CruisingMummy

It is a tender port, and I think we also had FTTF that cruise. The pick up drivers were easy to find and we only had to wait about 10 minutes for the rest of the group to show up. The company was very professional and very careful about getting us back on time - it's about an hour drive to the location where you hike to the caves. I was a little worried about the hike, but it was easier than I anticipated it being. You'll wear a bathing suit for the hike up there, and be sure to wear comfortable shoes. I wore an old pair of tennis shoes and was glad I had not worn typical water shoes! There are bathrooms where you can change into dry clothes before lunch and the ride home. Hope you enjoy it!!

I have some decent $200 tennis shoes, meaningless flip flops and water shoes. Suggestions? Should I buy a $20 pair of sneakers just for this so that I don't ruin my other shoes? Also, to clarify, did you do this through Carnival or outside of Carnival? Thank you so much for the advice. I've actually been to this location before, but didn't do an excursion there, so I just want to be prepared so that we all have as much fun as possible. Thanks again!

We did it with cavetubing.bz and LOVED it! Not having to carry your own tubes was great. Pick up and drop off were easy and timely. Our guides were great, and they were generous with the rum punch on the ride home!

Thank you! We have a dolphin excursion and a ziplining one scheduled in the other ports, but haven't figured out anything for Belize yet. I'll have to check, but I think that's the port with a tender and we just purchased the FTTF today so we should have a little extra time cushion to do an excursion there as well.

Only the two primaries on the booking will receive the "drinks on us card". The casino can get a little crowded at times, but it's not all that bad that you can't enjoy yourself.

It's been a few years since we cruised with Carnival. Has this changed? It used to only be the primary person with 1 drink allowed every 30 minutes to prevent you from grabbing one for your SO. Do they give a card to both adults now? Do you still have to earn so many points if you're going on a free casino cruise?

We go there when we want to do something unusual like river tubing in Belize or Mayan ruins in Cozumel. If your in laws aren’t going to want to hang out at the beach much then I’d do a Western Caribbean sailing.

We were looking today for excursions in Belize. Would you recommend the tubing? If so, do you remember which one you did? Thanks!

I traveled on a cruise many years ago while pregnant. I guess it was before you were required to get a note from a Dr because no-one asked me how far along I was. The main memory that I have is how faint/hot I felt while touring the Mayan ruins (please drink lots of water and rest in the shade) and craving pickle juice like crazy. I also napped more than normal on board and had a tough time staying awake for the late night comedy shows. Other than that, I had a great experience. Sometimes the crowds in the buffet line can be a bit much as I felt that I was always having to keep a little distance to keep people from bumping into my belly.

I think the cautions against potential viruses is very valid though. I would also be sure to use the sanitizer onboard frequently since there tend to be more germs in a closed in area.

Do you know how to locate the Maitre D for the Magic? Our family also prefers to dine early.

Thanks guys! That was the info that I needed to know.

OK, I have to ask where did you store your luggage? I thought everyone stowed it under the bed

It was often like a parkour course in there! Even more fun when we took a week long cruise with 5 in an inside room with teenage girls! I'm not sure that I would even call that trip a vacation! Thankfully this time we'll have much more room, especially with the luggage hack.

Hooks ✓

Washable marker ✓

3 in 1 laundry sheets ✓

I've gotten 2 free cruises from Carnival based purely on our onboard play. Actually on our last free trip we didn't even play very much, but 3 yrs later they offered us another freebie cruise. They're also good about sending gifts to your room.

Some on land casinos will offer you a free cruise on Royal Caribbean.

We bought a really nice marble chess set that we liked. Got home only to discover that it was missing several pieces and was useless.

I love this site. I've never thought to store them under the bed. This is going to give us so much room with 4 of us in one stateroom. Any other travel hacks? I know someone posted on a different thread about the over the door organizer which I plan to buy.

If so, is it worth the $200 price & hassle of taking the bike pump? DH is debating on getting one before our cruise in July.

I have 2 sons (18 & 15). Both have been on several cruises. We always get taxi in Cozumel and go on our own. We have gone to Chankanaab and Paradise Beach a couple of times. In Ocho Rios we’ve use Pete Taylor after reading reviews on here. Always been very happy. I don’t think you have to use Carnival here but definitely have an excursjon booked. Cayman we used a private company a couple of times recommended here.

We're headed to Chankanaab soon. Is it around $10 - $12 each way as we've read online? We're going to do the dolphin VIP excursion, but booked outside of the boat as it was 50% off. I just read that Ubers aren't common there, but am hoping that taxis are easy to flag down.

I just wanted to agree with u/bury me at sea. Post it notes are a huge help in case your schedule or theirs change which is just going to happen. Many activities pop up in the teen rooms that won't be advertised on your Fun Times sheet. I didn't do this last time, but I would see if there's also an emergency number that they can contact on board in case of a true emergency. Off port, I would require that they do activities with you vs going off on their own. If they make friends with other teens, then maybe you guys can spend some time as a group outside of the boat, but I would not let them wander off on their own in port even though they are older teens.

