hawkinsh

Well we have talked about it and made the decision. We are going to save the money for the journey and activities. We are going to drive. We will NOT try to make it all in one drive. We will spend a night along the way. We do have friends in Miami, so we will hopefully not need a hotel there. so now I have a new question. Any suggestions for things we might do along the way. I hope to get at least 9-10 of driving in before we stop for the 1st night, but I would love your ideas. Ideas on where to stop along this journey? I would not mind spending time on some activity with the family? Ideas? To be continued . . .

This is really good info, and a lot to take in. I still think we are leaning to the drive. Means more fun on the the ship and in ports. Maybe even an adventure along the way to the ship.

I think the flights are into FLL, but I could be wrong. I am concerned about "day of" flights. Too many factors at play, but I will look for hotels that do provide a shuttle to the hotel, we we do decide to go this route.

The time is not the biggest factor. I am a school teacher and a pastor. School doesn't start from a couple weeks after, and as long as I am back by Wednesday night, I will be fin at church. It is more of a balancing the $$ or travel. I want to do things the most affordable way I am able. With 5 in our travel part, $50 becomes $250 instantly, so it add up fast.

We have flown on both. Allegiant to Orlando 20 years ago, one one frontier to Phoenix 15 years ago. Both experiences were "okay" i would say. As it has been so long, I am interested in more recent experiences. Frontier, oddly enough has flights to Miami area, but it does not show any seats available on the returning flights. So I do not think Frontier will be an option, but I may check back.

If I am not mistaken the Allegiant flight was in to FLL, but I will check.

I did not know about this option. Have you found their parting to be secure? Is it still less expensive when you factor in a shuttle to and from the port? I am interested.

Our next issue, not really, came with figuring out how to get to Miami. We live in Northeast Arkansas, so the travel time will certainly be substantial. The obvious choice would be to fly out of Memphis, TN, which is about 1 hour away. However, I quickly discovered how expensive that would be. So this is where I need some advice, as I am making final decisions this weekend. I would love your thoughts. Regardless of choice, there will 1-2 night hotel before and after the cruise. 1. DRIVE - 16 hours. So we would leave a couple nights before, but would cost less than 400 round trip. However, there would be parking at the port. 2. FLY Southwest - Would still have couple day of hotel to get best rates. Flight cost about $1700. 3. FLY Allegiant - Would still have hotel because of flight schedule, but would cost only $700. We would of course have transportation cost in Miami. What are your honest thoughts and opinions. We did fly Allegiant once, and as were never fly it was okay for us. But have heard some have not had great experiences. To be continued . . .

Thank you so much. We do, ad I am excited to make those memories.

I have trolled for the last year and wanted to start a trip report, but felt like it is just to soon. After all, we do not cruise until the end of July 2024. However, as I am still planning and needing advise, I decided to get started and maybe get some advise along the journey. I will start today with some of the preliminary details about out cruise . . . We are on the Carnival Celebration on a 7 Days Eastern Caribbean from Miami, FL (July 21-28, 2024) Room #1 - Cove Balcony (Room # 5305) -- Me, wife and daughter will share. Room #2 - Inside Cabin (Room #5308) -- Two teenage sons will share Sailing out of Miami with stops in Grand Turk, Amber Cove/DR, & Nassau Other info about our trip . . . #1 - This is the real reason that we are cruising --- We will be on the ship for our 25 wedding anniversary. My wife and I have taken a big anniversary trip every 5-years all by ourselves, but this year we decided to bring the whole family with us to celebrate. We will actually be on she ship for our anniversary, on July 24. #2 - Our oldest son graduated from high school last night, and will be off to college at the University of Central Arkansas in a few months. So in a way, this is also a celebration of his accomplishment as well. He graduated with high honors and we are pretty proud. We will be traveling with other family & friends on this cruise as well, and for some of them this will be their very frit cruise. I am excited. My family cruised first on Carnival Triumph about 10 years ago, the last spring break it was called the Triumph. I am not sure what it is call now. Then my wife and I spent a week on the RC Allure for our 20th Anniversary, so we are not exactly "experienced," but we are excited. I will come back and add to this planning blog and I know I will have lots of questions. I hope some of you will come along with us and offer advice. To be continued . . .

