Autism Awareness Cruise on the Carnival Magic

Our group is called Blue Skyes over Autism and we have a group cruise every April for Autism Awareness Month. This was our first year traveling with the combination of Carnival and Autism Adventure Travel. We were headed to Key West, Freeport and Nassau with 19 families living with Autism onboard the Carnival Magic.

Even though a travel agency dubbed Royal Carribean “Autism Friendly”, I have to say that Carnival did a wonderful job helping us get onboard. Actually the best ever for s. Carnival had security great each and every family and walk us and AAT staff through the embarkment process. Our families were provided with ship phones that helped us communicate on the ship. We had a conference room booked for the entire cruise.

AAT got us all loaded on to trolleys in Key West for a free tour. One of our families had an issue with medicine that was missing from their luggage and Carnival offered to pay for it and AAT walked the family to the nearest CVS in Key West, paid for the medicine and got reimbursed from Carnival. Those of us who accompanied the families and AAT joined in lunch at 5 guys Hamburgers sponsored by BSoA. Support and friendship at its finest.

We visited with families from the Hampton Academy in Freeport and AAT and Carnival did a tremendous job of getting our donations and families on the buses. We were greeted at the Grand Lucayan Hotel by a local TV station news crew. We joined the Hampton families in the pool and at the beach after lunch and our presentation to them.

When we got to Nassau, we did a group excursion to the Atlantis WaterPark where the kids had the time of their lives. AAT went with us to make sure that we were safe and cared for. It was a no man left behind effort to get us to and from Atlantis.

The passengers on the ship were so friendly and helpful toward us. We were all so impressed with the outpouring of love and respect bestowed upon us.

Besides the traditional things special needs providers do, AAT planned and helped us with the 3 group excursions and an actual wedding with the Captain performing the ceremony. Everything was flawless and beautiful. The applause and cheers rained downed from 3 decks as the wedding concluded.

We had our first at sea Autism Fathers Support Group meeting. AAT coordinated 2 group pictures. AAT bent over backwards in every way shape and form to take care of our children.

By all means, Autism families are in good hands with Carnival and Autism Adventure Travel. Carnival is a very good option if you decide to cruise with an Autistic child and the Magic has enough activities (WaterPark and such) to keep the kids busy.

This page has links to videos from the cruise, the TV interview and our presentation to the families from Hampton Academy.

The time of our lives on the FUN Ship

Sounds amazing!

It was amazing. It was really special to share this with a company run by a mom of an autistic child. Parents of special needs children should support one of their own.

My family took a cruise with Carnival in March 2015. Our son has Autism, and doesn't deal well with large crowds, lots of noise or chaos or long waits. Because of sensory processing disorder, I also don't deal well with large crowds, chaos or noise, but have learned MANY coping mechanisms. We contacted Carnival less than a week before our departure date. Sailing was set for Sunday morning and I didn't think to contact them until the Wednesday prior to that, so really just 4 days prior to sailing. They were WONDERFUL.

I had sent an e-mail asking about any accommodations that might be available to us. The very next morning a gentleman called to discuss this with me. He suggested things I never would have dreamed would be offered. We got priority check in and boarding, so no lines at check in and a small, uncrowded waiting area. He and I were allowed to stay in our room for a private muster drill (I took him later to the area where he would have to go in case of a real emergency). We were offered a private corner table, or by a window, or where ever we thought he would do best in the dining room. And he was offered the opportunity to change which children's activity area he went to, depending on where he would feel more comfortable even he wasn't in that actual age group.

Our steward, and a couple of the ship's officers, came by our room or stopped us in the corridors to ask if he (calling my son by name) or myself needed anything.

I have been told that RC has the certification from Autism on the Sea, but based on the responses I have received from them so far, in regards to a cruise we are taking later this year, I don't feel that the certification is deserved at all. Carnival deserves every certification that is available for their response to our special needs kiddo and we will definitely be cruising with them again.

BTW, how would someone go about finding out about Autism group cruises? That sounds like a wonderful way to meet other families and exchange ideas.

BTW, how would someone go about finding out about Autism group cruises? That sounds like a wonderful way to meet other families and exchange ideas.

Glad to hear that your Carnival cruise went so well!

The best way to find out about group cruises is to contact each of the agencies that organizes them. I encourage you to call both (the OP mentions the name of the one they used), since each has different group sail dates.

Depending on your schedule, as you're in Alabama, it wouldn't be too far for you to drive to Galveston and join Texas4808 on the next Blue Skyes cruise. :)

Blue Skyes over Autism is proud to announce the date for the 2016 Cruise. We will be departing on April 10th, 2016 on a week long cruise headed to Cozumel Mexico, Roatan Honduras and Belize City, Belize.

