Cruise is Booked. What is the next step?

Ok finally bit the bullet and booked the cruise. What is the next step? We are sailing on the Dream on June 29th.

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Plan how to get to cruise, especially if flights are involved.

Plan when to go to embarkation port, ie day of cruise or earlier.

Start looking at the ports you will visit, starting to plan what you will do in each,.

Start making big red Xs on your calendar. :D Depending on how far away it is in the future, I would be looking at flights. If you are flying in the night before, start looking for nearby hotels. Other than that, research the ports you are going to so you can decide what you want to do in each. I usually start with guide books (Frommers and Fodors), then look at what excursions the ship is offering and then narrow it down.

I think we are going to take Amtrak down. This is my husbands 50th birthday present and he won't know until I give it to him tomorrow. Amtrak and driving is about the same time for us. So I know I need to find a hotel for the first night in New Orleans. How do I find out what excursions are offered?

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What an awesome gift! I don't know what line the Dream is, but somewhere in your booking you will see something about planning excursions. Celebrity (our usual line) breaks them down by port. They will give a list of what is offered, length of excursion, how strenuous it is, and the cost.

I think we are going to take Amtrak down. This is my husbands 50th birthday present and he won't know until I give it to him tomorrow. Amtrak and driving is about the same time for us. So I know I need to find a hotel for the first night in New Orleans. How do I find out what excursions are offered?

 

 

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If New Orleans is not on your regular travel list, it's too bad you'll only have one night there.

We love the JW Marriott on Canal. Dinner standards include nearby K-Paul's or NOLA. Further out and great for an anniversary are Commander's Palace (if nothing else, get there cookbook) and Brigtsen's (a unique taste treat). All require advanced reservations. If you've got them, use points for the Marriott. Then sit back and have a Sazerac!

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What an awesome gift! I don't know what line the Dream is, but somewhere in your booking you will see something about planning excursions. Celebrity (our usual line) breaks them down by port. They will give a list of what is offered, length of excursion, how strenuous it is, and the cost.

Carnival Dream

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I think we are going to take Amtrak down. This is my husbands 50th birthday present and he won't know until I give it to him tomorrow. Amtrak and driving is about the same time for us. So I know I need to find a hotel for the first night in New Orleans. How do I find out what excursions are offered?

 

 

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You should be abl eto look at your booking online and there will be a section where you can plan activities and look at excursions (at least that is how it is for Carnival). Even if you don't book excursions now, it is nice to get an idea of what is offered.

When we book our cruise, we always make sure we have transportation arranged, know exactly where we are going to park or how we are going to get to the port. We research each place we will be stopping on the cruise to get a general idea of the "must see" things to do/see if it is a port we have never been to, and to get an idea of things we might want to do.

We love the Quarter House in the French Quarter.

Start looking at excursions. Don't limit yourself to the ones thru the ship. There are wonderful options, often at much better prices and offering better experiences with private companies. They are in the business of dealing with cruise passengers and know how to get you back to the ship on time, so don't worry ; -)

Definitely research your ports....get a guidebook! You can do many things without paying for expensive excursions, if you have some knowledge about where you're going! If you find you need an excursions to do what interests you, then that's fine...but you should have the option!

HI there,

My advice is to do some research on the Carnival Board here. I see you've mostly been posting here in First Time Cruisers, which is fine - but you will get detailed information on the specific board for your ship. I will give you the link below, and also the link to your "Roll Call", which is a group of some of the people who are cruising on your sailing.

Have fun. :)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215 <--click here, Carnival board

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1891767 <--click here, your Roll Call

.

How do I find out what excursions are offered?

 

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The shore excursions will be listed with a brief description of each on the Carnival website for your sailing. It's very easy and convenient to book them online. You might want to involve your husband in the planning of these excursions. In addition to the wonderful information here on Cruise Critic, you will find tons of pictures and videos posted on the internet if you Google the ports of call.

Happy sailing!

Definitely discuss with your husband. For our first cruise ever we went to Alaska. I spent sooooo much time researching whale watching excursions and finally narrowed it down to a particular independent (i.e. non-ship) operator, only to find out that DH was not the least bit interested. Now I do the research and I give options for each place and we decide what best suits our interests, time and budget.