My wife and I will celebrate our 25 wedding anniversary in July on the Celebration. We will have our 3 teenage kids and few other family members with us. What are your ideas on special ways to celebrate without breaking the bank. Our actual date will be the 2nd formal night on the ship. I have a couples massage book already. Any ideas would be helpful. Our only other time on a Carnival ship was on the Triumph MANY years ago.

My wife and I will celebrate our 25 wedding anniversary in July on the Celebration. We will have our 3 teenage kids and few other family members with us. What are your ideas on special ways to celebrate without breaking the bank. Our actual date will be the 2nd formal night on the ship. I have a couples massage book already. Any ideas would be helpful. Our only other time on a Carnival ship was on the Triumph MANY years ago.

What about minors? What do they need besides a birth certificate? Can't find it on the Carnival site.

What about the Soda package. Does the whole room have to pay, or just those who want it?

We will be on the Celebration in July and wondered about that ship.

I did not know they did the Center Stage show in the smaller theatre. Do they do them all there?

I had planned to catch the bus with the family and go to Love Beach, but this walking tour also sounds fun. I am interested in the safety aspect of it all though. There will be a group of us, but I don't want anyone to feel unsafe. We will be going in July 2024, how could I check into the safety aspect of a self guided walking tour outside the port.

2. If we ordered something, we would eat it, it would not be for show. 3. Part of our group did use a travel agent, part did online. Everyone in our group is part of the party listed in the picture as either "managed guests" or "additional cruise companions". I just did not know if we would all be automatically be seated together at dinner in the MDR.

I will be on the Celebration in July and traveling with a group. There will be 12 in our dining group, so I chose early dining to make sure we all have a base to all meet and catch up on our day. However, I am sure that part of the group will occasionally want to do other dining options over the course of our week long cruise. As I understand if from other posts on the boards, if you are on a set dinner time, but choose to do specialty, you can't check-in until 8:00'ish? I do not know if I have that exactly correct, but that is not really my question. My question is this . . . (1) If a part of the group plans to go to something like Cha-Bang, can they still go to dinner with the rest of the group to catch up with everyone at the early time, and then still check in and go to ChaBang later? (2) Hopefully this is a NO-Judgment Zone, what if at "said" early dinner you did eat apps, dessert, maybe even a full meal? Could you still check in an go to ChaBang? (3) In the Carnival site in my account it lists "Your Managed Guests" and also "Additional Cruise Companions." We are all planning to eat together daily. Will we all be assigned a table together, or do I need to contact the cruise line to make sure we are all seated together. If the later it the case, how do I do that?

I am newer to this and your post raised questions for me. I will be part of a group of 12 spread across 4 cabins. I had planned to, and we are currently signed up for Early Dining, to use this as a daily "catch-up time" where all would gather. However, I know that on some nights part of the group will do something like ChaBang. I just assumed they could still come at 5:30 and hang out, maybe end do apps or something, then just que up for specialty at 7:30 then it opens up. Am I wrong about this ability?

What do you mean by FREE LAUNDRY?

You mentioned having sodas with you. Maybe I just made an assumption.

What are your thoughts if you are part of a large group. We will be cruising with a total of 11 people. We hope to be able to dine together most nights. So can we will do YTD or should be pick a setting?

We are planning to do Ocean World on our Amber Cove stop. Wo has been? Thoughts? We will be there with our teen children. How do you suggest we get there from the port. Some places say that the lunch buffet is included in the admission, can anyone confirm?

I understand. However, the cruse is for my family. They were invited to go if they wanted. I just wanted them to have as much info as I can. I I can do is let them know, and hope they make the best decision for them.