mmbrad02

We rented a golf cart and toured around.  For us, that was nice, but also will be a once and done.  There are some beautiful views to be seen, but you will also see a lot of local life as well.  Lots of donkeys!  The beaches are beautiful though.

I personally would at least get off and walk over to the area right off the ship with the shops and such.  and see the ship from that view, it's nice!

We rented from Paradise Carts.  We chose them because we needed two six seaters and when we booked, that was the only company we could find that had that availability for our day.  We didn't have any issues - when we showed up they had a hand written list and both of our parties names were right there.  They found us our two carts and said "this one is low on gas.  You will need to get some".  Thought that was kind of odd, but as a trade out we did not have to have it filled back up when our day was over.  It made me nervous cause we had no idea where the nearest gas station was, but we found it and lucked out that they sold inexpensive (for the area) cold sodas and bottled water.  If there was any issues at all, its that one of our two was fairly low on power.... had to keep the pedal to the floor.  But we just laughed and thought it was funny, etc.  

We were on the Freedom in July and had assigned dining in Posh, so my guess is it's still Chic

We sailed the Freedom this July, and I can confirm that the ship WiFi does not work on the island.  I didn't find any free Wifi on the island but I wasn't looking for it either.  

This may or may not help but here is our experience....

We rented a Golf Cart in July and toured the island.  While I have no regrets, it wasn't quite what I expected (I can't really say what I expected though).  Definitely get a map, we got turned around a lot.  I think I ignorantly anticipated like a race track like loop around the island but it's not... you definitely have to figure out what roads to turn on and such. 

We left the cruise port and immediately had to stop for fuel in our golfcart (we were told this up front and did not have to refuel at the end).  Fuel is $7.50 a gallon but we got two bottles of water and a can of diet coke for $4 which I didn't think was bad for drinks.  We then headed to the lighthouse, paid to enter that area, bought some souvenirs, bought water (it was HOT!), and then bought some carrots from a local in the parking lot to feed some wild donkeys. There are bathrooms inside the paid area here if that is of concern.   Then we left the northern tip and headed back.... we stopped on the roadside from some water pics, but not really a beach accessible area.  We stopped at the local grocery store on the island for more drinks and got to visit up close and personal with the donkeys,  and then stopped to take flamingo pics.  We then went to the Grand Turk sign and took photos, and then stopped at the John Glenn area.  We then made our way to Governors beach for a bit but we were hot, tired, and HUNGRY.  As we were a group of 9 and didn't plan very well on food.  My DH thought about buying a sandwich from a local stand at the beach but it was $15 and we were headed back to the cruise terminal so he opted not to.  The beach was beautiful though.  We returned our golf carts, and re entered the cruise terminal where my DD and I got starbucks drinks and she got a cakepop.  She and my DH headed back to the ship and I did a little shopping before I returned.  Then we all headed to Guy's Burgers 🙂  

We rented golf carts to cruise around/tour the island with.  We don't necessarily want to spend our day in swimsuits under our clothing - but with the beautiful beaches we see in photos, we may want to stop for a while at a beach.  Not positive we would need to change (we may just go in knee deep or just view it from the beach but if we opted to swim, is there any places to change into a swimsuit?

Okay let me back up 🙂 For what it's worth this is our fourth cruise so not total newbies; however, our last cruise was 2014 on Carnival so I have forgotten all of the rules and some of the embarkation processes (the last two were other cruise lines)  We are flying Allegiant (first time) and have purchased a checked in suitcase, a carry on bag, and a of course we can have a personal item, for the flight.  We did this because we would rather have a little extra luggage than not enough.  

I have not started packing for my family of 3, but there are also 7 others coming in our party, with the same purchased amount of luggage.  So while I did say we would all have a carry on suitcase, that may change just depending on what things look like when we actually start packing.  It may end up being a full size suitcase, a backpack, and purse for some, while a few families may have some people who do indeed have the two suitcase situation.  I just kind of went with the worst case scenario when I posted my question I guess.  Regardless of our size of bags, after our flight (coming in the day before), my family of 3 would prefer to only carry a backpack or something onboard ourselves, so we would still be checking two bags for two of us, potentially.  They just might not be actual suitcases.  

I will say, we do dress up for formal night, and some of us like to change out for dinner (still casual clothes, but less sweaty and fresh), etc.  However like many of you stated, the cabin does get small and I loathe the packing up at the end, so I do try to keep everything within reason.

I do truly appreciate your responses and help!  If we *do* have two bags each to check in, can I print our current tag twice or do I have to get a new tag from the porter for the second bag, anyone know?

Tis is a copy and paste from the PDF sheet with our luggage tag.  I bolded the part that caught my attention and prompted this post....

