Inspiration fresh off with some tips!

[cruiselubbers]

First of all let me take a moment out to say thank you so much for all the wonderful picture & thread comments! I was originally going to post a regular type of thread, but I thought everyone could use tips & who cares that I had great tablemates or that we danced a few nights & had a ball or that the stingrays were awesome & I totally loved them! Ah a mini regular review.....:p ! Anyway back to your comments....I have really enjoyed reading them & it was so kind of each of you to take a moment out of your day to let me know what you thought of them! Thank you! :cool: See the world is a good place, we all have common interest we just sometimes need a reminder!

 

Anyway a post that I did on another thread reminded me that maybe this was a good thought to share here so heres an extra couple of tips just in case you don't read the other thread:

 

Shirt wrinkle removal idea/tip:

Take your shirt & hang it up in the bathroom on the bar directly across from the toilet, turn the shower on all the way over to as hot as it will go, close the door....come back in about 3 minutes, turn off the water....close the door for about another two minutes....come back in keep the shirt on its hanger and pull it till it stretches out the wrinkles. It works & will save you money! ;)

 

One more last day tip:

On the last day of your cruise you'll get a note that states they will do you laundry which includes washing, drying & folding. Check the amount of each items you have on the list & they come back for only $15 bucks later! Pretty good deal imho! Now there might be a past guest benefit if your over 10 cruises on this one....but I don't know....sorry for the lack of help there!

 

PS....Think about how much laundry you'll have on a cruise...this last one 5 nights, 2 people & you might see this is one of the best deals on the ship! Roughly this list includes....

Ladies

3 dresses

2 dress shirts

1 dress pant

5 tshirts

4 pairs of shorts

2-3 bathing suits

several bras

8-10 pair of panties

 

Men

5 dress shirts

3 dress pants

5 tshirts

4 pairs of shorts

2 bathing suits

8-10 pair of underware

 

Your list may include more or less!

 

BTW....did I mention several pairs of nasty sweaty stinky socks from where you might have gotten off the ship & walked miles to shop or see the ruins or see an aquarium or something else of your choice?

I didn't well dang man think of not having to smell them & put them in your luggage & you'll realize $15 bucks is a deal! :D Some things in life are worth not having to smell....this my friends is one of them!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[DebbieOinKC]

Just got off the Inspiration on Saturday (5/12) and the cruise director was Darcy Knievel. She was very good, not annoying.

 

The commedians were Tony Esposito and JR McCollom. We only seen JR McCollom and he was very funny.

[cruiselubbers]

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.

 

 

Sorry I forgot to reply to this post earlier!

 

Yes, drydock is going to take place in Sept. 07!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

Just got off the Inspiration on Saturday (5/12) and the cruise director was Darcy Knievel. She was very good, not annoying.

 

The commedians were Tony Esposito and JR McCollom. We only seen JR McCollom and he was very funny.

 

 

I believe there were several staff members on their last Inspiration when we cruised. I know Risa was not one of them at that time, I guess she must have had a cruise or two left before departing the Inspiration. I'd love to know where she went she's great!

 

Tony Esposito was awesome too! He has a myspace page btw! I tried contacting him about a week ago however & no reply, I guess he's been out & about on ships!

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[nautica34]

We were on the Inspiration in November 2006 and had Risa as our Cruise Director. It was the begining of November and she said her and her assistant (can't remember his name) were going on Vacation for a couple of months. I thought all employees work up to 8 months at a time before gettting time off?

 

For those who were on the Inspiration recently, maybe you could answer a question for me. On our cruise we dined in the Madri Gras dining room late seating. Our Matre' D was named Ferhard. Someone on the boards didn't think he was there anymore. Does anyone know if he was there during their cruise?

[MarshallCS]

Hi Cruiselubbers and everyone else

 

I just wanted to let you know, (and anyone else on the 4/28 cruise) that if you were at the newlywed games, we were the second to last people standing for the newest married people. (THANK GOD!)

 

So if you saw us, that was me and sarah!

 

 

 

The biggest tip i can give you with Playa is if you are adventurous with food at all, go to the north and to the west of 5th ave. There are some amazing local restaurant dives out there. Specifically Dr. Taco was amazing (squid and octopus tacos and burritos)

 

Even if you don't go to that specific place, look for the small food stands.

 

 

Also, there is a large population of Italians that live there, so the italian is good too.

 

For the beaches in playa, the farther you can go north, the less populated... Also, the shopping is better the further north you get on 5th ave.

 

The nice thing about playa is that 5th ave run parallel with the coast, so you always have your bearings just by looking right.

 

 

 

in grand cayman... figure out what you are gonna do ahead of time and do it. There isn't enough time in the port to really do a ton. I decided ahead of time to take sarah to go snorkeling at eden's rock dive centre. Its about a 5 minute walk to the right around the bend when you get out of the tender area.

 

Its the exact opposite area from the 7 mile beach, so you won't be able to do both. But the snorkeling was spectacular and you have the cruise ship as a background and a marker to let you know where you are. Eden Rock dive centre has the nice reef's conveniently marked off by buoys, and they have snorkeling and diving stuff for rent and sale. We got our snorkeling jackets for 6 dollars rental, and our friends got an entire kit for 15 dollars rental a piece.

 

 

I know i'm babbling, but everything about the ship and how wonderful it was was covered. I will agree with Mike Esposito being a good comedian.

