Bonnie J.

Once on NCL's Majesty- a small 1200 passenger ship- a bunch of us met before dinner each night at the piano bar for a drink. Then on the last night we decided to have dinner together. I went to the Maitre'd and said there would be 10 of us. The hostess came and got us when they had our table.

12 of us chartered our own sunset snorkeling trip in Aruba. Also been to a gift giving one.

But for the most of the time they are boring, you don't get to know anyone- especially when it is a 'lets go see everyone's cabin". Most of the time now I don't go, my husband never goes.

I have to ask what 'young 20's ' is. How old are you? Most cruise lines do not allow anyone under 25 to cruise unless they are cruising with someone 26 or older. Unless you are under 25 and married.

The Caribbean isn't exactly exotic but also think the Med.

But do see a travel agent. We have friends who actually stopped in Iceland on their cruise!

A travel agent has all the info on different places you can cruise to.

My husband had a heart condition and we had a cruise booked. His cardiologist hand wrote a letter to the cruise line. The cruise was leaving in just a few days and we didn't have time for him to dictate a letter and have his secretary type it so he wrote it. (We did get a typed copy in the mail later.) His letter said it would be medically unwise for my husband to travel at that time.

Don't remember how but we got a fax number for Carnival and we faxed his letter. We didn't get any money back but Carnival let us use the money we paid to book any other cruise which is what we did. Maybe this would work for you?

My husband also had a complete knee replacement surgery July 12th. He is walking but his knee is still sore . He had ice on it for 2 months and still elevates it sitting in his recliner. He should be fine by our next cruise, November 4th!

Once we were on a cruise with deaf passengers. They were a group who must have booked together through an agency for the deaf. During the shows they all had the 1st two rows of seats in the theater on the starboard side. There was an interpreter standing with her back against the stage. She signed everything that was said or sung on the stage. It was a happy thing to see.

Night life on Carnival doesn't end early at all. The disco opens at 10 and at 11 ALL under 18 are MADE to leave. Security stands at the door, doesn't let anyone under 18 enter. If there are a lot of people there, they won't close it. Once we went TO the disco on a ship at 2AM and it was full! (and now we're old so don't go that late anymore!)

There will be more younger people on a 5 day because it doesn't cost as much as a 7 day.But the 7 day will be lively also.

You can get on as soon as the ship is open for new passengers, not before. All the old passengers must be off, by 10am, and then for some reason there is a wait. The Coast Guard also inspects the ship which most people don't know. 11:30 is usually the earliest anyone can get on. You wait in the terminal until boarding starts. Weddings are 1st, then handicapped, then priority. (We are cruising for our 82nd Carnival cruise in November, we're cruise-a-holics!)

I know about Carnival rules but not sure of other cruise lines. Water & soda MUST be in cans. You can't take anything that is not in a can, except for wine bottles. With those they check to see the label is till on, bottle completely sealed.

You don't need to bring water on the ship. The ship's water, especially in the buffet, is fine. Our son, who travels a lot told us he makes his morning coffee with his melted ice. I use this water to fill my thermos so you can drink it too.

Try Walmart, Staples or do what we do. Just staple them on, staples in a few places on the tags. Been on over 100 cruises since 1985, never lost one!

As was said, a cabin as low as you can go and in the very middle of the ship. Think of a metronome. The top goes back and forth fast and the base hardly moves. It is the same way on a ship.

We were booked for a 7 day cruise on the Ecstasy out of Charleston when Hurricane Mathew was around. The port of Charleston was closed. The 5 day cruise the week before ours became a 7 or 8 day cruise as they couldn't get into Charleston.

Everyone on our cruise was emailed. They could cancel with no penalty or go on the cruise. Our 7 day became a 5 day, the only port was an over night in Nassau.

We chose to cancel and of the 2100 passengers only 800 stayed on the cruise.

(We used our fare to pay for our New Year's cruise!)

Carnival may make the same offer for all their ships sailing from Miami or Fort Lauderdale or Charleston.

Just saw this answer is 500+++ WOW. Time to put it to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have no problem with a couple who quietly hold hands, close their eyes and bow their heads and again very quietly say grace or a blessing. We've never has been asked to join them, they just do it themselves.

I had a small 6 pack cooler that was a free logo gift from Carnival. It said Carnival all over it. For some reason never had the gift exchange so I still have it, wrapped, on a closet shelf. But we each get the same free logo gift (2) each Carnival cruise. Once they gave out fantastic beach bags. We all ready had two so we gave the two we got to the two couples we ate with at dinner each night. (It was a table for 6.) Did same with small back backs.

Once we had 22 Carnival picture frames. This was before I found out I can go to guest services and exchange them. Family got them with our pictures and I would take a few on a cruise. I would make sure a honeymooning couple would get one.

For some reason I seldom go to M&Gs. usually time gets away from me, forget about them.

You have to take a boat to get to Sting Ray City and they will hand out snorkels and masks but not flippers. You stand in maybe shoulder high water so there is no need for flippers and they don't want you to step on a ray with a flipper! Take an underwater throw a way camera to take pictures. They will take pictures of crew holding a big ray over your head but think they charge $25 for a copy so have someone else take your picture when they do this.

You will be given squid to feed the rays. Their mouth is in the middle of their underside and they have no teeth. They just suck the squid into their mouth!

