summercruisin'

Thank you,two wheels! The wording on the site suggests otherwise, so that is good to know.

Just booked my first cruise on NCL, and I see that drones are not allowed on board. My 17 year old DS with autism has a drone and drone photography is one of his hobbies and passions. He has already flown more than a thousand hours and will likely have his commercial drone license by the time we travel. He respects both the law and people's personal space while flying.

The problem is that we will be in Europe (several countries) for more than 2 weeks before the cruise, and he has researched flight laws there and is excited to get some footage during this once in a lifetime trip.....

Do we have any options? He would be fine with not flying it during the cruise portion of our trip, if need be, but we have nowhere to keep the drone while on the cruise. Are we going to have to leave it home for the entire trip? If you have any info that may help or suggestions, please let us know. TIA

Both muster drills I've been on on NCL were fantastic. in the theatre and a big bar, plenty of room. air conditioned.

 

muuuuuuuuch better than Carnival outside deck mosh pit.

Good to hear! The ones Carnival holds inside are fine, but those outside ones........whew! :eek:

Welcome to NCL... While I haven’t sailed on Carnival in quite a while, I think you will enjoy sailing NCL. I encourage you to give the Special Needs Dept a call to discuss any concerns and accommodations you may have. They were very helpful with me and my Mom. The below excerpt is from their page...

https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

 

Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Guests with cognitive, intellectual and development disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease are encouraged to contact the Access Desk to discuss your cruise. Upon request, every effort will be made to meet your cruising special requirements, including:

 

 

• Boarding and disembarkation assistance
  

The ship is huge and we enjoyed it twice, once in Europe. teered2cruise gave the best advice of https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising. This will allow you to ask questions and also get accommodations as needed. The corkage fee is $15 for wine and if it would make it easier for you I would take a bottle or two. My DD and I used to take 4-days on Carnival and I always took two bottles which were nice to enjoy back in the cabin. I also took bottles on NCL's POA since there is no beverage package. We only saw one music based show and Cirque which are both good. I know you will have a great cruise with your family.

Thanks so much! I will definitely contact them :)

our muster drill was in the theater - everyone has a seat there... but get there early so you have time to get to a seat without a crowd

At the main muster drill it is usually the case that you will NOT have much space around you at all. I've been outside, in dining facilities, in the atrium ,and in the theater for drills. All weer pretty crowded with no chance of space like you describe. Id go with the make up drill and talk to CS ahead of time about it.

Lots of good info! Thanks!

The muster drills are always crowded inside or out. I would go to the customer service desk the first day and discuss things with them. There are always a handful of people who miss muster and have to attend the make up. You might want to make arrangements to simply be at the make up in the first place.

Thanks! If he can just have a hula-hoop size space around him without someone bumping into him, he will be fine. He just can't stand the drills Carnival does out on the decks, where they crowd everyone in, making them stand touching one another pretty much from all sides with the sun bearing down and taking forever to go through the info. Too much sensory overload that he can't escape. I may check into the make up just in case.

Have a great cruise! We’ve been on the Epic 6 times, twice in the Med.

Thanks! Your responses are very helpful!!

I would tend to get two rooms or a larger suite.

I wish I could afford it! But we decided to spend extra funds on touring parts of Germany, Paris, Venice, and Rome for about 2 weeks before the cruise instead .

I'm guessing that Epic's "unique" toilet/shower setup has been discussed with the family?

Ha! Nope! Funny you should mention it......I have been struggling with whether to let them know or let it be a surprise ;p. Really only the DH will be difficult, since there is a curtain providing some space. The kids usually are flexible travelers (except for situations like muster drills on decks where strangers, some of whom have already had a few drinks, are standing very close and bumping up against DS). The kids and I will actually be traveling without DH through Germany, as well as parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy before the cruise, so they will be okay with some unexpected accommodations :D

Thank you so much for your review! I am doing this trip in the summer, and I want to do pretty much the same stuff you did, so your review is very helpful! If you have any tips for booking the tours you booked, please share! I just sent a FB friend request so I can see pics and stay in touch as I plan :)

My kids and I are going to Germany (Berlin, Cologne, and some amusement parks) and Paris before taking a train through Switzerland to Venice for a few days before the trip....very excited, but I know it is going to be a crazy BUSY trip!

Hi everyone!

I just booked a European cruise this summer on the Epic (to celebrate my son's graduation) and have a few questions. This is my 18th cruise, so I am a seasoned cruiser, but I typically sail Carnival and have never tried NCL. I know I will have lots of questions over the next few months, but for now, here we go.....

1. What is the muster drill like on the Epic leaving from Rome (midweek)? My DS has Autism and a sensory processing disorder, so he cannot easily tolerate a drill out on the open decks mashed up against others. If the drill is typically in an area where he can be with his own space, he will manage much better. With Carnival, I request an alternate drill for those that are still held on the decks, but he tolerates those in the dining rooms and theater just fine. Trying to figure out if I should request an alternate drill or not.

2. I got the ultimate beverage package as a "perk," and it looks like NCL charges everyone who brings wine onboard a corkage fee. Is that accurate? If so, I am assuming I shouldn't bother bringing wine?

3. Does the curtain near the shower area close off the whole area or just the shower? I know, crazy thing to worry about, but we are traveling with a 17 year old boy and an 12 year old girl who will want privacy (along with mom and dad). Is there enough room "closed off" to undress and get in the shower?

4. On that note, are there showers in the gym/spa that can be used by everyone? On Carnival, there are, and they are bigger than those in the cabin bathrooms anyway, so we have used them in the past to manage multiple showers at one time.

5. In the main dining rooms, can I order multiple appetizers without being frowned upon? Sometimes I order 2 apps to try different things (especially if I want a salad and a traditional app) or I order 3 and skip the main entree.

