KatieCharlotte

This hysteria is needless. But if you all must continue to freak out, perhaps it will reduce the number of people in St. Thomas during November. I like it when the beaches aren't very crowded.

Not to mention cheap cruises. I'd love a price drop on my winter cruise, and I have my eye on an Easter cruise that is current out of our price range. My kids are also dying to go back on the Magic. :D

People who have been exposed to Ebola should not fly on airplanes or go on cruises, mostly because of the great inconvenience and anxiety they create. And the hospital clearly made mistakes in identifying the first case and protecting its nurses. But I am not worried about traveling, and I don't think anything should be done regarding the thousands disembarking from that ship and returning to their normal lives, all of whom are much more likely to die on the drive home.

So John Heald just put on his facebook that aside from the cosmetic upgrades during the dry-dock, the 2 pool bars will be converted to the Red Frog and Blue Iguana bars. If this is the case, that Cheers package will be EVEN SWEETER!!!

 

Bob

He later edited the post to correct the ship -- apparently it's actually the Ecstasy getting the Red Frog and Blue Iguana. It sounds like Elation will not be getting 2.0 upgrades. I personally don't care but wanted to make sure no one was misled by the apparent mistake on his fb page.

I understand why you're upset. Carnival is not the best in communicating information ahead of time. But I also think you and your daughter are going to have a great time. The Magic is my kids' favorite ship, and not because of Camp Carnival. Yes, they went occasionally so we could have time to ourselves, but mostly the kids had an amazing time on the sports deck and in the waterpark area.

When we cruised on the Victory, much of the time the 9-11 group (and I believe the 6-8 group, but I don't have kids that age) met in a regular room away from Camp Carnival. The Camp Carnival rooms were not under renovation, and we did not receive any notification. I don't know if it was because of the high number of kids on board for spring break.

I know they maintained security at the door of the room. It was closed off to adults, and kids were signed in and out. My DD was old enough to check herself out so I did not pay close attention to the level of security, but I'm certain they take it very seriously. My daughter had no complaints. She enjoyed the social games and art. With the types of activities enjoyed by the ages 6 to 11 kids, the room does not really matter much. They aren't playing with the toys, they don't care so much about what the walls look like, and I'd rather they aren't glued to video games.

If your stop is one of the private islands, lunch on the island is included. I ran into a mother trying to get her kids out of the water to go back to the ship for lunch because she did not want to pay with the ship so close.

I've been meaning to look that up and now I don't have to, so thank you. :)

I wish I'd known that the regular saunas are free on my first cruise during a Dec cold snap. I did learn that there are blankets available on the lido. Also, board games can be borrowed from the library.

Re ordering from the kids menu -- The cookies and brownies are nice if you want a little chocolate and don't like the fancy desserts offered. My daughter ordered the "assorted cookies" every night. It became a joke because they were always all chocolate chip. On the last night, even I was tired of chocolate melting cake and fancy desserts, so everyone at the table ordered the "assorted cookies."

I don't think I could have done that when I was in college. :eek:

Neither could I. These threads are always an entertaining reminder to me that I'm a drinking lightweight. :D Two drinks over several hours and I'm basically asleep. To break even, I'd be intoxicated the entire cruise.

Personally, I like knowing a huge US corporation has vetted the operators thoroughly, knowing their licenses, their equipment, and most importantly, their insurance is up to date and at correct levels.

To pay a bit more for that peace of mind is well worth it... for my family's well being.

 

And now that Carnival is offering price matching, it's a no brainer... Win Win!! :D

And I like knowing that my money is going to a local company versus a huge US corporation, so to each their own. :) I do a lot of research to make sure I'm comfortable with the company. Mostly, I like private tours for the unique personalized experiences. When we're going to just one place, we take local transportation. It probably depends a lot on whether you're used to traveling to other countries on your own.

I can't imagine ever wishing I stayed home!

We started with only oceanviews. I thought I really wanted a window, but then realized I don't exactly spend much time in the room looking out the window. We tried an inside last time to save money and realized we really liked it. Dark and cozy for sleeping, and that's the only time we want to be in the room anyway. We will probably stick with insides most of the time now.

There are too many factors to consider to give an absolute answer.

1. Distance and time -- We booked through Carnival when we were going to be a hours away from the port for an all-day excursion in Belize. I would have been too stressed about the small possibility of missing the boat. But usually we time things to be back at the boat with a couple hours to spare, so no stress.

2. Price -- I've seen private excursions for comparable prices and some that were MUCH cheaper. It depends on what you want to do. You'll have to research and compare prices. If Carnival is basically just driving you somewhere like a beach or Atlantis, you might be better with a taxi. It should be easy to find a private tour that lets you pay when you get there or, at the very least, get a refund if you have to cancel.

3. Private excursions give you smaller groups, often private tours for just your family. They can offer unique experiences you can't get with the ship excursions. We like customized tours that let us see real life and take us places to drop off school donations. This is the main reason we usually book privately, although we also save money, especially since we're a large family.

