marcimm

I’m partial to Belmont Brewing Company in Belmont Shore just a few miles east of downtown. Right in the beach with beautiful sunset views.

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A brand new Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites just opened up near the Long Beach Airport. There's also a newish Courtyard by Marriott across the street from the property. This is a good, safe part of town, with a new shopping and dining area within walking distance (all this in the former McDonnell Douglas property). I would try one of those for a large party like yours, although I do like Hotel Maya.

We’re traveling in a group of 10 cabins. If I buy the package, do I need to be in the picture for it to be included in the package or can pics of others in the group (not in my cabin) be included?

Just checked Hertz's website at Marriott; they're closed Saturdays and Sundays which won't work for us as our cruise departs on Sunday. However, the other downtown location I was looking at says on their website: "This is at the corner of 8th and Pike Streets, directly across the street from the Washington State Convention Center in the Hyatt Hotel. Approximately 1 mile from Pier 66, and 3 miles from Pier 91. Cab fare will be reimbursed up to $8.00 with receipt."

So long as we can return the car to this location, I think we are good to go!

I've been researching this very thing for our August 2018 cruise. Need to rent a car for couple days to be picked up at SeaTac Airport, and return it to a Seattle location closer to Pier 91. Checked Avis, Alamo, Enterprise, National and Hertz, but with my AAA membership, Hertz is by far the cheapest (around 1/3 the cost of the other four) for pick up at the airport, with drop off in downtown Seattle, with no additional drop off fees. Doesn't look like they provide a shuttle to Pier 91 but shouldn't be very much to Uber there. Does this sound right, or am I missing something?

We're cruising with a group of 20+ friends and family. If we buy one package and take lots of group photos, will they be included in the package? Do we get to choose which ones to include?

That's great about your upgrade to premium balcony but I thought they were not part of the 3 for Free upgrade. I'm already booked in a premium balcony; does this mean I can re-fare to the lowest, regular balcony cabin and stay in my Caribe deck balcony cabin? That'd be awesome! :D

Worst airport but you will be fine.

Wow, really? LGB is small but I'd fly out of there any day before LAX or Orange County. In and out quickly with none of the big airport hassles.

OP, your friend will be fine with a noon flight.

For my August 13, 2016, Miracle cruise, I emailed last Friday through Manage My Cruise and heard back within 2 days. The email reply came from the Steakhouse Manager at MISupper@carnival.com. She and I emailed back and forth because we had to change our time due to accommodating the size of our group but I always heard back within the day. Maybe you can email directly using the email naming protocol for your ship either at "steakhouse" or "supper" (as was the case for the Miracle).

On the Miracle, we had 2 connecting extended balcony cabins on deck 7. One slept 2, the other 3. I don't believe the balcony dividers opened; can't say for sure because we ended up cancelling those cabins as one of the passengers in the 3 berth couldn't go.

Thank you for that information. The trip i'm planning is over 8 months away and 7448/7445 and 8462/8469 have already been taken! :(

 

Is it true that the aft ext balconies next to the aft wraps also have extra space than the ones on the inside? (8468/8475 and 7456/7461)

Too bad they're already taken. Can you spring for the wrap? You get the best of both worlds. Beautiful wake in the aft and breezy side balcony with privacy.

We had the aft wrap and the side cabin next to 7448 but not the aft next to the wrap. Looking at the deck plan, though, 7456/7461 cabins look less deep than the ones toward the center. Beware the aft facing cabins get really hot in the summer as there is little air movement back there. Good luck!

Balcony cabins 7448 and 7455 are next to the aft wraps and have extra long balconies for the same price as regular balconies on the same deck. Deck 5/lack of privacy is a non-issue since it does not protrude out in the aft. Would recommend these.

We were on Dream, Magic's sister ship. Had balcony cabins 7444, 7448 and 7454 (aft wrap) and all three balconies' dividers opened. At the back of the ship, deck 5 does not obstruct view down to the water below. I'm pretty sure that cabins 7448, 7454 and 7458 on Magic should be the same.

if its available get 7448. I stayed in that one a few years back and it was great. L-Shaped room so it had twice as long a balcony and it is far enough back that the Lanai is to its narrow point, so you will have privacy. No couch in the room though if that makes a difference

I concur with cabin 7448. We had regular balcony cabin 7444, 7448 and aft wrap 7454 and had the dividers open so had a huge balcony. But we all agreed that for the same price as a regular balcony, 7448 had the better balcony due to its length. Being in the aft, deck 5 was a non-issue. Plus the starboard side meant being able to see New Orleans as you cruised down the Mississippi.