Now I do the research and I give options for each place and we decide what best suits our interests, time and budget.

This works best for us as well. Doing research is part of the enjoyment of planning a cruise.

When I am ready to book I do these three things first:

* Call my PVP and book the cruise....

* Go online to www.insuremytrip.com and buy my trip insurance

* Book my hotel room

Don't need to book airline tickets because I won't fly......:o

I hope you have a wonderful cruise!!!

I think we are going to take Amtrak down. This is my husbands 50th birthday present and he won't know until I give it to him tomorrow. Amtrak and driving is about the same time for us. So I know I need to find a hotel for the first night in New Orleans. How do I find out what excursions are offered?

 

 

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Just keep in mind that Amtrak is notorious for lengthy delays -- can you come in two days ahead just to be sure? The longer your train ride, the greater your chance of significant delays (like, 12 or more hours, sometimes even days!).

Sounds like fun, though! I have long wanted to take Amtrak to a cruise! (or anywhere, really...)

Just keep in mind that Amtrak is notorious for lengthy delays -- can you come in two days ahead just to be sure? The longer your train ride, the greater your chance of significant delays (like, 12 or more hours, sometimes even days!).

 

Sounds like fun, though! I have long wanted to take Amtrak to a cruise! (or anywhere, really...)

About ten years ago we took the Coast Starlight up the west coast to Seattle for our Alaskan cruise. I don't know about your route, but I had researched this particular one and found that much of the time the train fell behind schedule. The expected time to get into Seattle was at 8:40pm, so for a Sunday cruise, we scheduled a Friday night arrival. The trip took 40 hours rather than 36 hours so we're glad we did plan for an extra day to recover.

About ten years ago we took the Coast Starlight up the west coast to Seattle for our Alaskan cruise. I don't know about your route' date=' but I had researched this particular one and found that much of the time the train fell behind schedule. The expected time to get into Seattle was at 8:40pm, so for a Sunday cruise, we scheduled a Friday night arrival. The trip took 40 hours rather than 36 hours so we're glad we did plan for an extra day to recover.[/quote']

 

 

We will be traveling from Birmingham to New Orleans so it is supposed to be around 7 hours. Would take us about 6 to drive it. I think coming in the day before we should be fine. Now my only question is whether to book travel back on the day we disembark or to travel back the next day.

 

 

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Even though I am not sailing on your date we will be sailing the June 8th trip.. I'm so jealous of you going by Amtrak, I will get my train ride one of these days.. We are flying in the day before our trip as going by Amtrak wouldn't work for us but we are staying a extra day to see some of the sites..Look at your times for your return trip home as you have to plan for the ship delays coming into the port then the timing for getting off the ship. I imagine the ship is not always delayed but things happen like what happen a month ago with the oil spill..and most of all take a open mind and a good attitude.. Have a great cruise..;)

Ok finally bit the bullet and booked the cruise.

Obsessively read Cruise Critic. Several times a day.

Obsessively read Cruise Critic. Several times a day.

LOL. Love this answer and am definitely doing that. :)

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I think we are going to take Amtrak down. This is my husbands 50th birthday present and he won't know until I give it to him tomorrow. Amtrak and driving is about the same time for us. So I know I need to find a hotel for the first night in New Orleans. How do I find out what excursions are offered?

What a great 50th present!

My wife is taking me on a Med cruise for my 50th in three weeks.

She couldn't keep it a secret though. :)

Ok finally bit the bullet and booked the cruise. What is the next step? We are sailing on the Dream on June 29th.

 

 

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Now the best part begins.:D

Plan your excursions...join a roll call, book your flights and the list goes on.:) I my opinion the build up to the cruise is almost as good as the cruise itself.

Enjoy.

You may also make sure you have the proper documentation to board the ship. Passports are the best option, but many cruise lines also allow "certified" birth certificates. Check with carnival and see what they require.

I second the recommendation to look into trip insurance . You may decide you don't need it, but then again it might be something you would prefer to have.

I have mailed off passport apps, booked amtrak for trans to and from New Orleans, and booked hotel in New Orleans. Going to buy trip insurance tonight and I've got to plan excursions.

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