Terri102066

I need some ideas of the best and cheapest travel insurance.  Who has be cheapest that still pays for most issue? 

I had same question. We will also be there this day and time frame.

Being a Platinum member I was wondering if it matter if I arrived to port earlier than your scheduled appointment for check in? I usually receive a early check in, but if I am run later it is not a big deal. The coming up cruise I have a noon appointment time and that is the time I will plan on getting to port. I will leaving on a Monday and with work traffic and several hours drive I would like to give me a 30 minute or hour lead-way in case of work traffic. Does anyone have any experience if I do get to port 30 minutes early will they turn me away? I am platinum and did not know if it mattered. I spoke to someone at Carnival and they said it did not matter as long as I have Priority Boarding, but I was wondering if anyone had any experience. I will be leaving out of Mobile.

I will be leaving on this ship in Saturday. No matter what it must be better than my desk at work. It is all about expectations. I exspect overall good quality and I am never let down. I think when people exspect excellence is when they are disappointed. When human beings are involved someone will always screw up but that does not mean my vacation will be ruined.

I tried to use a $500 gift card toward a future cruise deposit while on the ship. The employee I dealt with was not knowledge on how to use the card. It was not a good experience at all. I am sure most of these employees would be able to help you I was just unfortunate to deal with one that did not. I will say this was not recently and I am sure since more people are paying this way they have become better at handling this kind of payment request.

I am in the minority I guess. I believe it is rude to think someone would be on vacation with another person and tell them "Oh I am attending a party and your not invited". I have been on many cruises with ex husband, family, friends and my current bf, but would never think to attend a function that my other vacation companion in my cabin is not invited. Just like a wedding invitation or any other event that would be similar, the invitations would read your name and guest. I do not personally think these parties are worth going to so people sit around and cheer for a ship you have been on. Cancel the parties all together if there is an issue with the cost being so much or make it just diamonds with a guest that can attend. This is just my opinion.

I was just off the fascination last week and I saw a woman probably early forties with her grown daughter both wearing bathing suits in MDR at night. They did have cut off jeans pulled up on the bottom of the bathing suits but I found this to be a little more casual than it should be. I am by no means someone that must be formal but this just looked trashy. They were loud for whatever reason. Maybe due to alcohol and in my opinion should have been showed the door.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

Just off Fascination yesterday and bf ordered whole lobster and enjoyed it.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

We will be on Fascination in less than two weeks and will be staying at the same pre hotel as you with the park and cruise package. I had read a review the shuttle was on old school bus but from your review this is incorrect. I was also wondering if I need to sign up for the shuttle before getting to the hotel. Thanks for any advice that you can give me.

First Question: I am a platinum guest but do not know this answer. If I have priority tender ticket for a port does my bf that is not platinum also able to get a priority tender ticket with me. I know my bf gets priority embark and debark because we share a cabin.

Second Question: I normally have a Carnival Representative that I use on a regular basis to book my cruises. I was thinking of booking on my upcoming October cruise for my February cruise. I think this should get me a little onboard credit but not sure exactly how much and if there is any other benefits of doing this. Also a few years ago there used to be a representative that had a desk set up for this but I do not remember seeing thing in the past couple of years. Do they still have these desk set up with a representative on all ships?

Has anyone bought the Verizon gift cards for Carnival and used them to set up their sign and sail account? I was told thru Carnival that I could set up the sign and sail card with a credit card and after boarding the ship go and add the gift cards to the account. I was wondering if anyone else had used these cards for their onboard account and also were there any limit to the amount that you can use at one time?

I have did this numerous times. Enjoyed it each time but, it does make a difference who is on the catamaran with you as far as other guest and workers.

Will be leaving on my first solo cruise on Monday. I am excited and aliitle worried. I have cruised many times but never solo. The cruise concerns me less than the long drive home after five days on the ship. I know I will not want to drive the eight hour drive home alone. I guess I may have to take a nap the last sea day so I can stay up late and still feel like driving home.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

I hate to say I doubt that you will see your clothing. My sons girlfriend left her pillow in the room and we realized it as we were picking up our luggage. We could not re-enter the ship was told by people at the docks that the pillow would be returned. I also called customer service. We never did see the pillow again. Good luck to you.

traveler353, which cruises will you be on in Dec. We will be on the Elation on Dec 9. If you are on that cruise maybe we can anytime dine together. LOL

If you are on that cruise and have not yet check out the roll call please do and post over there.

