AlmostToTheFun

Tell him he won't get lobster on the 5 day!

Really? We got lobster on our last 5 day! He doesn't eat lobster but I do! Decision is made.

Maybe Norwegian if kids sail free or MSC would be cheaper and better. :)

I looked at MSC. But quit looking because I read the ship that comes to US can only have 4 people per room. How often does Norwegian have kids sail free? When is the best time to look?

I did a search on Carnival's web site, but couldn't find a 5-day on the Ecstasy in November. Where did you find it? Are you sure that's the right ship?

The one I an looking at starts the weekend after thanksgiving and is out of the SC port. Saw on carnival website.

Also we are looking at Ecstasy or Sunshine because we can drive to the Charleston SC port easily. We could make Jacksonville work but might as well do the Esctasy from SC because Elation and Esctasy are so similar from what we can see with similar itineraries .

No, paying for the extra wont make or break us. We have enough saved to completely pay for the 5 day cruise with gratuities. Hopefully we would be able to finish paying for the 7 day by June, if not definitely before its due in August.

I think Sunshine it will be, because it is what I really want. DH isn't completely on board. He is afraid 7 days is too long. Our last (and only) cruise was 5 days and had poor weather the last 2 days (due to a tropical storm we were following) and our middle child refused to go to camp besides 1 hour the first day. He will be 5 (was 3 when we were on fantasy) this time and in preschool/been in daycare since this summer. But I think with our second port being cancelled and it raining the whole time the last sea day, DH is nervous that it will happen again. The first couple days of the last cruise was great though so he knows there is potential.

So me and DH are going back and forth on our next cruise. It will be in November with our 3 kids who will be 3,5 and 7. The 2 options we are down to are

1. Carnival Esctasy, 5 days to Half Moon Cay and Nassau.

2. Carnival Sunshine, 7 days to Amber Cove, Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay.

I really, really want the second. But it will be almost twice the price. I need someone to tell me its worth it. I want the Sunshine because I think I will enjoy all destinations more. (We did Nassau last year on Fantasy and I didn't leave feeling like I had to go back, but I did enjoy it. And our Freeport was unfortunately cancelled because Fog). It will be right between quarters at ODD school so it wont effect her first quarter and she will have plenty of time to catch up the second. The ship has more to do and places to eat. A better splash area for the kids. And it just seems more exciting.

So someone please tell me that I should go with the second option :). Or if you think that its not worth it you can tell me that too. DH doesnt think we should spend that much but I know I can talk him into it without too much resistance.

You could let him go to camp but check in with him frequently and take him yourself. Like every hour and a half. I went on a cruise in May with my 2 (unpotty trained) and 3 year old (potty trained but needed a little help) and that is what I did. But more so because I wasn't comfortable with someone I didn't know changing/helping them. They also called me a few times in between when they needed me.

I know i am late but I was on that sailing. I just read that review and that person is clearly a drama queen I would say. We missed the port because of FOG and trust me went to the balcony behind the lido deck for breakfast that morning and I am not exagerating when I say I could not see even 4 foot in front of me. And we drove slow because we had an extra day so we had to make up for the extra time. Oh and the $11 wasnt them making anything up to us it was the port fees for freeport being refuned.

Also there was no fire. Someone was smoking in their room and activated a smoke detector. I know this because my MIL was down that hall and she said all the fire men were right there in her hall and they were talking to a lady about it. But it was scary that all the doors closed and we stopped because I was not around my MIL until afterward. Me and my hubs were eyeballing life vests.

But I will be honest this was my first cruise and it did kinda suck. The weather was okay through the time we got to nassau. As we were pulling out of Nassau it had just started to rain and from that point on it was gloomy, windy and then missed out port because of fog. And the ship was rocky but you could see by looking at the TV in our room that we were right by storms so understandable.

But as for everything I would say it met my expectation it was literately the cheapest cruise in my time frame and I didn't want to spend a fortune on my first one for someone to end up sea sick and miserable.(we didnt yay)

But the reason I came across this is because I am looking to book my next one so it didn't turn me off to cruising. I really feel the issues that we had were not related to Carnival in any way but rather an unfortunate circumstances.

Thanks for the review we will be on the fantasy in 89 days. Can't wait to hear more.

Hello all, Me and my DF and our 3 kids ages 2,3 and 5 will be stopping in freeport during our cruise in May. We originally wanted to stay within walking distance of the port but have realized that wont really be an option in freeport.

We are looking at the lucayan resort for a day pass. I see we can catch a taxi there for $5 per person, does this sound right?

Also, is it hard to find a taxi to get back to port? I have found alot of info online about getting there, not so much on getting back. What have been your experience with this?

Also has anyone been to the Grand Lucayan Resort for a daypass with small kids? How is it, are there any kids activities they can do there or is there somewhere else you recommend with kids?

Thank you.

Thank you for your responses, we are doing anytime dining, early dining was open when we booked and I was just looking and appears to be closed now :( but its okay, I am sure we will figure it out. I guess we will see how they do on the first day and go from there. They are a little older now so maybe we should revisit restaurants in general and take them to a few before hand and practice.

When we sail I will have a just turned 2, 3.5 and 5.5 year old. I am worried they will not behave in the MDR. I see that they can do dinner with Camp carnival, has anyone done this. Did it work out well? I am considering taking them to the lido deck myself (with dad of course) and feeding them our selves and then dropping them off at camp when we go to dinner, just so I can avoid any issues that I may have.

Also the first night I may try the MDR with the kiddos and test the water, but I am almost afraid to. We rarely eat out anymore because since we have had our 3rd its to hard to monitor their behavior since they out number us lol, and I try very hard to not let our children effect others. If we do its a buffet so that there is no wait from sit down until food arrives. That is where our issue is, keeping them entertained until the food comes up.

They are perfect any other time we are in public, I can take them all 3 to the grocery store alone without issue but when it comes to the restaurants I just know it is just not their strong suit. So any opinions on this?

I have never been but am planning on going in 99 days!

But there is a free beach called Junkanoo Beach that is about a 15 minute walk from the port, basically you just turn right and follow it down until you get there. There are maps if you google it that will show you from an ariel view where it is at.

Thank you for asking this question, I plan to make a trip there too during our cruise. I want to take the Jitney for cost purposes, It will be me, DH our 3 children 2,3 &5 and possibly my MIL and FIL.