Carnival Secrets they Usually Don't Tell You About 2

[wawapeg]

Hi all - love the tips.

 

I have one too. I cruised in May with a friend and am cruising next Sept. with three in our room.. I bring a set (will get 3 for Sept) of my casino club cards from one of the AC casinos.....this way the strip is the same on all 2 (or 3) of the cards and we each have a card. This way any one of us can get into the safe and do not need to find the person who has the only card that will work!

 

I accidentally demagnitized my room card one night....I was wearing one of those magnetic pieces of jewelry and had my room card on a lanyard...I guess they got too close to each other! The bursar's desk was able to issue me a new card!

[LoveToCruise78]

 

 

*Orange juice is available at the same place all day they just remove the label

 

*Most ships have a secret door...find it

 

Okay, where's the OJ and the secret door on the Spirit!?!?!:D

[shutterbun]

Okay, where's the OJ and the secret door on the Spirit!?!?!:D

 

If we told you, then it wouldn't be a secret anymore! ;-)

 

http://unofficialcarnivalwiki.com/wiki/Secret_Door this has maps to all of the secret doors.

 

The OJ machine is right where it always is (on ours it was in the Lido buffet restaurant) And yep, it's in service 24 hours a day.

 

*edit* Doh! Looks like I've been trolled! Nope, no secret door on the Spirit. Oh well! :-P

[Pegs222]

If we told you, then it wouldn't be a secret anymore! ;-)

 

http://unofficialcarnivalwiki.com/wiki/Secret_Door this has maps to all of the secret doors.

 

The OJ machine is right where it always is (on ours it was in the Lido buffet restaurant) And yep, it's in service 24 hours a day.

 

*edit* Doh! Looks like I've been trolled! Nope, no secret door on the Spirit. Oh well! :-P

 

I am not sure about this, but from another list that is probably on this thread it said that the OJ tag was taken off after breakfast, but you can still get the OJ all day.

[lais]

The very best thing I own for traveling (anywhere) is Safari pants. They are the long pants that have a zipper on the leg so that they turn into shorts. They are lightweight and easy to wash and fast to dry. The best thing is the pockets. Hidden pockets, pockets with zippers, pockets with velcro. You can carry your money and credit cards and don't have to fear anything falling out of the pockets or get pickpocketed. They are comfortable. They are great to wear on airplanes. They are great for shore excursions. I guess you can tell I really love my Safari pants, plus they make my butt look good. :D

[lais]

Do casino players get free drinks while gambling? I doubt they do, but I had to ask anyways. I know they do on the local generic casino boats.

 

I got free drinks while gambling. I guess I spent enough money. They kept stopping by my slot machine and offering, and I accepted.

[dswlmw]

I have been reading other threads for information and this one is by far the best. I'll be saving it to my favorites. While on one of the others I read that duct tape could also be used to tape the legs of the beds to keep them together.

[flowerchild]

My last suggestion on the board in awhile since I'm leaving on a cruise this Saturday:

 

Forgetting to remove the chocalate from your pillow prior to going to bed will result in "skid" marks all over your sheets:o . Imagine what your cabin steward will think if this is combined with suggestion #1 (showers in the gym).:eek: :D :D

 

 

LOL. This happened to my sister. Chocolate EVERYWHERE!

 

Here are my 2 cents:

 

Get to embarkation port early. They should start the process around 11-12.

 

When you get on, staff may herd you to the buffett on the Lido. Instead have a sit down lunch at the main dining room.

 

Bring a bathing suit in your carry on so you can enjoy the pool while everyone is waiting for thier luggage. This may be the only time you can get the pool area while it is not too crowded!

 

If you dont have to catch an early flight, pre-order breakfast to be delivered to your cabin on the last nite of the cruise. Stay in your cabin and enjoy your breakfast in bed until they absolutely kick you off the ship. Usually, since we are one of the last ones off the ship, we find our luggage instantly and are off the ship in record time.

 

We usually save lots of $$ on excursions by doing our research beforehand and do our own thing while in port.

[MindyLee]

This isn't a Carnival secret but I think its a good thing to know/do...

 

If you plan on using your credit card either on the ship or on the Islands, call your credit card company prior to cruising and tell them where you will be using it, when you will be using it and to please note your account.

 

While cruising with our friends last year, their card was denied in Antigua. Boy were they embarrassed. Luckily, they used ours but when they did get back, they were told that because the credit card company couldn't get in touch with them and they had also used it on a previous Island, they thought it might be fraud so stopped charging privileges.

 

Hope this helps and its ok to put this here :)

 

This is a great idea. We did this when we went to England earlier this year.

[MindyLee]

Ok this just caught my perverted funny bone. I am picturing multiple people using the shower at the same time.

 

Guys do it in the locker rooms, and us girls did it when I was in basic training years ago.

 

But, I do think it could get a little awkward with mixed company! ;)

[Jetfuelrm]

Safe in room question Haven't cruised on carnival yet - I was assuming that the locks had a key pad as they do on another cruise line - It has to be a card to close? Thanks - Jan

 

Have to use a card then you put a 4 number pin number if memory serves me correct

[notawordok]

On the glory last dec to lock the safe you just slid the credit card and it locked slid it again and it unlocked. no pin just a card.

[Pegs222]

On the glory last dec to lock the safe you just slid the credit card and it locked slid it again and it unlocked. no pin just a card.

