kasil

I paid for the Cheers package using gift cards. My husband had a health scare and now can't drink alcohol, so i cancelled the purchase. the refund was provided as a Carnival Gift Card Refund. I'd like to use it for my on board account, but the only options were for cash or a credit card. I choose the cash option. When do I add the gift card info? At check in or will I need to go to guest services? If we don't use the entire balance, do I just keep using the card until it's empty, or will I get a new card for the balance? Thanks.

Any ideas how long it takes to get the new gift cards?

from St Thomas

I just checked and Grand Turk is on Eastern Standard time so that means that ship time and island time are the same, correct?

I'll be in St Thomas on 2/5/20 and want to go to VINP and possibly has some time at a beach. Carnival doesn't offer any excursions to St John for my cruise. Any suggestions for a tour company on St John that does this kind of tour? I know I can do it on my own, but I'd rather leave it to people who do this for a living. Thanks.

I'll be on Conquest in February. We are due to be in St Thomas from 7-3 ship time. Is that Atlantic Standard time like the island or Eastern Standard time like out departure port of Miami? What about Grand Turk where we are in port 8-4? Thanks

Here's the description: "Take this opportunity of a lifetime to explore three of the 23 islands that make up the Turks and Caicos Islands. Get away from the crowds to the outlying cays and secluded beaches on this idyllic island adventure. This expedition begins with a relaxed boat ride over a gigantic coral reef system through crystal-clear blue waters to the pristine island of Round Cay. Once safely anchored, you'll enjoy a bit of snorkeling and discover the majestic coral reef system which is home to a myriad of marine life, including the occasional dolphin and turtles. Then enjoy your day basking in the sun or be adventurous and go explore the secluded island. Swim in the aquamarine waters, and relax on the snowy-white sand. You'll have the option to dine on a variety of delicious foods including conch, fish and chicken wings. A Caribbean open bar is included. At the end of this tranquil and revitalizing experience, you will enjoy a boat ride one last time on the way back to the pier, while you can soak up the sun and grandiose scenery."

This excursion looks intriguing, but with only 2 reviews I'm hesitant to book it. I've looked at the web pages of every snorkeling company in Grand Turk I can find on line and I can't match it with anything listed. One review lists Richie, Shawn and Lazarus as crew members. Any ideas as to which company is providing this excursion? Thanks for the help.

3 hours ago, naxer said:

John Heald said this morning that he'll be posting something about that tomorrow.

Posting where?

The on-line description of the beach beds states that there is a maximum of 4 guests per bed. Does that mean the bed is big enough for 4 adults? Or is it meant for 2 adults and 2 kids?

Check with your local health department. They may offer the vaccines at a reduced cost.

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I can't find the right combination of words to search to get the answer. Can the balcony dividers on Oasis be moved to create a longer balcony for two adjoining cabins?

Not sure when or where you are going, but for pictures off the ship you may want to look for a land based photographer at one or more of your ports. They would know the area and know where the best places for pictures would be. Most beaches near ports are going to be crowded and not ideal for pictures. Plus someone local might have a place for you to change clothes so you aren't walking through the port in your wedding dress. Enjoy your cruise!

I joined WW online last week after my daughter announced her engagement. But my cruise is next week. I plan to stick with eggs and fruit for breakfast, salad with chicken for lunch and lots of walking. I'm not much of a drinker, but was given the unlimited beverage package as a gift. Any suggestions for lower point alcoholic drinks?

The show time for one of my reservations got changed, so I want to go on a different day. In the cruise planner the day I want says to check on board. Where do I do that on Symphony? Thanks.

Anyone able to compare the steak house and Italian restaurants on Carnival Vista and Symphony of the Seas?