6. Are there cheese plates in the main dining rooms, and can they be taken to go? Can other desserts be taken to-go? One of my favorite things is to get a to-go cheese plate on CCL and have a late night snack with wine.

7. What are the can't miss shows/demos/fun things on NCL?

8. Are there poolside movies?

9. Can I access the menus ahead of time so I can decide what nights I should go to the specialty dinner places?

10. Is there a chef's table?

11. What are some tips/tricks you know about the Epic that I should know? :D:D

Thanks in advance for whatever info you can offer! Not only is this my first NCL cruise, it is also my first European one, so I am excited and nervous all at the same time, trying to make sure it is all just perfect :)

On the Sunshine...Remember.. The FIFTH DECK is always your friend. Yo can go from aft to bow, and vice versa.

That was the best tip I received.

Thanks so much! Got it.....number 5 is good :D

Just got off yesterday and here's a few things:

 

- You can usually find a seat to eat at in the Havana bar - the buffet dining area gets really crowded

 

- The omelette stations are in the Havana area (one on JiJi's side and one on Cucina's side)

 

- For lunch JiJi's does stir fry for free and Cucina does make your own pasta for free

 

- The steakhouse was the best Carnival steakhouse we have dined at

 

- JiJi's for dinner was amazing - do not miss it

 

- Cucina Capitano (imo) was not worth it. For one, they also lost our order and it took 45 minutes for our appetizers. The entire meal was a 2 hour process - which is fine for really good food - this should not have been a 2 hour dining experience

 

- Definitely get in line early for the comedy shows

 

- Trivia - on sea days - seemed limited to us. There seemed to be more held on port days - but we were not aboard at that time.

 

- Sea Day brunch was very good

Thank you for the great info! DH always has an omelette each morning, so it is good to know where to send him for those! Sad to hear some of the less favorable reviews of the Italian restaurant......it is usually one of my favorites on other ships! Looks like JiJis may take over this time ;)

Best Serenity deck in the Carnival fleet....features it's own pool and a waterfall. Definitely agree with the others about the crowded comedy club. Enjoy your cruise! We will be on the Sunshine again in February.

I am definitely looking forward to enjoying the Serenity deck! Thanks for the info and the well wishes!

On the Lido deck at the Havana bar there are just a few Cuban inspired food items available for breakfast and lunch. Also tends to less crowded until the end of the cruise.

Sounds good! Thanks!

If you like comedy go at least 30 minutes early to get a good seat. The venue is tight and some seats are behind the stage and you watch a tv screen. Overall love the Sunshine and have cruised her several times.

 

Cheers and happy cruising.

Yes, as stated above, if going to the comedy show, get there 30 to 45 minutes early if you want a seat. Venue is way to small for the amount of people that show up.

Good to know! I have learned that comedy of Carnival is really hit and miss, but I do usually give it a try at least once each trip!

The small breakfast set up in the Ocean Plaza area on Deck 5 is very nice and not crowded at all. Not all the bells and whistles of the full Lido buffet, but very relaxing. Also, the check in for Your Time Dining is on Deck 5.

Also, the front facing chairs on the Serenity Deck are great for the Dive in Movies if you can snag them early.

Thanks, Sea Raven! Good tips!

I just got off an 8 day on the Sunshine yesterday to Aruba, Curacao and Santa Domingo. Been on 25 or 30 cruises and this is about the best one we have had on Carnival. The Alchemy Bar with Kateryna was outstanding, we ate at the speciality restaurants 5 of the 8 nights 2 in the dining room and 1 on Lido. The Steakhouse and Ji Ji's were incredible and Cucina was good after they found our order but didn't get a second chance. If you drink wine or cocktails after 3 in a day cheers pays for itself. We didn't find it hard to find our way around the ship as long as you go from the Lido or Promenade deck. In Aruba and Curacao we walked around and preferred Curacao, on Santa Domingo we went on a tour with Iguana Mama, found on TripAdvisor, with Alexander and Daniel and it was great as we were the only ones for that day. We played trivia with Abby and even won a Plastic Ship and the Clue game was a lot of fun that lasted 4 days but we figured out who killed "Mr Body"

Fantastic info! Thank you so much! And I'm happy to hear your trip was so good.....makes me even more excited :):)

It's been a few years since I sailed on her, but the one thing I do remember was that it took a while to get used to the deck plan. There was a lot of up and down to get places on decks just because of the retro-fitting. I would sail her again though. It was a lovely ship.

Thanks! That is a helpful reminder to check out the deck plans carefully over the next few days :):)

Hi all! Cruising in a little over a week on the Carnival Sunshine. I've been on numerous ships and cruise. I cruised the Destiny twice but not the Sunshine yet. I've also been to all of the ports on this cruise (and already have those plans finalized).

One thing I have learned is there are often tips, must-do things, places to miss, etc. that are ship specific, so I am asking the pros......any last minute Sunshine tips??

TIA!

I would like the FunTimes if you are still following (or if any others are willing to forward theirs).....cruising the Sunshine in a few weeks!

pmain13@hotmail.com

TIA! :):)

AWESOME!!! Thank you soooooo much!!! :D:D I have been searching this exact type of info. :D:D:D

Ha! We are on the same cruise, and I asked the same question a few weeks ago :D

Here is the thread, in case there is info you can use.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2572072

Thanks, everyone! That is what I feared :(. I have a kid with high functioning autism, sensory integration disorder, and anxiety. He does great managing nearly everything EXCEPT the old-style muster drills. I'll contact Carnival special needs for the alternate one. Good to know in advance :)

Will someone who has sailed her recently tell me how the muster drill is managed? Is it indoors (sitting in a lounge or dining room, for example) or outdoors (lined up on deck)?

TIA!!