Rookie cruises...question on "docs"

[txflood3]

hello all.....another newbie question

 

I have read many threads referring to "docs" and room assignment and such. I am assuming that "docs" referrs to documentation sent by the cruise line which has your cruise info, possibly your room # and S&S info.

 

When should I be looking for these "docs" and what should I be looking for when they arrive? Also, are there different luggage tags...I have read of grey ones?

 

I am sailing on the Conquest, leaving from New Orleans, LA on 10/31. We booked directly through Carnival via telephone and have recieved paperwork showing the cruise is paid in full as well as the pre paid gratuiteis. Carnival's web site shows the same info. As far as our room, we booked an inexpensive interior stateroom that is supposed to come with a free upgrade do to the trip being a honeymoon. Carnival's site doesn't have any info regarding our room as of yet...it just says IS...I assume that is Interior Stateroom. Our room is not a garuanteed room. Any idea when we will find out where our room is?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Got docs?]

Docs is indeed your documents from the cruise company. It usually will have your room number on them. If it does not, you will find out at the pier when the porters take your luggage. If you get grey luggage tags, these signify a guarantee room and you will find out at the pier. If you get colored tags, you will have a room number on the documents. The colored tags are issued by deck and some decks have more than one color due to the number of staterooms. At debarkation, you are called by luggage tag color. If you get grey tags, the porter at the pier will get your room number and hand you corresponding color tags for your luggage. Be sure to look over the docs and make sure all personal information is correct and fill out all information before you arrive at the port. This will save you lots of time in line. Have fun and congratulations on your wedding and honeymoon.

 

PS My DH and I booked a room on the main deck for our honeymoon and were upgraded to the Veranda deck!!

[Got docs?]

Also, the docs should arrive 10 days to 2 weeks of the cruise. You can always call the cruise company and check to see when they were mailed.

[txflood3]

thanks for the info...will keep my eyes on the mail as the cruise gets closer.....unfortunately, since this will be my first cruise, I really don't know the difference in the decks or the staterooms. The Carnival site says we have something in 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F or 4G. When I check thier site for available rooms on our cruise, 4G is the only one not garuanteed and shows on the Panorama deck...but this is all Greek to me. We are supposedly getting a room upgrade but not sure what to expect....meaning, is an upgrade from our current room something on a higher deck or a bigger room, maybe with a window or a suite....too much info...going into cruise overload!!!!

[Got docs?]

Catagory 4 is an inside room without a window, catagory 5 has two port holes, catagory 6 has a picture window, catagory 8 is a balcony cabin, catagory 9 is one of the corner balconies that are larger than the 8 balcony, catagory 11 is a mini suite and a catagory 12 is a deluxe suite. A, B, C, etc., is acording to the deck you are on. The higher the deck, the higher the letter. Most of the rooms are the same square footage, higher catagories have more. If booking a guarantee, you are asking for at least the the A deck, wherever that starts. The Riviera Deck is Deck 3 and is usually the A cabins, Main deck is Deck 4 and usually B cabins, etc. You can go to Carnival.com and look at deck plans to see the difference in decks, room descriptions along with size and location to the elevators, stairs, etc. The higher the deck, the higher the letter. You could actually get a different catagory, all depends on the upgrade fairy. Hopefully she will smile on you and give you a suite.

[Cotton]

Our room is not a garuanteed room. Any idea when we will find out where our room is?QUOTE]

 

Hi 'newbie'. I know things are confusing after booking a first cruise, but keep asking your questions.

 

About the above: ... Cabins are either 'assigned' or 'guaranteed'.

 

Assigned cabin is one that you choose yourself - the specific cabin you want. If you have an assigned cabin, you KNOW your cabin number from the date of booking. This will not change.

 

Guaranteed cabin is one that you don't know the exact cabin number or which deck - until you board the ship and get your S&S card. (When choosing this option, you are eligible for an upgrade if there is one available.) The only sure thing about a guaranteed cabin is that you'll get the 'category' you selected - or better.

 

Hope this helps, and I hope you have a wonderful cruise!:)

[txflood3]

Thank you for clearing up my poor use of the cruising terminology...lol

 

 

We have a garuanteed room...just don't know what it is yet...and I guess we won't know until we get to the ship

[cjar855]

You may be surprised and get your doc's early. I got mine last week ,and that was 5 weeks out. I was really suprised to get them that early.

[jleq]

I am sailing on the Conquest, leaving from New Orleans, LA on 10/31. .

 

Hope you have many happy years of "wedded bliss".

[Keith B.]

I can not stress strongly enough the advantage to having ALL your paperwork filled out (luggage tags, Embarkation Forms, etc) completed before arriving at the ship.

Also having all documents (tickets, Emarkation Forms, passports/birth certificates, credit cards, etc.) in one place for check-in.

You would be amazed at the number of people looking for pens, fumbling through purses and wallets looking for required "stuff" for check-in.

I gather up my stuff and take my wifes passport, driver's license, birth certificate, credit card(s) at the hotel. (Yeah, even though I have Passports I still take birth certs. and marriage certs. and No, I don't need her credit cards but if mine get rejected for any reason I'm prepared.

After we get on the ship I give my wife back her stuff.