Inspiration fresh off with some tips!

[cruiselubbers]

Had someone ask in another post for some tips about the Inspiration & responded there, but wanted to add here as well. I plan on doing a full review soon, but here's alittle bit of a start for some tips!

 

TIPS: :D

 

Listen to your headwaiters suggestion on how you should have you meat cooked.

Watch as many sunsets as possible.

Use your in room safe. Don’t use your Sail & Sign card or your debit/credit card. Use an old Wal-Mart of other gift card & then place the card somewhere safe. If you use S&S card or credit/debit the card can become demagnetized!

Don’t over pack! Definitly bring 10 pair of underware! 2/3 bathing suits for ladies….3/4 for guys since you can wear yours like clothes if you are planning to swim. Packed for a change of clothes in Cayman but did not need it as suits dried quick & it’s a pretty far ride out there to the Stingrays. Bring an underwater camera if your going there & have your film developed on the ship. It was $7 for our roll of 27 pics…..close enough to the prices back home.

Bring biodegradable sunscreen if you plan on going to Xcaret or Xel-Ha!

See the evening shows! The comedians we had were great…..at least the one was….Tony Espositio! The other was …. Miller & he wasn’t good at all. Kept saying how bad he was! Also make sure you see the show Caribe on the last night….it’s awesome! It is cabarette style so if you are taking younger children, be mindful of that!

Participate in some of the contests & remember what happens on the ship….stays on the ship! So have fun & try something new! Remember you’ll probably never see these people again!

You’ll be split into two teams Red & blue on your first nite at dinner….Red team had odd numbered dinner tables & Blue had even numbered tables. Show your team support by participating in the various activities around the ship. By doing so on the last night of the ship my hubby helped the red team win & we were behind the blue the whole time & we participated in the last thing you could get points in & helped win for the Red! Remember though to be nice to your fellow team! On the last sea day you’ll get to wear your team color so bring a t-shirt in each color if you want to show your support for your team!

Wait until the very last sea day to buy anything from the gift shop! Almost everything goes on sale then!

Do your own excursions & save a ton! If you are planning to do Stingrays in Grand Cayman take the tender in (1st thing am since there’s not much time on Cayman sadly!) and right whenever you get off the ship look for people holding signs. We did Stingrays & Snorkeling & drinks for $40 bucks a piece & the same excursion was $99 a piece thru Carnival!

In Calica/Playa Del Carman if you are getting off the ship there & don’t have anything planned, wait atleast 30 minutes till everyone else gets off for their planned excursions & then get off the ship. Listen to what people around you are talking about and find a friend to share a cab with if your going into town. $10 one way & if you find another couple to ride with (cab holds 4) you’ll save $5 bucks going into town! Have the driver drop you off at the very beginning of 5th…..really close to the golf course & you’ll be able to walk to whole 1.5 shopping strip plus spend time on the beach. I heard there were fajitas to die for there. Remember if you get a drink with ice in it, take the ice out! We spent about 5 hours doing this & had a ball. Try to bargain even if the clerk seems like they don’t want to bargain. By all means go there not overdressed or everyone will stop you! The best deals I found were closer to the start of where we were dropped off by the taxi. When we got to the end of the strip, there were plently of taxis waiting, so no need to prepay round trip if you don’t want to.

I had heard the cold soups were great, but I couldn’t find any that I liked. The mango one tasted sour to my taste buds. Stay away from anything cold & purple on the ship! There is a dessert, lavender something that from what I understand really stinks!

Remember variety is the spice of life, so try to eat a little bit of everywhere! Some of our best moments was getting free ice cream & going and sitting on the back of the ship!

The upper most deck is the best place for sunsets….but on the last night of the cruise…..whenever you step out of the Caribe show go to your right once you get out of the Lounge & pass the gift shop…..take the first door out to your right & the sunset that we had that night was terrific! Blues, purples, pinks, golds, yellows & gosh it was amazing. We had 8:30 dinner so we went to the 7pm show that night which got us out on that deck at about 8pm.

I’ll post some more later…but here’s you a good start!

If anyone has an specific question please ask, I’ll do my best to answer!

Planning on posting some pics soon!

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[stephanie76]

Thanks for taking the time!!!! We are on the Inspiration next Thurs. for a 4 nighter. I have only been on 7 night cruises. Here are a couple questions.

