tinkerbell1984

I was watching a video on Youtube for Horizon Cabin 7215 which is halfway under the bridge. They have a notice in the room to keep curtains closed at night.

Anyone know how far this safety notification extends back away from the bridge? We have 7216 booked and I'm wondering if that was a mistake!

Does the Lido Breakfast have pancakes, French toast, and waffles? Or does it alternate? I have an autistic son who will only eat those pancakes for breakfast with choc chips I bring from home. We've always had them offered every day but the MG Lido just looks more limited during the glances I can find online.

How about Family Harbor? What do they have for breakfast? Afternoon snacks? Do they have the brownies that Vista and Horizon have? Can't find any foodie videos of the lounge. 

Mardi Gras Lido Buffet also looks to have less desserts than other ships from videos, is that accurate?

I know there are other places to eat, but I'm looking for these specific questions for a reason, Thanks!

We were on Dec 18.
No ice skating. 
No Escape Room. 
No archery. 
No lazer tag. 
Limited hrs in kids clubs. 
They've also stopped Bingo, tournaments, and clubs. 
2.5 hr boarding delay
Left Miami 6 hrs or so late.
People are being turned away from shows and restaurants.
Half the arcade games are broke or closed.
They keep running out of food items and changed their menus last minute.
Staff seem miserable.
The little things open were only open a couple hrs a day making the lines super long, like over an hour just to slide or rock climb.
RC put WAY to many ppl on this ship and with the very little open and for a short time we have to wait in long lines bc there's nothing else to spread everyone out! I've cruised this class at 100% cap and never saw lines and crowds like we did last week.

Also.....even with the enhanced cleaning before we boarded....tons of people in our FB group are testing positive after debarking. So definitely get tested once off that ship.

Have they announced the capacity yet? Curious!

Did you happen to photo the menus? Taking this cruise in Dec and curious which of Carnivals menus made it to the 4 day.

I make my own free shakes with soft serve and milk from the coffee stand on lido.

Currently,

Is the clubhouse with the "soccer pool", ping pong tables, etc open and all the games allowed to be played?

Is the trampoline park on Panorama open?

For those who have cruised the last couple months. I have read the following changes:

Windjammer not self serve

Possible reservations required 

Only half the buffet open

Only breakfast and lunch open

I guess my question is, has the food options for the buffet changed? Less variety? I have a very picky eater. Does breakfast still have French toast, waffles, AND a variety of pancake types?

Can anyone post or direct me to a post with the dining room kids meal for dinner?

Ice cream....not self serve I hear but are they pretty flexible with how you want it? Like, if I take them a cup from the dining room to use to make a milkshake, will they fill it with Ice Cream? Do they let you choose how much ice cream or do they just give standard cones and you need to come back if you want more?

Thank you!

Taxi to Red Hook - $10 per person x 2

Red Hook ferry to Cruz Bay on St. John $6 pp one way. X 2

Taxi Cruz Bay on St. John - Cruz Bay on St. John x 2

Trunk Bay have a $4 admission cost.

Total Cost = $50

Do the cabs charge the same for kids? Take cc?

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I am having a hard enough time guessing when Ill arrive to check in, but will I not be allowed to drop off my luggage until my time?

I would like to drop off my lugggae around 10 or 11, whenever they open, and do a walking tour of San Juan, then check in for the day. I dont know when I'll be done touring, but that will be our only time in San Juan and dont want to lose it due to an awkward check in time or having luggage. For instance, my earliest option it 2, if I check in then, by time I get done and leave the ship again I dont feel that gives me enough daylight to tour.

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This whole 'pre book your check in time' with Carnival is throwing my planning off!

We are staying in Condado the night before our cruise as our flight arrives in the evening. On cruise day I want to catch a cab to the pier, drop off my luggage, and do the part 1 and 2 walking tours listed here: puertoricodaytrips.com/old-san-juan-walking-tour-1/

How early can I drop off my luggage with this new system?

How long will the walking tour take so I know when my check in time should be? I will have a 7 and 10 yr old with me, who will want to rest and also play at the fort/in the fields, also work in time for lunch.

Thanks.

I have been researching the forms about going to Trunk Bay. We have been to St. Thomas many times and would like to venture out this time. It will just be me and my two kids, so doing it on my own will be a little stressful. I had read for just a little extra we can do the ships "On Your Own" tour and catch the ferry at the ship....

Does Carnival not/no longer offer this tour? We will be on the Fascination in February and there is no St. John "On Your Own" tour listed as an excursion. There is only a Trunk Bay excursion with an hr at the beach for $80 pp, which is a bit much for just a ride over!