 

From what I have read, you probably should not use your credit card as it could be demagnetized, is that even the word. Someone said to use a card, like a Wal-Mart card that has nothing on it.

[goLC]

We took Kroger cards for the safe on the Fantasy, but our safe was one where you put in a 4 digit pin.

[cruisebie]

From what I have read, you probably should not use your credit card as it could be demagnetized, is that even the word. Someone said to use a card, like a Wal-Mart card that has nothing on it.

 

This happened to me! On the morning of debarkation, I tried to open the safe with the used-up Walmart gift card I had been using but my card had become de-magnetized. Thank goodness I had read on this board to not use my credit card--what a mess that would have been! I called the purser's desk and they promptly sent someone up to unlock it with a master. I had to sign a form for them verifying that they opened the safe. Next time I'll be sure to bring a spare card to use in case it happens again.

[CALMOM]

Great Thread, thanks

[Attack Dog]

Have to use a card then you put a 4 number pin number if memory serves me correct

None of the ships I've been on required a pin and a card.

[407dm]

next thing to add to the list

 

slip joint pliers to take the flow washer out of the shower hose for better shower pressure

 

thanks to yellow jacket .... see his thread

[safemonkey]

Here is an easy tip to clean out your closet as well as lighten up your suitcases for the trip home.

 

Throughout the year I pack up the clothes that are at the end of their life cycle but have one or two breaths left. I am not talking the "paint the house" raggy cloths... Just the ones that you really don't wear anymore. Older t-shirts, underware, white dress shirts that are showing hints of that manly yellow tinge in the pits, socks getting thin in the sole, etc... When it is cruise time I pack those items. Wear them as needed, then throw them away.

 

Same goes for toothpaste, deoderant, shampoo. A few weeks before the trip when I get low on these items at home, I set them aside and start a new container. Pack the half used stuff for the trip, and use it. I throw away any that remains. Why take full tubes of toothpaste to carry 3/4 of a tube back???

 

Closet is cleaned out, luggage is lighter, and I have room for stuff I bought on the trip. AND minimal laundry when I get home.

[Clankford1105]

thanks

[Charming01]

This is a great thread! Thanks:D

[pe4all]

To add to the above suggestion - we always pack clothes my teens have "almost" outgrown. (shorts, warm-up suits, t-shirts, bathing suits, whatever.) We then leave them at the end of the cruise for the room steward. (we even pay for them to be cleaned beforehand, with the $15 bag of clothes cleaning special!! (with a note saying we left them for him/her, so they are not accused of stealing anything.) The clothes are in great shape - sometimes only worn a few times, then forgotten in a drawer or closet. We speak to the steward before we leave - they are VERY appreciative - they always have kids of their own, or nieces, nephews, friends that can use the clothes! This leaves us plenty of space in our suitcases for purchases. I also pack all of my husband's "older" t-shirts - he wears them, and we discard them. (usually faded, stretched out ones- fine for shore excursion wear)

[awesomemamma]

To add to the above suggestion - we always pack clothes my teens have "almost" outgrown. (shorts, warm-up suits, t-shirts, bathing suits, whatever.) We then leave them at the end of the cruise for the room steward. (we even pay for them to be cleaned beforehand, with the $15 bag of clothes cleaning special!! (with a note saying we left them for him/her, so they are not accused of stealing anything.) The clothes are in great shape - sometimes only worn a few times, then forgotten in a drawer or closet. We speak to the steward before we leave - they are VERY appreciative - they always have kids of their own, or nieces, nephews, friends that can use the clothes! This leaves us plenty of space in our suitcases for purchases. I also pack all of my husband's "older" t-shirts - he wears them, and we discard them. (usually faded, stretched out ones- fine for shore excursion wear)

 

I find this interesting. I do not want this to sound like I am bashing you at all, I am just seriously baffled. I am having a hard time believing that the steward isn't just being gracious, and then after you leave giving the clothes to good will. Don't get me wrong, I love hand me downs for my kids, but from a stranger? Do you take bags of clean clothes for your hotel maids? What about waiters at restaurants? I guess what I want to know is, what is it about a steward that makes you want to give him old clothes instead of a tip? Am I missing something?

[MiamiSky66]

I think a lot of people have the wrong idea about the waiters and stewards. If there are 2500 passengers on the ship paying 10.00 per day for tips, that equals 25,000 per day. You do the math. Whenever I am talking to the help they usually tell me that they all have houses near the water in Manila and maids. Almost all the female employees have maids and even two. Just ask them. Their biggest problem is that a lot of them have kids and thier parents raise them. Their salary is tax free. i know that they work hard but people fight for their job in their countries.

[pe4all]

Before we started cruising, we did 2-3 all-inclusive land vacations a year. They were usually to countries where the help made only $4 day. It was an accepted practice to leave items every a.m. on the pillow (toiletries, perfume, nail polish) for the cleaning staff, and to leave unwanted/lightly worn stuff at the end of the trip, along with a note so they could get the stuff out of the resort without getting into trouble for stealing. The housecleaning staff would really appreciate this - even ask for any stuff we didn't want anymore. Maybe it is not done so much on cruises, but my stewards never seemed to not want the stuff. What they do with it after we leave... well, if they can use one or two things from a bag of almost new clothes, more power to them. Better than throwing it out, imho. (the clothes we leave are hardly worn, as anyone who has 2 teen dd's knows!!) As for their pay - yes, they probably live pretty well in their home country - but I wouldn't want their jobs, with the hours they put in, or the people they have to deal with.