8 minutes ago, asalligo said:

My first cruise was the Carnival Sensation and I knew I was hooked immediately. Also spoiled for later years. On that first cruise we often joked that the steward must be hiding in our room. We would literally walk to the buffet for coffee and the bed would be made when we returned. They were still having the midnight buffets multiple nights on the cruise and steaks on the MDR menu for free.

 

Why I knew I was hooked was that I had never had a vacation that was so relaxing. No logistics to be worked out by me who always had to handle that. Previous to that we had some awesome vacations, but I usually would come home more tired than when I left. Often vacations for them were work for me. Wife still loves a land vacation and now I know why, but I want at least one cruise a year.    

Really great to hear and you are fortunate to live near the Ports. 

[asalligo]

12 minutes ago, jetsfan58 said:

Really great to hear and you are fortunate to live near the Ports. 

Actually I was not in Florida when we took our first cruise. Although I lived here until I was 36, I never took a cruise until we had moved away and I was working in Vermont. We came back to visit family for two weeks at Christmas and I took four days of that vacation to take a cruise. I do love living close to the ports now that I am back in Florida, if they will just reopen for me.   

[Tapi]

I started cruising in 1981 as a child, but I didn’t sail on Carnival until 1994 aboard the Tropicale. To cut to the chase, that cruise sucked. It was so bad that, at the time, I told myself that I would never sail on Carnival ever again. But in 2000, I gave Carnival a try again, that time aboard the Carnival Destiny. That cruise was great, and it opened the door to many, many more Carnival cruises, and many, many wonderful memories.
 

For several years, I sailed on Carnival exclusively, to the point it felt like coming home every time I set foot on a Carnival ship. Some were better than others, but they were always fun. At some point in time I decided to branch out and explore other cruise lines, not because there was anything wrong with Carnival, but because as I got older, my preferences changed. 
 

Even though Carnival is no longer my first choice when I cruise (I now just bounce around from one cruise line to another), Carnival will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Edited April 13, 2021 by Tapi

[Sagittarius traveler]

Carnival sensation 4/12/15 

Inside cabin lol 

Bahamas short trip but I was scared lol it was my first time lol

[Essiesmom]

And here I thought this thread was going to be about babies being conceived aboard a Carnival cruise...

My first Carnival was in 1999, on board Fantasy for 4 days.  I had been on Royal Princess (1) in Jan. to South America, and just wanted to cruise again.  There was quite a difference...  But it didn't deter me from sailing Carnival many more times, because I can drive to two ports.  EM

[asalligo]

2 minutes ago, Tapi said:

I started cruising in 1981 as a child, but I didn’t sail on Carnival until 1994 aboard the Tropicale. To cut to the chase, that cruise sucked. It was so bad that, at the time, I told myself that I would never sail on Carnival ever again. But in 2001, I gave Carnival a try again, that time aboard the Carnival Destiny. That cruise was great, and it opened the door to many, many more Carnival cruises, and many, many wonderful memories.

When I cruised on the Dream, It was a terrible cruise and I thought, if this was my first, I am not sure I would ever come back.  It was my sixth cruise though and they had me already. One bad cruise was not going to stop me now. 

[jetsfan58]

10 minutes ago, Tapi said:

I started cruising in 1981 as a child, but I didn’t sail on Carnival until 1994 aboard the Tropicale. To cut to the chase, that cruise sucked. It was so bad that, at the time, I told myself that I would never sail on Carnival ever again. But in 2000, I gave Carnival a try again, that time aboard the Carnival Destiny. That cruise was great, and it opened the door to many, many more Carnival cruises, and many, many wonderful memories.
 

For several years, I sailed on Carnival exclusively, to the point it felt like coming home every time I set foot on a Carnival ship. Some were better than others, but they were always fun. At some point in time I decided to branch out and explore other cruise lines, not because there was anything wrong with Carnival, but because as I got older, my preferences changed. 
 

Even though Carnival is no longer my first choice when I cruise (I now just bounce around from one cruise line to another), Carnival will always hold a very special place in my heart.

I also had some earlier rough Carnival Cruises. My favorite early later Cruise was aboard the Pride in the early 2000's. Still my most favorite Carnival ship.  

[jetsfan58]

5 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

And here I thought this thread was going to be about babies being conceived aboard a Carnival cruise...

