Joyride37
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Posts posted by Joyride37
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Congrats on the marriage.
I would suggest looking at all the different ports of call and look at what they have to offer. That'll help narrow down where to go. Every port is different but offers the same experiences. That make sense? Lol.
Once you narrow that down start looking at the ships for that particular run. First cruise was a port hole room, which was cool, then I discovered balconys. What a wonderful difference. A balcony mid ship is what I prefer. But I've been all the way forward and aft in different cabins with balconies. Did an aft cabin because mid ship cabins were taken. It was gorgeous and picturesque.
Cruising is a learn as you go for the simple fact that everyone has different preferences.
The key is get involved, go with flow (**** happens) and remember why you are there. There's also Roll Call here where you can start meeting people who will be on the same cruise. Once in a roll call you can ask all the questions you want because it'll be specific to your cruise. Enjoy.
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My thought is to use the gift cards to credit your on board account then on Day 2 purchase the drink package using the credit on your account. I don't know if anyone has tried that but I'm shooting from the hip.
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Does Carnival still have the military friends and family promotion in May?
Im waiting to hear back from my TA on that. (Ret USA)..
Joyride37
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she will have fun, I promise. On our last cruise, the 14 y/o DD was at first hesitant and saying stuff like "Im not gonna meet anyone I like, and itll be boring" (the normal teenage girl angst stuff). Anyway, after the first day, we hardly saw her except when her and her new friends she made would walk by us. She still keeps in touch with them. We went on a cruise in 2011, same issues, same statements, same results and she keeps in touch with one or two from that cruise. She will have fun.
Joyride37
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The Ecstasy way back in 1997.
Joyride37
**edited to correct my horrible spelling
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Carnival Dream - Aft Balcony for Cabin 7461:)
wow, we will be in this exact cabin Feb 2015 on the Dream. Thanks
Joyride
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We've booked the Dream for Feb 2015. Our TA said that in May, when CCL puts the military discount into affect, that we should either get a reduction in the cost or OBC. Not sure how much it will be, but it would be nice. Like someone said earlier, sometimes you save more using the other discounts. Just stay on top of it.
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If your husband is on AD and is currently deployed he should have orders, as deployment isnt TDY. If you have your ID, marriage certificate and your spouses orders you should have plenty of proof..
Good luck
Joyride37
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We have the private tour reserved with Victor Bodden for our cruise in April. We will be traveling with another family, so there will be 8 of us in total on the tour (kids ranging in age from 8 to 13). We are only in port from 8am-3pm, so it's a relatively short day for us.
We would like to do the zip lining and visit the monkeys, and then head to the beach for lunch and some snorkeling. I'm getting a little concerned about whether we will have enough time at the beach. Does anyone know how long the zip lining will take and how long the drives are between the dock (Mahogany Bay), the zip lining, the beach and back?
Has anyone else been able to squeeze this all in?
Thank you!
we did the exact thing you are doing back in 2011. We had Texx for the tour as our guide. He was very aware of the time constrants, as our time was the same as yours. He kept us on time. You will have fun.
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We did the "tequila factory" tour with Freddy, a driver we picked up off the pier. Its not a factory. No tequila is made on the island. Its a "free tour", and its a litte interesting. They have free samples, with no limits, and they sell the tequila there as well. If you like tequila, you will like this. Smooth stuff. Jose Cuervo has nothing on this stuff. Anyways, its interesting but it is not what they make it out to be. Theres a restraunt there thats sells some tasty food. They do tell you and show you the process.
One thing I did learn, nothing can be called Tequila, according to Mexican law, unless its made along the central west coast mainland Mexico. It has something to do with the agave plants and volcanic ash.
Try the bar hop tour on the short bus. Fun and it takes you to the ocean side of the island. Fun fun fun
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we to used Island Marketing, Ltd, but we didnt book till we got off the boat in CM. With limited snorkeling experience between us, and the kids never had done it, they were friendly and helpful and pointed out a lot of things we as novices would of missed if solo. It was a blast. We also did some snorkeling in Coz and saw less sea life and more sea grass then anything, but it was still fun. Hope this helped.
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get there early, or get there later. We actually got there a little before noon and made it through all the check ins and were on the boat in about 35 minutes. Fastest time was about 15 minutes when we thought we were running late. That was about an hour before last call to get on.
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I just got off the elation and I must say that the cheers program worked well for me. The cost was around 250USD for 5 days. In the end I probably had over 300 dollars in drinks for 250. Someone in my group figured out that if you buy one of their 8.50 drinks, plus the automatic tip and your tip it would total around 10.00. Also, if you have just 6 out of the 15 drinks a day, you break even. So I think I saved money. There is the 5 minute wait between drinks, cannot share the card and as of Friday night they have no plans to change the 2 adults in a room both must get the cheers program deal.