Also check out Capt. Marvin on Google. I highly recommend his tours to Sting Ray City. He has been leading these tours for many years and is fantastic. Often they will take you to two other snorkeling sites, not just to the rays. And, he is a lot less $$$$ than the ship's tour!

Carnival now has life vests, kid and adult size on their ships. They are yellow and I have seen kids wearing them in the pool. I have seen them on 3 Carnival ships so assume they have them on all ships now. They are hung by the pools. You just go take one, don't sign them out.

I am sure an around the kid's waist ring is OK.

You contact the state's county you were born in. You should get the phone number for the county office. You should be able to find this on Google. Then call them and ask for the clerk.

If you live in the area go there- with some cash for a copy of your birth certificate.There is a cost but I don't know how much or if they take credit cards.They will send you a certified copy that you can use to get on a ship.

I did this when my birth certificate burned up in a fire where it was being stored. If you get a passport you must send this in, then it is returned with your passport.

We both have our 2nd passports. They are good for 10 years so divide the cost by 10 and you'll see they're not that expensive on a yearly basis! (We cruise a LOT!)

Why should they? They climb up usually a rope ladder to get on the ship and go directly to the bridge. They seldom, if ever see a passenger. Leaving the port, I have seen them jump back onto the pilot boat- have a picture of one in mid air before he hit the pilot boat deck!

A pilot will not be on board in any emergency. He gets on, takes the ship to the pier and gets off. Leaving he takes the ship out and gets off. If the sea is too rough, the ship will not stop at a port, no pilot will be on board!

Any liquid brought on the ship MUST be in a can. Carnival does not allow anything in bottles. People used to try to smuggle alcohol on board in bottles. Can are closed and can't be refilled. When I bring a bottle of wine on board they check the top to make sure it is factory sealed. And, take it on with your carry-on, don't check it. I think you can also buy it in ports but check this before you get off.

A shipmate wearing camouflage shorts was told by crew when he was getting off the ship in Barbados to go change them. He was told gangs wear them and catch the eye of all the police. They would stop him and question him. He did go change them.

I didn't know about the other countries but we don't own anything camouflage, not hunters.

If you are taken back to the port after snorkeling, you can get a cab, bus, ride into town. You pay round trip and its about a 20 minute ride.

The beaches in Freeport, Luyca, are right across the street from all the shopping. This is where you are taken ,the only stop. There are hotels here but the beaches are free. The shops are on the left, the beach is on the right.

Walk past the shops, stay left, and you will find cabs, small buses that all go directly back to the port. This is just past the shops. They will accept your round trip 'ticket' to take you back to the port.

Don't forget Royal Caribbean (RCCL). They have a great children's program and the newer ships have a kid's water park you can't believe. There are shallow hot tubs and pools with falling water and it is huge!

The also have the Flown Rider ( surfing on land) which is fun to watch if you don't do it. The climbing wall is also fun to watch.

Check out RCCL!

(Holland America is known for a lot of older passengers, Celebrity doesn't have many kids at all.)

I know Carnival and some other cruise lines have the deck steward place a sticker on

chaises /chairs were there is a towel, etc. and no one sitting there. On Carnival the sticker says the time and the time, 40 minutes later, when everything on the chaise/chair will be removed. Anyone else can then take the chaise/chair.

Everything is taken to the towel station, where you get towels on the deck, to get your stuff back.

I think it was NCL where a deck steward saw a couple looking for a chaise. He had them come with him and when he saw chaises with a sticker, he took it off along with towels and gave them the chaises.

We have always found chaises- me in the sun, my husband in the shade. We couldn't care less about being by the pool and if you look, you'll find area with chaises that aren't all taken. This includes the covered deck outside of the atrium along the side of the ship.

Oh, on Carnival each passenger is responsible for their towel. If it is not left in cabin or turned back in, you are charged the cost of the towel!

The best place to avoid seasickness is in the middle of the ship as far down as you can go, lowest possible deck. This is where you'll feel the less movement of the ship.

Think of a metronome. The tops flys back and forth, the bottom hardly moves.

Before your next cruise go to the Roll Call here. You go to your cruise line then the ship then the date of your cruise. People who are on your cruise email each other and sometimes arrange tours together. There is often a Meet & Greet planned the 1st day so everyone can meet each other. Once 12 of us from our Roll Call chartered our own sunset snorkeling cruise in Aruba. We were the only ones on this tour! We took a cab tour in Nassau with another couple from our Roll Call too.You can ask each other questions too.

We have seen a crew member taking a passenger in a wheel chair off the ship. Ask for this before hand at guest services.. Once someone from guest services met us on the ship as we waited to get off. (my husband needed the wheel chair because of a bad knee.).Usually anyone in a wheel chair does not have to wait and are taking around the lines to the beginning of lines or is in the 1st group off.

Ask about this when you get on.

Everything in the dining room is always with a menu. The waiter takes your order and serves it to you.

The 2nd night is always 'cruise elegant night'. This is when the captain and ship's officers will meet with the passenger before dinner, usually in the atrium. Take your camera and the cruise director will take your picture with the captain. This is over just before 8pm- time will be in the Fun Times.

This is also the night they have free lobster in the dining room.. Don't hesitate to order more then one lobster or lobster and prime rib! They will usually have the prime rib again on a later night.

This used to be a real formal night but it no longer is. I have seen jeans and even shorts in the dining room on this night. So, go even if you don't have formal wear or a suit.