All things Inspiration! Comments here, please?

[valancy1]

Our family will be cruising Inspiration in November. I would love to learn more about this ship and cruising out of Tampa.

 

I hope people will enter their experiences as well as what they did in Tampa and where the port really IS (I would like to locate it on a map), and anything helpful about cruising on Inspiration.

• Where is the port located in Tampa?
  
• Does anyone have a good recommendation on how to get from the airport to the port area?
  
• Dinner recommendations in Ybor City?
  
• Must-do things on Inspiration?
  
• What you liked to do in port?
  
• How was the cruise director, room steward, etc?
  

There was a large thread on Liberty and Destiny in times past... looking forward to a good discussion here on all things Inspiration!

 

Thanks!

[lazydayz]

• Where is the port located in Tampa? In downtown; Mapquest the Tampa Aquarium and you would be very close. Channelside, a fun restaurant/bar/shopping area is right in front of the Carnival dock.
  
• Does anyone have a good recommendation on how to get from the airport to the port area? A taxi; not too expensive and I think it is a set price.
  
• Dinner recommendations in Ybor City? Bernini's, if it is still there. Columbia is always a solid choice. But Channelside has excellent restaurants. Both Channelside and Ybor are convenient to the downtown hotels. Hop on the Trolley from downtown to Ybor.
  
• Must-do things on Inspiration? Watch the ship approach and sail under the Sunshine Skyway (no matter what ship you are on, this is always fun). Try out the new Water Works and adult serenity areas. Enjoy dinner in the dining room - the waiters are top-notch.
  
• What you liked to do in port? I live here so that one is hard for me, but a few of my favorites - visit the Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo, Busch Gardens; make the short trek to Clearwater Beach; shop at International Plaza or Westshore Mall. Enjoy some cuban food.
  
• How was the cruise director, room steward, etc? On our last cruise, it was Jen and I think she is still there. Not my favorite but a pleasant person. Loved our room steward, waiters, etc. Service is excellent on the Inspiration.
  

[falkcor]

There was a large thread on Liberty and Destiny in times past...

 

wish i could help ya out on this one :D

 

bon voyage! :cool:

[valancy1]

wish i could help ya out on this one :D

 

bon voyage! :cool:

 

Hey Falkcor... where/which ship are you cruising next? I will be watching for your review!

[sun prairie cruisers]

Please read htis review my wife wrote. The Inspiration wa sour 1st cruise and what a way to start. We are going on the Valor October 25th. Have a great time.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=42459

[falkcor]

Hey Falkcor... where/which ship are you cruising next? I will be watching for your review!

 

assuming everything works out as planned - carnival valor 9/27 (the 1 yr anniversary from my destiny cruise!!!) to grand cayman, belize, isla roatan and cozumel! still trying to get family booked, so we'll see...

 

and then glory out of NYC (!!!) next year after my high school reuninon. thought that was a grand idea.

 

i guarantee you, both reviews (they will be forthcoming), will dwarf my previous destiny review. :D

[WAcruisers]

Our family will be cruising Inspiration in November. I would love to learn more about this ship and cruising out of Tampa.

 

I hope people will enter their experiences as well as what they did in Tampa and where the port really IS (I would like to locate it on a map), and anything helpful about cruising on Inspiration.

• Where is the port located in Tampa?
  
• Does anyone have a good recommendation on how to get from the airport to the port area?
  
• Dinner recommendations in Ybor City?
  
• Must-do things on Inspiration?
  
• What you liked to do in port?
  
• How was the cruise director, room steward, etc?
  

There was a large thread on Liberty and Destiny in times past... looking forward to a good discussion here on all things Inspiration!

 

Thanks!

Just got off of her on Saturday! Take a taxi, set price is $25.00. Cant help you with dinner. We stayed at Embassy Suites free drinks for two hours and free breakfast. Order pizza for dinner (way to tired to go anywhere). Spent time on the Serenity deck. Sun was real hot and so was the hot tubs. We had Linden for server and the Room steward was Andrew wonderful service in both areas. We went to the shows some was corny and some were great. In Cozumel we went to a private beach with pool and all you can eat and drink. Grand Cayman we went to sting ray city and snorkeling the reef with Moby Dick tours. Both were wonderful.