 

We are budgeted for our largest number of families (30) on what will be the largest cruise ship to sail from Galveston. We are sailing on a Royal Caribbean Freedom Class vessel, the Liberty of the Seas.

Despite being a RC cruise rather than Carnival, being in the group with additional, agency-provided staff means you're much more likely to be taken care of well. Also, the ship itself is pretty darn awesome, from what I've read. :)

My family took a cruise with Carnival in March 2015. Our son has Autism, and doesn't deal well with large crowds, lots of noise or chaos or long waits. Because of sensory processing disorder, I also don't deal well with large crowds, chaos or noise, but have learned MANY coping mechanisms. We contacted Carnival less than a week before our departure date. Sailing was set for Sunday morning and I didn't think to contact them until the Wednesday prior to that, so really just 4 days prior to sailing. They were WONDERFUL.

 

I had sent an e-mail asking about any accommodations that might be available to us. The very next morning a gentleman called to discuss this with me. He suggested things I never would have dreamed would be offered. We got priority check in and boarding, so no lines at check in and a small, uncrowded waiting area. He and I were allowed to stay in our room for a private muster drill (I took him later to the area where he would have to go in case of a real emergency). We were offered a private corner table, or by a window, or where ever we thought he would do best in the dining room. And he was offered the opportunity to change which children's activity area he went to, depending on where he would feel more comfortable even he wasn't in that actual age group.

 

Our steward, and a couple of the ship's officers, came by our room or stopped us in the corridors to ask if he (calling my son by name) or myself needed anything.

 

I have been told that RC has the certification from Autism on the Sea, but based on the responses I have received from them so far, in regards to a cruise we are taking later this year, I don't feel that the certification is deserved at all. Carnival deserves every certification that is available for their response to our special needs kiddo and we will definitely be cruising with them again.

RC is great and so is Carnival when it comes to accommodating families living with Autism. I'm glad your cruise went well. Bravo Carnival!!

The award that RC got would mean something if it came from an agency far more credentialed and with nothing to gain from aligning itself with the cruise line. It's a tactic to draw families like ours to the agency and that cruise line. It's actually unfair to Carnival as they do just as good a job with our kids.

Glad to hear that your Carnival cruise went so well!

 

The best way to find out about group cruises is to contact each of the agencies that organizes them. I encourage you to call both (the OP mentions the name of the one they used), since each has different group sail dates.

 

Depending on your schedule, as you're in Alabama, it wouldn't be too far for you to drive to Galveston and join Texas4808 on the next Blue Skyes cruise. :)

 

Despite being a RC cruise rather than Carnival, being in the group with additional, agency-provided staff means you're much more likely to be taken care of well. Also, the ship itself is pretty darn awesome, from what I've read. :)

We would be happy to have them join us. There is a slight mark-up over the RC Cabin fare ($30 per person) that AAT charges for bringing their excellent staff. BSoA would be happy to pay that for any documented families living with Autism that join us. We'd be willing to give each family member a BSoA t-shirt and allow you to join us free of charge when we visit an Autism School in one of the ports. We would welcome you with open arms.

Glad to hear that your Carnival cruise went so well!

 

The best way to find out about group cruises is to contact each of the agencies that organizes them. I encourage you to call both (the OP mentions the name of the one they used), since each has different group sail dates.

 

Depending on your schedule, as you're in Alabama, it wouldn't be too far for you to drive to Galveston and join Texas4808 on the next Blue Skyes cruise. :)

 

Despite being a RC cruise rather than Carnival, being in the group with additional, agency-provided staff means you're much more likely to be taken care of well. Also, the ship itself is pretty darn awesome, from what I've read. :)

Thank you for the kinds words.

Thank you for the kinds words.

Hey, Tex. I see that you went on the Jewel just a few weeks after we did. From an autism-family perspective, what thoughts do you have about the Jewel?

I liked the ship itself and they treated us well. We received priority boarding too.

I think for an individual family that isn't going to drop their kid off with the ship's staff, they are ok. They exempted us from the Muster drill so that was nice. It was a no frills Autism cruise for us, but we are ok with that. We use the special needs agencies when we travel with our group because there are some who wouldn't be able to travel without the extra non-cruise line help.

I don't think NCL or Princess would be good at handling a large group of Autism families.

We are cruising on Carnival Freedom on my birthday in January in a wrap-a-round balcony cabin. Kinda excited about that cruise.

We personally didn't like the Jewel. Ship itself is fine, but camp was not as accommodating as we were expecting. A more specific and weird explanation is in my review thread - the one I never got around to finishing. :)