4. On the other hand, there's always the risk of problems with the tour company -- lost reservation, unexpected delays, unscrupulous companies, etc. Do research on multiple sites to make sure people are happy with the company and make sure you're not confusing companies with similar names.

Because you're feeling unsure, I would just book through Carnival this time, unless there's a unique tour that you can only get through a private company.

The gym will be addressed during the upcoming dry dock.

Do you know what changes are coming? I'm mostly interested in the free sauna and showers but have friends who might want to check out the exercise equipment.

Having gone swimming in many muddy lakes, I find that description of Paradise Beach kind of funny. :D The water is beautiful just a short way out and I would never have described it as muddy or swampy. There are rocks as you go into the water and it's not the kind of beach where you can just wade in a sandy shallow area, but we managed to cross the rocks without wearing our water shoes and there are lifejackets available for kids and adults. Even my then-four-year-old enjoyed some of the inflatables with assistance, and my eight-year-old had the time of her life.

When our daughter was going to be two months too young for a Carnival excursion, we just found the same tour through a local company with a younger minimum age. But, I have heard from others that Carnival can be flexible with the age requirement on some tours, depending on the company they're working with and the reason for the minimum age. You could call or ask when you get on board, or just look for the same tour through a private company.

Thank you for your response, John. This is just what I wanted to know.

 

I asked about the snorkel and locker fees because I had not seen that information when I looked at the Money Bar website before posting this question. After I read your response, I went back to the Money Bar website to see if I had somehow missed that information and, sure enough, it was hidden under one of the coins on the right which had the word "click" around it. I did not see the word "click" until I got close up to the screen--I had just thought those were decorative coins on the website. I definitely need to get my glasses replaced!

 

Thanks again!

It took me a couple visits to the website to figure that out too. But I really appreciate that they do set out all the prices on the website. Come back and let me know how easy it was to get a cab, since we may be doing the same thing a month later. :)

My picky daughters ate packaged snacks from home at Paradise Beach. Granola bars, peanut butter crackers, Goldfish crackers. We bought some food, but we also bought the water toy wrist bands and were not pressured to buy food for everyone.

Don't think of it as Easter week, think of it as Spring Break - when families and college students are off. It is one of the most popular and expensive times to cruise. There may be price drops, but I wouldn't count on it.

Our school spring break is always the first week of April, so this will be the rare year when it's actually Easter week. Last year we got a great deal on a spring break cruise, but obviously it wasn't Easter week. I don't want to skip an entire year but the prices are a bit out of our budget. I wouldn't book hoping for a price drop. I'll have to make other plans if prices stay this high.

Is Easter week really so popular, or will the price go down? Right now, it's more per day than a better cruise on the same ship Christmas week. Please tell me there's hope the price will get better closer to the sail date. I've never had to sail Easter week before.

Boring details -- Our kids' spring break unfortunately is Easter week this year. I've had my eye on a 7-day Sunshine cruise to San Juan, St. Thomas, Nassau, and Grand Turk, but the price is so much more than we've paid for previous cruises. $647/person for five people in an inside and that's early saver. We could take an 8-day to the same ports except the much better St. Maarten instead of Nassau over Christmas break for $700/person not early saver.

A trundle bed would be fine for an almost six-year-old. I actually slept on one for several nights when cruising with my husband and three kids because I found it comfortable and easier when I was the last one to get back to the cabin and go to sleep. I am petite and sleep curled up on my side. I wouldn't recommend it for most adults, but it's fine for kids. The steward slid it under a bed during the day, so it was only in the way after dinner. With it out, there was still a small amount of walking space between the trundle and the desk area in our inside cabin on the Victory, which I assume is the same size as a Fantasy inside. The lower beds were separated in a V-shape against the walls, with the lifejacket box in the corner.

When we cruise as a family of five, we're always alone. But when DH and I cruised alone, we were placed at a table with a young honeymoon couple, at least ten years younger than us. They didn't believe in drinking alcohol for religious reasons. DH doesn't drink and I just like to get one cocktail per cruise, so they didn't have to be uncomfortable dining with people who were drinking. We're still figure out how Carnival managed that. My parents have also had some excellent dinner companions over the years who have interesting things in common with them and no terrible matches, so if it's random I'd say it's usually pretty lucky.

I just hope that when I cruise with friends they don't assume we're all single and match us with men. My husband would probably find it funny, but we're all the type to be easily embarrassed and we're looking for a break from men and children. Please not a family with kids either. Please tell me we'll probably get a four-top.

Welcome to Cc, I would go with door #2 for sure if it was around the same price, four ladies with one bathroom trying to get dressed your poor hubby would never get his turn,lol. Good luck with your decision :)

The oceanviews for five on the Magic have two bathrooms, one with a tub and one with a shower, plus a curtain that can be pulled between the beds and the pull-out couch area. We created four different changing areas. That said, if the price is close to the same and with the kids being much older than mine, I would definitely go for separate bedrooms. Put the daughters in an interior across the hall. Although the OVs are somewhat larger than your typical cruise cabin, they're still pretty small and you're all in one room. The girls won't spend enough time in the room to care too much about having a window and would probably prefer having their own space. They are certainly old enough to be in their own room.

