InNeedOfSaltWater

2 hours ago, wcook said:

I’ve seen lobster. Swimming in a pool of butter. 

Damn no shrimp or crablegs?

51 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

All of the above but probably the coolest thing I ever saw was a whale shark while anchored off Grand Cayman. 

Yea that would be super cool to see!

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Often when passing the Bahamas towards the Caribbean we've seen porpoises paralleling the ship just off the bow - they seem to want to move along with the ship. Often flying fish break the surface in the bow waves - probably scared of the ship - and glide many yards.  Our best whale experience was when anchored off Maui -- we did not sign up for a whale watching excursion -- and while sitting on our balcony after coming back on board we saw three or four whales , one a very small calf, breaching repeatedly just 50 yards off -- our table mates, who had spent over $100 each, for the whale excursion and had not seen any, were rather frustrated.

 

Sea life is out there - you just have to be on deck to catch them when they choose to show themselves --they do not seem particularly interested in seeing you.

From watching one too many nature docs, dolphins love to ride the waves created by the bow. It's purely for entertainment just like with orcas.. I just didn't know if a cruise shop created that kind pressure wave. 

I know know where my boyfriend can find me. Lol

What kind and how often have you seen sealife near the ship at sea?

Dolphins?

Whales?

Sharks?

Sea turtles? 

Where's the best place on the boat to see any? 

Is the best time at the end of the cruise when they dump the pureed fish food four miles from shore?

Mainly inquiring about Charleston SC to Bahamas.. but I would love to hear about everyones experience.

9 minutes ago, candeeduh said:

I'm almost 2 years post op from gastric sleeve (8/10/20) and will be going on my very first cruise in December. While I haven't been on a cruise yet, hopefully I can provide some insight in regards to WLS.

 

At 8-9 months PO you'll be able to eat anything you want (with discretion if you know certain foods end up affecting you when eaten), and depending on your doctor's plan, be able to drink alcohol. Alcohol hits faster and harder with our small stomachs though.

 

I've read people were able to order the steak from the kids menu for a smaller portion, and that's what I totally plan on doing, but then also just ordering what I want. Thankfully I have a skinny fat boyfriend who will eat the leftovers, but also don't feel too horrible about food waste since it tends to happen anyways.

Omg so funny, mine is on August 10th!  I didn't lose enough weight to satisfy my surgeon, so he put me on a liquid diet from now until whenever I can eat solid foods post op.. 

Which I'm kinda mad about.. last year I started doing the two shakes and one meal and lost 30 lbs in a month and then when I was at my dietion appt, she scolded me saying I had to eat more than once a day...otherwise my body would shut down, yet somehow it won't after surgery..

This whole journey has been conradictions. Lol

3 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

It sounds as though you haven’t yet booked your cruise.  Thus, I suggest you not book until you are making good strides in your recovery. Just in case things don’t progress as anticipated. That said, are you traveling alone?  Or with family/friends? I like buffets, but usually eat dinner in the MDR (main dining room).  I traveled solo for many cruises, and with my sister for many.  We always liked a table of others to chat with at dinner.  You might find you enjoy that.  There are occasional things that show up on the menu in the MDR that are not offered at the buffet.  The menu for dinner is always posted outside the MDR by midday,  and can be accessed. In the Carnival Hub app on your phone or tablet (no Wi-Fi purchase needed).  You might make a point of checking it.  Breakfast and lunch, too.  With such a small capacity, you will be wanting to eat more than three or four times a day.  The buffet has long hours, and there is always some place to get food, even if it is room service during the night.  You could graze the buffet multiple times and also try the MDR.  And don’t be shy about mixing up the menu.  If there are more apps than you feel comfortable ordering, wait and order on for dessert.  The cold fruit soups are good for this…. EM

Nope not booked yet and I'll be with my boyfriend and his family.. He's had bariatric surgery years ago.. 

Plus I'll be 8-9mths post op.

On 4/10/2022 at 9:32 PM, motheroftwocats814 said:

Hi All-

We are not cruising again until 2023 (boohoo) but I have some dietary restrictions where I can only eat a couple of ounces of food in one sitting.

I know at the Windjammer, I will be able to better control the amount of food.

But my concern is the main dining room and the specialty dining.

We love eating in those places and I am wondering if I would be able to order off the children's menu or get a half portion of something.

Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Thank you and happy cruising.

Hey Mama, 

Bariatric Patient Restaurant Special Menu Request Card (2 Pack) https://a.co/d/hPR9ayv

4 Compartment Detachable, Stackable, and Portion Controlled Food & Powder Storage Containers by BariatricPal (Blue-Teal) https://a.co/d/5sVu6ay

^^That's for if you just want to stick to the Lido Deck

Mindful Eating Portion Control Flatware - for weight loss bariatric diet https://a.co/d/1SwGRdi

I was told those are helpful so you don't take too big of a spoonful and hurt yourself..

Search for Bariatric Surgery Must Haves on Amazon.. You'll find a lot more other stuff too.  

7 hours ago, bguppies said:

If you ever cruise again and enjoy the Half Moon Cay experience with the sting rays. 

Try a cruise to Grand Cayman and do an independant excursion to see their sting rays at Sting Ray City.

Still my favorite excursion I have ever done and do that excusion every time I go to Grand Cayman.

Petting and feeding wild sting rays is incredibly fun.

Idk I see the word Cayman and automatically think crocs 🤣🤣🤣.. 

31 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

Camp Ocean has been open for quite awhile.  A couple of weeks ago they re-opened for ages 2-4.  The hours had been limited so it may be returning to normal hours, but it has been open. 