Your Carnival Luggage Tag Instructions Please print your name on each luggage tag and fold along the lines with the information facing out (ship's name, etc., should be visible). Once folded, staple or tape the tag around your luggage handle BEFORE you arrive at the cruise terminal. Please limit checked luggage to no more than two bags per person for cruises of six days or more and a maximum of one suitcase per person for cruises of five days or less. Each bag must not weigh more than 50 pounds . Checked luggage service is only available until two hours before the ship's published departure time. Guests arriving after this time will be responsible for taking their bags on board. Bon Voyage!

Our cruise is 5 days.

I forgot to mention that yes we will keep one bag for our party with all those things you mentioned 🙂 We just didn't really want to tote around 3 airplane carry ons if we could avoid it.  So just use our same luggage tag, printed multiple times?

We sail on the Freedom in 12 days - so excited.  We are flying in, and plan for each of us to have (by airline standards) one checked suitcase and one carry on size suitcase.  We planned to check all of these bags in at the cruise terminal.  However, upon check in this weekend for our cruise, the luggage tags indicate we can only check in 1 bag each.  Is this enforced?  Can we print double tags and check them all in, or should we plan to each tote our carry on suitcase around with us?  Thanks!

9 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Yes, you can do that.  The pax dropped off can go check in if they like, and even board, while the driver/navigator make their way back to the terminal.  They will have to check in when they finally arrive, of course, and may board later as a result.

 

 This is great.  Question though - can we all wait on our drivers to return to check in and board?  We would prefer to group at least with those in our cabin and not get too separated.  

6 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

From what you stated about assigning cabins, I assume you have "guarantee" cabins, not already assigned?  You may get assignments anytime from now through the time you arrive at the port and check-in.  

 

Are all of your cabins booked on the same booking?  If so, you will get the same arrival check-in time.  If you are aiming for an earlier time, I suggest you do the online check-in at midnight.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I worded it incorrectly about the cabins. We have already assigned cabins and know our cabin number already.  What I was attempting to say is we are hoping to get the same or close to the same arrival check in time.  We are unfortunately not on the same booking - 4 cabins, 3 bookings.  I will have two devices going on midnight to check in 2 of the 3 simultaneously and my sister will do the other booking, at the same time, from her home.  We will definitely start our online check in at midnight.

Good morning,

We are boarding the Carnival Freedom on July 22.  There are 10 of us, a range of ages from 12 to 73, some repeat cruisers and some newbies.  We are flying in the day before and will have a 12 passenger rental van (through Budget) for transportation.  Can anyone offer tidbits/advice/process for how Embarkation day will work?

I know that we check in on July 8 and I assume we will be provided an arrival time then?  We plan to do our check in (from home) at the same time, so hopefully all of our cabins (4 total) are assigned the same time, but if they vary, how does that work?

Can we pull up to the port and drop off our luggage and passengers while 1-2 members of our party return the van and wait for a shuttle back to the port?  Or is there a different way for this to work?

Also, one cabin has Faster to the Fun - That doesn't mean our check in time is earlier, just that we have a specific line waiting for us inside, right?

Anything else you can offer would be great!  My husband, daughter and myself have cruised 4 times but on different lines and never with a larger group, and I've somehow become the "go to person" for all the planning and details so I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row!

Thank you!

This is probably a silly question for most, but this will be my fourth cruise (1 prior Carnival one, 2 Disney) and I have always skipped Bingo cause I didn't know what exactly to do.  Do I need to buy my card ahead of time or is there an at the door sale when it's time for Bingo to start?  Are cards sold individually to play or is it a package type situation?  Will I need to purchase anything other than a card(s) to play?

For what it's worth we are sailing the Freedom in July.

Thanks!

1 hour ago, serene56 said:

we sailed with that age      (on the hub app on her phone we marked where we will be each hour.          the hub app marks a star next to the activity      we do this each morning at breakfast   

 

18 minutes ago, ericrz said:

 

To clarify re. the HUB app: you don't have to keep it actively in use (i.e. as the focus screen on your phone) to get messages.  You just can't close it entirely (as in, swipe up on an iPhone and swipe the app up).  If you do so (again, at least on an iPhone) the app will warn you "Hey, you have to keep the HUB open to receive messages).

 

If configured to allow notifications, the phone will buzz when a new HUB message is received.

 

We used it with our party of 6 (including two teenagers) on the Mardi Gras last week and found it worked really well!

This is perfect information.  For what it's worth we used Disney's app for our cruise this past July and it sounds very similar - and we managed okay 🙂  And I think $15 for the week seems better than us all buying the social media plan - plus we can disconnect more!