My first Carnival was in 1999, on board Fantasy for 4 days.  I had been on Royal Princess (1) in Jan. to South America, and just wanted to cruise again.  There was quite a difference...  But it didn't deter me from sailing Carnival many more times, because I can drive to two ports.  EM

We have to keep it Family Friendly. 

[Anyislandwilldo]

I never really wanted to go on a cruise.  I had a fear of water since I almost drowned when I was 12.  As long as I could see the shore line I knew I could swim to shore so being out in the middle of the oceane was not my idea of fun.  Back in 2008 my husband had gotten a new job and was unable to take a vacation.  We had been doing just land based vacations at that time.  My girlfriend tells me cruises are on sail and we should go.  I was hesitant but she assured me I would be ok.  GF and I did a 7 day on the Valor out of Miami and I was hooked.  I came home and bragged to DH we have to go on a cruise.  DH and I then booked a 7 day on the Victory out of Puerto Rico.  Here we are 15 cruises later waiting on the CDC to release cruising.

[asalligo]

10 minutes ago, jetsfan58 said:

I also had some earlier rough Carnival Cruises. My favorite early later Cruise was aboard the Pride in the early 2000's. Still my most favorite Carnival ship.  

The Pride is my favorite ship also, even after all the rest. That ship was just designed right in my opinion. First Pride trip was out of Baltimore in 2014, then Tampa later and March 2022 scheduled from Tampa. 

[asalligo]

3 minutes ago, Anyislandwilldo said:

I never really wanted to go on a cruise.  I had a fear of water since I almost drowned when I was 12.  As long as I could see the shore line I knew I could swim to shore so being out in the middle of the oceane was not my idea of fun.  

My wife has a rule. If I see something that says how deep the water is, I have to keep my mouth shut!

[kona_wahine]

2010 on the Dream. I wasn’t sure about a cruise, I love my land vacations to Hawaii. Now when  I hear The Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta a Feeling, it takes me right back to the sail away party, top deck looking down to the pool area. Every single time. 

[keywest1]

First cruise was 2013 on the Ecstasy to shut my family up--I knew I would hate it.  The minute I stepped on board and looked up in the atrium, I was hooked.  14 cruises later (and one cancelled last July), I'm still hooked.

[IntrepidFromDC]

My first cruise (and every cruise since) was with my daughter, aboard the Victory, in 2013.  Between March 2013 and November 2019 we completed 17 cruises, all 6-8 days.  What was the question again?   ...oh!  Every cruise I've been on has been fun, all Carnival.  Carnival knows how to select the right people and train them well, I've always been impressed with the service and the fun factor.  The food... well, there's the pay-for restaurants that break up the bleh.

Edited April 14, 2021 by IntrepidFromDC

[Jasonsterling]

It was the Carnival Sensation in 2002 and I can still remember standing at the cruise port windows in Tampa and thinking she was SO BIG! And the atrium lobby was both impressive and insane, LOL There was a giant piece of art in the middle and the space seemed so open and grand going up six floors but there were also these pulsating lights and purple plastic everywhere and shifting colors- it was a bit of a trip. LOL- I had an upper/lower room and in those days they'd pair you up with a roommate and my Travel Agent convinced me to do it and my roommate got there first and claimed the bottom bunk. Not a big deal but for the first three days I didn't realize the ladder was in the closet and I kept jumping onto the desk and hoisting myself up into the bed to go to sleep. 😂 I had a great time though and loved seeing the different ports of call- first time swimming with the Sting Rays in Grand Cayman and first time visiting Mayan Ruins in Tulem and the first time I went to New Orleans- I still have the jean jacket I bought when we ported into NOLA and it was a lot colder than I expected when packing. I was hooked! I was really impressed with Carnival then and still am. It was such a good time! 

[mredandchis]

My first cruise on Carnival was the Victory out of NYC heading up to Newfoundland around 2007.  At the time I was a RC cruiser and had heard that Carnival was full of low lifes and/or rowdy drunks.  I had taken my brother in law on a short cruise out of Florida and he loved it and he got the bug.  Well he invited me on the Victory in NYC and I went.  I was surprised.  Food was good , people were good, and staff was good. And I didn't find any low lifes, 

 

It was several years before i booked my second cruise with Carnival but I got on the Carnival Dream and fell in love with the line.  It was the staff, and the other passengers ,and the ship itself that felt special to me.  Sometimes we still sail other lines for what ever reason at the moment but most of the time it is Carnival.  