We brought our own masks and snorkels and rented fins and vests for a few$ each. Cab fare from the piers to MB was $10+tip (for 4 in the cab) and I seem to recall another $12+ got us to PB and then about $16+ to get back to the pier. My memory may have been affected by the beers and margaritas :o and since it was 18+ months ago I suspect the cab fares have gone up by a buck or two.

 

Bring lots of small bills - cab drivers in Coz and all over the world seem to never have change when you pull out a $20. Good luck! :)

Thanks for all the info. We're trying to decide whether it's worth it to haul snorkel gear or just rent it. I appreciate having a general idea of the taxi cost, even if the amounts change slightly. Do I remember correctly that there's a board posted, so you have some idea if you're getting the standard rate? And yeah, we learned to always have small bills after the Bahamas when the cab driver claimed not to have change. DH was about to accept it, but I said I would run and find someone who would give me change and the driver miraculously found some smaller bills. :D

No beach with nice sand and waves will have good snorkeling - the sand and waves cloud the water and there are no rocks/reefs for the little fish to thrive in.

 

We have taxied to the Money Bar, enjoyed great snorkeling, and after an hour or two, to satisfy the beach lovers, then taxited to PB for a relaxing afternoon - nice beach, good facilities, HUGE pool, good service/food/drinks. I would have been happy staying at the Money Bar but my DS and DDs out voted me! :o

That sounds like my perfect Cozumel day. Do you have an idea what the total taxi cost was for pier--Money Bar--PB--pier? Did you rent the snorkel equipment at Money Bar?

I'm not seeing why some posters feel the need to dole out financial advice. Unless you are speaking as a professional hired to do so or from a place of support or love, you have no right to tell people how or when they should pay for things.

 

I know the OP is tired of the direction this thread has taken, but I think people feel frustrated by the bad financial decisions they see people all around them making. It really doesn't matter if you pay by cash or pay off a credit card each month, but I honestly feel frightened for anyone who is one paycheck away from financial disaster. If someone can't pay for their cruise until they get their paycheck, what happens when they have an unexpected necessary expense? I wish they would cut out the discretionary spending until they can build up a savings cushion, for their own good. I'm glad I did. I also care about the impact on everyone else, including me, when people can't pay their bills because of unexpected expenses or job loss and end up in foreclosure, defaulting on loans, and filing for bankruptcy.

Is it obc that is refundable at the end of your cruise if you don't spend it all?

My husband and I are taking the kids on their first cruise May 2015. We always have a cabin on deck 2 but hubby want one on deck 6. Since we are a family of five, only deck 1, 2, and 6 are available. I haven't booked yet cause I'm checking which deck is better for us. I think that I will be on deck 2.

I just looked over the deck plans. We're thinking about a Sunshine cruise and I'm sticking with deck 1 just to make sure we're away from noisy areas. I'd love deck 7, but we're like you and need a room for five. Parts of decks 2 and 6 look okay, but I really value quiet.

BTW, don't let anyone tell you that you will hate sharing a room, must have a balcony, etc. It's totally depends on your family. We've shared a tiny inside and had a great time. More room than our tent, after all, and we were usually not in the room except to sleep and rest. Our youngest changed in the closet. :) Kids stay up later on cruises and you can take turns going upstairs at night if you have little ones. Camp Carnival is nice if you want alone time together. ;)

The whole idea of keeping it "free" is by having people purchase food and beverage. If you are going there and they ask that you have a minimum purchase.....it's only common courtesy to do so.

 

Will they throw you out if you don't, not likely, but if they are letting you use their facilities for free, I would think you would at least purchase "something" from them.

While I generally agree that you shouldn't take advantage of free entry to a beach club/restaurant and not buy anything, if you're buying the wristband at $18 or even the $3 wristband, you're not exactly using the facilities for free. We had the more expensive wristbands and shared about $10 in food. They seemed more focused on stopping the freeloaders who were swimming over from other beaches to use the inflatables than making people with wristbands order food.

For 9 & 11, especially if they are good swimmers, I would head to Paradise Beach - great facilities, HUGE pool, nice beach, good food/drinks/service. Admission/chair rental is $3 each and another $15 gets the kids access to the water toys - let them play while you sip another margarita! :D

The extra $15 includes snorkel equipment. Not the best snorkeling for people with experience, but it was good enough for my daughter's first time snorkeling. It also includes paddle boards, inflatables, and float mats so there was something for everyone to enjoy. They also provide inflatable life vests if your kids are only okay swimmers. If you want something with a little education and better snorkeling and don't care about inflatables and paddle boards, Chankanaab sounds like a good idea.

Mayan ruins can be interesting for kids and mine loved the ruins in Belize, but I would probably save ruins for another cruise with different ports. It's a long drive to Tulum for kids.