We just did this last week....Rented a car, visitors center, steam vents, Kilauea overlook, Jaggar Museum (saw red lava splashing so we spent a good bit of time there and checked out the museum), Kilauea Iki overlook, Thurston lava tube, Pu'u Pua overlook, Devastation Trail and drove to the end of Chain of Craters Road with multiple stops all the way to the sea arch...We arrived about 9-915 and I think we left the Sea Arch at about 2:15 in order to get the car returned by 4.

Did you have any issues with the Maui Mall and did you notice other cruisers park there??? Thanks!

 

 

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Well we didn't park there, but our cab driver said they don't tow, regardless of what the rental car companies will tell you. I can say there were a lot of cars parked near the road in front of the drug store at 2:45 am and I doubt they were all shopping. :)

It really wasn't bad. There were lines of cars going up. We arrived at the summit a little after 4am. Just go slow, pay attention, be careful, take your time, and follow the traffic. I'd be more scared in a bus to be honest...

Here is what we had to do:

We parked over night at the airport in the back nearest to the rental car lot. Walked across the street, down and around to the rental car place to catch the shuttle back to the ship. Airport parking was $13. They had auto attendant at 3am.

People on here recommended CB taxi. However, they turned us away for a 230 am pick up. We were given La Bella Taxis number by CB and an airport taxi and they told us to call when we were heading off the ship, but they had to pick us up at Maui Mall as they dont have authority to get into the Harbour. They got there right after we did and it was $10, they even agreed to drop us off on the side of the road behind the airport since we were parked in the back.

La Bella taxi told us that you will NOT get towed at Maui Mall regardless of what you will be told.

It was a hassle, but the $23 ($28 with tip) spent was better than paying for a sunrise tour. :)

Here is what we had to do:

We parked over night at the airport in the back nearest to the rental car lot. Walked across the street, down and around to the rental car place to catch the shuttle back to the ship. Airport parking was $13. They had auto attendant at 3am.

People on here recommended CB taxi. However, they turned us away for a 230 am pick up. We were given La Bella Taxis number by CB and an airport taxi and they told us to call when we were heading off the ship, but they had to pick us up at Maui Mall as they dont have authority to get into the Harbour. They got there right after we did and it was $10, they even agreed to drop us off on the side of the road behind the airport since we were parked in the back.

La Bella taxi told us that you will NOT get towed at Maui Mall regardless of what you will be told.

It was a hassle, but the $23 spent was better than paying for a sunrise tour. :)

We rented a car for two days. I was unaware of no more overnight parking until the car rental shuttle told us. We planned on going to Haleakala at 230 am. We were told to park our car at the airport. Can I get out of the airport parking at 3am and how can I get to it? Any advice? TiA

Renting a car for our POA cruise, we are in Kauai overnight but I don't want to keep the car overnight. Wondering how late we can stay out that night and still get the car back and have a shuttle available to the pier? Anyone know how late the shuttles run for drop-off? I could find the times for other ports, but not this one. Thanks.

Flying in the day before our POA cruise and staying on the further end of Waikiki, more toward the Zoo, because we would like to visit the beach that evening after we check in.

Would like to visit Pearl Harbor before Embarkation the next day.

What's the latest time for boarding? And what is the best way to get around? Will need to get from the airport to the hotel, hotel to Pearl Harbor and then back to the hotel and then to the ship (as I would l have to leave our luggage at the hotel I am assuming).

I looked into Roberts Tours but they don't include the Missouri, but I'm not sure if time even allows for that? We would like to be able to see the Arizona and Missouri at the least. The Sub and Aviation if possible in addition, but I doubt it.

Looking for any suggestions for the day. After debarkation our flight is at 11:15 so we have no time after the cruise to see or do anything in Honolulu.

Oh my goodness! Just noticed my horrible typo in the title! That's what trying to post all that from a phone during a New Years Day get together will do. :rolleyes: My problem isn't so much them missing school as it is #1 the stress I'll do to myself and #2 the fact that they will be out of school for break the following week, being out of school for 2 weeks, and me having to handle child care for that week because I'll have to go back to work and they will still be out of school a week!

So, bottom line, what's more important to you? Ship or itinerary? And how much time will you actually be on the boat, and in your room, anyway?

It just depends! I am getting to where itinerary matters more b/c my kids are older now and there is so much I want to see! We cruise Royals Oasis class for ship only though, but really, I think we'll be okay as long as there is a waterworks!

Hi Tickerbell1984,

I feel you pain regarding the winter break not being the week of 2/11. The same thing for us. There were a couple of different cruises that we were looking at for that week only to find out that winter break is a week later in 2017.