[AHS123]

Our Cruise Baby arrived on February 10, 2013 on the Carnival Triumph "Poop Cruise" caused by the engine room fire disaster so ours was stillborn.

 

[marshhawk]

My birth began the last day of a 3 day cruise on the Sensation.  Sitting on the balcony and listening to the waves, seeing the islands in the distance,  But that last night, I woke up with a star shining so bright into our window, and i love the night sky.   I went out on the balcony, and the sky was so full of stars it was so beautiful!  I was hooked!

[balcony bound]

Ours was the Carnival Fantasy in 2006.  After we booked it, we almost cancelled - what if we were bored and couldn't get off!!!

 

Well, that cruise still remains amazing to us, many many cruises later.  We got off that ship speechless.  Seriously, speechless.  Had to go out to dinner that night because, really cook?  We were just staring at each other during dinner.  What just happened!!  Booked the next one within 2 months and never looked back.

 

Very hard to pass the port all the time and see the ships and not be embarking ourselves.

 

Cruising remains the only vacation that truly feels like a vacation and we are sure missing it right now.

Edited April 14, 2021 by balcony bound

[asalligo]

11 hours ago, AHS123 said:

Our Cruise Baby arrived on February 10, 2013 on the Carnival Triumph "Poop Cruise" caused by the engine room fire disaster so ours was stillborn.

 

Wow, the Triumph was your first cruise? That's insane!

 

18 minutes ago, balcony bound said:

Cruising remains the only vacation that truly feels like a vacation and we are sure missing it right now.

This says it perfectly 

[sparks1093]

I wouldn't say that we are mesmerized by Carnival, or that we will remain loyal to them since we generally book with the cruise line that offers the lowest price for the sailing we want after factoring in all of the factors that need to be considered. Our first three cruises were with NCL, a CTN followed by 2 four day cruises. Our first Carnival cruise was our first 7 day cruise and we enjoyed the product, finding it very similar to NCL. So far we've been on an equal number of NCL and CCL cruises (although we have more nights on CCL) with one cruise on Royal. We currently have 3 CCL cruises booked through 2023.

[nycruise1]

We actually have cruised with babies, both daughters were under a year old when they first cruised. Actually the only family vacations we have ever taken are cruises and they are both platinum now. Though the first cruise was before they were born back in 1992 on the Holiday. I was a bit reluctant to go, what if I felt bored and trapped on the ship, but I was a good sport and went along with DW’s suggestion. Boy did I love it. I remember thinking this is how the rich live. Never had a bad cruise. They ranged from very good to amazing. We have been Carnival exclusive the past 15 years. We enjoy it and Carnival is smart—giving us Platinum perks is enough to keep us from straying. I wish I were on a cruise right now...

[PhillyFan33579]

55 minutes ago, nycruise1 said:

We actually have cruised with babies, both daughters were under a year old when they first cruised. Actually the only family vacations we have ever taken are cruises and they are both platinum now. Though the first cruise was before they were born back in 1992 on the Holiday. I was a bit reluctant to go, what if I felt bored and trapped on the ship, but I was a good sport and went along with DW’s suggestion. Boy did I love it. I remember thinking this is how the rich live. Never had a bad cruise. They ranged from very good to amazing. We have been Carnival exclusive the past 15 years. We enjoy it and Carnival is smart—giving us Platinum perks is enough to keep us from straying. I wish I were on a cruise right now...

This is just my opinion, but you don’t know what you are missing if you only cruise on Carnival. I still have the most sea days on Carnival, but my days of being loyal to Carnival are long gone. There are too many different ships out there that I want to experience. The excitement of boarding a new ship for the first time is hard to recreate. It got to the point that we (my wife and I) were no longer excited when we boarded a Carnival ship, which led to us cruising more often on RCI and Celebrity. At some point in the future we will likely cruise on Mardi Gras, but for the forseeable future we have no plans to cruise on Carnival. 
 

In my book, the only worthwhile perk Carnival offers is the Diamond special event. That is definitely not enough to keep me loyal to Carnival.