crenee44

First a little about me and our group. We had 12 total including my husband, our 4 year old son, my parents and other extended family. This was my 4th cruise, 2nd with Carnival and 1st since the kiddo came along.

Pre and post cruise—we flew in a day early and stayed a day after. We did one way rentals through Avis which worked out perfectly.

The ship—the ship is quite pretty, in my opinion, and the colors are much more pleasing than the older ships. I didn’t find the layout too confusing after a day or so. Everything seemed to be in working order and the things that I did notice out of order, like a stall in the ladies locker room, were fixed quickly. I wouldn’t exactly call it spotless. However, It seemed like there was always someone cleaning or polishing, although it can be hard to keep up with 3000+ people.

The cabin—we were in an inside midship on deck 7. It was an excellent location and would book there again in a heartbeat.

Embarkation—it was very smooth and efficient. We got on board right around 1:30 so the rooms were ready. We dropped off our things and had lunch at the pasta bar on the back of the ship. At night it is a pay restaurant, but during the day it is included.

That's all I have time for right now. More to come later.

Do you have a golf umbrella? How about a wide brimmed sun hat and a light cover up on your shoulders.

I ordered some stuff from UV Skinz for our trip. They have stuff made for coverage but lightweight enough for the beach.

It also depends on how good your balance is and if you can stay pretty centered. I did one at a different port and they almost had to leave me behind because I had a hard time getting it just right.

One tip I read somewhere was to take photos of all your luggage before your trip. That way you can show it to the lost luggage people and they know exactly what they are looking for. I have no idea if that really helps or not, but I do it just in case.

I think if any business is going to try to cater to the same demographic vs the same loyal people, they will have to change. The result will inevitably alienate the loyal.

For example, a bar with the latest music and cheap drinks would end up having to add a kids menu and bounce house in 5-10 years to keep the exact same people coming in.

Think of the old social clubs named after animals or for former military members. They chose to focus on the loyal vs trying to attract new people. If you go today, they haven't changed in 40 years and they love it that way. That's fine of course. But they also haven't gotten many new members in 40 years either.

We used ours no problem at Christmas on Alaska Air. My husband boarded first and got the seat installed, books and snacks out, etc. I stayed with our son in the gate area until final boarding was called.

Sometimes it may be cheaper to stay a night in a hotel and take an early morning flight a day later.

Thanks John

I had no idea it was that far! :eek:

Are we better off getting the drive over with the day we fly in and just staying near the port?

I did see people recommending the Radisson - is that nice?

Either would work depending on your circumstances. We are staying near the airport because our flight arrives in the early evening. We have a small child and would rather get him fed and settled for the night earlier rather than later.

The Ramada at the airport has a transport package as well. We won it on Hotwire and haven't stayed there yet so I can't comment on the hotel yet. Reviews online are mixed. http://www.ramadasuitesorlandoairport.com/packages.nxg

We did this in Rome. We hired a private tour guide which allowed us to see more and not have to worry about getting lost, etc.

I have a family member who is very similar. He LOVES cruise food. He likes that he can try something new and if he doesn't like it, he can get something else.

Our son always wakes up between 5 and 6 even on vacation. What is there to do that early? The worst part of our last couple of land based trips was sitting around trying to keep him quiet and occupied waiting for things to open.

How early are the pools open on the Sunshine?

To answer my own question in case anyone else is looking...I found a code for buy one adult get one child free on a display at the grocery store!

http://fruitsnack.com/legoland/

We are doing LEGOLAND post cruise. Does anyone know of good discounts?

Our 4 year old will probably be in his tux if it still fits. Only because he has one from a wedding and we might as well get another use out of it.

One of the best ways I've found to plan on a budget is to run the numbers for different options. The most obvious isn't always cheapest or best.

For example, the night after our Med trip, it was cheaper to stay in a hotel near the Vatican and arrange a private van to the airport the next morning than it was to stay near the airport. This of course also made for a much more enjoyable experience.

For our upcoming trip, however, it is working out to be sort of the opposite. We are flying into Orlando in the late afternoon. My first thought was to head straight to Port Canaveral but we decided to stay near the airport instead. This way we can have a more leisurely evening and get our young son to bed earlier. Money wise this was the best option as well. The hotel is cheaper and we can split transport with another part of our group who will be at the same hotel.

Of course, these are just examples and what worked for our trips won't work for everyone. Have fun planning!

Hi. My cruise is in June. I have quite a bit to lose, but my first goal is to fit back into a dress for elegant night. I tried it on tonight. It zipped, but barely. :eek:

My plan for fitness is to start with the Fitness Blender 4 week low impact program. I'll start that on Monday. And make a few changes at time food wise. Right now I am trying to give up soda (only half a can today!) eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up and stop eating seconds (or thirds) at dinner.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all.

Actually waiting in line is a cultural thing. We saw this all the time when we lived in Hawaii. People from 'line' cultures would think others were rude. People from 'non line' cultures would wonder why others were just standing around and then getting angry.

4 Adults and 4 pieces of luggage.. Town car company states car not big enough. Suggestions? SUV is pricey. Any coupons?

We used Century Town Car for airport to hotel at Christmas time and were very happy.

They have 3 car sizes so the middle one may work for you.

[quote name=MrsPete;45432484 If you've waited 'til the last minute and a traffic accident holds you up' date=' that's careless. If you've started your return trip to the ship with plenty of time to spare, someone else's accident may delay you, but it won't be a make-or-break incident.

[/quote]

Have you ever lived on an island? I have and traffic jams can hold people up for HOURS. There are few alternate routes to redirect those who come behind. I remember seeing a reporter whose news van was stopped in a jam. He walked down the highway and did an interview with groom so he could tell his bride that he didn't leave her at the alter...he was just stuck in traffic!

Are tours arranged at the port cheaper than those booked ahead of time?

I am looking at a private tour for 5. Some of our group want to wait and get a taxi tour thereto save money. Others want to prearrange one to ensure air conditioning, etc.

Groups can bring down the per person cost on transportation and private excursions as well.

Our will be have just turned 4 before our trip. What do you use at that age especially in port?

Can you leave personal items in a taxi tour arranged at the pier? I'm mainly worried about a car seat.

My 6 year old enjoyed walking around El Morro, but had even MORE fun flying a kite on its lawns! I packed one in our suitcase. We also had some shaved ice from a local vendor, followed by a snack at a local restaurant. No special tour needed. :D

This sounds like a wonderful idea! We may have to steal it. I And I never would have thought to put a kite in our bag.

ETA--are there public restrooms nearby?