 

One more tip... If you want to try the midnight buffets, make sure you have an early dinner. We had the late dinner, and were always too full for the buffets.

 

Marsh (and sarah biproxy)

[MarshallCS]

Oh duh--- I forgot

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marshallsimmons/

 

starting to put up pictures i took from the cruise, and from the wedding (but you don't have to look at those)

[cruiselubbers]

Oh duh--- I forgot

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marshallsimmons/

 

starting to put up pictures i took from the cruise, and from the wedding (but you don't have to look at those)

 

 

Oh kewl! I'll go check them out.

 

BTW it was Tony Esposito...not Mike.

 

We got in there too late for the beginning of the Newlywed game! But we did stay till after it was over & my hubby was the papa bear on the left side looking at the stage for the bear game. He was sandwiched right in between our two matching tablemates where the white & floral outfits. So if you seen the blonde guy in the white shirt in between them, you seen my hubby Brian. He was also the one that about knocked the other papa bear out!....Sorry other papa bear! BTW loved that surprise ending on the end of the NWGame, but shhhhhsshhhh don't give away the surprise...but hindsite aren't you glad you didn't play that one????? I think my hubby was alittle upset that we didn't get there in time to try to be on since we've been together 20 years & married 14 of them. Did I mention I was 34? I'll let you do the math! Anyway, going to check out those pics!

 

Good tips Marshall btw! Thanks for adding them! :D

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

Oh duh--- I forgot

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marshallsimmons/

 

starting to put up pictures i took from the cruise, and from the wedding (but you don't have to look at those)

 

 

I love the pic of you guys kissing with the sunset in the background! Gorgeous pictures & beautiful bride! Loved her flowers & the black & white photos are awesome!

 

I have several pics of Calica port as well that reminded me of that one of yours. That place back in the grill where your standing looking out.....that had some of the greatest views didn't it? Of course who could complain on any of it! ;)

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[cruiselubbers]

We were on the Inspiration in November 2006 and had Risa as our Cruise Director. It was the begining of November and she said her and her assistant (can't remember his name) were going on Vacation for a couple of months. I thought all employees work up to 8 months at a time before gettting time off?

 

For those who were on the Inspiration recently, maybe you could answer a question for me. On our cruise we dined in the Madri Gras dining room late seating. Our Matre' D was named Ferhard. Someone on the boards didn't think he was there anymore. Does anyone know if he was there during their cruise?

 

 

I thought the same thing...but I have heard it can be as little as 4!

We had Mardi Gras as well however sorry didn't have Ferhard. We had Jose & Iliana & loved them! Even got Jose's email addy! ;)

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[Fishtales6]

Mark,

I lived near Tampa for many years. Most any place that you stay near the cruise terminal will be in proximity to the seedy areas downtown. I would recoomend staying at Rocky Point area on the Couurtney Campbell causeway between TIA and Clearwater and asking (tipping) the shuttle driver to take you to the terminal. Hotels at Rocky Point include the Dbl Tree, the Hyatt near the airport, etc. Cruise terminal is 5 miles from airport.

Try Charlie's on West Cypress Street (best seared tuna in Florida) or Bern's on Howard Ave (ask for the kitchen tour and definitiely go to the dessert room for some neat jazz and a death by chocolate...)

We did the Inspration last year and loved it...sailing on the valor in 30 days..

Carl

[Fishtales6]

sorry..dbl post

[MarshallCS]

Thanks soooo much--- that means alot!

we didn't have alot of money... so I ended up making her boquet and doing her makeup. I had a friend use my camera for the actual ceremony, and I took the rest of them. I've been cleaning up all the photo's and fixing up the mistakes in photoshop.

 

Funny enough, the picture that you like looked nothing like that originally:)

 

I loved that area in the back of the brasserie... I didn't realize there were area's back there till after Grand Cayman. We spent most of our time out side there afterwords.

 

The pic of the calica shoreline was actually from there. We sat back there and ate breakfast and watched as the ship came in

 

 

Thanks so much--- it means alot

 

 

I love the pic of you guys kissing with the sunset in the background! Gorgeous pictures & beautiful bride! Loved her flowers & the black & white photos are awesome!

 

I have several pics of Calica port as well that reminded me of that one of yours. That place back in the grill where your standing looking out.....that had some of the greatest views didn't it? Of course who could complain on any of it! ;)

 

Be blessed, be a blessing! :p

[csaeroach]

Hello everyone,

 

We will be in the Jan 05, 2008 sailing as well. We can not wait! It will be our daughter's 16th Birthday Cruise. She is getting pretty excited about going, and to hear the Inspiration will be just coming out of dry dock a few months before, makes this vacation even better! Will love to see the updates and changes.

Carnival has some pics of the updates on their webpage if anyone is interested....

 

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/static_templates/promos/evolutionsoffun/

[mparks]

thanks so much for the info. My husband and I are going on our first cruise ever and I have a bunch of questions. We are going on the 5 day inspiration out of Tampa in June. Can we bring liquor and water on the ship, do they check in your bags? Is the fountain card worth the money? Any insight on a resort to get a day pass at while playa del carmen? Any tips and insight would be greatly appreciated. This is our first trip without the kids since our honeymoon, yippi!

[Greenizz41]

Hi! I just got off the 5/17 sailing and will be posting pics and a review shortly. I also managed to snag a Capers for all of the days and will scan those too. Risa was the cruise director and she was pretty good. George the Greek was in the Mardi Gras Dining Room. What a hoot he was!