If you're going to have plenty of time in port, then I would absolutely not go through Carnival for the excursions. I'd check online for great, consistent reviews though. For example, today I was able to book this VIP dolphin experience for 50% off with a special restaurant & drink & beach pass w/free entrance fee. The basic package was available for around $50 and also 50% off. Carnival was offering the same package at the same location, but for around $120! The only difference is that Carnival provided taxi service. Guess what...we checked and taxis are only $10 each way. So, the point is that we got the exact same thing for 50% less than Carnival wanted to charge us even after accounting for transportation. They also probably won't honor the cheaper price since the packages are technically not identical.

That being said, if I was only in port for a short period of time and was going to be traveling pretty far (vs 10 minutes in my example) then I would consider going through Carnival. Flat tires happen. Vehicles get into accidents or break down. It happens even if rarely. Carnival will make sure that you get to the next port on their dime. I wouldn't bother with the soda package. I think you can still bring a 6 pack in per person and you can get cold ones in port.

The only "hidden" fees are the gratuities which some people don't realize automatically get added on at the end. If you aren't satisfied with the service you can have those fees adjusted and on the flip side, if service is a 10+, you can increase your tip. Also, be watchful if you allow your kids to charge to their card. One of my teens was around 16 or 17 the last time we cruised and she got caught up in the arcade room and charged a good $150 to it. It was so out of character, but she had met other teenagers on board and they were all just caught up in the moment. They had a blast all week though. The outdoor movies with popcorn was another big hit with them. They have scavenger hunts and so many things available for all of the different age groups. You can also sign up for the online app to text with them for free.

I think you're going to all have a great time!

It's been 3 yrs to the month since we sailed with Carnival. Our last cruise was a free one from the casino, but we didn't play very much at all on that trip. We just took advantage of the free trip. That being said, fast forward 3 years and we just received an email for a free 7 or 8 day balcony cruise leaving from a half dozen ports. We called to accept and were told that they sent out 1000 emails, but only had 50 rooms. They sell out very fast given that they're free. The offer was NOT available in our online account, only via email. Supposedly the ships are not very full this year, so keep an eye out if your 3 year anniversary is coming up soon! We were able to add on extra passengers, but had to pay the normal price for them and that required a supervisor to intervene.

I've always tipped the dealer on table games when I win and periodicly when I'm not winning. That being said, I never realized that you were supposed to tip on slots. Is that typical? My understanding for table games is that the tips are generally shared between all casino staff. I have tipped hosts now on land when they got me rooms that were sold out on a popular weekend even after showing my player's card. Those hosts can waive a magic wand when they want to. Anyway, back to my question. Do you guys tip for slot wins?

Have you considered paying for the priority boarding/debarkation? I think it's @ $80 per cabin, but not having to stand around in the crowds with all the lights and noise for an hour or two might be very helpful for her. The main dining room is also quieter. Some cruise lines are less stimulating as well.

Do they serve crab legs in any of the specialty restaurants on the Magic? The Seafood Shack doesn't appear to be on our boat. Otherwise, if anyone has any suggestions for off the boat in Belize or Costa Maya that would be appreciated. (We've already made arrangements for lunch in the other locations.)

I remember there being a party one night on deck by the pool that started around 10pm and got pretty loud for a couple of hours, but that was the only time and the rest of the ship wasn't wild at all. I've never personally been on the Liberty.

For anyone that has an upcoming birthday or medical issue that they want to alert Carnival to in advance, it's found in the Booking Detail under where it says "My Guests". You'd think they'd put it under celebrations and such, but this is where I found where to enter the event and date of the event. DH said that he saw on a different page that if you choose not to buy a cake, expect to be sung to in the main dining room. Perhaps we got ours delivered to our room because we didn't attend the MDR that night?

I'm curious, can I bring some deserts to our room and eat later? I loved cake, I would love to try all of them, but it's too much after dinner.

Yes, if you have a guest with you that is too tired to go to the MDR, you can also ask that they bring an entree at the end for you to take back to the room. I wouldn't do this very often, but we did it once without a problem when one was sunburned and sleepy.

We haven't had a free cake or cookies in our room due to "celebrating a birthday" ever.....used to get a cake in the MDR, but even that has stopped. You now have to pay for a Birthday cake and order it online in advance of the cruise (cost is $10)......not many freebies left these days! Even some of the 'perks' for those that have loyalty points have dwindled. :o

Really? We have every time. I've heard others mention getting spa gift cards if it's a big anniversary as well. Did you fill it out online before the cruise? I don't think they pay attention unless you specifically check the box and list the date of the event. Also, sometimes the casino will send you a random gift. (Ours sent us a bottle of champagne on my birthday, but that came from a different department than the cake did.) Also, to clarify, it was a big slice of a cake, not an entire cake, but it was decorated and kind. The kids enjoyed it as an evening treat.

Suggested gratuities are either automatically paid in advance or at the end of the cruise. You can request an envelope at the end of the cruise as well if you'd like to leave an additional tip and/or can modify the suggested amount up or down of each department. That being said, the staff on board is absolutely amazing and will go out of your way to make sure that your stateroom is impeccable, restaurant service is excellent, etc. Also, if I remember correctly, the daycare team may not automatically be included in the standard gratuities, so if you'll have children using those facilities you may want to double check.

Someone on a different thread mentioned free postcards, but I don't know where you'd get those.