 

Do you know who the cruise director was?

 

Did the have a midnight or chocolate buffet???

 

Did they have parties at night on the Lido deck, bathrobe party?

 

Did the casino have on of the new texas hold'em tables?

 

Did thay have lots of shows?

 

Thanks in advance.

[cruiselubbers]

Thanks for taking the time!!!! We are on the Inspiration next Thurs. for a 4 nighter. I have only been on 7 night cruises. Here are a couple questions.

 

Do you know who the cruise director was?

 

Did the have a midnight or chocolate buffet???

 

Did they have parties at night on the Lido deck, bathrobe party?

 

Did the casino have on of the new texas hold'em tables?

 

Did thay have lots of shows?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

The Cruise Director is Risa & she is great despite some negative feedback I had read about her previously.

 

They had an awesome midnite buffett! Lots of sweet treats there & even put them in take to cabin plates with covers on them. I have alot of pictures of that....I'll try to post them soon! There was also a Mexican buffett night when we departed Calica at midnite.....I didn't have the food that night, but the Pirate Party was going on at the same time & same place...Lido....and it was awesome! Great time to conga & win points for the team! Didn't see any bathrobes there, but I seen some sleepy people trying their best to stay up late & join in the fun!

 

Not sure on the casinos...only spent a dollar there in the penny slots & lost it all! But I did notice it was a larger casino & it seems to be a happening place! There are alot of opportunities to play Bingo in the Paris Lounge. If your a past guest & go to the Past Guest party they have it before the Bingo that they start selling win a free cruise ticket and the price for Past Guest tickets were unbelieveable!

 

Shows every nite! Stay away from the Miller guy, he kept saying how bad he was...if he's on there again. Tony Espositio was absolutly fantastic & he had 2 shows...one for everyone & 1 late nite one for adults only. The last show Caribe....was fantastic! Beautiful colors & costumes! The head male singer & female singer really compliment each other well. The Guest Talent show was pretty good, but of course that will be different every time. The Bear Game they did after that was hysterical! Hubby was in it! And the Newlywed/not so newlywed game was awesome with a twist! Won't say it would spoil the fun!

 

Hope this helped & your very welcome!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

Stephanie...PS ENJOY YOUR CRUISE!

 

WE CERTAINLY DID! I SAY THIS IN CAPS CAUSE IT WAS THAT AWESOME & I'D TELL THE WORLD WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME I HAD IF I COULD!!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[stephanie76]

Thanks for the quick reply. Cannot wait to read your review and see your pics.

[cruiselubbers]

One more thing Stephanie!

 

I went on a 5 day cruise....so no past guest party since you are going only on 4 nites! Therefore if you are buying tickets for Bingo there really is no golden opportunity like we had! Sorry! :(

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

Looking thru my Capers I just wanted to note that the comedian who was not very good was Kenny Miller! I also spell Tony Esposito's name wrong...so there's the correct spelling!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

Pictures have now been uploaded! Enjoy! :D

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/558978754BHlYgi

 

Sorry I don't have pictures of us swimming with our rays we took an underwater camera for that. I'll try to scan some & post them later on.

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[iamgolden]

Cruiselubbers-thanks for the pics! I was on the ship the week before you and agree with your takes, except I have ALWAYS used a credit card for my safe in all my cruises and never had any trouble at all w/demagnatizing or anything else.

[sjohnson529]

On the same cruise and it was awesome! Best food of any cruise we've been on. The casino does not have Texas Hold Em' tables but the play Texas Hold Em in one of the lounges all day and all night. Everything was perfect and we loved it.

[indie]

i was on the 4/23 inspiration cruise and i couldnt agree more with most everything you said. We went to cozumel instead of calica.

 

Miller was terrible, Big Tony Esposito was hilarious.

 

Risa was great

 

private tour to stingray city was a blast, and we dried before we returned!

[cruiselubbers]

One additional note while I am thinking about it:

 

If possible try to be up on the top deck when you are leaving Tampa at around 5:45 to 6:30...give or take just a bit...so you can watch the Inspiration go under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It's the worlds longest cable bridge at 5.5 miles long & there is not much clearance when you pass under it. I have some photos on my photo link with this. We passed under at about 6:05 give or take a few minutes. It was definitly a site to behold!