Food is subjective, but the food in the MDR has always been fine for us. Everything has been good, a few things have been great and we never leave hungry. On our cruise on Vista, my husband and I were celebrating our 25th anniversary and our 50th birthdays, so we splurged and went to the steak house and the Italian specialty restaurants. We were not overly impressed with either. The steak was good but not great, and the rest of the meal was too "gourmet" for our tastes. For instance, the salad was a few whole vegetables, cut in half, arranged on a plate. Everything had to be cut up before you could fit into your mouth. I don't even remember what we had for appetizers or dessert. Not at all what I had anticipated. The Italian food was also good, but we didn't think it was worth the extra expense.

The first night of our Symphony cruise is my husband's birthday. I'm considering purchasing the BOGO deal on Symphony since it is the same price as one night at Chops, but I have never been to a specialty restaurant on Royal. After our experience on Vista, I'm a little leery about spending the extra money.

Thanks for the help.

We'll be there May 24, 2018, which id a Thursday. If says FKL. Any way to find out which berth?

Does Carnival Legend use the same dock every time? Which one?

One more hijack :D- aknursemom

Check out continuingeducation.net and CMEatsea.org. They both offer all kinds of CME cruises.

I'll be cruising Alaska the end of May and have a whale watch booked for my stop in Juneau. I have a rain coat that covers my hips and I'm planning to wear thermals under jeans and water proof hiking shoes. How wet will my legs get - do I really need rain pants that I'll probably never wear again? Would carrying a dry pair of pants be enough? The next stop on the excursion is the Mendenhall Glacier so there would be a warm place to change. Thanks for the advice.

You could also do a web search for "CME cruise" (continuing medical education). They CME cruises that I've been on had over 50 attendees and met in a good sized conference room. That might help you narrow down the list of possibilities.

I have two private tour excursions set up where the tour company owner will be our tour guide. I generally give a tip to the guide and anyone else directly involved in giving the tour, but I've never been in this situation before. What's your opinion on tipping the owner?

Having the check-in area somewhere other than right outside the dining room prevents a lot of congestion in the small lobby area outside the dining room. Instead of walking all the way to the dining room and then spending any wait time in a small area, you walk part way to the dining room, stop at the check-in desk for your table assignment in a more open area than the dining room lobby and then walk the rest of the way to the dining room when your table is ready. At most, having the check-in on deck 5 and the dining room on deck 3 on Vista made my walk 2-3 minutes longer. The longest line was at the check-in desk - 3 or 4 parties ahead of me. The longest wait was 5-10 minutes, and that was during the "busy" time. Most of the time there was no wait at all.

My cabin on Vista had two USB ports for charging electronics. You probably won't need the power strip unless you need power for a lot of other things at the same time. The room lights had a timer that will turn everything off unless there is a card in the slot. I used an old gift card and just left it there the entire cruise. There was a little nightlight on the wall near the bathroom door and the sign about life jackets was glow in the dark, so it was never completely dark in the cabin even though it was an interior. There is a clock on the phone. We used our phone for a wake up alarm. Just be careful if you change time zones. Your phone may automatically change but the ship might not. We stayed in the same time zone on our southern Caribbean trip so no problems then.

I took everything on your list and didn't use any of it. I didn't need the hooks because there were only two of us and not much to hang up. The Carnival Hub app lists everything that is going on and you can add things to your favorites list. You'll get a notification when things on the list are due to happen. Just be sure that you have the most recent app. I downloaded it a few months before the cruise and when I tried to use the chat feature, it wouldn't work until I updated the app.

The only other thing that I wouldn't travel without is my first aid kit. It doesn't take up much space and isn't very heavy. You can get everything in it on board and in port, but at a much higher cost. I take it on land trips too. It's handy to have everything in one place. It contains Tylenol, ibuprofen, decongestant, non-sedating antihistamine (like Zyrtrec), anti-diarrheal (like Imodium), Pepto pills, TUMS, sea sickness pills (like Bonine), band aids, hydrocortisone cream and antibiotic cream. For cruises I add sun screen and aloe lotion for when I forget to reapply the sunscreen.

Don't forget to plan to have a good trip and then follow your plan.