These same questions were being posted about this time last year. I booked in April 2015 for our August 2016 Miracle cruise, and FTTF became available in late June 2015, after Carnival posted other excursions. I checked daily. From what I read here on CC, ours was one of the first FTTFs released, and then others were made available for other ships a short time (days?) later.

We stayed at the Intercontinental. You can see the cruise port from the hotel so not too far for a cab ride. Walked to a CVS or Walgreens to pick up wine.

I've cruised Freedom twice and Dream once and loved both ships. Everything else being equal, I'd choose Dream because you get to experience NOLA! I've never visited Galveston but NOLA is worth adding a couple nights to the beginning or end of your cruise to extend your vacation.

We've used it on the last two or three cruises and love it! From the early embarkation, rooms ready, early luggage delivery, no tender lines, and zone 1 debarkation. But the most beneficial to us was the guest services line on the morning of debarkation on our last cruise on Dream. One of my daughter's friend's credit card wasn't going through so she had to go down there to settle her account before we could debark. That line snaked all over the ship! But with FTTF, we were able to walk right up to the counter and get things squared away.

I like deck 8 because there's a good amount of true aft as well as side (no wind in the aft, breezy with an overhang on the side). The chair scraping noises from the deck above never bothered us. There's no sofa in the cabin; just a table and chairs. Bed faces the back. I know deck 6 has a sofa and the balcony is deeper, I'm just afraid of the noise from the deck below as we cruise with friends in the side cabins next to the aft. I've looked at deck 7 photos and noticed there's no true aft balcony, that's why I've had deck 8 twice on the Freedom and once on the Liberty.

We booked in April 2015 for our August 2016 cruise. Initially booked Fun Select 8K balcony at $2388, then changed to Past Guest (when that rate became available in May) at $2028. Had one reduction in July to $1928. Right now, Early Saver shows $2048 and no Past Guest rate is available. We always cruise in the summer so I'm happy with the rate I have. This is our first cruise out of Long Beach, which means we don't have to pay for flights or hotel stays; less than a half hour drive to the port. Glad we booked when we did.

My daughter gets seasick on small boats and ferries, even a short harbor cruise. So on her first cruise on Carnival Dream two summers ago, she used the patch prescribed by her doctor and she was fine. We even went on a speed boat in Cozumel with no issues at all. We took Bonine with us just in case but she never needed it. She's going on another cruise and expects no problems with seasickness with the patch. Good luck!

We have the AAdvantage Citibank Visa card and get 1 free checked for up to 5 people plus group 1 boarding. There's an annual fee ($75?) but the card more than pays for itself when you fly. $998 is a great deal. I agree about checking regularly on Kayak. My last flight on American to Cabo, the fare was lowest at around 75 days out. Less than $300/person.

As for ports, get a cabana on HMC. Best beach day ever!

Last year on the Dream, we had aft wrap 7454, 7448 and 7444 all next to each other. 7448 is an odd shaped balcony cabin with a long balcony, where as 7444 is a regular balcony, both priced the same.

We had the dividers open and moved loungers and chairs around but I don't think there was a lounger on the 7448 balcony. Pretty sure 7454 came with two loungers. Maybe your steward can bring one for you; the balcony is long enough, albeit not very deep.

For being priced as a regular balcony cabin, 7448 is a good value. You did well to book it!

We're from Long Beach and have done Western out of Ft. Lauderdale, Eastern and Southern out of Miami, and Western out of New Orleans. All beautiful beaches and fun excursions. Did the same Eastern ports you're looking at and loved them.

I totally get the no missing school thing. My girls would never have considered that when they were in high school. We actually waited until our youngest was 21 last year to cruise with them. It was a blast!

We flew on American (we get free checked bags on them) to MIA and FLL twice on the red eye; not too bad but much better to fly in the day before. NOLA we flew on Southwest. All direct flights out of LAX since LGB has no direct flights. I've read that people get cheaper fares to FLL but that hasn't always been the case for us. MIA has been cheaper with more direct flights out of the west coast. If you can get a round trip fare for under $400/person, I'd consider it a good fare.

We're finally doing Mexican Riviera out of Long Beach next year. Looking forward to no airfare or added hotel costs!

Enjoy your cruise!

You book the HMC cabana as an excursion prior to the cruise, preferably sooner rather than later as they sell out fast. Then go to Excursions desk on day of embarkation to pick your cabana. Again, do this as soon as you board so you can pick the one you want. Best day of the whole cruise!