 

Enjoy!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

Cruiselubbers-thanks for the pics! I was on the ship the week before you and agree with your takes, except I have ALWAYS used a credit card for my safe in all my cruises and never had any trouble at all w/demagnatizing or anything else.

 

 

Hey there!

 

I was just going along with other posts that I had read about on that one! Didn't try it for myself I was toooooo afraid to! I remember reading someone had said they used S&S card & it became a disaster, but who knows maybe it was demagnatized somewhere else and thought that was done on the safe instead?? ;)

 

Welcome on the pics! Sorry there's so much, but believe it or not I did not post all of them! :D

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[brickergirl]

Thanks for the tips! With a week to go, I'm beside myself, I'm so ready to go!:p Does the ship have a topless tanning area?

[sjohnson529]

Yes, it has the topless area. My husband found it :D

 

This was our 8th cruise and our best. The food was better than any other ship I'd been on. I started a review the day we got home but no one was interested so I quit. Calica was very nice, did Xcaret and it was wonderful.

[cruiselubbers]

Thanks for the tips! With a week to go, I'm beside myself, I'm so ready to go!:p Does the ship have a topless tanning area?

 

 

Yes around the funnel! And don't be suprised of the age of people you find there! We didn't go, but we heard! ;)

 

I wish however seeing where people were laying that they would put alittle bit of a blockage up as if you are directly across the funnel on the sun deck....where the big chess game is, it's very easy to see around the funnel & the topless! With a good zoom, you can see them & with good eyes you can see to! I was not looking to be weird, I was just thinking of what happens when I take me 10 year old son there! Didn't try it but I would think it's possible to also have a view on top of the slide from the Lido pool. I am sure alot of people don't mind being seen or they wouldn't be there in the first place, but I don't want to have to guard my 10 year olds peepers either! That would be hard to do on top of the slide, considering I wouldn't go up there anyway. I do know that people can sun more to the side & not have to worry about being seen if you are not wanting to be seen as when I looked over that way from the Sun Deck area by the chess board I couldn't see those ladies laying to the right or the left of the funnel, but the ones up front there was no way you could miss!

 

I wish I only had a week to go back! I miss my home! :rolleyes: Dreaming...not sarcastic is what I mean by that set of eyes.

 

I hope you have as much fun as we did, cause if you do you'll never want to leave & that cruise will stay with you forever & ever!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[TamNMike]

Thanks so much for the tips and GREAT review!! We sail on her next Thursday as well and I can't wait!!! A MUCH NEEDED break for hubby and me.

[jaxpooh]

Does anyone know if the Risa on Inspiration is the same Risa from Celebration? We were on the Clelebration in September 2005 and had a CD named Risa also. I think I have a picture of the Risa I saw if that would help.

[buddyjo143]

That's a really good tip about the ship board gift shop. I forget to tell people that.

 

Will be there in less than a year.;)

[mes089]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and pics. We go on the Inspiration Jan. 5, 2008. Can't wait. Guess it will be coming out of Dry Dock in the Fall.

 

We've been on a few big ships, and one smaller ship, like the Inspiration (RCL Legend of the Seas). Much prefer the smaller ship (not really that small).

Did any of you get to Tampa the night before? If so, did you stay somewhere you would recommend?

Thanks again,

 

Mark

[sjohnson529]

We stayed at a Best Western on Dale Mabry, about 5 miles from the port. It wasn't anything special, but it was clean and within walking distance to a number of restaurants. There was also a conveinence store nearby for the "illegal but I'm taking it anyway" soda and beer. We carried on a 12 pack of each with no problem.

[cruiselubbers]

Does anyone know if the Risa on Inspiration is the same Risa from Celebration? We were on the Clelebration in September 2005 and had a CD named Risa also. I think I have a picture of the Risa I saw if that would help.

 

 

I don't know, but if you can post the pic, I can tell you!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[dog8it]

was formal night the second night on board

[buddyjo143]

Oh, and thanks for the pictures. She is an old one isn't she? But I think I heard that she will be going into drydock before we sail in Feb. 2008.

[Mikel1733]

One of the neatest reviews I've read in quite awhile. Your pictures are a nice addition to your review. Thanks for the positive suggestions.:)