BTW, Kiss On the Lips is a very good tasty drink so is the Sunrise. Mmm...
Joyride
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This is one thing I'm overly cautious about. I bring a mini stapler and small roll of packing tape. Once we arrive at our pre-cruise hotel, the airline tags come off and the Carnival tags go on - couple of staples and then laminate it in a ring of packing tape. I also print off extra tags and place a sheet in each suitcase. Call me paranoid, but I want my stuff :cool:
we leave monday on elation and I was wondering how to affix the papered luggage tags. Thanks for the great idea. Can I take it as my own to impress my peeps?:D
Martin
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your life is about to change. Cruising is highly addictive. Enjoy and welcome aboard
Joyride37
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That was a way to short review. You need more pictures :D
regarding your pictures, one of my favorite ones was the divas there toward the end. You had a pic of the three couples on stage before the husbands dressed them in the sheets. What stood out was that the only couple holding hands were the older ones in the middle. Thought that was very sweet.
Only thing that brought me here was we are going on a 5 day on the Elation at the start of the new year. Last cruise on Carnival was way back in 97. Since then its been all NCL. But this family cruise brought me to this review and Im glad that I read all 83 pages. Great review Mike. Have fun on the Valor.
Joyride37
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NCL does organized pub crawls... CCL doesnt
Absolutely correct there Jon. Every time GF and I cruise NCL we do the pub crawl and have a good time doing it.
Joyride37
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Carnival doesn't organize pub crawls (on none of the cruises I've been on anyways). The Elation has 5 bars that I can think of off the top of my head--Atrium, Casino, Lido Pool, Buffet aft and the one in front of the aft lounge on 9. Other bars are open when there is something going on in the room -disco, aft lounge, piano bar.
If you like beer look for the Thirsty Red Frog on draft. If the Elation has it, it should be either at the Atrium bar or the bar aft of the buffet. The puller has a tree frog on it.
Being that I like to try different beers, Ive heard good things about this Thirsty Red Frog beer. Gonna have to try it. GF and I are getting the drink card so I think we will put that to good use. Hopefully her brother can keep up with us semi-professional drinkers.
Joyride37
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They don't do pub crawls as far as carnival sponsored but if you go to your roll call usually that group will organize one. No specials as far as drink prices tho.
If nobody has organized a pub crawl start one yourself on your roll call. People will join.
May have to do that. The Roll Call, is um, well, theres only four/five people responding to it and the one that started the thread isn't going on the cruise after all(family issues I think).
Joyride37
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I'm not sure what the thread title of "Beer" has to do with your question.
If you want a pub crawl check the Roll Call forum for your sailing. If there isn't a thread for your sailing yet then start one and you can organize the pub crawl.
Ah, my ploy worked. It got you to read it the thread didn't it?
Joyride37
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Hello. The last time I cruised with Carnival was waaayyyyyy back in 1996. Ive been on several other cruises with NCL since. GF, kids and extended family are taking a cruise on the old Elation here in January. My question is, to all the Carnival faithful is there a pub crawl on the Elation, or on Carnival in general? We enjoyed it the few times weve done it before, plus it was a way to meet new people. But I don't see any mention anywhere on these here threads. Am I in for a disappointment? Ok, maybe not a disappointment, I mean after all, we are cruising, right? Maybe more of a minor let down. Thanks in advance.
Joyride37
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One more thing, or observation I made during my cruises. You will see the McD's, Wendys and so on at some of these ports. Im a fan of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" attitude. Dont be afraid to be a little adventurious when in port. Just be aware of your surroundings and assure yourself that a large proportion of the people in and around the port are there to make money and dont want anyhting to happen to thier customers. In Costa Maya, I had the driver(70USD for the day to drive me, GF and 3 kids around at our will) ask if we wanted some food. The kids were hungry. The kids wanted tacos so the driver took off for a seaside resort area, but then abruptly stopped and asked if we wanted real tacos. We said Sure and he took off into the interior of the country. About 10 minutes later we stopped at Jorges Orange Taco shack(its literally a orange shack and the owner is Jorge). So I ended up buying myself, GF, the kids and my driver tacos and drinks for under 20 and it was by far the best tacos I've ever had.
Something like that.
Joyride37
River Cruising
in First Time Cruisers
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I wish the mobile app had a like button because I'd be all over this. You answered a lot of my questions to. Thank you.
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