[WAcruisers]

wish i could help ya out on this one :D

 

bon voyage! :cool:

Not to hijack but Falkcor I am trying to write a review and insert pictures. I cant find your instructions that you posted before on how to do it. Could you help me? I am computer stupid so be kind please:D

[falkcor]

Grand Cayman we went to sting ray city and snorkeling the reef with Moby Dick tours. Both were wonderful.

 

i loved our tour of stingray city with moby dick. highly recommended! :D

[cruiselover 43]

great job on the inspiration review - we sail on her next week!!

[yogimax]

Taxis are the way to go. Inspiration has the strangest decor in the buffet.

[falkcor]

Not to hijack but Falkcor I am trying to write a review and insert pictures. I cant find your instructions that you posted before on how to do it. Could you help me? I am computer stupid so be kind please:D

 

debra - hope you don't mind :)

 

but i think this is in the spirit of what we've both tried to do - so don't think you will :D

 

wacruisers - i first recommend you find a third party host site to upload your pictures to... i use photobucket.com. others use webshots.com, imageshack.com, kodak.com, etc. that's a matter of preference. you upload your photos to that site, often via an 'add album' function... and you upload your photos there. that lets you share your photos with others, via direct links, embed html, all of that.

 

what you should be most interested in is 'direct link' - that will let you give a url to people, they can type into any browser, to view your picture.

 

here on cc, you should start your message, then click on the 'insert image' button, shown here:

 

 

 

input the url of your picture, and it will load right in the screen you're typing to. the button looks like a sun (circle) rising over mountains (triangles) and is right of the email link, and left of the wrap quotes buttons (shown right and left). most people (posting and reading), prefer this way...

 

that's how you get the 'big pictures' inserted into your post. you can always click the paperclip icon, which will 'attach' your photos where you hit the button, but they are always small. most people don't want to do that.

 

i'm gonna write a thread about this someday soon, just for reference. hope that helps. if you need any further assistance, click on my name in my signature - it'll email me - i'd be glad to help you. :D

[valancy1]

I'm not Falkcor, but we DO hang around Destiny threads together (LOL)...

 

Here's how you do the pictures:

 

Open an account on Photobucket.

Follow the directions on the site to UPLOAD photos (very simple--you point to your "My Pictures" (or similar) folder and choose your pictures to upload)

After they upload, you just have to hover your mouse over a picture that's been uploaded and you'll see a little window popup beneath the picture with different codes. The bottom one is IMG CODE. Click on it and copy it (RIGHT CLICK and choose COPY).

 

Then come here and come into the window where you type responses and press CONTROL-V or RIGHT CLICK + PASTE and your picture will appear when you submit your post.

 

HTH,

[falkcor]

I'm not Falkcor, but we DO hang around Destiny threads together (LOL)...

 

we do! and i knew you wouldn't mind ;)

[valancy1]

assuming everything works out as planned - carnival valor 9/27 (the 1 yr anniversary from my destiny cruise!!!) to grand cayman, belize, isla roatan and cozumel! still trying to get family booked, so we'll see...

 

and then glory out of NYC (!!!) next year after my high school reuninon. thought that was a grand idea.

 

i guarantee you, both reviews (they will be forthcoming), will dwarf my previous destiny review. :D

 

This is the same one I *really* wanted to take but couldn't afford for 4 people. We had to settle (and happily as I get to take a cruise period!) for the 5-day Inspiration. I can't wait to hear about Roatan.

 

I hope more will write about Inspiration so we can get excited. I need to go read the review and hopefully find photos of the buffet area now. :D

[falkcor]

This is the same one I *really* wanted to take but couldn't afford for 4 people. We had to settle (and happily as I get to take a cruise period!) for the 5-day Inspiration. I can't wait to hear about Roatan.