I also have never did the anytime dinning on Carnival but have on Princess, but will be doing it in Dec. I think there is good and bad in everything. Good is you can go when you like and not be as restricted also before when I have sailed on Princess we met friends on the boat that we would like to have dinner with and with anytime dinning you can do this. The bad is that you don't have the opportunity to become friends with your tablemates and may not get to meet interesting people that you would have if you were sitting with them every night. I also have never had tablemates from hell which I know some people have experienced. Several of the people that I have been tablemates with have become my friends over the years and still either talk or actually cruise with several times. Go with a positive attitude and you will enjoy it.

We just stayed int he Doubletree Westshore and these were my findings. First off let me say the best thing was the price and the shuttle. The room and the lobby were completely outdated, but they were in the process of remodleing the hotel so it may be great in just a couple of months. The first night we stayed in the executive suites because you get free cont. breakfast, and a reception in the evening. Well, we were not in at the time of the reception (so I can not comment), but the breakfast was just okay. Alittle fruit, pastry and toast (no bagel which is my favorite breakfast bread), I thought it could have been alittle better. Not that I staved, just not much varity.

I did cancel the executive suite for the return trip and made it a regular room, which looked exactly like the executive. There is not a reception on Sunday and the breakfast I didn't feel like was worth $20.00.

The thing that was the best was the shuttle. It was very prompt picking us up at the airport and everyother place that we used it. We used the shuttle from airport, to Wal Mart, to port, back from port, to and from the mall and back to airport. We never had to wait more than 5 minutes for the shuttle.

Overall the stay was okay, but if they get everything remolded it will be better.

Terri

I was considering Chase in Tampa with the sail package or the Holiday Inn Express "Westshore". Does anyone have a suggestion on the two different places? I think the Chase would have a bigger room, but from what I understand it doesn't have anything real close as far as shopping. Has anyone stayed in either one that can help me decide? We will be staying for a pre and post night stay.

Terri

How is the Holiday Inn Express Westshore?

Terri

Is Residence Inn downtown a safe place to stay? I was wanting to go to Channelside on Saturday night, does the trolley run at both locations?

Terri

I read somewhere about someone taking a tour of the Tampa bay area on a boat. Does someone that lives in the area or done this give me some information on this?

Terri

Alot of people are talking about Doubletree, but there is one on Cypress Street (Westshore) and one on Rock Point Drive. Which one has people stayed in?

Terri

I have been looking out your pictures and reading several of your post, now I have too much information and I am confussed.

I have cruised out of three other ports, but not Tampa. All the other cruise ports are not really close to much. For example Ft. Lauderdale doesn't really have close hotels or shopping next to port, but from your pictures it looks like there is close shopping and hotels near the port of Tampa. Can you explain the layout of the terminals to me, we will be on the Carnival's Miricale? We will be like many people and fly into the area and I really don't want to rent a car, but if the Channeside has trolly this may be our transportation. We will be staying in the area for a day pre and post.

I am very excited about the prospect of having hotels and shopping near the port. Can you tell me what hotels are closest to the terminal that Carnival uses and what kind of shopping is in the channelside shops.

Thanks so much for all your information that you have already given, it is so hard for someone that has never been to your city to get the layout of how everything is set up.

Terri

Sorry for jumping in on this post, but I would like to invite Mrs. H. to the Miracle Roll Call for 9-17-06. Several people have checked in on the roll call and several of us will be cave tubing together in Belize.

My husband and I will also be on this cruise. We are looking for pre and post hotel, but I have been lazy about getting something booked. I guess since I haven't been to Tampa I don't know the lay out of the city. Any suggestions will be helpfull.

I have looked around and checked, I think the two choices I have come up with is the LaQuinta Airport, the Holiday Inn Espress Hotel on Rocky Point Drive, or the AmerSuites Tampa Airport on W. Main St. Does anyone know any bad about either one of these hotels.

From what I understand the Holiday Inn has a shuttle that will take you to the malls and so forth that is less than 5 miles away, the AmeriSuites sayes you can walk to the mall and the LaQuinta Airport is across from the International Mall. Let me know if anyone one knows if these locations are correct. Prices are very similar.

I have also looked into the Chase Suites. It sounds nice, but not much to do in the area(I think I could be wrong) somebody let me know about places to eat we will be staying a day pre cruise and a day post cruise. We don't need intertainment, just a place to eat the night before the cruise.

Which is the best?

Terri