I thought I read somewhere a parent was wondering when it was gonna open back up.. pretty sure it was a current post.. 🤔 

Oh well it's here incase a newbie is inquiring.. 

4 hours ago, Bonnie Beach said:

So I have not had gastric bypass, but was on a cruise and seated at dinner with a lady who had. She ordered each course, would take a bite or two, and then push it away. But she seemed to enjoy it and was having a great time. So I finally got the courage to ask her why she did this, and she explained that she had had gastric bypass. She was very open to talking about it and said that she had paid for it regardless of not eating it all. And this way she got to experience everything she wanted to. 

I was just at my last class I had to take and a woman that had already had the surgery was with her husband whose getting his surgery gave me an awesome idea.. 

Those little cups you normally make jello shots in are the perfect portion size (plus they come with lids)

I'm gonna get me a pack and put it in my carry on.. I don't plan on doing any of the fancy dining cause I hate the thought of wasting food (even if it does end up as chum for the fishes) And I certainly aint paying for food I cant eat.. thats a waste of money.. I think I'm gonna stick with the Lido deck. 

On 7/24/2022 at 12:00 PM, Essiesmom said:

Will this be your first cruise ever, or first cruise after surgery?  There are posters time to time who have cruised after bariatric surgery, with varying success.  Once you have figured out how Cruise Critic works, and how to use the search function, you might try asking on the Carnival board here, and on the Disabled Cruising board here.  Seem such questions are not as frequent as they were when such surgery first became popular.  
    With such a small capacity you will be eating frequently and there will be many places on the ship to get food.  You can bring protein supplements onboard as long as they are in cans.  EM

Also I meant to say that I did see on Amazon that Gatorade has high protein shakes in cardboard bottles.. just like the boxed water on ships.

I'm glad I was alerted to this thread.. I am planning a 2023 cruise as well (my first ever) and I will be 8-9 months post-op. 

I too am concerned about portion size and not wanting to waste food, so I was planning on sticking to the Lido Deck since it's buffet style.

And I already have a gallon water thermos since we need to drink 64oz a day.. my only question is about ice. 

But I will be on CCL Sunshine so I need to figure that out.. I want to be able to cap off with ice once it's melted. 

26 minutes ago, Brkintx said:

 

Nothing in your linked article indicates that testing is no longer required by Carnival.  The article mentions CDC actions and the reopen of kids clubs on Carnival ships... 

As of now... Carnival DOES still require testing. From the Carnival protocols website, just now:

 

" Carnival welcomes the CDC’s decision to replace its current public health protocols with a new set of guidelines for health operations on cruise ships. We will review these once they’re available, but there are no immediate changes to Carnival’s COVID-19 protocols. While planning an upcoming cruise, guests should continue to follow this page, as well as any pre-cruise communications from Carnival. "

My bad, I read it wrong.

Awesome thank you! 

Just in time for school.. lol 

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HEAR YE HEAR YE

No more COVID test required

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Here ya go

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I'm a noob this will be my first time on a cruise (not even booked yet) as well as snorkeling.. So be gentle please.. 

I have watched a lot of YouTube videos about half-moon and one if them was going over all the excursions. He mainly talked about the horse one and said that you don't have to worry because they take very good care of them. 

My question is about the stingrays.. I know they are netted off to keep the other sealife out.

But are they kept in that netting their whole lives and fed by local staff?

Or are they 'wild' but trained to come into the netting area for the snorkel adventure every day because of feeding?

Depending on the answer I may not do it,  I already bought my snorkel gear (except fins) so I may just do my snorkeling at the beach.. And no I will not be venturing off to do reef snorkeling, I'm not that adventurous. 

6 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Wilmington, NC is another city that has hosted cruise ships occasionally and could conceivably be an option for Carnival with some upgrades and a new facility as long as they place the terminal on the ocean side of the Cape Fear memorial bridge.

That would be good.. I live in Roanoke, VA and was pricing for Norfolk vs Chareston and it's $100 dollar difference between the two. Plus if Wilmington became the next location then at least my boyfriends family would get the home state discount.

14 hours ago, klfrodo said:

 To further clarify what Babr is saying,

 

First understand that Carnival insurance is Secondary when it comes to medical coverage. What does that mean? If you have Medicare or any other health insurance, You must apply to them for reimbursement. Then after they pay their share (or send you a denial letter), then you file with AON.

Thank you for that, I was just about to post if Medicare/Medicaid covers on board illness/injury for US based cruise lines.

I'm dual enrolled so what the Mediare don't cover the Medicaid does.

I have nothing to add to this except to say you are an awesome niece.

I will be bringing my walker with a seat just because of back issues..

I have four of these 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06ZY8JQHG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

On 6/18/2022 at 9:34 PM, shipshape sam said:

Wondering if anyone knows of a 'printable/readable/usable map.  I google half moon cay map and if you blow the images up to see better, they are blurred.  Going in spring 2023, but excited to revisit from our first trip in 2007.  In 2007 as I remember it, there was a bar up on a bluff that had shade and beer with a great view.  Wonder if it is still there.  See lots of pictures of a pirate ship on the beach in current images.

 

Any help is appreciated! 

 

YouTube is filled with videos about Half Moon Cay

Here's one of them.

On 6/28/2022 at 11:13 AM, superrupe said:

Thanks for sharing! They just changed us to Bimini in Nov. Looking at renting a golf cart and exploring. Thanks again. 

Eek! I was streaming a shark week show last night and learned that for three months during winter beginning in November that (mainly female) Great Hammerheads flock to Bimini to dine on the numerous stingrays because they are six months into their pregnancies. 

Also the mangroves are shark nurseries although I can't remember if it was bull sharks or tiger sharks.