We are in GA too! LoL, they switched our calendar to a shorter summer, so I guess they moved the other breaks to even things out, I'm not sure. October break is earlier, Feb is later. :(

3) Glory: Itinerary is Grand Turk, Amber Cove, St. Thomas, and San Juan. We are also looking at this cruise for the week of 2/18/17. It sails from Miami. We really want to go to Amber Cove but have sailed the Glory twice.

If this was offered on a ship with waterworks, we'd totally do it, no questions. We don't like to Glory class ships because there isn't that extra area for the kids. It seems like all ships are going Southern or Western during our break except for the Glory and I think Conquest and other similar ones.

What shore excursions would you choose....do you feel a port each day and sightseeing each day be too much for your youngest one?

LoL, not too much for them, they are use to traveling!

In our district, you can get an independent study contract if you miss 5 or more days of school. The kids complete the missed work on their own, and They are not counted absent. The school still gets their funding.

This isn't an option in our district. You are allowed 10 absences MAX whether excused or not before truancy is involved. :(

I would also compare airfares. We have found flights to San Juan to be significantly more than Florida. We love San Juan but the extra cost can mount up.

We don't have to fly to Florida, we would drive as far as Miami. But the added airfare to San Juan is why we would have to have the interior room. We are use to them though and have cruised with them multiple times.

You didn't mention how old the kids are

Sorry! They will be 10 and 7 then. :)

I am currently booked 02/11/17 on the Vista (Southern Car) however, upon release of the school calendar, they moved Feb break to the week after the norm. So I'm trying to explore my options from other cruisers and just seeking advice on the best route to take.

Here's my options if I stick to February 2017, which I'd like to do.

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#1. Change nothing. I could let the kids miss school for a week. I am not totally against this at all. It is added stress trying to get all the work and crossing fingers that the teacher is able to assist, cause she definitely doesn't have to. And we would also be limted to only miss 5 sick days cause the max is 10, excused or not.

We do want to go to NEW places and on a ship we haven't been on. Option #1 has/will cost around 3k and goes to Grand Turk, Dominican Republic, Bonaire and Aruba....I have been to all of these before except Bonaire. But it's on a brand new ship and I get a wonderful cove balcony. We were really just going for the ship......Again, kids would miss school for this option only.

From my research, IF I change my dates, I lose $150 (not a huge deal) of the $900 dep I have paid (early saver). The remaining $750 (which will be the deposit amount for the new cruise) can NOT be my deposit for the new cruise. It will be a credit towards the balance and I will have to pay an additional $750 at booking as a deposit.

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Opt #2 Carnival Magic: I would be able to keep my lovely cove balcony. It is going to Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel. I have already been to Belize and Cozumel and did not care for them both. I am also going to Cozumel again this February. Costa Maya and I think Mahogany Bay will be new places. Total Cost $2200.23 -- cheapest option, even with losing the $150, also a bonus.

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Opt #3 Carnival Fascination: I have cruised a sister ship and was not pleased. It goes to St. Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts and St Maarten. We have been to St Thomas and St Maarten, both which are nice and I'm more than willing to go to St Thomas and take a ferry to St John, where I've never been. So technically, this will take me to 4 new places. Downside, or I guess and Up/Down Side, lol, it departs from San Juan. That. Would. Be. Wonderful. Fly in a day early and really explore San Juan. I have only been once and have wanted to go back every since. So what's the down? I'd have to get an inside cabin, no balcony, maybe could pull an ocean view, because I'd have to buy plane tickets, cab and hotel. The inside room is cheap, only $1465.32. But with everything else we are looking at adding on another $1500 - $2000. Which is about the price of Opt 1.

What would you do personally in the situation?

Right now I've got 7143 on a 24 hr hold...Forward/Starboard

Other options are (considering they are still avail tomorrow):

5262 Port Aft which would save us $100

and 5237/5234 Starboard/Port and Obstructed view which would save us $240.

We are going Vancouver around back to Seattle visiting Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. I'm not sure if the obstructed view will be a waste in Alaska, esp with small kids who may have trouble seeing?

I am also concerned, being on Deck 5, about smokers on the outer deck 3...I'm not sure which side that's allowed, looks like Starboard but I also could have neighbors, so......I also hear Starboard is best for the passage up and leaving Vancouver. So I dunno. This will possibly be once in a lifetime so I want it to be the best, but also want to save for excursions.

Any advice appreciated, thanks!

Looking forward to this. Thinking of taking my (will be) 6 and 9 yr olds on the Legend to AK next year. Interested to see how you kids enjoyed/handled it. :)