1 hour ago, soccermom4 said:

We'll be in Nassau next week and I plan to try following this walking tour.  Sounds like it's not too far and we love to walk as opposed to taking a taxi,  Haven't been to Nassau before - so looking forward to sun and warmth.  https://redshoesredwine.com/nassau-walking-guide/

 

This seems rather perfect (few items we would skip, but also not necessarily looking for a 6 hour day either).  If you think about it would you report back on how safe you felt on this plan?

We are not brand new to Nassau (this will make our fourth stop) but we are not super adventurous by nature, so the 2 times we did get off in Nassau, we walked down to Senor Frogs and back basically.  Stopped in some stores along the way. 

This time I want to do something different.  We are traveling with a total of 9, but this would only be my immediate party of 3.  My husband and I are 43 and our daughter is 12.   We could book a Carnival Excursion, that's not totally out of the question, but also considered a walk to the Queen's Staircase and/or the Graycliff for the Art of Chocolate and Factory tour.  Is walking doable (we are all healthy, no mobility issues) or would we need a taxi/transportation?  Would these be relatively safe places to walk to from the cruise port? 

19 minutes ago, x lindsay x said:

Yes, it is $5 per person for the length of the cruise.

 

It is not the most reliable, often time messages get delayed and arrive much later than when they were sent. Also if the app is closed you won't get notifications.

So in your opinion would you stick to a social media plan for everyone in our party for ease of communicating?

43 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

You would have to buy the social media plan for her and anyone else she would be communicating with if you want immediate responses. Otherwise she would have to occasionally kick you off the plan to log in and see if you messaged her. The messaging through the app is only $5 per person. 

Right, we would all 3 have it in our cabin.  We primarily just want to be able to find out where she is or what her plans are if she is in the Circle C activities or with any new friends she may make.

Sounds like its cheaper to forgo the internet plans for her and us all 3 have the app as well, maybe.  is it $5 per person for the entire length of the cruise?

My daughter will be 12, pushing 13 next summer when we cruise.  She has a cell phone but does not have any social media apps per say, but does have Kids Messenger.  Would that work to message us through the social media plan?  Or should we plan to purchase access to the Carnival app also?  What prompted this was we got the Cyber Monday deal for 10% off internet plans, so if Kids Messenger will work and that truly is a better form of communication, I will purchase it for her also.  But otherwise she doesn't need it at all.  Just seems like I've read the Carnival app isn't dependable.

For example, if I google Carnival Princess Cay excursions, it takes me to a Carnival page and shows me several options.  Now that I have actually booked my cruise, when I look at my Princess Cay port options, some are not there (same is true for Grand Turk).  Does this mean they have sold out?  Are some options just not available for each sailing?  I was looking at the Stingray  Encounter at Princess Cay and the Calypso trolley at Grand Turk, neither of which show up.  Just curious if it's worth watching to see if they come back, or if they just aren't offered for our sailing.

If one rented a golf cart to ride around on, is stopping on Cockburn town safe?  

We are in Port from 11:30am till 7pm.  Is it reasonable to go to the lighthouse by golf cart?  Our plans for now was to rent golf carts and explore but the lighthouse is one thing we really want to see. 

I'm sure we are a minority but I wanted to share. Our five year old is very small and petite, but slept in the upper bunk the first part of our cruise on the Fascination. She was so excited to do so. The first two nights went fine, but the third night she kept getting her body halfway under that rail and I would slide her back as far to the wall as I could. Once we were all asleep, we woke to a loud THUMP and she had indeed slid under that rail and straight to the floor. It's quite a drop for a little one. Luckily, she was okay, but I truly think she could have really gotten hurt. Also to note, she has never had a rail at all at home and has never fallen out of her twin size bed. I don't know if she was restless or if the rocking boat contributed that night, but it was still kind of a scary moment.

Ironically when I booked our Cruise, the booking agent mentioned the pull down bunk and I was hesitant and he assured me she would be fine, kids sleep there all the time, etc. And luckily our cabin steward was able to come and make her a cot type bed, which I wish I had known was an option from the beginning. She wasn't as excited to sleep on this version but I wouldn't have gotten any rest with her back up on that upper bunk that week. I wish I had thought of the pool noodle or beach towel ideas mentioned above!

I think these beds are perfectly fine usually, but I did want to share that it is possible to get through the rail if you are on the small side.

I can't speak for RCL, but on Carnival it just stated that if parents were on board, to please pick your children up for lunch. But with the way the Funtimes was worded, it sounded like they would feed your child that day if you were not onboard.

I should note that we didn't utilize this service, I just remember reading it.