 

I hope more will write about Inspiration so we can get excited. I need to go read the review and hopefully find photos of the buffet area now. :D

 

i'll do my very best to fill you in, but i haven't barely started planning excursions, till i tie up a few loose ends. though i've researched the hell out of it :)

 

i hope you get a lot of replies - because i know you'll share so much when you get back - to everybody that can, help a sister out :)

 

she'll get 'ya back, i know it :D

[*love2travel*]

i loved our tour of stingray city with moby dick. highly recommended! :D

 

We are doing Moby Dick because of your great review and pictures!!:D

[*love2travel*]

Taxis are the way to go. Inspiration has the strangest decor in the buffet.

 

Strange is such a nice way to put it.:D

[falkcor]

We are doing Moby Dick because of your great review and pictures!!:D

 

AWESOME! i'm really staggered when people tell me that they're doing something because of my review / insight / pics, etc. - and it's happened more often than i EVER would have thought, but all with good results it seems! :knocks on wood: but i wouldn't try to steer you wrong! you're gonna have a blast.

 

let us know how it turns out :D

 

enjoy your vacation, and bon voyage :cool:

[*love2travel*]

Our family will be cruising Inspiration in November. I would love to learn more about this ship and cruising out of Tampa.

 

 

 

I hope people will enter their experiences as well as what they did in Tampa and where the port really IS (I would like to locate it on a map), and anything helpful about cruising on Inspiration.

• Where is the port located in Tampa?
  
• Does anyone have a good recommendation on how to get from the airport to the port area?
  
• Dinner recommendations in Ybor City?
  
• The Columbia is a must do.
  
• Must-do things on Inspiration?
  
• Going under the Skyway is awesome. We really loved everything about the ship. Make sure you pick up a map of the ship from the pursers desk. It helps to get around.
  
• What you liked to do in port?
  
• Our first time in Cozumel we did the Amazing Race. In Sept we are doing the Cozumel Bar Hop. We are doing Stingray City in Grand Cayman.
  
• How was the cruise director, room steward, etc?
  
• The employees on board are top notch. We had no complaints what so ever.
  
• There was a large thread on Liberty and Destiny in times past... looking forward to a good discussion here on all things Inspiration!
  

Thanks!

 

You will have a great time..:)

[*love2travel*]

AWESOME! i'm really staggered when people tell me that they're doing something because of my review / insight / pics, etc. - and it's happened more often than i EVER would have thought, but all with good results it seems! :knocks on wood: but i wouldn't try to steer you wrong! you're gonna have a blast.

 

let us know how it turns out :D

 

enjoy your vacation, and bon voyage :cool:

 

Thanks Mark. We are very excited only 62 more days.

[falkcor]

Thanks Mark. We are very excited only 62 more days.

 

you're so very welcome. it'll go by in a flash. just remember that. :D

 

and now, anybody that has recently sailed on inspiration, please post some useful info for debra :)

[WAcruisers]

you're so very welcome. it'll go by in a flash. just remember that. :D

 

and now, anybody that has recently sailed on inspiration, please post some useful info for debra :)

I just got off the Inspiration on Saturday! I am planning on writing a review this week. I don't know if it will help her, but I will do my best.

Thanks falkcor for the info on pictures.

Oh Debra on the morning we came back into Tampa I was on the Lido having coffee and we went under the bridge about 4am what a sight! Of course I did not have my camera!

[kapeavey]

We sailed the Inspiration last August and are sailing her again 9/12. It ws one of my favorite Carnival experiences. The crew was fantastic and the evolutions of fun upgrade was awesome. Feel free to ask any specific questions if you have any.

 

Host Mach LOVES this ship. I'm surprised he hasn't piped in yet! He has TONS Of pictures too.

 

Enjoy!

[valancy1]

We sailed the Inspiration last August and are sailing her again 9/12. It ws one of my favorite Carnival experiences. The crew was fantastic and the evolutions of fun upgrade was awesome. Feel free to ask any specific questions if you have any.

 

Host Mach LOVES this ship. I'm surprised he hasn't piped in yet! He has TONS Of pictures too.

 

Enjoy!

 

Oh really?! Host Mach, where are you??? Planning your MAGIC trip??

 

Someday I'm going to go one one of those trips, I swear!